Hormone Imbalances
Many people today suffer from hormone imbalances. This can cause symptoms such as irritability, poor sleep, mood swings, PMS, low libido, fatigue and many other problems.
Why do so many people suffer from these imbalances, and why does it have such an effect on us?
Let's have a quick biology lesson: Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that travel in the blood stream to the organs and tissues. Endocrine glands (like the thyroid) make hormones. The HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis is what controls all of these glands. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that connects us to the outside world. Without it our body doesn't know how to make changes to keep us in sync with our environment. For example, if you are in a cold room, the hypothalamus raises your metabolism to increase your body temperature. Or if you are in a stressful situation, it tells your adrenal glands to release stress hormones to help you deal with the stress.
This is how our body maintains its balance. When one of these glands becomes fatigued, it is unable to function correctly, which affects the entire body.
What causes hormone imbalances?
- Stress
- Poor diet
- Lack of sleep
- Traumatic experiences (physical or emotional)
- Toxins
- Food intolerance/allergies
- Smoking
- Excess alcohol
- and other things
How are hormone imbalances treated?
The best treatment is to get to the root of the problem. This can be accomplished by many different methods:
- Supporting the HPA axis with whole food supplements
- Using acupuncture to remove energy imbalances and for stress relief
- Chiropractic to remove spinal mis-alignments and nerve interference
- Lifestyle modifications to reduce stress, decrease toxin exposure and improve diet
Everyone has different circumstances and needs so there is never just one treatment for everyone. The best way to determine your needs is to schedule a Nutrition Evaluation with one of our doctors.