You May Be Suffering From Hormonal Imbalance || It started as a slight swelling the day before my menstrual period began. Then came the headaches. Finally, a few days of minor discomfort became something that I had to plan my schedule with due to my symptoms.
She was not alone Jane * suffered from back and head pains so severe that she had to take off from work. Susan developed the cravings for sugary and salty foods and began to have intercurrent bleeding and bleeding at mid-cycle. These symptoms have been classified as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Often dismissed by doctors as "normal" hormonal fluctuations and mocked by decals and advertisements; PMS has been widely accepted.
In an era where women strive to break the "glass ceiling" and affirm their position with their male co-workers, demonstrating a weakness related to their gender is a taboo subject. So women have suffered in silence when they have not been able to convince anyone that their symptoms may not be "normal".
I was one of those people. For years, I was fired by doctors while my symptoms increased. Unable to find the answers I was looking for, I finally stopped asking and accepted my destiny. That was until I started going to Dr. Daniel Bies, a wellness practitioner in chiropractic, acupuncture and nutrition. While treating me for a relentless back pain, he asked me if I had headaches before the start of my period.
Understanding The Results Of A Hormonal Imbalance
Suspecting the dominance of estrogen, he suggested that I take a diagnostic test to measure my hormone levels throughout my cycle.
An average cycle consists of 28 days, beginning with approximately 4 days of menstruation (blood flow), during which the hormone estrogen accumulates in the woman's body. Its peak reaches half the cycle, which triggers ovulation, when an egg is released.
Progesterone, another hormone, begins to increase as the uterine lining builds up and the cervix becomes more receptive to fertilization. If the egg is not fertilized, the coating breaks down as the estrogen decreases in the body. The delicate coordination of these hormones is controlled by another chemical, DHEA.
All three of these, along with lower doses of testosterone should be in perfect balance. Altering that balance can cause numerous symptoms, such as swelling and weight gain, headaches, backaches, mild to severe cramping, cravings for salty or sweet foods, sensitivity to temperature, allergy outbreaks and many other symptoms. Not all women will experience the full range of symptoms and some may be milder or more severe than others.
Due to the ambiguity of the symptoms, the age at which these symptoms occur and the degree to which they feel vary widely, it has been difficult to determine the exact cause. But since Bies and his wife, Erin, (also a nutritionist) attended seminars on the domain of estrogen and began treating patients, the results have been surprising. In my case, I took a natural vitamin formula made by a medical laboratory and sold only to doctors, to eliminate the excess of estrogen.
Then, in the second half of my cycle, I used a natural progesterone cream made from wild yam extract, which I applied to my skin. This was to complement the lower levels than normal that my own body was doing. Finally, I took a DHEA supplement to compensate for the shortage of DHEA in my body so that my hormones could be regulated again.
Treating Hormonal Imbalance
I was surprised at the difference he made. The headaches, cramps and swelling disappeared from my first cycle after using these products. Every month thereafter, the symptoms remained happily nonexistent. The most convincing evidence for me was when I traveled to Italy for two weeks. The trip would overlap with the second half of my cycle, so I packed the progesterone cream with me. I left DHEA at home because I was worried about the effects that changes in temperature during the trip can have on the fragile capsules.
With the excitement of the trip and my discarded schedule, I stopped using the cream until I got home. That month, my symptoms returned. The following month, I was back in the program, and that's it! - My symptoms disappeared again.
My story is far from unique. Dr. John Lee, who has written a score of books that include What Your Doctor Can not Tell You About Perimenopause, has documented the same results in dozens of women.
Oral contraceptives and genetics can play a role as possible causes of hormonal imbalance. What really surprised me was that the dominance of estrogen could also mimic hyperthyroidism, a disease more common in women. For years, I had all the symptoms of this disease, and since the thyroid disorder is common in my family, I underwent numerous tests. Blood tests, CT scans, radioactive isotope tests (whatever), they tested me. But all the tests turned out negative.
My symptoms were considered classic hypothyroidism: weight gain, constant fatigue, dry skin and eyes and a strong sensitivity to cold. Also discarded other diseases that produce some of these symptoms: iron deficiency anemia, Epstein Barr, Lyme disease, etc. But by taking the progesterone cream and DHEA, my symptoms similar to those of hypothyroidism also decreased.
The changes were also obvious to those around me: I was not wearing layers of clothing in air-conditioned rooms and I had more energy.
Jane and Susan also reported similar findings. Jane was able to maintain a normal work schedule and even received a promotion because she was more reliable and productive at work. Susan lost weight when her food cravings declined and she was finally able to follow a reasonable weight loss plan without her efforts being sabotaged by her cycle.
More and more people are discovering, and demanding, natural treatments for health. But like its synthetic counterparts, being "natural" does not mean no side effects. Those who have jumped to madness for healthy food have discovered that any chemical product, created by man or produced in nature, can alter the delicate chemical balance of our bodies. In some cases, this is beneficial, when an imbalance is corrected or a deficiency is addressed. But always proceed with caution: read the labels, learn and follow the advice of a doctor. Herbs and vitamins can also cause or aggravate existing conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
The best defender of your health is you. You know your body better than anyone and when you recognize that you feel differently before, your energy levels have dropped, you have a pain that does not give way, ask questions. Keep a journal and become an observer. Do you work longer or different hours that may be causing fatigue? Have you been sick recently or have you developed a rash, been bitten by a tick?
The more informed you are about your condition: when it started, what makes it worse, what improves it, how long it lasts, etc., you can better provide your doctor with the clues you need. And if you do not think your doctor will take it seriously or listen to your complaints, do not be afraid to look for a second, third or fourth opinion.
You can also investigate your symptoms on the Internet; You can literally put a whole world of research at your fingertips. But again, proceed with caution. Check the references of who is publishing the information. Anyone can put a website and drop information. Research as many different sites as you can, so you are getting from a wide source of information and not just from a few limited points of view.
You can even consider posting your symptoms on an online bulletin board. Often, you can do this anonymously by creating a login name and see what answers you get. You may simply listen to someone who has experienced similar symptoms and find out what worked and what did not.
You can listen to sources from the other side of the world or in your own backyard. My mother went to a new doctor to get a second opinion, but the recommended treatment was very different from the one originally suggested. She felt very safe with the second doctor and what he said, but she had been going to her original doctor for years and was hesitant to question her treatment.
So he jumped on the Internet and found a news article about his practice, not a paid ad, and one of the women cited in the article lived nearby. He contacted the woman by phone and told my mother that she was very satisfied with her treatment. My mother chose to go with the second doctor and had excellent results.
It is your body, and ultimately only you can keep it functioning properly. You must take care of your symptoms and if it is a hormonal imbalance or in some other way: you must decide what treatment and methods you are willing to accept or reject.
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