Did you know that over 80% of women throughout their lifetime will suffer from hormonal imbalance? Estrogen dominance and estrogen resistance can top the list when it comes to hormonal issues in women, especially women over 40 and women who are postpartum. Though estrogen resistance syndrome is rare, estrogen dominance is quite common in women over 40.
What is Hormone Imbalance
Hormonal imbalance in simple terms is when our bodies are either not producing the right amount of hormones, this could be in the form of an overproduction of hormones known as hyperthyroidism, or not receiving the hormones being produced due to endocrine disruptors blocking them.
The underproduction of hormones is known as hypothyroidism, or it is also possible for your hormones to be in proper production but your body is not receiving them.
I am not a medical professional, I am a normal everyday person just like you who embarked on healing my own hormonal imbalance over 8 years ago now. I saw doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist. After all the testing they concluded autoimmune diseases are incurable and I would need to remain on medication for the rest of my life.
This was an unacceptable answer, so I knew if I could find at least one other person who had an autoimmune disease and cured it then damn it I could too! Granted this was back in the day and the internet was not what it is today. But where there is a will there is a way!
It is said that over 80% of women in the US suffer from hormonal imbalances throughout their lifetime. The most common reasons triggering hormonal imbalance are menopause, premenopause, pregnancy or post-pregnancy, obesity, and chronic stress or trauma.
Of course, most of us suffer needlessly having a handful if not all of the symptoms listed below and if this goes on too long before it is corrected it turns into a full-on autoimmune disease. For more on Hormonal Imbalance in women and how to fix it read 15 Signs Of Hormone Imbalance That Most Women Ignore next.
Understanding how our hormones work helps us to see how delicate that balance is and why we should be focused on keeping it from getting all out of wack!
For a deep dive with Dr. Pelz check out her YouTube series How Fasting Can Help You Balance Your Hormones – PART 1
What happens when a woman’s hormones are out of balance?
When we approach hormones we have to take a team approach. Hormones do not work independently of one another. When your thyroid hormones are not working properly, it does not mean it is just your thyroid. People with adrenal fatigue often are also suffering from hypothalamus and pituitary gland problem. Think of hormones like the dominos effect, if one falls it knocks all the others out of balance too.
Some of the most common outer struggles from hormonal imbalance are covered here Hormones and Weight Gain and here Hormonal Imbalance Diet. Hormonal weight gain is often the biggest telltale sign something is off. The weight normally appears mostly in the stomach, known as the hormonal belly, the hips, butt, and thighs giving that pair-shaped figure no one wants! It also can feel impossible to lose hormonal weight gain, if you have been struggling check out those two posts next!
Related Posts to read next on this topic: How to Heal Autoimmune Diseases Naturally & Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance is simply put over the production of estrogen in the body, which then causes progesterone deficiency. Estrogen dominance will affect the body in many ways from bloating to abnormal periods, extreme PMS symptoms, headaches, decreased sex drive/decreased production of sex hormones, fatigue, mood swings, and hormonal weight gain.
Our hormones can be looked at like the dominos effect. If you knock one over the rest fall with it. For a deeper dive into this topic and to see all the signs most women ignore check out this post next 15 Signs Of Hormone Imbalance That Most Women Ignore.
If you have more than a few of the listed side effects of estrogen dominance the next step would be to take a hormone panel, this can be done with a doctor’s request at a lab or you can grab one of these at-home test kits and check your hormones at home.
Related posts to read next if you want to start treating hormonal imbalance naturally at-home Estrogen Dominance & Progesterone Deficiency
The definition of Estrogen Dominance is the condition of increased estrogen levels relative to progesterone levels in the body. Estrogen dominance may be the result of the overproduction of estrogen by the body, changes in estrogen metabolism and excretion, or an imbalance in the estrogen-to-progesterone ratio.
Over 70% of women are estimated to experience estrogen dominance throughout their lifetime.
Signs of Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance in the body shows up as;
- builds up the uterine lining
- increase in body fat
- depression, headaches, or migraines
- interference with thyroid hormone
- increase in blood clotting
- decrease in libido
- a blood sugar control
- increases the risk of endometrial cancer
- increases the risk of breast cancer
Estrogen Resistance Syndrome
Though estrogen resistance syndrome is more uncommon some of the signs of ERS are abnormal growth during puberty, delays in bone maturing, reduction in bone density, and insulin resistance. This is most common in women who are in the process of chemotherapy and/or struggling with cancer or in young girls who are not developing properly.
If Weight Loss with Hormonal Imbalance You Have to Get Your Food Right
Odds are pretty good that if you have gained weight and not been able to easily lose it, or have been overweight for more than a year then there is a hormonal imbalance involved. Regarding the question of whether being overweight or obese causes a hormonal imbalance or does hormonal imbalance cause obesity the simple answer is yes!
It doesn’t really matter which came first if you have one the other is soon to follow.
The best diet for hormonal weight gain in my own personal experience, and in helping so many heal their hormones as well is hands down the Clean Keto Diet.
Clean Keto is essentially the keto diet minus the dairy and avoiding highly refined processed foods I like to call Frankin’ Foods. Foods that are not real, are cooked up in a lab somewhere using God only knows what, and they are made to last on the shelf for years and be highly addicting so that you buy more.
When I started Keto almost six years ago now it was the school of hard knocks for me. I spent months researching and meal planning trying to figure it all out myself. I can recommend to you the Custom Keto Meal Planner for weight loss as the big red easy button to start Keto.
Custom Keto Meal Planner quizzes you on your taste buds and weight loss goals and then formulates the perfect done-for-you meal plan to fit your needs. It even emails you the weekly shopping list for less than a dinner out with friends and it’s under $40 per month.
Hormonal Harmony Supplement
If you are really serious about hormonal weight loss you can combine the keto diet with the right supplements to give you a boost right out of the gate.
Hormonal Harmony HB-5 is an all-in-one supplement to support resetting your hormones. Formulated with all-natural ingredients and is essentially a multivitamin for your hormones.
For my full review and in-depth research on this supplement check out this post next Hormonal Harmony Supplement Review
Conclusion
When it comes to hormonal health for women over the age of 40 benefits and science behind intermittent fasting or Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) impact our overall metabolic fitness, boost healthy hormones, and help with weight loss, improved sleep, reduction of inflammation, and the list of positive benefits to fasting go on and on. If you have never tried intermittent fasting this is something that easily fits into anyone’s lifestyle!
Changing foods that are causing hormonal disruptions, and removing chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors blocking the signals our hormones need to communicate with each other is key to gaining a happy healthy hormonal balance.
Let me know in the comments below did you see more than a few signs or symptoms that you might have a hormonal imbalance, what questions do you have that I might be able to help you with?
We're an affiliate
We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Thank you if you use our links, we really appreciate it!
DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
