Are your hormones your friend or your enemy?

In many medical settings, a hormone imbalance treatment will make use of synthetic hormones to regulate the menstrual cycle or to reduce adult acne breakouts (such as birth control pills for PCOS or endometriosis).  

You might choose to use synthetic hormones as a reliable method of birth control, but what you may not know is that these hormones are working by shutting down the natural rhythm of your menstrual cycle. In other words, by suppressing ovulation.

In this scenario the underlying cause of the hormonal imbalance is not addressed or repaired this way—only temporarily covered up and put on hold.

The women who will best benefit from a natural hormone imbalance treatment are women who:

1. have reproductive issues—PCOS, endometriosis, PMS, menstrual cramps, irregular periods
2. want to get off the pill but are worried about symptoms flaring up (such as adult acne or mood swings)
3. are trying to conceive naturally or with assisted reproduction techniques (IVF, FET, IUI, egg freezing etc.)
4. are delaying motherhood because they are busy working toward career goals, not in a relationship yet, or just not ready to start a family, but who want to prepare.

I have found that Chinese herbal medicine works amazingly well for female hormonal balance. A program for hormonal balance would look like this:

• Individualized treatment that takes the whole person into account,
• Custom herbal formulas, timed for different phases of the menstrual cycle if necessary,
• Dietary and lifestyle recommendations
• Functional medicine testing, as needed:
  • adrenal stress test, because stress affects hormonal balance
  • GI test, because inflammation in the gut can affect hormonal balance
  • functional medicine hormone mapping
•  

It’s a good idea to work on female hormone balance at the first signs that something is not right with your cycle. Make sure you are keeping up with your gynecological appointments for routine care. Be sure to consult your gynecologist first if anything is concerning you to rule out serious health conditions.

Once you have made sure to have your health team in place, you can get to work on hormone imbalance treatment. You shouldn’t have to put up with conditions such as years of painful periods or premenstrual symptoms. Don’t struggle alone with the frustrations and disappointments of infertility. I would love to join you on your health journey. You can be proactive with your health as a woman!

A typical course of treatment with Chinese herbs for reproductive issues is 2-3 months or longer. Conventional medicine with drugs often takes effect faster but with a greater risk of side effects. My patients usually want to get better with natural solutions and are determined to take the time to make lasting changes.

This is not a quick fix, although many of the women that I treat experience benefits right away from taking the herbs, such as better sleep, improved digestion, and feeling more resilient when dealing with stressful situations.