Your Hormones Are Talking To You…Do You Hear Them?
When I was in naturopathic medical school my husband loved to tell my classmates the following joke:
“What’s the difference between an enzyme and a hormone?”. Invariably someone would start to explain it medically at which point he’d continue… “You can’t hear an enzyme!” [Ba doom ching!]
While the hormone changes that occur in women as they approach their menstrual cycles (PMS) or stop having them altogether (menopause) tend to be considered by society as the most vocal hormone communications, it is really hormones in general that drive many of our daily symptoms: hunger, energy, fatigue, pain, joy, sadness, libido, and so on.
If menstrual cycles are dramatic, as in unpredictable, painful, or way too heavy, then let’s listen more closely to what your hormones are telling us so that they get what they need and you can experience the boredom of a regular, predictable, pain-free period.
If you’re in menopause and struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, brain fog, or anything else that interferes with your daily joy then let’s address that!
If you have low motivation, fatigue, stubborn weight changes, anxiety, depression, low/excess appetite, pain, sugar cravings, or anything else that has you feeling less than your best self then let’s listen more closely to your thyroid and adrenal hormones…and your blood sugar managing hormones…and your reproductive hormones…and your neurotransmitters…
Testing may be appropriate in some cases, but starting with listening to your body and taking notes on how you are feeling can yield some very helpful information that we can use to start you on the journey back to wellness.
