Women’s health and well being was the subject of a great natural medicine seminar I attended last weekend.

Clues that hormones are out of balance include:

Painful, heavy or irregular periods, irritability and mood changes, poor memory, fatigue, lack of motivation, craving sugar and chocolate, fluid retention, bloating, night sweats, hot flushes,…

The impact on a woman’s quality of life of some of these problems is often under estimated. For example, the average western woman now has few children and therefore experiences 400 periods during her reproductive life. One painful day each cycle equates to an average of 400 days, or more than one year of pain. Given that 90% of women experience period pain, this has the potential to create a significant health and socioeconomic issue.

Common conditions resulting from hormone imbalance include:

• Period Pain
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Menopause.

Here are three key points:

• Many female reproductive problems are associated with a situation of “oestrogen dominance”, where high or relatively high (compared to progesterone) levels of oestrogen activity cause increased tissue activity and proliferation in oestrogen-sensitive tissues, such as the endometrium (lining of the uterus), ovaries and breasts.
• Poor liver detoxification, which is often due to allergies, food intolerances or toxins, results in a build up of harmful oestrogen break down products.
• Many environmental chemicals such as pesticides interfere with hormonal balance.

A large part of my practice is based on helping women with the above symptoms and conditions. Please feel free to make an appointment if you are wondering if your hormones need a check up.

P.S.

Future newsletters will include more information and case histories about common hormone problems and solutions.

P.P.S.

Men also get hormone problems, but the only time I get to see them is if their wife or partner organises the appointment!

Author: Dr Peter Holsman - Holistic Doctor

Dr Peter Holsman is an energetic, imaginative and resourceful medical practitioner and naturopath who has dedicated his career to finding the secrets that will boost people's energy levels and slow down their ageing process.