Are you Suffering from a
Our hormones can make or break how we feel!
When out of balance, it can quickly turn a good day into a bad one, and sometimes it can make you feel off for weeks on end.
As a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses in Hormonal health, here are the top 6 signs that may indicate you may have a hormonal imbalance.
ONE
IRREGULAR CYCLES
Does your menstrual cycle come monthly? A healthy cycle should last between 28-35 days in length. Don’t get me wrong, every individual is different and occasional variations in one cycle can be normal. However… if your cycle consistently comes less than every 25 days or greater than 35 days, this indicates you likely have an irregular cycle.
TWO
Bleeding in-between cycles
Do you commonly bleed around ovulation or just before your menstrual cycle? Some women may refer to this as spotting. This can indicate low levels of progesterone, fibroids, polyps, PCOS or may be a sign of something more serious. Further investigation may be necessary to rule out other causes. It's important to know this usually indicates something else is going on!
THREE
Heavy Bleeding
Do you find yourself changing your tampon or pad every hour? How about filling up your menstrual cup within less than 6 hours? You may be experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding. This is one of the top concerns I see in my practice as a Naturopathic Doctor! Women are having to put towels down at night when sleeping, or have to stay at home due to the risk of leaking. These same women experience extreme fatigue, apathy and brain fog just before or during their cycle. I am telling you right now, it doesn’t have to be this way! Let's take control of your hormones and stop this heavy bleeding.
FOUR
Painful Menstrual Cramps
Are you debilitated by your menstrual cramps? Do you need to take pain medication every time your cycle comes around? Painful periods, also known as dysmenorrhea, are incredibly common. Many women have to take days off school, or work, and many feel dependent on their medication. This doesn’t have to be your norm! Check out my blog on “Painful Periods - They Do Not Need to Be Your Norm!”
FIVE
ACNE
Ever wonder if you might have hormonal acne? Your acne tends to come in waves, where it worsens just before or after menses. You might feel like you get 1-2 weeks of clear skin, then it comes back, AGAIN. It’s this never-ending cycle and you find little to no improvement with topical products. This is because you aren’t addressing your hormone imbalance!
Much of the time we tend to blame testosterone for hormonal acne, but this isn’t always the case. When it comes to acne it’s always best to TEST than guess. Check out my blog on The 5 Reasons Why Your Acne Isn’t Clearing Up
SIX
mood swings
Ever feel like you are a different person the week before your period? Everything is irritating and you can’t seem to have the same patience you normally do. This may look like getting frustrated more easily, starting arguments with your partner or losing your temper with your kids. Your hormones have a huge impact on your mood and neurotransmitters. Don’t let your hormones control your mood, we can work on this.
SEVEN
Hot Flashes
Do you ever experience waves of heat that result in sweating? How about waking up drenched in the middle of the night? Some may believe hot flashes can only happen in menopause, however, this symptom can occur in women in their 20s or 30s. Hot flashes are a big hint that hormonal imbalances exist. For my perimenopause and menopausal women, you may think hot flashes are a normal part of this stage of life. Don’t listen to that nonsense! There are so many ways to manage hot flashes and other symptoms during this phase.
EIGHT
low libido
Feel like that flame in the bedroom is fading? I know this can be frustrating not only for you but for your partner too. Low libido can be attributed to hormonal imbalances in most cases.
Hormone Imbalance Checklist
Do you experience...
Did you say yes to 1 or more of these symptoms, if so, you are likely experiencing a hormone imbalance!
- Irregular Cycles
- Bleeding In-Between Cycles
- Heavy Bleeding
- Painful Periods
- Hormonal Acne
- Mood Swings
- Hot Flashes
- Low Libido
Do not let your hormones control your life. It's possible to balance your hormones to work FOR you, not against you! Interested in learning more or hoping to get to the bottom of your hormone imbalance? Apply to work with me, I'd love to chat!
Dr. Michelle Webb
Your Hormone & Gut Health Naturopathic Doctor
Riaz Y, Parekh U. Oligomenorrhea. [Updated 2021 Dec 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560575/ Cable JK, Grider MH. Physiology, Progesterone. [Updated 2022 May 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558960/ Nagy H, Khan MAB. Dysmenorrhea. [Updated 2022 Jul 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560834/ Anastasiadis AG, Davis AR, Salomon L, Burchardt M, Shabsigh R. Hormonal factors in female sexual dysfunction. Curr Opin Urol. 2002 Nov;12(6):503-7. doi: 10.1097/00042307-200211000-00011. PMID: 12409881.
