Welcome Welcome WELCOME autumn!
Don't you just love the fall season?
Over the past couple days you've probably been feeling the subtle seasonal shift in your body.
I'd say most of us are pretty good at recognizing when our body needs more warming foods, cozy sweaters, and hot teas (my hand is raised).
But when it comes to hormonal changes, most of us think they're either normal OR there isn't much we can do about it. Right?
The truth is, our hormones are incredibly powerful messengers and they play a HUGE part in our experience of feeling vibrant and feminine.
So when we don't feel so vibrant, or even feminine, we can be sure something is up with the delicate hormonal balance in our bodies.
But what if we listened to the signs of hormonal imbalance like we do to the seasonal change?
In the past, I've covered topics about specific hormones like estrogen and progesterone and their natural effect on our brain and body. But today, I wanted to give you a lil' nudge —it's time to take the "hormonal-issue-signs" off mute!
Here are 3 ways your body is trying to communicate hormonal imbalance.
You've got a serious sweet tooth
Do you crave the sweet stuff, every-minute-of-the-day. Ok, at least every hour? Or two?
Do you feel like sugar has become your drug of choice, and you find yourself constantly grazing on even so-called "healthy" sugary foods?
Here's how the sweet stuff breeds hormonal havoc.
Excessive consumption of sugars leads to an imbalance in insulin and cortisol. It also leads to a reduction in satiety hormone (leptin) and an imbalance in our hunger hormone (grehlin), so we end up craving the sweet stuff all day long and never quite feel satisfied either. Ouff.
Libido-what?
Would you rather clean your home than feel juicy in your own skin?
Stress causes the body’s vital energy to be directed upwards to help the central nervous system and brain cope with stress.
Our stress hormone (cortisol) blocks our bonding hormone (oxytocin) and shuts off our desire for physical touch and intimacy.
Excessive stress also drives the adrenal glands to make more stress-fighting cortisol by converting some of our sex hormones, which are otherwise needed for our libido.
In short, stress is libido-squashing!
Your lady flow has an attitude.
Does your lady flow come and go as she pleases?
Some months she's got her own schedule, and other months, she's got vengeance?
If you dread this time of the month, you should know, it really doesn’t have to be this way.
This is your body’s way of communicating a hormonal imbalance and it's trying to get your attention.
Here's some common (but not normal) hormonal shifts.
High levels of estrogen can make breasts feel tender and sore. An increase in androgens stimulates excess oil production in the skin and can lead to acne. Exaggerated changes in progesterone can lead to fatigue or make it difficult to sleep.
Here's the Good news.
Diet and lifestyle are proven to help tame your lady flow and it's hormonal players.
So tell me, how many of the 3 signs can you relate to. One? Two? Or all of the above?
I hope this empowers you to listen and stay curious about the language of your body.
Let me know if you have questions or if there’s something you’d like to add. Leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear from you.
Much love and lady flow care,
Elaine Clark, nutritionist, writer, women's health pioneer, and founder of LADYFLOW. Elaine is creating a movement of women living in sync with their hormonal wisdom and creativity. Elaine works with health conscious women to feel at home in their body and awaken to their creative potential. She offers a variety of tools to support women with her workshop offerings, retreats, and wellness products.
