9 Ways to Restore Hormonal Health ...

In a previous article we looked at the main reasons behind hormonal imbalance and monthly suffering that affects many women. Today, we will explore natural strategies for alleviating PMS and restoring feminine health - 9 approaches to heal emotionally and hormonally during your premenstrual phase.
1. Try to reclaim and appreciate the wisdom of your monthly cycle …
You can easily do that by celebrating it as a source of your feminine power, rather than an annoying condition in need for a medical intervention.
2. Have a good look at your everyday menu …
Because the food you eat may be the main culprits of your monthly suffering. A high-carbohydrate diet of junk foods, processed vegetable oils, trans fats, stimulants, and soy products instigates hormonal imbalance and sets the stage for women’s health problems.
3. Adjust your diet …
Adjust your diet taking care to include adequate animal protein, plenty of healthy fats such as natural butter, fish oils, and coconut products, as well as a variety of fresh and fermented vegetables and fruit. Do you also know that many women begin to feel better after eliminating grains containing gluten, especially wheat?
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4. Stop eating non-organic dairy product …
And I am talking milk, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc. Supermarket milk usually comes from cows treated with BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) and antibiotics. Both steroids and antibiotics reside in the milk and interfere with the female hormonal system. Organic dairy products from independent small producers, though, are perfect foods, and you can eat them liberally.
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5. Refrain from buying highly processed vegetable oils and commercial salad dressings …

As the chemicals they contain disrupt the natural regulation of hormone production. Instead, bring back tradition and use healthful animal fats for cooking and natural sour cream and extra-virgin olive oil for dressing your salads.
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*8 Tips for Finding an Alternative Therapist …
6. Try to cut down on coffee, black tea, chocolate, and sugary soft drinks …
Since they overstimulate the adrenal gland and may negatively influence hormonal health. Opt for purified water and your hormones will thank you.
7. Let it shine!
Help stabilize your hormonal levels with everyday exposure to a full-spectrum natural light. Not only it will restore your hormonal health, you will feel so much happier too.
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8. Yoga, Tai Chi, meditation, or other types of calming exercises and deep relaxation techniques …

They all protect women’s biochemistry and are capable of reducing many PMS symptoms. Try them all and see which one works best for you.
*12 Female Celebrities Who Do Yoga…
9. There are yet more comprehensive options available to women …
Such as those involving the healing arts: acupuncture, Ayurveda, homeopathy, massage therapy, and reflexology, which have been used for centuries to help women balance and restore their feminine chemistry and overall health.

Do you know other natural ways that work wonders restoring hormonal balance? Please share them with me!

Smital55 Hi everyone! I am 29, and I've been having some disastrous problems with my hormones as well. I was put on spironolactone for hormonal acne about 5 years ago. It worked wonders, but I weened myself off it as it is a synthetic hormone, and you cannot take it if you ever want to conceive. After a couple years, I also developed a slightly underactive thyroid, hormonal acne to the max, a gluten intolerance, and anxiety attacks. I tried to go the holistic, all natural way but didn't know where to go. I'm a special education teacher, so I don't have a lot of time or money to research. I came across a man at a homeopathic store, and he recommended I take an all natural supplement called HERPANACINE. I've been taking it for one month. My skin had to get a little worse before it got better. It cleanses you from the inside out. I read up on it and read reviews, and people swear by it! They say it takes 4-5 months for it to totally clean you up, but I definitely notice a difference after 1 month. I'm not getting the cystic breakouts any longer. If I do get a blemish, it's just a whitehead and does not stay forever. My dermatologist also put me on a good topical cream with Retin-A in it called Ziana. It is definitely the best topical cream I've ever used on my face. I hope this helps, and I hope everyone finds a way to heal! Lots of love! There is hope! You can purchase and read reviews of Herpanacine by googling it. xoxoxoxo

Rushell hi am 21 year old from i havent see my period from 4 month now an i dont know wat the problem.

Denise Hi Rushell. Have you been really stressed lately? Stress can delay ovulation which can then delay your period. But if you've always been irregular, then maybe you need to see a gynecologist.

color hello everybody, I'm 26 and I noticed that my period cycle the last 2 months is 40 days (I used to have a regular 33-35 days cycle). I'm really worried about it. I am an emotional person and I get stressed for every problem of my life. I was searching around on the internet when I found this website. Anyone has ever experienced the same thing as me? How can I regulate naturally my period cycle ?..

Denise Hi Color. Thanks for joining us on AWS. Your cycle might have changed due to physical and/or emotional stress. It's also possible that the change is due to hormone issues. To be sure, please talk to your doctor.

alicia Hi I'm and I'm 18 sometimes I see my period for 3 to five months straight without stopping! Sometimes it stops for months too! What should I do? I need help! This is happening for over two years....

Denise Hi Alicia. Perhaps it's time to visit your doctor. You might have a hormonal imbalance, hence the irregular cycle.

alicia Hi I'm lisaan I'm 18 sometimes I see my perio for 3 to five months straight without stopping! Sometimes it stops for months too! What should I do? I need help! This is happening for over two years....

Denise Hi Lisaan. You could be experiencing hormonal imbalance or your cycle is still normalizing itself. However, I'm not a medical professional so I'm just speculating. It would be best to consult your doctor. Ask your mom to schedule an appointment or schedule it yourself. If there are family planning or women's clinic(s) in your area, then you can also go there.

Mark You MUST find a fiber supplement that is made from “functional” fibers, which is fiber that is isolated or extracted from plants or animals, with health benefits in humans. Psyllium is obviously the most effective in treating constipation and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. I have tried the Lady Soma Fiber Cleanse (which has these "Function fibers"), and I completely love it. I use a bottle about every 1-2 months, and there are no side effects, and the price is amazing. Good luck hon!

Becky My daughter is 17 and 6 months, has celiac diagonesd at 14, with delayed puberty. Still has no period. Doctors ran tests, and ultrsounds everything fine, with slight thyroid numbers off, not enough to do anything. If she doesnt get it in 4 months they want to give her hormones, I do things naturually and don't want that. The doc says she will have bone loss with no period. Does anyone have any advice for me of what i can try? Despertaly seeking help. The past 3 weeks I have had her on no sugars and a high fats and vegetable diet, the 2 week test by Dr maffetone to try and reboot system. She is skinny but perfect weight.

farzana hi im farzana. I visited doctor they said i have hormon imbalance and iam getting period 4/5 months once. even i have fatty liver also. and doing diet also. what is best solution for me . kindly send any solution hi

Denise Hi Farzana. Didn't your doctor come up with a plan to fix your hormonal imbalance? Thanks for stopping by AWS!

Anonymous There is actually a zero tolerance policy on antibiotics in milk. And no, BST does not show up in the milk (even so, i buy my milk from a regular supermarket and i've never seen one that doesn't say "from cows not treated with rBGH). Antibiotics do show up in milk, but EVERY batch is tested for antibiotics before it is packaged and sold, and if any are detected, the owner of the cow that the tainted milk came from has to pay for the entire tank of milk out of pocket (not something a dairy farmer will want to do). This is something that is taken very very seriously in the dairy industry! Cows who have an infection that requires treatment with antibiotics are not allowed to produce milk for market until they are healthy again and the antibiotics are well out of their system. Yes, milk with antibiotics present would be unhealthy IF it was allowed to be sold. Thanks to strict regulations and testing, consumers don't have to worry about it. Writing whatever sounds good without bothering to confirm it via a reputable, legitimate source is quite a disservice to your readers. So do your research before you try to scare people out of eating things that are perfectly safe.

Mick Very good advice

saavi Hi i am saavi 24 year single. my doctor said i have harmonal imbalance and due to this i get very emotionally attached to things. this effect my nervous system.. everyday i suffer depression and tension.. even i habitat to think for long and long hours.. my cycle is okay but having painful menopause.. i do not understand whats wrong with me.. i am very conscious about my diet als.. i never eat junk food... even still i am searching my diet plans at internet.. please tell me what should i do to live fit and healthy life...

sara hay friend , my name is sara ,i have pcos im 23 year old and i have very low sex drive and my marrige life is in denger.i have 2 girl by ivf and i have pride every 3 to 4 month ,i start my pride when im 13 and i have every 3 to 4 month .my docter said i have inbalabc hormons .i want i more baby but this time i dont wana go ivf plz friend pray for me .

Denise Hi Sara. Have you discussed with your doctor alternative ways to restore hormonal health? You should if you haven't yet. Especially since you're having problems with your sex drive and you also want to have another baby. Thanks for visiting All Women Stalk!

marry hi , i am 23 yers old . my perods r 2 months late am so worrid now after 2 months i see spoting every day or 1 day after, can u tell me is there any chance after spoting my perods come back reguler???

Denise Hello Marry. Welcome to All Women Stalk! I suggest that you schedule a check up with your GP or gyne. It's been two months so it might be best to get checked out. If you have any hormonal problems, they can help you find out.

Anonymous Hi, I just turned 18 and I haven't had my period for 4 months already. People said I should visit the doctor, but I'm scared of doctors. I want to help myself first by going through the internet about hormonal imbalance. I think it's my diet and too much stress. What should I actually eat? Last two years, I ever had no period for 7 months. I'm scared it'll happen to me again. I don't want to tell my parents about it.

irish Hi Everyone, we have same problem. it's been 6 months already that my cycle never visit me. Last year it took me 4 months to have my menstruation but this time now, its kind a long way already. I'm married and sexually active, and had my miscarriage once for about 5 years now.. I'm just 26 years old. Pls. advice me if what to do.. Need your help on this..
Anonymous Have you tried MACA?... Clean organic diet. NO SOY!!! Good Multi vit.. all B group VITs.. Samll meals including Protein. Don't overeat.. this decreases Progesterone .. WOuld love to hear how you get on.. God Bless x
Asim Immediately you should meet Doctor. You are suffering hormon imbalance problem. Not avoid a single day.
shez Listen i havn't had my periods since i was 18 and i am now 49 ive been to doctors,naturapaths but i know it was through not eating enough and stress.Try and make sure u eat 3 good healthy meals a day and try yoga if u can't learn meditation,hopefully this will bring u into balance if not go to a doctor.
Sheila Hi anonymous, I really think this is one of those things that would be better handled by a doctor. There's honestly nothing to be scared of. The scarier thing would be to not do anything about it! Please please visit your doctor asap.
Denise Hey there. Welcome to All Women Stalk! People are right. You really need to visit a doctor instead of self-diagnosing. The cause of your very irregular periods may not just be plain hormonal imbalance. Please tell your mom so she can schedule a doctor's appointment for you.

sana I am 22 years old. Experienced thyroid problem but started medication so TSH levels are now normal with 50 mcg thyronorm. My periods are regular but i experience clots in my periods. Kindly help me...I read on email that this may be due to low prgesterone and high estrogen.I also experience hairfall....:'( around 150 strands per day

soni hey i m 18 yrs old and my periods are heavy which makes me uncomfortable to go out ....pls give me a solution...after that i will be too weak....???

Denise Hi Soni. Welcome to All Women Stalk! You should really consider consulting a general practitioner or a gynecologist. There are some conditions associated with heavy periods so maybe you can get tested for those. Or the doctor can suggest some kind of treatment for your heavy periods. I hope you feel better soon!

Kitty Read many of the comments here and it seems this is a worldwide problem! I live in Oz and have basically had hormone problems since my early 20's with skin breakouts, sensitive and irritated skin. After various tests but not a lot of help from doctors I've come to the conclusion it's a problem with my adrenals. I have to work to keep my stress levels down. I dont eat junk, eat organically, exercise, try to keep caffeine to a minimum by drinking organic caffeine-free tea and herbal teas, roasted dandelion, loads of filtered water. A dern gave me doxycycline for the skin breakouts but it totally messed up my hormones as it compromised my liver, I had a fibroid develop as a result which was horrible! The fibroid gave me even worse hormones and worse acne! I tried everything to get rid of the fibroid naturally, I went organic vegan, 50% raw food, juicing, supplements, nothing helped with the fibroid, I had to have very expensive surgery in the end. I've come to the conclusion that it's very hard to find a good doctor. I would strongly recommend to everyone here to reduce their sugar and caffeine intake, dont eat junk food, reduce bad carbs and eat organic where possible, eat meat & dairy but only organic as the antibiotics and hormones they give to regular animals messes up our hormones beyond belief! It should be illegal to pump these chemicals into farmed animals! Drink filtered water as the chlorine and fluoride pumped into the water supply wreaks so much havoc especially on female hormones! Increase your fibre intake and take fibre supplements like psyllium if you can and take really good care of your liver! The liver is imperative for healthy hormones! Keep alcohol to a minimum or avoid it altogether. And remember that all meds have side effects and all of them damage the liver to some extent! Good luck & bless... xxx

Anonymous @Asmi, My doctor recommended a holistic approach and prescribed boric acid. I fill clear capsules (ask pharmacist for capsules) the powder and vaginally insert twice daily for 7 days. If I have another ph imbalance I insert 1 a day for 2-3 days. This has worked for me and I love it. I was constantly visiting doctor or purchasing expensive vaginal infection creams and lived with the embarrassing encounters enough. Strongly recommend!!! Warning...Boric acid is dangerous if ingested orally... Please seek your regular ob/gyn per advice if ok.
Denise I really appreciate how you took the time to compose your comment. I have been trying for about a year now to shift to a more natural diet because of endometriosis, IBS, and my depression. Your comment has really motivated me and has strengthened my determination. If you and other women can do it, so can I. Again, thank you.

julesb isnt it amazing how many of us have hormonal issues and yet so many doctors dont even seem to think its important. i am 25 and i think my problem is hormonal imbalance but im not sure what to do. i have such easily irritated skin. too much sugar or sunshine and i breakout. its so frustrating. my period shows up whenever it feels like it so ive gotten used to it showing up a day late or 10 days early. i spot after i workout and i spot during ovulation. the worst is that i get yeast, bv and utis a lot! natural progesterone cream has helped a bit with regulating my cycle, but i dont know how to stop these recurrent infections. i take "candida stat" every day, cranberry extract everyday and a probiotic everyday. i eat organically and eat out maybe twice a month. i also am gluten intolerant and do not eat gluten. they tested my vitamin and mineral levels and everything was perfect. my insulin was stellar too. the only problem they saw was that my cortisol was through the roof and my progesterone and estrogen were both low. im not on birth control and i dont know what is messing up my system. these infections are driving me nutz! im hoping i dont have a bigger problem that they dont know about. ive had over 30 pelvic exams in 2010 and everything always looks normal...no tilted uterus or anything... my dr wants me to go on birth control but honestly, that idea really scares me. anyone out there think it might help? anyone have another ideas? would really appreciate it!

mangoes Cut out all SOY!! your body will stop making its own estrogen. Same with synthetic BC pills.. will make it worse. Your body needs to make its own. .. It's the Pituitary Gland.. ?? x
mangoes Hi Julesb.. I was reading though.. and you sound similar to me.. I am 31 now but periods stopped @29!!. . Low Estrogen and Low progesterone.. no Gluten lactose etc, clean diet but I did alter my system I think with Protein shakes and fat burners!!.. Starting herbs again.. have you had any luck?..
rachel I would try weekly acupuncture treatments and also read Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates

tanya ok i dont know if this is wrong or correct in suggesting this.I am 29 and always had acne and terrible moods.but i dont like the idea of medication. i have always said its my hormones and it irks me that doctors dont agree with me. anyway two years ago i finally went to a doctor and he prescribed espiride for me , think mostly for depression. strangely enough my skin cleared up amazingly. so after researching it i have come to the conclussion it is my hormones because why did my face clear up miraculously. I would love to go on to it again but unfortunately you wont fall pregnant on it even though a side effect is lactating. i rate this tablet but if u want kids stay away. and yes i became a nicer person too :) i am in south africa so not sure if available everywhere

J_S I am 23 and have been taking Ortho TriCyclen Lo for the past five years. I did take a break for one year, but have currently been back on for the last year straight. I noticed that when I stopped taking birth control, I got acne, had hair loss, ovarian cysts, and really bad mood swings. I felt that after I got back on birth control my hormones have balanced out....but unfortunately I have been experiencing the same symptoms as I did when I was off birth control, while I am currently on the pill. After my first year of being on the pill, I developed ovarian cysts. I still have ovarian pain quit often (weekly). Being off the pill causes more cysts/ovarian pain for me. I eat very healthy and exercise regularly. I have had the first vaccine of Gardasil which is supposed to prevent HPV. I would not recommend it at all. Vaccines are very very bad in my opinion. I weigh 124 and do not have any children. I am going to try the black strap molasses and other herbal remedies along with more meditation. Good luck to all who are experiencing the same symptoms as me. I know it's hard, just try to stay positive and do your research before taking any new meds or starting a new regimen. :)

sweety my problems is that i have hair growth on my cheeks,stomach,body as man hair loss.i need some help,i can't get prenant.

rime my period is bad my period very bad what shall i do

Denise If you mean that it really hurts that you don't want to move, then maybe you should schedule an appointment with your doctor.

C. I've had good luck with juicing after reading The Detox Miracle Sourcebook and The Body Ecology Diet both from my library. Read the books entirely before starting as there are a few gotchas. Basically I have about 12 ounces of 'green' vegetable juice in the morning before breakfast and also follow the suggestions in this article (except no dairy). Now I always feel REALLY CLEAN like I just got out of the shower. I'm also taking Vitex for hormone balancing and plan to add Siberian Ginseng.

Daisy Hiya all, Its reasuring to know that im not alone in experiencing the horrible effects of hormone imbalances. I'm sure if we all share our experiences then we may be able to help each other. I'm very fond of alternative remedies and therapies as im sure half the reason i have these problems is through too many antibitics etc.Also the doctors just font seem interested or have the time to listen to you. Just a bit about me....looking back i think my problems developed over a couple of years.I moved house alot, stress of running a business,and busy life in general. It seemed to come to a head when i started work at a nursery.I picked up every germ and it knocked me for 6! I must have had 4 lots of antibiotics in just over a year.I was trying to do too much.Full time job, horse,dogs,housework,swimming ,gym and not eating properly.I lived on carbs and v.low fat foods. My periods shut down and stopped for about 8 months.I had tests done which showed i was fine.Once i knew this they returned.But when they did my skin flared, i had terrible pmt and just felt so run down. Eventually i saw a dietician, this sorted my diet out and i also took a few supplemets. This helped build my body back up and i felt healthier (skin still bad).I then decided to have hormone and adrenal tests done through dietician.These showed oestrogen dominance and adrenal fatigue.Atleast now i knew what was causing it. Im now on supplements to help this. I then went away on holiday, and like you do ate carbs,sweet things etc.I got home and came down with a bad uti & thrush.This really knocked me.I also had the stress of relationship problems. I decided to do a candida test, this showed my levels were high.So im now on a anti candida diet & anti fungals, 2 weeks in and im starting to feel better i think. I'm sleeping better (no hot sweats anymore) less itchy skin, and feel better for losing a few pounds. Im also having weekly reflexology.I highly recommend this, it chills me out no end! I think it may take a while to sort itself out, afterall it took a while to get my body in to a state. My last period was so much nicer, breast tenderness was less.I had a couple of hours stomach pain but other than that i idnt know i had one! Amazing. Candida has a big effect on hormones, as does adrenal fatigue and weak liver.Im hoping things continue to improve :) If anyone wants any advice id love to help. xx

Sharon what supplements were you taking? I think i have the same problems you described. I know I need to fight back at my candida again.. but what other supplements are you taking?

aditi hi same problem wid me aslo. I have also gained lot of wt. and after wrkign out so vigoroulsy also i am nt able to loose weight. Can anyone give me advice on it .

mpelt I was on the pill for about 3 years and at the same time was taking the drug spironolactone for my cystic acne...both drugs help to regulate estrogen levels and block male hormones that might be taking over causing breakouts. my face eas beautiful, not one problem! well i recently went off the pill because being on hormones is bad, especially for the long run with breast cancer being so prevalent. but now of course i am breaking out...its so terrible. but for any women who has hormonal acne and doesnt mind being on prescriptions, spironolactone works great when paired with birth control pills.

Lori I too have had all the same symptoms of many above. Go to the healthfood store and buy a $2.79 bottle of BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES. Take 1TBS with 1/2 glass of milk, coconut milk, almond milk or whatever. Take it daily. I have been taking it for over a year. My periods became normal, my hair loss completely stopped, I sleep so much better and MANY MORE benefits. Look it up, try it, you will be SO GLAD that you did. Good luck to all and my God bless you.

K I'll be 28 in a couple of months, i have no children, and i have never taken any form or birth control. Also, i've always been athletic - so irregular periods has been my norm for years. But lately I've been freaking out because I haven't had a cycle in almost a year - which is the longest ever. In addition, i wake up in the middle of the night feeling like my soul is sweating, my husband gets my "evil" side quite often, and i've gained about 42lbs in 1 year - as if all that craziness isn't enough i'm a graduate student who works full time. If you ladies EVER find a little magic pill let me know - I'm skeptical about going to the gyn bc the last time i went she just gave me a Rx that caused a "fake" cycle, then i went right back to being irregular, then back to not at all.

Michelle Just to second that suggestion, I also have been using agnus castus (Vitex). Do some research on it. I will tell you that I was starting to gain the weight again once i got off of the birth control pills and looked as if it was water weight and the ACNE. The Vitex has helped to keep the weight off and decrease the acne, also diminish the mood swings (what my husband says). Fertility wise, I have yet to get my first period in years. I have been taking Vitex for over 6 months, though others testify that it may take time. It hasn't been a solution to infertility for me, just yet. But something is definitely working because i feel like me again- without the use of birth controll pills. Hope i've been some help to someone.

Ariel Wow, I have been going through hormone imbalances too, due to quiting birth control. I am 25, was on BC for 7 years and I quit almost 2 years ago. I always had super beautiful skin, until I quit BC. Now I have been suffering from ACNE for alomst 2 years (when will it stop!!!). I only use ALL NATURAL products and I eat VERY well. I recently started using MACA twice a day and it seems to be working. I have heard of VITEX before, and now aftering reading your message, I think I will try it. My opinion is that BIRTH CONTROL is BAD for us!!! I have been doing extensive reaserch on hormone imbalances, and it is obvious that BC is negativly effecting our hormones. Thousands of young women are experencing the same symptoms after quiting birth control (acne, weight gain, sex drive, PMS, loss of period...). We should be questioning what BC is doing to our bodies. Too much estrogen is bad for you! All doctors do is prescribe another drug. We need to stop taking prescriptions and clean our bodies out, and let them restore natural balance.
blah I began breaking out terribly in my early twenties. I never would have considered this a source of the problem but... my sister got an allergy test which revealed that she had a gluten and dairy allergy. Allergies are largely hereditary, so although I couldn't afford to get the food allergy test myself as it was something like $300 and I didn't have medical insurance at the time, I eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet since i knew my sister was allergic to it and it helped me with many issues I was having. The things it helped me with most were mood swings, depression, acne, and bloating. I used to break out most of the time by my hair line on my cheek bones. After eliminating gluten and dairy my acne became very minimal. About 90% of it had to have been due to inflammation from consuming products my body is allergic to because after eliminating it most of it cleared up. Eliminating gluten also helped me think more clearly and improved my ability to focus. This helped me so much at my university. Another reason eliminating gluten may have helped me is that often times, eating a lot of processed carbohydrates throws off your hormonal balance and by eliminating gluten and dairy that got rid of the majority of processed carbohydrates in my diet as well. More recently, I've also taken to drinking spearmint tea daily which studies have shown to be an androgen blocker which means it helps your body maintain more estrogen in it's hormonal balance, which was important for my personal hormonal balance. It also has been proven to help decrease body hair in women by up to 20-30%. I never would have thought a TEA could do that. So far I've had really wonderful results. My acne has decreased even more, my body hair is thinner, and the growth this week has been much less than usual. I'd suggest you google the health benefits of spearmint tea if this sounds like something you'd be interested in trying. I think you'll be shocked by how much drinking a cup of this stuff daily can improve your health and personal wellbeing.

Bobbi Wow! If this could work, what a boon it would be! I've struggled with horrble mood swings & crippling PMS for 30 years and the Drs. just want to push more pills. I had a teacher once who talked about how your health much of the time comes back to diet, this makes sense!

Sara Hi jessica, I know how you feel, im there too. I got my results from a blood test 2 days ago and my Dr is telling me that im not ovulating. Im not producing enough progesterone and my estrogen levels are dominating. I had to take a day off work today since im feeling so low....a feeling of hopelessness almost. Im sure it's because of the hormones. I feel like no one in the whole world understands. I have been diagnosed with endo, had a laparoscopy but I think it might be back. We just need to hope and pray that one day we feel like ourselves again! God bless you

ME I feel your pain. At 23 I had a full hysterectomy due to endo. I have felt like crap since. I am 31 and now having dizzy spells. I am so stressed that most of the time I cant think straight. I work 40+ hrs a week and drive more than 1.5 hrs to get to work and another 1.5 to get home. I am always tired and frustrated. I dont want to feel this way anymore. Most days I think I am going to die early. I am tired and I know my husband is sick of going through this with me. Thank God for him he has stuck by my side from day 1. If anyone knows of something to try let me know. I dont like the dizzy feeling. I can handle the hot flashes, weight gain and depression but the dizzyness has to stop.

Jessica Hi, I am just 24 years old and just recently started reseaching "hormone imbalance". I had a horrible pregnacy which ended in a cyst on my righ overy to burst, the baby made it but i barely did. After having symptoms of acne, missed or no periods, hair loss, mood swings, ect, I have been to two drs so far and they belive i am to yong to experince hormonal changes. Its driving me crazy! I just want the acne to go away, but the just keep giving me acne drugs that dont work. Thats because its nothing i am doing wrong ( i eat, sleep, drink right), its all hormonal! I just wish i could find a dr to listen to me and diagnose me. It is really hard when you dont have medical insurance, so i just keep hoping to find that mirical drug or routen. We are women we already have enough on our plate ( being a mom, a wife, worker) we shouldnt have to put up with imbalances too! it makes the day so hard to get by! I just feel like breaking down, but i cant give up!I will keep doing the best I can, and keep praying to God in hopes he will lead me in the right direction. I just wish he would throw something my way fast before i go crazy! good luck to all you women dealing with this puzzling condition blahhhhhhh

Jennifer Every symptom you just described is also symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. I have it and did not start experiencing symptoms until my 20's. I am now 37 and still have to fight with hair loss, weight gain, missed periods & mood swings. I was 90 -110 lbs up until I turned 21 and then I put on 40 lbs in a month. I never changed eating habits or anything....It has been a tough battle to fight and I still struggle everyday to try and get the weight off. I have gained more because I have had four biological children and my last pregnancy resulted in twins. With this disease you will experience cysts on the ovaries and sometimes infertility. You should talk to your GYN and see if you can be tested for it.
Shalene It sounds like you could have polycystic ovarian syndrome. It causes many of the symptoms you have described. It causes insulin resistance so metformin, a diabetes drug, is prescribed. Talk to your doctor about it or ask for a referral to a reproductive endocrinologist. I have experienced the syndrome but in different symptoms. The main one being infertility. We've been trying to have a baby for over 10 years. Good luck to you! I hope you feel better :)
Petronella I'm 25 and I'm experiencing the same thing. I also gained 25Ibs and regardless of working out and being on diets nothing has helped. I also have days where my skin on my face feels like its burning and some days my hands are so swollen that I have to take off my ring because its to tight. I also dont have medical insurance so I'm in the same boat as you. I just want it to be over...I never had issues with acne before my pregnancy... I was the same size for 10 years without having to even care about what I ate. I'm really frustrated!
Jess Hi Jessica, Try a herbal remedy called Angus Castus,It has helped me.I am now worried because i'm of fto India for 9 months and I won't be able to get hold of it there. Good Luck.It really does work. Love Jess

Magicfairy I have been suffering PMS for years...but lately it seems to be getting worse and worse with each cycle (im 32). I have irregular length of my periods - sometimes 3 days, sometimes 2 sometimes 5 - but its the way I feel leading up to it that tips me over. I get extremely anxious like walking on hot bricks you could say, I kind of feel like im out of my body like there are two of me (I know that sounds strange) and feel like im just not me - its horrible!, my mood changes, im snappy, teary, or cold. Alot of mixed emotions....not to mention sometimes alot of pain and others virtually none. This time I feel like im going nuts. I take a liquid iron supplement called Floradix, which is fantastic and all natural. But I was a naughty girl and hadnt been taking it leading up to my cycle this time. I got some yesterday and I was doing really well after having some and then today while ironing some fabric....whoosh....it hit me again...the anxiety. Most of the time I go outside and try to get some fresh air...but I just feel so odd when it happens (an out of control feeling). I also got some '30 plus' tablets (which I got from the chemist). They are all natural with all the B Vitamins and from what I have read are supposed to be very good in tackling PMS like mood swings, anxiety, nervous tension, tiredness, irritability, stress, poor concentration. I have only just taken my first one today and they apparently take 6-8 weeks to work. However, many have said they have found great results in just a few weeks. I'm hoping that these will help me. If not then I will go to a natropath for a tonic with all the goodies in it. I'm just over this merry go round!!

melanie Hey girls, I just wanted to stop by and say I hear ya on all the problems you are having. Been there, done that, got the tshirt. I found Healthy Hormones by Canprev to be really effective in sorting out my period, cystic breasts, etc. It's $50 so I can't afford it right now, but I thought I'd bring it up in case anyone can find it. For those suffering acid reflux please consider food allergies. I have trouble with acidic food and someone mentionned to me that I should try Evening Primrose which is also good for the cystic breasts. Go figure. I don't have a doctor. It's free (kinda) here in Canada but our doctor retired years ago and no one else is accepting patients. So sometimes you have to talk to other women to get ideas!

Dhanna Hi. Thanks for the tips. I would also recommend finding a doctor who will actually listen. Seems to be a rare thing. Before accepting any sort of diagnosis â€“ get a cycle-long blood test. I just had 4 blood draws over 4 weeks and charted them with my MD. Before this, she diagnosed me with PCOS based on a couple symptoms that matched. After a week on drugs I said NO WAY and asked her to HEAR ME. She agreed to the blood tests â€“ although I will likely pay out of pocket for 3 of them (insurance complaint a whole different blogâ€¦) I have high prolactin, high DHEA, low progesterone and up and down estrogen. After the blood tests, I have done one month of BIO-IDENTICAL oral progesterone. I have this in caps because this is very important. Synthetic hormones are not a good idea. I have been reading up on the industry and it turns out that drug companies make synthetic hormones intentionally so they are not identical to the hormones our bodies make. Why do they do this? Because this way they can patent the drug. They donâ€™t care about our health â€“ they care about being rich. After a month of the bio-identical progesterone days 14 â€“ 28, fish oil all month, primrose oil days 14-28, dong quai days 21-28â€¦ I feel good. I was shocked at how peaceful my menses was this past month. I havenâ€™t felt good in over a decade. More fine-tuning to come. With exercise and following the above list, I imagine I will actually feel liberated from the symptoms of imbalance. Cheers, Dhanna age 35

rohit nice article ..good information

mae i too am suffering from a hormonal imbalance but i heard synthetic hormones cause cancer.

Pat I have been on hormone replacement for 15 years,and have recently had a mastectomy, all is well, but my problem is I had to stop the hormone replacement, straight away, and after the op the doctors put me on to tablets to take the oestrogen out of my body, now I am having a problem with pain in my upper arms, my knees, and pain in my shoulders, I feel as if I need to replace something in my body to make me feel better, any ideas! Pat

Alicia Wow, I am so glad I came across this website today. I have been reading through the stories here and while mine might not be as extreme, I see a lot of similarities. After the birth of my last baby, I didn't stop the bleeding for 9 months, it was 9 months of cramping and spotting. I ended up having endometrial ablation done which lasted about a year. Then I started having irregular spotting or bleeding, which started once to twice a month...then every other week, down to every week. I started taking a low dose of progesterone which stopped it all and I actually started feeling really good, but had some side effects so my Dr. suggested I try coming off the progesterone for awhile. Ever since then, I am down to having almost full cycle symptoms twice a week, with a couple of days of severe PMS symptoms followed by a day of spotting/bleeding with severe cramping, fatigue and sleepiness. The mood swings are absolutely horrendous and I just can't keep up with them anymore. It's a whirlwind of emotions that is effecting my everyday life in such a negative way. Looking at some of the stories and tips, I see some things that I can start changing, such as eliminating soy. I only started drinking soy milk because of the terrible heartburn, reflux symptoms that I have, but am beginning to wonder if that is a symptom of my hormonal imbalance. I will bookmark this site and certainly start working on some of the ideas here in hopes of helping my imbalance and getting somewhat normal again.!

Elena I would just like to share the title of a wonderful book that explains and offers solutions for many of the problems mentioned here. Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Northrup. Check your local library for a copy.

Lori Something else that hasn't been mentioned or suggested is to take supplemental herbs for hormonal health. I found a formula over a decade ago when I was experiencing similar estrogen dominance health issues. I'm sure there must be plenty formulas out there. Just make sure Dong Quai is one of the ingredients and there are many other good herbs for females. The one I found was Enzymatic Therapies Femtrol. This formula is made for women going through menopause but when you are estrogen dominant you have some of the same symptoms regardless of your age. I had been 5 years trying to get pregnant and after 5 months of being on this formula I got pregnant the 1st time I really tried. For the 5 months previous I wanted to chart my cycle which was more regular than it had ever been, having been months apart at times. An interesting note is that baby I carried had 1 and sometimes 2 cavaties in every tooth when she was 2 yrs old. I also had a bone density test after she was born and found I was nearly osteoprosis at 35 yrs old. I hadn't been balanced apparently when I was pregnant or before in the bone/calcium arena. This occurs when the body has too much estrogen, it requires balanced progestrone to keep calcium from leaching out of bones. My body is much better now. I ate kelp for my disfunctioning thyroid and my bones were restored also after a couple years. (too much kelp isn't good either but what a great source for many food based minerals). Other than that I have found eating as many here suggest to be healthy; no dairy, processed foods, soda pop, especially aspertame based, etc. Eat plenty of veges, fruits, lean hormone free meats, legumes, nuts. I was nearly vegan for a few years which I discovered wasn't as healthy as including some hormone free meats, especially ocean fish not farmed. It's close to impossible to eat perfect chemical free in this world without being a finatic but being generally aware helps. Thank heavens for the internet and all the info out there. I still believe somewhat in Dr's but they can't/don't have the same interest in my health as I do and I have helped myself far more than they did. I've also found an acupuncturist that I think understands health more than some Dr's I've been to. I think Osteopathic Dr's are more open minded to healthy healing than regular Dr's. Keep searching for health, there's nothing like it.

Sara I've done all that you suggested, I have for years, and my periods are worse than ever. I eat healthy, lots of fresh fruits and veggies,no caffeine, no soda, lots of water, lots of yoga and meditation, no processed foods, and what do I get for it? Ongoing headaches three out of four weeks every month, and a period that is so debilitating that I can't get out of bed for days (not including the mind-numbing headache a week before, during, and a week after). I'd love to go to the doctor, but who can afford that? I can barely pay bills and rent! And the inability to work steady doesn't help, but I'm miserable most of the time. So what do I do?

Priya Hi, I have been suffering from hormonal imbalance for past six months now...am really tensed..I'm 29 nad have a son who is 4 yrs old. But my husband & I want to try for another baby soon. But for the past six months I have been suffering from irregular periods, mood swings, excessive hair growth on my face and stomach. I just wanted to know if I go on a hormone therapy right now or any other method out there is to fix this problem, how long will take to fix it? I will be visiting my doctor soon..till then I need some peace of mind...I hope I am not getting infertile..:(

mangoes Hello Priya.. I am in a similar situation now.. I noticed you posted FEB2010.. I'd love to hear how you got on?.. God Bless.. x

ani hello Amanda I am suffering from hormonal imbalnce(may be decrease in estrogen level),i got confuse whether i should go for soy food intake or not .as through other articles i got to know i should take sao food. what shall i do?

Abi Excellent advice!!! I find omega 3 eggs, coconut butter for cooking, lots of nuts and protein from animal sources is very beneficial!

Sheila Hey Abi, That's interesting. I've never heard of coconut butter and I'm from India! =p Thanks for sharing though.

ssl great blog! everything is so true. soy products and carbs are causing a lot of this. Also I think that antidepressants are a culprit. I am in my mid 20's and I am have hormonal imbalance symptoms. what are some natural supplements or other foods that are helpful for this disorder?

Sheila Hey SSL, I'd just like to thank you for appreciating the blog. I'm going to leave your question for someone else as I'm not really well-versed with the subject.

dipali thanks for the tips . they are very useful.

Sheila Hey Dipali, Good to know you found it helpful. Please do keep commenting to let us know your opinions (good AND bad) on our blog!

Amanda Hi, for 7 years I've had an ongoing battle with my hormones. Only of most recent though have I discovered it has been my hormones. I've suffered with seizures, that have always occurred come that time of the month. I've seen neurologists, cardiologist, several emergency rooms & alternative therapists - all of which said I'm a picture of health. Along with these specialists I've had every test possible from MRI's to Echo's, ECG's, blood tests etc again all of which had the result of picture of health. About 6 months ago I started seeing a naturopath with biofeedback technology, this has definately helped & reduced the frequency but not solved the problem. 7 years of this & I'm really over it, many a times I've wanted to give up; so many more things have come with it mainly the anxieties. According to my new naturopath I have a progesterone/testosterone dominance. The testosterone dominance is definately noticeable with my adult acne. I eat healthy, cut back on caffeine & soft drinks etc, followed every rule to prevent reoccurence, but there still haunting me. Have u any suggestions?

Jenn I felt like I was reading my story when I read yours. I have had some many weird symptoms- heart palps, acid reflux, dizziness, anxiety, endometreosis. I have been to so many doctors and have been told nothing is wrong. I have cut our wheat, and sodas and take lots of vitamins but each day is different. I keep praying for relief and an end. My question for you is have you had any acid reflux problems?

Cindy Thank you for posting this. I am on biest hormone cream and having a very tough time raising my progesterone. The cream has helped everything else get back in balance, but my progesterone is lower than it was 2 years ago when I started. I'm in hopes that these tips will help get me back into balance.

Dawn Thanks for your help...easy to understand. Concrete information that i can be aware of and share with others.

Sheila Dawn, Glad you liked the post :) It is so important that we spread this information around.