Would you have any idea how to tell if your hormone levels are out of whack? For most women, there are often signs but it’s not always easy to know that they could be linked to your hormones.
Your hormones will fluctuate throughout the month however if levels of certain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone or testosterone go higher or lower than they should, it can have major effects on your wellbeing. Other hormones such as cortisol and DHEA also have a big impact on how you feel.
Hormone tests are the only way to know for sure but these telltale signs could suggest that something isn’t quite right with your hormone health.
You’re Super Tired A Lot Of The Time
Most of us feel tired sometimes but it’s usually just a bit of a blip that you can get past by catching up on sleep and making sure your lifestyle is healthy. If your fatigue is related to your hormones though, it’s likely that you’ll still feel tired - no matter how much you manage to sleep.
Here are a few signs to watch for:
You’re getting a good night's sleep and eating healthy but you’re still feeling exhausted most or all of the time
You alternate between extreme fatigue and periods of feeling wired. This could indicate that your stress hormone, cortisol, could be out of whack.
If you find yourself feeling tired, moody and weak your thyroid could be the culprit for fatigue.
You’re Really Struggling With Anxiety
Excessive stress and anxiety aren’t always strictly a mental health problem. Chronic stress can raise cortisol levels at inappropriate times and this can potentially send the adrenal glands into overdrive. The end result? Anxiety, fatigue and even depression.
Estrogen is another hormone that can trigger feelings of anxiety when levels are less than optimal. Low levels of estrogen may also contribute to anxiety.
Thyroid hormones can also contribute to anxiety, especially if your body isn’t producing enough of them.
You Have PMS
Tend to get PMS symptoms that are off the scale during your menstrual cycle? This can be anything from bloating to major irritability but if it’s on the extreme side, it could be a sign that your estrogen levels aren’t balanced during this phase of your cycle.
More specifically, it’s probably an indication that you’ve got high estrogen levels between ovulation and menstruation. This can be balanced out and leafy greens can be your best friend here. They contain indole-3 carbinol, which can act as a hormone balancer to regulate estrogen levels. Here are a few more ways to help flush out excess estrogen to help minimize your PMS symptoms.
You Can’t Seem To Lose Weight
Finding it a big struggle to lose weight or noticing that you keep gaining weight? Stress can encourage your body to produce more cortisol, which is a big factor in storing fat (especially for storing belly fat).
If you just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to your weight, even when you’re exercising and eating healthy, it could be a sign that your cortisol levels need to be brought back into balance. Stress management can be a key part of doing this and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can also help a lot.
You’ve Noticed Changes To Your Skin And Hair
Does your skin seem to be getting drier lately? Or maybe you’ve noticed that your hair is getting thinner or falling out more? Nutrition and stress can play a part in this but if they’re not the obvious culprits, it may be time to look more closely at your hormone health.
Thyroid hormones can affect the health of your skin and hair so it’s worth getting your thyroid health checked out if you consistently notice changes in the look and feel of your skin and hair.
You Can’t Kick Your Cravings
Tried everything to distance yourself from cravings and still getting nowhere? It's not a willpower issue!! Sometimes, your hormones may be the real culprit for why you can’t stop craving certain foods.
Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can cause sugar and fatty food cravings, while low cortisol can lead to cravings for salty snacks. Keeping a food and mood diary can help you to pinpoint whether your cravings are linked to mood, lack of key nutrients or if you crave certain foods with no obvious link. This can be helpful in determining if your hormones are at play.
There can be another factor involved here too. Eating a lot of sugar can spike your blood sugar and insulin levels and this can lead to increased cravings.
If you are struggling with cravings check out the 10-Day Sugar Detox Program - I created this because so many of my clients came to me struggling with carb and sugar cravings that were making it difficult for them to make the dietary changes needed to get their hormones back in balance. In this 10-day program, you'll get a step-by-step plan for how to eat in a way that does not have you relying on willpower and struggling to get through the day feeling hungry and moody. (I promise it's not about living on green juice and cabbage soup- It's all about adding in the right nutrients to help you feel nourished and HAPPY)
Worried that you could be struggling with a hormone imbalance? If you've tried everything but nothing seems to work, it might be time to take a closer look at your hormones and see what's going on. You can learn more about the Nourish To Thrive program here. In the program, we get to the root cause of your symptoms so oyu can finally lose weight (and keep it off), regain your energy and feel amazing.
In the meantime, lifestyle factors such as getting lots of sleep, eating a diet that’s packed with nutritious and healthy foods and managing your stress levels can help a lot with hormone health.
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