Bonnie Becker, at age 48, could scarcely believe she was breaking out like a teenager all over again. Other symptoms came and went monthly, but the insomnia, irritability and sudden weight gain all pointed to a big hormone shift. And with each new round of pimples, Becker was more unprepared. “I felt out of my own body, with turbocharged PMS symptoms, zits cropping up in the strangest places and unrelenting fatigue,” says Becker, a technical writer in El Segundo, CA. “I knew something wasn’t right.”
If you’re among millions of women age 35 to 55 who are experiencing more frequent headaches, fluid retention, low libido and mood swings, you likely have a hormone imbalance due to hormonal changes in perimenopause (the months leading up to full-on menopause) and the Big Change, menopause itself. The female sex hormone estrogen, most obviously, begins to decline before age 40, and eventually your ovaries stop producing estrogen all together. This shift causes all sorts of systemic changes.
“As health professionals, we worry about the effects of too much or too little estrogen, and how those imbalances affect your other hormones and your overall health,” says homeopathic doctor Dr. James Forsythe, M.D., who also maintains a conventional practice in Reno, Nevada. “Fortunately, many symptoms of hormone imbalance—including frequent headaches, fluid retention, low libido and midsection weight gain –- can be alleviated with synthetic hormones and supplements, bio-identical plant hormones, topical creams and daily exercise,” says Dr. Forsythe, author of Anti-Aging Cures (Vanguard Press 2012).
Before, during and right after menopause, “estrogen dominance” is common and occurs when the body is low in the hormone progesterone and yet subjected to chronic stress and environmental toxins, says Dawn M. Cutillo, author of The Hormone Shift (Hay House 2012) and owner of The Rejuvenation Center, a holistic wellness center in Lancaster, PA. “Estrogen in proper amounts makes ovulation possible, and it also improves your libido, bone density and skin tone. But too much estrogen can lead to issues with mood, weight and sleep as well as fibroids, heavy periods, endometriosis and some female cancers.”
As much recent research suggests, most American women are low in progesterone, the calming hormone that aids mood, metabolism and sleep.
After consulting with both her Ob/Gyn and a naturopath, Becker has modified her diet, jumpstarted her exercise regimen and begun taking black cohosh and other herbs to ease her symptoms (see below). “The plan took about eight weeks to fully kick in but I feel more like my old self again. And the pimples are gone.”
With the support of your medical professional, follow our expert plan to balance your hormones, smooth your complexion and kickstart your energy level.
Move your body 30 minutes a day. Estrogen is a rejuvenating hormone that keeps you young, lifts your mood and protects your heart and bones but too much can also cause dramatic mood swings and a foggy brain, says Dr. Claudia Welch, MSOM, an Ayurvedic doctor who lives in Vermont and Canada. “Exercise is the great equalizer and combats these symptoms quickly and naturally,” she says. On your exercise agenda? Perform regular cardiovascular exercise—such as daily walking and swimming—to exercise your heart and muscles. “Include weekly yoga and meditation sessions to decrease your level of stress hormones,” says Dr. Welch. “Exercise and a healthier diet help keep your hormones in balance.”
Limit sugar intake and high-sugar carbs. Dr. Welch suggests skipping soda and other simple sugars that move into the bloodstream quickly and cause insulin spikes, which then lead to significant increases in estrogen. One study in the British Journal of Nutrition indicated that women who suffered from PMS consumed significantly more cakes, desserts and high-sugar foods before their menstrual cycles. At the very least, buy organic soy and dairy products that are certified free of hormones, says Dr. Welch, author of Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life (Lifelong Books 2011).
Tickle your olfactory system. Smells initiate physical and psychological reactions by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. According to aromatherapist Judith Bourgeois of Shankara (Shankara.com), an Ayurvedic anti-aging skincare brand, essential oils, correctly selected, can enhance your emotional equilibrium during pre- and postmenopausal hormone shifts. “Insomnia and skin changes are two clear indications of hormone imbalance,” says Bourgeois, who practices in Uvalde, Texas. “Certain smells– clary sage, lemon, grapefruit and geranium oils–alleviate hormonal mood swings and emotional reactions associated with imbalance.” Consult a naturopath or try Shankara.com organic essential oils to calm anxieties and also help you get to sleep.
Hit the sack by 10 pm. Most systems of the body, including your hormonal system, heal and repair itself every night, generally from 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. To even out the side effects of any imbalance, sleep in a cool dark room, and allow your hormones to regenerate naturally, say the experts. “Drink a cup of calming herbal tea before bed,” says Cutillo. Also try rose or lavender tea, massage oils and room misters. Depending on your symptoms, Cutillo might also suggest calming Chinese herbs or daily applications of topical hormone creams prescribed by a health practitioner. “Hormone balancing creams offer the body immediate, raw ingredients needed to balance cortisol and the production of other hormones,” she says. “Everyone is different but it pays to tackle your symptoms quickly and efficiently.”
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Living in Balance
Nature intended us to live in a state of balance, so understanding the role of estrogen, progesterone and cortisol lies at the core of hormonal equilibrium. Along with the abundance of modern stressors and pollutants that enter our air and food supply, our aging bodies start seeping hormones too. “The female body functions optimally with regular ovulation, symptom-free menstrual cycles and the smoothest transition into menopause,” Cutillo says. When that no longer happens, experts will recommend maintaining hormonal balance with natural remedies and supplements as soon as you start feeling the symptoms, much like Becker did.
Estrogen A female sex hormone responsible for fat and fluid retention, connected to high blood pressure and headaches, associated with neuro-chemicals that can result in anxiety or irritability and mood swings. Symptoms of imbalance include hot flashes and weight gain.
Progesterone An inhibitory female sex hormone that is a diuretic and helps maintain body weight and blood pressure, it is responsible for the production of neuro-chemicals that relax the body and aid in sleep. Symptoms of imbalance include low libido and vaginal dryness.
Cortisol A stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands that trigger a fight-or-flight response. Due to modern demands (i.e., chronic stress and food toxins) the body does not make enough and suffers “adrenal fatigue,” where you begin converting progesterone into cortisol. Symptoms of imbalance include forgetfulness and depression.