So we've been talking about hormones for the past week or so and how when out of balance, they can change your mental, emotional and physical well being.
There top three major hormones that tend to go out of balance for most women are cortisol, estrogen and thyroid.
As you've been learning, the biggest culprit is cortisol. It’s a hormone secreted by our adrenal glands whenever a stressful situation occurs and engages the “fight or flight” system.
The good news is, cortisol levels return to normal once the threat is eliminated. The problem is, we experience so much stress (real and imagined) on a daily basis, that cortisol levels tend to stay elevated.
Over time, this can cause adrenal fatigue or exhaustion. And to make matters worse, it can effect other hormones like Estrogen, Progesterone and Thyroid.
The important thing to note here is that when these hormones are unbalanced, the “feel good” chemicals in our brain stop functioning properly. And living a happy, balanced life becomes a much harder state to be in.
In addition, your libido also starts to wane. Which is a shame because according to Dr. Sara Gottfried, "having an orgasm reduces stress and anxiety during and quite a while after sex." So essentially, it’s one of the only times it’s physically impossible to be stressed out.
Yet most women don’t have the energy for intimacy. And most don't even realize that a low sex drive is a common symptom of hormonal imbalance. Most of us have been taught to believe that a low libido is part of the aging process - which is simply not true.
Don't worry ... I have good news for you.
There are things you can do that will reduce your cortisol levels and start to rebalance your hormones. Here’s some tips to get you back to feeling like your real self:
Meditation – if you’re not familiar with how to meditate, it can be as simple as praying or breathing deeply while trying to clear your mind of random thoughts. The idea is not to stress out when a thought pops into your head. Just gently release it and focus on the breath.
Kick the Caffeine Habit – try cutting down and eliminating caffeine. Caffeine activates the fight or flight system and raises Cortisol levels. If you love your coffee for the taste, try a coffee substitute like Teeccino.
Self-Care – do something you love. Hug your dog, go for a walk, read a book, get a massage, volunteer, weed your garden, take a yoga class, skip, play with a child and try to see the world through their eyes, try a new recipe – the list is limitless. Taking time for yourself raises your happiness meter and lowers stress.
Dark chocolate - Eating one wedge of dark chocolate daily (about 25 grams) for two weeks has shown to help with hormonal balance. Plus it just tastes good!
There’s an App for that – check out the app GPS for the Soul. It records your heart rate and tells you if your stress levels are too high. Then it has options for lowering your heart rate like short guided mediations and soothing music. It’s a pretty cool app, and best of all – it’s free!
If you have questions, you're welcome to call or email me. I’m happy to answer you personally. And please feel free to share this with all your girlfriends. I’m sure they’ll be happy to know it’s not them, it’s their hormones!
Kat | 
