“I’m 40 – why don’t I feel fabulous?”
- headaches
- anxiety
- no libido
- foggy thinking
- poor memory
- breast tenderness
- mood swings
- depression
- fluid retention
- weight gain
- irregular or heavy menses
At a time in her life when a woman should understand her body and enjoy herself, many of us find the exact opposite occurring. Our list of ‘frustrations’ looks very much like the one above. Why does a young woman with normal cycles have such symptoms?
The answer is estrogen dominance. From puberty until approximately age 35, the female cycle functions efficiently for the purpose of child bearing. This cycle reflects the importance of the appropriate balance of all the female hormones. However, as a women ages, so do her ovaries. Although she still may cycle every month, her ovulation is less efficient. This change leads to a significant deficiency in progesterone. Her hormone balance falters and symptoms of PMS and bloating increase, weight gain is inevitable and estrogen dominance occurs.
Most women that seek help at this point are told they are ‘normal’ and ‘nothing is wrong.’ Their frustration grows as their control over their body declines. Exhaustion precludes any possibility of initiating an exercise routine, cooking a healthy meal or eating a balanced diet. Fast food and a desire only to sleep become the basis of her existence as she struggles with work and family demands. As estrogen is also produced in fat cells, women further gaining weight will simply worsen their hormone imbalance. Patients come to us pleading, ‘Help me, I am going crazy!’
As women describe their symptoms, even more problems are discovered. Low libido, which is often very difficult for a woman to admit, can be devastating to a marriage or relationship. Sexual desire arises from both the mind and the body. Sex Hormone Binding Globulins, a type of circulating proteins, are a vital part of the female hormone balance. As estrogen dominance becomes more severe, levels of SHBG increase. These proteins bind to free circulating progesterone and testosterone and deactivate them. Sexual desire is stunted.
Natural bioidentical hormones can restore this valuable balance and stop the dreaded estrogen dominant cycle. Progesterone supplementation can be needed in symptomatic women as early as 35 or 40. A careful evaluation through the Total Woman Rejuvenation program can reveal your hormone imbalance. As proper balance is restored, we will work with you on a hormone, diet, exercise and life plan to restore the healthy you.