India is a nation rich in Yoga and Ayurveda. Fortunately, we have many yoga gurus, teachers, and swamis who have pioneered speaking about living a contentful life. Owing to that, I believe I should share my personal experience as a yoga student & express my learnings from a viewpoint of a common man.
In this blog, I will be sharing my process from understanding my flaws and dealing with them, to creating a peaceful environment for me and for everyone around me.
Do you know exactly how your hormones affect your body on a daily basis?
Hormones are important chemical messengers in the human body, working together to ensure that vital functions work in synchrony. Hormones affect your reproductive cycles, sexual function, and your development and growth. They control your current mood and sleep; are in charge of how you cope with stress, and how your body breaks down food. In short, hormones are in charge of nearly every major system in our body.
How do you know when your hormones are imbalanced?
Have you started experiencing night sweats, mood swings, hair loss, vaginal dryness, poor sleep, weight gain that’s been hard to lose, irregular menstrual cycles, acne, poor memory, or low energy?
A high-stress lifestyle combined with poor eating habits can affect a woman’s delicately balanced hormonal function. Even healthy women with a good diet can end up with unbalanced hormones.
If you’ve been experiencing any of the above, your hormone levels may be unbalanced. Hormonal imbalances arise when there is too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. Seeing that hormones play an essential role in regulating bodily functions, even small hormonal imbalances can produce side effects throughout the body.
There are a broad range of symptoms that can cause and indicate female hormone imbalance. Since symptoms may vary depending on the glands affected, here are the most common symptoms that may occur with a hormonal imbalance:
- Blood pressure changes
- Changes in sensitivity to cold
- Changes in heart rate
- Difficulty sleeping
- Dry skin and rashes
- Mood swings
- Bone loss
- Anxiety and depression
- Blurred vision
- Thirsty quite often
- Weight gain and weight loss that’s hard to explain
- Bloating
- Low sex drive
- Infertility
- Thinning hair
- Urinary incontinence
- Puffy face
- Breast tenderness
- Changes in blood sugar concentration
- Excessive sweating
Yoga and Naturopathy has many benefits, especially for women experiencing menopause:
- May help improve mental clarity and memory
- May improve sex drive
- May help reduce hot flashes/night sweats
- May improve sleep
- May reduce wrinkles by boosting your amount of collagen and elastin
- May reduce the risk of osteoporosis by improving bone density and bone mass
- May help increase your energy levels
The outcomes from Yoga and Naturopathy practices may vary depending on each individual’s lifestyle and genetic makeup.
Some patients’ results are visible within a short amount of time while others may take longer.
Treatments for hormonal imbalances will vary depending on the cause.
Ways to Balance Hormones Naturally
- Yoga: Yogic practises are an effective de-stressor, reduce hot flashes and inflammation, improve sleep, and may optimise your overall well-being. A workout can be anything from a brisk walk, a swim, a visit to the gym, or some exercises at home. Yoga improves your circulation, raises your heartbeat, and brings oxygen and vital nutrients to your organs. If you do this for at least 20 minutes first thing in the morning, you will feel that you have more energy to carry on with your day, and it will help stabilise your hormones.
- Nutritional and lifestyle changes: Incorporate fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, plus raw nuts and seeds, into your diet. Avoid high-fat foods, processed carbohydrates, fried foods, soft drinks, enriched flour, and processed vegetable oil. Avoid non-organic dairy products, which may contain harmful bovine growth hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. This will help bring your life back into balance.
- Natural herbs: Herbs have been safely used by naturopathic doctors for years. Evidence supports the use of herbs to help manage symptoms of menopause or ageing. These herbs mimic some of the effects of oestrogens but are not true phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens, which are the natural oestrogen-like compounds found in plants, tend to pose fewer risks for side effects compared to prescriptions. Legumes, flax seeds, soybeans, and pumpkin seeds are examples of foods that contain phytoestrogens.
- Dietary changes: Cut down on inflammatory foods such as processed meats, sugar, and simple carbohydrates. Eat a whole-foods diet with large amounts of ‘good’ fats, vegetables, and fruit, plus whole grains, which may help scale down menopause symptoms. Phytoestrogens and healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids from fish, may also be helpful.
- Stress management: Did you know that stress can lower your immunity and disrupt your hormonal balance? With that, explore stress-relieving activities such as meditation, exercising, or boosting your time outdoors. Studies show that women who meditate daily or practise yoga experience fewer hormonal swings than those who don’t. Rest is important. Many women lead such hectic lives with so many demands placed on them that they have little time to let their bodies re-adjust. Find small ways and times to relax. A massage can be a wonderful way to relax and remove the aches and pains caused by a busy lifestyle.
Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. During sleep, the body recuperates and restores. Insufficient sleep is now recognised as a major cause of heart disease, stroke, metabolic dysfunction, and impaired mental health.
- Acupuncture: Is known to be useful for lowering anxiety and/or stress while balancing your hormones. Acupuncture may also decrease pain and inflammation.
- Re-energise with a Massage: One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm. This occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins, the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing. Levels of stress hormones, such as adrenalin, cortisol, and norepinephrine, are also reduced.
Your Next Steps: Consult a Yoga and Naturopathy Physician
Your best bet for naturally balancing hormone levels is to consult a naturopathic doctor.- An assessment to review her health status, the severity of her symptoms, and any risk factors for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
- After a thorough discussion about lifestyle and diet specifics, we provide patients with further details regarding the most appropriate treatment options.
Final Thoughts
In comparison to conventional prescription medications, naturopathy and natural remedies take a completely different approach. Instead of only providing short-term relief, naturopathy addresses the cause of the symptoms and lessens their intensity.
The equilibrium between the sex hormones progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone is restored via natural treatment. One also avoids the additional risk of adverse medication and antidepressant side effects.
Changing one’s lifestyle, which includes eating healthy food, practising yoga, getting rid of environmental contaminants, getting enough sleep, and managing chronic stress, is a crucial part of naturopathic treatment.
All of these modifications also significantly and proactively lower the risk of various illnesses, particularly those affecting the heart and bones.
We strongly recommend a natural approach to balancing your hormones prior to exploring modern medicine methods.
This may include improving your diet, yogic practises, exercising, massages, using natural herbs, and/or correcting nutritional deficiencies.
Let us help guide you in the right direction when treating your hormone imbalances.
By keeping hormones in balance, women can enjoy a full life, vitality, and well-being!
Final Thoughts
In comparison to conventional prescription medications, naturopathy and natural remedies take a completely different approach. Instead of only providing short-term relief, naturopathy addresses the cause of the symptoms and lessens their intensity. The equilibrium between the sex hormones progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone is restored via natural treatment. One also avoids the additional risk of adverse medication and antidepressant side effects. Changing one’s lifestyle, which includes eating healthy food, practising yoga, getting rid of environmental contaminants, getting enough sleep, and managing chronic stress, is a crucial part of naturopathic treatment. All of these modifications also significantly and proactively lower the risk of various illnesses, particularly those affecting the heart and bones. We strongly recommend a natural approach to balancing your hormones prior to exploring modern medicine methods. This may include improving your diet, yogic practises, exercising, massages, using natural herbs, and/or correcting nutritional deficiencies. Let us help guide you in the right direction when treating your hormone imbalances. By keeping hormones in balance, women can enjoy a full life, vitality, and well-being!
Conclusion
Women are naturally more adaptable than men, so making a few minor changes to your way of life can have amazing effects. Make yoga a regular part of your life to start your day on a positive note. You’ll be inspired by its amazing benefits. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables with green leaves, as well as the required supplements. Most importantly, make a promise to yourself that you will adhere to this discipline for a healthy mind and body. This is the most critical step.
Book Your stay in Kdham for Revival & Rejuvenation of Hormones–
Dr. Ritu Prasad
Dr. Ritu Prasad, working with Kaivalyadham, BNYS, MBA in Yoga and Naturopathy Physician from SHM college Bhopal. She is an expert in Yoga Therapy, Naturopathy Treatment, Acupuncture and Physiotherapy Treatments Modalities.