Through the years of supporting women of all ages with various female health issues I have come to recognize a common thread through many of these imbalances. Whether a woman struggles with irregular menses, infertility, cervical dysplasia, fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer or menopausal issues the underlying causes for these conditions can be similar. When menarche begins and adolescent girls begin their journey into womanhood there is an intricate dance that occurs between the pituitary, adrenals, thyroid, ovaries and liver. This intricate dance is particularly susceptible to the current exposure we all experience to synthetic hormones, xeno-estrogens, heavy metals, pesticides and other toxins. This could account for so many young women experiencing irregular menstrual cycles and extreme PMS. Unfortunately, they may put on birth control pills before their endocrine system has a chance to find its own rhythm. So in addition to exposure to these toxins, their developing body is now exposed to prescription hormones which can be additionally challenging to their liver. As they become sexually active they need to make choices about how to effectively treat vaginal and herpes infections, get regular PAP smears and make difficult choices about adequate birth control.
As these maidens move into motherhood they experience the changes that come with pregnancy, breastfeeding and raising children. Many mothers find that they are not able to take care of themselves and many of the health conscious choices they had embraced fall away. We find a rise in estrogen dominant and insulin resistant disorders as diet, exercise and sleep become compromised. As these mothers age, they are exposed to more toxins and unfortunately they are more vulnerable to toxins than men since their lungs, livers and hearts are smaller. Also, the impact of alcohol consumption is worse in women. Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by women, making the immediate impact on heart, brain and liver more severe. Women have a lower water-to-fat ratio in their body composition, so they don’t have extra water to dilute the effect of alcohol.
By the time women go through “the change” in life they are hopefully wiser about what they need and how to create harmony in their lives, but recent research has revealed that many female issues are related to oxidative stress, which is aggravated by the prevalence of nutrient deficiencies in the average person. The relationship between hormones and neurotransmitters is becoming better accepted as mood disorders such as anxiety, depression and even cognitive function are shown to be influenced by our hormones.
