Rage. Outbursts. Extreme highs and lows. Hair loss. Sleep disruption. Stubborn weight gain. Skin issues. Intimacy troubles. Panic attacks. Overwhelming fatigue. Headaches. Hot flashes. Digestive issues. Brain fog.
All of these and more can be symptoms associated with hormone imbalances. Hormone imbalances can impact your entire endocrine system, which is a series of organs and glands that work hard to maintain a healthy body by regulating a bunch of hormones every moment of every day.
Hormone struggles are REAL and an unfortunate battle for many as they fight and heal Lyme. I’ve BEEN there. I DO recommend working with your LLMD to test and evaluate your hormones if you think there may be an imbalance. That’s a great starting point. But there are ALWAYS actionable steps you can take to start helping yourself immediately as well. As always, please discuss all medical concerns and treatments with your trusted doctor/provider! This blog post is NOT a substitute for medical advice and is purely meant to be informational. It is not a substitute for doing your own research.
If you know you want happier, healthier hormones, here are some natural ways to help your body out in the hormone department:
Cut toxins OUT - this may be THE most crucial step you can take towards balancing your hormones. Toxins hide EVERYWHERE, and you have to train yourself to be savvy looking for them. They are in cleaning products, household care products, personal care products, food….do some research about “fragrances” and endocrine disruptors. And then KICK THEM OUT and replace with toxin-free options. I’m here to help if this is something you’d like assistance with!
Move your body - this will look different for everyone because your healing journey is different from anybody else’s, BUT you can find movement for your body that is healthy and healing. And this is crucial to regulating hormones! Even if it’s just a slow walk, stretching, yoga, or gentle, modified exercise, DO IT!
Get your rest - sleep is essential for hormone balance and regulation. Do not underestimate the power of sleep! I also know that for those healing Lyme and co-infections, sleeping well can be a struggle. I discuss more about naturally improving sleep in my Facebook community, so join us HERE.
Change your diet - and by this I mean to make changes that support healthy hormone creation and function. This includes eating healthy fats and protein, limiting (or eliminating) caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. And consider adding in adaptogens regularly. Adaptogens and herbs and mushrooms that help our bodies adapt and regulate better and include things like ashwagandha, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, maca, ginseng, rhodiola, and others.
Detox regularly - a KEY to healing in general, and especially to getting your hormones functioning in tip-top shape. Heavy metal and toxin “build up” throughout our endocrine system can impact the production and function of hormones in tremendous ways. Research your pineal gland (in your brain) for one such example. This gland tends to accumulate heavy metal toxins and can become impaired in its function if not detoxed. Why should you care? Because the pineal gland regulates serotonin and melatonin production - both of which are crucial for sleep, emotional regulation, your feelings, circadian rhythm, and more! (Look em up! :)) One place I discuss simple detox methods further is in THIS video I did.
