How Does Hormone Balance Work?

In this post we will be looking at hormone balance!

Let’s start with a brief overview:

A hormone is made and this process requires minerals + cholesterol. The hormone is then transported because it needs to be available for your body to use. Too much stress or too much body fat can influence this. Your hormone receptors then need to be sensitive to be able to use it (again, many things can influence this).

Once the hormone is used, it falls off the receptor and the body has to be able to detox + excrete it through your stool for hormones to stay balanced. Any disruption in this process can lead to an imbalance. You cannot just "take a hormone" to balance your hormones if your foundations for hormone balance are not in place.

Let's look at an example: Estrogen.

Your God designed body makes estrogen from your ovaries, your adrenal glands, and body fat. When you produce estrogen from any of these places, it will bind to estrogen receptors and exert its affects but it doesn’t last forever, it falls out of the receptor site and it becomes "old estrogen." Once that occurs, the body must alter it's structure in order to get rid of it.

So, it is sent to the liver where it under goes phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification and once it has done that successfully, it is then sent to the gut for phase 3, where the process (ideally) is finalized and it is packaged up into your poo and excreted from your body.

If any disruption in the process occurs, estrogen is poorly excreted, ends up recirculated + can be metabolized into a toxic form of estrogen which creates a whole host of issues.

Why? Well, remember, our God designed body is interconnected, including hormones. So if estrogen is poorly excreted, and builds up, it then begins impacting other hormones like progesterone. This can lead to low progesterone symptoms and a common issue today is people then say, "oh I am low in progesterone, because I am estrogen dominant." But, instead of addressing foundations, well meaning young women will take a progesterone cream + supplement. Or older women are prescribed estrogen. As a result, their symptoms often worsen.

Why?

Because the original issue was not addressed: The body's ability to effectively use, metabolize, detox, + excrete estrogen.

So what causes this and what can we do?

Another Cause:

Poor Estrobolome + gut health, leading to a build up of Beta-glucuronidase + poor metabolism of estrogen. Beta glucuronidase is a bacteria in the gut + when it is imbalanced, it unpacks the livers work of nicely transforming estrogen into a form it can be excreted. Again, highly influenced by diet + chronic stress. As a result, estrogen recirculates and can lead to symptoms like:

• Irregular periods

• Bloating

• Breast swelling + tenderness

• PCOS

• Cold hands + feet

• Headaches before your period

• Mood swings: depression + irritability

• Hair loss

• Anxiety + restlessness

• Endometriosis

• Fibrocystic breasts

• Hormone mediated cancers

Where Do I Start?

Where you start addressing this is very bioindivideal. But I can tell you, it is likely not where your favorite influencer who is selling supplements that healed her IBS + hormone imbalances started. It does not happen by just piling on more supplements and anyone trying to convince you of that is likely profiting off of you or highly misinformed. A quick fix is never a long term solution when your body takes years to get into an imbalance. Can supplements help? Sure, but it depends on where you start. Sometimes they can actually really worsen things if your foundations are not in place.

So in light of that, what can you do?

Start by honoring the fact that your body is interconnected and then get curious.

Here are 4 Helpful Questions You Can Ask To Determine Your Starting Point:

Am I constipated?

• Are my bowel movements 1-2 daily and satisfying? If no, your hormones are likely not being excreted and likely recirculating. This is great place to start.

Am I consuming enough minerals for hormone production + water to stay hydrated?

• Minerals are spark plugs for hormones. You need them for adequate health. Most people are depleted in minerals. This is another great place to start.

Am I over supplementing and causing stress on my liver?

• Your liver has to detox supplements + medications + adrenaline + stress hormones. It also has to deal with blood sugar imbalances. Sometimes adding in more supplements and adding to its daily load is worsening the problem.

Am I living in a chronic state of stress, which is impacting this whole process?

• Hormone production is influenced by your hypothalmus in your brain. If your brain for example is picking up that you are in a chronic state of stress, it impacts your overall hormone production. Stress also influences your ability to detox. We cannot out supplement or medicate chronic stress + a negative perception of the world. This is another great please to start.

Take Back Your Own Power

If you are craving a trusted resource to learn more about hormone balance + a functional approach to health,

I have two options for you:

• I cover nervous system health + hormone balancing in my course Aligned and Renewed. It is $297, comes with an amazing community of women + I answer questions in it along your journey. The price will be increasing in March due to the added value in the course. You can join here.

• If that is not suitable in your season, I cover weekly hormone tips + include deep dive articles on health topics in my Refined Wellness Membership for $7.50 a month. You can join here.