Hormonal balance



Hormonal rhythms: Listening to body signals



Did you know that there are many natural ways to increase your sex drive and support hormonal balance through diet changes, stress reduction, and vitamins? Let's take a closer look at what you can do to naturally boost and balance your hormones.


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Hormones are the foundation



for our overall wellbeing



Our hormones play an important role in how we feel, because hormone balance is connected to sleep, energy levels, emotions, appetite, and sex drive.


Hormonal imbalance can show up in many ways, for example as changes in mood, energy, or libido. It can be related to PMS — premenstrual symptoms — that come and go during the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is important for understanding hormone balance.


Our hormonal health and cycle can be affected by stress, diet, lifestyle, or emotional blocks that can push the body out of balance.



Stress causing imbalance



PMS can be caused by many different factors. Stress is often a major and common contributing cause. Even for those who don’t feel stressed, stress can still exist in the form of poor diet, too much coffee or energy drinks, smoking, intense exercise, or emotional stress from difficult relationships or work life.


Caffeine creates stress in the body, and stress is actually one of the biggest reasons behind menstrual cycle problems — because the body wants to save energy when there is no calm or balance in life. That’s when issues with the cycle and hormone balance can quickly appear.


In addition to stress, there are other causes to consider. For example, whether we get enough vitamins and minerals from our food. PMS can be linked to vitamin deficiency, chemicals, unresolved trauma, or emotional aspects from childhood and growing up that create stress, or physical imbalances in our hormones and menstrual cycle.



We may also need to help our bodies restore balance if, for example, we’ve given birth or used common hormone-disrupting birth control methods, even if it has been a long time since we used them.


Research shows that birth control methods can affect the body long-term, even after stopping their use. Did you know that there are natural contraceptives that are free from side effects? Read more about this in the Birth Control section.



The menstrual cycle



Our hormones & our health



To maintain good hormonal balance, we need to ensure that our menstrual cycle and ovulation are in balance. Ovulation and hormones are connected in what is called our reproductive and fertile system in the body. Do you know when you ovulate?





Ovulation controls sex drive



Ovulation controls sex drive. Ovulation is when a woman is fertile and can become pregnant. It is when women feel the most aroused. To balance our hormones, we need to ensure that we have healthy ovulation. This can be measured in several ways. A common sign of ovulation is when a woman notices a clear, stretchy discharge in her underwear, similar to raw egg white. You can learn more about ovulation through the method "fertility awareness," which is a birth control method. Or through our webinar on birth control.


Webbinar Fertility awareness



Signs of imbalance



Imbalances do not necessarily mean that something is terribly wrong, but can be seen as indications that the body needs something it is not getting right now. Maybe it needs more calm and relaxation? Maybe it needs different types of food and drink, or more sleep? Signs of imbalances in the menstrual cycle can include:

  • Heavy menstruation (large bleeding)
  • Very light menstruation (little bleeding)
  • Larger clots in the period
  • Short menstrual cycle (fewer than 26 days)
  • Long menstrual cycle (longer than 30 days)
  • Significant irregularity in the cycle
  • PMS, mood swings, and fatigue (check your iron levels)


7 common causes



Hormonal imbalance



We need to have good hormonal balance to experience good sex drive and overall health. Balanced hormones are necessary for ovulation and fertility. Even women in menopause may need to balance their hormones, even though their bodies are no longer fertile. Below are some common factors you can balance to improve your hormonal well-being.



Caffeine





Coffee, caffeine, and energy drinks can disrupt ovulation and hormone levels because the body experiences a stress response. Even small amounts of caffeine, such as black tea, green tea, and decaffeinated coffee (which still contains some caffeine), can cause problems with hormonal balance.


Stress





Stress is a big energy thief. It can put the body into a survival mode that shuts down or inhibits ovulation. This happens because the body prioritizes resources elsewhere. Even if you don’t feel stressed, you can still be stressed and release stress hormones in the body, even if you've become accustomed to your stress level.



Deficiency





Hormonal issues and PMS can be caused by vitamin D deficiency, iron deficiency, or difficulty absorbing nutrients in the gut. This can come from stress, but also genetically, or from previous use of birth control pills. Magnesium and zinc are also important for fertility.


Intense exercise





How do you exercise? Do you trigger your adrenaline when you work out? Do you rush in traffic, on your bike, when jogging, or train very frequently and perhaps forget to eat sometimes? This can impact the menstrual cycle and ovulation, as well as your hormonal health.


Iron levels





If you’re vegetarian or vegan, it may negatively affect ovulation and the menstrual cycle if you don’t get enough protein and iron. If you want to take iron supplements, we recommend taking it in liquid form.


Chemicals





Chemicals can actually affect ovulation, fertility, and cause PMS and menstrual cycle problems. For example, if you frequently use perfume, or work with acrylic nails and nail polish with acetone, for example. These strong vapors that you inhale can affect your body. Avoid them, especially around ovulation.



Gluten & IBS





Many people suffer from IBS, lactose and gluten intolerance, or have difficulty absorbing nutrients without even knowing it. This can affect nutrient absorption and vitamin intake, which has consequences for hormonal health.


Webinar



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Titta på vår kostnadsfria föreläsning om hur du balanserar hormonbalansen i kroppen och lever ett liv fritt från PMS.


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