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Understanding Hormonal Imbalance

When there are too many or too few hormones, there is an imbalance. Hormones are the chemical messengers that manage and coordinate most bodily functions. They are produced and released by your endocrine system, which is made up of various organs, glands, and tissues. Hormones help carry out many important body processes that are essential for life and well-being, such as:

• Normal growth & development
• Appetite
• Digestion
• Sleep/wake cycles
• Reproduction
• Menstrual cycles
• Central nervous system stability
• Cell and tissue function & repair 
• Metabolism and blood sugar control
• Blood pressure
• Body temperature

What are the Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance? 

Hormones that are out of balance can harm one’s health. Some of the more common symptoms of hormonal imbalance include: 

• Infertility
• Acne
• Heavy, painful, or irregular periods
• Fatigue
• Mood swings, depression, or anxiety
• Insomnia or other sleep troubles
• Weight gain
• Diabetes and other metabolic disease
• Thyroid disease and other endocrine disorders
• Hot flashes, or other body temperature issues

It’s important to identify the underlying cause of a hormone imbalance to tailor treatment appropriately. Addressing the root cause of the imbalance, rather than just symptoms is why our patients at Naturally Sue Wellness NYC have seen significant improvements in their health and vitality. 

Our practitioners are disease detectives. We dig deep and investigate why you’re experiencing hormone imbalances to create a unique treatment plan just for you.

Diagnostic Process

During the initial visit, a patient can expect to be asked several questions to retrieve a thorough health history including the doctors learning the following about your case: 

• Details about your symptoms, such as severity, when they began, how they’re impacting your daily life, etc.
• Details about current or past medications and treatments
• Goals for what you want and can expect from hormonal care
  
• History of previous diagnosis of disease
  
• Evaluation of current diet and lifestyle 

We will also explore several areas for testing, including:

• Blood labs to determine if any nutrient deficiencies are contributing to hormonal symptoms
• DUTCH testing, which looks at the state of sex hormones, adrenal hormones (cortisol, cortisone, creatinine, and DHEA-S), melatonin, and more
• Thyroid function tests, including thyroid antibodies.
• Comprehensive GI stool testing. Poor gut health, like an imbalanced gut microbiome, SIBO, Leaky Gut, certain gut organisms, and other digestive issues can cause hormonal imbalance.
• Food allergy testing and check for food intolerances that may be contributing to symptoms.
• Tests for chronic infections like Lyme disease, as well as environmental toxins
• Checks for viral reactivations like Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and other opportunistic viruses which can affect hormone function

We also evaluate a patient’s mental health, as hormone imbalance often impacts how we feel psychologically. We may delve into past childhood trauma, and/or adult trauma, which can have a profound impact on hormone health. If necessary, we will refer them to trauma therapists or offer mind-body techniques for them to practice at home.  

Based on our evaluation and test results, we will recommend a specific course of action for each stage of a patient’s journey. Treatment plans will include various homeopathics, like herbal medicine, vitamins, and minerals, acupuncture, or other therapies to address each patient’s root cause.

Get started now with an individualized health plan for holistic hormonal imbalance care in NYC.

Treatment Options

Naturopathic treatment for hormonal imbalance is a holistic one, considering several areas, including the following:

• Herbal Therapies: Many herbs can be used to support hormonal balance. A few common herbs used in naturopathic medicine for hormone support include:
  • Chasteberry 
  • Saw palmetto 
  • Black cohosh 
  • Maca powder 
  • Ashwagandha 
  • Nigella seeds 

It’s important to never start an herb without consulting your doctor first.
 

• Nutritional Therapies: Stable blood sugar can be key for keeping other hormones in check. Key nutrients and dietary adjustments for managing hormonal imbalance include a nutrient-dense, low-glycemic diet rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and greens, and low in refined sugar and processed foods.
  
  
• Lifestyle Recommendations: Naturally balance hormones with stress management, exercise, and sleep hygiene:
  
  
  • Stress management – The stress hormone, cortisol, can interfere with the normal function of several hormones, including thyroid, insulin, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Manage your fight-or-flight response with exercise, breathing techniques, reading, journaling, laughing, or anything else that calms you and decreases cortisol and blood pressure.  
  • Exercise – exercise brings down cortisol levels (but it can also increase cortisol in some people, so find the right exercise for you). It also releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, and is a natural mood booster. 
  • Sleep Hygiene – a good first step to hormone balance is getting your sleep right. During sleep, our body gets restored. If our sleep-wake cycles are off or disrupted, likely many of our other hormones will be too.
    
    
• Mental Health Support: Hormonal health and mental health are intricately intertwined. Out-of-balance hormones can cause various psychological symptoms. As part of our holistic approach to treatment, we will address psychological factors contributing to hormonal imbalance and if necessary, refer out to counseling or other therapy.  

All treatment plans are personalized to your unique presentation.

Case Studies | Testimonials

I have been working with a 28-year-old female who was having severe cramps each month. It was affecting her quality of life and making it even more difficult to get through that time of the month. This patient was in law school and she could not afford to not be focused and feeling good as she had a rigorous and intense workload.

Just by changing her diet and adding some dietary supplements to her case, she was able to go through cycles where she no longer needed to take over-the-counter NSAIDs for at least 3 of her periods. As we continue to tidy up her diet and lifestyle and balance her hormones, she will use natural cramp support during that time of the month which is much less harmful than those OTC medications.

NSAIDs can irritate and inflame the stomach lining and can also lead to more painful periods the next month. Her diet was previously filled with sugary and processed foods which can cause inflammation and have a significant negative impact on her endocrine health. She has slowly started implementing healthier replacements which definitely contributed to her cramps lessening. 

Contact Naturally Sue Wellness NYC for a free consultation to discover how our doctors can help you get to the bottom of your hormonal challenges and feel your best!

FAQs: Common Questions About Naturopathic Hormonal Imbalance

Can you fix a hormone imbalance naturally?

There are many natural ways to restore healthy hormonal balance and optimize your overall health. A naturopathic approach may include modifications to diet & lifestyle, such as exercise and stress management. Herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, and other natural therapies are also effective at naturally rebalancing hormones and symptom management.  When you find the root cause, it is very possible to balance hormones naturally. 

What can I drink to balance my hormones?

The top natural hormone-balancing drinks include:

• Lemon Water is the ultimate detoxifier. It’s great for flushing out and cleansing the liver, promotes digestion, boosts energy, and improves immunity.
  
  
• Green tea, including matcha tea, is one of the best hormone-balancing drinks. Green teas are high in antioxidants, protect against cell damage, help regulate cortisol, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce androgen hormones in women with PCOS. It is a well-rounded drink for many hormone imbalances.
    
• Herbal teas are calming, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar stabilizing, and hydrating, among other things. Herbal teas, like peppermint, raspberry leaf, thyme, and hibiscus have their own unique way of contributing to hormone balance.
  
  
• Turmeric milk, a warm drink made with turmeric, coconut milk, cinnamon, and ginger has many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s helpful in the evenings as part of your bedtime ritual to promote a good night’s sleep.
  
  
• Smoothies. Blending natural sources of protein, fat, fiber, and greens is a great way to fill up, stabilize blood sugar, and get your nutrients for hormone balance.
  
  
• Kombucha, is a fermented tea that is a good way to naturally add probiotics to your gut. 

Which vitamin is best for hormonal imbalance?

Some of the supplements that we use at Naturally Sue Wellness NYC to help keep hormones in balance may include: 

• B Vitamins
• Probiotics
• Zinc 
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids 
• Vitamin D3 
• Chasteberry (Vitex) 
• Red raspberry 
• Rhodiola 

It’s important to never start an herb or other supplement without consulting your doctor first.
 

What is the first visit like at Naturally Sue? 

During your first visit to Naturally Sue Wellness NYC, you can expect to go through a thorough discussion about your health history to uncover details about the following: 

• Symptoms, such as severity, when they began, how they’re impacting your daily life, etc. 
• Current or past medications and treatments
• Goals for what you’d like to get from hormonal care 
• History of previous diagnosis of disease 
• Evaluation of current diet and lifestyle 

Based on our conversation, we may order labs or other tests to help further identify the cause of your health issues. 

When we have all the information we need, we will devise a plan together that addresses the root issues of your hormone imbalance. We will recommend a blend of therapeutic modalities, that include lifestyle modifications, herbal medicine, supplements, acupuncture, or other homeopathic. 

Start your healing journey with us…