by LYDIA MARTINEZ EBLING
Lydia Martinez Ebling is Certified Fitness & Nutrition Specialists (CFS), (CFNS) & Functional Hormone Health Coach, co-owner of Complete Body Labs & passionate women’s health strategist. With her husband Ryan, she’s been educating women in the health & fitness industry for more than 25 years and has worked with & coached thousands of individuals to significant weight loss, body fat loss, muscle gained, and health restored.
If you're over 40, you know that hormones can be a real "pain in the ass." But did you know they can also be a pain in the neck, stomach, and every other possible place they can cause misery? You didn't? Well, now you do!
It always amazes me how many women really don’t make the connection of hormones and overall quality of life! That’s not a judgment statement just an observation! So, just in case you’re not sure what I’m talking about, is it okay if I just explain a little?
So, what are hormones? Hormones are the biochemical messengers of the body that travel through the bloodstream to coordinate complex processes like growth, metabolism, reproduction, and mood. In other words, hormones are responsible for making you grow taller, helping you digest food, making you feel happy or sad, and everything in between. They’re responsible for total quality of life and even how long we live.
And while hormones are essential for all of us, they can also be a major source of confusion—especially when it comes to our bodies and how they change during different cycles of life. So, whether you're trying to figure out why you're feeling moody, gaining weight, or why your skin is suddenly breaking out, hormones are likely to be the culprit. But don't worry, I’ve got you covered with this primer on all things hormonal. Join me as we commiserate over the havoc hormonal changes can wreak on our bodies.
In all seriousness, though, hormonal imbalances can look like fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, depression, difficulty sleeping, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and low libido. Not only that, did you know that hormones can make you feel sleepy? Or that they can make you crave certain foods? And did you know that they can even make you sweat more than usual? Agh!!!
Many women experience these symptoms as they start to go through menopause, but hormones can be imbalanced as early as our twenties that go undiagnosed and unresolved and that makes “aging” even more difficult if it continues to be ignored.
You’re probably wondering what causes hormone imbalances to begin with? Well, the number one factor to hormonal imbalances is STRESS! Yup, and there’s more than one kind of stress. There’s three: Mental and emotional, physical, and bio-chemical.
What do these stressors look like in your life? Environmental toxins abound—think of things like pesticides, chemicals in our drinking water, what we put on our skin, and so on. They also look like a gunked up liver from a poor diet, lack of sleep, poor digestion, pregnancy, breastfeeding, illnesses like the common cold, and yes, medications.
I know, I know, what can you do?
Here are a few quick tips to help you get back on track:
1. Get plenty of rest.
When your hormones are out of whack, your body needs extra time to recover. Especially, your adrenals. Your adrenals reboot between the hours of 11PM and 1 AM. Make sure you're getting enough sleep each night so your body can focus on healing itself.
2. Eat a quality fat!
Healthy fats help to support your body's natural hormone production. So, load up on healthy fats like omega 3’s, avocado, coconut and MCT oils. Your body produces hormones from fat and the majority of us over forty don’t consume enough fat or protein.
3. Lift a weight.
Exercise helps to reduce stress levels, which can in turn help balance hormones. Specifically, lifting a weight (i.e., strength training) helps boost testosterone and growth hormone, which are recovery hormones and metabolic hormones (metabolism). So, while moving every day is great. Lifting weight is even better!
4. Relax and de-stress.
Too much stress can throw hormones out of whack, so take some time each day to relax and unwind. Simple breathing techniques can help your body destress, lower blood pressure, and lower cortisol. Do whatever helps you feel calm and relaxed.
Following these simple tips can help to start balancing hormone and feel like yourself again!
Note from Neeahtima: Want more? Lydia's next Hormone Hacking LIVE FREE master class will teach you everything you need to know about how to RESTORE hormone balance, RECHARGE your metabolism, and take BACK YOUR LIFE!!
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