Hello my darlings! Let’s talk estrogen! The succulent female hormone that gives you that womanly glow, your curves, your toned female organs, and regulates your menstrual cycle, your fertility and brings you to menopause. Believe it or not, men also have some estrogen and if their testosterone begins to wane, they can start looking more like your exhausted female sidekick than your hubby. I will talk about male hormones another time. Keeping our estrogen in balance is helped by your other hormone, progesterone. Like a seesaw, these two hormones work in unison to try and keep you in balance.
Estrogen is actually a bunch of hormones however, the big three that we will focus on are estrone, estradiol, and estriol. These hormones are produced in your ovaries and by your body fat. So, if you are overweight, you can produce too much estrone in your body, and if you have constant stress, this will affect your cortisol levels and they will affect your progesterone which will in turn affect your estrogen levels. This is why self-care is essential to keeping your hormones healthy and in balance. Today we will focus on estrogen and what it looks like if you have too much of it or not enough of it.
Too Little Estrogen Symptoms: Unexplained weight gain, bloating, itching, sweating and hot flashes, depression, irritability, weepiness, trouble sleeping, foggy thinking, dry skin, bladder infections, incontinence, watery eyes, allergies, low libido, heart palpitations, fatigue, low bone density, painful intercourse. (make sure you do your own research on this too.)
Too Much Estrogen Symptoms: Acne, Polycystic ovary syndrome, infertility, ovarian cysts, midcycle pain, puffiness and bloating, cervial dysplasia, rapid weight gain, breast tenderness, mood swings, heavy bleeding, anxious or depressed, migraine headaches, red face, gallbladder issues. (make sure you do your own research on this too.)
Menopausal Notes: My joints were in major pain because I was seriously low in estrogen after my hysterectomy. I never thought I’d go on Hormone Replacement Therapy, but what a saving grace it was for me. I pump one squirt of Estrogel into my palm and rub it into my arm. I’m not kidding when I saw I can leap out of bed. Zero pain! Of course I am also diligent with my mammograms and have been since I was in my 30s because my Mom had breast cancer. I also have my estrogen levels tested routinely to make sure that they are in balance. Here is a picture of the gel I use! Say cheese Estrogel!
You deserve to live and feel optimal. Please do not wait to get your hormones tested if you have any of these symptoms and be consistent. It takes time and patience however putting your hormone health first and foremost will influence every other part of your life. Yes my dear girl, your firefighter may irritate you from time to time, but if you find your tolerance is super low, it might be time to get your estrogen and progesterone checked.
I will be back with more hormone talk!
Written by : Tara McIntosh
