Breaking the Stress-Hormone Chain: Restoring Your Menstrual Health
Hearing the word “hormones” can often lead people to think of puberty, menopause, mood fluctuations, menstrual issues, or libido and sex. Hormones, in fact, are the body’s chemical messengers that coordinate various functions throughout the body including growth, development, mood, and metabolism. The key to having “happy hormones” is maintaining homeostasis or balance.
There are over 50 hormones produced in the human body, including insulin, melatonin, and thyroxine. For simplicity, let’s focus on some of the more well-known sex hormones and the associated concerns related to reproduction and menstruation.
Hormonal Imbalances
Hormonal imbalances can disrupt various systems in the body, leading to a plethora of symptoms that negatively impact our physical and emotional well-being. Every person’s experience is unique, and individual symptoms can vary significantly from one person to another, making it essential to take an individualized, comprehensive approach to understanding and resolving issues.
Everything in the body is interconnected, and hormones are no different. Finding the underlying causes to your symptoms is necessary to balance and heal before more bothersome, expensive, and concerning symptoms occur.
Just one example of an underlying cause is “stress”, which none of us can escape or hide from. Physical or emotional stressors can wreak havoc in every aspect of our life and every system of our body. When we experience a stressor, our body releases a steroid hormone called cortisol, which over time, can decrease testosterone and reduce both men and women’s libido. Chronic stress can also impair estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid secretion, in women especially. Not only has it been shown scientifically that when we are stressed, we have less sexual desire, arousal, and ability to maintain an erection or climax, but we are also likely more distracted, less relaxed, and less satisfied with intimate interactions.
Stress and the correlated increase in cortisol can interrupt specific pathways including the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which can lead to an imbalance in sex hormones and lead to irregular, painful, heavy, long, or even short cycles. When someone is dealing with menstrual concerns, PMS/premenstrual syndrome, PMDD/premenstrual dysphoric disorder, fertility struggles, or menopausal symptoms, stress resilience (or lack thereof) and the correlated hormonal pathways must be considered.
✨ Real Patient Experiences ✨
Kiley P.
"Finding Dr. Eischens was truly a Godsend. I had struggled with hormonal issues ranging from hot flashes, night sweats and all of the other symptoms of menopause. I also suffered from migraines and awful headaches. I had a complimentary session with Dr. Eischens and not only did she have a sweet demeanor, she listened and reassured me that she felt she could help me. I signed up and can confirm her naturopathic approach cured me of all of the issues I was experiencing. The only thing I am bummed about, is that I did not meet her sooner"
Angie H.
"Dr. E is the best!! She has worked with me to address my hormone imbalance as well as thyroid issues. I love her approach to a situation and the results are fantastic. She is so thorough and takes the time listen to all angles before making a decision. I have also had her work with our kids and both have had fantastic results and trust Dr. E with some very deep thoughts. The use of NET is powerful with them. It is not easy to get teenagers to open up and she has been an amazing confidant for them and been able to move them through healing."
Meghan W.
"Dr. Shawna has changed my life. I consulted her for two complex issues. One was my stomach pain and discomfort in which I was at my breaking point. In less than two sesssions I was on track for healing and in 2 months total I felt night and day different. I now love food, I love how I feel, I'm sleeping again, and so much more efficent at work. My 2nd issue was hormonal imbalance, which I didn't really have a lot of hope would get better. In one month my periods became regular, light, no pain. I am so grateful. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!"
Stress Can Contribute To So Many Things...
Not only does frequent stress and the release of cortisol have an impact on our sexual and reproductive health, but it can contribute to the following systemic effects:
Fatigue
Sluggishness, lack of motivation, or feeling tired even after a full night of sleep
Body and Weight Changes
Puffiness, bloating, or weight gain especially in the face or abdomen. Difficulty losing weight even with a healthy diet and exercise routine
Digestive Issues
Bloating, IBS, digestive discomfort, reflux, or nausea
Sleep Disturbances
Insomnia may involve issues falling or staying asleep. Restless sleep, nightmares, jaw/teeth clenching or grinding may also occur
Mental Health Challenges
Mood swings, irritability, and feelings of anxiety or depression
Immune Function
Frequent illness, longer recovery time, increased susceptibility
"I Need Help With My Hormones!"
Keep in mind, all the above symptoms can occur from chronic stress alone! Although stress is a major factor to symptoms related to hormonal imbalances, it is just one factor among many! When patients say, “I need help with my hormones”, I know that I can help them feel better, when we truly address the underlying causes that contributed to the issues in the first place. My focus with patients extends far beyond alleviating surface-level symptoms. I prioritize WHY you may be experiencing bothersome symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, menstrual issues, anxiety, etc.
Our body is designed to stay balanced and is amazing at doing so, so when we experience symptoms, it’s our body’s cry for help to get us to pay attention to WHY and WHAT caused the imbalances. Don’t hate the messenger, but there is no single “hormone puzzle piece” to magically solve your concerns. You can run all the labs, take the magnesium, CBD, and bio-identical hormones, and drink kale and turmeric smoothies, but symptoms will continue or get worse until your specific root causes are identified and balanced.
You and your health deserve much more than just going through the motions of running basic labs to then be prescribed various supplements or hormones. I consider every aspect that may be contributing or causing symptoms for each individual patient.
Potential Causes to Your Concerns May Include...
Diet
The majority of our digestive tract is in close proximity to our reproductive organs, so when we have “leaky gut” (aka intestinal hyperpermeability), we are more likely to have constipation, diarrhea, and bloating, but also painful cramps, cysts, fibroids, hot flashes, and PMS symptoms. When we eat foods that our body can’t properly digest, it creates toxemia, which is the equivalent of garbage rotting in our intestines. This creates inflammation and can cause symptoms ranging from skin issues to hypertension to hormonal imbalances.
Learn more about how to heal your digestive tract with food intolerances.
Nutrient Deficiencies
It’s impossible to make a cake without certain ingredients, just as it’s impossible for our body to efficiently perform the thousands of biochemical processes without specific nutrients. If we don’t have the building blocks of sufficient levels of zinc, selenium, iodine, B vitamins, and iron, our thyroid will suffer. Without B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium, and protein, our body is unable to go through the phases of detoxification effectively. For healthy and balanced sex hormones, we need sufficient cholesterol and optimally functioning adrenal glands (which are beat up with chronic stress), at minimum. If people just supplement, without addressing diet and digestive function, they aren’t addressing the cause and will end up wasting time and money.
Toxicity
In addition to eating our food intolerances which create toxemia, unfortunately we are exposed to harmful toxicants throughout our daily life which can disrupt our hormones. I educate patients on sources of toxicity to avoid, while supporting detox pathways. Since it’s not practical to live in a bubble, it’s important to be educated and do what we can to give our body the best chance to heal. I have found that this aspect is all too often overlooked or minimized by other practitioners yet can be a major factor when it comes to hormonal imbalances. An added side effect of reducing toxicity is improving your chances of avoiding future issues like dementia, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Impaired Detox Pathways
As mentioned, our body is interconnected and various systems including our liver and digestive tract play a role in metabolizing and eliminating hormones. When these systems are overwhelmed, sluggish, or impaired, our hormone levels can become imbalanced. If we equate our detox organs and pathways to garbage bins, think of what happens when you toss too much garbage into a bin, or have a small bin, or both. Just like garbage overwhelming the bin, our liver, lymphatic system, and other detox pathways get bogged down when too many chemicals, diet indiscretions, medications, alcohol, etc. are consumed. This overflowing garbage equates to symptoms such as weight gain, pain, fatigue, etc. I guide and support patients on how to keep the body functioning optimally to facilitate effective hormone processing and prevent chronic disease.
Nervous System Dysregulation
As discussed above, stress is a primary contributor to all disease, including hormonal dysregulation, and can interfere with the delicate balance of all hormones in the body, including sex hormones like testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. Techniques like Bio Craniopathy, Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy/QNRT, and Neuro Emotional Technique/NET can calm the nervous system, improve our resiliency to stressors, resolve past trauma and reduce the intensity of current stressors. Not only are people able to feel calmer and to be able to enjoy life more, but their physical symptoms, adrenal health, and hormones can improve as well.
You don’t need to stay in “hormone hell” if you don’t want to.
Your body is capable of healing, when given the proper chance to do so. Hormone prescriptions may be helpful or necessary for some people, yet if the underlying causes to your concerns aren’t resolved, your body will suffer and likely try to get your attention with other symptoms in the future.
When you're ready to explore more comprehensive solutions to eliminate your symptoms and take control of your health, let’s work together to uncover the root causes of your hormonal concerns, guiding you toward lasting relief and improved quality of life. Remember, true healing lies in addressing the underlying issues rather than merely treating the symptoms. You and your body are worth it, are you ready?
Tips for Keeping Your Hormones Balanced On Your Own
Stress and the correlated increase in cortisol can interrupt specific pathways including the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which can lead to an imbalance in sex hormones and lead to irregular, painful, heavy, long, or even short cycles. When someone is dealing with menstrual concerns, PMS/premenstrual syndrome, PMDD/premenstrual dysphoric disorder, fertility struggles, or menopausal symptoms, stress resilience (or lack thereof) and the correlated hormonal pathways must be considered.
Try These Stress-Relieving Techniques That Are Easy For People of Any Age
My Commitment as your Naturopathic Doctor
My commitment is to listen to you and your body and find the causes that are holding you back from living the life you deserve. I don’t treat symptoms, nor do I limit my focus to one aspect or treatment as you deserve so much more than that. I take into consideration ALL contributing factors and teach and empower you how to heal on all levels.
Dr. E
Dr. Shawna Eischens (Dr. "E."), Naturopathic Doctor, and owner of Hope and Healing Naturopathic is an expert in finding the cause of your concerns so you can live a life free of pain, anxiety, fatigue, or other symptoms that are holding you back from enjoying the life you deserve!
Dr. E attracts motivated patients who are ready for a health advocate who is non-judgmental, passionate, experienced, and determined to help you THRIVE instead of just survive! Dr. E is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, a mentor through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a volunteer for Naturopathic Medicine Institute, and nature-loving outdoor enthusiast.
Dr. Eischens is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in Arizona and Minnesota.
She has received additional training and is certified in:
- QNRT (Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy)
- NET (Neuro Emotional Technique)
- Bio Craniopathy
- Vitalist of the Naturopathic Medicine Institute (VNMI)
Dr. Eischens is a member of:
- AANP (American Association of Naturopathic Physicians)
- NMI (Naturopathic Medicine Institute)
- AZNMA (Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association)
Hope and Healing Naturopathic was awarded "BEST OF THE VALLEY" in 2024 for the "Naturopathic Medicine" category.
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