Rethinking Hormonal Balance

Introduction: Understanding Hormonal Balance

Many of the women who schedule discovery calls with me express concerns about hormonal imbalances, often noticing heightened symptoms around their period or ovulation. This is why I wanted to take a moment to discuss hormones and what it really means to have hormonal balance, a topic I frequently cover in my coaching sessions.

I don’t claim to be a hormone expert or specialize in any single area of the body as I believe in looking at everything holistically. Every system in your body works together harmoniously, so focusing on one system in isolation doesn’t provide the full picture. If your symptoms tend to change around your period or ovulation, it’s important to remember that this shift may not be the main issue; it's just a signal of something deeper– and whatever it is maybe causing hormones to be sent at the wrong level or time.

What Are Hormones?

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers, responsible for signaling organs and tissues to carry out specific functions. When it comes to your menstrual cycle, there are a few key hormones that play a critical role: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estrogen, Testosterone, and Progesterone. These hormones move through a delicate, cyclical rhythm, each one responding to the cues of the others. Together, they orchestrate the 26-34 day menstrual cycle that repeats month after month.

While the hormones I’ve mentioned are often the focus when people talk about “hormonal imbalance”, there are many others that are equally important to overall health. Insulin, leptin, and ghrelin, for instance, regulate appetite, energy balance, and blood sugar. Hormones produced by the thyroid and liver, like triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), play a key role in metabolism, digestion, and body temperature regulation.

Hormonal Imbalances Are Often Down Stream Issues, Not the Root Cause

In my work as a Women’s Health Coach, I see clients with a variety of concerns but often: irregular periods, acne, getting off or recently coming off birth control, perimenopause, or menopause. You might assume that hormone regulation would be my primary focus—but that’s rarely the case. Hormones, while important, are typically not the root cause of the problem.

Our hormones are incredibly sensitive and respond to a wide range of internal and external stressors. Under-eating or overeating, too much or too little exercise, inflammation, mineral imbalances, bacterial overgrowth, heavy metals, mold exposure, and even stress—these are all factors that can throw your hormones off balance. Even seasonal changes or the phases of the moon can influence hormone levels.

So, while it might seem logical to focus on hormonal levels as a solution to your symptoms, I believe that focusing solely on hormones misses the mark. Instead, I use hormonal symptoms as data points, clues that can help us identify deeper issues within the body.

The Real Issue: Confused Messaging in the Body

Since hormones are messengers, it’s helpful to think about it this way: If your cells are getting the wrong information—whether from poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies, chronic stress, or other stressors—they’ll send out the wrong signals. This leads to hormonal imbalances, but the issue isn't the hormones themselves. It’s the inputs your body is receiving.

When you give your body the right inputs—adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and reduced stress—your cells are able to send out the correct hormonal signals. That’s why it can be insightful to work with a functional practitioner who can help identify the best protocol to address your unique root causes and overall lifestyle so that your body can function optimally.

Conclusion: Trust Your Body's Wisdom

Your body is incredibly smart and resilient. Given the right support, it has the ability to correct imbalances and heal on its own. The key is not to focus solely on the hormones, but rather on the lifestyle and environmental factors that impact your overall health. By addressing these root causes, you can create an environment where your body’s natural intelligence can flourish, leading to true hormonal balance.

With the right inputs and guidance, your body has the ability to heal. Hormonal imbalance is simply a symptom, a signal, that something deeper needs attention. When you start focusing on overall wellness, everything, including your hormones, falls into place.

With support,
Isabella