In the past few weeks, my focus on hormones has taken us on a journey of viewing endocrine and reproductive health from an integrative, naturopathic, and functional medicine perspective. I’ve explored the effects from even tiny shifts in these chemical messengers. With the slightest alteration, these powerful single molecules have system-wide impact that goes even beyond their target sex organs. They also influence other hormones, tissues, and various vital functions of the body. This is why I feel that it’s crucial to first work with nature’s wisdom and address the root cause of imbalances before using any form of synthetic or natural replacement.
Nature has provided the body with complex and intricate feedback mechanisms to control the levels of hormones in our body at any single moment. It’s imperative for physicians and patients to understand that just supplementing with what appears to be “lacking” when measuring hormones in the blood, urine, and/or saliva has shortcomings. There are many caveats to take into account. I have seen many women who have experienced first-hand how tinkering with hormones caused unwanted side effects and seemingly unrelated symptoms to pop up when these factors were not considered.
Finding a practitioner who understands these implications is important. They should also be able to incorporate and support their patients with hormone production, transport, sensitivity to organs and cellular receptors, and distribution and metabolism.
I provided a summary of this holistic viewpoint in my latest video. I have also previously discussed why essential oils are one of my favorite mind-body medicine tools in addressing some of the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances.
In my latest blog series, I explore other aspects of reproductive health that are often overlooked. This is how beliefs, emotions, relationships, and culture impact health, hormones, and a woman’s experience of menopause.
Click here to read Part I.
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This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)
Disclaimer: This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
