“Lately the people in my life have been bristling at the fact that I’m super cheerful one minute and crying the next. My mom canceled our lunch plans because she was worried about who might show up. My best girlfriends sat me down for a talk because they were worried about my mood swings. Even my husband has noticed a change.
“The problem is, we are trying to have a baby.
“I thought for a while my abnormal mood was related to the pressure of getting pregnant. But now I’m wondering if my hormones are out of balance. It adds a whole new layer of complexity and new implications to our fertility journey. “
As a naturopathic doctor, I hear stories like this one from patients all the time. They have exercised all of their conventional options for treatment, but haven’t found anything that gets to the root of their symptoms – just quick fixes.
Taking the conventional approach, after a routine blood panel, a primary care physician might recommend putting a patient on birth control for any symptoms or disruptions related to female hormones. Some of those symptoms might be:
- Heavy bleeding
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Breast Tenderness
- Irregular cycles
You might not want to take birth control to maintain your hormonal balance, though.
But what else can you do?
This is when a naturopathic approach is helpful. By integrating modalities, a naturopathic doctor can help to get the right treatment options for you as an individual.
Naturopathic medicine offers functional testing that goes beyond a normal blood panel and helps to uncover complications that might be more deep-rooted. We address the underlying causes, not just your symptoms.
For symptoms of hormonal imbalance, I like to start with the DUTCH test. DUTCH is a urinary analysis used to determine not only the levels of hormones present in the body – estrogen, progesterone and testosterone – but also to learn how your body metabolizes those hormones.
Mapping hormones over a period of time helps us understand how they are processed rather than just looking at a snapshot of hormones present from a basic blood work panel. This big hormonal picture, in conjunction with blood work, helps your naturopathic doctor develop an individualized treatment plan to address your symptoms.
Patient education is the cornerstone of naturopathic care. Therefore, naturopathic physicians teach their patients how to make conscious lifestyle choices, giving them confidence needed to reach and maintain an optimal state of health. Obviously, there might be issues related to your symptoms that are out of your control. But there are plenty of symptom factors that can be managed when using the proper tools.
If you are experiencing symptoms of severe PMS or hormonal imbalance, here are some things to try from a naturopathic approach to help alleviate them:
Diet/ Nutrition – Food is medicine. What you put into your body directly affects all of your metabolic systems. Your gut is arguably one of the most important components of your health. Try adding or increasing cruciferous vegetables to your diet for hormonal balance. These include: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
Herbs – There are a number of herbal supplements that can support hormonal balance especially when significant symptoms are present. Schedule a free 15 minute new patient consultation with Dr. Fisel to learn more about herbs that are right for your particular body and situation.
Acupuncture – By its very nature, the goal of acupuncture is to restore energetic balance throughout the body. When you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance, such as pre-menstrual syndrome for instance, acupuncture can help alleviate your symptoms and restore your energy to its natural state. Learn about the integrative treatment options Dr. Fisel has to offer.
As a naturopathic physician I can help you get to the root of your symptoms and work through functional testing beyond the basic blood work your conventional doctor may have ordered. I will use the big picture of your hormonal health to help you determine the best course of treatment for you as an individual.
Are you living in the Guilford/ Branford/ New Haven/ Madison/ Clinton area and would like to learn more about integrative solutions for your health care needs.
Call (203) 453-0122 or CLICK HERE to schedule a consultation.
