{"id":2744,"date":"2022-04-01T07:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T20:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?p=2744"},"modified":"2023-09-08T16:26:05","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T06:26:05","slug":"central-coast-hormonal-health-womens-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-hormonal-health-womens-wellness\/","title":{"rendered":"Unravelling the Mystery: Hormonal Imbalances and Women’s Health on the Central Coast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Diana Arundell University Qualified Naturopath<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hormones play an important part in our body\u2019s orchestra of health and wellbeing. They are important in their role in the growth and reproductive systems in both men and women but also impact many other systems of the body. Hormonal imbalance can show up as mood disorders including anxiety and depression, as well as sleep disturbance, fatigue and digestive disturbance, with symptoms ranging from mild to debilitating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to signs and symptoms experienced leading up to and during menstruation. 75% of women experience PMS to a greater or lesser degree and it appears rather than there being just one simple cause, there are a number of contributing factors to PMS including diet, lifestyle and an imbalanced rising and falling of hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. PMS is common but does not need to be inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The menstrual cycle can provide a lot of information about a woman and her health. The monthly period (or absence of it) and the presence of PMS can be considered a \u2018report card\u2019 for the month on how health, wellbeing and hormones have been travelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more common symptoms and signs of PMS include breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings (irritable, anxious, depressed) sleep disturbance, acne, headaches and food cravings. For some women these are noticeably mild and may last 24\u201348 hours, whereas for others these signs and symptoms may be so pronounced that they can hardly recognise themselves amidst it and symptoms may stretch out to 2 weeks before the period comes. It\u2019s really important to track your menstrual cycle each month so it\u2019s evident if the symptoms are cyclic and therefore more likely to be related to the menstrual cycle, or if there is no obvious repetitive pattern, then other causes need to be investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD) is severe premenstrual mood disturbance of depression and\/or anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A woman\u2019s menstrual cycle through each month can almost feel like passing through the 4 seasons. The monthly period and few days before feels more like winter when we tend to be a little quieter and homely. The energy improves as spring comes during which we move to the end of our period and transition into summer around ovulation. Things begin to wind down again through the autumn part of our cycle leading up to our winter period time again. It is natural to experience different levels of energy throughout the seasons of the menstrual cycle and unrealistic to expect ourselves to be bouncing out of our skin with energy 24\/7 all month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things that may contribute to PMS include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n