Six thousand women in the U.S. reach menopause every day, and more than 75 percent will have symptoms like hot flashes. Many women don’t know that hormone symptoms can start 10 to 15 years ahead of time, so even women in their 30s and 40s can have symptoms of hormone changes. They go to their doctor to complain and typically walk out the door with a prescription for a sleeping pill or an anti-depressant, when really the problem is their hormones. Understanding the problem is the first step in finding a solution.

Take this simple quiz to gauge:

1. Do you have a hard time getting out of bed and starting your day?
2. Does your energy crash in the late afternoon?
3. Do you have a short temper and snap at your family?
4. Have you lost interest in sex?
5. Do you have a hard time sleeping through the night?
6. Are you struggling with your weight or belly fat?
7. Are you forgetting things, for example, why you walked in the room or what word you wanted to say?
8. Do you feel anxious for no good reason?
9. Are you having more PMS symptoms, such as bloating and irritability?
10. Are your cycles changing or becoming less predictable?

If “yes” to 2, hormones might be out of whack. If 4, then it is likely. If 5 or more, then it is almost certain.

The good news is there are actions one can take to get hormones in balance such as, get more exercise and adequate sleep; eat more broccoli which contains hormone-friendly nutrients; cut out sugar, as the inflammation sugar causes leads to hormone imbalances; and reduce stress.

 

Deborah Matthew, M.D., is an international speaker and author of This is NOT Normal: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance. She focuses on addressing the root cause of symptoms instead of simply treating symptoms with drugs. Her medical practice, Signature Wellness, has locations in South Charlotte and Belmont. For more information, call 704-752-9346 or visit SignatureWellness.org.

 

Matthew will present a free dinner and seminar: Stress, Hormones and Health (the true cause of belly fat and fatigue), at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 22, at Nellie's Southern Kitchen, 36 N. Main St, Belmont, NC. RSVP to 704-752-9346.