Health & Well-Being Pre-Menopause and Beyond

There are probably a lot of women reading this who are like me, the type to research their symptoms and ‘self-diagnose’ a condition before making an appointment with their doctor. We all do it in cases of everyday illnesses like colds and flu (go ahead, you can admit it) – however when it comes to female hormones, it becomes a bit more complicated.

You see, I had all the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (listed below) but because many of them are also symptoms of estrogen dominance, I obviously thought that was the cause. It was an honest mistake, especially with perimenopause looming.

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone. The thyroid is located at the base of your neck (in the front) and is responsible for regulating your body’s metabolism by secreting hormones which help to burn the calories and fat, etc. your body uses for energy. I have learned that this is a very common condition which approximately 10 million Americans have, and on top of this, as much as 10% of women have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency.

Here are some common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

Fatigue, or feeling lathargic
Weakness (this could mean less stamina, longer recovery time after exercise or feeling as if your arms were dead weight)
Weight gain, or difficulty loosing weight
Constipation
Coarse, dry hair, skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance, often feeling cold, cold hands and feet
Muscle cramps, frequent muscle aches
Sleepy, needing naps, or just nodding off easily
Foggy thinking, forgetfulness
Memory loss, irritable
Abnormal cycles
Diminished or low sex drive

I have to say that I had every one of the above – the problem is that each of those symptoms are also symptoms of estrogen dominance. No kidding. If you have approaching menopause on the brain, would you seriously think of your thyroid first?

The only way to tell that I know of is to have blood work done. Once it has been determined that is your thyroid, the cure is as simple as taking one pill a day. I will get into your choice of thyroid medications in the next few posts – this could get complicated, since we have the issue of synthetic versus natural. To be continued….

Get more Information on Thyroid Assist – Nature's Treatment for Hypothyroidism

In all my reading about pre menopause symptoms and hormone replacement therapies, I’ve been hearing this term bantered about – Estrogen Dominance. After reading the symptoms, I’ve realized that it is something I have been battling most of my life. Terrible periods, fibroids, retaining water, tender breasts, you name it, I’ve had it since I first started my period.

Back in the day, when I was very young, I was told that my cramps were probably from, having a tipped uterus, taking in too much sodium, caffeine, etc. In my teens and twenties, the only solution provided by my doctor was birth control pills. I learned early on that synthetic progestin in BC did not agree with me – migraines, nausea, bloating and more – so I learned to live with the misery.

We are subjected to higher levels of estrogen than ever with all of the estrogen-like hormones being injected and fed to commercial cattle and poultry, not to mention the pesticides being used on crops of vegetables and fruits we eat. Couple that with today’s high-stress lifestyles and childhood obesity, our children have a life of hormone imbalance to look forward to – and pharmaceutical companies are just waiting to profit from us.

Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now. So, what are some symptoms of estrogen dominance? Here are a few:

Breast tenderness
Bloating, Water Retention
Weight gain, especially in the waist and hips
Mood Swings, PMS
Irritability and anxiousness
Allergies, Sinus Infections
Cold Hands and Feet
Low Sex Drive
Dry eyes
Fatigue
Foggy thinking, Memory Loss
Fibrocystic Breasts
Hair Loss
Headaches
Irregular Periods
Insomnia
Sluggish Metabolism
Uterine Fibroids

It is possible for men and women both to suffer from estrogen dominance, because, like I mentioned before, there is so much of it in our environment. Over time, more chronic conditions like as arthritis and premenopause symptoms may develop.