Respect your hormones. A woman's life and her hormones are inextricably linked to form the awesomeness of the female energy and spirit.

The modern woman is expected to integrate seamlessly into the busy 21st century, which has seen an unprecedented increase in the use of contraceptives and hormone therapies to control cycles, clear acne, prevent unwanted pregnancies and control symptoms of menopause. This has helped many, but created an unacceptable amount of trouble for many more. The problem is, most women don't recognise that it's the hormone imbalance causing the changes in their body, mind and health.

Symptoms of female hormone imbalances

Low progesterone

Mood swings and depression

Low libido, fatigue, foggy thinking

Infertility

PMS, irregular menstrual cycle, heavy bleeding

Thyroid dysfunction

Fibroids, endometriosis

Gallbladder problems

Breast tenderness, fibrocystic breasts

Acne, brittle nails, dry cracked skin

Slow metabolism, weight gain around mid-section, sugary cravings

Migraines and headaches

Low oestrogen

Hot flushes

Night sweats

Disturbed sleep

Increased urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence

Loss of sexual desire and function

Changes in mood or depression

Memory problems

Breast changes, less firm

Thinner skin, less moisture

Loss of bone density, potentially leading to osteoporosis

Higher cholesterol levels

Low testosterone

Fatigue and exhaustion

Disturbed sleep

Loss of sexual desire and function

Loss of bone density, potentially leading to osteoporosis

Weight gain, difficulty losing weight

Mood swings, depression, low mood

Irregular menstrual cycle

Anxiety

Hair loss

Anorgasmia (inability to achieve orgasm)

Difficulty concentrating

Stages of menopause

Menopause is diagnosed when a woman has had no period for more than 12 months and the ovaries no longer produce ova (eggs).

Pre-menopause

This is the stage that leads up to peri-menopause as you get older. It can affect many women as early as their 30's and most woman to some degree in their 40's. It is possible to have normal periods throughout this process. While it may seem that everything is the way it should be, your body is already starting to prepare itself for the transition into menopause. Your oestrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuate seeing an increase in PMS or heavier periods – this is a common time for women to have hysterectomies, uterine fibroids or tumours.

Perimenopause

This is the period immediately preceding the last period you will ever have. Usually from about 50 but could last till 55. The biggest change at this stage is the dramatic drop in oestrogen being produced by the ovaries.

Common symptoms now are:

Hot flushes
Vaginal dryness
Irregular periods or heavy periods
Insomnia
Moodiness

Menopause

At this point, your ovaries have stopped producing eggs and you've had no periods for 12 months already. All three female hormones drop to very low levels. If the hormones don't all drop at the same rate, one can continue to experience symptoms of:

Hot flushes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Loss of libido
Brain fog
Poor memory
Raised blood pressure
Lowered thyroid function
Increased cholesterol levels
Weight gain

Surgical menopause

This involves the surgical removal of your uterus (sometimes along with your ovaries). You will have a sudden drop in all sex hormone levels. This sudden loss of hormones can cause severe symptoms and health problems, especially if you are young, unless adequate hormone replacement is provided.

Click here for hormone treatment options.

Female hormones