What I Am Doing to Heal My Hormones

For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with health and nutrition.

I never went as far as becoming a doctor or medical professional, but when I reflect on my life's journey thus far, I realize that I have always enjoyed learning about health, wellness, and nutrition.

 I loved reading health and science textbooks in school, watching food documentaries, collecting recipes, etc.

Now, to be fair, I have been led astray on many occasions when it came to these topics and never took time to properly research beyond what was being fed to me through Netflix documentaries or biased articles. One minute I was told that a keto diet was the supreme choice over plant-based alternatives, then the next minute I'm watching Game Changers and am being told that meat is terrible and that eggs are worse than cigarettes.

I'll be the first to admit that I am naive and gullible. I am quick to take things at face value and I am slowly working on this trait. Over the past few years, I have slowed down and have taken things with far more grains of salt. I no longer hold my doctor's words as true gospel and I will take time to research ingredients and products multiple times over to make sure I am making choices that are satisfactory for myself and my family.

That being said, I have slowly learned that our modern culture is obsessed with controlling symptoms and not addressing the root cause. In this blog post, I will briefly cover:

• The problem of quick fixes
• What does healing look like?
• A reminder of or mortal state in relationship to sickness/healing
• The importance of our choices
• Why prescriptions (alone) won't work  
• Ways to support your hormones and health 

 

This post may contain affiliate link and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.

 

 

When all we do is look for a quick fix, we damage our bodies in the process.

I am very symptom-driven. If I feel less than 100%, I will immediately look for ways to feel better. I would take all the Pepto-Bismol, Klonopin, ibuprofen, chug ACV, etc.

As someone with health anxiety, I have always been looking for ways to "fix" any ailment that comes my way. I have yet to learn how to embrace discomfort and listen to what my body may actually need. In the hustle and bustle of trying various supplements, pills, and diets, I have sent my body into a habitual - and chronic - state of stress and it has begun to wreak havoc on my hormones.

Hormones, as many of you may know, are at the root of what impacts our overall health.

For those that may not know, hormones play a critical role as the messengers of our bodies. They are responsible for many processes such as:

• Growth and development
• Metabolism - how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
• Sexual function
• Reproduction
• Mood

When the messengers become "confused" due to various internal and external factors, your body is not optimally supported and this is when you start to feel "off" and experience a myriad of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. 

We are quick to reach for a prescription that will target or relieve the symptoms we experience due to this imbalance, but do a disservice because we are ignoring what may be making us sick in the first place.

Believe it or not, symptoms are NOT the enemy. They are simply your body's "check engine light" letting you know something deeper is going on.

Like a delicate plant, if the root system is messed up (aka hormones), then the fruits and blossoms will fail to grow properly. You have to heal the roots in order to see true healing.

 

 

In my anxious state, I have damaged my hormones and am currently on a slow journey to heal.

So what will the healing look like?

Good question. It will look unique to each individual. If you are someone who has done all the "right things", but still dealing with health problems, it may be time to do what I did and take a step back.

This is easier said than done, but if you can take just a short moment to reflect on your overall health, how you feel, what still feels "off", and where you would like to be in 3-6 months, then this will be worth that time you take for yourself. Some ways to reflect could be:

• Writing out your routine/daily schedule - Break down each hour and explore what habits you often follow
• Making a financial budget and tracking expenses
  
• Listing your usual meals/snacks/beverages that you consume 80% of the time.
• Writing out the symptoms you are currently experiencing from greatest to least. What issues are you most concerned about?
  
• Tracking how often you intentionally walk/move for at least 10 minutes each week
• Writing out your current medication/supplement routine - (this was a big one for me because I was doing so many things at once and did not properly track exactly what my body was being given or, more importantly, what it needed)
  

Once you figure out the main issues you want to address, think about ways you could work on them one step at a time.

This will be frustrating at first because all you can think about is, "everything is wrong! Where would I even begin? Do I start with X or do I focus on Z?"

I hear you. These are my EXACT thoughts!

First, we want to realize that a lot of our issues are simply a result of being imperfect, sinful human beings. Our life experience is impacted by the curse in Genesis. We will always be faced with health issues and concerns. Some more than others. Afflictions will occur and God is sovereign through every headache, gastrointestinal upset, brain disorder, autoimmune disease, and hormonal imbalance. 

 

 

God is also sovereign over the bodies he gave us. 

Our bodies are beautifully complex and capable of healing and supporting us. Again, some more than others. We must ultimately depend on God for our comfort and security, not our health. God has equipped us with a body and with the ability to make choices to support that body. How He chooses to lead us through our healing journey is all part of His sovereign will and our obedience to Him will allow us to grow in our dependence on Him whether we are able to climb mountains or lay down in weakness.

I will admit I am stubborn and desire to not be afflicted, however, I must realize there is a balance between what I am able to control and what God has decreed for my life. If navigating the frustrations of health is my "thorn", then I must learn to accept it with grace and lean fully on Christ. 

This doesn't mean that I can just sit back and do nothing. It means that I have been called to be very intentional with the health choices I make.

 

 

The choices that are made moving forward will have an impact on health - for better or for worse.

I have a nasty habit of blindly jumping to the first medication or supplement that promises to fix whatever ailment I self-diagnose myself with. Once I decide I am seemingly afflicted with XYZ problem, I immediately jump to conclusions I have no business jumping to.

I can't tell you how much time and money I have wasted on supplements and doctor visits because I haven't intentionally considered my concerns or symptoms as a whole. I freak out over an isolated symptom without considering my issues as a whole.

That's another thing I want to share with you! If you are faced with confusion or just beginning to consider your healing journey more intentionally, my advice to you is this:  

TEST, DON'T GUESS.

I understand there are many people who have had every test done under the sun and still don't have answers. My heart goes out to you. Investing so much time, effort, and money only to be told "you're fine" or "your labs are normal" is probably one of the most infuriating things ever and leaves you even more stressed and feeling sick. It's a vicious cycle.

However, my advice still stands.

Hormones are crucial to our well-being. The phrase "it's just part of getting old" is not something we need to accept or subscribe to. If we know what to properly test and look for, we can support our hormone health and eliminate a lot of issues we currently experience.

Once a list of symptoms/problems has been established, take a moment to figure out which test(s) could address your problems with more accuracy.

As I said earlier, your body is beautifully complex and works as a whole. One lab is not going to reveal the entire picture, but once you start looking at the body and its connections, you can have a more clear path. You will begin to see where your hormones are being impacted and will slowly learn how to support them.

Testing your hormones is a great first step. Once you have your results, find someone who is trained to understand optimal levels vs. "normal" and knows what protocols to suggest.

Now, I will admit that the ultimate goal is to actually STOP relying on various tests and labs, though there will be times that these tools will be useful. 

You want to make sure you are using them to your advantage rather than waste your time and hard-earned dollars. Chasing the symptoms is not going to fix your hormones. Just remember:

A prescription isn't going to heal you.

One blood lab will not have all the answers. 

And neither is a quick visit to your primary care doctor.

Don't get me wrong, I am not against doctors or medical professionals for I believe many of them want to support and heal their patients. However, I have slowly learned that local doctors aren't trained to navigate the full intricacies of healing, which is why it is important to learn to research things for yourself and seek guidance from other trained professionals to supplement the areas your primary cannot.

This could look like:

• Working with a registered dietitian
• Signing up for a functional medicine protocol
• Sticking to a budget
• Following a Bible study - (specific to health, busyness, anxiety, etc., for starters)
  
• Reaching out to a homeopathic practitioner
  
• Investing in a nutritionist/metabolic program that will address the root causes
• Improving your diet/lifestyle - you cannot heal in the same place you got sick.
• Learning about hormones and the key role they play in our bodies - this book was my gateway into getting a wonderful understanding of this concept
  

You may still need to do another test or two, and you may have to rely on a supplement here and there until you can properly support your body without them. Again, the goal is to STOP relying on tests, prescriptions, and supplements when they don't support what you truly need.

 Don't hear what I'm not saying: I believe that medications and supplements can play a role in short-term healing. I like to think of them as spare tires to support you as you drive to the auto shop. You obviously don't want to drive on the spare tire long-term, but it exists to serve a short-term, important purpose when needed.

 

 

It will take time.

I am currently on a path of addressing my issues one at a time. 

I am tired of feeling unlike myself and I am done visiting doctors every time something small comes up. I want to trust my body and that God will give me the strength to trust Him through the process. If He chooses to let my body become restored to a more optimal state, then great! If not, then I must learn to praise Him in my weakness.

I am incredibly impatient, but this is a season of learning and sanctification.

Here is what I am currently doing to fix my hormones:

• Focus on eating more PHFF (protein, healthy fats, fiber) - read more here
• Get 10 minutes of walking/movement daily
• Use supplements to kickstart my mineral support (liver will be a key player)
• Intentionally track my hormone levels via hormone testing
  
• Learn to control and balance my stress - read more here
  
• Spend time in God's Word more often - Bible studies are so helpful!
  

I intend to research more about hormone health and stress management as I know those two things go hand-in-hand. I also plan to get a full blood panel and hormone test done so I can track my current levels as "checkpoints". These will be intentional tests. I will not be impulsive when it comes to testing anymore because having too many labs without a game plan in place is only going to contribute to stress - the #1 hormone killer.

If you are tired of feeling sick and tired, I understand completely! I hope this post revealed some nuggets of wisdom and guidance as you consider your own health journey. 

You are not alone, my friend!