Natural support is available to help protect your vital female hormones
FEMALE hormones are complex and play a significant role in dictating a woman’s health and wellbeing, from menstruation through to menopause, and indeed beyond. Progesterone and oestrogen are the two female hormones that we are most familiar with. These are the two hormones that directly control our menstrual cycle and therefore our fertility.
Oestrogen is typically in dominance during the first two weeks of our cycle, while progesterone rises increasingly during the last two weeks, after ovulation has taken place.
Oestrogen speaks louder within the female body than progesterone. Oestrogen makes us feel strong and energised. It provides drive and stamina, and women typically feel more constructive and organised under its influence.
Progesterone is a gentler but no less important hormone. It makes us feel serene, nurturing and happy.
Progesterone is the hormone of pregnancy, and appropriately increases our libido.
Something seems to have gone awry with female hormones over the past few decades. An increasing number of women suffer from hormonal imbalance with consequences that can lead to serious health issues.
PMT, endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, infertility, and oestrogendependent cancers are all on the increase. For lots of women, menopause is now a prolonged period of mental and physical suffering, rather than being any kind of natural transition.
Our hormones are finely tuned and a number of modern-day factors could be upsetting their balance.
We are exposed to a lot more environmental oestrogens (xenooestrogens) than previous generations.
Xenooestrogens have a chemical structure very close to that of the natural oestrogen that our body produces, and so can compete with our natural oestrogen in the job that it does and distort its function.
Xen oestrogens have been introduced into our environment through industry, chemical companies and agriculture. They are pretty much everywhere.
They exist in plastics, solvents, herbicides, pesticides and hormonefed animals and crops. They exist in some pharmacy medications, where they are used intentionally to mimic natural oestrogen.
Xenooestrogens play a role in female hormone imbalance. A pronounced oestrogen response within the female body can lead to difficult premenstrual symptoms (PMS), ovarian cysts, endometriosis and play a significant role in fertility issues.
Our liver is very involved in the function of our hormones. Oestrogen and progesterone are both activated and deactivated within our liver.
This is important in controlling the amount and balance of these hormones in our blood stream at any one time.
Our liver is also responsible for excreting or getting rid of used or harmful (xenooestrogens) hormones out of our body.
Healthy liver function is crucial in helping balance our hormones and is maintained through a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Our modern-day diet of highlyprocessed food, rich in rancid fats, harmful toxins and low nutrition, doesn’t serve our liver best.
Stress can imbalance our hormones. Ongoing stressful living may eventually cause the female body to produce testosterone over oestrogen.
This can block ovulation, and polycystic ovaries (PCOS) may result. This has a negative knock-on effect on fertility.
So an over-oestrogenised environment, an unhealthy diet and too much stress are just some of the modern-day factors that may ‘mess’ with our hormones.
Terranova’s Dong Quai and Soya Sprout Complex is a combined hormone balancing supplement for women that can go a long way in helping to restore hormonal harmony.
It provides a number of gentle plant oestrogens to help reduce the impact of too many environmental oestrogens in an over-oestrogenised female body.
Plant oestrogens will also increase the oestrogen level in menopausal women who are feeling the impact of their oestrogen in decline.
Dong Quai is used a lot in Chinese medicine as a female adaptogen, helping to relieve stress and restore mental and physical harmony.
Rhodiola is added to enhance this protection from stress further, and to lift a low or depressed mood.
Oats are added to support the functioning of a healthy nervous system.
Dong Quai encourages healthy menstrual blood flow. This may be useful for women who have heavy, clotting and painful periods, either during their menstrual years or in perimenopause.
Dong Quai, Water Cress and Turmeric all support liver function including in its role of activating and inactivating hormones efficiently.
Dandelion is included to support bile flow from the liver, helping the liver to excrete both used and toxic hormones effectively from the body.
Dong Quai and Soya Sprout Complex is a modern-day supplement for women who are finding their monthly cycle is either physically or emotionally difficult, or who are finding that progressing through menopause is not simple.
It helps balance oestrogen and progesterone levels, supports the liver in its function, and provides relief from the stress of a busy lifestyle.
(Note: Dong Quai and Soya Sprout Complex is not suitable for those using contraceptive medication.)
NATURE’S Choice is hosting an evening event entitled ‘The Twist of Hormones’ on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30pm at The Killyhevlin Hotel Enniskillen.
This will be an inspiring and informative evening, aimed at helping women of all ages to understand their hormonal journey more. Tickets for the event are available at Nature’s Choice, Enniskillen.