Breast Pain and Menopause: When to Seek Help
Breast Cancer Awareness Month has drawn to a close, but the time to be paying attention to the health of your breasts isn’t just during October, it’s all year round. While breast cancer is more treatable and has a higher survival rate than ever before, it’s still best to catch it as early as possible, meaning you should be extremely conscious of any potential symptoms, including pain and changes in your breasts.
The symptoms of menopause and the signs of breast cancer can occasionally overlap. As your body enters the early stages of this transition, changes to your breasts are common, and it can be hard to tell what’s normal and what is a cause for concern. To be safe, it’s best to make sure you get your regular mammograms and perform your monthly self-exams. These are some normal breast-related symptoms of menopause, and some other ones that should warrant a check with your doctor!
Normal Menopause Symptoms
Pain or Tenderness
Any time your hormones get out of balance, whether for an oncoming period, a new pregnancy, menopause, or a whole host of other reasons, your breasts can feel sensitive and sore. During menopause, it becomes less predictable than it was with PMS. Take note of any pain or tenderness for good measure, but unless it’s severe or persistent, it’s usually not anything to worry about!
Changes in Size and Shape
The dropping levels of estrogen in your body as you enter menopause can affect the size, shape, and look of your breasts. You may notice that they lose density and fullness, and they may appear to be a completely different size or shape than they were when you were younger, especially if you’ve breastfed children in the past. These changes are normal and many women experience them during menopause.
Lumps or Masses
Feeling a lump or mass in your breast is enough to get any woman’s heart racing, but not every lump means cancer. Cysts are a common cause of breast lumps and are nothing to be concerned about, especially if you’ve been performing your monthly self-exams over the years and you know that you’re prone to this kind of mass. Lymph nodes also might feel like a small lump but are perfectly normal. However, other kinds of lumps can be dangerous– keep reading below to learn how to tell the difference.
Talk to Your Doctor
Hard or Fixed Lumps
Lumps in your breast that are soft, have defined margins (i.e. edges that are regular and easy to feel) and are mobile, meaning they can be moved around by touch, are usually benign and not dangerous to your health. You should still discuss them with your doctor if they concern you, but they don’t typically indicate cancer.
Lumps that are hard, have irregular borders, and are fixed (meaning they can’t be easily moved by touch) can be signs of breast cancer. If you find a lump, mass, or growth in your breast that fits this description, you should inform your doctor of it right away.
Nipple Changes or Discharge
Changes in the shape and size of your breast are normal during menopause, but you should be very aware of changes in your nipples, particularly if your nipples invert suddenly (or start pointing inwards when they used to point out). Unexplained nipple discharge is also a sign that something is amiss and should be discussed with your doctor.
Skin Changes
A skin effect called “orange peeling” is a common sign of breast cancer. This means that the skin on a particular area of your breast takes on a dimpled appearance, like the skin of an orange. This is something you should look out for when you perform your regular self breast exams. You should also keep an eye out for any redness, rashes, or irritation on the skin of your breasts. Some kinds of cancer won’t cause a lump but will present with these symptoms instead, and any unexplained skin irritation on your breasts is something to tell your doctor about.
Lopsided Size or Shape Changes
For the most part, as long as changes in the size, shape, and appearance of your breasts are symmetrical, they’re not anything to be too worried about. However, if you notice a sudden change like a swelling or shrinkage of the breast on one side but not the other, it’s definitely something to make a note of and get checked out.
The changes that occur in your body during menopause are easy to get scared by. It’s a time when a lot is shifting and altering, and it’s only natural to be concerned about your health. However, if you keep in mind what’s considered a normal breast change and what’s not when it comes to menopause, it should help to set your mind at ease. If you want to learn more about women’s health and taking care of yourself during menopause, continue to read our blog here at Renewed Vitality!
Hormones are responsible for nearly everything that goes on in your body. They are the courier service that delivers messages to every organ and system, letting it know how to function and what to do and when. When you have a better understanding of these hormones, what they are, and how they work, you can come into a better understanding of your body and health as a whole! With that goal in mind, let’s keep learning about the many different hormones in the human body, focusing on progesterone.
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone, like testosterone and estrogen, is a sex hormone. This means that its primary functions have to do with the reproductive system and sexual health.
Similar to estrogen, progesterone is considered a largely “female” hormone, because its most vital functions are in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. However, both men and women have some amount of progesterone in their system, just like estrogen and testosterone! In males, the levels of progesterone are simply much lower than in females.
What Does Progesterone Do?
Progesterone plays a big role in the formation and function of the endometrium, or the lining of the uterus. This lining is what builds up throughout the month and then sheds during a period if a woman does not become pregnant, and it becomes the placenta if a fertilized egg implants and the woman becomes pregnant. Rising progesterone levels cause the endometrium to thicken in preparation for fertilization and implantation, and if this doesn’t occur, progesterone levels drop off, causing the shedding of the endometrium and the monthly period.
If a fertilized egg does implant, progesterone also plays a role in the early stages of pregnancy. It helps to encourage the endometrium to form the placenta, stimulating blood vessels so that it can nourish the growing fetus. Progesterone levels stay high throughout pregnancy, preventing any more eggs from being released, and it also is one of the hormones that stimulates lactation after the baby is born.
In men, progesterone plays a role in the regulation of testosterone levels and the formation of sperm. It also has an impact on mood, sleep, libido, and bone density!
Where is Progesterone Made?
Most sex hormones are made in the primary sex glands– the ovaries for women and the testes for men. This is partially true of progesterone, however, it’s a bit more complicated.
In males, progesterone is just produced in the testes. In females, it’s actually produced in a temporary gland called the corpus luteum. Here’s what happens. Inside the ovary, a structure called a follicle releases the egg into the fallopian tube, where it is either fertilized or dissolves. After the follicle releases the egg, it forms the corpus luteum. This is the gland that produces progesterone to help the uterine lining thicken up in preparation for a potential pregnancy. When the egg isn’t fertilized and breaks down, the corpus luteum breaks down too, and progesterone levels fall, causing the period to happen. Basically, each time you go through a menstrual cycle, your body is creating, using, and breaking down a new gland!
If a woman does become pregnant, the corpus luteum doesn’t dissolve. Instead, it keeps pumping out progesterone to create the placenta. Eventually, once the placenta is large and developed enough, it starts to create progesterone on its own, becoming the major producer of this hormone in the body throughout pregnancy to keep the fetus nourished and prevent both ovulation and premature uterine contractions that might cause early labor.
What Happens if You Have Low Progesterone?
Low progesterone is often associated with fertility problems and trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. If you aren’t pregnant but you have low progesterone, you might have irregular periods, headaches, mood swings, mood difficulties like anxiety or depression, trouble sleeping, or hot flashes. If you are pregnant and you have low progesterone, you can be at risk for ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, or miscarriage.
Progesterone levels, like estrogen levels, also drop off as you age and begin to enter menopause, and this decrease in progesterone is associated with the common symptoms of menopause, like night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
What Happens if You Have High Progesterone?
High progesterone levels aren’t often seen outside of pregnancy, but they are to blame for some of the common unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, including nausea, breast tenderness, and fatigue.
If you do have high progesterone levels when you’re not pregnant, you may notice these symptoms, as well as anxiety or depression, low sex drive, or bloating and weight gain. These elevated levels might be due to hormonal birth control that you’re taking, or it could be a sign of an ovarian cyst or another abnormality with your reproductive system. If your blood work shows high progesterone levels without any other explanation, your medical provider should discuss these possibilities with you.
What to Do About Progesterone Imbalances?
The most common reason people have trouble with progesterone imbalances is menopause. The dropping levels of this hormone can make life extremely difficult for some women! If this is true for you and you’re interested in feeling better, hormone replacement therapy might be the right path for you. Make sure you contact the team at Renewed Vitality to learn more!
You love your partner, through thick and thin, through good times and bad. However, when your spouse is going through menopause, you might find it puts a strain on your relationship. This is incredibly common! Like other stages of a long-term relationship, menopause brings huge shifts for your partner and the ways in which you interact, and it’s perfectly normal to struggle with the transition.
With tensions running high, it might seem like the smallest things you say can upset your spouse. However, from their perspective, certain remarks are not small at all! There are some things that you should definitely avoid saying to your partner when they’re going through menopause. It will help to show that you understand and respect what they’re dealing with, and keep things positive. Here are a few of them to be aware of!
Aren’t You Too Young for That?
Menopause is something that’s associated with growing older, so it might surprise you to hear that your partner is beginning to go through it at a younger age than you thought they would. Menopause tends to occur on average between the ages of 45 and 55, but it is possible for it to happen sooner.
Telling someone they’re too young for menopause can feel like a well-meaning compliment, but for many women, it’s just a painful reminder that they’re aging. Menopause can be difficult mentally and emotionally as well as physically, and it’s kindest to tread lightly around the subject of age during this time. Your partner might be feeling sad about getting older without you realizing!
It’s Freezing in Here!
Hot flashes are the classic symptom of menopause. Everyone hears about them, every woman dreads them, and everyone who experiences them knows what a pain they are. They can strike at any time, interrupt your sleep, and make you wildly uncomfortable in the most inconvenient moments. When your partner is having a hot flash, she’s sure to be stressed, sweaty, and altogether miserable.
In these moments, the most considerate thing to do would be to avoid pointing out the hot flash unless she mentions it herself, and don’t make any comments about the temperature. If she’s turned up the AC and you’re cold, grab a sweater without making a big fuss. Complaining about the temperature might only make her feel worse!
Did You Gain Weight?
Menopause can lead to a lot of physical changes in a woman’s appearance, including weight gain, hair thinning, changes in body or facial hair, or changes in breast volume. Simply put, your partner is likely to be especially sensitive about her looks at this time, and off-handed comments might strike a little deeper than you intended them to.
If you notice a change in your partner’s appearance like thinning hair or weight gain, it’s best to keep any observations about it to yourself. Instead, focus on pointing out the things you find beautiful about your partner that she can feel confident about. Remind her that you find her attractive and sexy– a small compliment can go a long way!
You’re Lucky Your Period is Gone!
It seems like the one upside of menopause: no more dealing with a period each month! While this is true and it’s something many women consider to be a silver lining during menopause, it might upset your partner to have it pointed out.
For one thing, losing your period is just another reminder that you’re getting older, something few women are particularly excited about. It might also be saddening for some women to know that they’re out of their childbearing years– they may have wanted a bigger family, or never got the chance to have children when they wanted to. If your partner mentions being grateful that her period is gone, it’s great to join her in rejoicing, but otherwise, it might be best to avoid mentioning it. You never know what might be on her mind when it comes to changes in her body.
You’re Not in the Mood Again?
Changes in your sex life are a major source of relationship strain during menopause. The hormonal changes this transition brings are likely to affect your partner’s libido, as well as how comfortable and enjoyable sex actually is for her. You might find that you’re suddenly having much less sex than you used to, leaving you feeling frustrated and distant.
This is shaky territory. Guilting your partner or complaining about her lower sex drive or physical changes is never something you want to do. At best, it’s rude and inconsiderate, and at worst, it borders on coercing her into sex. However, you’re not wrong to feel lonely or upset with this change in your relationship! Those feelings are normal and worth fixing. Find a time to calmly and kindly talk to your partner about the shift in your sex life. Acknowledge her struggles and that you know this isn’t her fault, and lay out how you’re feeling and that you want to work together to fix the problem. Cooperating on finding a solution can result in your relationship coming out even stronger on the other side!
Menopause doesn’t have to mean that your relationship with your partner turns sour. It’s a period of change like others that you’ve gotten through together, and with plenty of open communication, love, and support, you’ll get through this one, too. If your partner is really struggling with the symptoms of menopause, hormonal replacement therapy might be a good way for her to find some relief. You can both learn more from Renewed Vitality today!
When it comes to understanding your body and how it works, understanding your hormones is very important. Hormones are the chemical messengers of your body. They tell each organ, system, and structure what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. That’s a big job, and if one of your hormone levels is out of balance, it could cause things not to work right all over your body.
Understanding your hormones, however, is a little easier said than done. There’s a lot of them, and they have complex and varied jobs that are hard to keep track of. To help you get a better handle on your hormones, the team at Renewed Vitality is breaking down what you need to know about these major body chemicals. Today, let’s take a look at testosterone!
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a sex hormone, meaning that its primary functions are related to the reproductive system. It’s largely known as the male sex hormone since it performs lots of very important functions in a man’s body, but just like estrogen, everybody has some level of testosterone in their body, regardless of sex or gender.
What Does Testosterone Do?
As a male sex hormone, testosterone is vital to a man’s sexual development and function. Testosterone levels in the body start to rise around puberty, and contribute to increasing height and muscle development, the development of the penis, testes, and prostate, and body hair growth.
In maturity, testosterone plays an important role in sperm production and libido. Aside from this, it also affects your blood health, signaling the body to make new red blood cells, and is important to the health of your bones and muscles. Testosterone levels can even affect your mood and how your body stores fat!
Where is Testosterone Made?
Testosterone, like the other sex hormones, is produced mainly in the “gonads,” or the primary reproductive gland of the body. For men, testosterone production takes place in the testes. For women, the ovaries make the levels of testosterone they need.
What Happens If You Have Low Testosterone?
Low testosterone is a common complaint among men in their later years. While the symptoms of falling testosterone levels as you age are difficult to deal with, they’re not uncommon or unnatural. Testosterone levels naturally start to drop off as you age, but especially low levels can lead to symptoms like decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction, low energy, low mood, memory problems, weight gain, thinning hair, and thinner or weaker bones. These effects of low testosterone can happen in women with an imbalance in the hormone as well as men, although they are much more common in males. The condition is often abbreviated to “low T,” but you might also see it referred to as “male hypogonadism.”
What Happens If You Have High Testosterone?
Unhealthily high testosterone levels can lead to acne, weight gain, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack or blood clots, low sperm count, and mood swings, among a number of other side effects. High testosterone in men is often seen as a result of steroid use, but it can also be a sign of tumors or genetic mutations.
In women, high testosterone levels can lead to increased hair growth, weight gain, reduced fertility, and other symptoms. It’s most commonly a sign of PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, a fairly common reproductive condition.
What to Do About Testosterone Imbalances?
If you suspect you may be suffering from an imbalance in your testosterone levels, HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, might be a good option for you! At Renewed Vitality, we offer highly advanced bioidentical hormone replacement therapy that can help you feel more like yourself again! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
Menopause is one of the biggest physical changes that a woman will go through in her life. It’s a shift in everything you’ve gotten used to about your body over the last few decades, and it’s going to be a big adjustment to deal with! However, with menopause, you get to have the benefits of foresight. You know this change is coming, and that gives you the opportunity to work on preparing yourself so that it’s easier to deal with.
Preparing yourself ahead of time for menopause can have a good deal of positive impact on both your mental and physical health during the process. Here are some of the ways that you can do this!
Educate Yourself
When it comes to menopause and your hormonal health, knowledge is power, and learning what to expect ahead of time can make the process much easier to deal with. Most people know about how menopause deals with the stopping of your period and symptoms like hot flashes, but other signs, symptoms, and side effects are less-well discussed, like weight gain, vaginal dryness, hair loss, or urinary problems. Being aware of the possibilities of these symptoms can help you to be less scared and concerned if and when they show up, and you can prepare coping strategies to deal with them ahead of time.
Set Up Healthy Habits
Because menopause heavily affects your hormones and your hormones affect nearly everything in your body, heading into menopause can mean serious physical changes are at hand, not all of them good. Struggling with your weight, dealing with low bone density, and living in fear of cardiovascular problems are all things that can happen as you age and your period stops, but a healthy lifestyle that includes lots of nourishing foods and exercise and limits things like drinking and smoking can help to counteract these symptoms.
It’s never too early to start taking good care of your body, but it’s also never too late. Even if you feel like you have a while before menopause is upon you, or you feel like you missed the boat to prepare, try to work in some healthy habits anyway. They’ll pay dividends when you’re on the other side of this process!
Find a Doctor You Trust
Dealing with the symptoms of menopause is not something that you have to do without help. On top of having a good support system of friends and family around you, it’s important to have a strong and trusting relationship with a doctor that you can turn to for help when you need it.
If you don’t feel comfortable and confident with your doctor, that might be a sign that it’s time to look for a new one. When you find a doctor you like, discuss your concerns with them! Bring up symptoms you’re particularly worried about experiencing when menopause arrives and ask advice for coping. Your doctor may be able to help you alleviate unpleasant symptoms.
Develop Stress Coping Skills
Chronic stress is never good for your health, but particularly during and after menopause, it can be especially detrimental, with effects on your blood pressure and your heart health. While reducing the sources of stress in your life can be beneficial, sometimes your stressors are unavoidable. Building coping skills to help you deal with this stress can make a big difference in your health during menopause.
Consider HRT
Sometimes it’s possible to deal with the symptoms of menopause on your own, but if you’re finding yourself struggling, hormone replacement therapy might be helpful, relieving bothersome symptoms and helping you to feel comfortable and in control again. If you’re interested in learning more about hormone replacement therapy, make sure to contact us at Renewed Vitality.
When you start paying close attention to your hormones and looking for ways to keep your levels optimal, you’ll immediately start running across diet tips and recommendations. Your body is a complex system where every process affects others, and what you put into your body through your food intake has a major impact on your hormones. In the midst of the lists of hormone-balancing foods, you might start to see the words “whole food diet” get mentioned pretty frequently.
A whole food diet basically involves a person avoiding processed foods and eating things only in their most basic and natural form. Most whole food diets rely heavily on fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, and poultry and fish. When done properly, a whole food diet can have a lot of good effects on your body’s hormones, and it might be worth considering this lifestyle change if you’re looking for natural ways to balance your levels. Here’s how a whole food diet might help your hormone imbalance!
Encourages Protein Intake
One of the things that your body absolutely requires in order to maintain healthy hormone levels is enough protein, which is something that many Americans don’t get. Protein from your food provides your body with amino acids, vital building blocks that the human body needs but can’t make on its own. A whole food diet tends to be rich in protein because it encourages you to eat lean meats like chicken and fish, as well as high-protein legumes like lentils, beans, and chickpeas.
Includes Nutrient Dense Foods
Vitamins and minerals are also important things that you need to get in your diet in order for your hormone levels to be healthy, and a whole food diet, which is packed with fresh fruits, leafy greens, and non-starchy vegetables, is very high in these nutrients.
Promotes Healthy Weight
A healthy and sustainable weight plays a large part in how your body produces and uses hormones, especially hunger-related hormones like insulin and ghrelin. Your weight is far from the only factor playing into your hormone health, but it does have a large role. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge for many people, but a whole food diet can be a step in the right direction.
It’s important to note that any diet can become unhealthy and unsustainable if taken too far, including this one. However, a whole food diet that promotes nutrient-dense foods and avoids processed foods with high sugars and fats is often a good baseline for people trying to keep their weight under control.
Helps Your Gut Health
Eating in a way that keeps your gut microbiome happy and healthy is something that’s being talked about more and more these days, and if you’re making meals with your gut health in mind, your hormone levels will be happier for it. A whole food diet can be extremely beneficial to the millions of good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. It provides them with the fiber they need to flourish, and keeps your hormone production in check by extension.
You should always consult your doctor before making any major changes to your diet and lifestyle. However, incorporating more whole foods into your regular meals can be great not only for your hormone health, but for your overall wellness! If you’re interested in learning more about ways to balance your hormones naturally, make sure to keep reading our blog here at Renewed Vitality.
There are dozens of different hormones in the human body. These so-called “chemical messengers” are responsible for triggering the various processes and rhythms throughout your body over the course of your life, from your circadian rhythm to your hunger levels to a woman’s menstrual cycle. These small little chemicals play a vital role in the way your body functions because of this!
Of the many different types of hormones, one of the most talked-about ones is estrogen. Most people know that it’s a hormone that has to do with the female reproductive system, but how much do you actually know about estrogen beyond that? At Renewed Vitality, we’re the hormone experts, and so we’re giving you a crash course in what you need to know about estrogen!
What is Estrogen?
Estrogen is one of the sex hormones, meaning it’s involved in your sexual and reproductive systems. It’s commonly thought of as a specifically female hormone, but that’s not entirely true! While women have estrogen in much higher levels in their bodies, men have it as well, and not having it can cause problems to their health. While it performs more functions in a woman’s body, estrogen can be found in the endocrine systems of all healthy humans.
What Does Estrogen Do?
Estrogen is a vital component in female sexual maturity. Levels of this hormone begin to rise as a young girl enters puberty, and it causes the changes associated with that point in development, such as breast growth and the start of the period.
In adult women, estrogen plays a major role in the menstrual cycle. Rising levels of the hormone stimulate the ovaries to produce the egg, and the uterus to thicken its lining. Estrogen also works to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant during the height of her fertile period. It thins out her cervical mucus to make it easier for sperm to enter her uterus, and it keeps the vaginal walls lubricated and elastic to facilitate sex.
Estrogen plays roles in other processes in the body as well, like inflammation, blood sugar cholesterol levels, collagen production, bone density, and mood.
Where is Estrogen Made?
The majority of the estrogen in a woman’s body at any time is produced by her ovaries. A small amount is made by other organs, like the liver or the adrenal glands, but mostly the ovaries serve this function. In men, the amount of estrogen they need is produced in the testes, the male equivalent of the ovaries.
What Happens if You Have Low Estrogen?
Low estrogen can have major effects on the entire body, not just on your reproductive system. However, not every person with low estrogen is undergoing something abnormal. Menopause is a natural process that every woman goes through, and during it, estrogen levels will drop significantly. This is associated with the common symptoms of menopause, like vaginal dryness, mood changes, fatigue, hot flashes, and breast tenderness. It’s also the reason many women suffer from brittle bones and bone density loss as they age– less estrogen means your bones get weaker. Menopause is not the only cause of low estrogen levels. They might also occur with fertility problems, nutritional deficiencies, or conditions like Turner syndrome.
What Happens if You Have High Estrogen?
High estrogen levels can be caused by anything from the medications you’re taking to conditions like fibroids, ovarian tumors, or PCOS. Its symptoms can include decreased sex drive, weight gain, worsening premenstrual symptoms, or irregular or missing periods.
What to Do About Estrogen Imbalances?
An imbalance in your estrogen levels can throw the functions of your entire body out of whack, making it a difficult and upsetting condition to deal with. Luckily, things aren’t completely out of your control! There are lots of treatments available to help you deal with estrogen imbalances, like the bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT) available at Renewed Vitality! You can contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your estrogen levels.
Hormone imbalances can happen to both men and women, causing a wide variety of symptoms that can be unpleasant, difficult to deal with, and disruptive to your daily life. If you’re dealing with hormone levels that are too high or too low for one reason or another, you’re not alone! Plenty of people deal with these issues, and there are lots of things you can do to help correct the problem and start feeling better. Some of these tips are specific to male or female hormone levels, while others work for everyone. You can pick and choose the best options for you!
For Women
Avoid Dairy
Dairy products like cream and yogurt might not be beneficial when it comes to female reproductive hormones. Some studies show that there may be a link between consuming these products and lower levels of female fertility. While it hasn’t been proven that dairy products can be directly harmful to your health unless you’re lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, if you’re struggling with hormone imbalances, trying to limit the amount of dairy you take in might be helpful!
For Men
Reduce Alcohol Intake
Excessive use of alcohol has a long list of negative effects on your health, and hormones are no exception. There’s lots of evidence indicating that high levels of alcohol intake can damage your testosterone levels, resulting in erectile dysfunction, infertility, low muscle mass, and many other problems. Cutting down on how much you drink, or cutting alcohol out entirely if you’re able to, can make a world of difference in how good you feel overall and in your hormonal levels!
For Everyone
Eat a Healthy Diet
What you eat plays an enormous role in your hormone levels. Your food is the fuel and building blocks that you supply to your body to ensure that it can function properly, and in order to make hormones in the proper amounts and have them work the way they’re supposed to, your body needs healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of protein. Looking for ways to incorporate these things into each meal you eat with lean meats, vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, fish, nuts, and other good sources of nutrients will help your hormone levels tremendously, as will reducing your sugar intake!
Exercise Plenty
Exercise can be helpful in cases of hormone imbalances by helping you maintain a healthy weight along with a good diet, but its benefits go far beyond just keeping the number on the scale down! Exercise improves how your body processes insulin, helping you control your appetite in a healthier way, and reduces your risk of diseases like diabetes. Even low-impact exercise like walking, swimming, or yoga can have major health benefits when it comes to your hormones!
Prioritize Sleep
Nothing sends the body into a tailspin like a poor night’s sleep, especially when you regularly don’t sleep long enough or well enough. Sleep deprivation affects your stress hormones, your appetite hormones, your growth hormones, and many of the other vital chemical messengers in your body. Making sleep a priority in your day to day life can help to improve your hormone levels as well as increasing your energy!
Consider HRT
Sometimes, even when you’re making the right lifestyle choices and setting yourself up for success with your hormones, it still isn’t’ enough, and if you’re finding this is the case for you, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, like the kind offered at Renewed Vitality, might be right for you! To learn more, contact us today with your questions. We’ll be happy to help you!
