by admin | Jan 25, 2019 | Aesthetics, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
This past week, I went to the hair salon for the first time in 11 months. It had been nearly a year since my last appointment, and for a woman with long, color-treated hair, that is an exceptionally long time.
As I sat there getting my hair washed, dried, and generally pampered, I thought about how amazing it feels to get your hair done. You leave the salon refreshed, relaxed, and feeling fresh. When you really think about it, our hair is a huge part of our physical appearance, and so for many of us, it is also tightly linked to our self esteem. It can also, however, give us a clue as to the health of the rest of our body. For some problems, like hormones, hair might be one of your first signs of a problem.
Hormones affect hair in a big way. Think about when you were pregnant, if you have ever been pregnant. For me, pregnancy was the one time in my life that my hair was thick, long, and dare I say…luscious. I couldn’t get enough of my pregnant hair. I curled it, and it stayed. I straightened it, and it didn’t lie flat against my head. It was glorious. Then came baby. And very soon after baby, there went my beautiful, thick, to die for hair.
The hair that I had after baby is another great example of how hormones affect your hair. It was the opposite of glorious. It fell out in chunks. It was flat, dry, splitting at the ends, and as thin and lifeless as it had ever been. And, just like that my self esteem flipped from one extreme to the other. While these sorts of hair extremes are common around pregnancy, having these sorts of problems other times may indicate some sort of hormonal problem. Luckily, however, you don’t have to just live with it. If your hair woes are hormonally driven, there may be an answer out there.
So, how do you know if your hair is just going through a rough patch or suffering from hormonal problems? For starters, you know your hair and body best. Have you had a sudden change in hair that seems to have come out of nowhere? Do you have other accompanying symptoms such as mood swings, night sweats, weight gain, or fatigue? If so, then you might suspect hormones to be the culprit of your changing tresses.
If you suspect a hormonal problem in your life, get to HerKare and let a treatment professional help you. A physician may be able to determine whether a hormonal imbalance is causing your hair problems or other symptoms. If it is, they may be able to get a treatment plan in place that is just for you. Get your hair, your body, and your self esteem back on track with the help of a physician at HerKare.
by admin | Jan 25, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Most of us know about the most famous of all the hormones. We are familiar with testosterone, the “manly” hormone. And, we are familiar with estrogen and progesterone, the 2 female hormones. When something goes awry with any 3 of these, it is not necessarily a surprise. They are in the news and public eye enough that we know to watch for signs and symptoms. What may come as a surprise, however, is that our hormonal imbalance can branch out a lot further than just these hormones. To keep your health on track and your hormones in perfect balance, take a look at these 3 hormonal problems that you may not even have known existed.
Vitamin D
This one is becoming just a little more prevalent in recent years. It has come to light that a great number of people suffer from a deficiency in Vitamin D hormones. That may not be surprising considering this vitamin occurs naturally in very, very few foods. Our main source of Vitamin D is actually the sun. If you have a problem with Vitamin D, you may experience depression ranging from the blues to severe, extreme fatigue, and aching so severe it feels as though it is in the bones. Take note if you have any or all of these symptoms.
Vitamin B12
For a long time, I thought that this was a problem that only affected the aging population. Actually, however, this can affect anyone at any age. B12 is responsible for a whole wealth of functions in the body, so when it goes awry, it is a pretty big deal. Some symptoms of a B12 deficiency include weakness and fatigue, numbness and tingling in the hands, anemia, and paranoia. Perhaps the scariest symptom of a B12 deficiency is cognitive problems. Those lacking B12 may feel confused, may experience hallucinations, and may show dementia type symptoms. This one is a pretty big deal, so if you suspect a problem, vitamin optimization therapy is critical
Folate
This is something that they stress in pregnancy, but rarely outside of that. Folate, otherwise known as folic acid or Vitamin B9, is important for the development of an unborn child, but an imbalance can cause problems in any person. Symptoms include depression, anemia, pale skin, heart palpitations, weight loss, and loss of appetite. Folate is most often found through the diets that we eat, but can generally be supplemented with a simple pill or vitamin injections.
While an imbalance in one of the main 3 hormones still absolutely matters, it is still important to pay attention to other cues that your body may be sending you. If you suspect a problem within your body, get help at a facility like HerKare. A physician there may be able to help determine the cause of your symptoms, and subsequently a treatment plan to help you feel better.
by admin | Nov 5, 2018 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
In case you didn’t know, there are actually a lot of hormones at work in a woman’s body. Like…a lot. Actually, there are a lot of hormones at work in everyone’s body. Even though hormones are responsible for a huge number of functions in the body, only a few hormones are well known enough to get any recognition. Hormone replacement therapy is a popular topic and you need to understand why.
For men, it’s the T word: Testosterone. For women, it’s two hormones that get a lot of recognition: progesterone and estrogen. You’ve probably heard of both of these. But, do you even know what they do? Do you know their jobs and functions? Do you know what happens when they get out of balance?
As women, it is important to be informed about our own bodies. Take a look at the 2 most famous hormones and their roles in the lives of women.
Progesterone
This hormone has quite a few roles in the body. For starters, progesterone helps a woman nourish a pregnancy. The lining of the uterus needs preparation in order to hold, keep, and nourish a pregnancy. This is where progesterone steps in. It preps the lining, getting it ready to grab onto a fertilized egg should it be present. Without proper amounts of progesterone, the lining won’t be ready and the pregnancy won’t be viable. If pregnancy does occur, it is progesterone that helps your body hold onto it, keeping the fetus firmly attached. Progesterone is also responsible for preparing the milk glands during pregnancy, so that they produce adequate nourishment for your child. When it comes to progesterone, preparation seems to be one of its main jobs and there are progesterone replacement therapy options available post-hormone testing.
Estrogen
When it comes to estrogen, think of growth and development. When puberty in women occurs, it is usually the result of a rise in estrogen. It causes the reproductive organs to grow, develop, and mature. It is also responsible for thickening the uterus lining during the first half of the menstrual cycle. Without estrogen, period would not occur or would be irregular at best. Estrogen also causes an egg to mature each month, and as estrogen drops, the egg is released. If your body is growing or developing, estrogen is probably a significant hormone behind it.
When Levels are Off
Most women don’t really think about the specific roles of their hormones. As long as they are functioning normally, there really isn’t a whole lot of need to know the gory details. It’s only when the levels become unbalanced that women may feel the need to learn more. So, what does happen when the body experiences hormone imbalance? It could cause a number of symptoms, and unfortunately, they can be confusing. A woman may lose her hair, or she may start to grow hair in weird places. You may have trouble either losing or gaining weight. You may have mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, extreme fatigue, insomnia, and the list goes on and on.
What To Do
If you have any of the above symptoms or suspect and imbalance for any reason, there is help available. A physician at HerKare may be able to test your hormones and determine if an imbalance is present. If it is, they may be able to help find a treatment plan that works for your. For your own health and wellbeing, get to know your hormones and their roles in our body. Then, if a problem comes about, you can get the help and attention you need to get back on track and healthy again.
by admin | Nov 5, 2018 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Starting from about 13, I knew that women were full of hormones. I had heard the stories about mood swings and hot flashes and all sorts of terrible problems, and I had probably even experienced a few crazy symptoms of my own by that point. The main culprit, as far as I was concerned, was that pesky hormone, estrogen. She was the problem. For a long time, estrogen was the only hormone that I knew belonged to women. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties and pregnant with my first child that I realized that estrogen wasn’t necessarily the most dominant female hormone, and in fact, its sister hormone progesterone was just as important. Until then, I didn’t really think progesterone was really that big of a deal. So, how big of a deal is progesterone, really?
What Does It Do?
First, it is important to know the main roles of progesterone. Every hormone and chemical in the body has a (or multiple) specific function. Progesterone is no different. Since I first encountered a problem with progesterone when I was pregnant, I quickly learned that one main function of this hormone is to maintain a pregnancy. It also helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. When progesterone is off, your cycle is also likely to be off as well. Lastly, progesterone helps you out in the bedroom. When it comes to libido, the perfect mix of hormones makes the best recipe for sex drive.
What Happens When It Is Wrong?
If progesterone levels are wrong, it can wreak a bit of havoc on the body. For me, it was causing me to lose the pregnancy. Once my doctor got my progesterone levels right, the pregnancy was sustained. Some women experience extreme fatigue…more than I didn’t get enough sleep fatigue…like, the real thing! Other women experience weak hair and nails, weight gain, or migraines. And of course, like any hormonal problem, menstrual irregularities can also signal a problem.
What Can I Do?
If you suspect a progesterone imbalance or other problems, the best course of action is to seek help. If you already have a doctor, they should be able to point you in the right direction. Otherwise, try a facility like HerKare. A physician at HerKare may be able to determine whether your progesterone levels are right, and if not, they may be able to help get a treatment plan just for you. With the right care, you may be able to get your hormones back on track and feel better than ever.
by admin | Nov 5, 2018 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Oh, the joys of pregnancy and childbirth. While there is certainly some joy involved, there is also some fear, a little bit of trepidation, and a whole lot of crazy. I hate to say it aloud, but all women that have given birth know all too well that having a child makes you crazy. It just does. Take a look at these examples, and most likely, it’ll bring up some crazy experiences of your very own. Learn more about some hormonal truths about pregnancy.
Pre-Pregnancy
Before you get pregnant, it’s possible that you are struggling to conceive. While it seems like some women get pregnant at the drop of a hat, others struggle for years. This in itself, is often due to a hormonal issue. Add the stress of infertility on top of that and you have a recipe for crazy. I was one such crazy woman. Before I fell pregnant with my first child, I can remember one instance, after trying for about a year, of screaming and yelling at my husband because he was using a new lotion on his face. I was convinced that this stupid lotion was causing some kind of problem and that was why we couldn’t conceive. After being diagnosed with a progesterone problem, we did in fact get pregnant, and I apologized for my crazy outburst(s).
Pregnancy
I’m not even going to give a specific example. If you’ve ever met a pregnant woman, you’ve met a crazy pregnant woman. During pregnancy, your hormones are absolutely bonkers. Crying at commercials, yelling at strangers, you get the idea. If you’ve been pregnant, you’ve done something crazy. For me, I cried when our new carseat didn’t fit perfectly (it was fine), melted down when my cupcakes were too dry (they weren’t), and accused my husband of a slew of awful things. You could be experiencing a hormonal imbalance and be in need
Post-Pregnancy
Exactly 4 days after my son was born, I felt my hormones crash. I literally felt them. I was a bigger mess than I had ever been in my life. About a month after my sister’s first born, we stayed in a hotel for a work obligation. She had a panic attack about a picture on the wall possibly falling and hitting her child as she slept in her bouncer. The picture was screwed into the wall…Like, permanently screwed into the wall. Women do crazy things after the baby is born because your hormones are trying to regulate themselves. They are rising and falling and swinging all around. Women aren’t really crazy when they have a baby, but their hormones most definitely are.
When to Worry
For the most part, the hormonal imbalances of pregnant women will work themselves out. Sometimes, however, they need a little help. I tried for a year to conceive before discovering a hormonal imbalance. You may or may not wait that long before seeking help. Similarly, if you aren’t feeling better a few months after baby arrives, it might be worth getting checked out.
If you are concerned about your hormones, either pre or post baby, get to HerKare and let a physician check you out. They may be able to test your hormones, determine whether an imbalance is present, and get you the help you need. Hormones are a big deal. Get to HerKare and let a treatment professional help you feel better than ever.
by admin | Nov 5, 2018 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
….O.K. ladies, let’s face it, we’re complex creatures. I take pride in saying that! I however, never wanted to blame my hormones for things that have been happening to me lately. I felt it was a “cop out.”
As some men would say, “oh, don’t use the old hormone story”. Well, guess what… for once I’m going to stand up and say, “yep hormones can wreak havoc” unless you get a hold of them and keep them in check. Why? Because I’m a perfect example of hormones “gone bad.” You may not realize you have a hormonal imbalance. I didn’t. But I’m so thankful I found out as it is changing my life!…
