With Dr. Corrine Wang, N.D.
How’s your energy? Your mood? Your overall health?
If you’re feeling sub-par in one or more of these three areas, one of the first things to check is your body’s hormonal balance.
Hormones play a huge role in our well-being. When a hormonal imbalance occurs, it can cause symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, PMS, eczema, acne, low libido, weight gain –even digestive issues.
Many women come to my office with complaints of fatigue and/or difficulty keeping their weight under control.
These women often have accompanying menstrual issues that range from irregular cycles to nightmarish PMS.
The interplay of adrenals, thyroid, and ovaries is complex, delicate, and very significant. An imbalance in one area can cause issues with the others as well.
Adrenal Issues and Life Stress
I live in Silicon Valley, where the fast-paced lifestyle often leaves too little time for rest and renewal. The constant pressure to keep up in work, child-raising, etc., can take a major toll on our adrenals.
The adrenals are the source of the long-term stress hormone cortisol, as well as the short-term hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Under protracted stress, the adrenals can begin to fail, with insufficient production of these important energy-related hormones.
Falling cortisol levels can cause many symptoms, including fatigue, anxiety, colds and flu, food allergies, hay fever, skin conditions such as hives, eczema, or psoriasis, increased sweating, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and difficulty handling stressors that previously would not have affected us.
Thyroid Issues Can Negatively Affect Your Energy
Too much stress can also impact the thyroid, decreasing the amount of active thyroid hormone circulating in the blood.
When your thyroid hormone levels drop, it has a severe impact on your energy level, lowering your metabolic rate and making you feel lethargic, cold, and possibly depressed.
Another frequent symptom of low thyroid is a tendency to gain weight, or difficulty losing weight.
Too Much Life Stress Can Wreak Havoc With Sex Hormones
Stress can also affect the balance of your sex hormones, which can lead to estrogen dominance, worsening PMS symptoms, and disturbed or absent menstrual cycles.
Because of the intimate connection between the adrenals, thyroid, and ovaries, I will examine a client’s lab work and listen to their subjective symptoms for any signs of problems in these areas, so that I can help correct any existing hormonal imbalances.
If these symptoms sound familiar, please contact us for a full workup of your hormonal balance, as your first step back to a vibrant, healthy life!
– Dr. Corrine
For more information, or to make an appointment, please call us at (650) 917-1121, or use the Contact Form.