Do you experience mood swings, irrational crying fits, and out of the ordinary cravings? If once a month you experience some of these things, then guess what? This is just normal as reproductive hormones can affect your appetite, fertility, period, sex drive and even your mental state.
Read on below and use them to keep everything in check.
1. Prolactin
Responsible for stimulating milk production for new mothers and in releasing eggs.
Big Impacts: High levels of this hormone can affect your sex drive and some menopausal symptoms.
The Balancing Act: Not getting enough sleep can cause high stress hormones such as prolactin and cortisol. You should be getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
2. FSH/LH
Known as Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) it is responsible for getting the eggs ready for prime time. Luteinizing hormone (LH) makes them drop.
Big Impacts: A normal FSH/LH amounts can help in getting normal progesterone levels, while high FSH is known to cause insomnia, acne and memory problems.
The Balancing Act: Check your alcohol intajke if you are planning to have a baby. This is because more than two drinks per day can affect your FSH and LH production.
3. Progesterone
Is responsible for your uterine lining each month. It’s also responsible for your period.
Big Impacts: Progesterone is can lead to rock solid sleep, gassiness, water retention and constipation.
The Balancing Act:To balance this hormone so you can conceive, try meditation for 5 minutes per day.
4. Estrogen
Stable levels of estradiol or estrogen can boost immunity and sex drive. It also prepares the uterus for conception.
Big Impacts: Too much if estrogen can lead to severe PMS, breast cancer and other fertility woes. But too little can lead to osteoporosis. Estrogen is responsible for sending signals to your body’s cells from your breasts to your bones.
The Balancing Act: If you are too thin this can interfere with the production of estrogen. But having extra fat can mess with estradiol. So it is best to maintain a healthy weight which is a BMI between 18.5 and 30.
5. Testosterone
This is not only for men. For women the androgen hormone is responsible for regular ovulation and you libido.
Big Impacts:Lacking in this hormone cal affect your overall sense of well-being. But too high levels can cause, dandruff, acne or dark hair in not so normal places.
The Balancing Act: An excess testosterone has been linked to obesity.
