They grip you, deep inside of your personal self. They are somehow unrelinquishing in their efforts. Let us make her question herself, feel more anxious and irritable! Yes, I am talking about our hormones with endometriosis. These little guys play a big part in how we feel and with Endometriosis, it seems inevitable that they are linked to our pain and symptoms with the condition. There have been moments where I have done rash things because of them and they have made me question my life and my sanity. So, how do we get a grip on them?
Here are my top 5 suggestions on how to get a grip on your hormones with endometriosis:
1. Get enough good fat in your diet
We have been told so many times that fats are bad and that we should avoid them for our heart but the truth is, our bodies need fats to make hormones. There are hormones which can counter against the ones which give you all those PMS and hormone imbalances you are currently experiencing! Yes, good hormones! Who can believe there is such a thing? Progesterone is one set of hormones which will help regulate your oestrogen, which is generally the cause for many of the hormonal displays we experience with Endometriosis. Your body needs fats to make those!
Examples of good fats include: butter, coconut oil and loads of nuts and seeds.
2. Go to bed at 10pm
I know this is a tough one but try it – just for a week and you will notice how much calmer and more content you feel. Our body of hormones are all influenced by each other and that includes our sleep hormones. They like going to bed early and waking early. It is just how we were programmed and when we go against that, it is likely we will function less effectively. Ever wondered why your brain just doesn’t work when you don’t get enough sleep?
3. Meditate or practice a spiritual practice that calms you
It doesn’t matter what we call it or how we achieve it but the mission is to find a place of stillness. This can be achieved in various different ways. For some of us that is meditation for others it is painting or doing the dishes. We need to stop the constant rushing and thinking and find a place of presence and solitude.
4. Make sure you are getting enough Zinc and Vitamin B
I really noticed how much calmer I became by simply ensuring my body got adequate amounts of these. Zinc deficiency displays itself with that constant rushed feeling and the endless mind thinking. This will naturally create more anxiety and have an impact on our health. We also need these two to make hormones. This means we can counter the bad ones with the good, as I mentioned in point 1.
5. Go beyond hormone imbalance
Though Endometriosis has been linked to hormonal imbalance it is crucial to know that to really resolve it and to get control of it, we need to move beyond simply trying to regulate hormones. We need to ask ourselves, why we have hormonal imbalances in the first place. My answer to this is generally a stagnant liver which needs help. We can support our liver by avoiding toxins, both in our environment and in our foods.
Hormone imbalance is a symptom and to approach our bodies holistically, I recommend looking deeper and really resolving why it is happening in the first place.
What hormonal imbalances do you currently experience? Have you noticed a difference when you implement some of these suggestions? Do you feel worse when you go to bed later?
Feel free to share your insights in the comments section.