It’s Not All In Your Head! 3 Key Components to Living a Healthy and BALANCED life.

“It’s not all in your head,” is a phrase I wish my doctors would have told me when I came to them with a host of hormonal symptoms and concerns. Too often, women are dismissed for unexplainable symptoms and test results that continually come back as normal. Leaving their doctor’s offices with a prescription to cure the symptoms, but no explanation as to why they are feeling sick in the first place. No reasoning behind why they no longer feel like their vibrant, energized, and happy selves. If by chance you do receive a test result that shows abnormal markers, you are sent home with a new diagnosis, and often times, a lifelong prescription to boot. This prompts me to ask, is this really the best we can do?

Some studies suggest that as many as 80% of women are living with hormone imbalances that affect everything from chronic fatigue syndrome, PCOS, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis (to name a few). We are living in a world of exhausted, anxious, and sick women and the issue isn’t getting any better. Did you know that autoimmune disease is now the third most common category of disease? And get this…78% of sufferers are women. If prescribing medication is the best we can do to solve this growing epidemic, we have our priorities backwards, if you ask me.

These statistics concern me because I have been there and the number of women struggling along side of me keeps growing. When I finally broke down to both my gynecologist and my family physician about my health concerns, I was at my breaking point. I was exhausted the majority of the time. I was so anxious that normal tasks at work, and in my day to day, would push me over the edge. I experienced my first panic attack and I wasn’t having regular periods anymore. All I wanted to know was WHY.

But, the test results all came back normal. I was completely “healthy.” According to my doctors, my options were clear… I could experiment with birth control pills for my hormonal concerns (a pill that did NOT make me feel good) and I could start on a prescription for my anxiety. These were not the healing answers I was looking for. So, like so many women, I left my appointments feeling depleted and searching for answers.  

If there is anything I have learned through my holistic health training, it is that YOU must be your biggest advocate.

Who else knows your body, and your needs, better than you? If you feel like something is off, you’re 100% accurate. No questions asked. You do not need a lab test or a doctor’s permission to confirm your symptoms. You know YOU and you know how your body is meant to feel everyday. Point blank!

I encourage you to trust your body’s intellect. To begin seeing your symptoms as warning signs that are calling you to dig deeper. Although it may seem like you are struggling with a wide variety of unrelated symptoms (fatigue, headaches, and digestive issues for example…) they are ALL interconnected and they can trigger a domino effect.

Imagine this for a moment… 

You have started struggling with a few mild (and let’s be real, darn right annoying and inconvenient) symptoms. You may even be inclined to dismiss these mild annoyances. Being the strong and amazing woman you are, you power through. You have no room for complaining or slowing down. You have life to accomplish! 

Although you have now noticed that these unattended symptoms are beginning to grow. Feeling tired during the day turns into complete exhaustion and constant brain fog. Sporadic headaches become full on migraines. Your daily dose of stress has turned into persistent and uncontrollable anxiety. The anxiety is affecting your sleep, and all of these additional symptoms have caused your digestion to take a toll, too. What started off as an inconvenient case of tiredness has snowballed. Now, you have found yourself sitting in your doctor’s office, searching for answers. Does any of this sound familiar?

When left unattended for too long, these little warning signs become the beginning stages of more serious Medical conditions.

Unfortunately, it isn’t until a test result proves that you’re indeed dealing with a medical condition (like hypothyroidism or PCOS for example), that you’re likely to receive the answers you so long for. And although that help usually comes in prescription form, (which can be extremely helpful and necessary in specific situations), it is not the only solution. I am here to tell you that you do not have to wait until a diagnosis to begin healing your symptoms and getting to the root cause. We can begin to prevent women from reaching these more serious medical conditions if we focus on listening to their concerns early and developing individual health plans that focus on their specific and unique needs. 

So, are you ready for the amazing news?

First off, I assure you that you’re neither crazy nor alone in this health epidemic. In fact, your suspicions have been correct all along! There are real and tangible answers to your health concerns, so let’s begin making some changes! There is a common root behind our hormonal/adrenal symptoms that can be broken down into a few key components… 

Stress (dietary & lifestyle), blood sugar imbalance, & digestive Distress.

Of course these are not the only components, but we can surely initiate the healing response by shining a light on these very important key factors. By reducing our stress response, balancing our blood sugar, and healing digestion, we can begin to transform women’s health. In doing so, we can help prevent serious medical conditions from developing in the future.

Remember, your symptoms are not all in your head, test results confirmed, or not! They are warning signs that your body is in need of balance and nourishment. By shining a focus on the 3 components listed above, you can start to reclaim your health and heal your body from the inside out. 

As always, I am here to help and would love to assist you in any way possible. If you have questions about stress reduction, balancing your blood sugar, and healing your digestive concerns -reach out to me and let’s chat! I can’t wait get you feeling your best 🙂