The Truth About Mood Swings and Hormones

If you have your menstrual cycle every month, there are noticeable changes that your body goes through throughout the month whether you are aware of it or not. You may find changes in many things like your hair, skin, or more specifically your mood.

The effect that mood swings have on a person can be quite overwhelming. It can make you feel like you are simply not in control and hypersensitive to anything that comes your way. In addition to feeling irritable, depressed, fatigued, and insomnia.

So, how does this happen? What is responsible for these changes? That would be hormones.

This shift in moods is normally due to a hormonal imbalance. According to the American Medical Association, more than 75% of women experience some emotional distress between the time of puberty and the peak of her menopause. This is because the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone impact the amount of serotonin that is being produced.

Serotonin is considered one of the "happy hormones" and plays a key role in starving off anxiety and depression. When serotonin levels are high so are our moods, otherwise, if the levels are low, our moods are as well. This explains the link between mood swings and the rise and fall of serotonin. This decline in serotonin can result in not being able to think clearly, process information, or respond well to stress.

Most commonly people resort to taking medications or some form of hormonal therapy for these mood swings. Recent studies show that 1 out of 4 Americans is taking a prescription for mental health. However, there may be another approach to addressing mental and emotional health that has long-lasting effects, which is through balancing your hormones.

Hormones are chemicals that send messages throughout your body from the brain to your organs. This is your body's way of protecting you because they help ensure all of your organs are functioning optimally to keep you healthy and well. These hormones play a critical role in basic human functions like eating and sleeping and seemingly complex functions like sexual desire and reproduction. And not to mention, your emotions and mood.

The most optimal way to balance your hormones is by upgrading your lifestyle. Your daily habits truly determine how your hormones operate and can either increase or reduce your risk of developing health ailments. With a few simple tweaks to your routine, you can embark on a journey of good health and balanced hormones.

Reevaluate your diet. Studies have shown that foods that support healthy liver function are also very effective in addressing mood swings. The liver plays a role in helping balance out estrogen levels and in turn, this minimizes mood swing symptoms. More specifically, vegetables like broccoli, carrots, spinach, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower boost liver function and improve mood swings.

In addition, it is highly recommended to stay away from refined carbohydrates, highly processed foods, excessive sugar, and caffeine as much as possible. This is because it adds more stress to your liver when it is being processed in your body.

Now, get your body moving!

Exercising regularly is extremely effective in reducing mood swings by helping lower blood pressure and improving the body's ability to handle stress. Doing so also has many benefits like building muscle strength and reducing any other health concerns.

Stress less...

The next time you feel like emotions are going haywire and need a reset, get up and take a walk, even if you do not feel like it. Learning how to adopt healthy stress management techniques when you are feeling triggered can be extremely effective in improving your mood.

Yoga has also been shown to lower blood pressure, which may result in better moods. In addition, meditation exercises have been popularly known to promote mental clarity and relaxation.

Personalized solutions!

No two women are the same, which means both treatments should not be the same. Every single woman is different and each one needs to follow recommendations catering to her needs and concerns. That is why I always recommended seeing a specialist that is able to address the source of your concerns. Following this path of health can help you see real results and improve your hormonal health long-term.

For more information on this no-nonsense approach to health, click here!