A woman’s reproductive hormones guide her body through the cycles of life. Their main job is to allow us to have children, but they have an effect on every cell in our bodies.

Body, mind and spirit are all influenced by the effects of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone on our bodies.

When it comes to optimizing our health through hormones, balance is the key. The cyclical dance of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone is intricate and dynamic, constantly in flux. When in harmony, they create a state of checks and balances that keep us in the healthy and happy zone; however, when the balance is lost, it can make us miserable.

Hormone balance is a natural state, and your body knows how to maintain it. Symptoms of disharmony occur when there is a deficiency of something your body needs to create balance or there is an excess of something that blocks the path to it. Hormonal upset can cause a wide variety of symptoms such as premenstrual syndrome, fibroids, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, cramps, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, infertility, depression, anxiety, fatigue and even digestive problems. Understanding how hormones effect your body is crucial to knowing how to address the health issues that they affect.

The intricate medley of hormones in a woman’s cycle is influenced by many factors. Ladies, the fact is modern Western life is hard on our hormones. The top two reasons women have hormonal problems are stress and diet.

Your stress levels and your body’s ability to adapt to them play a big role in how your hormones behave. A good example is the effect of stress on progesterone. Constant, high levels of stress cause us to secrete too much of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is made of progesterone, which is our peace and calm hormone. When progesterone gets used to make cortisol, we can’t use it to relax, sleep, digest and be calm. What we get from this low progesterone state is anxiety, insomnia and a general state of unease. Treating your stress and then allowing your body to use progesterone properly can bring back your zen and bliss.

drnancy@durangonaturalmedicine.com. Nancy Utter is a naturopathic doctor who works in Durango with people of all ages and varying illnesses.