It’s a simple fact: hormones get blamed for a lot—bad moods, aggressive moments, even sad days. Deserved or not, it is clear hormones play a significant role in many of the body’s functions. Because hormones affect such a wide range of physiological processes, it is important to maintain hormonal balance.
Hormone imbalance can cause a wide variety of physical and emotional symptoms as well as increased risk for chronic disease. Estrogen and progesterone are the main steroidal hormones that affect women’s health.
Each of these hormones has a broad scope of functions that extend far beyond reproductive health. In fact, female sex hormones influence energy levels, sleep cycle, brain function, bone health, heart health, weight management, and many other factors.
AN EXPECTED PHASE OF LIFE 
As women age, their bodies naturally decrease production of estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones exist in a delicate balance, and when thrown off, can cause various health complications. Although this decrease in hormone production—or menopause, as we commonly refer to it—is natural as women age, it doesn’t mean there are not uncomfortable symptoms associated with this process.
During menopause, a woman’s monthly menstruation cycle begins to cease, leading to the decline of fertility. Menopause is a normal and expected phase of life that can be naturally managed through lifestyle modification and dietary supplementation.
It most often begins naturally, but can also be initiated due to overexposure to toxins such as xenoestrogens or surgical procedures when reproductive organs are removed.
No matter the cause, menopause is associated with a profile of symptoms including hot flashes, vaginal changes, leaky bladder, emotional shifts, and aging of the skin. More concerning, however, is the prevalence of osteoporosis, heart disease, and certain cancers that increase as women transition through menopause into the post-menopausal phases of their life.
RECOGNIZING A HORMONAL IMBALANCE
Recognizing a hormonal imbalance is an important first step on your journey to health. The many testing procedures that exist to measure hormone levels are largely inaccurate because hormones are dynamic and fluctuate on a moment-to-moment basis. It is therefore more relevant to look at the common symptoms associated with hormone imbalance. Common symptoms to look for include:
MAINTAINING HORMONAL BALANCE
Maintaining hormonal balance is a lifelong process that is founded in the development of healthy lifestyle habits. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products fuels your body with the nutrients it needs for optimal function.
Additionally, exercise helps manage weight and the hormone metabolite load, and improves the body’s production of hormones. Because hormone balance is also affected by exposure to toxins, stress, exogenous (outside) hormone exposure, inflammation, etc., the Lifelong Vitality products should be included as a foundational step in achieving hormone health.
These products not only provide essential vitamins and minerals, they also include many ingredients shown to manage oxidation, maintain a healthy inflammatory response, and even influence hormonal activity.
In addition to the core daily nutritional elements mentioned above, it is important to add other supplements targeted specifically at hormone health. The dōTERRA Phytoestrogen Lifetime complex contains plant-based phytoestrogens, flax seed extract, and pomegranate extract.
Phytoestrogens are adaptogenic molecules derived naturally from plants. These compounds have a two-fold function: they exert a mildly estrogenic effect in case of hormone deficiency or they act as competitive inhibitors that decrease the action of harmful metabolites or block xenoestrogens. Flax seed extract reduces hormone metabolite load and offers a chemo-preventative benefits.
On the other hand, pomegranate extract helps to manage the physical symptoms of menopause including hot flashes and aging of the skin.
Many essential oils can also exert beneficial effects to help manage symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Clary Sage, Lemongrass, Fennel , clove , Basil, cinnamon , and Geranium have been shown to exhibit therapeutic effects similar to that of phytoestrogens.
These oils play an important role in hormone health, especially when used internally. In addition, clary calm™ Monthly Blend for Women is a specially formulated blend of 12 essential oils targeted to help manage the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause and other hormonal issues.
This blend is especially helpful for temporarily easing cramps, nausea, hot flashes, fatigue, and emotional swings commonly associated with both PMS and menopause.
Although hormones are dynamic, the functions in the body are far reaching and have tremendous impact on other areas of health. Natural alternatives, including lifestyle modification, consistent use of essential oils, and nutritional supplementation, can help manage symptoms associated with hormone imbalance and decrease risk for associated chronic diseases.
