It’s a long-standing joke that women get PMS and men suffer from it. A bad joke, but it raises an important question. Why do some women suffer terribly before and during their periods with a variety of mood changes, cramps, aches and pains, whilst other coast through their menstrual cycle with little or no symptoms whatsoever? 

The answer is in the hormonal balance of each individual woman.  

The western diet contains a huge variety of processed and pre-packaged foods. Unfortunately this comes at a price. To achieve maximum productivity at minimum cost, food growers speed up many of the normal maturation phases of both plant and animal life. they do this with the aid of chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides, and growth-related hormones to maximise weight gain and in some cases milk production. 

Whilst some of these chemicals are removed through processing, many are not. At present there are over 10,000 substances within our diet, air, water and medications (such as HRT and the contraceptive pill) that mimic the effects of the female hormone – Estrogen. Regrettably the body reacts to these chemicals as it would to natural estrogen, resulting in a massive estrogen response. Unfortunately chemicals that mimic the other female hormone – progesterone do not produce the same response. Progesterone has a role within the body to regulate estrogen-related activities. This results in hormonal imbalance, with spiralling estrogen levels whilst progesterone levels remain comparatively low. 

A proper hormonal balance is best seen during pregnancy when a woman’s highly estrogenic symptoms often subside, because of the naturally high progesterone levels seen at this time. 

Symptoms of excessive estrogen include, but are certainly not limited to, endometriosis, fibroids (lumpy), ovarian cysts, water retention and, most notably, breast cancer. Recent research was actually stopped because of the increased risk of breast cancer that has been associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Most commonly prescribed to reduce menopausal symptoms and prevent osteoporosis, HRT utilises mainly estrogen to produce that effect. However new research suggests that natural progesterone is much safer, both for relieving menopausal symptoms and in some case actually slightly reversing some effects of osteoporosis. 

Chiropractic’s role in the treatment of these problems is to assess the integrity of the central nervous system. Appropriate corrections to restore the body’s natural harmony is essential for proper functioning of the various glands that are responsible for controlling and supplying the female hormones. Regulating this nerve supply can then result in the successful management of many hormone-related problems such as pre-menstrual syndrome, irregular, heavy or painful periods, and even infertility. Depending on the underlying cause of the hormone imbalance it may sometimes be necessary to combine your chiropractic treatment with dietary changes or supplements. As a general guide, organic foods are well worth considering. 

If you want to discuss hormonal related treatment with your chiropractor, book online @ https://www.centenarychiro.com.au/ or call us today on 07 3381 0440