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Clare (not her real name) came to us for treatment for her menopause issues. Usually when we think of menopause we think of hot flushes and night sweats, but these are only some of the symptoms women can have. Clare had no hot flushes, but was experiencing sleep problems, constipation, sore muscles, lower back pain, anxiety, and mood changes. She said that she felt like she was ‘falling apart’.
In acupuncture and Chinese medicine, there are 2 basic types of menopause. The first is a ‘hot’ type, with symptoms of
The second is a ‘cold’ type, with symptoms such as
Sometimes these types can overlap and a woman can have symptoms of both, however Clare obviously had the second type.
Research has shown that around 70% of women who are peri-menopausal, or in the early stages of menopause, experience muscle pain, joint pain, or frozen shoulder. (As menopause and frozen shoulder often begin around the same time, in Japan frozen shoulder is often known as ’50 year shoulder’.)
During these stages, women lose about 10% of their bone density, and after menopause their muscle mass may decrease by 0.6% each year. The combination of weaker bones and muscle weakness increases the risk of them developing injuries or chronic ongoing pain.
Clare tried HRT, which initially helped her to have better energy and moods. However after a while these problems came back again.
So she had a consultation with our naturopath Margaret, and a Female Hormone Profile blood test was requested from her GP, together with basic pathology markers. It revealed that Clare had hormonal imbalances, gut dysbiosis, an immune imbalance, pre-diabetes, and long-term liver imbalances.
(Correct digestion can be an important factor in menopause cases, as not breaking down and absorbing the nutrients correctly can lead to deficiencies in these nutrients. These deficiencies inhibit the manufacture of the hormones, neurotransmitters, and other compounds needed to correct the person’s symptoms.)
Margaret prescribed supplements for Clare to correct her hormone balance, as well as address a number of nutritional deficiencies which were contributing to her symptoms. She also recommended some dietary modifications. Clare’s personalised Treatment Plan included
After following her advice, Clare started feeling much better. Her sleep and digestion improved, and she had more energy, which allowed her to return to her exercise. This helped her to lose weight, particularly her belly fat. She now feels like her body and mind are working for her, instead of against her!
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a happy life!
A study involving multiple institutions across the US found that children aged 2 to 4 years are routinely exposed to a broad range of potentially harmful chemicals.
The children's urine was found to contain up to 96 different chemicals, many of which are linked to hormone and brain disruption.
The study of 200 toddlers found:
The lead author, Professor Deborah H. Bennett, said "Our study shows that childhood exposure to potentially harmful chemicals is widespread. This is alarming because we know early childhood is a critical window for brain and body development,"
"Many of these chemicals are known or suspected to interfere with hormones, brain development and immune function."
The researchers looked for childhood exposure to common environmental chemicals, including:
Children are exposed to these environmental chemicals through everyday activities, such as eating, drinking, breathing indoor and outdoor air, and touching contaminated surfaces.
Frequent hand-to-mouth contact, playing close to the ground, and higher intake rates relative to their smaller body weight make kids especially vulnerable to chemical exposure.
How to Limit Chemical Exposure
It is impossible to eliminate all chemical exposures. Yet, there are many simple steps parents can take to help reduce their children's contact with harmful chemicals.
For more information about the study, click here.
(As well as minimising exposure of babies and toddlers to these common chemicals, it is recommended that women who are considering having a baby look at conducting a chemical detox with our naturopath. This should be done before they try to conceive, to reduce the level of chemicals passed on to the baby during pregnancy. We do NOT recommend trying to do a detox by yourself, as without the correct natural products to neutralise the toxins and allow them to be easily eliminated, they can end up in other parts of the body and cause even more damage.)
For more information about the effect of chemicals on the body, you can
If you are interested in getting an indication of the level of toxins in your body, you can also complete our Comprehensive Toxicity Questionnaire.
Premenstrual symptoms don’t have to be a part of life. There are treatments that can help.
The week before their period can be a difficult time for many women. Some of the most common physical symptoms they might experience include
Common emotional and behavioural symptoms can include
However, there are many other symptoms that can be experienced.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the term for the broad range of symptoms experienced by women in the days leading up to their period. Up to 90% of women experience at least one symptom most months, and around 50% experience at least 2 symptoms each month. These symptoms generally start between 4 and 10 days before menstruation, and usually resolve once bleeding begins.
The exact cause of PMS isn’t known, however it is very likely due to fluctuating hormone levels during the menstrual cycle, particularly estrogen and progesterone. It may also involve changes in brain chemicals such as serotonin.
As well as their physical symptoms, an estimated 3-8% of women experience debilitating mood or psychological symptoms (such as depression or irritability) that impact on their daily lives, and may even prevent them from holding down a job. This condition is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
A woman with PMDD will normally suffer from these symptoms in the week before their period, but once their period has finished she will return to her regular self again.
Control of the hormonal balance in the body is a complex process, as reproductive hormones can be influenced by
The pituitary gland lives in a hollow in the sphenoid bone, which sits behind the bones of your face. If there is a misalignment of the sphenoid bone, it can create pressure on the pituitary gland, which may disrupt the hormone-producing glands it controls.
Contrary to popular belief, this condition is not the result of high or low hormone levels, but instead due to an increased sensitivity to hormones in the lead-up to menstruation. This sensitivity is caused by an interaction between hormones from the ovaries and brain neurotransmitters, which influence mood.
The exact causes of this sensitivity aren’t fully understood, but rates are higher in women who have experienced early childhood trauma or have a history of depression. PMDD can also occur after having a baby or when approaching menopause, as the way some women’s brains react to these hormones can change at these times
Most natural approaches for treating these conditions involves balancing the hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, though treatments for the neurotransmitters in the brain may be included as well.
In acupuncture, it is believed that PMS symptoms often indicate a weakness or imbalance in other organs of the body. For example, if a woman experiences bad bloating before her period, this can indicate a weak digestion. Or if she suffers pre-menstrual fatigue, it might mean that her thyroid is not working well. So the affected organs would be treated as well as the hormones.
Everything that occurs in the human body depends on specific chemical pathways. (For example, when you cut yourself, chemicals are released from the damaged blood vessel which trigger the first of 11 consecutive chemical reactions, to form a blood clot and stop the bleeding.) A good naturopath will be familiar with the relevant chemical pathways, and know where they can break down, and what nutrients can be used to correct them. These nutrients might be in the form of vitamins, minerals, herbs, or more powerful naturally-occurring compounds. Some of the more basic nutrients that might be used for PMS and PMDD include
However, most cases of PMS or PMDD will need much more advanced treatments than these.
Getting the correct hormonal balance can be complex, and the treatment can vary greatly from one woman to the next. Once the causes of the problem are identified, a tailored treatment plan can be created for that person.
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and enjoy a great life!
Menopause can be a difficult time for many women. Some of the possible symptoms they might experience include hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood swings, headaches, anxiety or depression, fatigue, weight gain, loss of libido, joint and muscle discomfort, vaginal dryness, difficultly concentrating, and memory problems.
A woman’s reproductive cycle is controlled mostly by estrogen and progesterone. As menopause approaches, the production of these hormones by the ovaries declines greatly. The hormonal system is very finely balanced, with different hormones affecting the levels of other hormones, and the relatively sudden drop of estrogen can upset this balance.
Your adrenal glands produce several important hormones for your body. The most well-known of these are adrenaline and cortisol, which are hormones produced as part of our stress response (fight or flight) and our sleep/wake cycle (circadian rhythm).
However, the adrenal glands are also a source of production for the reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). Before menopause, the ovaries are the major source of these hormones and only a small amount is produced by the adrenals. However, as the ovaries begin to decrease their production of progesterone and estrogen, the adrenal glands respond by making a hormone that can be converted into estradiol, a form of estrogen. (Estradiol plays a role in bone health, heart health and neuroprotection after menopause.)
So when the ovaries have shut down after menopause, the adrenals are responsible for ensuring there is enough estrogen to properly maintain the body. And it is a similar story for progesterone. If your adrenal glands are not working well you may have low estrogen and progesterone levels after menopause, resulting in many of the typical menopause symptoms.
In some ways it is a little like your car engine getting enough petrol. The ovaries are like the accelerator, which increases the amount of petrol when more is needed. And the adrenal glands are like the idle, which puts a small amount of petrol in the engine to keep it ticking over properly when you are not using the accelerator. If your idle is not working well, your engine might cough and splutter all the time.
There are two ways your adrenals can be disrupted, and both can affect your hormones.
If chronic stress has caused estrogen dominance in your body, this can then affect your thyroid. Imbalanced estrogen levels can decrease the conversion of the inactive thyroid hormone (T4) to its active form (T3). Additionally, another stress hormone– adrenaline (also produced by the adrenals) – causes estrogens to be converted into another form that increases the adrenaline levels even more. High adrenaline will actually slow down the thyroid, adding to the problem. Symptoms of low thyroid can include fatigue, weight gain, muscle aches and weakness, memory problems, depression or anxiety, and brain fog (forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating). So some menopause symptoms may be due to the impact on the thyroid.
The pituitary gland is a pea-shaped organ at the base of your brain, in line with the top of your nose. It is often known as the 'master gland', as it produces the hormones which control the ovaries, adrenals, thyroid, etc.
The pituitary gland lives in a hollow in the sphenoid bone, which sits behind the bones of your face. If there is a misalignment of the sphenoid bone, it can create pressure on the pituitary gland, which may disrupt the hormone-producing glands it controls.
As you can see, there is a lot of interaction between the reproductive, adrenal and thyroid hormones. Every woman will have different symptoms, so to treat these it is important to assess all of the glands involved, and the alignment of the sphenoid bone as well. Once the causes of the problem are identified, a tailored treatment plan can be created for that person.
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a very happy life!
Unfortunately, hormonal imbalance in women is relatively common. Women of varying ages frequently seek help for hormone related issues: period problems, sugar cravings, fatigue, weight problems, fertility issues, low libido, sleep issues, hair loss, etc. Normally these women have had a blood test and their doctor has advised them that everything is ok. So why are they having their symptoms and feeling unwell?
Your endocrine (hormonal) system is very complex, with various glands that produce a wide range of hormones to control your body. The main ones are your
Often the hormones produced by these glands can affect some of the other glands. This means that you may have symptoms that relate to one particular gland, however those might be caused by a problem with another gland instead. So it is extremely important to understand how the different glands interact with each other.
Your pituitary gland is the main hormonal control-centre of your body. It is a small, pea-sized gland at the base of your brain, in line with the top of your nose.
The pituitary releases some hormones that act on the body directly, but its major job is controlling other hormone-producing glands in the body. It releases
Your thyroid gland controls the rate of activity of the cells of your body. So if your thyroid is overactive, most parts of your body speed up. This can cause a variety of symptoms, such as
If your thyroid is underactive, everything slows down. You could develop
As the name indicates, thyroid stimulating hormone is used to make the thyroid more active. So if your TSH levels are high it means your thyroid activity is too low, and vice-versa. However, the accepted medical range for TSH levels is very broad and often what is considered within the normal medical range is outside of what we at CNTC would consider acceptable. We frequently see women with obvious thyroid symptoms, and yet their TSH levels are within the acceptable medical range (although outside of our parameters).
The most common cause of thyroid problems is excess adrenaline.
Your adrenal glands produce adrenaline, which looks after your ‘fight or flight’ response in times of danger or stress. Adrenaline stimulates the parts of your body needed to escape danger, so :
and non-emergency areas of the body are shut down - such as the digestive system, the immune system, and the reproductive system - as these aren’t needed to escape from danger. (You may have heard of high stress situations causing a woman’s periods to stop altogether.)
The adrenal glands also produce a small amount of oestrogen and progesterone. So healthy adrenal glands are important for the balance of these hormones in the body generally.
(The adrenal glands are particularly important around menopause when the ovaries stop producing their hormones. If we look at oestrogen and progesterone as being like the fuel in a car engine, the ovaries would be the accelerator, which is used to produce more or less of these hormones depending on what the body needs at the time. The adrenals are more like the idle for your engine, which puts a small amount of fuel into the engine to keep it running. If your idle is not working properly, your car engine will be very uneven and erratic when you take your foot off the accelerator. In the same way, if your adrenals are not working well during menopause, your oestrogen and progesterone levels could become unbalanced, causing hot flushes, night sweats, and various other symptoms.)
Another way that the adrenal glands affect your reproductive hormones is that they use progesterone to manufacture cortisol, the stress hormone. So high or prolonged periods of stress can cause low progesterone levels, which indirectly causes high oestrogen levels. As we have seen already, high oestrogen levels cause the liver to produce high levels of TBG, which decreases the production of thyroid hormones to the body.
Your ovaries produce most of your oestrogen and progesterone, which are your main reproductive hormones. We have covered how your levels of these hormones can be affected by your pituitary gland and your adrenals. Some of the other causes of an imbalance in these hormones include:
Another rare cause of reproductive hormone imbalances is a misalignment of the pelvis. If the hips are rotated, or one hip is higher than the other, this can cause pressure on one or both ovaries, effecting their hormone production.
It is clear that the balancing of hormones in the body is complex. It is vital that if a woman is suffering with the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, that the wider picture is taken into account to determine what the underlying source of the problem is.
As with any condition, in order to get results it is crucial to first investigate the cause of the problem. We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a great life!
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health problem, affecting 8-13% of women of reproductive age. It involves complex hormone imbalances, including excess male hormones and high levels of insulin. The majority of women with PCOS also have high levels of cholesterol and lipids (fats) in their blood.
So PCOS can result in obesity, insulin resistance, inflammatory disorders, and oxidative stress (damage to the cells). Low-grade inflammation also seems to be an aspect of PCOS.
The symptoms can include:
As you can see, the effects on the body can be quite broad.
A systemic review and meta-analysis was carried out on studies into the effect of vitamin E supplements (with or without omega-3 or magnesium) on
10 studies were selected as meeting the strict quality requirements of the meta-analysis. The results of the analysis showed that vitamin E (plus or minus omega-3 or magnesium) significantly reduced
The researchers concluded that Vitamin E can play an important role in dealing with a number of the aspects of PCOS.
For the full study, please visit https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24467-0#Sec2 .
As with any condition, to get results with PCOS it is always important to treat the causes of the problem. We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions- the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.) These help to identify
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a great life!
The human body is very complex, so we treat a very broad range of conditions. The following is a list of some of the conditions clients came to us for in a single week.
If you have a health issue and you would like to find out if we can help you, you can book in for a free Comprehensive Assessment. The Assessment will look at what is going on in your body, what is causing any problems, and the best way to resolve them. (Terms and conditions- the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.) Have a great life!
Why do some women suffer badly from period pain and others not at all? Many women consider their menstrual pain to be ‘normal’, however pain is really the body’s way of saying ‘something isn’t right and needs attention’.
The medical term for painful menstrual periods is dysmenorrhea, and the pain is believed to be caused by uterine contractions. Period pain can last for just the first day of a woman’s menstruation or can go on for days. Many other symptoms can occur as well, such as PMS, bloating, acne, etc. due to fluctuations in the hormone levels. The primary regular medical treatment is to artificially regulate the cycle by use of the Oral Contraceptive Pill. Often this can provide symptomatic relief, however sometimes women can still have breakthrough bleeding and pain around their period.
The severity of the pain can vary greatly; we have seen many women who were bed-ridden for 5 days, and some even longer. Sometimes women experience pain around their ovulation as well. As well as abdominal pain, some experience pain in other areas around the start of their periods, such as lower back pain or headaches.
The ‘ideal’ menstrual cycle should occur every 28 days, with only mild or no pain. Bleeding should occur for 5 days, not be heavy or light, with no clotting, and be a healthy red colour.
Just before the start of a period, the levels of a hormone called prostaglandin rise. This triggers the muscle contractions in the uterus which expels the lining. If not working correctly, these contractions are believed to cause pain and inflammation.
Each person’s body works slightly differently, so there is no one solution for everyone. In fact, often a combination of several of the approaches below will work best.
Supplements- high potency, practitioner-level supplements can be used to
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is well-known for its ability to relieve pain. One of the common causes of period pain from an acupuncture point of view is poor blood flow in the uterus. Prior to a period there is a natural increase in blood volume in the woman’s body, and this goes down to normal levels by the end of her period. However, if there are any areas in her body where the blood flow is restricted for some reason, the blood will build-up in that area, just like city traffic at peak-hour. The blood will not be able to move properly, which will cause pain, irritation, and inflammation.
Some of the symptoms of this ‘blood stagnation’ include extremely painful periods, clots, heavy or irregular periods, a heavy sensation in the abdomen or legs, and menstrual blood that is a dark red (or even purple) in colour. Period pain caused by poor blood flow in the uterus is often relieved by heat, such as a hot water bottle.
If there are other areas of the body where the blood flow is poor, pain can occur in these areas as well when the blood volume increases before a period. The pressure, irritation and inflammation caused by the congested blood flow could result in lower back pain, headaches or breast tenderness.
Some research on Acupuncture for Period Pain
(None of these studies provide conclusive evidence of effectiveness, but they hopefully lay the groundwork for further scientific investigation.)
Other Factors
Diet, alcohol consumption, various everyday chemicals, and the Oral Contraceptive Pill can cause imbalances in women's hormones.
The human body is incredibly complex and sometimes may not work correctly. Natural therapies aim to correct any problems with the way it is working to provide a long-term solution to the problem, rather than just treat the symptoms. (If you have a body that is working well, it is fair to say that you will have a happier and better life.)
Pain and other period symptoms are very common but are definitely not ‘normal’. If you would like to find out if a natural approach to your period problem is likely to work for you, consider booking in for a free Comprehensive Assessment at our clinic. We can then check what is going on in your body, what is causing any problems, and the best way to sort it out. (Terms and conditions- the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.) Have a great life!
The human body is so complex and fascinating! Have a look at the symptoms that can occur if there is a problem with a bone at the front of the skull (the sphenoid bone). These "might include insomnia, sleeping disorders (including sleep apnea), TMJ, jaw pain, ear problems, temporal headache, dental problems, etc. … hormonal imbalances might occur, … sensitive skin, rash, and eczema."
In the diagram it shows how the sphenoid bone is almost an exact mirror image of the pelvis, and if one is out of alignment it is very common to find the other is out as well. So whenever someone comes in for lower back or hip pain, we like to check if their pelvis and sphenoid bone are out as well.
(Image is from ‘Clinical Strategies’ Vol. 1 by K. Matsumoto and D. Euler.)
Valued at $120, your Assessment will help to uncover:
All this will be fully explained to you, and you can ask as many questions as you like. That way we can be sure to give you all of the right information, understanding and advice you need. Terms and conditions: This is a free, no obligation offer.