Relax by walking in nature, swimming, pursuing creative activities, changing routines.
Establishing a Baseline
Comprehensive hormonal testing should be performed to establish a baseline before a woman chooses any kind of hormonal treatment, and then should be repeated periodically thereafter.
Baseline test results are also needed to order custom-made transdermal hormonal creams from compounding pharmacies around the country.
Women should also consider additional testing, such as a comprehensive, 5-hour glucose tolerance test and a lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL).
An abnormal (especially high) level of cholesterol, the basic building block of sex and stress hormones, indicates that the body is attempting to provide more stress hormones.
In some cases, testing for gastrointestinal problems, allergies or even parasites is advised.
Note, however, that "normal" (negative) results from conventional laboratory diagnostic tests do not always mean normal function. Some tests do not reveal serious existing conditions, others are not able to detect borderline conditions.
One example is thyroid testing, which cannot indicate how well thyroid hormone (T3) is able to bind to target cells, a thyroid condition that can be caused by high levels of estrogen.
Woman suspecting hormonal imbalances or experiencing distressing symptoms should discuss testing with a healthcare practitioner.
Click Here to Read Part 6 of Women's Hormones 101
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