Feeling irritable? It could be your hormones speaking

Feeling irritable? It could be your hormones speaking

Do you find yourself feeling super irritable? Do you keep snapping at family and friends, but you don't know why? This could be your hormones telling you that they are just not right... Andrea Hepner explains that what your hormones could be telling you.

Women can feel irritable for a number of reasons. When we do too much, we can start to feel like there is never enough time and we start to get irritable. We can also get irritable around period time. When we are about to menstruate or are menstruating, sometimes there needs to be a sign on the bedroom door that says "leave me alone"!

Common examples of irritable behaviour are snapping at the people around you, small things making you annoyed or angry and road rage.

Sometimes it can be our hormones that have become unbalanced, and this is where your naturopath can help you.

Saliva Hormone Testing, used by many naturopaths, will pick up mild and moderate symptoms that a blood test won't. Blood tests only pick up major pathologies, not the niggling symptoms we experience every month.

Once it has been established that your hormones are out of balance, herbal and nutritional medicine as well as lifestyle changes can help to rebalance hormones and get you feeling good again.

Irritable behaviour, particularly around the time of your period can be to do with oestrogen and progesterone being out of balance. Higher than normal oestrogen levels can decrease the amount of serotonin that's made. Serotonin is a "feel good" brain chemical, so if your body isn't making as much, you can start to feel low, irritable and cranky.

Naturopathically speaking, broccoli sprout extract helps to decrease oestrogen and restore balance. It is important for your naturopath to measure you hormones first and then use these nutrients to decrease oestrogen levels.

Oestrogen is partly excreted via the bowel and liver, so it is important that they are working at an optimal level as well. Doing a Gut Repair & Liver Detox may be in order to correct the cause of your hormonal imbalance.

Stress plays a strong role in creating havoc to your hormones! Your stress hormone cortisol, when used in high amounts, can rob you of your progesterone. Progesterone is your "balancing" hormone. It's the one the stops you from getting period pain!

Progesterone is linked to a brain chemical called GABA. GABA has a relaxation affect on the brain, so if you are low in GABA, you're probably not feeling that crash-hot! You may be experiencing agitation, anxiety and of course irritability.

To boost progesterone levels you can use herbs such as Perilla frutescans and Vitex agnes-castes. You can get these herbs after you have been assessed by your naturopath. Relaxation techniques also help to build up progesterone levels. Working with a naturopath will help to ensure these lifestyle changes.

Here are 5 Secrets that Help You to Stop Feeling Irritable:
1.Go and have a snooze- It may seem like a small thing, but even getting a 30 minute nap in will help to balance your cortisol levels and help you to feel better again.
2.If you are in a situation where you feel out of control, arrange to go for a walk and clear your mind. If you can, get into nature. Nature absorbs negative ions (energy), so going for a walk down at the beach for example, will get you feeling better again.
3.Drink a relaxing tea. Put in some Chamomile and Lemon Balm.
4.Focus on your breath. These day's we live in our head and not in our body. Focusing on your breath will help you to get back into your body (just don't do it when you are driving!)
5.See a fully qualified naturopath. It is important to see someone who can help you make lifestyle changes. Who has herbal and nutritional medicine to restore your body and can rebalance your hormones naturally and safely.

To find out more about your hormones and the vital role they play in your body as well as to find a professional complementary healthcare practitioner visit www.tellmeabouthormones.com.au. The website contains credible, easy to read information to help educate you about hormones, the role they play in our health and the importance of consulting a professional complementary healthcare practitioner who can assess your hormone health and advise of a suitable complementary treatment plan.

The Period Pain Guru and Naturopath, Andrea Hepner has been helping women who experience period pain and related symptoms for many years. She is also a specialist in hormonal imbalance and fertility issues. To contact Andrea Hepner for treatment call 1300 21 44 25 or go to www.periodpain.com.au