Home // Medical Prescriptions vs. Alternative Medicine for Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones—the natural chemicals in our bodies that regulate essential bodily functions—can change throughout our lifetimes. Sometimes this is due to expected life stages such as puberty. Other times, the complex balance of the over 50 different hormones in our bodies can be thrown off by factors such as illness, stress, certain medications, or environmental exposure to chemicals. Identifying a hormonal imbalance can be extremely tricky because symptoms may vary considerably depending on which hormones are affected and how.
For women in their 50s, menopause is the most familiar expected hormonal change and is often assumed to be the prime (and only) culprit behind uncomfortable symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances. When these symptoms are severe enough to impair a woman’s quality of life, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be recommended to supplement the drop in estrogen and progesterone in her system. However, this approach comes with serious downsides that rightly cause many women to hesitate—but also suffer needlessly through their symptoms with no help whatsoever. In fact, natural approaches can help women manage what is, after all, a natural transition in their lives, without relying on pharmaceuticals. Further, the short- and long-term benefits of these approaches benefit their health holistically without the potential side effects of medications.
Although the body uses an array of hormones to govern its systems, the three key hormones that tend to fall out of balance in women in their 50s are estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. During perimenopause (the time right before menopause) and menopause (which officially begins when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 months), levels of estrogen and progesterone both drop. The loss of estrogen is primarily responsible for classic symptoms of menopause such as:
Menopause also alters the metabolism, potentially leading to weight gain, and increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and osteoporosis (bone weakening).
Cortisol, a stress hormone, also tends to rise in women in their 50s. When cortisol is in balance, its levels naturally rise and fall throughout the day, rising as you are active and declining when it is time to rest. However, chronic stress can lead to ongoing, unnaturally high levels of cortisol that can produce not only symptoms that overlap those of menopause (insomnia, brain fog, mood swings, weight gain, etc.) but also:
The stress of dealing with uncomfortable menopause symptoms can contribute to a rise in cortisol, exacerbating the situation and increasing the damaging stress response.
If this is the case, why isn’t HRT—which replaces lost estrogen and progesterone, or sometimes only estrogen, with low doses of synthetic hormones to alleviate symptoms and stave off bone loss—an ideal solution? The most common types of HRT are oral (pills) and transdermal (patches), prescribed in the lowest effective dose. Typically, it is prescribed for only 2 to 5 years, after which menopause symptoms usually return. To continue experiencing relief, women need to continue taking the pill/using the patch, making them dependent on synthetic medication to manage their symptoms.
Unfortunately, HRT has been connected with potentially serious side effects, especially when used long-term. These include heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots, stroke, uterine cancer, and gallbladder disease. HRT can also raise triglyceride levels and contribute to the risk of developing liver disease, especially when taken in oral form.
| Key Factors | HRT | Natural Remedies |
| Relief Timeline | Fast relief | Gradual improvement |
| Long-term Effects | Potential risks like cancer or heart disease | Holistic health benefits, reduced medication dependency |
| Risks | Blood clots, stroke, liver disease | Minimal side effects |
| Lifestyle Benefits | Limited impact | Encourages diet, exercise, and stress management practices |
Aside from these risks and limitations, however, is the fact that relying on HRT to manage the symptoms of menopause is that it, as with many conventional treatments, does not focus on overall health. The rush to attribute all symptoms to menopause can cause providers to overlook imbalances in other hormones that can cause similar effects. Before committing to what is likely to be short-term solution with possibly life-changing risks, women should consider natural remedies as a sustainable, beneficial alternative.
Natural remedies for hormonal imbalance in women in their 50s include a combination of different approaches that work together to combat troublesome symptoms. These include:
The benefit of this approach is both immediate and long lasting. In the short term, women experience fewer side effects compared to using synthetic hormones and enjoy improvements in their quality of life from better sleep and reduced stress. In the long term, their health is improved overall with habits they can continue for lifelong well-being, without worries over complications from extended use of medications. Best of all, they are not dependent on medication to feel better.
If you’ve been suffering with frustrating symptoms of hormonal imbalance, HRT is not your only option to feel better. It’s not even your best option! At the Natural Healing Center, our philosophy is based around providing the body what it needs for its systems to function as they should through whole-food nutrition and natural healing modalities. We start with Nutrition Response Testing to get immediate, individualized feedback on the nutrients your body needs to alleviate your symptoms. Then we create a personalized plan including lifestyle changes and targeted natural supplements to build long-term well-being. To get started on a natural, effective means of restoring your health and wellness, schedule your consultation today.
