I’ve seen it thousands of times over the years. A woman comes into my office exhausted, emotional, lethargic and scared. She is overwhelmed, confused and confesses “I don’t even recognize myself anymore.” So many women report to me that they experience dramatic changes in their bodies and particularly in their personalities and there is virtually no explanation for it. A woman who is typically positive, energetic and creative can suddenly find it impossible to get out of bed or even smile. For some women, there is a clearly identifiable timeline as to when the changes began. For others, it’s so subtle that the woman often mistakes her symptoms for simply being a result of an outward change like a new baby, a move or a divorce.
But the bottom line is that there is never a more vulnerable time in a woman’s life than when she is experiencing hormonal imbalances. We’ve been taught, as women, to accept these changes as part of the inevitable and natural process of aging. But as a doctor who is well-informed about the mysteries of the body, I have become an ardent advocate for educating women about the mind-body connection and what we can do to successfully manage these changes. When your body is not in balance, it affects every part of your life. Some of my patients confide that their relationships suffer, business flounders, self-esteem plummets and they enter a dark place that challenges even their most precious beliefs about themselves and how they fit into the world. For many, there is deep spiritual chaos that occurs and they are at the mercy of their physical symptoms. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
In the traditional medical community, women are subjected to tests with such wide ranges of what is considered “normal” that more often than not they are simply told “there’s nothing wrong with you.” But she is not convinced. Her body is sending her important signals that traditional doctors dismiss as “nothing.” When depression eventually sets in, a woman may be prescribed anti-depressants and sent on her way. But women today are so fortunate to have alternatives that their mothers could never dream of. Now, new tests are available, new protocols with bio-identical hormones and nutrition are in order and women are becoming increasingly comfortable with being discerning advocates for their own health. It’s a new day!!
