If you have been suffering from persistent symptoms or are dealing with chronic health issues that won’t go away, testing your hormone levels can often provide the answers you’ve been seeking.

A simple saliva test can detect hidden hormone imbalances that sabotage our best efforts to lose weight, balance our moods, remember things, boost energy, sleep well, enjoy sex, look good, feel good and stay healthy!!

Hormones are blood-based chemicals that function as messengers in coordinating almost all bodily functions. For example, thyroid hormone regulates the overall rate of metabolism throughout the body. Cortisol (often referred as “cortisone” which is a related hormone) orchestrates the body’s response to stress and has other functions as well.

Each of us responds differently to the intersection of age, gravity, stress, and genetics. Our bodies experience a wide range of changes based on the interactions of each of these factors and hormones also interconnect them all.

Estrogen plays an essential role in the body, and understanding that role is an important step in rebalancing your hormones. In addition to promoting growth of female characteristics at puberty and the development of an oocyte into a mature ovarian follicle, estrogen also promotes cell growth and stimulates the beginning of the menstrual cycle.

High levels of estrogen (both natural and synthetic from the environment) become an issue when they are unopposed by adequate levels of natural progesterone, which then leads to continuous, unrestrained cell stimulation. When that happens, the following issues can arise:

• ● Excess estrogen is the only known cause of endometrial cancer
• ● Increased risk of breast cancer
• ● Loss of bone mass
• ● Increased risk of autoimmune disorders such as lupus
• ● Fibrocystic breasts
• ● Fibroid tumors
• ● Depression and irritability
• ● PMS symptoms such as cramping and bloating — in addition to depression and irritability
• ● Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats — again, in addition to depression and irritability
• ● Decreased sex drive
• ● Increased body hair and thinning of scalp hair
• ● Migraine headaches
• ● Impaired thyroid function, including Grave’s disease
• ● Increased body fat
• ● Increased blood clotting
• ● Impaired blood sugar control