Hormone Health From My POV……..
10 Things That Can Disrupt Women’s Hormones — and How I Took Back Control
For many years, I struggled with what I now fully recognize as a hormonal imbalance — experiencing anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and stubborn weight that simply wouldn’t budge no matter what I did. I was prescribed medications for anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure, but despite these treatments, something always felt deeply off. Using a birth control IUD made me so fearful and anxious that even simple tasks like driving felt overwhelming and exhausting. When I mentioned this to my doctor, it was casually dismissed as “typical anxiety women experience growing up,” but in reality, my hormones were being disrupted by the synthetic compounds in the birth control. Earlier this year, I overheard someone else share how their blood pressure medication made them feel as though they didn’t want to live anymore. Sadly, I could relate to that feeling, but I rarely talked about it because I knew in my heart those feelings weren’t truly mine—I used to love life, I used to want to live fully. I am incredibly thankful that I eventually began advocating for myself during my doctor’s appointments, pushing hard for the kind of health care and understanding women deserve. To support others on a similar path, I’ve linked a few books I read to start my journey toward health and healing in my Pinterest ad that brought you here.
On top of that, I couldn’t lose weight — even though I stayed active, ate reasonably well, and took good care of myself in many aspects. When I finally sought medical help, I was simply categorized as “obese and unhealthy,” and my deep concerns about possible hormonal imbalances were completely dismissed. This lack of proper, compassionate care made me feel invisible, unheard, and incredibly frustrated — a sadly common experience for many women whose symptoms don’t neatly fit into standard medical narratives. I vividly remember sitting at my last appointment, thinking to myself, I thought these were just stories we read about—I never actually imagined I would have to live through this experience. I was also trying to ask important questions about blood pressure, wondering what levels were considered dangerous or safe, but he kept making jokes, like saying if you have it you’re alive, and if it’s too high you’re having a stroke. I left feeling utterly defeated because what did it mean that I was paying a doctor to belittle me just for trying to understand my own health?
It wasn’t just me overreacting — my body was literally responding to substances, stress, and environmental factors I hadn’t been fully educated about. After learning more and experimenting with natural methods, I was able to reduce and eventually get off anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure medications, balance my hormones, and see the stubborn weight begin to shift — all by supporting my body with the right nutrients, lifestyle changes, and hormone-balancing practices. I knew I had to get my mind healthy first, the weight could come off later and I am on that last part of my journey. Mind you this has taken me years, although I kept hoping the next day everything was going to be normal. Instead of day by day, I started taking it month by month. This way I was seeing some type of results and not feeling defeated. Small wins are big wins.
10 Things That Can Disrupt Women’s Hormones
Processed and Additive-Laden Foods – Artificial flavors, preservatives, and refined sugars stress your liver, cause blood sugar spikes, and disrupt estrogen and thyroid balance.
Excessive Caffeine & Energy Drinks – Spikes cortisol and strains adrenal glands, worsening anxiety, fatigue, and weight regulation.
Birth Control & Hormonal Contraceptives – Synthetic hormones can alter mood, appetite, cycles, and even affect your ability to lose weight.
Chronic Stress – Persistent cortisol elevation suppresses progesterone and estrogen, leaving you fatigued, anxious, and resistant to weight loss.
Environmental Toxins & Plastics – BPA, parabens, and phthalates act as xenoestrogens, mimicking estrogen and altering natural hormone signaling.
Lack of Sleep – Disrupts cortisol, insulin, and melatonin, worsening mood, cravings, weight gain, and hormonal health.
Excess Sugar & Refined Carbs – Leads to insulin spikes, inflammation, and estrogen dominance, which can interfere with metabolism and weight regulation.
Sedentary Lifestyle – Lowers insulin sensitivity, slows metabolism, and disrupts cortisol and estrogen regulation.
Over-Exercising or Extreme Dieting – Undermines thyroid and reproductive hormones, creating fatigue, menstrual irregularities, and stalled weight loss.
Chronic Inflammation & Poor Gut Health – Hormone metabolism depends on gut health; dysbiosis can exacerbate estrogen imbalance, mood disorders, and make it very difficult to lose weight. Lerning about gut health was a game changer to my weight loss, learning what made me bloat and feel icky has been so rewarding and it will truly have you feeling accomplished.
My Approach to Getting Back on Track
Whole Foods First: I consciously replaced processed meals with a vibrant variety of colorful vegetables, fresh fruits, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins. Make an effort to find a reliable local butcher and explore farmers’ markets in your area—it’s time we support and give back to our hardworking farmers instead of the large corporations that own most food companies. These corporations have demonstrated they experiment on us with fake alternatives that don’t truly nourish our bodies. We need to stop allowing ourselves to be misled into thinking their food is enjoyable and convenient. True convenience isn’t spending all our money on medications or struggling just to walk down the street. Prioritizing whole, natural foods is an investment in our long-term health and well-being.
Natural Adrenal & Hormone Support: Herbs like chasteberry, maca, and adaptogens helped stabilize cycles, mood, and metabolism. I started infusing goodies into my lotions and skincare; it was another way to boost minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. I was going to do anything to recover my body as much as I could. Especially after I read our liver rejuvenates itself, it’s like we’re like an octopus on the inside (lol not really, but it’s how I see it.)
Stress Management: Meditation, deep breathing, and daily walks helped reduce cortisol and support adrenal recovery. I altered my whole life. I chose myself, wife and kids over anyone and after them I prioritized myself and thats not putting myself last I love being a wife and mom and it is truly what brings me happiness and then I do what makes me happy and no one makes me feel guilty about it. No matter what it looks like to some PRIORITIZE what makes you happy. Mine is being seen and wanted, so that aligns with being a wife and mom. I felt like after I had that happiness, everything else would work out and it has, it was just a bitch getting here.
Sleep & Movement: Prioritizing sleep and moderate movement helps balance energy and supports thyroid and adrenal health. Even if you are just lying there with your eyes closed you are still resting.
Eliminating Toxins: Switching to natural skincare, avoiding plastics, and reducing exposure to synthetic chemicals helped my hormones normalize. Truly research ingredients, they are using stuff that just tricks our bodies and isn’t truly giving it any nutrients, which keeps you going back for more.
Over time, these positive changes allowed my body to gradually regain a natural sense of balance. My energy levels steadily returned, my moods became more stable, my hormones began to regulate properly, and my weight started to respond in a healthy, natural way — all without depending heavily on medications. There were no more intrusive thoughts, no more sudden anger outbursts, and no more feelings of panic after attending social events. I no longer second-guess anything I say. I find it’s important to give yourself daily words of affirmation because if we can so easily pick ourselves apart, we can just as easily start saying kinder, more encouraging things to ourselves every day.
Final Thought
Women are often told that their emotions, weight struggles, or fatigue are “just typical” — but many of these feelings are direct responses to hormonal disruption caused by diet, medications, environmental toxins, and lifestyle stressors. By educating ourselves and supporting our bodies with natural, hormone-friendly practices, women of all ages can reclaim energy, mood stability, weight balance, and overall wellness.
This is my experience — and while every journey is unique, it’s a reminder that our bodies are intelligent systems reacting to what we put into them. Understanding and supporting that intelligence is the key to real wellness. Stop letting these billionaires produce products for us; they have shown that money matters more than morals.🌿✨
