Dealing with hormonal imbalances can be particularly stressful, as there are a number of health issues that can arise when there are too much or too little of these vital chemicals. Hormones coordinate multiple functions in our body, and even a slight variation in their signals can cause major conditions within our bodies. Some may simply be temporary, but others can become chronic and impact your health or quality of life.

Functional medicine takes a biological approach to treatment, focusing on identifying the root cause of a disease. By looking at these underlying imbalances, functional medicine corrects the actual condition instead of just treating symptoms. This can be particularly useful for treating hormonal imbalances, promoting proper health of your thyroid in Denver. 

Individual & Comprehensive Treatment

When working with a functional medicine practitioner, patients commonly receive a thorough assessment of their diet, health history, stress levels, and other environmental exposure that could impact their health. By taking a comprehensive approach, this assessment can help the doctor uncover and identify potential triggers for hormonal imbalances. 

Because every person is unique, the broad strokes taken by general medical practitioners can sometimes miss underlying causes. This can make some treatments ineffective, because they’re not addressing the actual cause. Individualized treatment plans through functional medicine are designed based on the specific imbalances that are identified in each patient. 

Diet & Lifestyle Impact

Your diet plays an important role in hormonal imbalance. Functional medicine puts an emphasis on the importance of diet, and can address specific nutritional deficiencies that contribute to them. Gut health is also important, and functional medicine may also include interventions like probiotics or other dietary changes to promote a healthier balance of gut bacteria. Deficiencies in nutrients can also impact the body’s ability to regulate hormones, and functional medicine may use targeted supplements to address these deficiencies.

Hormone function may also be disrupted by environmental toxins, and functional medicine can implement strategies to support the body’s natural detoxification process. Lifestyle factors like sleep and exercise can also play into a negative impact on hormone levels. Functional medicine will work on getting adequate sleep and exercise, working towards that detoxification and a more positive well-being.

Stress Management

Chronic stress can also contribute to hormonal imbalance. It’s common for functional medicine to apply stress reduction techniques to support hormonal health. These techniques can include things like meditation, mindfulness, or yoga to help get your body’s response to stress back in balance. Functional medicine may also incorporate other relaxation exercises, or use biofeedback and guided imagery to help patients manage their levels of stress. 

It’s important to understand that function medicine practitioners will often work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to deliver a comprehensive and integrated approach to managing hormonal imbalances. For more information on how functional medicine can help with your hormonal imbalances, reach out to the experts at the Center of Functional Medicine today.