Did you know that the health of our gut has a serious impact on our hormonal health?
Most women know that each month
at the beginning of our cycle we start to produce oestrogen. Production rises until we ovulate and then reduces while progesterone starts to increase, preparing the uterus for the possibility of a fertilised egg.
Oestrogen plays a key role in reproductive health and fertility in both females and males, and surprisingly, our gut health can have a big impact on this hormone. The gut microbiome is one of the main regulators of oestrogen, however, if the gut microbiome is imbalanced, this process can be impaired and interferes with the detoxification of oestrogen. This may lead to an increased risk for elevated oestrogen levels. This is otherwise known as ‘oestrogen dominance’. This oestrogen dominance may then contribute to the development of conditions related to reproductive health and infertility, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome in women, and reduction in sperm production for males.
If our gut health is affected by poor nutrition or damaged gut flora - constipation can result and if the oestrogen is unable to regulate and we cannot detoxify properly they can be broken down into more harmful metabolites again and swing around the system for another go. This interferes with the natural balance, which allows our bodies to produce a healthy egg and then provide the right environment for implantation.
Often the first sign of this is constipation in the run up to our period. Many women with PMS report constipation in the days before a period - often this resolves as soon as bleeding starts. However, for women with chronic constipation this easing of symptoms may not occur.
Colon hydrotherapy is an excellent starting point for improving our gut health. Paired with quality nutrition support, it can also aid in enhancing liver function to promote hormone balance.
Healthy Gut, Healthy Mind, Healthy Life