5 Root Causes of Hormone Imbalances Most Women Over 30 Don’t Know About

You’re bloated, exhausted, moody, or stuck in a weight loss plateau.... You're going to the gym 5 days a week and you're pushing your limits lifting heavy weights and you're taking your trainer's advice when she tells you to "get to an RPE of 10." Maybe you've been in this endless cycle of getting all the labs and they all came back “normal.” Sound familiar? I know you. I talk to women just like you daily. If you’re over 30 and feeling like a stranger in your own body and society is trying to convince you that "This is 30!" or that it all just "comes with age.." I just want to take a second to validate that the way you're feeling isn't in your head and that you aren't sentenced to a life of feeling bad in your skin because you went over this imaginary wrinkle in time when you hit your 30's. Yes, our bodies change as we age and we have to learn how to support the changes as they come, but our hormones getting out of wack are telling us a deeper story and in functional nutrition, we just focus on listening~

I know HRT is a wave through the gym and out in the world too, and I just want to broaden your understanding that HRT isn't the first step we should automatically jump to, because if you don't fix what's causing the hormone imbalance, you will still struggle. Below are five root causes of hormone dysfunction that are often overlooked, and practical things you can start doing right now to begin healing from the inside, out.

1. Blood Sugar Instability: The Hormone Wrecking Ball

A subtle ebb and flow in your blood sugar is natural and healthy, but unstable blood sugar that spikes and dips drastically sends your body into a stress response. We know it as "fight-or-flight mode," and it signals your hormones to get wild- spiking cortisol and insulin, which in turn throw off sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Everything is connected.

Some symptoms you will experience if you have blood sugar dysregulation are: Energy crashes and fatigue, cravings for sweets or carbs, weight gain around the midsection, brain fog, increased hunger, skin issues, and irritability or mood swings, just to mention a few. Balancing blood sugar could make a huge difference in regulating your hormones.

Supportive strategies from a functional nutrition perspective:

• Focus on balancing your macros (this is so much deeper than burning fat or building muscle!) Anchor every meal with protein and healthy fats.

• Don’t skip meals or go too low carb (especially if you're stressed)

• Track how you feel. I think a lot of people miss this step. We are used to tracking our food, but how do you feel after you eat? Feeling shaky between meals, irritability, and "hangry" moods all point to blood sugar dysregulation

2. Gut Dysfunction: Your Hormone Foundation Is Inflamed

This is HUGE and is so common with the women I talk to! If your gut is out of balance, your hormones will be too, without a doubt. They are that closely connected! Whether it’s due to low stomach acid, leaky gut, or an overgrowth of the wrong bacteria (oh, hi, bloating and brain fog!), your gut directly impacts:

• Estrogen detoxification. The liver processes estrogen, and its metabolites are eliminated through the gut. When detoxification isn't happening properly, excess estrogen can accumulate and lead to estrogen dominance, which can cause irregular menstrual cycles, fibrocystic breasts and tenderness, endometriosis, fibroids, weight gain, thyroid issues, etc, etc, etc. See how everything is connected?

• Thyroid hormone conversion. If the conversion of T4 to T3 is impaired, you can experience symptoms of hypothyroidism, like fatigue, weight gain, and sluggish metabolism.

• Nutrient absorption. If you aren't absorbing the nutrients in the food you're eating, then even the healthiest diet can’t support the body, leading to deficiencies, weakened immune function, fatigue, and so many more chronic health issues.

• Immune regulation, which ensures that the body can respond to infections and threats while preventing excessive or inappropriate immune reactions (like allergies or autoimmune diseases,) so the body is protected from harmful invaders but not damaging to its own tissues.
  

When the gut is compromised, it leads to hormonal chaos. Constipation, PMS, fatigue, and even anxiety and depression can all be traced back here.

Supportive strategies from a functional nutrition perspective:

• Start with real, whole, anti-inflammatory foods. Remove inflammatory triggers, like gluten, dairy, refined sugars, processed foods, seed oils, and alcohol.

• Add in gut-soothing basics like bone broth, glutamine, and bitter greens (like dandelion greens, arugula, mustard greens, endive, or watercress.)

• Consider functional testing if symptoms persist. Your gut might be screaming louder than you think.

3. Unresolved Stress/ Chronic Inflammation & HPA Axis Dysfunction: The Hidden Hormone Drain

This is a huge one too, and is also very common. Your body doesn’t know the difference between a toxic mean-girl at work and a true emergency; it just responds with cortisol either way, which is a stress hormone. Over time, chronic stress (outward emotional stress in your life or stress you put on your body with your workouts, food choices, etc,) wears down the HPA axis (the communication loop between your brain and adrenal glands), leading to:

• Low progesterone, which can lead to irregular periods, infertility, anxiety, poor sleep, estrogen dominance, and PMS symptoms

• Poor ovulation

• Anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and burnout
  

Supportive strategies from a functional nutrition perspective:

• Start your day with nervous system support (Morning sunlight on your face to reset your circadian rhythm, breathwork, and just slowing down in general)

• Supplement wisely... Adaptogens and adrenal support can be powerful when used correctly. Emphasis on this because I know it's tempting to buy all 35 daily supplements that IG influencer you follow takes, but every body is different and you don't want to throw a bunch of supplements at your symptoms until you know what your body needs

• Create space for rest and joy. This is just as therapeutic as putting good, whole food in your body. Soul food makes more of a difference in your overall well-being than you might think. Calming your nervous system can support the HPA Axis, and in turn, the adrenals and hormone regulation!
  

4. Toxin & Mold Exposure

We are drenched in endocrine-disrupting chemicals every day, from beauty products and cleaning supplies to pesticides, plastics, and mold in our homes. These toxins can mimic hormones, block receptors, and overload your liver and lymphatic system. Mold toxins (mycotoxins) can easily go undetected and weaken immunity, inflame your gut lining, impair detox, and disrupt your HPA axis, all of which worsen hormone imbalance and lead to symptoms like:

• Worsening PMS or irregular cycles

• Stubborn weight gain, thyroid symptoms and histamine symptoms (hives, congestion, headaches)

• Fatigue, brain fog, or anxiety

• Sensitivity to smells or chemicals
  

Supportive strategies from a functional nutrition perspective:

• Reduce your toxic load: Clean up the ingredients of the products you use for your hair and skin, and what you use to clean your house and wash your clothes in. Reduce fragrance in your home and on your body (air fresheners, candles, perfume, lotion, cleaning supplies, etc.) Wash produce to reduce pesticide exposure

• Support your detox pathways naturally: dry brush, lymphatic massage, use a vibration plate or jump up and down (we can be trendy and call it "rebounding" but truly, the mini trampoline isn't super necessary.. just getting your body moving will do the trick,) eat cruciferous veggies daily (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower.) Aim for regular bowel movements daily (ground flax, magnesium citrate, and staying hydrated help!)

• Address mold if needed: Test your home and remediate/ remove yourself and family if this isn't possible. Consider binders like activated charcoal, bentonite clay, or modified citrus pectin (with guidance) to aid in filtering and detox

• Glutathione is a master antioxidant that supports detox at the cellular level (liposomal forms are best)
  

5. Mineral Deficiencies: Missing Links in Hormone Production

You can’t make hormones without minerals. Stress, inflammation, and modern farming/ crap soil deplete key nutrients like:

• Magnesium (needed for progesterone production and blood sugar balance)

• Zinc (key for testosterone and thyroid support)

• Selenium (vital for thyroid hormone conversion and immune function)

Addressing mineral deficiencies goes beyond just taking supplements. It involves restoring balance, optimizing absorption, and removing what’s depleting your stores. Just taking the supplements doesn't serve you if your body can't use what you're putting into it.

Supportive strategies from a functional nutrition perspective:

• Eat mineral-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, sea salt, leafy greens, and organ meats (yes, organ meats)

• Improve gut health for better absorption (address leaky gut, dysbiosis, and inflammation)

• Include digestive bitters or apple cider vinegar before meals to support stomach acid and use digestive enzymes if needed to help your body break down food and absorb nutrients form it.

• Replenish slowly—more isn’t always better when it comes to minerals
  

You're Not Broken. You're Just Missing the Right Map.

Hormone imbalances are your body asking for help. Any time there's dis-ease in the body, supporting the foundations is key, and that's the primary focus of my practice. When we address the root causes, your body starts to shift. Healing becomes possible and you start to feel like you again.

Free Gift For You: The Hormone Reboot Starter Guide

If you learned something new here and you're intrigued to listen to the story your body is telling you and you would like to dig a little deeper... I created a free guide that walks you intentionally through how to begin supporting your hormones using food, lifestyle, and functional strategies.

Inside you’ll find:

• A root cause hormone symptom tracker

• Anti-inflammatory Hormone Supportive Recipes

• A peek inside my U.P.R.O.O.T.™ Method
  

Grab your free guide here →

See you guys on the next one!