Going through puberty and getting older is a completely natural process, but your hormones can do some weird things when you least expect it!
Your hormones are your body’s special chemical messengers that control most of your major bodily functions. They can affect reproduction, emotions, mood, and even your skin.
1. Skin issues
Your start a new job, move, get married, and have kids. Each of these milestones comes with its own levels of stress. These changes affect your mental health and wellbeing, and your skin. Here’s how:
- Stress levels influence your hormone levels, which may induce acne and trigger psoriasis.
- Lack of sleep leads to premature ageing of the skin.
- Bad eating habits mean you miss out on essential fats and vitamins that are needed for your skin to function at its optimal level.
- Excessive drinking causes dehydration, draining all the fluids out of the skin. As a result, premature wrinkles begin to emerge.
When to see your doctor:
- If your face becomes red after eating spicy foods or sipping hot drinks, you may have the first stages of acne rosacea; a chronic inflammation.
- If your skin becomes inflamed or unusual acne shows up after eating, you may be allergic to something in your diet.
- If you have red, itchy and scaly skin, you may have psoriasis or eczema.
2. Mood swings
Hormones are responsible for keeping your emotions and moods in check. When you add work and social life pressures into an already busy life, your hormones can go into overdrive!
When to see your doctor:
- If you have severely unstable mood swings, your doctor could recommend hormone replacement therapy.
- If you have severe period pains, and it affects your mood, your doctor could prescribe an oral contraceptive.
- If you can’t explain or control your moods and hormone replacement therapy doesn’t work, tell your doctor.
3. Period pandemonium
For the most part, getting your period every month can take a toll on your emotional and physical strength, not to mention the stress that comes with an unpredictable cycle! In your teens, your cycle was probably all over the place. As you get older and reach adult life – your 20s – your period becomes more consistent.
However, the symptoms that you experience around your periods, including PMS may become worse as you get older. Often the cramps are more intense, and your breasts are sorer. This has a lot to do with your choice of birth control at this stage of your life, which may bring on its own side-effects.
When to see your doctor:
- If you’ve skipped a period and are sexually active, you could be pregnant.
- If you’ve skipped three periods in a row and pregnancy tests are negative.
- If your period cramps affect your daily functioning; this could be a sign of fibroids or endometriosis.
Foods to combat hormone imbalance:
- Coconut oil: contains lauric acid, a substance that helps the skin heal.
- Avocados: contains lauric acid which is beneficial when it comes to hormone production.
- Oatmeal and bran: swap out gluten products for products high in fibre to assist in your hormone imbalance.
- Raw carrots: has a unique fibre that will detox excess oestrogen from your body.
- Raw vegetables: better than cooked vegetables to get the most nutrients from them.
References:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/healthcom/how-your-period-changes-during-your-20s-30s-and-40s_a_23012159/?utm_hp_ref=za-lifestyle
- http://www.thetalko.com/15-scary-body-changes-every-girl-goes-through-in-their-30s/
- http://www.healthywomen.org/condition/premenstrual-syndrome
- http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15934/1/Mood-Swings-in-Women–Causes-and-Solutions.html