What a loaded question that is. Bloating, cramps, mood swings, hair loss (or growth), low sex drive, miscarriages and extreme fatigue – these symptoms could be a sign that your hormones simply aren’t supporting your health needs as best they could.
With such a broad range of symptoms, the question of what one can do to treat these changes to our body take centre stage. A question that everyone seems to have their own answer to. Diets, supplements, broad-sweeping recommendations; it’s often difficult to identify where to start with your health, and what will be effective in treating the symptoms unique to you.
Naturally, the best place to start is often talking to a registered physician, like a Naturopathic Doctor. Experts who can help you to decide which route might be best for your individual health journey. In fact, an excellent way to start understanding your body is by testing your hormones throughout the month!
A test that Cornerstone is partial to is known as the DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones), which provides a complete hormone panel. Ultimately, this means that you’ll come to understand not only where your hormones stand, but also why they behave as they do and what role they’re playing in the state of your health. There are times when hormone imbalances are symptoms of greater issues, and tests such as these can bring these issues to light.
Urine, saliva and blood tests can all be used to check different facets of your hormones. The DUTCH test uses concentrated urine to measure your levels throughout a 24-hour period. If you think of your hormone levels as a puzzle, each individual piece is required before attempting to piece them together. Understanding the basis of these puzzle pieces, and what the end goal should look like, ensures that we can fit those pieces together as effectively as possible.
Here’s the nitty gritty: on their own, each portion of DUTCH tests for what is called “Free Cortisol”, a hormone produced by your adrenal glands and ties to your body’s response to both physical and emotional stress. When the portions are combined, DUTCH can measure the totality of your hormone levels, providing a comprehensive result.
At the end of the day, this means that testing your hormones with DUTCH adds diverse data into the equation, providing a better overview of a plethora of hormones and their levels, leading to a better understanding of your different symptoms, and the bigger picture. On the other side of that same coin, we’ll have visibility of which opposing and corresponding hormones may be triggering your symptoms and the underlying imbalance.
So, how do you anticipate whether hormone testing is right for you? Consider whether any of the symptoms outlined here are in line with what you’ve been experiencing, and contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation if this is the case. Our goal is to assist in getting you back to an optimal state of health, so don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or comments.
