We now know that progesterone is a hormone created within a woman’s ovaries which helps to prepare the womb each month for acceptance of a fertilized egg, and attachment of a fetus.

Not having an adequate level of progesterone in the body is a problematic circumstance for many women. Why? Because a number of problems can result from low levels including irregular menstrual cycles, miscarriage and increased cancer risk from unchecked estrogen.

It is extremely important to a woman’s overall health during her entire lifetime (not just during her reproductive years) that her body produces and maintains normal levels of progesterone. The most important reason for this is so that it properly counterbalances the effects of estrogen. These levels can be adversely affected by a number of environmental factors including stress, prescription hormones, and hormones used in commercially produced and processed dairy products and meats.

Now that we know that it’s important for your body to maintain normal levels, we are faced with the following question: What are some signs that your body may have low Levels of progesterone? Here are some clues:

Breast tenderness

Fibrocystic breasts

Decreased/Low sex drive

Depression

Obesity

Night sweats

Bone loss

Irregular menstruation

Excessive bleeding during menstruation

Uterine fibroids

Water retention

Sleeplessness

Vaginal dryness

Thyroid dysfunction

Unclear thinking

Infertility/Miscarriage

Headaches

Endometriosis

Many of these symptoms don’t seem particularly alarming when considered separately, and therein lies the danger. Because they may appear harmless, oftentimes signs of low progesterone are not specifically noticed or interpreted as reasons for concern.

However, when you have noticed these symptoms occurring simultaneously, they should certainly be a signal that something in the body is not normal. This is then reason for a higher level of concern, and should warrant further investigation.

More and more often, women today are being diagnosed with hormonal imbalance. One of the reasons for the increased occurrence of hormonal imbalance is the prevalence of estrogen and “estrogen like” chemicals now commonly found in our food supply, pesticides, plastics and other common products and substances. Hormonal imbalances can be both unpleasant and disruptive experiences, even leading to life-threatening circumstances. Part of ensuring optimum health for women, means taking steps to ensure that hormonal health is promoted and protected.

Estrogen and progesterone are two extremely important hormones in a woman’s body. These two hormones work together throughout a woman’s childbearing years, and continuing even after menopause, forming a delicate balance in maintaining hormonal health. During the first 10 days of a woman’s menstrual cycle, estrogen is produced, followed then by the production of progesterone when ovulation takes place. If pregnancy does not occur, then the levels of both hormones decrease, resulting in menstruation. After menopause, both estrogen and progesterone continue to be produced in the body at decreased levels. Whenever these two hormones are out of balance, the resulting symptoms may be uncomfortable at best, but can lead to situations that are extremely detrimental.

Estrogen/progesterone imbalance occurs when there is an imbalance in the levels of estrogen versus the levels of progesterone in the body. Most often, this condition is manifested in estrogen dominance where there is an excess in the level of estrogen relative to the level of progesterone.

How do you know if you are experiencing symptoms of estrogen/progesterone imbalance?
Symptoms of imbalance between estrogen and progesterone occur as a result of a disruption between the balance of these two very important hormones. Symptoms may include:

Allergy
Depression
Bloating and water retention
Foggy thinking
Endometriosis
PMS
Fibrocystic breasts
Hair loss
Osteoporosis
Dizziness
Facial hair growth
Fatigue
Anxiety
Headaches
Low sex drive
Uterine fibroids
Weight gain

If you suspect that you may be suffering from symptoms of estrogen/progesterone imbalance, it’s a simple matter to be tested to determine whether or not you are. Don’t simply assume that the above symptoms are simple signs of aging. They aren’t. Take control of your health. Be aggressive in finding out the truth about the condition of your body, and steps you may take to improve your condition. If you are suffering with estrogen/progesterone imbalance, it may be that natural progesterone can help in restoring your body’s hormonal balance.

You used to feel sassy, sexy and full of life. You enjoyed the aspects of physical closeness; the natural desire that coincides with a natural, healthy libido. But, that interest in sex, the desire for sex is long gone. You may assume that it’s a natural part of the aging process. But, what if it’s not? Healthy women enjoy a natural interest in and desire for sex. That includes healthy women who are past their childbearing years. Just because a woman has reached or passed her menopausal life stage, by no means indicates that she is no longer interested in sexual activity.

There are many women of all ages who suffer from a lack of libido or low sex drive. And a decreased sex drive can be caused by a number of factors including a low-active pituitary gland, alcoholism, prescription drugs including tranquilizers, diseases such as diabetes, hormonal changes associated with childbirth, and a number of others. However, menopause is not, as popularly believed, a cause of diminished libido. In fact, often times women who have gone through menopause relate increased interest in sexual activity. With the relief of concerns, especially that of unwanted pregnancy, related to sexual activity, some women at later life stages feel a greater sense of freedom and liberation in exploring their sexual desires.

Decreased libido may also be associated with psychological factors in addition to or in place of the physical conditions mentioned above. These may include fatigue, increased stress, depression, anxiety, overwork, living environment, and relationship problems. Ensuring your physical and mental health provides the optimum environment for healthy libido.

One of the circumstances that may manifest itself in low libido is hormonal imbalance. Progesterone is one of the body’s essential hormones, especially for women. It is essential for many of the body’s functions including embryo survival during pregnancy, it is a precursor for the production of cortisone, helps in the use of fat for energy, helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, promotes optimal operation of the thyroid, acts as a natural diuretic, and a natural antidepressant. But one of progesterone’s most important functions is that it works in counterbalance to the varying levels of estrogen in a woman’s body during differing pre and post menopausal stages.

When the cause of diminished libido is found to be due to hormonal imbalance, the restoration of normal levels of progesterone through the use of natural progesterone can help to restore a normal hormonal balance, and thus a normal libido.

We now know that progesterone is a hormone created within a woman’s ovaries which helps to prepare the womb each month for acceptance of a fertilized egg, and attachment of a fetus.

Not having an adequate level of progesterone in the body is a problematic circumstance for many women. Why? Because a number of problems can result from low progesterone levels including irregular menstrual cycles, miscarriage and increased cancer risk from unchecked estrogen.

It is extremely important to a woman’s overall health during her entire lifetime (not just during her reproductive years) that her body produces and maintains normal levels of progesterone. The most important reason for this is so that it properly counterbalances the effects of estrogen.

Progesterone levels can be adversely affected by a number of environmental factors including stress, prescription hormones, and hormones used in commercially produced and processed dairy products and meats.

Now that we know that it’s important for your body to maintain normal progesterone levels, we are faced with the following question: What are some signs that your body may have low Levels of progesterone? Here are some clues:

Breast tenderness
Fibrocystic breasts
Decreased/Low sex drive
Depression
Obesity
Night sweats
Bone loss
Irregular menstruation
Excessive bleeding during menstruation
Uterine fibroids
Water retention
Sleeplessness
Vaginal dryness
Thyroid dysfunction
Unclear thinking
Infertility/Miscarriage
Headaches
Endometriosis

Many of these symptoms don’t seem particularly alarming when considered separately, and therein lies the danger. Because they may appear harmless, oftentimes signs of low progesterone are not specifically noticed or interpreted as reasons for concern.

However, when you have noticed these symptoms occurring simultaneously, they should certainly be a signal that something in the body is not normal. This is then reason for a higher level of concern, and should warrant further investigation.