At The Wellness Way, we’ve created a reputation for ourselves of testing instead of guessing. We are renowned for testing hormone levels and helping people get back to their healthiest self. In fact, our founder, Dr. Patrick Flynn, has been hailed as “The Hormone Whisperer.” Why? Because we do health differently. We not only want to find the hormones that may be out of balance, but we want to figure out what is the cause of hormone imbalance in your body. Once we know that, we know how to help you become healthier! There isn’t one right way to restore hormone balance for every body. We need to look at each body uniquely. We want to identify the triggers and rebuild so that it can function properly and you can lead a healthy, vibrant life!
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers that carry signals to other parts of the body. These signals tell those tissues or organs how to function or adapt for life and homeostasis. To read more, check out our article here. Many people think of the sex hormones, testosterone and estrogen. If you’ve been around The Wellness Way long enough, you’ll know that estrogen isn’t even the name of a hormone, but rather the name of a group of hormones! Insulin, adrenaline, progesterone, melatonin, and numerous others are carrying messages throughout your body to keep everything functioning.
Hormone Imbalance Causes
Hormones are used and affected in the body in numerous ways. If there is a breakdown anywhere in the chain, it certainly will cause a hormone imbalance. Are the hormones being produced in the proper amounts? Are they converting to the most usable and needed forms at the correct time? Are they able to be absorbed and used efficiently and effectively? Is there proper nutrition and support for the body to maintain all of these functions? Is there illness disrupting any step of the process? How is the liver functioning? How healthy is the gut and microbiome?
At The Wellness Way, we view the body as a Swiss watch. Each gear needs to function properly for the watch to do what it was intended: keep time accurately. Because there are so many gears to the watch, it is simple for one to falter and cause challenges. The body has many systems, processes, and organs. Hormones impact all of them. It’s easy to see why there are so many symptoms that can present themselves! Testing hormone levels needs to be complete and comprehensive. Each of the “gears” of the body need to be checked over to make sure they are working properly for the body to function.
Causes and Effects of Hormone Imbalances
An imbalance is exactly what it sounds like: the chemical messengers are either too numerous or too deficient to properly handle the job. Women have a greater hormonal range throughout the month, so imbalances are usually more common and present many different symptoms. Many women notice weight gain, painful periods, infertility, fatigue, and other life-altering symptoms. Men aren’t immune to hormone imbalances, though, and need to take the possibility seriously as well.
Hormone imbalance causes can range from inflammation to an unhealthy gut, toxins in your environment, illness, allergies, mental stress, and more. When we figure out what the causes are, we can support the body in regulating the imbalance back into balance! Testing for hormone imbalances also allows us to help manage other states of disease, not just symptoms. From diabetes to cancer, from thyroid function to fibromyalgia, we can gain a better understanding of what the body needs. Once those needs are met, homeostasis and health are possible once again.
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3!
There are three primary ways to test hormones: blood, saliva, and urine. At The Wellness Way, one of our favorite hormone tests is the DUTCH test. The DUTCH test is significantly more thorough compared to typical blood, saliva, and even other urine tests. With a snapshot throughout the day, we are able to gain a clearer picture of what is going on and how to support the body. Not only that, but the sheer number of hormones this test covers is unlike any other out there.
The DUTCH Complete “shows a comprehensive assessment of 20 sex hormone metabolite markers (2 Progesterone, 8 Androgen, and 10 Estrogen), 12 adrenal hormone metabolite markers (4 Cortisol, 4 Cortisone, 3 Cortisol Metabolites, 4 Creatinine, and DHEA-S), 6 Organic Acids, 8-OHdG, and Melatonin. All these markers are taken from a one-day, 4-spot urine collection. Specimens are collected easily at home and are shipped directly back to our lab for processing, with free shipping in the US!”¹
How can it get more convenient than that?
We Do Health Differently
At The Wellness Way, not only do we use amazing tests, but we look at them differently, too. When our doctors interpret the results of these tests, they are looking for why the levels of certain hormones are off. Once we figure out the “why” we can clearly see the “how.” We aren’t looking to manipulate one hormone to force it back into the levels we want to see. We are preparing the body to heal and restore proper function to all systems. When the body is able to function properly, it no longer needs to send symptoms as signals that something is wrong. And then you can begin to live that healthy, vibrant life!
We’ve made it simpler than ever for people to reclaim their health. You can find the DUTCH test in our store. Follow the link below to find a doctor to help you get started on your journey from anywhere in the world.
References
¹https://dutchtest.com/2021/04/26/which-dutch-test-is-right-for-me/
