Balancing hormones

SaladHow much does stress really affect the body? We all know that it plays its part in depression, heart health and other conditions, but actually it has an enormous effect on our hormones which can affect you in many different ways. Kimberley Gridley, a homeopath, nutritionist, specialises in Natural Hormone Balance for Women, based on functional medicine.

Kimberley sees women of all ages, but not surprisingly many of them have faced high levels of stress. Too much stress exhausts the adrenal glands, which provide the adrenaline for the ‘fight and flight mechanism’. Common issues are weight gain, emotional ups and downs, periods and PMT, menopause and hot flushes, fibroids and endometriosis. Many are struggling with lack of energy and tiredness, as well as Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia.

In addition to saliva and blood tests to check for hormonal imbalance, Kimberley asks patients about their diet. She also runs a diagnostic test called a heart rate variability test (HRV) which indicates how the hormones are coping, how you burn calories, whether you are struggling with stress levels, and what metabolic type you are.

Functional medicine is a personalised approach to healthcare which focuses on why we have disease and getting to the root cause of the problem. Each person is treated as an individual and their particular health issues are addressed. This is in stark contrast to conventional medicine which often treats disease with drugs in a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Once Kimberley has all this information she prescribes homeopathic or herbal remedies, vitamins and minerals, and other supplements such as Omega 3s or probiotics. She also draws up a diet that is suited to your type, but is very likely to consist of a lot of vegetables.

Kimberley practises at the Nelson’s Pharmacy at 87 Duke Street, London W1K 5PQ, 020 7079 1282, www.nelsonspharmacy.com . See Kimberley’s website  where you can get a free copy of Hormone Balancing Eating Plan: The Low GI Companion e-book.

Find out more about functional medicine by watching Dr Mark Hayman on YouTube.