Hormone Health for Women Entrepreneurs – Guest Post by Holistic Nutritionist Edit Lepine

Hormone health for women is not something to be neglected, especially if you’re a busy business owner. I asked a wonderful Virtual Holistic Nutritionist, Edit Lepine, for her thoughts on why hormone health is especially important for women entrepreneurs.

Edit has a special interest in women’s hormone health so if you feel you could use some help in that area, no matter where you are in the world, Edit can help!

Why Hormone Health for Women Entrepreneurs Is So Important

By Edit Lepine

Sitting here in my office while sipping my morning cup of coffee, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for my courage that gave me the strength almost two years ago to leave my 9 to 5 and start a new chapter in my life.

I feel grateful for not having to jump on another dreadful Monday morning conference call while rushing the kids to school, waving them goodbye and storming away to a soul-sucking job. Today, I am grateful to be a woman entrepreneur.

 

Being A Woman Entrepreneur

But running a business as a woman isn’t easy.

Besides all the challenges of entrepreneurship, we also have to deal with the unique challenges of being a woman. Pregnancy, birth control pills, menstruation, mood swings, hot flashes, menopause, you name it, we got it all!

Yep, I am talking about hormones.

If you are anything like 80% of women, there is a strong chance that you suffer from some type of hormone imbalance that you may not even be aware of.

You see, we are busy wearing many hats throughout our life, and especially as business owners, we often disregard our bodies’ subtle attempts to communicate when something is out of balance. We quickly dismiss our hormonal headaches, roller coaster mood swings, anxiety and depression as part of being a woman.

So if you are thinking right now, that maybe, just maybe, your hormones could be to blame for the fact that your husband runs for cover during the week before your period, know that you are not alone. There are so many women in your shoes.

 

The Effects of Hormone Imbalance on Your Business

Take one of my clients, Kay (names have been changed), for example.

Kay is a successful small business owner in her mid 30s. She started designing and making one-of-a-kind purses out of her house 5 years ago. Her business took off quickly, but recently it came to a halt.

She has struggled with severe PMS symptoms all her adult life. During the week before her period she would suffer from excruciating migraines, severe cramps, depression and an overwhelming feeling of being out of control. Over time her symptoms became worse and she could no longer keep up with the demands of running her business.

My other client, Karolina, is in her late 40s. She has been running a successful accounting service business for the past 8 years. For the last 4 years, she has noticed unwanted pounds gradually creep up around her waistline. Her libido, energy level and concentration all became virtually non-existent. The health of her marriage and business started to suffer. She went from doctor to doctor, but never really got an answer to her troubles.

 

Hormones Affect Everything

When you experience PMS symptoms, irregular and painful periods, uncomfortable symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, your hormones are desperately trying to message you that some of them may be out of balance.

When this happens, these messages can be totally misunderstood and even muted.

But you should listen. Listen very carefully, as hormones affect everything: your focus, concentration, energy level, your mood, your bones, muscles, heart and brain… There really isn’t a single part of you body, mind and spirit that isn’t somehow affected by your hormones.

You know just as I do, as entrepreneurs, our time is very precious. If you are unable to function due to your fluctuating hormones days or weeks out of the month, how can you expect yourself to build a business that flourishes and thrives?

 

How to Support Your Hormone Health

So, what is there to do?

Your business needs you. Your family, friends, your customers and potential clients all need you.

When the desire in your heart to start your business was born, you knew you had no choice but to pursue your dream. You cannot let your hormones stop you.

You can choose to balance your hormones naturally.

You can start by not accepting any day as “normal” when you feel less than amazing, and you simply don’t have any energy in you to write that proposal or take on a new client.

You can start by listening to your body and choose to bring your hormones back into balance by taking charge of your health and implementing some of the following recommendations:

 

1. Follow a hormone-friendly diet.

Center your diet around plenty of organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

The best way to ensure you consume the recommended amounts of fruits and veggies is by starting your day with a green smoothie at least 4–5 days a week. Green smoothies are quick and easy to make, offer a powerhouse of nutrients and a sustained boost of energy. You can find some delicious green smoothie recipes here.

Be sure to hydrate yourself, eat more cruciferous vegetables, include high-quality protein in your diet, avoid all sugar and artificial sweeteners.

 

2. Exercise regularly

I know it’s tempting to work on your business day in and day out, but to make your hormones happy, you must take time to incorporate movement into your day. Find something that you truly enjoy and can see yourself doing for at least 20 minutes 3–4 times a week.

I am personally a huge fan of yoga, walking and tennis, but swimming and biking are also great forms of exercise.

 

3. Sleep

I recommend getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you have trouble sleeping, there are various natural remedies you can explore. Diffusing essential oils in your bedroom or drinking a cup of passionflower tea at bedtime could be very helpful additions to your bedtime routine.

 

4. Stress management

Chronic stress has a detrimental effect on your hormone health and can wreak havoc on your body.

Make it a top priority to allocate 15–30 minutes each day to do something that relaxes you and gives you pleasure. Meditation and/or prayer are both wonderful ways to strengthen your spiritual connection and train your mind to focus on the present moment.

Getting a massage or taking a nice, relaxing bubble bath are also excellent ways to nourish your soul.

 

Make Your Hormone Health A High Priority – For Your Sake and Your Business

Women entrepreneurs are truly special. We have big dreams and we are unstoppable. We are moms, wives, partners and CEOs.

We owe it to our clients and families to take great care of ourselves and lead by example in creating a life filled with joy, happiness and personal fulfillment.

Hormones are part of us. They are invisible to our eyes, yet, so immensely powerful over every aspect of our being. Left unchecked, they have the power to destroy our days, our marriage and even our business.

But not yours, not anymore. Nothing can take you down. Not even your hormones.

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Edit Lepine is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a special interest in women’s hormone health. She is deeply passionate about helping women balance their hormones naturally and empowering them to become the CEOs of their own healthcare. After spending a decade in the pharmaceutical industry, Edit became disillusioned with the state of our healthcare system and decided to make a career change and become a Holistic Nutritionist. Besides hormone health, she also helps women with digestive issues, eating for energy, disease prevention and recovery. Discover her online Holistic Nutrition Services here.