Category: Women

What is Hormone Imbalance?

What is Hormone Imbalance?

Hormone imbalance is a common health condition that affects millions of people, including those in North Liberty, IA. Hormones are responsible for regulating many essential functions in the body, including weight, metabolism, energy, mood, and libido. When the levels of these hormones are out of balance, it can cause a wide range of symptoms that can impact a person’s overall health and well-being.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, it’s important to seek treatment to restore balance and improve your quality of life. In this blog, we’ll explore why North Liberty, IA patients should choose New Leaf Wellness for hormone imbalance

Hormones play a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, such as metabolism, mood, energy, and libido. However, when the delicate balance of hormones in your body is disrupted, it can lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms and health issues.

Hormone imbalance is a common condition that affects both men and women of all ages. Factors such as stress, aging, and environmental toxins can disrupt the normal production and distribution of hormones in the body, leading to a range of symptoms.

Some common symptoms of hormone imbalance include:

  • fatigue
  • weight gain
  • mood swings
  • hot flashes
  • low libido
  • depression
  • anxiety

These symptoms can significantly affect your quality of life and make it difficult to perform daily tasks and activities.

Testing & Treatments

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is essential to seek treatment from a reputable and experienced healthcare provider. Above all, New Leaf Wellness is a leading wellness clinic in North Liberty, IA, that specializes in hormone replacement therapy and other natural treatments.

At New Leaf Wellness, we offer comprehensive hormone testing and personalized treatment plans to address your unique needs and symptoms. Our team of experienced and compassionate healthcare professionals will work closely with you to determine the root cause of your hormone imbalance and develop a tailored treatment plan to restore balance to your hormones.

Our hormone replacement therapy treatments use bio-identical hormones. These hormones are identical in structure and function to the hormones produced naturally in your body. This approach ensures that your body can easily recognize and utilize the hormones, altogether leading to optimal results with minimal side effects.

In addition to hormone replacement therapy, we offer other natural treatments such as Food Sensitivity Testing, supplements, and lifestyle modifications. These treatments support your overall health and wellbeing.

New Leaf Wellness in Omaha Cares

At New Leaf Wellness, we are committed to providing the highest quality care and support to our patients. We understand the impact that hormone imbalance can have on your life, and we are dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health and wellness.

If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our team at New Leaf Wellness. Personalized treatment and commitment to patient care make us the premier hormone therapy clinic in North Liberty, IA and our other locations. Don’t let hormone imbalance affect your quality of life – contact us today to learn how we can help!

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Building New Habits Step by Step

Building new habits step by step or breaking old ones can often feel overwhelming. We set ambitious goals and try to achieve them all at once, only to find ourselves struggling to stay consistent or losing motivation after a short while. But what if there was a better approach? What if we could make lasting changes by taking small, manageable steps? Just like the old saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” In this blog, we will explore the power of taking small steps when building new habits and how this approach can lead to lasting success.

The Myth of Quick Habit Formation

There’s a common misconception that it takes a specific number of days, such as 17, 21, or 30, to form a new habit. While it’s true that consistency is key to building habits, the idea that a habit will magically become automatic after a set number of days is a myth. Instead, habits are complex behaviors that involve various factors, including motivation, cues, triggers, and rewards. Simply trying to force yourself to do something every day for a set number of days may not be enough to create a lasting habit.

The Power of Small Steps

Instead of trying to tackle a new habit all at once, breaking it down into small, manageable steps can be much more effective. In summary, taking small steps allows you to focus on one aspect of the habit at a time. The small steps make it easier to integrate into your routine and sustain over the long term. Here’s why small steps can be so powerful:

  1. Overcome Overwhelm: When we set big goals or try to make multiple changes at once, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This can lead to stress, procrastination, and ultimately giving up on the habit altogether. Breaking the habit into smaller steps makes it more manageable and less overwhelming increasing the likelihood of success.
  2. Build Momentum: Taking small steps allows you to build momentum over time. Each small success reinforces the habit and creates a positive feedback loop, making it easier to stay motivated and continue making progress.
  3. Create Consistency: Consistency is crucial when it comes to habit formation. By starting small, you can establish a consistent routine without feeling like you’re sacrificing too much time or effort. In summary, this makes it easier to stick with the habit and gradually increase the difficulty as you progress.
  4. Foster Self-Compassion: Building new habits can be challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. When you take small steps, it’s easier to be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion when you encounter obstacles or make mistakes. This helps you maintain a positive mindset and bounce back from setbacks with resilience.

Practical Tips for Building Habits One Step at a Time

Now that we understand the power of small steps, let’s look at tips for building new habits:

  1. Start with a Clear Goal: Clearly define the habit you want to build and why it’s important to you. Simply put, having a clear goal provides motivation and direction for your small steps.
  2. Break It Down: Break the habit down into small, specific steps that are easy to accomplish. Therefore, if your goal is to eat healthier, start with small changes like adding an extra serving of vegetables to your meals or replacing sugary snacks with fruit.
  3. Set a Schedule: Create a schedule or a routine for your small steps. For example, if you want to start a workout routine, schedule regular workout sessions at specific times and days of the week.
  4. Track Your Progress: Keep track of your small steps and celebrate your progress. Use a habit tracker or a journal to monitor your consistency and reward yourself for each small success.

In conclusion, talk to your provider at New Leaf Wellness, Omaha, NE and the other New Leaf Wellness clinics. Start by taking ONE Bite at a Time and build those new habits!

Adrenal Dysfunction Leads to Weight Problems

Adrenal Dysfunction Leads to Weight Problems

There are several mechanisms by which Adrenal Fatigue or a stress response dysfunction can lead to weight problems.

The majority of these problems lead to weight gain. Patients who lose weight and have difficulty keeping it off are also a smaller percentage.

Common Reasons for Adrenal Fatigue Weight Gain

1) The ability or inability to convert food into a universal form of energy in the body (my definition of metabolism) is compromised.

2) A suppressed thyroid

3) Cortisol (an adrenal stress hormone) makes you gain and hold onto fat.

Suppressed Metabolism Due to Adrenal Fatigue

Simply put, we are all designed to eat food, digest it, absorb it, and convert the smaller bits into a universal form of energy (ATP). We then use this energy to make our body perform tasks like thinking, walking, breathing, and self-repair. Everything is dependent on this energy.

Mitochondria convert these foods into ATP through metabolic processes. Eventually, overactive stress physiology significantly damages the mitochondria. The adrenals and thyroid work together to regulate this process.

Our metabolic process is compromised — in one way or another — when our body is in an active stress response. Sooner or later, this metabolic pattern remains when there is chronic stress; even when the stressors are removed.

Balance the Adrenals to Balance Your Weight

The adrenals act as the oil and gas in your engine — the thyroid. If you crank up the engine without paying attention to the oil and gas, you will eventually cause trouble.

It may not be for a couple of months or even a couple of years, but that engine will eventually run out of oil and gas completely, leaving you to break down again.

A sustainable solution would be to treat the adrenal problem first. Fill up the oil and gas, the thyroid will likely kick back in on its own.

Chronic Stress Leads to Adrenal Fatigue

Over time, chronic stress can overwhelm the adrenal capacity for stress. The adrenal glands produce elevated stress hormones — like cortisol — during the initial stages of stress response and Adrenal Fatigue.

The cortisol is an appropriate response to the fight or flight stimulation. During fight or flight, we would need fuel. And the major fuel of the body is glucose.

Eating food to provide glucose in an emergency situation would be too slow of a process. So, the body has developed a storage form of glucose called glycogen.

Cortisol stimulates the liver and fat cells to convert this glycogen back into glucose and release it into the bloodstream. This is when your body can use it as fuel to fight the proverbial tiger (i.e. dealing with your boss, traffic, social media, the news — you get the idea).

Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance

In a fight or flight situation, your body detects an increase in glucose levels.

Insulin is then released by the pancreas in response to the elevated blood sugar, to assist in getting the glucose out of the blood. If there were an actual tiger to fight or to run from, you would burn off this excess blood sugar.

But if there is no tiger to run from, the excess sugar in the blood can cause damage.

The primary mechanism insulin uses to lower blood sugar is to escort and open the door for the sugar to get into the individual cells.

Cells, however, will hold the door to the cell closed if they already have sufficient fuel or sugar. The cells become “resistant” to insulin.

During insulin resistance, the pancreas produces increasing amounts of insulin to get the sugar out of the blood into the cells.

If the cells will not take in any glucose, the insulin then converts the glucose into a triglyceride: a molecule of fat plus sugar.

The body then stores the triglyceride as fat in the body for use at a later date. Typical storage sites for fat include the hips, thighs, and abdomen.

The Most Dangerous Fat Caused by Weight Gain

Fat in the abdomen is sensitive to cortisol. It is the preferred target for the storage of triglycerides during stress. Increased triglyceride in abdominal fat leads to an increase in the size of fat cells in the abdomen. Additionally, this leads to increased belly fat.

Research shows that abdominal fat is the most dangerous location for fat deposition.

Insulin resistance is also called Metabolic Syndrome. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The pancreas has a limited capacity to produce insulin and can become “exhausted.” The exhausted pancreas cannot produce adequate amounts of insulin to handle the glucose in the blood. Blood sugar rises, because of limited insulin to manage it. This is the leading cause of diabetes.

Bottom Line on Weight Gain

Ultimately, there are only two ways to raise blood sugar and gain bodyweight

• overeating food (especially sugar and carbs)

• getting “stressed”

Stress will increase cortisol, and cortisol increases sugar.

How to Reverse Adrenal Fatigue Weight Gain Woes

Adrenal Fatigue involves several systems of your body. It is important to give your body time to heal and turn off its overactive stress response.

Here’s the goal, in a nutshell:

• Get your cortisol back in line. Manage your stressors and improve your resilience to stress by understanding how your body works and interacting with it.

• Stop suppressing the engine of your body (thyroid) by staying stuck in a stress response. You must rewire your system so that it chooses calm over stress.

• Eat a hypoglycemic diet (or what is called a “Stress-Less Diet”). By doing this, you keep your sugar and carb levels low. If your weight doesn’t want to budge, you can look at your sugar and carb intake and cut it in half again. That usually does the trick.

The Next Step in Adrenal Fatigue Weight Gain

  • Over one-third of Adrenal Fatigue patients state that their weight is one of their primary concerns. Healing Adrenal Fatigue effectively and regulating cortisol and stress are the key factors in weight maintenance.

Clearing Digestive Issues in Omaha

Patients are clearing digestive Issues in Omaha, NE. DIGESTIVE issues are NOT OK (even though they’re common). Additionally, they affect the balance of your HORMONES.

Moreover, these digestive symptoms may also be signals that you’re suffering from Estrogen Dominance:

  • Bloating

  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea or loose stool
  • Gas
  • Burping
  • Acid reflux

As human beings, our bodies are complex systems that are constantly working together to maintain optimal health. One essential aspect of our health that is often overlooked is the role of our digestive system in hormonal balance. In recent years, there has been a growing understanding of how clearing digestive issues can be a key factor in achieving hormonal balance. In this blog, I will delve deeper into this topic and explore why having a healthy digestive system is crucial for hormonal health.

The Gut-Hormone Connection

The gut, often referred to as the “second brain,” is home to trillions of bacteria that make up our gut microbiome. These bacteria play a role in our overall health, including hormonal balance. The gut and hormones connect through a bidirectional communication system also known as the gut-hormone axis. Hormones secreted by various glands in the body can affect the gut. In return, the gut can influence hormone production and balance.

One of the most well-known hormones affected by the gut is serotonin, often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone. Serotonin is primarily produced in the gut and is responsible for regulating mood, appetite, and sleep. Furthermore, an unhealthy gut can disrupt serotonin production, leading to imbalances. The imbalance can result in mood swings, food cravings, and sleep disturbances.

Additionally, the gut produces hormones such as ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety. Imbalances in these hormones can lead to overeating or poor appetite regulation, contributing to weight gain or loss, and disrupting hormonal balance.

The Gut-Hormone Conclusion

Furthermore, the gut is responsible for metabolizing and eliminating excess estrogen from the body. Estrogen dominance is a condition where estrogen levels are elevated. In relation to other hormones, this can occur when the gut is unable to properly metabolize and excrete estrogen. In consequence, this can lead to a hormonal imbalance and result in symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, and bloating.

Common Digestive Issues and Hormonal Imbalances

Several common digestive issues can disrupt hormonal balance. Let’s explore some of them:

  1. Leaky gut syndrome: Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, is a condition where the gut lining becomes compromised, allowing toxins, undigested food particles, and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream. Consequently, this can trigger an immune response, leading to inflammation and hormonal imbalances. Chronic inflammation in the gut can disrupt hormonal signaling, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, and other hormonal issues.
  2. Dysbiosis: Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the gut microbiome, with an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria. In other words, Dysbiosis can disrupt the production and metabolism of hormones in the gut, leading to hormonal imbalances. For example, imbalances in gut bacteria can impair the production of serotonin, affecting mood and appetite regulation.
  3. Constipation: Chronic constipation can lead to hormonal imbalances by disrupting the elimination of waste products and toxins from the body. Consequently, this can result in increased reabsorption of estrogen in the gut, leading to estrogen dominance and hormonal imbalances.
  4. Nutrient Deficiencies: A healthy gut is crucial for absorption and utilization of nutrients, including those that are essential for hormone production and balance. Nutrient deficiencies, often caused by poor gut health, can lead to hormonal imbalances.

Clearing Digestive Issues for Hormonal Balance

Furthermore, achieving hormonal balance starts with improving gut health. Here are some strategies for clearing digestive issues and promoting hormonal balance:

 

  1. Start with taking the Food Sensitivity Test!
  2. Secondly, Eat a healthy, balanced diet: A diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, can support a healthy gut and hormonal balance. Avoid processed foods.
  3. Lastly, talk to your provider at New Leaf Wellness, Omaha, NE, and the other New Leaf Wellness clinics. Start with taking the Food Sensitivity Test!

Decreasing Inflammation

Watch this video to learn more about DECREASING INFLAMMATION for:

Increased Energy and Vitality

Improved Digestive Health

Increased Sex Drive

Better Sleep

Improved Mood

Enhanced Immune Function

Improved Skin Health

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Menopause RELIEF in Omaha, NE

Menopause is a natural biological process that happens in women and her hormone levels, specifically estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decline. The transition to menopause can take several years for women everywhere including in Omaha, NE, and the symptoms associated with it can vary greatly from woman to woman.

Symptoms of menopause can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are caused by the decrease in estrogen levels and can last for several years. Some women experience more severe symptoms than others, and the duration of symptoms can vary as well. Other symptoms are low libido and loss of muscle mass caused by the decrease of testosterone. And the reduced level of progesterone can cause loss of sleep and mood swings just to name a few!

While menopause is a natural part of the aging process, it can be challenging for many women to navigate. It can also have an impact on a woman’s overall health. Estrogen plays a role in bone health, and the decline in estrogen levels can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis. Women also have an increased risk of heart disease after menopause. Testosterone plays a role in sex drive, muscle mass, energy and mood and progesterone plays a role irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, and bloating. So all 3 of these hormones are important for females to keep healthy even through menopause.

There are several treatment options available for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (NHT) is one option that involves taking estrogen, testosterone and progesterone to replace the hormones that are no longer being produced by the ovaries. NHT can help alleviate symptoms.

Non-hormonal treatments are also available for menopausal symptoms. These include lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and managing stress. There are also NLRX Nutrition Supplements & compounding formulations from New Leaf Specialty Pharmacy available that can help with specific symptoms, such as Stress Reset for mood changes and low-dose vaginal estrogen for vaginal dryness.

It’s essential for women to talk to the provider at New Leaf Wellness about their symptoms and treatment options. Each woman’s experience with menopause is unique, and treatment should be tailored to her individual needs and health history.

In conclusion, menopause is a natural part of the aging process for women. While it can be challenging to navigate, there are treatment options available to alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of health complications. Women should talk to their provider at New Leaf Wellness, Omaha, NE and the other New Leaf Wellness clinics about their options and develop a plan that is right for them.

Addressing Libido in Omaha

Libido is an important aspect of overall health and well-being. It refers to a person’s sexual desire or drive and can be affected by a variety of factors, including hormone levels. At New Leaf Wellness Clinic based in Omaha, NE, we recognize the importance of addressing libido concerns for our patients and offer personalized treatment options to help restore sexual vitality.

How Does Oxytocin Benefit Your Health?

Hormones play a significant role in regulating libido. In men, testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for sexual desire, while in women, a combination of testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone contributes to libido. As we age, hormone levels naturally decline, which can result in a decreased sex drive.

However, hormonal imbalances can also occur in younger individuals, which can lead to low libido.

Symptoms That Affect Libido

There are many symptoms that can affect a person’s libido or sex drive. Here are some common symptoms that can impact libido:

  1. Physical illnesses
  2. Certain medications
  3. Stress and anxiety
  4. Lack of sleep
  5. Relationship issues
  6. Age
  7. Menopause and pregnancy
  8. Body image issues

Firstly, it is important to address any symptoms that may be affecting libido in order to improve overall sexual health and wellness.

Addressing Libido Concerns at New Leaf Wellness, Omaha, NE

At New Leaf Wellness, hormone therapy is used to address a variety of concerns, including low libido. After a thorough evaluation and testing, personalized treatment plans are developed for each patient to address their specific hormone imbalances.
The use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be recommended for men with low testosterone levels. This treatment involves dosing the correct level of testosterone for the best care of our patients and their testosterone levels to improve sexual desire. TRT can also help to improve other symptoms associated with low testosterone, such as fatigue and mood swings.

Natural hormone replacement therapy (NHT) may be recommended for women. To address hormonal imbalances and improve sexual desire, NHT uses hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. NHT can also help to improve other symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
In addition to hormone therapy, New Leaf Wellness also offers other treatments to address libido concerns, such as PT-141, Oxytocin, and compounded Sildenafil or tadalafil medications. These treatments use non-invasive techniques to improve blood flow and stimulate tissue growth, leading to improved sexual function and desire.

Conclusion

In Omaha, NE, New Leaf Wellness prioritizes addressing concerns related to sexual desire as part of overall health and well-being. Through personalized hormone therapy and other treatments, New Leaf Wellness can help its patients restore sexual vitality and improve their quality of life. In conclusion, if you are experiencing concerns related to low libido, schedule a consultation with New Leaf Wellness to explore your treatment options.

Save On Your Wellness Budget

We live in a world that often encourages us to prioritize convenience and overlook the long-term health effects of our daily decisions. Secondly, it is no secret that our healthcare system is flawed in many ways; some of those flaws make it easy for us to write off certain precautionary measures instead of spending less money. In the short term, we can save money, but in the long run, we can lose out if our wellness budget isn’t spent wisely.

Here’s the Thing: Being Well Costs Money.

It’s just the truth of the matter. It is, undeniably, cheaper (at least in the short term) to be unhealthy: Fast food/junk food is cheaper than organic whole foods, gym memberships, and trainers. The amount of time it takes to focus on wellness is just something not everyone can afford.

However, with that unfortunate truth comes an even more worrisome reality: Those who don’t take care of themselves will be forced to face the repercussions later in life. Think about it –if you drive a car and you’re skipping regularly scheduled maintenance, you’re putting cheap gas in the tank, and you’re going thousands of miles over your oil’s recommended lifespan, you wouldn’t expect your car to drive to 300,000 miles… you’d be lucky to hit 100k! But this isn’t a car we’re talking about… it’s your body!

This compilation of studies (https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-813) shows, as predicted, the negative relation between weekly physical activity and the occurrence of Coronary Heart Disease in over 15,000 individuals. Meaning there is a direct correlation between exercise and preventing heart disease. Excercise is something you can do for FREE. Simultaneously, it will help you avoid the #1 killer in America. How’s that for return on investment?

Your Health Is Your Wealth

Maybe you’ve heard that phrase before, or maybe this is your first time; either way, the sentiment rings true. If you want to live the long, healthy, happy life you deserve, now is the time to invest in yourself. We plan for retirement, we plan for our kids’ college, we plan our big purchases and vacations, but where’s the wellness plan in your life? How do you expect to be your grandchildren’s best friend? How do you see yourself on your 50th wedding anniversary? Surely, your vision of the future is filled with life and excitement! Well, there’s really only one way to achieve true wealth: Health.

There are LOTS of ways to ensure you’re aging well and setting yourself up for a graceful second half of life. If you ask me, one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself is beginning Bio-identical Hormone Optimization Therapy. Men and Women alike get AMAZING results with our treatment plans here at New Leaf Wellness, and I can tell you firsthand that the patients we’ve had for over 10 years now are living proof that healthy aging is possible.

Our Bio-identical Hormone Optimization Therapy is incredibly powerful in combating the tell-tale symptoms of aging. The reason so many of us begin to feel old as we age is a decline in hormone production. Hormones control our bodily functions and mental well-being. Hormone replacement therapy gives us back our youth, literally.

 

“They help me get my life back-play, work, sex and feel great again! I feel young again!”

 

–New Leaf Wellness Hormone Patient

A Better Way to Age

We’re honored and privileged to be entrusted with our patients’ wellness; we want to help you live your best life! Contact us today to discuss treatment options and whether you may be a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy.

Change Starts With Hope

Watch this video to learn more about our programs that inspire HOPE.

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