Written by Lisa Edmondson – Women’s Hormone & Health Lead, Nurse, Master Health Coach
For generations, women have been told that fatigue, heavy periods, mood swings, and brain fog are just “part of being a woman.” But what if they’re not? What if the constant tiredness, crippling period pain, and emotional ups and downs are actually your body’s way of saying, “Something’s not right”?
Your hormones — from estrogen and progesterone to thyroid hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline — play an intricate symphony that affects everything from your mood to your metabolism. When one instrument falls out of tune, the whole performance suffers.
Let’s look at what’s truly normal and what’s not when it comes to women’s hormonal health.
Periods: What’s Normal (and What’s Definitely Not)
A healthy menstrual cycle is a sign that your body’s reproductive and hormonal systems are in balance.
A normal period:
- Comes roughly every 21–35 days
- Lasts between 3–7 days
- Involves mild to moderate discomfort on the first day or two, not pain that leaves you bedridden
- Involves a total blood loss of around 30–80 millilitres — that’s about 6–16 teaspoons across the whole period
If you’re soaking through multiple pads or tampons every hour, needing to change a menstrual cup several times a day, or passing large clots, this is not normal.
Nor is it normal to be doubled over in pain, missing work, or unable to move for days. These are signs that your hormones — particularly estrogen and progesterone — may be out of balance, or that an underlying condition such as endometriosis, fibroids, or adenomyosis may be present.
Your period should not control your life.
Thyroid Health: The Master Metabolism Regulator
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that has a huge impact on your energy, mood, and weight. It produces hormones that regulate your metabolism — the rate at which your body converts food into energy.
When your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), you might notice:
- Constant fatigue or low motivation
- Weight gain (even when you’re eating well)
- Dry skin, thinning hair, brittle nails
- Feeling cold all the time
- Brain fog and poor concentration
If it’s overactive (hyperthyroidism), symptoms can include:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Weight loss despite eating normally
- Anxiety or jitteriness
- Insomnia
Many women develop thyroid issues during perimenopause or after pregnancy — times when hormones fluctuate dramatically. Unfortunately, thyroid problems are often brushed off as “stress” or “just getting older.”
But it’s not “just life” — it’s your body asking for help.
Perimenopause: The Hormonal Rollercoaster Before Menopause
Perimenopause is the natural transition period before menopause, when estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate. It can start as early as your late 30s and last several years.
Common (but not necessarily normal) symptoms include:
- Irregular cycles
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Mood swings or anxiety
- Weight changes
- Low libido
- Brain fog and fatigue
While these symptoms are common, you don’t have to suffer through them. Supporting your hormones through nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle changes — and checking thyroid and adrenal health — can make an enormous difference.
Adrenal Fatigue: When Stress Steals Your Spark
Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and are responsible for producing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline — your stress-response hormones.
When life’s demands keep your stress levels high for too long, your adrenals can become overworked, leading to what’s often referred to as adrenal fatigue.
This isn’t the kind of tiredness that a weekend sleep-in fixes.
This is can’t-get-out-of-bed fatigue.
The kind where:
- Showering feels impossible
- You’re too exhausted to cook or even eat
- You can’t focus, can’t think clearly, and everything feels overwhelming
It’s a full-body shutdown — your system trying to conserve energy because it’s been running on stress hormones for far too long.
Supporting adrenal health involves restoring balance: prioritising sleep, eating nourishing meals regularly, managing stress, and allowing yourself true rest — not just Netflix and a blanket, but deep, restorative downtime.
The Bottom Line: You Deserve to Feel Well
Pain, exhaustion, and overwhelm are not the price of being a woman.
They are signs that your body is out of alignment — hormonally, nutritionally, or emotionally.
Listening to your body, getting proper hormone and thyroid testing, and working with a practitioner who understands the interplay between the thyroid, adrenals, and reproductive hormones can be life-changing.
Your body is not broken. It’s communicating.
And it’s time we started listening.
How Global Health Can Help
At Global Health, we believe that every woman deserves to understand what “normal” truly feels like — balanced energy, manageable cycles, and a clear, calm mind.
Lisa Edmondson, Women’s Hormone and Health Lead, Nurse, and Master Health Coach, works with women to get their hormones back into balance and reconnect with their bodies.
Through tailored health plans, advanced hormone and thyroid testing, and practical lifestyle strategies, Lisa helps women move from surviving to thriving.
If you’re struggling with fatigue, mood swings, painful or heavy periods, or simply feel “not quite yourself,” it might be time to get to the root of the issue.
Reach out to Global Health to begin your journey toward hormonal balance, vitality, and wellbeing.
About Global Health
Located in Takapuna, Auckland, Global Health offers integrative, evidence-based care that blends conventional medicine with holistic approaches. Our team of practitioners provides personalised support for hormone health, nutrition, stress management, and wellbeing — helping you feel your best, inside and out.
Book your consultation today
(09) 488 0208
www.globalhealthclinics.co.nz
409 Lake Road, Takapuna, Auckland