Nikki Hawkes

Medical Herbalist, specialist in Gut & Thyroid health

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hormones

Take control of your menopause with acupuncture

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If you struggle with symptoms of the menopause such as hot flashes you are not alone. Symptoms due to changes in women’s hormone levels can make you feel like you’re going crazy. Most women have at least some symptoms at this time. But, for up to 20% of women these symptoms are very distressing.

Symptoms during menopause

  • night sweats and/or day sweats
  • tiredness and problems sleeping
  • emotional changes such as feeling more anxious
  • cognitive changes such as brain fog
  • joint pain
  • vaginal dryness and loss of libido

And all this, lasting on average for four or five years. [Read more…] about Take control of your menopause with acupuncture

Why you should consider DUTCH hormone testing

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Since I work with people with complex heath issues, I sometimes suggest appropriate lab testing. This can include hormone testing. The test results can really help to identify underlying causes of chronic illness. When it comes to formulating a treatment protocol for you I believe it is better to test, than to guess.

Hormone testing can be useful for men and women. I’m talking here about the reproductive and adrenal hormones. The hormone testing I use in my practice is the DUTCH test. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones. This unique testing was developed by the lab Precision Analytical, in the US. It is simply the best hormone testing available. Providing a complete assessment of sex and adrenal hormones and their metabolites.

Why are these hormones important?

Hormones are chemical messengers in the body. They are present in tiny amounts. Yet they co-ordinate and regulate the important body processes such as reproduction, sleep and immune function. [Read more…] about Why you should consider DUTCH hormone testing

How to prevent menstrual migraines naturally

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An equal number of boys and girls suffer with migraine headaches. This changes after puberty. With the ratio of women to men migraineurs increasing with age. So that in her 40s a woman is more than three times as likely to suffer with migraines. It seems a woman’s complex hormonal fluctuations may be an additional cause of migraines. What’s more, these menstrual migraines are difficult to treat with conventional medicine. So, what does natural medicine have to offer?

What is a menstrual migraine?

Some women have true menstrual migraines. With headaches only occurring with menses or just before.

While others have migraines throughout their cycle. Yet, half of them report migraines occur more often during menses. [Read more…] about How to prevent menstrual migraines naturally

Women have a higher risk of developing autoimmune disease

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The prevalence of autoimmune disease appears to be increasing. While nearly four fifths of people with autoimmune conditions are women.

Of course whether someone develops an autoimmune condition depends on many factors. We know that genetics have an influence on who is more likely to develop a disease. Yet the research shows that genetics account for less than 10% of disease. What is clear now is that non-genetic factors are more important.

The World Health Organisation recently said that more than 50% of deaths are caused by environmental factors. Such factors include air pollution, smoking and diet. [Read more…] about Women have a higher risk of developing autoimmune disease