At 19 years old, Danielle Desroche couldn’t eat at a restaurant without getting so bloated that she had to go lay down in the car. After struggling with an eating disorder that ended her career as a professional ballet dancer and left a host of hormone-related issues in its wake, Desroche gained weight, missed periods and watched her hair fall out—all of which negatively impacted her self-confidence.
She wasn’t alone. A 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that, during the menstrual cycle, fluctuations in sex hormones can be linked to self-reported perceived attractiveness and body dissatisfaction. The water retention, increased appetite and mood changes women in the study reported mirrored the hormone issues Desroche experienced due to Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid gland. Balanced hormones, it seemed, were the key to better health.
Desroche decided to find a solution, a path that ultimately led her to nutrition and naturopathic medicine. Today, Desroche is a naturopathic doctor helping women in all phases of life take control of their hormone health and feel their best.
What does the science say?
Desroche explains that, throughout a woman’s cycle, sex hormones are always fluctuating. Estrogen is the primary hormone during the first half of the cycle, which begins on the first day of the menstrual cycle and lasts for two weeks. Estrogen starts low and ramps up over time. In the second half of the cycle, after ovulation, progesterone rises and becomes the primary hormone.
“I like to think of estrogen as this red, rageful hormone,” Desroche says. “When we have elevated levels of estrogen, we tend to see some weight gain, more irritability and more anger. I like to think of progesterone as a cool, calm, happy hormone that tends to help with our anxiety. The problem is that a lot of us are estrogen dominant, which means we have more estrogen in relation to progesterone. We want to see these two hormones balance each other out.”
When there’s an imbalance, Desroche says, women might experience bloating, irritability, exhaustion and other issues that contribute to a negative self-image. This can also happen when a woman shifts into menopause and her hormones change again. The decrease in estrogen and testosterone production can cause weight gain (particularly around the midsection), joint pain, fatigue and skin issues such as wrinkles or sagging.
“A lot of times we can be hard on ourselves and think, ‘I’m not eating well. I’m not going to the gym enough,’ but it’s really just the hormones having a physical effect on [our] body that [we] can’t control,” Desroche says. “The changes we see in self-confidence are related to both actual physical changes and the hormonal shifts that are happening.”
Black cohosh for hormone health
For women looking to support their hormones through supplementation, black cohosh can help. A perennial plant native to North America, black cohosh ( or ) has a history of use among Native American communities who used it to treat menstrual irregularities.
Today, the herb is used for the treatment of menopause symptoms caused by low estrogen, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations and more. The phytochemicals in black cohosh are said to have a serotonin-like effect that helps to regulate body temperature.
Black cohosh supplements, which are made from the plant’s roots and rhizomes, can be taken as a powder, pill, or liquid extract. Consult a medical professional before adding black cohosh to your health regimen.
What are some self-image strategies?
“When a lot of my very health-conscious clients go through menopause, they feel like their body is failing them,” Desroche says. “Self-confidence isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about quality of life.”
Thankfully, there are self-care practices that can help mitigate the negative effects of hormone imbalance. Desroche recommends cycle tracking to her menstruating clients with semi-regular periods to help them better understand the typical physical and emotional changes that are occurring, and use the information to make empowering, self-supportive decisions.
Fuel your body
For menopausal and post-menopausal women, Desroche focuses on supplementation with herbs like black cohosh (see tip), not skipping meals, and nourishing their bodies with protein-rich foods, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Adjust your workouts
Desroche also encourages these women to transition away from long, high-intensity workouts that deplete the adrenal glands (which produce hormones) to shorter strength training sessions, yoga, and Pilates.
Lifestyle changes
Desroche recommends a variety of positive lifestyle changes to her clients, too. Stress and lack of quality sleep can contribute to estrogen-related problems. Setting boundaries around work, especially for those hustling from home, and not spending large chunks of time “doom scrolling” on social media can help.
Desroche recommends that anyone who implements changes and still feels off should find a medical professional who is willing to dive deeper.
“Self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety can creep up so quickly, people don’t realize it’s happening until the ball is rolling so fast that it’s going to take a lot of effort to undo,” Desroche says. “Having a health provider who can keep an eye on things can help you continue to feel good, both physically and emotionally.”
What about men?
Women aren’t the only ones who experience hormone cycles. Men’s sex hormones fluctuate over the course of a 24-hour period, with their primary hormone being testosterone. In men, testosterone is produced by the testes, based on signals from the pituitary gland. Its levels are highest in the morning before decreasing throughout the day.
Men also experience gradual drops in their testosterone levels as they age. This change is sometimes called “andropause” and, like menopause, can contribute to increased moodiness and irritability
This article was originally published in the April 2025 issue of delicious living magazine.
