Eimear Hutchinson: Book had profound effect on me.... every Irish woman and man should read it

MY friend recently gave me a book called ‘ It’s probably your hormones’ by Irish Consultant Endocrinologist Dr. Mary Ryan and it would not be an understatement to say that I don’t think any other book has ever such a profound effect on me. I find hormones fascinating, the sheer hold they have over woman for a large portion of our lives, dictating everything from moods to periods from our teens to old age. However, don’t be mistaken into thinking this book is just simply about hormones (although there is nothing simple about hormones!) it is a book that is hugely informative and empowering, and I genuinely think every single Irish woman and man should read it.

The book weaves a hugely informative narrative around hormones, a lot of which I didn’t know before. Interestingly, one of the key messages throughout the book centres around women taking time to mind themselves, to rest and the ensure that the workloads we take on in our homes and in parenting are shared equally across the whole family, children included. Do not underestimate the effect that physical and mental tiredness can have on your entire body in ways I never even thought possible.

Overall, it is a very digestible book – it is full of scientific information delivered in a manner that makes it feel like your (very intelligent!) friend is conversing with you. It covers topics such as infertility, menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause as well as exploring the links between hormones and sleep, diet and stress.

For me personally the chapter on perimenopause was most interesting. It is the next logical phase in my hormonal health journey.

Thankfully there is infinitely more conversation in general about menopause and perimenopause but sometimes the focus can be on the women who find that journey very difficult and this has embedded a lot of fear in my mind around menopause. I understand that is a hugely important discussion to have but it is rarely balanced by conversations around those that get through the whole process relatively unscathed. It was comforting for me to read about both stages from a very practical and informative standpoint. I am now armed with an idea of what to look out for in my own body and what changes can be made through diet and rest even now to make sure that I am in the best health I can be.

The book set off some little light bulbs in my head regarding improvements that I want to make to my day to not only improve my own health and sleep habits but also ways to inspire my own four girls. 

For example, I am usually pretty poor at having breakfast, I will always have a coffee but I might grab a slice of toast between tying up hair, brushing teeth and generally chasing children out the door. You may not think much of that but that is not good enough on two fronts – firstly it sets a bad example for the girls in terms of my own self-worth because I need to take time to look after myself by having a good meal. This then shows the girls that I am important, I deserve to put myself over their various needs, like putting on shoes or doing up shirt buttons, even if it is just for a few minutes in the day. It’s about putting my needs on par with everyone else in the household. I also need to set a better example of what constitutes a good, nutritious breakfast so it’s porridge with fruit for the foreseeable future.

The other, possibly obvious, change is less screen time before bed. I don’t generally bring my phone up to my room, but my good habits have drifted over the last few months. I am also a rogue for sitting down in the evening and not only watching TV but simultaneously scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest. This exposure to blue light and all the mental stimulation does not help me fall asleep easily so I am eager to break the bad habit of being on a screen late at night. 

A restful night sleep is far more beneficial than scrolling through picture perfect images online.

The other important task on my to do list now is that I am going to go to my GP and get a blood test done for my iron and a check on my hormones levels as I have long suspected they are out of whack and the book confirmed my suspicions. I had come to accept a degree of living with my period and tumultuous hormones each month that was not right so I need to put myself first and get that checked. If one of my daughters came to me in a few years complaining of what I already experience monthly I’d have them at the doctor within days so I need to treat myself with the same respect because I am important too! Do yourself a favour, read the book, it won’t take long but the effect, I suspect, will be long term.