Hormone balance: How to get started?

Updated on 2025-03-04

Summary: Hormone balance: how to go about it?

Host Frédéric Bisson talks with Lynn Goneau, naturopath at La Boite à Grains, about women's hormonal health. She explains that stress, unbalanced diet, lack of exercise and disturbed sleep can cause hormonal imbalances. To remedy this, she recommends adaptogenic herbs, such as maca for energy and memory, holy basil for stress reduction and thyroid support, ashwagandha for cognitive function and insomnia management, as well as shatavari for menstrual cycles and menopause. She offers consultations at La Boite à Grains to accompany those who wish to explore these natural solutions.

1. Understand and balance your hormones naturally

Naturopath Lynn Goneau explains how stress, diet and lifestyle influence hormonal balance, and shares natural solutions to better manage these challenges.

2. Adaptogenic plants: allies for female hormonal health

Discover how maca, holy basil, ashwagandha and shatavari can help alleviate the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, menopause and chronic stress.

3. Managing stress for a better hormonal balance

Stress plays a key role in hormonal imbalances. Lynn Goneau presents natural approaches to reducing stress and improving quality of life.

4. Menopause and hormones: discover natural solutions

Menopause can be a trying time, but plants such as shatavari and ashwagandha offer effective support to reduce symptoms and improve overall well-being.

5. Consult a naturopath for personalized support

For those wishing to explore alternatives to hormonal treatments, Lynn Goneau offers personalized consultations at La Boite à Grains to tailor solutions to each individual woman.

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Radio host at 104.7 FM on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

We're just a few days away from International Women's Day. We're talking about March 8, the day we commemorate, and we're going to talk about it today with Lynn Goneau, who is a naturopath at La Boite à Grains to talk about health, but hormonal health in women. Hello.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

How do you work with hormonal imbalances when you get women telling you I'm having problems? A pre-menstrual syndrome with menopausal pains too. Or my hormones are all out of whack. These are questions you must get a lot.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Oh regularly. Frédéric. Yes, that's a subject that really touches me personally, because I've lived through menopause, or I should say, I've survived menopause. And that's thanks to all my naturopathic knowledge.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Survived, so might not have made it through.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

It's naturopathy, the knowledge I have because it's a very difficult stage for women.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Yes. What is it? What kind of stress do you start with? And especially a lot of pain stress.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

There are factors that influence hormonal imbalance, and chronic stress is a common one. It can be an unbalanced diet. It can be lack of exercise and often disturbed sleep.

For me, I always start by managing stress. Often, we're so used to living under stress that we don't even realize we're in a performance or worry mode most of the time. It could be at work, when the load is heavy, or as a parent of a young child, which isn't always obvious, or of a teenager, or it could even be worry about the future, on a political and economic level. There are so many sources.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

So what's your secret?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

I work with adaptogenic plants.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Adaptogenic plants. What does adaptogen mean?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Exactly. The adaptogen plant is a plant that has the ability to act where the body is experiencing difficulties. It targets the need, then works on it. It can help the body better resist various stresses. It can be mental or emotional. It can also give the body greater physical resistance.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Ah.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, it helps support even mental and cognitive functions, such as memory loss or brain fog. It balances mood.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Well, we're not into magic here, because we know, there are lots of medicines whose plants are the basis of what is actually medicinal, but there are also names we know, that will speak to us.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

The first is maca root. This is a root vegetable native to Peru. It's the most versatile adaptogen because it's known for its energizing properties. It can stimulate the libido. It fortifies the immune system, and can even increase memory and learning capacity. It can also help relieve symptoms such as PMS and menopause.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

You also have holy basil. It's not the same as the basil you buy at the grocery store.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

No, it doesn't. It doesn't even taste like the basil that's used to make spaghetti sauces and so on. And it's often known as tulsi, then it's considered an adaptogen capable of helping the body to reduce the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, then to help support the function of the tyroid which is often an imbalance, then which can contribute to symptoms like bad mood, fatigue and weight gain. In fact, I use it every day. I brew it in my water bottle, either lukewarm or cold. Once it's infused, I leave it either lukewarm or drink it cold, and for those who prefer not to drink it, we also have it in capsule form.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

And this isn't the first time you've talked to us about this adaptogenic plant, ashwagandha.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Ashwagandha yes, also known as Indian ginseng. This is a shrub found in certain parts of Africa. It is used for its anti-inflammatory properties. It helps with insomnia. Arthritis. Diabetes, can even improve cognitive functions and especially athletic performance in athletes. And, of course, for sexual problems in women.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Some people will find it complicated to buy plants individually, either dried, to make powders or as you make herbal teas, things like that. So we have a supplement that's made, I think in the region, to recommend.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Another adaptogenic plant is offered by Piur 1, a young Ottawa-based company that uses 100% natural and organic ingredients. What I like about this plant is that it's been around for thousands of years, but we didn't have access to it. I'm happy to have it. It's called shatavari.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Never heard that.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Shatavari is an adaptogen. It draws its nutrients from the soil, especially in India. It helps to balance menstrual cycles, relieve hot flashes, especially this one, and is a powerful adaptogen for stress and anxiety management. It can help support digestion and gastrointestinal health, as well as the immune system.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

So, we understand that it's really a plant. I love it. The root for women. Yes, especially for menstrual cycles, for hot flashes. 
So there are women who, before turning to hormones and things like that, might want to try plants. We can go and meet you.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes to La Boite à Grains on Gréber. I'm here every Tuesday from 12pm to 5pm, and on other days I'm in a private room.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So if you want a private appointment, you can find it on the La Boite à Grains. Yes, to contact you. Lynn Goneau thank you very much for being here.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Thank you Fred.