Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — endocrine balance

If you’re doing everything right — eating well, exercising, taking your vitamins — but still can’t shift the weight, a hormone imbalance may be working against you. Hormone Health Educator Candace Burch of ZRT Laboratory breaks down the 8 most common hormonal culprits behind unexplained weight gain, from estrogen dominance and high cortisol to low vitamin D, disrupted sleep and a lack of strength training.

Most of us know when something feels off — fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, poor sleep. But fewer people realise that a hormonal imbalance is often at the root. Learn how the endocrine system works, what throws it out of balance, and how at-home hormone testing can help you find answers.

As the days shorten and sunlight fades, four key hormonal systems come under pressure: vitamin D, serotonin, cortisol and melatonin. For those susceptible to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the disruption of these interconnected rhythms can trigger depression, fatigue, poor sleep and low mood. This article explains the science behind the SAD hormone pattern — and what you can do to support your body through the darker months.

When sex hormone test results show both oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (Pg) within normal ranges, yet symptoms persist, the Pg/E2 ratio provides a critical additional layer of clinical insight. A low ratio points to oestrogen dominance; a high ratio to progesterone dominance — each requiring a different therapeutic response. This article explains how the ratio is calculated, when it is clinically relevant, and how a real-world case illustrates its practical value.