Have you ever had that ‘aha’ moment where you realize that ‘little’ something you were experiencing (and thought nothing of), actually means something and that there is a specific cause or reason for it?

For me, my entire time in nutrition school was filled with various  ‘aha’ moments about ‘little’ symptoms I had experienced. I’m not talking about full on Celiac/parasite symptoms, just little things here and there. I now find that clients tell me these ‘little’ things they have going on, and then brush it off; but, when we focus in on it more, it actually has significant meaning.

Below are 5 symptoms and signs that there could be imbalances going on in your body.

1) You get sick more than 1x/year

This is a super common one, and generally speaking is linked to your gut health. Even if you have no major digestive problems, you may still have an imbalance of your gut flora, which makes it tough for your body to fight off the bad bacteria and viruses that you get. An easy fix for this is a good probiotic that contains acidophilus. If you are super stressed out, this can also be the cause of chronic colds and flus.

2) You wake up in the night

Waking up occasionally is a fact of life. When it becomes a problem is when it’s chronic, especially in that 2-4am time frame.  If you’re drinking coffee, and this happens to you, you should stop. It sounds crazy that caffeine in the morning could actually affect you at night, but it’s true as different people metabolize coffee at a different rate.

If you’re not a caffeine drinker, and this still happens, it could be related to stress and your adrenal glands. A good adrenal support plan is likely in order.

3) You get the 3pm slump

The main cause of the 3pm slump is poor diet. Not enough protein, too many carbs and processed foods. My recommendation? Eat a high protein lunch and add a ton of vegetables to the plate, with a small amount of complex carbs and a healthy fat. If you’re already doing this and still get the 3pm slump, it could also be adrenal gland related.

4) You have a really hard time concentrating

You might be seeing a trend here, but a hard time concentrating can be stress related and require some extra adrenal support as well. There are tons of herbs for this, and it would depend on your precise symptoms as to which would work best for you. Some help boost your body up, while others calm you down. Managing this properly can help improve concentration.

For lots of people though, this is easily fixed with a higher protein diet and cutting out sugar altogether. You might find that the initial ‘cut-out’ sugar really sucks for concentration, but it does get better, I promise.

5) Ladies, you get PMS symptoms

Last, but certainly not least is PMS symptoms. PMS symptoms tend to be a signal that there is a hormonal imbalance in the body, or that you are nutrient deficient. Common nutrient deficiencies relating to PMS are calcium, magnesium, B6, and Omega 3s.

When it comes to hormones, each person is different, but estrogen dominance tends to be a main cause. Eating lots of cruciferous veggies, flax seed and ensuring your digestion is in order (so that you’re eliminating the excess estrogen) are key.