Mgr. Karolína Kunftová is a clinical naturopath specializing in hormonal imbalance, immune, and digestive issues. Karolína acts as a health detective, particularly when dealing with chronic problems. By combining nutritional medicine, herbal, and external therapies, she helps the body return to its natural regeneration and harmony. She works with clients to find a path to change, motivates them, and prepares a tailored individual plan.
In today's interview, Karolína and I discussed the impact of diet, sleep, chemicals, and psychological or emotional stress on the female cycle, and how to determine the state of one's hormonal health.
From your experience, what do you perceive as the most common factors disturbing the health and menstrual cycle of your clients today?
First and foremost, I would definitely mention long-term stress and lack of rest. Today's world is frantically fast and primarily driven by performance. In our past, there wasn't as much long-term stress, and the body is not adapted to it, which is why it significantly affects women's health now. The inability to slow down along with a lack of self-compassion chronically exhausts the female body and hormonal system, ultimately contributing to hormonal imbalances such as PMS, painful or irregular menstruation, problems with conception, sleep, or perhaps weakened immunity or autoimmune diseases.
"In stress mode, the body is 'fighting for its life,' so why would it fine-tune sex hormones and invest in reproduction?"
If our body is under stress, especially long-term stress, digestion and immunity are negatively affected, and the body simultaneously suppresses the metabolism of steroid (sex) hormones. When the body is "fighting for its life," why would it fine-tune sex hormones and think about reproduction? In such a state, the female body invests in survival mechanisms, for example, by primarily producing stress hormones from cholesterol. However, there may then not be enough necessary building material and energy left for sex hormones. And that is just one example.
Secondly, I would emphasize an inappropriately structured diet. This includes poor timing or insufficient intake of macro and micronutrients, such as vitamins, antioxidants, trace elements, and minerals. It's not always just about calories, but primarily about the substances our body needs to function harmoniously. Drastic and poorly chosen diets can burden the body and lead to deficiencies.
Thirdly, I would mention the enormous amount of chemicals around us. This includes food industry additives, xenoestrogens (chemical substances of a hormonal nature), synthetic substances in cosmetic or hygiene products, medicines, laundry detergents, but also pesticides, microplastics, heavy metals, cigarette smoke, alcohol, or air pollution.
Our body, built over millions of years, has never been accustomed to such a huge exposure to foreign substances that can behave similarly to substances natural to our body, thereby confusing it. There is also evidence of the negative impact of electromagnetic radiation on our hormonal system. And we are literally riddled with that today.
Finally, I would also mention one's own emotions and traumas. It is important to work with them, to be able to recognize them and cultivate them further. These psychological "stresses" and past traumas also have a great influence on women's health.
What impact does sleep have on the menstrual cycle and overall health?
Sleep fundamentally affects our health. Every night, it provides us with deep regeneration and detoxifies us daily (cleansing the brain, liver, intestines, and other organs in the body).
In connection with hormonal health, it is important for a woman to have a liver in excellent condition. Liver function is crucial for breaking down foreign substances, but also our own substances. For example, estrogen dominance is often conditioned by slowed detoxification function (biotransformation) of the liver. The liver does not function well if we do not get enough sleep and do not consume a diet rich in all the necessary substances for detoxification processes.
Moreover, sleep and hormonal balance are necessary for mental and physical resilience and joy of life. These interconnections are precisely what I enjoy about holistic medicine - naturopathy :-) With clients, it is necessary to thoroughly discuss everything, consider changes, and always individually adapt the naturopathic plan. So our work is always a little different, and each client is unique.
What does it mean to have quality sleep? And how can women improve its quality?
I always tell clients that everyone is different with different needs. One criterion for sufficient and quality sleep is that you wake up in the morning without an alarm clock, you have a zest for life and feel rested. You simply say: "Great, it's a new day!"
A deeply regenerated body is healthy, has sufficient strength and vitality. You will recognize poor sleep quality if, for example, around ten or eleven in the morning and around two in the afternoon, you start to feel very tired. This should not happen.
"If someone truly wants to proactively work on their health and mental well-being, quality sleep is essential."
I personally recommend clients sleep at least 8 hours continuously (sometimes even more) and as much as possible before midnight. Sometimes someone tells me "5 hours is enough for me," but I disagree with that. Our body remembers everything, and women are very sensitive. The question is not whether it's enough or not. Unfortunately, as soon as our body gets tired of insufficient sleep, the deficit will start to manifest as illness. For some, it lasts a year, for some two, and for others even 10-15 years. However, we all need enough sleep; that's how we are created by nature.
If someone truly wants to proactively work on their health and mental well-being, quality sleep is simply essential. You can start with evening rituals – dimming the lights, avoiding electronics, slowing down, and getting into a calm state. This helps calm the mind and hormonally prepare the body for quality sleep.
At your Naturopathic Solutions clinic, women can also undergo health analyses/tests. How does this work, and what tests do you recommend to women to assess their health status?
We collaborate with a hub of international laboratories that provide the most detailed analyses of how our body behaves hormonally. The advantage is that we have analyses for various issues/questions and always select everything tailored to the client. We can perform and interpret detailed tests of the comprehensive gut microbiome and its function, heavy metal burden tests, mineral and vitamin status in the body, and of course, hormonal analysis.
Personally, in relation to hormonal health, I most often use a test with the acronym DUTCH (it has nothing to do with Holland :D), which stands for "Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones." With this test, you can find out, for example, how many and what types of hormones you have in your body, how their metabolic pathways behave, and how the body breaks down these hormones. It's possible to determine not only how much estrogen is in the body but also how our body manages it, which pathways it prefers, and why. Therefore, it is possible to track quite precisely what and, most importantly, why something is happening in our body. The test is collected between day 19 and 22 of the menstrual cycle, so we recommend that women keep records of their cycle progression so that we can interpret the results specifically.
How much do such tests cost at your clinic, and how do you approach clients when interpreting the results?
The price of the DUTCH Complete test is CZK 14,500. This price includes express DHL shipping to Denmark and an interpretation meeting with a naturopathic practitioner. The tests are quite complex, so it is important to explain everything to the client and help them implement effective and safe changes.
"The goal is for the client to understand their health status and know how and why to take care of themselves."
During the interpretation consultation, we explain the basic hormonal functions and discuss possible causes with the client. Finally, we provide individual tips and recommendations (such as suitable dietary supplements, herbal preparations, or adjustments to diet or lifestyle). The goal is for the client to understand their health status and know how and why to take care of themselves.
Nowadays, there are many supplements, herbs, etc., everywhere. How should women navigate this and find out what is suitable for them?
That's very true, and unfortunately, it's a bit of a "supplement fad" these days. This topic is quite complex. Most supplements are synthetic in nature, and the goal is often to support business rather than meaningfully improve human health. Many forms of supplements are in sub-optimal configurations or combinations, so our body doesn't recognize or utilize them. Inappropriate supplements can also sometimes occupy receptors and block the function of our own substances.
It is therefore important to know what form of supplements a woman can take, in what dosage, when to take them (morning or evening before sleep), and how to take them (on an empty stomach or after a meal). It's also good to know which vitamins and minerals work synergistically in our body and which combinations are suitable. Many vitamins and minerals work better in a specific complex.
Often, even taking supplements is not necessary, and it is more beneficial to focus on a quality and comprehensive diet. Other times, it is necessary to use a specific form of supplement in a therapeutic dosage that is safe yet effective. Therefore, I recommend consulting with an expert beforehand and certainly not taking everything we think will help us or what is promoted in the media.
If women are interested in booking an appointment with you, please describe how the first consultation proceeds and if there is anything a woman needs to prepare for before coming to you?
I personally first send clients a fairly detailed initial questionnaire. The goal is to obtain as much information as possible about their comprehensive medical history and also to identify areas that we will discuss in more detail during the consultation. During the first meeting, I then ask for more detailed information, various connections, key life moments, and problems. Together, we explore what preceded them and put together a comprehensive picture of the client's life and health. I am interested in absolutely everything – family situation, what injuries/traumas the client had in childhood, what allergies she has, whether she was breastfed or not, what food suits her/doesn't suit her, how she sleeps, and what medications she takes; in short, her overall lifestyle.
"I want the client to be self-sufficient and able to proactively care for the health of both mind and body."
The first meeting usually lasts an hour and a half to two hours. In the first two hours, I gather enough information to set a goal and the first steps of the naturopathic plan together with the client. During subsequent follow-up consultations, we discuss how the client feels, what has changed and why, and proceed further. The naturopath also teaches how, why, and when to take care of oneself so that the client is self-sufficient and can proactively care for the health of both mind and body.
Femvie Products that Can Help You
We have selected products related to this topic that can support your health:
- 💊 Ashwagandha Plus — adaptogen for hormonal balance and stress reduction
- 💊 Magnesium — key mineral for women's hormonal health
- 💊 Magnesium-Zinc-B6 — supports hormonal balance and the nervous system
- 💊 Natural Vitamin D — important for immunity and hormonal health
- 📖 Ten Commandments for a Healthy Cycle — guide to natural support for the female cycle
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes hormonal imbalance?
Chronic stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, excessive exercise or a sedentary lifestyle, environmental toxins, and age – all of these can disrupt hormonal balance.
How to recognize hormonal imbalance?
Fatigue, irregular cycles, acne, weight gain, mood swings, sleep problems, or decreased libido can be symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
How to naturally support hormonal balance?
The key is a nutrient-rich diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, stress reduction, and targeted supplements. Tracking your menstrual cycle will help you identify patterns and changes.
