Aligning hormones and health are key in this fast-paced world. Here, Emirates Woman speaks to three
experts on cultivating holistic resilience, supporting wellbeing, and thriving at every stage of life.
After a late-night scroll on Instagram do you find it easy to relate to the reels on high cortisol, chronic fatigue or PCOS? Well, you’re not alone. As deadlines get tighter, workouts are skipped and processed food sneaks its way onto our plates, the impact shows up not just on the scales but in our moods, energy levels and overall health.
Hormones, after all, are the silent architects of how we feel each day and when they’re out of sync, everything else is affected. That’s where holistic resilience comes in: learning to balance stress, nutrition and lifestyle so your body can work with you, not against you. Rahma Mahoon, a functional nutritionist based in Dubai, explains the importance of hormone balance perfectly. “Our hormones form the body’s communication network, they are chemical messengers that coordinate how every system talks to each other.
“The skin is like a mirror of what’s happening inside.”
When the messages fall out of sync, everything from metabolism to mood to fertility feels the impact,” she says. “Holistic resilience is more than just coping, it’s about creating the capacity to adapt with strength and clarity,” adds Amber Gauci Ward, the Head of Wellness at Verdala Wellness Hotel, Malta’s first luxury wellness hotel, who believes our mental, emotional, and physical states are inseparable.
THE SYMPTOMS
For Mahoon, resilience begins with listening to the body’s early cues such as disrupted sleep, anxiety and fatigue, which she calls vital signals to restore equilibrium before they spiral into something deeper. Resilience is not about resisting change but rather working with the body to maintain balance: “Hormonal balance then becomes not just a medical metric, but a lived, felt expression of resilience,” says Gauci Ward. At Verdala, this philosophy translates into every detail, from architecture that invites natural light to mood-stabilising menus and retreats blending neuroscience with ancient practices, offering women a lived experience of resilience that is as restorative as it is empowering. This inside-out connection is echoed by Dr. Karim Sayed, the aesthetics doctor at renowned Dubai clinic, Ouronyx, who notes that “the skin is like a mirror of what’s happening inside,” explaining how stress hormones such as cortisol not only trigger breakouts and dullness but also accelerate ageing, especially when combined with hormonal shifts like changes in estrogen or thyroid function.
TREAT THE ROOT CAUSE
When it comes to a dysregulated nervous system, surface level solutions simply can’t do the job. The experts agree it starts small, with awareness and consistency. Begin by tuning into the body’s rhythms: prioritising restorative sleep, eating nutrient dense foods that stabilise mood, and making space for movement that feels sustainable rather than punishing. Practices such as breathwork, meditation, or even a five-minute pause to recalibrate the nervous system can shift stress responses almost instantly.
Layering this with mindful boundaries, saying no when energy is low, choosing environments that nourish rather than deplete, helps the body and mind reset.
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As Gauci Ward reminds us, resilience is not built in a single retreat but in the everyday rituals we commit to. Incorporating daily self-care rituals, whether it’s a mindful morning stretch, journaling, or a calming bath, sets the foundation for resilience. “By guiding individuals through practices such as lymphatic self-massage, energy medicine, sound healing, and Spinal Energetics, they learn to tune into the body’s innate intelligence, gaining the tools to sense, respond, and restore with intention,” she says. Mahoon notes, colour matters too and filling your plate with foods rich in natural pigments, from deep greens to vibrant reds and purples, delivers antioxidants that directly support hormonal balance, skin health, and energy. When it comes to a workout routine, strength training, in particular, not only builds muscle and supports metabolism but also helps regulate hormones like cortisol and insulin, boosting overall resilience. “When we lift weights, we improve our blood sugar not just for that day, but as we accumulate more muscle tissue, we stay more insulin sensitive over time,” Mahoon adds.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT?
While short-term stress can be effective, long-term stress translates into a myriad of health conditions that need us to reset before it’s too late. “Holistic resilience is about more than just managing stress, it’s the capacity to navigate life with clarity, strength, and balance,” Gauci Ward explains. “When we cultivate awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and physical responses, we’re able to respond rather than react, and truly support our hormonal and overall health.” Dr Karim adds, “Our hormones are mirrors of our resilience. When cortisol, melatonin, and reproductive hormones flow in rhythm, we sleep better, recover faster, and maintain emotional equilibrium. Ignoring these signals can have cascading effects on our wellbeing.” Mahoon emphasises, “Resilience isn’t just mental toughness; it’s about listening to your body, honouring its needs, and creating practices that support your energy, mood, and vitality every single day.” Together, they remind us that cultivating holistic resilience is not a quick fix, it’s the foundation for long-term health, vitality, and a life lived with balance.
Overall, resilience isn’t just about hustling harder or surviving on iced lattes and willpower, it’s about knowing when your body is whispering (or sometimes screaming) for balance. Hormones may be invisible, but their impact is anything but. From energy dips to mood swings, they’re the unsung conductors of how we show up in the world. Holistic resilience means listening in, swapping quick fixes for daily rituals that actually restore. “For me, resilience in aesthetics means helping patients adapt gracefully to the natural changes their bodies go through,” shares Dr. Karim. Because true strength isn’t in pushing through, it’s in syncing with yourself.
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