A woman's body is a finely tuned instrument. When it is out of tune, it doesn't play as well as possible. This unbalance is often due to hormonal shifts. Here is a run-down of the necessary hormones to keep a woman feeling her best.

Estrogen. There are 3 forms of the female hormone estrogen: estrone, estrodiol, and estriol. When all of these are balanced a woman sleeps better, have a better mood, maintain mental sharpness and memory, have better digestion, skin tone and an enhanced sex drive. There is also an increase in the brain chemicals serotonin and endorphins.

Progesterone. The ovaries produce this hormone after ovulation. It is necessary for fertility, for maintaining pregnancy and to address many perimenopausal symptoms. It is also a mood enhancer and has a calming effect on the body.

Testosterone. It is known as the male hormone or androgen but women have it, too. It enhances muscle development and blood flow throughout the body. Overdoing testosterone supplementation causes acne, oily skin, facial hair growth and even aggressive behavior.

DHEA. It is a male-type hormone made in the adrenal glands. It is known as the "fountain of youth" hormone because it strengthens your immune system, lowers cholesterol, improves insulin function and enhances your mood.

Pregnenolone. It is referred to as the mother of all hormones because it is the source or building block from which all hormones in the body are created.

If you need to check your hormonal level, see your doctor. There are a variety of tests they can do. Be very careful of natural herbal supplementation. It must first be determined which of these hormones is out of balance before any medication or supplementation is administered.