Foods To Beat Hormonal Imbalance
Today there are so many things that can go wrong with our health and sometimes we could treat them with medication and sometimes not.
Hormonal imbalances are common, affecting women and men equally. They are not life-threatening but they can cause several symptoms, leading to a life of discomfort. Hormonal imbalances can also affect sex drive, fertility, metabolism and even mood swings in both men and women.
Whether the hormonal imbalance is caused by too much stress at work or something else, balancing your hormones is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the best foods to balance your hormones and bring them back to normal.
Quinoa: Quinoa is packed with essential vitamins, fibre and proteins that help in maintaining sugar levels in the body, which in turn keeps a check on insulin production and androgen levels. It is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce the risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.
Apples: Apples have powerful antioxidant properties that reduce inflammation in the body, risk of cancer and help fight against high blood pressure and infections. Apples are one of the healthiest ways to reduce weight as it provides dense nutrition while being low in calories and rich in fibre.
Does It Allow For Dietary Restrictions Or Preferences
Vegetarians and vegans: The diet includes protein sources that would work for you.
Gluten-free: You give up gluten for the first 2 weeks of this diet. After that, gluten isn’t completely off-limits. Turner does advise readers to avoid some processed carbs, like white flour and white rice, and to steer clear of any foods that they felt they had a bad reaction to after the detox phase.
New Mom: Good Foods To Focus On W/ A Busy + New Schedule:
Postpartum is really a period of recovery. Many women are so focused on quickly returning to their pre-pregnancy body that they do not allow time to properly heal.
Typically I have my clients focus on incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet to help support the healing process. This involves lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, nourishing fiber rich grains and starches and high quality proteins. I also incorporate natural stress reducing compounds like magnesium rich nuts/seeds, blood sugar balancing cinnamon and anti-inflammatory rich garlic.
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How Menopause Disturbs Our Hormone Balance
Wondering how hormones send their messages to different parts of the body? Heres a rundown of the process!
The whole process begins when hormone production takes place in your glands. Your hormones travel via your blood to the different cells and organs in your body. When they reach their destination, they knock on your cellsgatekeepers, called receptors, where they will relay their message.
If your receptors feel like your cells need them, they allow entry to dock into your cells, and they will turn on a specific function. This is how your hormones keep the body balanced. But
During menopause, your hormone production changes big time. In the early stages, your ovaries start to falter, but they will still produce normal amounts of estrogen. On the other hand, progesterone production reduces. This causes an imbalance called estrogen dominance where estrogen is higher relative to progesterone. In the later parts of menopause, you experience declining hormone levels, which can make you deficient.
As the receiving end, your receptors will accept whats coming to them. Excessive estrogen in your body will hyperactivate your organs and the lack of progesterone may affect some body functions. Hormone deficiencies on the other hand slows down the majority of your body functions and you may experience symptoms such as:
- Changes in your monthly periods
- Slow digestion
- Sluggish metabolism
Three Steps To Balance Hormones Naturally
A womans endocrine system is comprised of many hormones that affect our mental, emotional, and physical health. When the body is stressed, hormones can become imbalanced and lead to conditions such as:
- PCOS
- Adrenal Fatigue
- Depression/Anxiety
- Low or high hormones we test for all of these at CentreSpringMD
When hormones are off you can feel any of the following:
- sleep disturbances
- menstrual irregularities
- digestive issues
If you have been diagnosed with a current hormonal imbalance or have any of the symptoms above, there are natural ways to help balance them.
1. DietDiet plays a huge part of hormones because many of them are created from the foods we eat. That is why it is important to eat more healthy fats such as avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, walnuts, fish, chia seeds, and flax seeds. When the body metabolizes these fats, a hormone called pregnenolone is formed. Pregnenolone is a precursor to estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, and cortisol. I usually recommend having at least 20-30 grams of healthy fats daily to ensure optimal hormone health.
Written by CentreSpringMD
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At CentreSpringMD, we do medicine differently. Our focus is on giving you hope and your life back. Our team of dedicated board-certified providers relentlessly pursue your health until you have the answers that you deserve to change the trajectory of your healthand your life.
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Add A Shot To Your Daily Diet
An apple cider vinegar and water shot, that isit’s a great way to wake up your digestion. In a small glass, mix together 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Apple cider vinegar can help with fatty liver and gut health by improving your gut microbiome and helping you to metabolize fat. Choose a brand of vinegar that is raw and organic.
Hormone Balancing Superfoods #6
Seaweed
Seafood is the obvious choice when it comes to foods rich in Omega 3s . But why not skip down the food chain and go straight to the source?
The seaweed in miso soup and those delicious seaweed salads you get at sushi restaurants is a great source of Omega 3s and iodine both of which are key to a balanced metabolism and endocrine system .
A balanced metabolism and a happy endocrine system will also help prevent hormonal weight gain. Or help you lose any hormonal weight that you cant seem to get rid of.
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Hormone Balancing Tip #: Consider Supplementing
The above suggestions will go a long way to improving your body’s production and elimination of hormones. Consider these initial steps as the ‘ground work’ for hormone balance. If you have implemented all of these tips, your next step is to consider adding 1 or 2 high quality supplements in to your regime
Magnesium: wonderful in helping the body cope with chronic, ongoing stress as magnesium is used in the stress response. Magnesium bisglycinate form is best for most people as it causes the least disturbance to digestive symptoms. 300mg per day is an effective dose for most people.
Zinc: Great for acne and digestive issues. 30mg per day in citrate or picolinate form after food .
Iron: great for heavy periods, low iron stores and fatigue. Please have your iron levels checked through a simple blood test which can be requested through your health care provider. Bisglycinate form is best as it causes the least digestive issues. 24mg every second day away from caffeine is a good dose for most people.
Top Diet Tips To Balance Hormones Naturally
Food as medicine is the foundation of balancing hormones naturally. Hence, consuming a nutrient dense diet which is a perfect combination of carbohydrates, proteins and good fats becomes essential. So, let’s look at 5 food categories that you can find in your kitchen which will help you regulate hormone imbalances.
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Risk Factors And Causes
Hormonal imbalances are multi-factorial disorders, meaning they are caused by a combination of factors such as your diet, medical history, genetics, stress levels and exposure to toxins from your environment.
Some of the major contributors to hormonal imbalances include:
- Food allergies and gut issues: An expanding field of new research shows that your gut health plays a significant role in hormone regulation. If you have leaky gut syndrome or a lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria lining your intestinal wall, youre more susceptible to hormonal problems, including diabetes and obesity. Thats because inflammation usually stems from your gut and then impacts nearly every aspect of your health.
- Being overweight or obese
- High amounts of stress, and a lack of enough sleep and rest
Adrenal dysfunction is the largest cause of the hormonal imbalance with the sex hormones especially because of something called the cortisol steal.
This occurs when cholesterol, which usually helps to make the sex hormones, combines with too much stress and the enzyme 17/20 lyase blocks the conversion the production of cortisol ensues. Cortisol then causes the imbalance of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone, which then decreases the sex drive.
Feed Your Gut Microbiome
For hormone production and balance we need to ensure our gut bacteria are flourishing so eating fermented foods daily , prebiotic foods and probiotic yoghurts etc as well as eating as many different foods as possible in a week will help maintain the diversity you need.
If you feel that you could benefit from additional support, they you can learn more by reading my page about hormone imbalance or dont hesitate to contact me using the form below.
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Six Foods That Help Balance Hormones
Six foods to help balance your hormones? Does it sound too good to be true? Peri/menopause is all about our hormones and the food we eat can have a significant effect on hormonal balance.
As our fertility declines so do our estrogen and progesterone levels. This can lead to hot flushes, weight gain, moodiness, bladder weakness, itchy, dry skin and so much more. However, the foods we choose to eat can help.
When it comes to managing your peri/menopausal journey looking at your diet and lifestyle choices is key. We have 40+ and 55+ to balance the effects of hormones on your body adding hormone balancing foods and throwing out the ones that arent makes sense too. In our experience a multi-pronged approach is powerful.
Perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause sees a change in hormone balance by default. Thats why a daily dose of the three known hormone imbalancers nutritional deficiencies, xenoestrogens and stress adds fuel to the fire.
To help combat this:
1. Try adding the following six foods to your diet.
2. Remove processed foods, sugar, chemical-laden household cleaners and personal care products from your life.
3. Diarise a minimum of 30 minutes per day for you. A a gentle walk, listening to music, meditating, or taking a yoga class.
4. Were sorry about this, but to seriously help balance menopausal hormones bypassing caffeine and alcohol is recommended.
Daily Multivitamin And Multi
If you use nothing else when it comes to supplements, then at least use this.
A complete multivitamin and multi-mineral formula is exactly what the name implies: a supplement that provides the full spectrum of 90 essential vitamins and minerals that every human body needs.
My favorite for many years now has been BTT 2.0
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Top Five Tips For Rebalancing Hormones
Maintain a healthy diet. Incorporate fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, plus raw nuts and seeds into your diet. Avoid high fatty foods, processed carbohydrates, fried foods, soft drinks, enriched flour, and processed vegetable oil. Avoid non-organic dairy products, which may contain harmful bovine growth hormones, steroids and antibiotics.
Add more Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. These fats create healthy cell membranes, allowing hormones to bind to the cell more easily. Omega-3 fatty acids also repair receptor sites and keep it in optimal condition. Consider eating more foods with omega-3s or taking a high quality organic oil, such as hempseed or flaxseed.
Keep stress levels down. Studies show that women who mediate daily or practice yoga experience less hormonal swings than those who dont. Rest is important. Many women lead such hectic lives with many demands placed on them that they have little time to let their bodies re-adjust. Find small ways and time to relax. A massage can be a wonderful way to relax and remove the aches and pains caused by a busy lifestyle.
Get enough good quality sleep. Try to get at least 8 hours every night. During sleep the body recuperates and restores. Insufficient sleep is now recognised as a major cause heart disease, stroke, metabolic dysfunction and impaired mental health.
What Foods Help Balance Female Hormones
One of the nutrients that soy contains that will help you balance your hormones is phytoestrogens.Packed full of fiber, vitamin k and c, as well as fat burning nutrients such as chromium, and b vitamins, broccoli is a must have food for hormonal balance.Refined carbohydrates, fried foods, soft drinks, processed vegetable oil, and trans fats may all alter hormone balance.Salmon also stabilizes your hunger hormones and is high in vitamin d, which helps regulate female testosterone levels, says carrie gabriel m.s., rdn, a.
Some are made from the same raw materials e.g.Soy is a great source of protein along with other vitamins and nutrients.These leafy vegetables, including kale, spinach, and swiss chard, can all.These phytoestrogens can help women raise their estrogen levels.
They provide a rich source of.Theyre rich in healthy fat that helps our body absorb and use nutrients they are also full of fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin e, b vitamins, and folic acidall essential for maintaining hormonal balance in the body.* raw butter/ghee:Vitamin d is important for bone health and immunity, too.We all know that you should eat your greens to stay fit and healthy.
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What Else You Should Know
Cost: Eating organic will probably add to your grocery bill. Beyond your food shopping and supplements, the hormone tests Turner recommends may not be covered by your insurance.
Support: None, though Turner runs a Toronto clinic that offers health assessments, nutrition and exercise coaching, and other health and wellness services.
Testing For Hormone Balance
Theres a saying, if it isnt broke, dont fix it!
A lot of the symptoms for hormonal imbalance are similar to other disorders. To know for sure, we can visit our doctor for more advice and proper hormone testing. But we may also do it on our own , with the help of menopause tests. This will help us know if we are deficient or in excess of some hormones. Its also best to check for your vitamin and mineral levels because deficiencies may also cause symptoms.
Hormone tests are able to measure a wide range of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and even cortisol and insulin. Taking a thyroid test may also help because thyroid problems can mimic the symptoms of menopause.
There are also assessment quizzes that allow us to take note of our signs and symptoms. You can find out more about them in our article !
Blowing another birthday candle every year isnt so bad. Aging is a wonderful experience that we can enjoy, even with menopause around! However, even in our 40s and 50s, we still live hectic lives, and this is when our hormones need extra care the most.
We would love to hear your thoughts so feel free to add your comments below
Let´s support each other. Use the share buttons in this article, so more women can get help and feel great!
References:
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Natural Ways To Balance Your Hormones
Hormones have profound effects on your mental, physical and emotional health.
These chemical messengers play a major role in controlling your appetite, weight and mood, among other things.
Normally, your endocrine glands produce the precise amount of each hormone needed for various processes in your body.
However, hormonal imbalances have become increasingly common with todays fast-paced modern lifestyle. In addition, certain hormones decline with age, and some people experience a more dramatic decrease than others.
Fortunately, a nutritious diet and other healthy lifestyle behaviors may help improve your hormonal health and allow you to feel and perform your best.
This article will show you 12 natural ways to balance your hormones.
Ways To Boost Human Growth Hormone Naturally
Human growth hormone is an important hormone produced by your pituitary gland.
Also known as growth hormone , it plays a key role in growth, body composition, cell repair, and metabolism .
HGH also boosts muscle growth, strength, and exercise performance, while helping you recover from injury and disease .
Low HGH levels may decrease your quality of life, increase your risk of disease, and make you gain fat (
3 ).
Those with higher levels of belly fat will likely have impaired HGH production and an increased risk of disease.
One study observed that those with three times the amount of belly fat as the control group had less than half their amount of HGH .
Another study monitored the 24-hour release of HGH and found a large decline in those with more abdominal fat.
Interestingly, research suggests that excess body fat affects HGH levels more in men. However, lowering body fat is still key for both genders .
Whats more, a study found that people with obesity had lower levels of HGH and IGF-1 a growth-related protein. After losing a significant amount of weight, their levels returned to normal .
Belly fat is the most dangerous type of stored fat and linked to many diseases. Losing belly fat will help optimize your HGH levels and other aspects of your health.
Summary
Get rid of excess body fat especially around your belly to optimize your HGH levels and improve your health.
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Types Of Hormone Imbalances
Estrogen Dominance Estrogen dominance is a quite common cause of hormone imbalance that occurs when estrogen levels are too high relative to progesterone levels. This can happen in a few ways:
Symptoms of estrogen dominance include: Tender breasts, irregular cycles long or short, bloating, acne, breast cysts, PMS, headaches, anxiety, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, hair loss, and difficulties getting pregnant. However, this is not an all-inclusive list.
The graphic above shows a healthy pattern and 3 patterns of estrogen dominance. Please take note that all of the unhealthy patterns are still within a typical lab reference range. Your hormones will come back normal. Its the ratio between the hormones that are important! Adding a healthy pattern to the previously mentioned reasons for Estrogen Dominance leaves us with the following patterns for your hormones.