The foundation of everyone's health is optimal hormone balance. Now, this is a very broad statement because every person has a different "optimal" level. Everyone's lifestyle is different, including genetics, sex, age, the climate in which they live, stress, and sleep. There are so many factors to take into account when looking at someone's health and hormones. But the fact is if your hormones are imbalanced or out of whack, your whole body is going to feel it!
There are a plethora of symptoms people experience with different types of hormone imbalances! Fatigue, low energy, hot flashes, sensitivity to cold, digestive issues, headaches, restless sleep, weight gain or weight plateau, brain fog, low libido, depression, I could go on.
Unfortunately, there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. It takes a full workup of labs to even begin to understand what is going on with each person. But there are things you can start doing today, no matter who you are, to move the needle in the right direction!
How to Balance Hormones with Nutrition in these 4 Steps
1. Reduce your STRESS!
I know this is easier said than done, believe me. I have had to make some uncomfortable changes in my life to help me overcome anxiety, fear, and stress. But the objective is to move the needle. It doesn't need to be overwhelming. And yes stress can come from food! So the first place to look for extra stress is your diet! Ultra-processed food causes infalmmation and stress on your body, so cut it out! Maybe you start by scheduling time each day to exercise, go for a walk, or just move your body! Maybe you say NO to one thing that you know you don't need to do or maybe you just schedule a 15-minute break mid-day to eat your lunch. chew your food, and enjoy your meal.
Things that are proven to reduce cortisol: Eating REAL FOOD!!! Exercise, Sunshine, Cold-therapy, Infra-Red light therapy, Real Therapy or Counseling, AND re-prioritizing your schedule so you aren't so busy!
2. Cut out Alcohol and Processed Sugars
Alcohol is a toxin, your body treats it as a toxin, and it is not usable or nutritious. IT IS HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY. If you have chronic inflammation (high stress all the time) Alcohol is only making it worse. So winding down at night with a glass of wine, is not actually winding you down, it's winding you up with inflammation.
Sugar is INFLAMMATORY!!!! It increases our bodies' production of cytokines. Sugar is no better than alcohol and your liver metaboilzes sugar and alcohol the same way! This is why so many non-drinkers are being diagnosed with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Sugar and Alcohol cause your liver to produce liver fat! Even if you are skinny on the outside, likely you have internal fat, called visceral fat. This is the fat around your organs and it is the most dangerous kind of Fat! Sugar also, often, leads to insulin resistance, and in case you didn't know, Insulin is one of the most important hormones we make. We can't live without it, but too much of it will kill you as well. Insulin resistance leads to most hormone dysregulation and a long list of metabolic diseases.
3. Eat Real Food
How do you balance hormones with nutrition? EAT REAL FOOD! Eat meat (Yes real meat from animals), fresh vegetables (all kinds), nuts and seeds (raw or dry-roasted), and some fruit (skin on)! But what is there to eat if you can't eat chips, sandwiches, and cereal? There are so many delicious foods out there, you just have to give them a chance and make time to plan and prepare. If you need a place to start, buy my recipe E-book, or just follow me on Instagram or read my blog! I post a ton of free content and recipes!
4. Supplement
Unfortunately, we live in a day when our soil is depleted of minerals and nutrients it used to be plentiful in. This is mostly due to monocropping- where farms are growing one type of plant food (giant fields that grow corn, soy, and wheat). And unless you live somewhere warm or near water it can be extremely difficult to get fresh fruits and vegetables that were grown locally, picked fresh, and therefore more nutrient-dense. The further away your food comes from the more nutrients it loses in transit time.
So, this is where supplements come in, this is also where it is helpful to have labs drawn so you know which vitamins you are deficient in. Any functional medicine practitioner would do this for you. That being said, everyone in this country needs more Omega 3 fats from wild-caught fish. If you don't like fish, start taking good quality fish oil! THIS IS A MUST for reducing inflammation and balancing hormones.
Magnesium is also essential for so many hormones to function properly, and one that most of us aren't getting enough of, even if we are eating a healthy diet. Vitamin D is needed, especially if you are indoors most of your day or live somewhere cold. Our bodies don't produce Vitamin D without sunshine. So, get sun if you can first! Then supplement. You also have to take it with Magnesium for proper absorption.
These are good starting points, again very general, but very applicable.
Remember, even if you can take one thing from this blog and execute it, you will be healthier for it. I think you will be surprised at what you can do and the changes that will come about down the road.
If you need help optimizing your nutrition to feel better reach out to me! Book a call here
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