Have you ever wondered if your hormones are off? Hormones play a larger role than many think. Too much or too little of any hormone can negatively affect our health. Hormones play a role in happiness, sadness, fatigue, libido, sleep, and much more. We can incorporate many things in our daily lives to help improve our hormones. Here are six ways to help improve your hormones.
1. ELIMINATE TOXINS:
Environmental toxins are one of the top threats to hormone balance. This includes plastics, phthalates, parabens, pesticides, perfumes, Bisphenol A (BPA), perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), and more. These toxins are considered endocrine disruptors, meaning they mimic hormones! This confuses our bodies, making it difficult to balance hormones.
2. CONSUME HORMONE-NOURISHING FOODS:
We feed our hormones by consuming nutrient-dense foods. Some hormone-nourishing foods are grass-fed meats/organs, bee pollen, pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed butter/ghee, avocados, broccoli sprouts, wild salmon, coconut water, Brazil nuts, nettle tea, camu camu, cherries, berries, maca tea, and oysters.
3. EAT ENOUGH:
Did you know that if your calorie intake is too low, it can result in cortisol imbalance and estrogen dominance and can even negatively impact your thyroid? Society has led us to believe less is more, skewing what health looks like for many. If we are undernourished, our body can’t complete many functions, one being hormone production. When we undereat, our body doesn’t get enough vitamins, minerals, or nutrients and, in turn, tries to conserve energy which affects hormone production.
4. BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR:
Blood sugar balance is imperative to regulate our hormones. To balance your blood sugar, we need it to stay as close to the middle line as possible. This means prioritizing fat, fiber, and protein at every meal. Keep in mind that finding the proper balance is individualized.
5. OPTIMIZE YOUR SLEEP:
Did you know your hormones naturally rise and fall with your sleep-wake cycle? Too little sleep and a disruption in this cycle affects stress, sex, thyroid, hunger, and hormones. Studies have shown that people with sleep deprivation have abnormalities in insulin. This increases your risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, wreaking havoc on your thyroid hormones and cortisol levels. In addition to getting a good night’s rest, it’s also helpful to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day and get natural sunlight exposure first thing in the morning.
6. IMPROVE GUT HEALTH:
Hormones are dependent on our digestive system. Poor gut health has been shown to increase the risk of estrogen-related diseases such as PCOS, endometriosis, and even breast cancer. Gastrointestinal imbalances can hinder the proper elimination of excess hormones and inhibit or alter the proper production of hormones.
With the principles of functional nutrition as the foundation, our nutrition team at Sundara Wellness can help manage hormonal balance and much more. To learn more, contact Cody at [email protected].
Cody Giovannetti, RDN, LDN, IBCLC is a Registered Dietitian specializing in GI issues, thyroid dysfunction, prenatal/postpartum nutrition, autoimmune disease, metabolic syndrome, nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, hormone 38 imbalances, and more.
