Hormones have a profound impact on our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. They take care of important processes in our body such as metabolism and reproduction. There are a number of great natural ways to balance your hormones. Read on to learn all about them!
If you research you would find out that these hormones are produced by different endocrine glands in your body and an underproduction or overproduction of a particular hormone can lead to an imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can affect your weight, appetite and even cause sudden changes in your mood and much more.
In today’s times, hormonal imbalance has become a fairly common problem. Many research and studies blame the modern western medicine, and other factors.
The digestive system has much more of an impact on hormones than many of us realize. An imbalance in the gut can translate to an imbalance in hormones. Serotonin, a necessary neurotransmitter for sleep/stress balance is more concentrated in the gut than even in the brain! It may be alarming to also hear that 70% of our immune system is found in the gut. If you are someone who gets sick often, it may very well NOT be because you are around a lot of germs…but your poor gut health may be to blame.
Leptin is a master hormone, it’s the hormone that controls hunger and the feeling of being satisfied. When leptin is out of balance or if you are resistant to it, no other hormones will balance well. Balancing leptin will also help boost fertility, make weight loss easier, improve sleep, and lower inflammation. Some factors that contribute to leptin imbalance are consumption of high fructose corn syrup, simple carbs and sugar, high stress levels, lack of sleep, high insulin, over eating and over exercising.
However, not many people know that you can actually correct hormonal imbalance to a certain extent with the help of many natural ways and lifestyle changes.
Supplement Wisely!
Unfortunately, we live in a world where the food supply is often depleted of nutrients due to over-farming, the water is often contaminated with chemicals, and even the air can contain compounds that mess with our hormones. The sad truth here is that an apple today is not the same apple it was a few years ago. Due to the lack of nutrient density, and GMOs in our food and the fact that many of us aren’t consuming enough micronutrients to begin with, organic non synthetic whole supplements are often needed!
Here are just 8 tried and tested remedies that you should try if you are suffering from hormonal imbalance –
Here are natural ways to balance your hormones
1. Make dietary changes
Diet plays an important role in maintaining your overall health. There are some changes that you can make in your diet to balance your hormones, such as –
Add a lot more protein nutrients in your diet; eat foods that are rich in protein such as organic vegetables, fruits, eggs and almonds. And much more.
Try to add fibre rich foods in your diet; the best way to include fibre is to eat a bowl of fresh organic salad, and celery just before a meal. Examples of whole foods range widely. I personally love yuca, batata, yutia de coco, brusel sprout, sweet potatos, etc…. Natural Sour sop smoothies are also great. Herbs and Spices like moringa, maca root, also have great benefits.
2. Reduce your sugar intake
Artificial Sugar is pretty terrible, High corn frutose, is as well not good at all Truly. One of the natural ways to balance your hormones is to regulate your sugar intake. Opt for organic sweets once in a while or homemade recipes where you know what ingredients you are using. When we eat too much artificial sugar, higher amount of insulin is produced in the body; and, high levels of insulin lead to a higher level of testosterone hormone and much more. Hence, if you are suffering from hormonal imbalance. Lean more towards organic natural sugar found in fruits.
3. Get enough sleep
Sleep is one of the most important factors that can cause a hormonal imbalance in your body. It is essential to get a good, restful sleep at night and wake-up fresh and relaxed. Usually, an adult is recommended at least 6 – 7 hours of sleep at night. Following this thumb rule can help balance your hormones.
4. Exercise regularly
Among the best natural ways to balance your hormones is ensuring you get regular exercise. Even a short 30-minute workout can help in balancing your hormones. Find an activity that you like and try to make it a part of your daily routine. Aim to workout for at least 150 minutes a week (or, 70 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity). You can try –
Walking or running
Stretching, hiking
Cycling or mountain biking
Even cleaning a home is a workout!
5. Stop smoking
Tobacco is known to cause massive hormonal imbalance. In fact, a recent study found that smoking can cause an imbalance in thyroid hormone and even stimulate pituitary hormones. It also raises the level of cortisol in the body which is a hormone responsible for stress. Hence, the first step to tackling hormonal imbalance is to stop smoking, entirely.
6. Organic teas
Try to drink green tea or nettle tea at least once a day. Or a few times a week. Many organic teas are full of antioxidants. It also has several compounds that boost metabolic health and help in balancing the hormones in the body. Drinking a cup of warm tea every day can help you lead a healthier life. You can also add honey or lemon etc.. to enhance its taste.
7. Eat Enough Healthy Fats
Our body was never made to digest as much vegetable based oil as we typically consume these days. Not only are we consuming way too many omega-6 fatty acids from polyunsaturated vegetable oils, but we are not consuming enough beneficial Omega-3s and saturated fats. These types of fats are vital for proper cell function and especially for hormone function, as these are literally the building blocks for hormone production. When we don’t give the body adequate amounts of these fats, it must use what is available, relying on lower quality polyunsaturated fats. The biggest issue is that polyunsaturated fats are less stable and oxidize easily in the body, which can lead to inflammation and mutations within the body. This inflammation can occur in in arterial cells increasing the chance of clogged arteries. Other types of fats, especially saturated fats, are vital for hormone health and balance as the body uses fats as building blocks for hormones. For this reason,coconut oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antibacterial properties. Try cooking with it or even adding it to your morning coffee. Other quality sources of fats include avocados, animal fats, olive oil, grass fed meats, pastured eggs, and raw dairy (for those who tolerate it). For your omega-3s, quality seafood is also very important in your diet.
8. Work on Avoiding Certain Harmful Chemicals
Harmful chemicals found in pesticides, certain plastics, some household cleaners we buy can contain hormone disrupting chemicals that mimic hormones in the body and keep the body from producing real hormones. If you struggle with hormone imbalance, avoiding these unnecessary chemicals is very important! Cook your food in glass, stainless or cast iron, try to avoid nonstick coated pans and avoid heating foods in plastic. Consume organic produce and meat whenever possible and don’t use chemical pesticides or cleaners. Other daily use products such as deodorants, lotions and makeup, etc can be huge sources of chemical exposure. The thousands of chemicals found in these products are not tested for safety. I would recommend limiting these and switching to natural, mineral based products. We don’t need as many cleaning products promoted as the best these days, thier are also many natural alternatives to cleaning products we can look into as well. Simple is best.
Look into my other natural articles where I share many more natural remedies for overall health.
That’s it! Who is feeling inspired to get their hormones in check and feel their very best?! Let me know your absolute favorite strategy in the comments!
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