Good hormonal health begins with your diet – NOT SUPPLEMENTS!!

Does Nutrition and the foods you eat have an impact on your overall hormonal health? In short, yes 
When done right, FOOD is medicine and that’s what we are going to explore below. The Food we eat gives our body the minerals and nutrients it needs to function, including the production, metabolism and detoxification of hormones. Hence, if we don’t get enough of the right nutritious foods, our hormone balance can suffer.

The entirety of the below is in reference to REAL FOOD. Unfortunately when we now speak about minerals or vitamins our first thought is “supplements”. There is a massive overhype on supplements currently, it’s no wonder it is worth $180 billion in the states alone. The ONLY supplements you actually need is Magnesium and Vitamin D – the rest of your required mineral/vitamin intake can come from a balanced diet. Omega 3 is a soft third option, reason being the foods high in omega 3 are usually not liked by most (we will this break down further below) but the foods/minerals I reference below is REAL FOOD 

A Hormone Balancing Plate 

In order to consume ENOUGH minerals and vitamins each day it is advised to have 3-4 meals a day (Depending on your body make up and energy output) plus 1-2 snacks – let’s break it down 

Aiming for your meals to have the below featured will ensure you are consuming a BALANCED DIET

Protein

Protein provides our body essential amino acids that it can’t make on its own.

Amino acids are the building blocks of many hormones. Adequate protein intake is essential for the production of estrogen and testosterone. All of these are critical for reproductive health, bone density, mood regulation, and more. 

Protein also helps aid our liver to detoxify excess hormones which in women is very important as our hormone levels FLUCTUATE a lot especially around our menstrual cycle and during peri menopause. Consuming adequate protein helps assist our liver detoxify the excess hormones when our body naturally fluctuates higher. 

Yes ladies, your liver already DETOXES your body – you don’t need those “detox” diets and sadly that lemon and water first thing is doing NOTHING – it just looks nice on social media 

A lack of protein has also been shown to heighten mood swings in menopause due to the neurotransmitters in our brains being made of those amino acids that come from protein. 

Whole Grain Carbohydrates

One fad diet that has really stuck is cutting carbs. Its been around forever and has created such deep rooted fears for many women around carbs. However, the FACT is women actually need carbohydrates for many health processes; hormone production and regulation being one. 

Fiber plays a major role in balancing hormones. The fiber contained in grains and vegetables reduces estrogen levels and seems to work by preventing estrogens that are excreted in the bile from being reabsorbed back into the blood.

Whole grain carbs also contain the essential vitamin B’s our body need to regulate brain health, energy levels, digestion, muscle tone and hormone production

A very low carb diet can be viewed as a form of stress on the body and may alter hormone production. Stress impacts cortisol levels. This is why the vast majority of our clients who have heightened cortisol levels also have very low carb intake. So one of the first things we do when trying to balance a woman’s hormones, especially around cortisol, is to re-introduce a healthy amount of carbs

Eventually, restricting your carb intake too much can lead to many hormone-related issues such as:

• decreased thyroid output
• increased cortisol output  leading to abdominal fat
• low libido and energy
• Brain Fog

Choosing high fiber carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables provide the essential nutrients needed to support proper hormone function. Also, the fiber in carbohydrates also helps slow the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, thus keeping blood sugar more stable. Whole grains are an incredible source of prebiotic fiber helping to optimize your GUT HEALTH 

Vegetables 

Cruciferous vegetables contain a compound called 3,3-Diindolylmethane, which has been shown to reduce high estrogen levels and support estrogen detox in the liver. This helps to balance estrogen levels overall

Fluctuating levels of estrogen during peri menopause is what causes many common menopause symptoms: tender breasts, weight gain, mood swings, broken sleep and low mood.

Vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K  and minerals including magnesium, calcium and iron, as well as a substantial dose of fibre, which is essential for weight management and protecting the cardiovascular system, both of which become more important as we reach our menopause years.

 

Healthy Fats 

Fat is the second most primary fuel source for the body after the primary source, carbohydrates – yes ladies, the primary source is CARBS – its time to start embracing carbs despite what the toxic diet culture has made you believe 

Since your body uses fats as building blocks for hormones, eating healthy fats, especially saturated fats, is vital for good hormone health and proper hormonal balance.

Fat can be broken down into: saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. Breaking these categories down further, we have the unsaturated fats: polyunsaturated (Omega-3 and Omega-6) and monounsaturated (olive oil, peanut oil, nuts, and avocado.) Our polyunsaturated fats are essential and cannot be produced by the body, meaning they must be consumed via adequate food sources.