Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers and they affect many aspects of your overall health. When your hormones are unbalanced, it can lead to symptoms ranging from irregular periods to gastrointestinal issues to irritability and brain fog. Hormonal imbalances can be caused by a combination of factors including diet, medical history, genetics, stress levels and exposure to environmental toxins. If you’re experiencing symptoms of unbalanced hormones and are wondering how to balance your hormones naturally, we’ve rounded up 7 helpful tips to get your health back on track.
Female Hormones 101
Estrogen and progesterone are the two most well-known female hormones.
Estrogen is produced by the adrenal glands, fat cells and ovaries. It first appears during puberty and impacts the reproductivity and sexual development of women. It stimulates the growth of tissue, such as the development of breast and reproductive organs and ensures their function. It also boosts the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters in the brain that affect sleep, mood, memory, libido and cognitive functions like attention span.
Progesterone is made by the ovaries, adrenal glands and placenta. It ensures the development and function of the breasts and female reproductive tract. It’s also a diuretic and enhances the sensitivity of the body to insulin and the function of the thyroid hormones. It can increase libido and contribute to the efficient use of fat as an energy source. Progesterone increases during ovulation as well as during pregnancy. It helps stabilize menstrual cycles and prepares the body for pregnancy.
There are also other female hormones such as cortisol, which helps regulate your body’s response to stress, and testosterone, which supports libido, motivation, mood and energy.
20 Signs Your Hormones Are Unbalanced
1. Bloating
2. Fatigue
3. Brain fog
4. Irritability
5. Weight gain
6. Hump of fat between the shoulders
7. Unexplained and sometimes sudden weight loss
8. Irregular periods
9. Poor sleep
10. Muscle weakness
11. Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
12. Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
13. Increased or decreased heart rate
14. Mood swings
15. Hair loss
16. Gastrointestinal troubles like abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation and vomiting
17. Problems with blood sugar
18. Trouble concentrating
19. Low sex drive
20. Infertility
How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally
1. Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Consuming high amounts of processed sugar and refined carbs like pastries, candies, ice cream and soft drinks can lead to insulin resistance, along with other health issues like obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. When your body gets tired of receiving the signal that your blood sugar is high, it becomes less responsive to it and can lead to inflammation in the body and increased production of testosterone in the ovaries. This can lead to symptoms like irregular periods and acne. Reduce your processed sugar intake as much as possible and focus on a diet high in whole foods, fruits and vegetables.
2. Low Intensity Exercise
Stress, illness or lack of sleep can play a part in elevated cortisol levels. It’s your body’s main stress hormone and works with certain parts of your brain to control mood, motivation and fear. When your cortisol levels are high, it can result in anxiety, headaches, trouble sleeping, weight gain and even heart disease. Low intensity exercise can help lower elevated cortisol levels. Yoga, pilates, walking, slow jogging, swimming, and low intensity fitness classes are excellent cortisol-conscious workouts.
3. Get Your Protein In
Getting the proper amount of protein is essential. It provides essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own and it’s also required to produce protein-derived hormones called peptide hormones. Peptide hormones help regulate physiological processes such as growth, energy metabolism, appetite, stress and reproduction. Include high protein foods at each meal including eggs, chicken breast, lentils, tofu and fish.
4. Mind Your Gut
Your gut contains friendly bacteria that can affect hormone health positively and negatively. Your gut microbiome regulates hormones by controlling insulin resistance and feelings of fullness. Many factors, including the types of food you eat can impact the type of bacteria found in your digestive system. Fill up on vegetables, legumes, beans and fruits, which are high in fibre and nutrients. It’s also beneficial to your gut to eat fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, tempeh and kimchi.
5. Consider a Vitamin D Supplement
Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins to take for hormone imbalance. It almost acts like a hormone inside the body, communicating with your other hormones to help with hormone balance. It also helps keep inflammation levels low. Sunshine is the best way to optimize vitamin D levels, but during the winter and days you’re not in the sun, you should take a vitamin D supplement to get your daily dose.
6. Eat Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are the building blocks of hormone production. They keep inflammation levels low, boost metabolism and promote weight loss. They also help reduce insulin resistance and can help increase insulin sensitivity by reducing inflammation and pro-inflammatory markers. Healthy fats like omega-3s (found in foods like fish and flaxseed), may also prevent cortisol levels from increasing during chronic stress. Healthy fats can be found in avocados, nuts, fatty fish, olive and coconut oils.
7. Make Quality Sleep a Priority
Getting proper, quality sleep is so important for your overall health. Poor sleep can result in the imbalance of many hormones, including insulin, cortisol, leptin and ghrelin. Your brain needs uninterrupted sleep to go through all five stages of each sleep cycle, which is especially important for the release of growth hormone, which mainly occurs during sleep. Aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night for optimal hormone balance.
If you’re dealing with symptoms of hormone imbalance, try these tips to balance your hormones in a natural, healthy way.
