The Best Foods To Help Balance Hormones - Get Off The Hormonal Roller Coaster
Diet plays a huge role in how our hormones function and getting the right food on your plate can work wonders to help naturally balance hormones during perimenopause, menopause and menstrual cycles..
In a nutshell, hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the endocrine system.
Too little or too much of a hormone in your bloodstream can lead to mood swings, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and more. You know, all those fun things!
Hormones play a role in many of the ways out body functions, from appetite and metabolism, to sleep cycles, heart rate, and stress levels.
Your Gut And Liver Are The Keys To Hormonal Health
Your liver is the master detoxifier of your body, flushing out toxins, but did you know it plays a crucial role in balancing your hormones too? The liver is responsible for excessive hormone elimination from our bodies.
When your liver isn’t working optimally, your hormonal balance will be thrown off-kilter.
Your gut also plays a crucial role, as many hormones are impacted by the health of your gut microbiome.
Focusing on eating for optimal liver and gut health will have a positive impact on how your hormones are used and produced.
The following steps, in general, will help you provide your body with the nutrients and vitamins it needs to support a healthy reproductive system:
Assist with the clearance of excess hormones by increasing foods rich in fiber
Eating foods probiotic-rich foods to support a healthy gut microbiome to assist in clearing toxins from your digestive system effectively
Eating foods and drinking beverages to support healthy liver function
Including an abundance of essential fatty acids in your diet to minimise inflammation
So, let’s take a look at a few ways to fill your plate and cup with the foods and beverages to help balance hormones.
Teas And Tonics
Some simple beverages can have a potent impact on helping regulate hormones and sipping a warm, tasty brew can also reduce stress, which further supports healthy hormone levels.
Golden tea
With a similar flavor to chai tea, golden tea is based on turmeric and is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Turmeric does an excellent job of supporting liver function and boosting its ability to clear toxins which can lead to hormonal imbalance.
Here is the simple recipe - and a few additional benefits! - of this healing tea.
Warm lemon water
Starting your day with a warm glass of water with fresh lemon is a super simple way to support your liver function and give your digestive system a gentle boost to start the day.
Dandelion tea
This simple tea provides excellent support to balance hormones and support liver function. It’s also beneficial to ease menstrual bloating, PMS, and breast tenderness. You can turn your brew of dandelion root into a dandelion latte by adding steamed milk and a pinch of cinnamon.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables in the cruciferous family include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, collard greens, bok choy, and turnips.
These vegetable choices are all packed with vitamins and disease-fighting nutrients. They’re also hormone detoxifiers that can clear excess estrogens to prevent build-up in the body and improve the function of the liver.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are used in hormone production and function and as such play a crucial role in hormonal balance. Without a healthy supply of omega-3, the body struggles to produce the hormones it needs and turns to lower quality fats instead, which leads to a less than optimal result.
Omega 3 fatty acids also fight inflammation, which often goes hand in hand with hormone related conditions.
To maintain a healthy intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, include the following foods; salmon, mackerel, oysters, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, seaweed, and edamame beans.
Probiotic-Rich Foods
As I mentioned earlier, in addition to supporting your liver to help it function at its best, creating a healthy gut biome environment is also crucial for a happy hormonal balance.
You can create a healthy gut by eating fermented foods full of probiotics - and also by eliminating bad-microbe-feeding sugars.
Some great sources of probiotic rich foods to load up on include; greek yogurt, kombucha, kefir (a good alternative to yogurt if you have a dairy-intolerance), sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, apple cider vinegar, and green olives.
You’ll want to cut right down or eliminate processed and refined foods. They’re brimming with all kinds of additives and preservatives that are detrimental to great gut health.
Foods Rich In Fiber
High-fiber foods help balance hormones by providing 3 key functions; they assist in stabilizing blood sugar, removing excess estrogens, and reducing the level of cortisol in the body.
To reap the full benefits of fiber in your diet, you’ll want to make sure you’re including a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber sources.
Some good sources of soluble fiber include:
Pears, oatmeal, oranges, beans, lentils, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.
For insoluble fiber, your options include:
Onions, celery, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Supplements
There are a range of supplements that can help balance hormones and make the rollercoaster ride a little less wild.
Some of the most common supplements for hormone management include:
Fish oil - The bonus here is fish oil doesn’t only promote healthy hormones but brain health too!
Probiotic supplement - Boost your gut health with a high quality probiotic
Magnesium - This multi-tasking mineral is important for naturally balancing hormones and if you have low levels of magnesium, a supplement may help.
Just a reminder to never embark on a new supplement routine or eating plan without first consulting a qualified health practitioner.
Healthier Skin - A Benefit of Balanced Hormones
My skincare and beauty philosophy is ‘inside-out’ and the happy side effect of taking great care to eat well to balance hormones is your skin will also benefit.
Hormonal imbalances often present in our complexion, with breakouts, dry skin, fine lines and skin conditions like rosacea. Give your diet a hormonal tune-up with the right foods and your skin will thank you too!
The Health Honey
Medical Disclaimer
Information in this post and on this web site is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem.
“Too little or too much of a hormone in your bloodstream can lead to mood swings, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and more.”
