Eating Right to Balance Hormones

Have you ever wondered why hormones affect everything? From the way we look to how we feel, our food cravings, our moods, sometimes the reason to be lethargic or maybe even crying for no reason before you get your period. Maybe like a strong wave of desire has tingled through every nerve of your body and you need to drop everything and engage with your partner for a spontaneous fun! Yes, hormones control nearly everything of your body. But don’t worry as you are not the only one sailing in the hormonal boat. Thank or blame them, but you cannot avoid them. However, the good news is that you can learn to balance them.

When our hormones are in balance, we feel good and thrive mentally and physically. But even small disruptions to this equation can cause serious life altering symptoms. Illnesses linked to hormonal imbalance are breast cancer, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Thankfully these days no one must bear the grin of hormonal imbalance as it is possible to manage and minimise the effects of hormonal changes. This is possible by eating right. You will come across few suggestions given further as to how we can balance our hormones through food but before that let us first understand what hormones are and what causes the imbalance?

Hormones are the chemical messengers which travel around our body via our bloodstream to every tissue and organ ensuring everything from our growth to our metabolism is functioning properly.

Our main hormones include cortisol (the ‘stress’ hormone), melatonin (the hormone which helps us sleep), adrenalin (the hormone secreted by our adrenalin glands that increases the urge to fight or flight), thyroid (the hormone responsible for the regulation on our metabolisms), insulin (the hormone that regulates out blood sugar) and the main sexual hormones which are oestrogen (female), testosterone (male) and progesterone (a hormone released into the ovaries).

Many hormonal imbalances are caused by external factors, such as stress or hormone medications. However, hormonal imbalances can also be caused by any medical condition that impacts or involves the endocrine system or glands. There are many other lifestyles causes and medical reasons associated with it as well.

Symptoms: A hormone imbalance can lead to several noticeable effects including difficulty managing your weight, feeling bloated, trouble sleeping or always sleeping, PMS or skin issues as well as effecting our general wellbeing.

Below are few suggestions that might help balance your hormones:

1. Control your weight and eat right

• Eat at least 3 meals per day focusing on portion size, not calories and including protein with each meal & snack
• Skipping meals and severe caloric restriction only lower metabolic rate which can lead to weight gain.
• Metabolic rate naturally peaks at noon and slows after that so the food you eat at night is more likely to be stored as fat.
• Smaller more frequent meals containing protein will normalise insulin secretion and limit fat being stored as fat instead of burned energy.
• A healthy snack in the evening around 4-5pm (protein or unprocessed fat) when blood sugar, mood and serotonin tend to drop can keep you away from overeating at night. Herbal or green tea are also good options.

 2. Cut down on refined and high glycaemic index carbohydrates

• This includes alcohol with is nothing but sugar in a form that is so absorbable its effects are in your brain in minutes.
• Alcohol also interferes with estrogen metabolism and causes almost an immediate hormone imbalance, increasing estrogen in the blood relative to progesterone.
• Carbohydrate sensitive individuals may find that eating whole grain products (whole wheat, whole rye, whole oat, millet flour) triggers binge eating so consume grains with caution.
• Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (1 serving or half a cup). Remember the healthiest are the most colourful and highest in antioxidants, especially blueberries.
• Water helps the body eliminate the breakdown products of fat (other options, iced tea, decaf green tea, diluted fruits juices, lemon water, barley water, fennel water, coriander-seeds soaked water).
• Lemon water helps. The alkalinizing effect of lemon water, along with its liver-supporting properties, ensure that the body is metabolizing and breaking down damaging toxins derived from our environment.

 3. Eat healthy and good fats

Essential fatty acids, namely omega-3 and omega-6 fats are needed to assist the body in many important functions, including those of the brain and nervous system. Good sources of EFAs, including eggs, high quality flax seeds, soybeans and cold water harvested fish from the wild. If at all your diet is lacking in these then high quality EFA supplements are widely available but please take it only after doctor’s consultation. In addition, avocados, almonds, salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, organic kefir and olive oil are also good sources of Omegas. These foods not only supress cravings but also increase your body’s ability to produce hormones that boosts energy and feelings of satiety.

The recommended Ratio of Omega 6/Omega 3 is 2:1-4:1

4. Exercises that help boost hormone levels

A combination of strength training and cardio workouts to maximize health benefits and boost hormone levels. High-intensity exercises like squats, lunges, pull-ups, crunches and pushups are ideal, with minimal rest time in between.

 5. Best Vitamins to balance hormonal imbalance

• Vitamin D and thyroid dysfunction. Vitamin D can help play a part in regulating insulin and the thyroid hormone. 
• Vitamin B6 and PMS. Vitamin B6 can help alleviate some of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as mood changes and irritability.
• Vitamin E and menopause.

 6. Healing spices and herbs

Cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, cumin and ginger. An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, garlic contains ultra-high concentrations of the organosulfur compound allicin (a compound currently under investigation for their potential to prevent and treat disease) which helps improves the body’s ability to metabolize iron, an important part of balancing hormones.

 7. Coconut oil 

Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is extremely beneficial for hormone production. 

 Avoid

• Processed food and those high is sugar. This is an overtax for our immune system, gut and endocrine system. Instead, feed your gut with plenty of fibre and immunity supporting fermented foods.
• Caffeine, energy drinks, sodas and some teas or even chocolate contain caffeine that interferes with the hormone producing sleep.
• Avoid trans fats, partially hydrogenated fats and oils that are not found in nature and are pro inflammatory.

Thus, the most important way of addressing the balance in your body is to look at your diet along with your lifestyle. Our body needs a healthy balance of clean and good quality proteins, low glycaemic foods, complex carbohydrates, hormone balancing healthy fats, antioxidant rich vegetables and fruits, healing spices and herbs in each meal for our bodies to thrive and survive. So, incorporate the above foods and who knows you may stay calm and balanced in every possible way!