Ladies, Are Your Hormones Intune?
Do you feel tired? Bloated? Anxious? Are your periods inconsistent and painful? Our body is a machine that can easily fall off track. Sometimes, we know what is causing the disturbance and sometimes it's hard to pinpoint. Often times, it can be your hormones that are disturbing the peace inside your body. In this blog, Jordan Huckabee, a Nutritionist working for a compounding pharmacy that specializes in hormone replacement, is breaking down female hormones. She explains the importance of hormone regulation and gives helpful tips on how to get your hormones in tune.
Hormones. Most women cringe at the word. Often because we think of the word hormones associated with word phrases like, “hormone imbalance”, “PMS”, “mood swings”, and even “menopause”. Our sex hormones are what make us women, and they literally play as a symphony in the body. When those hormones are in balance, we feel effing fantastic. However, if one of those instruments gets out of tune, it can quite literally throw us into an emotional hell. The good news is there are many ways to combat these symptoms and have you well on your way to feeling like your best self again.
Hormone Basics
Let’s start with the basics. Women have three major sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. (You read that right, testosterone is not just for men; women need it, too.)
1. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries and has over 400 functions in your body! It regulates body temperatures, helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease, regulates blood pressures, increases energy, uplifts your mood, and helps with your sex drive.
2. Progesterone is also made in the ovaries, and its functions include: balancing estrogen, preventing anxiety, irritability, and mood swings, and helps you with quality sleep.
3. Testosterone is commonly known as a “male” hormone, but women also need this hormone to help with many bodily functions. Testosterone’s functions in women include: decreased excess body fat, elevation of norepinephrine (which has the same effect as taking an anti-depressant), maintenance of memory, increased muscle mass and strength, increased sense of well-being, confidence and motivation, as well as an increased sex drive.
So, how do you know if your hormones are balanced or not? As you can see, hormones are a big deal. When your hormones are in check, you feel happy, invincible and on top of your game. Hormones influence your mood, blood sugar, libido, what your period is like, and more. But, hormones are delicate and can be disrupted when you are eating the wrong foods, experiencing long periods of stress, not getting enough sleep (or poor quality sleep), and even being exposed to toxins.
Here are some natural ways that you can balance your hormones to make sure you are back on top of your game.
Foods to Support Your Hormones
Non-starchy Vegetables
Incorporating nonstarchy vegetables into your daily food intake can play a vital role in making sure you are getting proper nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins each day to support your hormones. Nonstarchy vegetables like leafy greens, garlic, onions, brussel sprouts, and broccoli are all good choices to make sure you are supporting healthy estrogen metabolism to rid your body of any of the bad estrogens that throw our bodies out of whack.
Fiber Filled Foods
Fiber is often associated with regular bowel movements, and while this is true, it plays an important role in getting rid of excess estrogen in the body, helping with satiety, and balancing glucose levels in the body. When your blood glucose levels are in check you reach for less of the sweets and caffeine to get you through that afternoon slump. The excess sugar and caffeine are known to wreak havoc on your hormones. Look for foods like leafy greens, berries, avocados, nuts and seeds, and chia seeds.
Healthy Fats
Many people are scared of eating too much fat but when it comes to healthy fats like avocado, coconut, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and wild caught salmon, you cannot go wrong. Fats are the building blocks of hormone production and a vital component to balancing your hormones. However, beware of too many bad fats that can lead to increased inflammation, because too much inflammation in the body will definitely lead to imbalanced hormones.
Supplements to Balance Your Hormones
DIM (Diindolymethane) and I3C (Indole-3-Carbinol)
DIM and I3C come from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage. Cruciferous vegetable metabolites (such as I3C and DIM) work by keeping hormones in balance and ensuring the body is able to process hormones properly. DIM and I3C work together to reduce hormone overload and maintain cellular health. Current data on I3C and DIM, suggests that these phytonutrients have strong potential for supporting breast, cervical, uterine and prostate health. If you believe you have estrogen dominance, taking a DIM supplement may be your first step to feeling better.
Magnesium
Did you know that more than 75% of Americans are deficient in magnesium? Magnesium is known as nature’s “chill pill” and is responsible for over 300 chemical reactions in the body. Causes of magnesium deficiency include: alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, excessive sugar intake, soft drinks, stress and more. Magnesium can also help with insomnia to help you get better quality sleep and decrease inflammation in the body.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are required for a number of body functions, from proper blood flow to brain development. These long-chain fatty acids are integral components of tissues and organ systems throughout the body, including the heart, skin, joints, eyes and immune system. Utilizing Omega-3s in your supplement routine can reduce inflammation which plays an important role in balancing your hormones.
Don’t Forget About Exercise
Exercise does amazing things for our bodies beyond just trying to stay in shape. It is also a vital component to balancing our hormones. Physical activity is linked to lower inflammation, lower stress levels, and better sleep. Just be sure to not overdo it and remember to give your body periods of rest throughout the week as a way to recharge.
Conclusion
Hormones can be tricky and this is only skimming the surface. If you do believe that your hormones are out of balance and you are still at a loss of where to start, talk to your health care practitioner. Specifically about Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). These are natural hormones identical to what your body makes and are not synthetic. I encourage all women to know your hormones and get an early start on understanding how your body works and what you may be sensitive to. Knowing your hormones early on will give you a better understanding about your body and have you feeling like your best self again!