Hormonal balance is crucial to how we feel! If your hormones are not balanced you can feel low, tired, irritable, moody, have brain fog, struggle to sleep and just generally feel a little out of whack!
| COMMON SYMPTOMS OF IMBALANCE:
❖ Fatigue ❖ Mood swings ❖ PMS ❖ Heavy and/or irregular and/or painful periods ❖ Increased hair growth on the face, chest and/or back ❖ Fertility issues ❖ Weight gain ❖ Osteoporosis (brittle bones) ❖ Skin tags ❖ Hair loss ❖ Acne ❖ Night sweats ❖ Blood sugar imbalance |
5 TIPS FOR BALANCING YOUR HORMONES THROUGH DIET:
- Fruit & Vegetables – you should aim for at least 5 servings per day (with a greater emphasis on vegetables). The best vegetables for hormone balancing are cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage.
- Why? These are high in indole-3-carbinol which help with estrogen clearance.
- Consume lots of ‘healthy’ fats – oily fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring) are very high in healthy fats (omega 3) as are nuts (particularly walnuts), seeds (chia, flax), avocado and certain cold pressed oils.
- Why? Healthy fats support hormone production and formation. They help with immune system regulation, inflammation and also help to encourage your cells to respond to hormonal triggers more effectively.
- Consume whole grains – switch from white to brown e.g. brown pasta, brown rice, brown wholemeal bread etc.
- Why? These will not cause a spike in blood sugar levels like white varieties and also are rich in B vitamins.
- Consume phytoestrogens daily – this includes legumes such as soya, lentils, chickpeas and flax seeds (linseed).
- Why? Phytoestrogens aid estrogen clearance and stimulate the production of sex-hormone binding globulin which helps control the levels of estrogen and testosterone circulating in the blood.
- Increase your fibre intake – wholegrains, vegetables and fruits all contain good levels of fibre.
- Why? Fibre is crucial for clearing away excess hormones and toxins by absorbing them and excreting them in our faeces. Fibre is also very important for digestion and encouraging regular bowel movements.
These are just some of the ways that you can balance your hormones through your diet. If you would like further support/guidance on how to balance your hormones email me to arrange a *FREE* 15 minute telephone discussion.
Written by: Joanna Holden (www.joannaholdennutrition.co.uk)
Email: info@theformpractice.com