Happy Healthy Hormone Diet

I wish I could tell you to just “eat this” and your hormones will balance themselves right out.  But whoever tells you that is only telling you a “half-truth”.  And a half-truth is still a full lie.  The TRUTH is, nutrition is only 1/3 of getting your hormones back in order and creating a balanced hormonal orchestra within the body where everything works synergistically.

The other 2/3rds is what you are doing outside of the kitchen.  Namely, your stress, your environment, your behaviors, your sleep and relaxation, and yes even the people you associate with.

Here’s some things to consider:

Do you have trouble sleeping? This will tax your body and stress your adrenals, causing a spike in cortisol (your stress hormone) which your body holds in the highest regard over all other hormones.  When this is high, most other hormones take a back seat.  You must address sleep.

Do you have chronic large amounts of physical stress, financial stress, marital or relationship stress, even travel stress?  Unfortunately, this too creates chronic cortisol output which thwarts all other hormones from being produced and released.

Do you spend most of your time indoors?  Lack of sunshine creates a hormone imbalance.  Did you know many hormones are made based on your exposure to natural light?

Do you spend a lot of time on electronic devices?  The amount of radiation from devices has been shown to suppress hormones.

So, you see, it’s not something that the world’s best diet, or the “7 foods that fix your hormones” youtube video can correct. 

Instead….
1.  Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep at night and be sure to block blue-light before bed to release the right amount of the hormone melatonin.
2.  De-stress and unwind.  Plan “down-days”.  Say no to things that stress you out.  Have a “wind-down Wednesday” where you schedule a nap or a relaxing massage, to keep your stress in check.
3.  Fix your circadian rhythm. Start by winding down with the sun and getting up with the sun.  “Early to bed and early to rise, makes ones (hormones) happy, healthy, and wise”.
4.  Go outside.  Even as it gets cooler and the days get shorter, aim for 10-20 minutes of direct sunlight each day.  Look towards the sun (not at it) and let the light into your eyes without contacts, glasses, or sunglasses. Click this to find out about the reason why.  

Now, about nutrition.  Since it does play a small part…..

The following is a balanced protocol that nearly everyone can follow most of the time to keep hormones in check. It is not intended to be overly ridged, quiet the opposite, in fact.  The physical and emotional improvements will delight you. And what you eat or drink at the occasional party or special occasion is not going to be significantly harmful to you or your hormonal balance in the long run. So splurge once in a while and enjoy it.

Protein: Eat palm-sized portions of protein at each meal. Protein is slow digesting, satisfying and the building blocks of every health cell so that they communicate the hormones well.

Vegetables: Cooked veggies are best, and preferably in butter or bacon grease or coconut oil.  I advise  lower oxalate vegetables to help ease inflammation and calm the body and low oxalate foods can actually help eradicate plant toxins that can cause hormonal disruption. Want to know more about low oxalate? Click here.

Fruit: Eat small amounts of hormone balancing fresh fruits – mainly citrus like oranges and mandarins. Stay away from high starchy fruits like apples and bananas as a general rule which can spike insulin and cause hormonal disruption.

Carbohydrates: Your fruits and veggies are carbs, but other easily-digestible carbs such as well-cooked potatoes, white rice, and gluten-free oats in moderation are a great source of calm to a stressed system.

Fats: Good fats are like a tonic to your system. Bad fats are poison, such as corn oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, which by the way is what most restaurants cook food in, so prepare foods at home. Your good fats are butter, egg yolks, beef tallow, bacon grease, coconut oil, coconut butter and ghee. Some olive oil and avocado is fine too.

Sweeteners: Minimal, occasional, very occasional. Small amounts of raw honey.  Even sweeteners like stevia can cause a blood sugar reaction which can cause hormonal disruptions, so it’s best to keep them occasional rather than daily, 

Milk Products: Ensure you are not allergic and go easy here, using raw unpasteurized if you must consume.

Liquids: Yes to filtered water, no to fruit juice, no to sodas, limited use of wine, beer and coffee.

Remember: Always choose the best quality products possible, avoid pesticides, inorganic fertilized products, and hormonally raised animal products.

When possible, always choose Certified Organic.

Avoid processed foods, fast foods, chemically treated foods, and industrially prepared foods.

Eat foods as close to Nature as possible.  Eat foods in season.

Hormonal imbalance can be tricky so if you would like someone in your corner, consider a Nutritional Therapy protocol with myself, to get yours regulated.  There’s a lot we can do to end hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and lose stubborn belly fat…email me today to set up your consult.