Health
7 Tips on Balancing Your Hormones Naturally
Why are so many women suffering needlessly from severe cramping, bloating, acne, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain around the belly, etc.? The answer: hormonal imbalance!
Oestrogen and progesterone – our “female” hormones – are tiny chemical messages that are produced mainly in our ovaries. With our modern diets, hectic lifestyles and chemically-laden toxic environments, these hormones, with cortisol (stress hormone) and insulin (blood sugar-regulating hormone) get thrown off balance, leading to a plethora of symptoms and conditions like chronic fatigue, hair loss, mood swings, endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, cysts, breasts lumps etc. These are very common and usually brushed off as “normal” by conventional medicine today.
In my functional medicine training, I learnt that hormonal health is a beautiful and delicate dance between these 4 hormones (there are more in reality!), and anything that you eat/drink, do and feel can throw them off.
Here are my top 7 tips to naturally bring your hormones back to balance!
Tip #1: Minimize sugar and processed grains
Minimizing sugar goes far beyond weight loss – this ingredient that we love so much is unfortunately very inflammatory. Studies indicate that our bodies react negatively to sugar by manifesting as pain (period cramps), chronic fatigue, weight gain, etc.
Sugar exists in different forms so please read your food labels! High fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, etc. is insidious as they are present in many innocent packaged foods. Even the “healthier” versions of sugar like raw brown sugar, coconut sugar and date sugar need to be minimized, as well as high glycemic fruits such as mango, banana and pineapple.
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Processed grain in the form of white flour – a key ingredient in pizza doughs, cakes, bread, cookies, biscuits, desserts and processed snacks – and refined grains like breakfast cereal and white rice, also significantly elevate our blood sugar. Over time, insulin resistance leads to weight gain and oestrogen dominance thus increasing our risk of breast/ovarian/uterine cancers, reproductive cancers, fertility issues, etc.
Tip #2: Minimize alcohol consumption
This ingredient alone can trigger symptoms of hormonal imbalances because it elevates blood sugar. Studies have indicated that women aged 16 and above who have 3 alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day. I recommend my clients to avoid alcohol as much as possible and to drink it sparingly on occasion.
Tip #3: Eliminate dairy
I recommend getting off dairy (cow’s milk products) except organic butter and ghee for a couple of weeks. About 75% of the world’s population is genetically lactose intolerant – which is characterized by a difficulty in digesting casein, the main protein found in milk. It is often used in other food products as a binding agent. Casein proteins can actually induce inflammation leading to hormonal imbalances, skin problems like acne, eczema, psoriasis, mucous congestion and sinus problems, etc.
Tip #4: Go Gluten-Free
I always advise clients to remove gluten from their diet because many studies have indicated that it releases an inflammatory protein called zonulin which slowly damages the lining of the gut, creating “holes” even in those who do not experience any symptoms.
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These “holes” allow undigested food, waste, and microbes to leak into the bloodstream (where they don’t belong) and create an immune response. This sets the stage for systemic inflammation. Plus when you stop eating crackers, cookies, breads, and pastas made with gluten, your stubborn weight starts to melt away and you have more room for nourishing, real foods like colourful vegetables and high-quality fats, all of which help to balance out hormones naturally!
Tip #5: Exercise Moderately
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Do you know that exercising too hard releases cortisol, the stress hormone? If you have a highly stressful lifestyle, my advice is to enjoy low to moderate physical movement for at least 30 minutes a day! Ignoring your body’s needs will trigger weight gain, as well as a conversion of progesterone to cortisol leading to oestrogen dominance, increasing risk of cancers, uterine fibroids, cysts, painful cramps etc.
Tip #6: Get Enough Sleep
A lack of sleep can increase cortisol, hence weight gain and a poorly functioning endocrine system. Aim for at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep by not having dinner past 7:30pm, having a light but nourishing meal, reducing screen time 1 hour before bed and not drinking too many fluids past 9pm.
Tip #7: Manage Your Stress Levels
Credit photo Emily Hoon
Do you know that our cells are always listening to our thoughts and emotions? Experiencing daily low-grade stressors, having negative thoughts and constantly ruminating elevate cortisol levels significantly, which can deplete progesterone hence triggering a host of symptoms. So learn to cope with those stressors by setting some self-care boundaries: take time out for yourself alone, doing activities you love, meditation, reading, etc.!
Not sure where to start? I am happy to offer a 15% discount on my 45-minute health history evaluation that costs CHF50.- with the code VIVA15. Valid until 30 July 2021 only – so book here today: https://www.emilyhoon.com/myservices
About the author:
Emily Hoon is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach for Women’s Hormonal Wellness.
Her 3 pillars of holistic health are nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle adjustments
On-going Education: Institute of Functional Medicine, The School of Applied Functional Medicine
She is Singapore-born and has been based in Basel and Zurich for 16 years.
Connect with me!
Website: www.emilyhoon.com
IG: @thrive.with.emily
FB: https://www.facebook.com/thrive.with.emily
