Balanced Nutrition For Women’s Hormonal Health
Hormones have an impactful and varied influence on women’s health in terms of fertility, mood and metabolism. Eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods while limiting inflammation-causing oils and sugars is key to keeping hormone levels balanced.
Healthy fats provide the building blocks for hormone production and balance. Vitamin D, selenium and zinc also play a pivotal role in supporting this.
Healthy Fats
Women’s hormones are formed from fats, so incorporating an adequate intake of healthy fats into one’s diet is vital for hormone health and fullness. Healthy fats include fatty fish, olive oil and chia seeds – as well as polyunsatured and omega-3 fatty acids to ensure adequate consumption during gestation.
Diet can have an immense effect on estrogen, the main reproductive hormone produced during ovulation that regulates menstrual cycles. A diet high in saturated fats can increase estrogen production in your body and disrupt your monthly cycle, potentially leading to fibroids, endometriosis or other reproductive problems. Conversely, eating foods rich in monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acid foods can reduce levels of estrogen significantly and thus help you conceive naturally more often.
Progesterone levels can also be affected by diet. Diets low in omega-3 fatty acid foods may lower progesterone levels, leading to irregular periods, fertility problems and other health conditions. A balanced diet which includes flaxseeds, fatty fish, chia seeds and walnuts as sources of omega-3s will help increase progesterone levels.
Testosterone is a hormone produced in small quantities in our bodies, but can have significant impacts on mood swings, bone health and cardiovascular disease. Eating foods rich in polyunsaturated and omega-3 dietary fats may boost testosterone production which helps decrease symptoms of depression while increasing energy levels.
Overall, eating a diet rich in healthy fats from foods like fish, olive oil and chia seed as well as nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and whole grains is key to hormonal health. Avoiding processed food, added sugars and caffeine will also be key in maintaining balance of hormones. If experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance consult a dietitian and an ob/gyn to create a treatment plan using diet as one aspect; eating well can play an effective role in supporting overall hormonal wellbeing and balance.
Nutrient-Dense Foods
Food choices can help provide your body with essential nutrients to support hormonal balance, such as omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, proteins, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Incorporating a healthy diet into daily life also plays an important role in controlling blood sugar levels – and helping support hormonal regulation!
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains provide plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, along with lots of dietary fiber. Try to focus on eating nutritious food instead of sugary processed items or beverages that provide empty calories.
Functional nutrition approaches provide a valuable method of diagnosing what might be contributing to hormonal imbalance. One common cause of low energy can be fluctuating blood sugar levels, which can disrupt hormones and cause fatigue, anxiety or depression, weight gain, slow digestion, bloating constipation heavy menstrual flow as well as other symptoms.
Food’s nutrient density can be measured in terms of how many vitamins and minerals it provides per calorie. Foods high in nutrient density include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds – these contain an array of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties.
Animal foods are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, especially organ meats like liver and heart. These provide essential sources of protein, B12, folate, iron, and zinc.
Antioxidants help defend the body against oxidative stress, which can have adverse effects on hormonal health. Berries, leafy greens and tomatoes are rich in antioxidants; other essential hormone health nutrients are vitamin D, selenium, A and zinc; grass-fed butter, fish, chicken and egg yolk yolks contain plenty of these important micronutrients.
Vitamin Supplements
Hormones play an integral part of human body function, from fertility and reproduction, regulating mood and energy levels, as well as supporting immunity. If hormone levels become unbalanced it can have detrimental effects on multiple aspects of health including menstrual issues and other symptoms. A good way to combat hormonal imbalance is eating nutrient-rich diet but vitamins or supplements may also provide support.
Diets rich in leafy greens, fruits and fatty fish can provide many essential vitamins; however, some women may struggle to obtain all their necessary nutrition through food alone; for this reason vitamin supplements and hormone-balancing herbs may be an invaluable addition to their daily regimen.
Women at menstruating or perimenopausal ages need adequate amounts of vitamin D in their diets in order to absorb calcium efficiently and maintain balanced estrogen and progesterone levels, both essential elements in maintaining healthful reproductive systems. Deficits in vitamin D intake can result in osteoporosis, vaginal dryness and thyroid issues if dietary sources such as sun exposure or egg yolks and fatty fish don’t contain enough of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin E is another nutrient that can help your hormones find balance, and this antioxidant is found in foods like nuts, seeds and leafy vegetables. This powerful nutrient can reduce hot flashes and night sweats while strengthening immunity – it may even slow the aging process and protect from oxidative stress!
Vitamin B6 can help balance estrogen levels and alleviate PMS symptoms such as moodiness, irritability, bloating and fatigue. You can find vitamin B6 in foods such as poultry, beef, fish, potatoes and bananas; or in supplement form; just be wary not to overdose! Doing so could result in nausea, vomiting and kidney damage.
Care/of’s Shatavari herb is an all-natural hormone-balancing supplement made from sustainably-grown Indian flowers that helps calm hot flashes and night sweats while increasing energy. All products from Care/of are third-party tested and non-GMO, free from fillers or unnecessary preservatives for added safety and effectiveness.
Exercise
Women’s hormones are complex, and to properly balance them requires taking an integrated approach that addresses all factors related to production – diet, exercise, stress management and sleeping habits all play an integral part. While quick fixes available online might not be backed by science, simple actions like adding more healthy fats may still have positive results.
Hormones play an integral part in every part of our bodies, from growth and development to metabolism, digestion, fertility, weight and mood regulation. Eating a diet rich in whole foods, healthy fats and proteins helps balance hormones for optimum functioning.
Unfortunately, even when people consume all the appropriate vitamins and nutrients, their benefits may still not be realized due to inadequate absorption. This may be caused by factors like increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut syndrome), overly processed diets, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or chronic inflammation.
As it happens, by addressing any of these issues, symptoms can be significantly reduced or eliminated and hormone levels restored back to normal. When dealing with hormonal issues it’s crucial to consult a functional medicine practitioner who can identify the source of your discomfort and develop a customized plan to address it.
Regular exercise is key for maintaining healthy hormones at any stage in life and should be prioritized over any other activities. Exercise produces brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which reduces inflammation, regulates stress levels and modulates gut function to support optimal hormone health. Furthermore, high-intensity workouts should be avoided during follicular and luteal phases when cortisol levels peak; additionally, you must allow sufficient recovery time after intense workouts to ensure optimal hormone health.
Hormones can change at different points throughout life, and women’s hormonal makeup may vary between her thirties and forties. A functional medicine approach to hormone health may provide crucial relief for women who experience fatigue, brain fog, mood swings or other common hormonal imbalance symptoms such as fatigue. Focusing on eating nutrient-dense foods instead of processed ones, prioritizing adequate restful sleep and movement, managing stress effectively and taking vitamin supplements for hormone regulation are effective ways for women to manage these transitional stages more smoothly and feel their best throughout all their transitional stages of life.