With our modern lives filled with plenty of stress and often poor nutrition, many women experience hormonal imbalance. Many don’t realize that the disturbing symptoms are often connected to metabolic damage caused by lifestyle factors.
Just some of the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance include depression, lethargy, PMS, weight gain, poor sex drive, anxiety, urinary tract infections, allergies and facial hair growth. Turning to a pill, or a variety of pills, for relief often brings side effects that are worse than the symptoms.
By balancing hormones naturally, through diet and other lifestyle factors, it’s often much easier to maintain an ideal weight, maximize energy levels, and enjoy a happier, healthier life.
Avoid Processed Foods
Foods that are packed with chemicals and other harmful toxins, like pre-packaged meats (as well as standard meats from animals confined in feedlots), baked treats, fried foods, frozen dinners and fast food, wreak havoc on hormones.
Some even contain chemicals that can mimic hormones in the body and prevent it from producing real hormones.
Eat Plenty of Omega-3 Rich Foods
Include plenty of foods that are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which can help boost hormone production by producing healthy cell membranes that allow hormones to easily reach their destination. They also aid the body in repairing cellular receptor sites and keeping cells in optimal condition.
A few of these foods include:
- Wild-caught salmon
- Walnuts and almonds
- Flaxseed
- Organic, cold-pressed olive oil
- Grass-fed meats
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil offers great benefits for hormone health. It contains the necessary building blocks for hormone production and can also aid weight loss efforts, decrease inflammation and provide antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Optimally, you should consume about ¼ cup per day.
Replace your canola or vegetable oil with coconut oil when cooking or add it to a smoothie. It’s especially tasty blended into coffee.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Following a diet that is 80 percent plant based provides great benefits, and is more important than ever for balancing hormones and for optimal health.
Include plenty of organic, antioxidant-rich foods such as brightly colored produce like carrots and berries as well as dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens and mustard greens.
Beans
Many beans are considered hormone balancing foods as well as good sources of protein, making them an especially good choice for vegetarians. Some of the best choices include lentils, black beans, red beans and garbanzos.
In addition to diet, it’s important to keep stress levels low, which can be accomplished through deep-breathing exercises, meditation and a variety of physical activities. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep and exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
-The Alternative Daily
