We all know that balanced hormones supports a healthy body but what does this term actually mean and how does the food we eat help or hinder this goal?
Eating for Hormone Balance – What Does It Mean?
Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that communicate with different body systems via organs and glands. Our bodies are constantly adjusting to our internal and external environment by adjusting hormonal levels. Well balanced hormones increase the likelihood of successful conception. Unfortunately, changes in our environment, diet and genetics have wreaked havoc on this system. Symptoms and signs of hormonal imbalance include menstrual cycle irregularities, mood swings, weight gain, acne, hair loss, and fertility issues. A healthy hormone balancing diet is just one piece of a much bigger picture, but the food we consume can have a significant and powerful impact on this balance.
Three systems that are important for hormonal balance, include our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), detoxification system and insulin-blood sugar control. At the core of building a hormone balancing diet is implementing simple strategies. Eating foods and herbs that support these three systems can help set the stage for more balanced hormones.
Charge Your HPA Axis
If your goal is to balance hormones with food, understanding how the HPA Axis works is key. The HPA Axis comprises the brain and adrenal glands. It has a key role in regulating our metabolism, immune response, and autonomic nervous system (ANS). The system also influences digestion, mood, sexual activity, energy storage and expenditure, and stress response. Aside from avoiding chronic stress, there are some key vitamins and minerals that act as cofactors to the reactions needed to produce neurotransmitters, allowing the system to operate well. These nutrients include Vitamin C and B Vitamins ,sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc.
Vitamin C is required in large amounts by the adrenal glands to produce normal levels of hormones, including cortisol and DHEA. Vitamin C can be obtained through a supplement (aim for at least 500mg daily if your diet is lacking), citrus fruits and zest, bell peppers and strawberries. Rich food sources of B Vitamins include whole grains, meat, seafood, organ meats, poultry and seeds.
Support Your Detoxification System
Detoxification is the process for eliminating toxins from the body by converting them into water-soluble substances that can be removed from the body through urine, sweat, bile or feces. While our body is well adapted to naturally detoxify, ongoing exposure to environmental stresses and toxins can over burden this system. Our digestive system and liver are the key organs involved in this process.
The Liver
To support liver detox, we need to eat foods that contain nutrients required by enzymes of the liver. These include B Vitamins, Vitamin C and E, folate, glutathione and amino acids particularly methionine, taurine and glycine. Two herbs that support this system are sulforaphane found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli sprouts and milk thistle. We also want to boost intake of antioxidants to neutralize the increased release of free radicals that occurs when detox ramps up.
To boost antioxidants increase dark green leafy veggies, pomegranate (both whole or juiced), berries, ginger, onions, garlic, cilantro, dill, parsley, rosemary, green tea and coffee. Having a 2-3 servings of organic, grass fed meat per week will provide all the amino acids you need. These can also be obtained via a high quality supplement. Including bone based soups and stews will ensure you get adequate glycine, a key amino acid that is harder to obtain from leaner cuts of meat.
Try to avoid, or ideally eliminate alcohol, well done meat, and damaged fats such as those that are hydrogenated, and contained in ultra processed foods.
The Gut
The nutrients required to support detoxification in the gut are similar to those of the liver. Additional support includes probiotic and prebiotic foods that ensure diversity of healthy bacterial strains that help with elimination. Probiotic foods include greek yogurt, fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, tempeh and miso. Prebiotic foods include green bananas, jerusalem artichoke, raw oats, dandelion greens, and garlic. All systems need large amounts of water or other liquids to effectively eliminate toxins, aim for at least 80-100 fluid ounces per day.
Avoid fasting for periods of longer than 48 hrs. After this time period, toxins are mobilized from fat stores placing an additional burden on detoxification systems.
Blood Sugar Control
Another hormone that plays a central role in hormonal balance is insulin. Insulin is the energy regulating hormone that allows our cells to take up and use sugar from food. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and lowers blood sugar. Insulin is also closely linked to other sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
Carbohydrates elicit the greatest insulin production, followed by protein. There is no insulin response with dietary fat. Including some carbs in your diet is important for energy production, however, the quality matters. The Standard American Diet (SAD), contains large quantities of over processed carbs that causes a rapid rise in insulin and then a crash. This roller coaster effect can lead to insulin resilience, a situation where cells become desensitized to the effect of insulin.
Chronically high blood insulin levels can cause the ovaries to make more testosterone and also lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which leads to symptoms such as facial hair, acne and irregular periods. High insulin levels also contribute to weight gain. As fat tissue increases, levels of estrogen will also rise, this is most prominent in postmenopausal women. Fat tissues contributes up to 100% of circulating estrogen in postmenopausal women and 50% of circulating testosterone in pre-menopausal women.
There are many ways to balance hormones with food, and one strategy that can help is following this simple platting rule. Fill just a quarter of your plate with high quality carbs like sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, farro, whole rolled oats and whole wheat bread, rather than their white, refined counterparts will ensure insulin levels rise and fall normally helping to support better hormonal balance. Adding a source of protein and fat to your carbs will slow down digestion and act as an insulin buffer. We hope that with these ti[s.
