Balancing your Hormones through Nutrition
Hormone imbalances affect your everyday life and can lead to multiple different health issues. The journey towards balancing our hormones is often a long one, that involves changes in multiple different areas of your life. The good news is you can improve your hormone balance, correct nutrition is one way to help on this journey.
What are the key principles for balancing hormones through nutrition?
Balancing hormones requires several strategies that impact not only the production of hormones but also the availability, transport and activity of hormones in cells. Once hormones have served their purpose, they need to be detoxified and eliminated, to avoid excess hormones causing a dominant effect in the body. Every cell in the body has hormone receptors, so their activity is widespread.
To keep hormones balanced, we need to:
Nourish the body with the right nutrients from whole foods and avoid processed food that introduces chemicals into the body.
Manage our stress levels, to prevent cortisol levels from being too high, which shuts down digestive function and triggers the storage of fat.
Balance blood sugar to prevent insulin spikes, which cause cravings, and result in that weight around the belly.
Exercise regularly to improve oxygen levels and bone density.
Prioritise sleep for recovery and repair.
Nurture a healthy gut microbiome to improve energy and mood, as serotonin is largely made in the gut before being transported to the brain.
How does diet impact hormone balance and overall health?
When it comes to diet, good food is so much more than macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It is also micronutrients, the sum of all its vitamin and mineral content. Fibre is fundamentally important to clean the digestive system, by keeping our bowels moving regularly to eliminate toxins. It is also vital for feeding our gut microbiome which supports the health of our bodies in return.
It's about a mindset shift to a different way of eating and living. In order to change habits and be consciously aware of everything that we eat. To ensure that we are fuelling our bodies with the best food available, rather than just consuming empty calories out of habit, that offers almost no nourishment.
Rebalancing your hormones naturally is not something that happens overnight, but it can be greatly improved with the help of nutritional and lifestyle changes, to nourish your body with all the building blocks and nutrients it needs to stay healthy and age gracefully.
What are the common hormonal imbalances and their dietary solutions?
Hormone imbalances show up in many ways. Common symptoms include PMS, acne, period pain, weight gain, fatigue, and hot flushes. When symptoms get more serious, and disrupt our lives, hopes and dreams it’s important to take action.
PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition which is caused by an imbalance between oestrogen and testosterone, causing symptoms such as excess hair growth, irregular periods and infertility. Regulating body weight and blood sugar is key to balancing hormones. This can be achieved by increasing protein and healthy fat in the diet, as well as eating a range of different coloured fruit and vegetables for their polyphenol content. But it’s also important to reduce sugar intake, starchy carbohydrates and processed foods.
Peri-menopause symptoms can be debilitating in the prime of our lives between the ages of 45 and 55 years. The decline in oestrogen and progesterone causes hot flushes, brain fog, fatigue, muscle pains and depression. But this too, can be improved with a healthy, balanced diet and the addition of hormone-regulating foods and herbs, such as soy, flax seeds, broccoli, red clover and sage.
Can you provide insights into the role of specific nutrients in hormone regulation?
Our hormones function as a key communication system in the body and need to be balanced to function effectively. A bit like Goldilocks – not too little, not too much, but just the right amount. At every step of the hormone cycle in the body, different enzymes and transporters are required to regulate hormones to be just right. All these processes require different nutrients to make or activate them.
One example is protein, which is a fundamental building block in the body and is needed to build hormones, transporters, and enzymes and to improve insulin function.
Soluble fibre is also important for blood sugar balance and supporting the gut. Fibre supports the elimination of excess hormones and cholesterol to prevent them from recirculating in the body and increasing levels.
What are the top foods for promoting hormone balance naturally?
One of the most powerful nutrients that support hormones are phytoestrogens, such as flaxseeds, sesame seeds, soy, oats, garlic, and almonds. These are naturally occurring plant-based chemicals, which share a similar chemistry to oestrogen and exert a weak oestrogenic effect on cells. Their great advantage is that you can use them to gently help rebalance your hormones. Phytoestrogens are particularly effective, as they act as adaptogens. This means they can adapt to either increase or decrease the effects of oestrogen on your cells.
The liver detoxification pathways are also important to balance hormones. Foods that contain B vitamins and sulphur are very important to support these pathways. They also support the hormone function of the thyroid, oestrogen, and DHEA (a precursor to many hormones). Sulphur-containing foods include eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, leeks, and onions.
How does gut health influence hormonal balance, and what dietary strategies can improve it?
The most important aspect of gut health for hormone balance is a daily trip to the toilet, as oestrogen metabolism is dependent on regular bowel movements for elimination. So, don’t accept constipation! Be diligent about hydration and consuming more fibre from fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Not only will these foods keep your bowels regular, but they will also provide important prebiotic nourishment for your gut bacteria.
Research shows the importance of the Estrobolome, the colonies of healthy gut bacteria which support oestrogen metabolism. An imbalanced microbiome affects this delicate balance and causes excess hormones to be recycled back into the body. There are trillions of microbes living on our mucous membranes, including the gut and vagina, which keep these areas from getting inflamed or infected by pathogens. These organisms live in harmony with our biology - we provide food, and they provide us with metabolic by-products that support our health, including immune and hormone support as well as neurotransmitters that improve our mood.
Are there specific dietary protocols or supplements recommended by functional medicine to enhance fertility?
There is no specific protocol as everyone is biologically unique so what may work for one person won’t necessarily work for another. However, there are certain nutrients which are very important for supporting male and female fertility, for example, antioxidants, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats. Similarly in terms of supplements, they depend on the individual person’s need so these need to be specifically tailored to the individual.
Are there any specific dietary guidelines for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations during different life stages?
The key principles of following a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of protein, healthy fat, vegetables, whole grains and phytonutrients don’t really change for different life stages. Following these principles throughout life can significantly improve how we go through each stage, from puberty to pregnancy and eventually into menopause.
Phytoestrogens are beneficial to all women, but particularly so, if you are going through peri-menopause, have endometriosis, fibroids or PMT (uncomfortable symptoms during or just before your period).
Some specific guidelines for a healthy transition into the menopause years, are to focus on reducing stress and prioritising exercise and sleep. It’s also a time to reduce alcohol consumption - alcohol and menopause don’t get along.
Can you explain the connection between blood sugar levels and hormone balance? How diet can help stabilise them?
High levels of insulin cause a reduction in the production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which is important in regulating the amount of free hormones circulating in the body. When they are bound to SHBG, hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone can be transported safely to where they are most needed. Low SHBG is a common problem in PCOS sufferers, which is why balancing blood sugar is so important. To balance insulin, you need to prevent sugar spikes by eating 3 meals a day with good levels of protein, fat and fibre, and reducing sugary snacks and foods high in carbohydrates. Starchy, white carbohydrates such as potato, bread and pasta convert to sugar very quickly in the gut, causing insulin to spike.
What are the recommended dietary modifications for individuals with thyroid-related hormonal imbalances?
Thyroid imbalance can either present as an under or overactive thyroid, depending on the root cause. An underactive thyroid may be caused by insufficient nutrients to make thyroid hormones, such as tyrosine (from protein), iodine, selenium, zinc, B vitamins or magnesium. So, eating good amounts of protein, leafy green veg for magnesium, brazil nuts for selenium and fish or seaweed products for iodine, is useful to balance thyroid imbalances.
Equally, fluoride in tap water and toothpaste can interfere with iodine absorption, so drinking filtered or bottled water and using less toothpaste is a key strategy for supporting thyroid activity.
Are there any specific superfoods or supplements that can support hormone balance?
When recommending hormone superfoods to clients, I always include the following - to be consumed on a daily basis:
Flaxseeds / Linseeds
Tofu, tempeh or miso
Seeds and Nuts such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and Brazil nuts
Broccoli or another cruciferous veg for supporting detoxification
Fruit such as berries and apples for their vitamin and fibre content
Supplements often depend on the individual, but may include chromium, inositol, alpha lipoic acid and cinnamon for sugar balance. Zinc, B vitamins and magnesium for detoxification and energy production. Or herbs such as red clover, agnus castus, sage and green tea for general hormone balance.
Can you provide tips for incorporating hormone-balancing meals into a busy lifestyle?
Start the day with a good breakfast that includes protein and fat, such as oats cooked in coconut milk, with added berries or stewed apple. This will prevent cravings for snacks before lunch.
Always aim to consume whole foods and avoid processed foods, especially with artificial ingredients. So make your own salads or soup ahead of time, or choose carefully when eating on the run, ensuring a good protein source to fill you up and prevent afternoon energy dips.
Include 2 portions of cruciferous vegetables with a main meal, every day.
Choose healthy snacks, such as apples dipped in peanut butter, oatcakes with hummus or banana and make your own protein balls to take as a snack.
What are the potential effects of processed foods and artificial additives on hormonal health?
There are just so many reasons to avoid processed foods. Unfortunately, they are just so readily available and easy to consume that we now rely heavily on them in our diets for convenience and easy access in our busy lives. You can’t walk down an aisle in the supermarket without being confronted by an array of processed foods, many of which are marketed as healthy. Even tap water now contains environmental chemicals that can’t easily be filtered out.
These chemicals and artificial flavourings are not natural to our bodies and cause a lot of damage. They can block cell receptors, mimic natural food compounds and eventually cause cancer, diabetes, depression or auto-immune conditions. Xenoestrogens are chemical compounds that mimic oestrogen in a similar way to phytoestrogens but are far more toxic and damaging to our cells, often resulting in hormone imbalances.
What dietary and lifestyle recommendations does Julia provide to support fertility and IVF success?
In terms of dietary recommendations, I often start with making sure people’s blood sugar is balanced as unbalanced blood sugar can impact ovulation, PCOS symptoms, egg and sperm quality, and IVF success. I also make sure that any nutrient deficiencies are corrected and that their diet is optimal for fertility conception. It is also important to make sure foods that can negatively impact fertility are reduced.
Lifestyle recommendations focus on stress management, sleep hygiene, optimal exercise, and movement, and ensuring that toxins within their environment are minimised as these can also impact egg and sperm health.
How can nutritional therapy help address the symptoms of hormonal imbalances, such as mood swings and fatigue?
An important part of nutritional therapy is to educate and guide clients on the benefits of a balanced diet and lifestyle. One of the greatest aspects of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle is that it is a preventative medicine. I see all too often in clients with hormone imbalances, low energy, fatigue, and mood swings. These can be so limiting to leading a productive, happy life. By changing our dietary habits as well as lifestyle choices, improving sleep, and reducing stress, we can significantly improve how we feel, and gain the energy and motivation to lead a more fulfilling life through all life stages.
What role does stress management play in achieving hormone balance, and are there any dietary strategies to support it?
Our biochemistry is designed for survival, and the stress response was an important requirement for our ancestors to survive the perils of living in the wild. This survival mechanism persists today as a ‘fight or flight’ response, but the stresses we face are very different. Cortisol and adrenaline are released when we feel stressed, but instead of resolving back into a ‘rest and digest’ state when the danger has passed, we find ourselves in a perpetual state of stress (family dynamics, work pressures, financial worries etc). This chronic stress causes havoc for our hormones, as reproduction and digestion take a lower priority to survival. These functions therefore temporarily shut down until the danger has passed. So, managing stress becomes vitally important to ensure that all functions in the body can do their job effectively, especially our hormones.
Can you share success stories or case studies of individuals who have achieved hormone balance through nutritional interventions?
Most of my clients with hormone-related conditions have benefitted almost immediately from following a cleaner, more natural diet. Starting with an elimination diet for a few weeks, cutting out gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed foods, brings results quite quickly. This success, combined with some lifestyle changes to improve exercise and sleep and to reduce stress, provides the motivation to make more lasting changes to better eating habits, and a focus on consuming natural, whole foods.
Sometimes, supplements are also required to support the various pathways that require specific nutrients to function correctly. Especially if digestion and absorption are compromised due to inflammation, medication, or a dysfunctional microbiome.
When I see the joy and relief of a client just getting their periods back again after months or years of missed or irregular periods, it makes it all worthwhile and I know that nutrition is the greatest tool we have for balancing hormones.
Are you or someone you know struggling with hormone imbalance?
Book a FREE discovery call with us at the Surrey Centre for Nutrition to opt for a natural and holistic approach to your condition. We integrate Nutritional Therapy with Functional Medicine to ensure that you have a treatment plan completely suited to you and your needs.
Written by Kate, a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist, specialising in Hormone Balance & supporting Peri-Menopause.
It is important to note that functional medicine and nutrition are complementary to conventional medical treatments. If you are experiencing Fertility issues or related health concerns, it is advisable to work with a qualified healthcare professional who can provide guidance, monitor your progress, and collaborate with you to develop an individualised treatment plan.