Weight gain, pain, and fatigue. These are just a few symptoms of hormonal imbalances. If you found this blog post, then you probably have a pretty good understanding of the importance of hormones and how they can affect your day-to-day life. Or maybe you are experiencing some imbalances and want to do something about it (good choice in coming to our website then *wink*).
But what if there was a way that you could help with your imbalance symptoms while you’re doing something everyone does every single day? Eating. More specifically, your daily food choices.
“Food can affect the production and secretion of hormones by direct actions on the gut, by nervous reflexes, through changes in the concentration of various metabolites in the blood, or secondary to changes in circulating gut hormone levels.” PubMed
That was a lot of words, so let’s break that down. Basically, the food that you eat can impact the amount of certain hormones are made in your body and how much those hormones are dispersed. And, lucky for us, we can manipulate some of these hormones through specific foods. But what foods should you be looking for?
The first thing you’ll want to put in your shopping cart is cruciferous vegetables. This includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage and bok choy. All of these veggies help our livers metabolize estrogen and protect you from estrogen-dominant cancers. It really does pay to eat your vegetables, kids.
Another thing you’ll want to look for is high-fiber carbohydrates. What? Aren’t I supposed to avoid carbs? And to that I say proportions, proportions, proportions. A good rule of thumb is the “half/fourth rule”, half of the meal is full of non starchy vegetables and a fourth of the meal is starchy vegetables like potatoes or whole grains. Having a high-fiber diet can help clear out some excess hormones from your body, along with regulating melatonin and cortisol. So grab some carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash to that shopping cart, too.
Finally, let’s talk about fat. The good kind of fat. Fat and cholesterol are the building blocks of hormones, so it’s important to stock up on fats high in omega-3s. Some foods that include healthy fats are salmon, albacore tuna, walnuts, flaxseeds, olive oil, chia seeds, and avocados. Take note of all of those foods we’ve talked about so far because, to me, that sounds like a pretty yummy dinner. EatingWell
See? Just small life changes like choosing what foods to eat can greatly affect how your hormones interact with the rest of your body. And they’re not even gross or obscure dishes that are impossible to find. Most likely you have some of these ingredients in your kitchen already. If you need some starting ideas, try looking up some healthy recipes including any of the foods listed above. Help your taste buds and your body!
