As a busy woman, your health is key to juggling all you do. And keeping your hormones in check plays a big part in your health and how you feel. Balancing hormones can seem complicated and takes time, but you have to start somewhere. Here are three things you can do to help which will give you a good start.
Tip #1 – Lower Stress
When we are stressed, the adrenals work overtime to protect us from what they consider physical stress (even though we are not really in danger). This is our fight or flight response. It causes the adrenals to produce higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol.
Because we can only produce adrenaline for a few seconds, our fight or flight response is dependent on excess cortisol, and this is where the havoc begins. Excess cortisol has been linked to depression, blood sugar problems, reproductive issues, anxiety and weight gain around the middle.
Try to support the health of your adrenals with foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium. Also, try practising meditation, deep breathing, or restorative yoga to help lower cortisol.
Tip # 2 – Support Liver and Gut Health
The body needs to detox excess hormones like cortisol, estrogen and testosterone. This is a key process that the liver performs to make sure we do not suffer from the excess of these hormones. Supporting the health of the liver, therefore is critical. A milk thistle supplement helps liver function more optimally. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, apples, grapefruit, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, lemons, limes and berries are just a few foods that help support the liver.
We also need good gut health to help make sure the toxins leave the body so supporting gut health is also important. This is easier said than done but it starts with adding probiotics and fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut. Prebiotic foods such as garlic, onion, potatoes, wheat, broccoli, berries and apples, just to name a few, feed our good bacteria and help keep our gut healthy.
Tip #3 – Balance Blood Sugar
Bad eating habits and stress can cause our blood sugar to swing up and down throughout the day. When our blood sugar drops, we can experience anger, fatigue, weakness and depression. Normally, we then receive a signal to do something such as a sugar craving or a desire for a coffee or a beer. If we respond to the craving, and consume something, this will bring our blood sugar back up. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol all cause the blood sugar to swing up high. This causes a high insulin release. And too much insulin can affect other hormones.
If we do not respond to the craving, then our adrenals send a signal to tell the liver to release stored glucose and bring up blood sugar. Again, it tends to be a lot of glucose since adrenaline is a powerful hormone. Blood sugar swings high and again, large amounts of insulin are released.
To keep blood sugar stable, eat properly portioned meals throughout the day with adequate fibre and protein. Blood sugar stabilizing foods such as Jerusalem artichokes, cinnamon and legumes can be very helpful. Lowering stress also helps keep blood sugar stable.
These are just three simple steps. Give them a try and see the difference they can make. You can find more keys to help balance hormones in 7 Keys to Restore Balance and Energy.
Looking for a more complete, personalized approach to balancing hormones and maximizing your overall health? Grab your Metabolic Balance Information Booklet HERE
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