Balancing your hormones naturally: The power of nutrition

Hormones are the ‘messengers’, special glands in our body produce these chemicals called hormones and conduct different functions by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues, they regulate the activity of certain cells and organs. 

You experience hormone imbalances when there is too much or too little of any specific hormone circulating in your bloodstream. Hormonal imbalances can lead to:

1. Irregular weight changes
2. Irregular sleep
3. Mood swings
4. Skin issues
5. Menstrual problems 
6. Sexual problems

The role of nutrition in hormone balance

Food is the fuel for our body and it plays a very crucial role in all its functions.

What you choose to put on your plate can impact how much certain hormones are produced and sent to your bloodstream. Specific nutrition or dietary patterns may be beneficial or destructive in hormonal balance. Hormones are nothing but chemical messengers that regulate our body, from our circadian cycle to reproduction. Hormonal imbalances apart from being genetic, can be a result of your nutrition intake.

Key hormone-balancing foods

Working towards managing one’s nutrition can be the first step in the journey of balancing our hormones. Here are some of the foods you can consume to bring your hormones back to normal:

1. Include healthy fats: Healthy fats such as fatty fish (salmon and tuna) and nuts can have a great impact on your hormones. The omega-3 found in these are known to regulate hormones.
2. Add colourful vegetables to your nutrition: A variety of colours in vegetables means a variety of nutrients and minerals in your diet.
3. Cruciferous vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage contain indole-3 carbinol, which facilitates better liver function and hence better regulation of hormones.
   
   
    
4. Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are a source of lignans which helps balance oestrogen.
5. Magnesium-rich food items: Magnesium improves insulin sensitivity. Magnesium-rich food items are green leafy vegetables, legumes, quinoa, etc.
6. Prebiotic and probiotic foods: We should consume prebiotic and probiotic foods such as olives, fermented vegetables, and yogurt to feed the gut microbiome to ensure balanced hormone production. 
7. Protein-rich food: Protein-rich food such as eggs, chicken breast, lentils, or fish, influences hormones that control appetite.

Foods to avoid for hormone balance

We just read about the food that can help regulate our hormones, but do we know we also need to avoid food items that can trigger hormonal balance? Here is a list of foods to avoid for hormonal balance:

1. Sugary food: We should reduce our sugar intake because sugar contains fructose. Long-term intake of fructose can mess up the gut microbiome which can further lead to hormonal imbalances.
2. Avoid trans fat: Trans fats are manufactured artificially by the process called hydrogenation. Trans fats are present in processed foods, snacks, and some oils. One should carefully read the label before buying because trans fat should be avoided for hormonal balance.
3. Soy and dairy products: Soy products such as tofu and soy milk contain a bioactive substance known as a phytoestrogen which acts like oestrogen in the body, causing the body to avoid the need to produce oestrogen, thus impacting reproductive health. Similarly high intake of dairy products that as calcium can cause hormone balance.
4. Caffeine: Caffeine which is mostly present in coffee can lead to the stimulation of cortisol levels (stress hormones) which can also cause hormonal imbalance.

Conclusion

Our well-being is a product of the nutrition choices we make. We often tend to overlook healthy choices and resort to unhealthy easy choices because of our busy lifestyle and later complain of problems, hormonal imbalance is one such issue that can be cured by consuming balanced nutrition with optimum levels of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. It is important to remember your body responds to your behaviour towards it, and it is very important to be kind and care for it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hormone-balancing diet?

A hormone-balancing diet refers to a diet that helps to naturally regulate your hormones. What you opt to put on your plate can impact how much certain hormones are produced and sent to your bloodstream. Specific nutrition or dietary patterns may be beneficial or destructive in hormonal balance.

What are the best foods for hormone balance?

Here is a list of the best foods for hormone balance:

1. Healthy fats such as fatty fish (salmon and tuna) and nuts
2. Vegetables of all colours
3. Cruciferous vegetables
4. Flaxseeds
5. Magnesium-rich food items such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, quinoa, etc
6. Prebiotics and probiotics such as olives, fermented vegetables, and yogurt
7. Protein-rich food such as eggs, chicken breast, lentils, or fish

What foods should I avoid for hormone balance?

Foods to avoid for hormonal balance are:

1. Sugary food
2. Caffeine
3. Food that contains trans fat
4. Soy and dairy products

How can lifestyle factors impact hormone balance?

What you choose to incorporate in your daily routine influences the way your hormones will function, our lifestyle has a significant impact. For example:

1. When you are sleep deprived, the hormonal secretion glands may malfunction and result in hormonal imbalance.
2. If you’re stressed, your cortisol level is elevated.
3. Lack of physical exercise negatively impacts insulin and sex hormones.
4. Your dietary pattern also influences the way your hormones function. Eating too much sugar and processed food can disrupt hormone production. 

What are some natural ways to balance hormones?

Here are some natural ways to balance hormones:

1. Consume hormonal-balancing foods.
2. Workout daily
3. Stay hydrated
4. Have a good night’s sleep
5. Avoid foods that trigger hormonal balance
6. Stress management

It is recommended to consult a medical professional to give a personalised analysis and recommend foods or lifestyle changes according to your health and body.