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Five Tips for Happy Hormones

Our hormones are part of a network of chemical messengers.  They send messages through your bloodstream to all of your organs and tissues.  These chemical messages affect the function of all our body systems.  When these messages aren’t getting through properly we may notice a change in our metabolism, sexual drive or function, mood much more. The hormone system of the body is vast and vital to life.

When all of the pieces of the hormone puzzle are in place and working properly we can express health and vitality.  There are many lifestyle habits that can interrupt our hormone balance.  We have found as we work with clients to help them regain the proper balance in their hormone systems that often times just adapting certain habits is all it takes to get the hormones to regulate.  Once that happens it can lead to normalizing of weight, energy, mood, sleep and many other foundational aspects of health.

5 Tips for Happy Hormones

Support Digestive Health

The digestive system has a huge impact on the hormone system.  The gut produces 80% of our serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is necessary to help us sleep and regulate stress.  70% of immune system function is found in the gut and we are learning that the gut strongly influences our thyroid gland.

Eating a diet rich in foods that nourish gut health is important in maintain balance of the hormones.

Eat enough Health Fats

Fat is one of the most crucial elements for hormonal balance. For years, we’ve been told that fat-free is good, while cholesterol and saturated fat are bad. This is a dangerous lie. Saturated fat is the raw material that we need to produce and maintain proper hormone function.

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is extremely beneficial for hormonal production. It also kills bad bacteria and viruses in the body, provides a quick source of energy, is easy to digest, and speeds up metabolism.

 

Avocados are rich in healthy fat that helps our body absorb and use nutrients They are also full of fiber, potassium, magnesium vitamin E, B-vitamins, and Folic acid these nutrients are all essential for maintaining hormonal balance in the body.

Raw butter/ghee provide a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2. These nutrients are key building blocks for hormonal production. Butter provides great amounts of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which support immune function, boost metabolism and have anti-microbial properties that fight against bacteria and viruses in the body.

Eggs are rich in countless vitamins and minerals including: A, D, E, B2, B6, B9, iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and choline which all contribute to a healthy reproductive system and hormonal balance. The choline and iodine in egg yolks are also crucial for making healthy thyroid hormones.

Make Sleep a Priority

Without proper sleep, there is no way the hormones will be balanced.  While you sleep your body is actively working to remove toxins, rebuild and repair cells, recharge the mind and create hormones.

Sleep studies have concluded that an adult needs anywhere between 6-10 hours of quality sleep, ideally during the nighttime hours.

If you are struggling to get enough sleep here a few tips to help you sleep better:

Sleep in complete darkness.

Reserve your bed for sleeping, don’t read, watch TV, or catch up on emails in bed.

Establish a bedtime routine that helps you prepare for sleep for both body and mind.  Do these activities before getting into bed. Do some writing, take a hot bath or shower, read something inspiring and uplifting, etc.

For more ideas read our Sleep Well Article.

Avoid Harmful Chemicals

Our world is full of toxins and chemicals that are hormone disruptors.  Many of these chemicals are found in pesticides, household cleaners, personal care products, and plastics.  These chemicals have been shown to mimic our own hormones which stops our body from producing its own.  This is especially true for those trying to get pregnant, avoiding these unnecessary chemicals is vital.

Avoiding Chemical Toxins in Your Home:

Improve indoor air quality with plants.  Plants act as filters for our environment and clean out the air.

Reduce the use of plastics in your kitchen. Cook and store food in glass, do not use non-stick or Teflon coated pans.  Return to the traditional cast iron or stainless-steel pots and pans.  Teflon was touted as a miracle amidst the fat-free era because, after all, if you don’t cook with fat to coat your hot pan food will stick to it.

Filter your water or find a registered well in your area.

Know what you’re putting on your skin.  Beauty and personal care products are things we use daily and they can be loaded with hormone disrupting chemical compounds.  You can look up your products to find out how safe they are or you can start making your own.  Its really easy and cost effective.  I would recommend your first switch be to homemade deodorant.

Use Essential Supplements

Vitamin D Supplement

Vitamin D is actually a powerful hormone that regulates 2000 genes in your body.  If you don’t have adequate vitamin D, you can’t be physically or emotionally healthy.  Most people have very low vitamin D levels.  We can order a inexpensive blood test to check your vitamin D levels and recommend a Vitamin D dose to help you get your levels within optimal range.

Omega-Fatty Acids, EPA-DHA Supplement

Most of us are not getting enough essential fatty-acids in our diet and supplementing can make a big difference in our bodies ability to produce and balance hormones.

Probiotics

All probiotics are not created equal, so it is important that you get a quality product when choosing a probiotic. There has been so much research done in the past few years on the gut microbiome that we know probiotics are essential to a health and well-functioning gut.

Gelatin or Collagen

Both gelatin and collagen are a great source of minerals and necessary amino acids. Gelatin and collagen powders support hormone production and digestive health in various ways. Gelatin powder can actually “gel” and is useful making homemade jello. Collagen does not gel but is easily added to soups, smoothies, tea or any other food.

There are times when making lifestyle changes like those suggested above are not enough to help heal and regulate the hormone system. If you would like to have a more detailed look at how your hormones are working in your body, please contact our office for a free initial phone consultation. Call 801-677-7878.

 

Featured image photo credit: www.stock.adobe.com

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