How to eat to improve your hormonal health

As with many things in life, we often don’t consider our hormonal health until the hormones are clearly out of balance. We know that hormones are closely related to the menstrual cycle, but how many of us really understand? It plays a much bigger role in all aspects of health than most of us realize.

“As women, I think we don’t fully understand the immediate and long-term effects of our hormonal health on us,” says Pauline M., nutritionist, integrative medicine fellow, and author of the book. Cox says. Hungry Woman: Eat for Health, Happiness and Hormones. “Understanding our physiology is very important in reducing the self-destructive emotions we sometimes feel toward ourselves, such as frustration and shame. It’s important to understand it and try to deal with it, rather than

Not only do we have to contend with sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, metabolic hormones such as insulin also play an important role in our health. “It is very important for women to live with the hormones of their 20s, 30s and 40s and make the most of their opportunities. menopauseIt allows us to determine how we transition through menopause and the impact it will have on our longevity,” Cox says. “There are many things you can do before you reach menopause (when estrogen levels start to decline) to lower your risk of problems like Alzheimer’s and heart disease.”

Starving Women: Eat for Health, Happiness, and Hormones by Pauline Cox

What can I do to restore my hormonal balance? First, think about how you can balance your daily lifestyle. Our bodies now have to deal with long working hours, high levels of stress, and blue light (just to name three), but the problem is that we’ve changed genetically since we were cavemen. It’s not. “Sleep is the cornerstone of hormonal health,” says Cox. “Try to develop good sleep and wake patterns as early in life as possible. Go for a morning walk and let the light into your eyes to set your circadian rhythm. This will boost your serotonin levels. , serotonin is converted to melatonin, which improves the quality of sleep. good night“

Of course, our diet is also essential to supporting hormonal health, and what we put into our bodies fuels (or doesn’t) the processes that take place in our bodies. Cox believes that a proper diet and lifestyle can manage perimenopause and her PMS symptoms. “Our bodies are endowed with innate intelligence. Depending on the stage of life we ​​are in, they are designed with amazing physiology to help us travel through life. , eating a highly processed diet and depleting key nutrients leads to inflammation, which exacerbates the symptoms of PMS.” She also notes that HRT is an effective but fast-acting solution for many women not, suggesting that a firm grasp of one’s diet is more important to long-term health.

How to eat to improve your hormonal health

Focus on balancing blood sugar

Blood sugar levels not only control the metabolic hormone insulin, but also have a significant impact on sex hormones. “When our bodies are repeatedly exposed to high blood sugar levels and our insulin is not working properly (that is, insulin resistance worsens), perimenopausal and perimenopausal symptoms are prolonged.” Dr. Cox explains. “It also has a significant impact on the level of inflammation, the rate at which tissues (especially reproductive tissues) begin to deteriorate, affecting all areas of health. If you’re not functioning in a state of , you’re going to have a double whammy when you enter peri-menopause.”

Eating a balanced and varied diet rich in plants, vegetables and rich proteins can help keep blood sugar levels in balance. Avoid foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. Think of any processed food that is high in sugar or excess carbs. Because what goes up must come down (mood plummets, overeating, signs of inflammation). Also focus on sleep, managing stress, and exercising regularly.

be aware of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are unfairly demonized, but it’s worth being more mindful about the types you eat to keep your hormones in balance. “Stay away from pasta and crackers and try to get your carbs from vegetables instead,” recommends Cox. “Shifting emphasis to colorful, cruciferous plants.” [examples include broccoli, cauliflower, kale and turnips] and fermented vegetables. “

eat more protein

“One thing we all need to know when we hit our 30s (and beyond) is that we stop producing the same levels of growth hormone, so we need to eat more protein.” It’s essential for building muscle,” says Cox. “When you don’t get enough protein and you start losing muscle mass, your blood sugar levels start to rise gradually because your muscles consume so much glucose.” ), converted to fat. Cox says many women in their 30s and 40s can become frustrated when they start gaining weight, even though their diet and exercise habits haven’t changed. “Eating protein should be a dietary priority as it also provides building blocks for neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA,” she says.

Consider intermittent fasting

To optimize metabolic health, stabilize mood, and regulate weight, Cox is a strong advocate of intermittent fasting. “Estrogen helps get glucose into your brain cells, but when glucose drops in perimenopause, you worry that your brain cells suddenly ran out of fuel. In addition, emotional problems also begin to develop.”, lingering hunger, vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. No need to bring glucose if you can provide an alternative fuel source. This is where another fuel source, ketones, comes into play. When you give your body continuous periods of no food, it turns into its own source of fat, burning fuel and releasing ketone bodies to help your brain receive this immediate fuel source.

Fasting is different for everyone, but it’s important to find a time that works for you and be comfortable with it. “For example, if you stop eating at 7:00 pm and start eating again at 9:00 am the next morning, this creates a good opportunity for your body to become more sensitive to insulin, improve your glucose tolerance, and burn fat.”

Eat plenty of nutritious foods

Is there one of Cox’s favorite recipes in the book? The cauliflower rice risotto with beets and goat cheese is not only delicious, it’s packed full of goodies. “Beetroot is rich in nitrates, which produce nitric oxide, which is very important for female sexual health. It helps blood flow to the pelvic organs and improves cardiovascular and skin health. I will,” she says. “Goat cheese is also rich in MCTs (or medium-chain triglycerides), which are great for boosting ketone levels. Kari rice is also my favorite cruciferous vegetable. It’s low in carbs, high in fiber and vitamin C, and has all the characteristics of a diet that promotes hormonal health.”