NATURAL WAYS TO REBALANCE YOUR HORMONES
Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers. They perform very important functions. However, sometimes these hormones can fall out of balance and alter normal body functions.
In the last article, we went in-depth on what hormonal imbalance is, the signs of hormonal imbalance, and even went further to discuss some ways to re-balance your hormones. In this article, we’ll talk more about how to re-balance your hormones, or better still, prevent hormonal imbalance in the first place.
Prevention of hormonal imbalance and re-balancing of hormones has a lot to do with our lifestyle habits. We’ve listed certain lifestyle habits that can help with this.
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Seek professional advice
Once you start noticing signs of hormonal imbalance, it is very important to first get in touch with a professional medical practitioner. This is because your doctor will be able to pinpoint the exact hormones that are out of balance and give advice that will re-balance those hormones.
Moreover, the symptoms you are experiencing might not be caused by hormonal imbalance. Another underlying illness that needs quick medical attention can be the cause. So it is important to see a doctor first and let the doctor diagnose the exact cause of the symptoms.
It is also advisable to visit the doctor once in a while to check your hormone levels.
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Reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors
Endocrine disruptors are chemical substances that interfere with the normal functioning of the body’s hormone system, the endocrine system. When you are overexposed to endocrine disruptors, hormonal imbalance is inevitable.
These endocrine disruptors are closer to you than you think because they are present in many everyday products. They can be found in some plastic bottles and containers, fabric softeners, pesticides, food, toys, cosmetic products, fast food wrappers, and some non-stick cookware.
To reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors always check products to see if they contain hormone disruptors and replace non-stick cookware with stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic cookware. Also, do not take store receipts because they contain some of these hormone disruptors and reduce your intake of fast food.
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Adopt a bedtime routine that promotes restful sleep
Poor sleep contributes a lot to hormonal imbalance. When you don’t get quality sleep, your stress levels increase. High-stress levels lead to imbalances in some of the body’s hormones.
Adopting a good bedtime routine goes a long way in helping you get enough quality sleep.
Before going to bed, it is advised to turn off your devices and keep them in a drawer (to reduce EMF production), stop your screen time an hour before bed, read, have a bath, keep your room’s temperature cool, and practice meditation and/or yoga.
Also, taking Ashwagandha, magnesium, and chamomile tea, and exercising early in the morning, help to promote restful sleep.
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Eat hormone-balancing diets
Some foods have natural nutrients that help to balance hormones. Incorporating these foods into your daily diet will go a long way in preventing hormonal imbalance.
Foods rich in high fiber, healthy fats, and protein increase the production of hormones that make you feel full and prevent an imbalance of hunger hormones.
Flaxseed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed, sunflower seed, avocados, almonds, peanuts, fatty fish, eggs, chicken, and broccoli, are all examples of foods that are rich in the aforementioned nutrients.
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Take supplements
Yes, eating nutritious meals is good and healthy but it is still necessary to use supplements. This is because supplements provide nutrients and health benefits that you might not be getting from your diet.
Glutathione supplements balance the insulin hormone, and in doing so, prevent diabetes. Women going through pre-menopause and menopause, are advised to use glutathione supplements because they alleviate the symptoms of these stages.
Studies have shown that ashwagandha supplements lower stress levels by reducing the production of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Vitamin C supplements also regulate cortisol levels, increase the production of progesterone, and balance other sex hormones. B vitamins supplements are also very useful because they help the liver metabolize excess estrogen hormones, balance hormones during PMS and alleviate its symptoms, and help in metabolism.
Magnesium, Probiotics, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D3, Evening Primrose Oil, and collagen supplements are other examples of supplements that help with hormonal balance. To find our list of the best supplements for the essential nutrients you need for glowing skin, check out our blog here.
Here at The Beauty Doctrine our top pick is Anima Mundi's Ashwagandha: Ayurvedic Ginseng herbal supplement.
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Eat foods that promote gut health
The gut contains an innumerable number of different bacteria that perform various functions and help to keep the body in good health. One of the functions of the gut’s bacteria (or microbiome) is to balance hormones.
When gut health isn’t at an optimal level, it leads to an imbalance in estrogen and increases the risk of estrogen-related diseases. It also causes an imbalance in other hormones like progesterone, serotonin, thyroid, and insulin hormones.
Cutting out sugar, gluten, dairy, and processed meats and increasing your intake of prebiotic and probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, onion, garlic, kimchi, beans, and kefir, helps to keep your gut health at an optimal level.
Eating fruits, whole grains, and legumes also helps to promote gut health. Lastly, studies have shown that sticking to a vegetarian diet helps to improve the gut’s microbiome.
The easiest way to maintain your gut in optimal condition is by taking high quality probiotics. We love Zuma Nutrition Multi-Strain Probiotic complex, which contains clinically studied strains of beneficial gut bacteria that rebalances the gut's microbiome, improves your digestion and metabolism, as well as supports overall gut health.
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Take antibiotics only when necessary
Antibiotics are useful drugs that fight diseases, but as useful as they are, they should not be taken unnecessarily. This is because antibiotics eliminate all bacteria in the gut, both the good and bad ones, and lead to poor gut health.
Excessive use of antibiotics/poor gut health can cause hormonal imbalance, improper nutrient absorption, poor mental health (90% of serotonin, the feel-good hormone, is present in the gut), food cravings and weight gain, inflammation, and a weakened immune system.
It is also important to eat foods that promote gut health when placed on an antibiotic prescription.
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Exercise regularly
The importance of exercising cannot be over-emphasized. It has so many health benefits, one of which is balancing hormones.
Exercising helps to regulate hormones that control your appetite, thereby preventing excessive weight gain. Exercising also helps to regulate the insulin hormone and prevent diabetes.
Conclusion
Almost every aspect of your health is affected by your hormones, and an imbalance in your hormones leads to serious health issues. Therefore, you cannot afford to constantly let your hormones fall out of balance.
Adopting the lifestyle habits discussed in this article will not only help re-balance your hormones but also prevent hormonal imbalance.
Remember, your lifestyle has a big impact on your health.
Be well. Be safe. Be beautiful.