A Guide to Balancing Hormones, Naturally
/Our hormones are responsible for a wide variety of important bodily functions, from signaling hunger cues and managing emotions, to regulating sleep, the female reproductive system, and our body's response to stress.
Many women experience irregular or non-existent periods, low sex drive, intense mood swings, cravings, and fatigue; all common signs of a hormonal imbalance. These 'common' symptoms are often overlooked and deemed 'normal' in western medicine - but they're not. It's actually our body's way of telling us that something is not right.
After many years of irregular cycles and long periods of amenorrhea, I've finally been able to bring my period back, for good. Restoring my cycle naturally has given me so much hope, and I hope that my story gives you hope, too. I wanted to share my own unique hormone journey, along with everything that has helped me - so I created this little guide to hopefully help others who are experiencing something similar. Healing takes time, and we must remember to be patient, gentle, and compassionate with ourselves and our bodies.
WHAT CAUSES A HORMONAL IMBALANCE?
Our lifestyle, nutrition, and the environment can all contribute to hormonal imbalances. And similar to any other health problem, there's almost always a number of factors involved. To heal, we must look at the body as a whole and address all areas of our lives; from physical to emotional. This is the principle of holistic healing.
That being said, the most common causes of a hormonal imbalance can usually be placed in one of these categories:
STRESS - Career, relationships, an overloaded schedule, lack of sleep, and lack of self-care are all common contributors to chronic stress.
NUTRITION - Undernourishment (such not eating enough calories), processed foods, excess sugar, too much caffeine, or not including enough healthy fats or quality protein sources in the diet can throw our hormones out of wack. Intermittent fasting and low-carbohydrate or KETO diets can also be dangerous to our hormones, as these types of diets are usually quite restrictive. Low carbohydrate consumption and under-eating raises cortisol levels and causes unnecessary stress on the body (especially for naturally stress-prone people!)
EXERCISE - Over-exercising or high intensity exercise (such as high intensity interval training) spikes cortisol levels, and creates a stressful environment in our bodies - especially if these exercises are causing fluctuations in body weight.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS - Toxic products like household cleaners, plastic bottles, makeup, hygiene products, and unfiltered water are just a few examples of common endocrine distributors used in everyday life.
MEDICATIONS - Hormonal birth control, antibiotics, and certain medications disrupt our gut flora and destroy the trillions of "good" bacteria that are responsible for maintaining healthy hormonal levels.
THE EFFECTS OF HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL
Birth control pills are one of the most common causes of hormonal imbalances among young women, and were the cause of my own hormone issues that have lasted for many years. I started taking birth control pills when I was 16 years old. At the time, I was excited about the lighter, shorter periods that hormonal pills induced, and felt confident I was making the right choice. After all, my doctor said the pill was safe, effective, and frequently used by many girls my age! So I took her advice, and stayed on the pill for over three years - until I discovered the harmful effects that birth control has on our bodies.To keep it simple, birth control pills are essentially 'synthetic' hormones that imitate a female's natural menstrual cycle. The pill releases these 'fake' hormones into our system, and tricks our body into having a period. Prolonged use of the pill can actually shut down our entire endocrine system, inhibiting our body from naturally producing hormones on it's own.
SIGNS OF A HORMONAL IMBALANCE
When I stopped taking the pill, my period disappeared - and didn't return for over two years. My emotions were out of control, and I experienced terrible mood swings, mild depression, heightened anxiety, acne (something I've never struggled with before!), headaches, and constant fatigue; all signs of a serious hormonal imbalance. Looking back, I wish I had done more research and learned how to properly support my body before coming off the pill. With wholesome nutrition, supplementation, and small lifestyle changes, I believe it's possible to transition off the pill smoothly, and help our body re-balance it's hormone levels in a gentle and natural way. The key is hormonal support.
Below is a list of the most common SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of a hormonal imbalance:
No period, irregular periods, or infertility
Frequent mood swings
Anxiety, depression, anger, or moodiness
Low libido
Restless sleeps or insomnia
Intense food cravings
Weight fluctuations
Digestive issues like bloating
Chronic fatigue
HOW TO BALANCE YOUR HORMONES, NATURALLY
*Disclaimer - I am not a doctor or medical practitioner. All information shared below is a combination of my education as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, combined with personal experience and individual research. It is not to be substituted for medical advice. For personalized guidance, please consult a licensed Doctor or Holistic Nutritionist.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
MANAGE STRESS
Stress plays a HUGE role in hormone regulation. When our body is under high stress (emotionally or physically) for a prolonged period of time, our stress hormone 'cortisol' becomes out of balance. This can happen in two ways; our body starts producing too much cortisol, or can no longer produce enough cortisol. Both high and low cortisol levels cause a wide variety of harmful physical and emotional symptoms, so managing stress levels is crucial to our overall health and well-being.
REDUCE INTENSE EXERCISE
Intense exercise like high intensity interval training, sprinting, and spin raise cortisol and cause unnecessary stress on the body. However, don't let this be an excuse to stop exercising completely. The right types of exercise actually reduce stress, release good endorphins, and help re-balance our hormones! Focus on incorporating gentler exercises like walking, hiking, yoga, or resistance training. My tip? Take your workouts outside, and spend more time in the forest, by the ocean, or in the garden. Move your body while experiencing the healing and calming effects of fresh air, nature, and sunshine.
DETOXIFY YOUR HOME
Did you know that common household products are filled with toxic hormone-disrupting ingredients? These chemicals are called endocrine distributors, and they're hidden in everything from plastics, window cleaners, and dish soap, to shaving cream, makeup, and shampoo. To keep it simple, Endocrine distributors are chemicals that mimic hormones like estrogen and our thyroid hormones. This interferes with our body's natural hormone producing process. Thankfully, it's not hard to cleanup our homes and make the switch to toxin-free alternatives. You can find a natural version for almost anything, from laundry detergent to deodorant. Even better, many products can easily be replaced with simple, DIY recipes! I love creating my own multi-purpose cleaners using natural and affordable ingredients like lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.
GET ENOUGH REST
Rest is such an important part of re-balancing hormone levels. Under-sleeping affects our hormones in a variety of different ways, from raising cortisol levels and causing temporary insulin resistance, to inhibiting proper thyroid function. Getting the right amount of sleep and giving our body and mind time to relax is truly essential. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep per night (some people require even more!) and schedule time everyday for relaxing activities. Reading a good book, taking a hot bath, stretching, yoga, baking, painting, colouring, gardening, and spending time in nature are all excellent ways to relax your mind and rejuvenate your body.
CREATE A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
Healing takes place when we nurture our mind, our body, and our soul. I've personally experienced deep inner healing from incorporating different spiritual practices into my life. A spiritual practice is simply an activity or ritual performed with the intention of soothing, honoring, and nourishing our spirit. Practices such as meditation, gratitude journaling, deep breathing, walking in nature, yoga, reading spiritual books, prayer, and practicing presence are all beautiful ways to reconnect with our inner selves, quiet our minds, reduce stress, and induce a sense of bliss, peace, calm, and overall well-being.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
Food is nourishment for our body and soul, and one of the world's most powerful sources of medicine. Certain foods help restore and promote hormone production, while others can be extremely harmful to our endocrine system.
FOODS TO EAT
SEEDS - Certain seeds (flax, pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame) contain specific nutrients that balance estrogen and progesterone levels. Supplementing with these seeds at specific times of the month will help support our body with key hormones. This process is called Seed Cycling, and has been an incredibly powerful tool for me. I have a comprehensive blog post on Seed Cycling coming next week, where I break down the process, provide my best tips, answer your FAQ's, and share my personal experience. Until then, you can read more about seed cycling here.
HEALTHY FATS - Fat actually helps our body form hormones, so incorporating plenty of healthy fats into our diet is crucial! Just make sure to focus on eating "Good" fats from whole-food sources, and stay away from saturated and trans-fats found in processed and deep-fried foods.
Oils like coconut or olive
Avocados
Raw nuts, seeds, and natural nut butters
Nut or seed flowers (my favourites are almond & coconut)
Ghee
QUALITY PROTEIN - Protein contains a variety of amino acids necessary for hormone production. Chose organic, grass-fed meats and wild caught seafood, as conventionally raised animal products contain steroids, pesticides, and antibiotics that further harm our hormone levels. There are also a number of wonderful plant-based protein options available, such as beans, nuts, seeds, and certain grains.
Organic lean meats like chicken or turkey
Grass-fed red meat like beef, lamb, elk, or bison
Wild-caught seafood
Free-range eggs
Bone Broth
Lentils, chickpeas, green peas, and black beans
Quinoa, amaranth, teff, and hemp hearts
Fermented organic tempeh (in moderate amounts)
CARBOHYDRATES - Not eating enough carbohydrates is yet another common cause of hormonal imbalances. Carbs are responsible for regulating the thyroid and insulin production, meaning low-carbohydrate diets can affect thyroid function and blood sugar levels. Boost your carbohydrate consumption by incorporating more fruits, root vegetables, and whole grains.
Yams and russet or sweat potatoes
Winter Squashes like kabocha, acorn, and butternut
Quinoa
Brown or Wild Rice
FERMENTED FOODS -The trillions of bacteria that live in our guts have a major impact on our hormones. Research has shown that these microorganisms have the power to influence our hormones in both positive and negative ways, so maintaining a healthy balance and variety of "good bacteria" is extremely important.
Fermented vegetables like Kimchi or sauerkraut
Kombucha (look for brands without added sugar, or try making our own!)
Homemade fermented coconut or whole milk yogurt or kefi
FOODS TO AVOID
Caffeine - Spikes cortisol and causes blood sugar to rise and crash, creating even more stress on our bodies.
Sugar - Void of any nutrients, spikes insulin, and causes our blood sugar to crash.
Processed foods - Contain no fiber, protein, or beneficial nutrients, and are usually filled with harmful fats and processed sugars.
Some Tips...
Try "Cycle Eating" by consuming certain nutrients at specific times in your menstrual cycle to encourage the production of necessary hormones.
Eat regular meals and snacks at set time intervals throughout the day. Avoid skipping meals or intermediate fasting, which can both increase cortisol levels, affect blood sugar, and cause extra stress on the body.
SUPPLEMENT SUPPORT
ADAPTOGENIC HERBS - Adaptogenic herbs contain medicinal properties that lower our cortisol levels and help our body better adapt to and process stress.
Ashwagandha
Medicinal Mushrooms like chaga, reishi, and lion's mane
Holy Basil
Tulsi
Maca
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS - Our body can't produce essential fatty acids (EFA's) on it’s own, so we need to supplement with them instead. EFA's support healthy hormone levels, aid in hormone production, reduce inflammation, and are proven to help naturally regulate a women’s menstrual cycle.
Fish oil (salmon, cod, mackeral)
Sockeye salmon
Flaxsed oil
Walnuts
Chia seeds
VITAMINS - While a healthy diet should technically provide us with all vitamins and minerals we need, this is often not the case. Poor digestion, improper absorbtion, gut issues, and nutritonally void foods are just a few of the many reasons why today's society is so nutrient deficient. I believe it's important to supplement with a few key vitamins to ensure all our basis are covered - especially while trying to rebalance our hormones.
B Vitamin Complex
with B6, B12, and Folic Acid*
Vitamin D
Calcium-Magnesium Complex
Evening Primrose Oil
GUT SUPPORT - The trillions of bacteria that live in our guts have a major impact on our hormones. Research has shown that these microorganisms have the power to influence our hormones in both positive and negative ways, so maintaining a healthy balance and variety of "good bacteria" is extremely important.
Probiotics
Apple cider vinegar
Fermented foods like kimchi, saurleaut, kombucha, and kefir
Collagwn peptides or kefir
Bone broth
Castor Oil
Rub on stomach at night to stimulate hormone production and period regulation
