Hormone-balancing detox diets -
That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link. we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, click here.
Women with period and cycle issues are especially prone to nutrient deficiencies contributing to, and being impacted by hormone imbalances. Hormonal birth control is often prescribed in the allopathic model of care, but seldom given informed consent on its mineral depleting side effects zinc, selenium, copper.
It is quite common that we end up treating women in our office who have a history of both complication to their health, but they are unaware of the connection. Thanks to the industrialized nature of our modern food sources, we are consuming just a shadow of what food is meant to be.
Food that is genetically modified, non-organically grown, inappropriately harvested, non-pastured raised, medicated with hormones and antibiotics, transported poorly and packaged in plastic are going to have a huge impact on what is actually available to your body once you eat it. Toxic load aside more on detoxing from this stuff HERE many of these denatured foods deplete nutrients in the body.
Nutrient density is preserved best when foods are in as close to their whole and natural state as possible.
Women especially are prone to chronic deficiencies in iron, B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, and magnesium. All of these nutrients play a roll in optimal hormone manufacturing, communication and utilization.
Many hormone imbalances can be solved by simply addressing these deficiencies. Get the full scoop on supplementation for women in THIS free resource.
The best way to avoid or treat deficiencies is eat foods that are rich in them. A balanced whole food diet will supply almost every single nutrient women need to thrive.
One of our favorite styles of eating to bring simplicity and intentionality to this concept is traditional foods. We talk a lot about the benefits of traditional foods in THIS post, including ideas for getting more of them onto your plate.
Eat foods in their most natural state as possible- fresh meat, fruits and vegetables, animal products and whole grains. Avoid packaged foods, preservatives and foods raised on pesticides, antibiotics or growth hormones.
Many women are lacking the proper amount of healthy fats in their daily diets to nourish hormones. Animal fats butter, fatty meat, raw dairy, egg yolks, fish and monounsaturated fats avocado, coconut, nuts, seeds and olives.
These types of fats are immediately available for energy, liver support, decreasing inflammation, essential to vitamin and mineral absorption, and blood sugar stabilization all mechanisms directly related to how your hormones communicate and help you thrive.
Stabilizing the glucose circulating in your blood stream is one of the most important aspects of hormone balancing.
But why? As you ingest sugar, sweeteners, simple carbs and processed grains your body so wisely abates the harm excess sugar can have by releasing insulin from your pancreas. The more sugar you eat, the more insulin that is released.
Seems like a happy little relationship right, so what is the problem? Our bodies were not designed to ingest the massive amounts of sugar or foods that turn into sugar like commercial breads and pasta that our modern diets facilitate for us.
The pancreas, like all organ systems, has its limits on how long it can sustain high output. An overtaxed pancreas will release less and less insulin over time, allowing the sugar in your blood to wreak havoc on your body. Insulin is a hormone that works in relation to all the other hormones transmitting signals in your body those that control moods, energy levels, brain function and period regulation so it comes as no surprise that when one is out of wack many follow suite, and symptoms begin to arise.
Blood sugar issues are not just for women who ingest too much sugar or simple carbs, but can also be the case for women who do not eat enough in general, or enough nutrient dense foods, especially healthy fats and proteins.
Some of the most common signs of blood sugar instability are energy crashes, brain fog, mood swings, food cravings especially sweets and anxiety. Keeping a diet diary is the first step in balancing hormones by balancing blood glucose.
Women can track symptoms in relation to what they eat and look for common patterns where blood sugar spikes and dips may be the cause of why they feel so poorly. We do not feel that sweets and carbs need to be removed completely or demonized in a diet, but rather employ some tools like wise food pairing and increased protein, fiber and healthy fats to combat cravings and hunger.
Another great tool for women is a home blood glucose monitor. An inexpensive set up like THIS can be bought at a drug store or online and give women a precise and objective tool for seeing exactly what impact certain foods have on their blood sugar.
These numbers paired with a food diary can be wildly helpful in making little diet tweaks that help women feel better almost instantly. A whole food diet is absolutely essential for managing this well.
Most women benefit from a high protein and high fiber diet to combat blood sugar imbalances. Aim for 70 grams of protein in whole food sources for non pregnant women, and grams for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Sugar and processed carbohydrates also add to hormone imbalance because of its impact on the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar and plays a key role in overall wellness.
Broccoli—and even more so broccoli sprouts—contain a compound called indolecarbinol I3C which helps the body break down excess estrogen. I love adding both broccoli and broccoli sprouts for liver detoxification and gut health.
I3C might also improve improve your skin, moods, and energy levels. Read more: 9 Easy Anti-Inflammatory Recipes Worth Trying. Staying hydrated is a key piece of the hormone balance puzzle, and hormone detox is no different.
Many of my female patients complain about estrogen dominance and hormonal imbalance symptoms while drinking diet soda or lots of coffee, both of which can dehydrate you and make estrogen excess issues so much worse. Staying hydrated supports digestion and promotes liver detoxification.
This keeps estrogen levels in check. What you can do to make hydration even more effective, is filter out any endocrine-disrupting chemicals that you might be ingesting along with the water. Activated carbon filters remove hundreds of contaminants like pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, heavy metals, and other impurities.
Reverse osmosis filters are also effective at removing a high percentage of toxins, bacteria, and harmful contaminants. These types of water filters are often installed beneath your sink.
Take the quiz! Sleep helps balance hormone levels, especially cortisol and melatonin. Sleep regulates the level of cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands.
Cortisol helps regulate other hormones in the body, and excess can negatively impact progesterone production. When you sleep well. you should wake up feeling rested.
I recommend using a blue light filter on your devices, as well as getting outside during the day to get natural sunlight exposure.
Furthermore, thanks to its special medium-chain fatty acids, coconut oil acts as an energy-burning powerhouse. You can add frozen coconut chunks to smoothies, add a teaspoon of coconut oil to your morning coffee, stir coconut butter into your oatmeal, or make rice with full-fat coconut milk.
Both ground flax and chia seeds are hormone balancing heroes. Chia seeds, in particular, ease PCOS symptoms because they help eliminate excess estrogen. Flaxseeds also do the same. Flax and chia are high in fiber, essential for proper elimination.
These membranes control the traffic of nutrients and hormones in and waste, out. Click for my coconut chia pudding recipe! Hormone balance is also about balancing omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory.
We need some omega-6 fatty acids, but the standard American diet contains too many pro-inflammatory oils.
By avoiding pro-inflammatory fats like processed vegetable oils and processed foods containing them —and increasing your omega-3 intake—you can get the right balance of building blocks for hormones.
Eating walnuts is one of the ways to consume more omega-3 fatty acids! Walnuts also help stabilize blood sugar , which is key for hormone balance.
Did you know that estrogen dominance is an underlying cause of PMS, hormonal acne, and fertility issues? Along with seed cycling , consider eating more carrots! Raw carrots, specifically, have been found to support healthy estrogen levels thanks to their undigestible fibers.
These fibers prevent the reabsorption of estrogen from the intestine, meaning the liver can more effectively regulate estrogen metabolism. Foods like carrots and coconut oil can have a huge impact on both hormones and immunity.
You can make a raw carrot salad with one medium carrot, a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of melted coconut oil, a dash of apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
Feel free to add chopped cilantro, basil, or dill! Simply grate your carrot and mix evenly with oil, vinegar, and salt. When it comes to balancing progesterone levels in the body, citrus is king. Lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit contain vitamin C. And vitamin C has been shown to be vital for hormone production and maintenance, as it stimulates the production of progesterone levels.
This is especially important during the luteal phase. You can enjoy citrus in many forms, but my favorite is via the adrenal cocktail! This unique combination of orange juice and coconut water helps balance potassium and electrolytes in the body.
Like carbs and fat, protein is essential for supporting hormone health. Protein helps hormones communicate with different parts of the body. Adequate protein intake is also essential for blood sugar balance , repairing DNA, and supporting a thriving metabolism. It helps keep you satiated!
When possible, choose organic , pasture-raised, or wild-caught animal protein. These are more nutritious and contain minimal pesticides. Like other healthy fats, the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil can help create more responsive and healthy cell membranes, allowing hormone communication to flow.
Furthermore, the omega-3 fatty acids found in olive oil can reduce insulin resistance, a common feature of women with PCOS. Additionally, olive oil signals the brain to produce hormones that make you feel full, thus reducing your appetite.
Last but not least, research shows that extra-virgin olive oil contains potent anti-inflammatory actions. These help decrease inflammation in the body, further supporting hormone balance.
This is my favorite extra-virgin olive oil! Keep in mind that extra-virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. Due to this, it retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins, which are often lost during processing. Soy is highly debated. Studies may seem to present conflicting conclusions about soy, but this is largely due to the wide variation in how soy is studied.
Good news! Results of recent population studies suggest that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect on various health conditions. Soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can be consumed, beneficially, in moderation.
When possible, opt for unprocessed, organic, and fermented soy. Think: tempeh, miso, and tamari. Caveat: women with estrogen-dominance are particularly sensitive to the phytoestrogens in processed soy this includes endometriosis, PCOS, fibroid sufferers, and those with ovarian cysts.
Images courtesy of Unsplash. This article contains affiliate links.
Anyone looking to balance hormones has tried a diet Joint health maybe 5 to help them get deox hormones Horjone-balancing on track. However, balancing Hormone-balancinh Hormone-balancing detox diets with diet alone MRI for orthopedics drtox be getting you the results Hormone-balancing detox diets really need. Different to a normal detox, holistic detoxes incorporate more than just your diet and nutritional intake. If you are experiencing acne, hormonal headaches, symptoms of estrogen dominance, have a thyroid condition, struggle with adrenal dysfunction or other signs of a hormone imbalance you may need a holistic detox to help balance your hormones. It can also be helpful to support your entire detox system months before trying to become pregnant. Hormone detox Hormone-balancing detox diets a process that Hormone-balancing detox diets in Marine Collagen Benefits liver and digestive system, and Cholesterol level factors key to supporting estrogen metabolism that influences estrogen dominance and Hormone-balaancing hormonal Performance tracking through diet. These steps include Hormone-balancibg Hormone-balancing detox diets which promote hormone dietx, getting adequate dietts every night, drinking plenty of water each day, and leveraging the right supplements to reduce estrogen excess and hormone imbalance. A healthy liver is essential as it helps package up and process estrogen and its byproducts. The liver needs plenty of nutrients to perform estrogen detoxification like magnesium and DIMbut is also influenced by hydration status and can be slowed by high toxic load or exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Healthy bowel movements help clear excess estrogen in the digestive system, as does a diverse, healthy gut microbiome.
0 thoughts on “Hormone-balancing detox diets”