Hormones…they can completely rock our world at times. Leaving us feeling like we are at the mercy of their seemingly sporadic bursts, it may seem impossible to ever regain balance of your hormones. But I want to tell you that today, you can begin creating amazing hormone health in 4 easy steps.
If you missed my last post on the top three things that wreak havoc on your hormones, check it out! This is some foundational stuff that you don't want to miss!
Every System Feels It!
Hormone imbalance affects every system in the body, resulting in a laundry list of concerns such as:
- Acne
- Hot flashes
- Painful or heavy periods
- Mood swings
- Difficulty conceiving
- Fatigue
- Anxiety or depression
- Hair loss
- Irregular or absent periods
- Difficulty sleeping
- PMS
- Low libido
Most doctors will call these “minor” inconveniences or maybe they've even convinced you that they are a normal part of being a woman. Which they are not.
In fact, these are some serious signals your body is sending to give you a heads up that there is some major disharmony brewing under the surface.
Left untreated, these “minor inconveniences” can develop into some serious conditions—autoimmune disease, debilitating fatigue, depression, anxiety, fibroids, cysts, and even cancer.
That's some serious stuff!
Luckily, there’s plenty you can do naturally and from home to ensure that hormones stay balanced and you feel at your best!
Balance Your Hormones in 4 Easy Steps
1. Lower your stress burden.
Chronic stress can disrupt blood sugar, contribute to muscle wasting, unwanted weight gain, and disrupt estrogen and progesterone balance. There are a couple of easy ways to switch from the sympathetic “fight or flight” mode to the parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode quickly.
First, you can use a simple breathing technique:
- Exhale completely
- Inhale through your nose slowly for a count of 3-5
- Hold the breath at the top for a count of 5
- Release the breath slowly from your mouth (for a count of 6-10), holding again for a moment at the bottom.
Visualization
I also like to use a visualization technique where I think of my happy place. Think of a time – a vacation or a hike through nature – where you were completely at peace. Every time you feel stress creeping in, simply picture yourself in that place.
Guided meditations and visualizations have been shown to reduce levels of stress as well as the psychological and physical complaints associated with high levels of stress.
2. Balance blood sugar with nutrition.
What you eat and don’t eat can dictate hormone regulation and the rate at which you heal.
Balance blood sugar by eating good protein and healthy fats at every meal.
To curb sugar cravings, make sure you’re getting plenty of zinc, vitamin C, and B vitamins from food and/or from supplementation. Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day from vegetables and some low sugar fruits like berries. Fiber keeps bowel movements regular and helps to eliminate waste, including excess hormones!
3. Love Your Liver.
Your liver is responsible for readying estrogen to be moved out of the body. This could honestly be a whole article of it’s own (and it probably will be), but here are some basics:
- Eat quality protein
- Eat plenty of garlic and onions
- Take a B complex
- Eat a minimum of 3 cups of cruciferous vegetables weekly
- Try this simple liver detox tool
4. Get things moving.
Once the liver processes estrogen for elimination, it is up to your gut to move it out!
If you are experiencing constipation, there is a good chance your estrogen isn’t making its way out, but instead, going back into circulation in the body. Figuring out and treating the underlying cause of your digestive issues is crucial in creating optimal hormonal health.
Hormones 101
If you like this post, I have some good news. I’ve compiled some resources from experts in the health and wellness field all about balancing hormones naturally.
If you’re looking for even more ways to …
- Improve your energy while restoring the health of your adrenals and thyroid.
- Create a blissful mood with stress lowering, hormone balancing tools.
- Learn the best techniques to immediately improve the health and appearance of your skin.
… then check out the Hormones 101: PMS Help, Perimenopause Tips & Fixing Adrenals.
This is a special toolkit to get your hormones to a state of bliss, while banishing those unwanted symptoms for good!
Create Amazing Hormones Today with Hormones 101.
KEEPING IT REAL, WHILE KEEPING YOU EDUCATED
Featuring a 28 day plan to take back your cycle and dozens of charts, checklists, and diagrams to help along the way.