How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Feeling low energy? Unmotivated? Emotional? Dread that time of the month or maybe you’re not sure where your sex drive went? Your hormones might be to blame.

The increasing number of women who struggle with a hormone imbalance is alarming. While fluctuating hormones is totally normal, especially for a woman, having too much or too little of any one hormone can throw everything off balance. Symptoms like painful periods, extreme fatigue, weight gain that won’t budge or heightened anxiety are our bodies way of alarming us that something is not right and we need to make some changes.

So why are so many of us struggling with hormone imbalances in the first place? Well a diet rich in sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods is one reason. Not getting enough sleep, gut issues, inflammation and excess toxins are also to blame. That along with the fact that we live in a society that is obsessed with the hustle and bustle, “I’ll sleep when I die” mentality and that collectively we have been exposed to some major traumas over the last 2 years, also plays a huge part. Whew! Feels overwhelming doesn’t it?

Well, it doesn’t have to feel that way! When we support our bodies and start to pay attention to the warning signs, navigating hormone imbalances is actually easier than you think.

So, let’s delve into hormones, what they are, what a hormone imbalance looks like and how we can bring them back into balance.

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted directly into the blood from our endocrine glands, which carries them to organs and tissues of the body to carry out their functions.

They are responsible for things like growth and development, energy, metabolism, mood, reproduction, sleep and appetite. Hormones need to work in symphony and too much or too little of any one hormone can have a domino affect on the others.

What are some signs of a hormone imbalance?

• PMS

• Heavy, painful periods

• Weight gain or loss

• Bloating or indigestion

• Constipation

• Burnout or fatigue

• Acne

• Decreased libido

• Depression or anxiety

• Infertility

• Hair loss

• Specific conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, PMDD and fibroids

It’s important to note that specific symptoms can be related to either too much or too little of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones and insulin. It’s important to play close attention to you symptoms and work with a practitioner who can help you navigate this.

So how do we address our hormone imbalance and start to bring them back into balance naturally? First off, you need to get your foundations in place! Here are a few of my tops tips:

• Balance blood sugar levels. Imbalances blood sugar levels can lea to increased cortisol levels which has a direct impact on other hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Try to eat protein, carbs and healthy fats at each meal and don’t go longer than 4 hours without eating.

• Look after your gut. The gut microbiome is responsible for estrogen metabolism. An imbalance of good to bad bacteria can lead to issues like PMS and hypothyroidism.

• Get enough sleep. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night can raise cortisol levels by up to 30%! This has a direct impact on our adrenal and thyroid hormones. It also throws off our hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin leading to sugar cravings and insatiable hunger.

• Exercise the right way. Jumping on your spin bike every day or doing too many bootcamps? This might be hurting you more than it is helping you. Doing too many high intensity workout or excess cardio can again lead to increased cortisol levels. Opt for yoga, walks and strength training and make sure to get lots of rest.

• Manage your stress levels. Are you seeing a theme here? Basically whatever we can do to lower our stress will help balance any hormone disregulation. Try meditation, breath work, speaking with a counsellor or your spouse about issues that are troubling you. Get out into nature and shut off from your phone regularly.

I hope this article gave you some incite into your hormones and gives you a better understanding of your body. You are in control of your own health. If you are struggling with a hormone imbalance, you are not alone. You do not have to dread your period every month or struggle with low energy and motivation. You deserve more answers than just a prescription for birth control or an anti depressant. You deserve to feel like yourself again.

In The Balanced Body Method (my 90 day coaching program) we take a deep dive into hormonal imbalances and get to the root cause, leaving no piece of the puzzle unturned. We address how to eat, how to heal your gut and how to balance your life and nutrition in an easy, understandable and gentle way. No crazy strict diets here, just balance, as always.

Curious about the program? Submit an application here and let’s start the conversation.

Can’t wait to chat.

xx

Mia