How to eat for better hormonal health

As with many things in life, we often disregard our hormonal health until it becomes grossly out of balance. We know that our hormones are closely linked to the menstrual cycle, but how many of us understand to what extent? They play a much bigger role in all facets of our health, from mood and energy to libido and hunger, than the majority of us realize.

“As women, I don’t think we have sufficient understanding of the immediate and long-term impact our hormonal health has on us,” says Pauline Cox, nutritionist, integrative medicine researcher, and author of Hungry woman: eating for health, happiness and hormones. “Understanding our physiology is so important in helping to alleviate some of the self-destructive emotions we may feel about ourselves, whether it’s frustration or shame – rather than fighting our physiology, it’s about trying to understand it and work with it.”

Not only do we have to fight sex hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, but also metabolic hormones, like insulin, which also play a key role in our well-being. “It’s really important for women to work with their hormones in their 20s, 30s and 40s to capitalize on the front window. menopause, which can then determine how we go through menopause and the impact it has on our longevity,” says Cox. “There are so many things we can do before we hit the age of menopause (when our estrogen levels start to drop) to reduce our risk of problems like Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease.”

Hungry Woman: Eating for Health, Happiness and Hormones by Pauline Cox

How to restore hormonal harmony? First, think about how you can create balance in your daily lifestyle. While our bodies now have to deal with long working days, high levels of stress and blue light (for just three examples), the problem is that we haven’t changed genetically since the days of men. caves. “Sleep is a foundation of hormonal health,” says Cox. “Try to get into a good sleep/wake pattern as early as possible in life. Take a morning walk to get some light in your eyes and get the circadian rhythm sorted – this then helps with serotonin levels, which then turns in melatonin, which promotes good night’s sleep.”

It goes without saying that our diet is also integral to maintaining good hormonal health – what we put into our bodies fuels (or does not) fuel the processes that take place there. So much so that Cox thinks we can manage the symptoms of perimenopause and PMS with the right diet and lifestyle. “Our bodies have an innate intelligence – they’re designed with mind-boggling physiology that helps us journey through our lives, depending on what stage of life we’re at. Eating a high-sugar, highly processed, nutrient-depleted diet keys creates inflammation and it improves symptoms of PMS, for example.She also adds that HRT can be great for different women, but it’s not a magic bullet, suggesting that it is more important to get your diet under control for long-term health.

How to eat for better hormonal health

Focus on balancing blood sugar

Not only does our blood sugar govern the metabolic hormone, insulin, but it also has a huge impact on our sex hormones. “If our body has been exposed to a lot of high blood sugar and our insulin is not working as it should (i.e. its resistance is getting worse), the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are prolonged “, explains Cox. “It also has a strong influence on our inflammatory levels, the rate at which our tissues begin to break down (especially reproductive ones) and impacts all areas of health. If blood sugar is not well controlled and our insulin sensitivity is not functioning at its best, it will create a double whammy for us as we enter perimenopause.

You can maintain the balance of your blood sugar by adopting a balanced and varied diet, rich in plants, vegetables and well-sourced proteins. Avoid foods that dramatically raise your blood sugar — think anything processed, high in sugar, and excess carbs — because what goes up must go down (signals low mood, overeating, and inflammation). Focus on sleep, stress management, and exercise regularly.

Be aware of carbohydrates

While carbs are unfairly demonized, for balanced hormones it’s worth becoming more aware of the types you’re ingesting. “Stay away from pasta and crackers and try to get your carbs from your veggies instead,” Cox recommends. “Emphasize the colorful, the cruciferous [examples include broccoli, cauliflower, kale and turnips] and fermented vegetables.

Eat more protein

“One thing we all need to know when we hit our thirties (and beyond) is that we stop producing the same level of growth hormone, so eating more protein is integral to building muscle” , says Cox. “If we’re not getting enough protein and we start losing muscle mass, that’s when our blood sugar levels start to spike, because muscles are such heavy users of protein. glucose.” When not used by our muscles (due to less mass), they are converted into fat. Cox says many women enter a period in their 30s and 40s where their diet and exercise routines don’t change, but their weight starts to increase, which can be frustrating. “Protein consumption also provides the building blocks for our neurotransmitters, like serotonin, dopamine and GABA, so it should be a dietary priority.”

Consider intermittent fasting

To optimize metabolic health, help stabilize mood, and regulate weight, Cox is a big advocate for intermittent fasting. “Estrogen helps get glucose into our brain cells, but as it goes down due to perimenopause, brain cells suddenly worry that they don’t have fuel, that’s when as we begin to see emotional problems manifesting themselves, as well as memory problems, brain fog, prolonged hunger, and vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.If we can provide them with an alternative source of fuel, glucose n doesn’t need to be transported. That’s where ketones, another fuel source, come in. When we give our bodies periods of time when we’re not constantly eating, it turns to its own source. of fat, burns fuel and releases ketones, helping the brain receive this instant source of fuel.

Fasting will be different for each individual – it’s all about finding a window that works well for you and sticking with it. “You can stop eating at 7 p.m. and start again at 9 a.m. the next morning, for example. This creates a great opportunity for the body to become more insulin sensitive, improve glucose tolerance and burn fat.

Stock up on nutrient-dense foods

One of Cox’s go-to recipes in the book? A beetroot and goat cheese cauliflower rice risotto that not only looks delicious, but is also packed with goodness. “Beets are loaded with nitrates, which produce nitric oxide which is extremely important for female sexual health – it helps blood flow to our pelvic organs and improves cardiovascular and skin health,” she says. “Goat cheese is also high in MCTs (or medium chain triglycerides) which are great for helping to boost our ketone levels and then cabbage rice is a cruciferous vegetable that I love. It supports the liver, is low in carbs, high in fiber and vitamin C, so it has all the hallmarks of a health-promoting hormonal meal.