Because of the world we live in, most of our hormones are “out of whack”. In fact, it’s likely that most women have become “estrogen dominant”. Because estrogen is a hormone that is both necessary AND one that should be kept under control, understanding proper hormone balance is incredibly important.
So, whether you’re dealing with small issues from your monthly cycle or your facing new issues like hot flashes and mood swings as you near menopause, there are a couple easy changes you can make to help you and your body feel better. Remember, although these symptoms can be frustrating, they are not unstoppable; there are many natural ways to balance your hormones.
1. Get Regular Sunshine
Vitamin D is good for so many things, including your hormones. After your skin is exposed to sunlight, or after you eat certain oily fish or fish liver oils, it makes Vitamin D (Vitamin D is not a hormone but is activated into an endocrine hormone inside the body). Another plus is that when your Vitamin D levels are optimized, your risk for various other diseases (breast, heart, osteoporosis, prostate,to name a few) is lowered. So, if the weather is nice, go outside and enjoy it!
2. Walk in Nature
The best type of exercise for hormone balance is light- walking, swimming or jumping on a trampoline, for example.
And just think, if you get outside on a nice day and go for a walk you’ll be getting three benefits: vitamin D, a lovely walk in nature to help calm your mind, and exercise for hormone balance! “But wait, there’s more!” According to the article, “Research has shown that viewing forest landscapes and walking outside can lower cortisol levels, not to mention blood pressure.”
3. Limit Caffeine Intake
Caffeine in small doses isn’t bad but if you’re using it to wake up- to get through the day- you could be hurting your estrogen levels, says research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
High caffeine intake can either lower or raise estrogen levels so in order to give your body the ability to regulate hormones naturally, avoid heavy doses of coffee, soda, and other caffeine.
4. Make Sleep a Priority
From the article: “Getting enough sleep not only increases your energy and lowers risks for certain diseases, it also plays a key role in your hormones. Because proper sleep directly impacts your endocrine and immune systems, look for ways to maximize the sleep you get each night.”
To help you sleep, make your bedroom as dark as possible, use earplugs or a white noise machine to reduce distractions, and keep it cool. Another way to help your body settle down is to stay away from screens before bed. At least 30 minutes before you turn in, turn off computers or the tv- the blue light can keep you up.
5. Reduce or Find Better Ways to Deal with Stress
Stress is very harmful to the body and in multiple ways. One of those ways is that it disrupts natural hormone cycles. Is there anything you can do, right now, to cut stress out of your life? If you can find ways to lower your stress levels you will benefit your overall hormonal health.
6. Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s fatty acids aid our hormones in adhering to cells more easily and can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, salmon, and Brussels sprouts.
While hormonal imbalances can be frustrating- there is hope.
Source: The Epoch Times
