Healthy hormones can give us healthier periods. And what we eat can have a huge impact on our health. Including our hormonal health as women. Up until we reach perimenopause, here are the foods that can help keep our hormones in check..
Foods for hormonal health
- Avoid processed foods. This includes highly processed bread, cereals, packet foods. Take a look at those labels. Are there more than 5 ingredients and a bunch of numbers? If so then it’s highly processed and you’d be wise to look for alternatives.
- Eat loads of fruit & vegies. Green vegies, yellow ones, red ones and purple vegies. Ideally all in the same meal. Fill yourself up on vegetables rather than carbs. You can’t really go overboard here, unless you have issues with salicylates or fructose.
- Eat whole, recognizable food
- Raw food is generally not well digested, so mostly cooked foods is best.
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Low intake of trans-fat, with a simultaneous greater intake of monounsaturated fat. Less potato chips and fried foods, more avocadoes and coconut oil.
- Low intake of animal protein with greater vegetable protein intake.
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High intake of high-fiber, low glycemic carbohydrates
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Greater preference for high-fat dairy products (over low-fat products
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High non-heme iron intake (mostly found in plant foods such as dark green leafy veg)
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When we’re over 35, have more foods that contain phytoestrogens such as soybeans, walnuts, soybeans, cereals (oats, barley, wheat, and rice), legumes, berries, apples, carrots, ginseng, fennel, and anise.
- Avoid genetically modified fo
od - Avoid plastics (which we eat & drink from), store food in
- Avoid artificial sweeteners and refined sugar
Remember than Gut Health also comes into play, and it’s bidirectional: your gut controls your hormone levels and your hormones strongly influence your gut function. The gut/brain axis puts your gut function at the center of any mood, weight, and energy issue that a woman faces. For example, excess stress and cortisol pokes holes in the gut, leading to symptoms like constipation, gas, bloating, loose stool, diarrhea and making you feel more tired and foggy. Nutrient deficiencies can show up, leading to moodiness, weight gain, even autoimmunity like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the primary reason for hypothyroidism.
Drop us a line if you need help with your Gut Health or Managing Stress. There is much we can suggest and do for you.
Written by:
Dr Elaine Hickman
B.H.Sc.TCM (Acupuncture), Cert.Cl.Ac. (Beijing)
Elaine has trained and worked in various settings, both in Australia and China. She has over 20 years experience in treating many health problems. Elaine loves to provide a health care experience for people that is respectful, effective, empowering and enjoyable. Elaine has particular expertise in Women’s Health, Children’s Health, Family Medicine and Wellness promotion. She brings extra understanding and knowledge to the table having been through infertility.
Elaine is available
