Hormones act as potent chemical messengers that tell the body how to act in every situation. They function to keep the human body at its optimum performance. The body has different hormones that perform specific roles.
Some of the important hormones include testosterone, estrogen, insulin, and adrenaline. These hormones are secreted in different organs and glands, while the endocrine system is in charge of these hormones. If your body suffers a hormonal imbalance, it can affect your overall health.
Symptoms of hormonal imbalance
Many people suffer from hormonal imbalances due to their lifestyle, environment, and the type of food or drinks they consume.
Here are some symptoms of hormonal imbalance in the body, and if they are left untreated they can life-threatening.
- Toxins
- Infection
- Medications such as anabolic steroids of birth control
- Poor nutrition
- Anorexia
- Stress
- Being overweight
- Severe allergy
- Chronic stress
- Injury to an organ or gland
Natural ways to balance your hormones
There are conventional methods of treating hormonal imbalances, but relying on synthetic treatments such as taking medications, pills, or synthetic hormone replacement therapies may have adverse effects.
You can avoid these adverse effects by naturally balancing the hormones in the following ways:
Manage stress
Stress contributes to the body’s hormonal imbalance and causes the adrenal glands to be overwhelmed with releasing adrenaline and cortisone. These stress hormones increase blood pressure, blood glucose and slow down digestion. When this happens, the body can suffer autoimmune disorders, depression, heart disease, and diabetes.
Developing stress-relieving habits such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga can lower your stress level. Adjust your lifestyle and work schedule to suit your mental and physical health. Find ways around your daily schedules to rest and maintain a healthy sleep pattern.
The circadian rhythm can disrupt the hormonal balance. You might experience a rise and fall of these hormones during the day in response to our sleep pattern. Turn off your smart devices an hour or two before you go to bed. The adverse effect of irregular sleep can lead to diabetes, obesity, and problems with appetite. Get regular and undisturbed sleep to help your body in its regulation of your hormonal levels.
Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy diet can naturally balance the hormones in the body. An anti-inflammatory diet such as seeds, raw nuts, vegetables, and organic fruits prevents inflammation, helping your body achieve balanced hormone levels naturally.
Oily fish like mackerel and salmon provide you with omega-3 fatty acids, which enhances the function of some hormones and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Fish is a good source of cholesterol that provides the body with vitamin D, a steroid hormone. Omega-3-fat is also responsible for synthesizing sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
Cut back on dairy products, poultry, and meats that can contain antibiotics, steroids, and hormones, as well as processed foods like artificial sweeteners, soy products, vegetable oil, and enriched white flour. They can disrupt your hormonal balance. For instance, consuming excess milk can cause inflammation in your gut, and mess with your hormones. Excessive milk consumption increases the triglycerides in your body, and this increase your risk of heart disease.
Eliminate toxins
Toxins alter the normal metabolic functions in the body. While the liver detoxifies the body from toxins and harmful substances, it also metabolizes the hormones. If the liver becomes overwhelmed with excess toxins, it affects the hormonal balance.
Our environment is polluted with dangerous substances, forcing us to breathe in toxins, eat contaminated foods, drink unsafe water, and apply products that might harm the skin.
Some of these toxins are called endocrine disruptors, which affect the hormonal balance. You can naturally balance your hormones from these toxins in the following ways:
- Phthalates: Phthalates are found in body care products that have ingredients such as fragrance.
- Lead: You should remove old and chipped paint from your walls. Get a water filter for your shower and drinking water.
- Bisphenol A (BPA) and BPA substitutes: Do not use canned products that are not free from BPA. Avoid using plastics to store drinks or food.
- Organophosphate pesticides: Some of the vegetables and fruits we consume contain pesticides. Before you buy groceries, ensure you go for the organic options.
Sauna therapy and exercise can increase your excretion production in removing these toxins from your body.
Avoid sugars
The availability of junk or fad foods has affected the world’s health system. Sugar increases the insulin level and causes the body to suffer from hormonal imbalance. When this happens, the body experiences what we called insulin resistance. Refined sugar affects the regulation of the stress hormone cortisol and aldosterone that control the blood pressure.
We know that cutting off sugar can be an impossible feat because vegetables, fruits, and legumes contain sugar levels. What you can do to balance your hormones naturally is by reducing your glycemic load. The glycemic load is the number of carbohydrates in the foods we consume, which leads to an increase in blood sugar. Reduce the carbs you consume and replace them with alternates.
Exercise
Working up a sweat can help you balance your hormone and boost your mood. The benefits of exercising can be seen in maintaining the hormonal levels in the body. Studies have shown over the years that exercise can improve the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine helps in reducing stress and depression. Exercise is critical for people suffering from hormonal imbalance, especially using HIIT (high-intensity interval training), yoga, and Pilates.
Avoid overeating
Overeating and under-eating can affect hormonal balance. While overeating leads to a weight problem, under-eating leaves your body weak and vulnerable to disease. To keep your hormone balance, you should eat healthily and moderately. The body is subjected to stress if you consume more food necessary for it to burn down.
You can naturally balance your hormones by starting with what you eat. Make sure you eat the right foods to stabilize your sugar levels and enhance your insulin levels. A healthy lifestyle, healthy eating, and exercise can dramatically improve your hormone levels.
Hey Joyfreshers, how do you deal with hormonal imbalance? What do you do to balance your hormones naturally? Share your thoughts with us below.
