Hormones are the chemical messengers of your body. They play a major role in controlling your appetite, your skin, your mood, your weight, your metabolism, and that is only the tip of the iceberg.
For me, having a hormonal imbalance in my 20's resulted in hair loss, anxiety, digestive problems, skin problems, and major problems with menstruation (all of which I touch on in my first book Joyous Health). However, if it wasn't for having wacky hormones back then I would have probably never become a nutritionist! I healed my health naturally and this inspired me to go back to school to study holistic nutrition and totally change my career.
Normally, your endocrine glands produce the precise amount of each hormone needed for various processes in your body but many things can throw them off balance including lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep (too little or too much), exercise, diet, stress levels, environmental toxins, and pharmaceutical drugs.⠀
In this video today, I'm sharing 5 foods to eat to help support hormonal health.
Keep in mind that simply eating these foods without making other changes to your diet and lifestyle will not be enough to balance your hormones if they are currently imbalanced. However, they are foods that contain phytonutrients or specific types of fibre that promote hormonal harmony in your body.
Even if you do not suffer from a hormonal balance, it's a good idea to incorporate these foods into your diet.
Here are some delicious recipes to enjoy with the 5 foods mentioned in my video
1. Flaxseeds. Try these delicious Blueberry Flax Muffins or my Best-Ever Cinnamon Flaxseed Bread from the Joyous Detox cookbook page 127. ⠀
2. Fatty Fish. Make this Salmon Kale Pesto for dinner! Try Baked Salmon with Caper Dill Pesto in The Joyous Cookbook, page 191. It's to die for!
3. Cruciferous veggies. Try these Cauli Tacos or Turmeric Cauli Rice. Try the Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Creamy Dairy-free Dressing in The Joyous Cookbook page 104.
4. Broccoli sprouts. Put on top of your avo toast or toss in a smoothie!⠀
5. Bitter greens. Try this Peach Arugula Salad (swap in apples since peaches are out of season). Try the Arugula Pesto Pizza on page 234 in the Joyous Detox Cookbook.
I hope I've given you plenty of delicious ideas to incorporate more hormonally balancing foods.
Have a joyous day!
Joy xo
I think I was meant to read this. Any suggestions for women who have low estrogen levels? Have loved your site and information provided for a long time.
ReplyYes that's a great question. It's really important to ensure you're eating enough fat. Also, here is a post that might help: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-with-estrogen
Great information! Any suggestions for when you've had your gallbladder removed? Everyone I know like this have issues with digestion.
ReplyAre you taking digestive enzymes and bile salts? I would recommend working with a natural healthcare practitioner to get some expert guidance. Your gallbladder's job is to store and then secrete bile to break down fats in your small intestine. It is an extremely important organ that is often overlooked and the common approach is just to remove it.
Yes to digestive enzymes and I have been seeing a Naturopath. haven't heard about the bile salts so I will look into that. Thank you!
Excellent, I'm sure you're in good hands then! :)
My gyno said there’s no point in testing hormones because they fluctuate so much in the day. I don’t agree. But how else can I tell if my hormones are out of whack, and what can I do about it? I don’t take any OTC drugs, I use clean products, don’t eat sugar, I’m celiac so no gluten. I feel like I’m doing everything right and still losing.
ReplyThey are absolutely right, that's because the type of testing used by conventional medical doctors only shows a very small fraction of hormones. Check out the Dutch Test. https://dutchtest.com/ That's the most accurate test for showing bioavailable hormones and shows systemically what's going on with your hormones. It's the most comprehensive test available right now.
Loved this and wanted to check out your califlower taco and fried rice but couldn't find the recipe -- where are they located? thanks Nancy
ReplyHere you go! Cauli tacos: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27354-blog-cauliflower-tacos-with-mango-red-pepper-salsa
Cauli rice: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27235-blog-turmeric-cauliflower-fried-rice
Enjoy!