Top Tips for Easing Hormonal Imbalances
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Top Tips For Hormone Imbalances
Could your hormones be to blame for your symptoms?
Hormone imbalances are commonplace these days, and are often under-diagnosed. For some imbalances, a diagnosis can take years.
The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to support a healthy hormone balance.
What is a hormonal imbalance?
A hormonal imbalance is whenever one or more hormones are not within their ideal range. Hormones can include stress hormones, thyroid hormones and hunger/satiety hormones, but ‘hormonal imbalance’ usually refers to sex hormones.
There are a range of different sex hormone imbalances. For some, it may mean mild to moderate symptoms of PMS. For others, it can lead to hormonal conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis.
An imbalance in sex hormones can lead to symptoms such as:
Difficulty losing weight
Low libido
Mood swings
Hormonal acne
Cravings and increased hunger
Painful, heavy periods
Irregular, short or long cycles
PMS symptoms in the leadup to your period
Depression, anxiety, poor focus and low motivation
An imbalance can also flare up any health condition you already have, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia or autoimmune disease.
5 simple tips to support hormonal imbalances
Like any health concern, you want to make sure you get tested and work on your specific imbalances. But there are also some easy changes you can make to support your hormones, whatever the imbalance is.
Include hormone friendly foods and nutrients
The food that you eat can make a big difference when it comes to your hormones. You want to prioritise the foods and nutrients that help to build and balance your hormones. This means:
Healthy fats including oily fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, eggs.
High fibre foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and wholegrains (learn more about the link between fibre and hormones here)
Eating regularly to balance blood sugar levels – a must for happy hormones!
Skip the processed foods and refined sugars, and opt for low sugar sweet treats instead
You also want to include a good amount of protein to keep your energy and mood stable. Looking for some protein-rich inspiration? Check out some of my favourite high protein snacks here.
If you have PCOS I have just released a free eBook that you can download which contains:
- 3 days of example meals
- lists of foods to include more of and eat less of
- and more,
you can download it here.
Prioritise stress management
Stress is one of the biggest underlying contributors to hormone imbalance. There is a close relationship between stress hormones and sex hormones, so if your stress is high, your hormones will react.
Everyone is different with what de-stresses them. For me, stress management includes simple habits such as breathing exercises and meditation, along with plenty of planning to reduce the risk of stressful situations popping up! But you can also try other stress management techniques such as gratitude journaling, gardening, yoga, spending time with loved ones or cuddling your furbaby.
Get plenty of sleep
The unfortunate truth is that most of us are not getting enough sleep. Poor sleep can affect your ability to cope with stress, which has a knock-on effect for your hormone balance. It also affects your blood sugar levels and appetite, leading to more cravings for high sugar, high carb and processed foods.
Sleep quality is just as important as quantity. If you’re sleeping 7-9 hours but still feeling exhausted when you wake up, it’s time to look at improving your sleep quality.
Get your body moving
Physical activity has countless benefits for your wellbeing. When it comes to your hormonal health, the major benefits include stress relief and improving sleep.
However, it is important to remember that more isn’t always better when it comes to hormone health. Training too frequently or at consistently high intensity can lead to excess cortisol, which is bad news for your hormones.
This doesn’t mean you can’t do HIIT training at all – it can have some great health benefits! But make sure you incorporate some low-intensity, restorative movement as well. Walking, yoga, Pilates, swimming and tai chi are a few examples.
Need some guidance when it comes to working out? Make sure you grab a copy of my 8 Week Transformation Challenge here.
Switch to natural products
Have you ever read the ingredients on your makeup, skin care, deodorant, hair care or body wash? Even if you have, there’s a good chance that you don’t know what half of them are.
Not every man-made chemical is bad for you, but some can directly affect your hormone balance. One specific group is known as xenoestrogens – compounds that mimic oestrogen. Unfortunately, you will find them in a lot of everyday products in your house!
That’s where switching to natural options can help to reduce the load of xenoestrogens and other chemicals on your hormones. For example, I switched to Native natural deodorant, and decided to swap out foundation for mineral powder instead.
Having an imbalance in your hormones doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your health goals. But it can be useful to have someone on your team that understands what it is like to struggle with hormonal issues.
Are you ready to stop making excuses and self-sabotaging and start achieving your health goals?
My 1:1 premium coaching is here to help – yes, even if you struggle with hormonal issues! You can learn more and apply here.
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
Check out my free guide to healthy eating to design your own version of a healthy lifestyle so that you can feel energised and vibrant, or hire me to work my magic on your health through mindset, nutrition, and movement.
Looking for more tips on creating a healthy diet to help support your hormones?
While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of professional or medical advice.