Us women are controlled by our hormones, both in good and in bad. As the life is getting more busy and stressful, we consume more processed foods, use hormonal contraception, have imbalanced diet and are subjected to environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances are getting more and more common.
Some of the signs of hormonal imbalance are:
~Weight gain
~Mood swing
~Acne
~Polycystic ovarian syndrome
~Endometriosis
~Irregular menstrual cycle
~Infertility
Luckily there is some steps you can take to balance your hormones naturally.
Nutrition
Try to eat food rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. These can be found in fish oils, nuts and seeds. Also, consume variety of fresh vegetables and fruits to provide a full spectrum of vitamins and mineral. Organic food is always the best option. Avoid too much of soy in your diet. It contains high levels of phytoestrogens, which mimic estrogen in the body and can disrupt the endocrine system.
Herbs
Some of the herbs good for hormonal balancing are Maca-root, Chasteberry (Agnus Castus) and Black Cohosh.
Maca-root is an endocrine adaptogen, meaning that it does not contain any hormones, but it contains the nutritients necessary to support and balance normal hormone production.
Chasteberry is a natural source of progesterone and can help with irregular menstrual cycles after coming off the pill and it can even help with luteal phase when trying to conceive.
Black Cohosh contains some phyto-estrogenic properties which act similar to estrogen in the body. It can help with painful periods and absent periods. It's also great help with the symptoms of perimenopause. (Always check with your doctor before using herbal remedies)
Relaxation
Chronic stress disrupts the ability of your endocrine system to regulate healthy hormonal balance. As body's cortisol levels rise as a result of stress, it directly causes many hormonal imbalances. By using relaxation techniques such as deep abdominal breathing, you can stimulate parasympathetic nervous system to induce relaxation and lower cortisol levels.
Self-Massage of lower abdomen
Self-Massage can balance hormones by increasing blood flow (oxygen and nutritients) to the pelvis, removing remains of useless tissues from the previous menstrual cycles, break down cysts and adhesions, and reduce stress.
Reflexology
Reflexology can effectively bring the whole body and hormonal system back to balance, by stimulating reflexes connected to the endocrine system. Thousands of nerve-endings in the sole of the foot signals to the corresponding organs when reflexes are stimulated. Reflexology also reduces cortisol levels by relaxing the body and mind.
Prioritise Sleep
Without enough sleep your hormones won't be in balance. While you sleep your body is busy recharging and regulating hormones. Even one night of bad sleep has got a tremendous impact on your hormonal system.
Have you struggled with hormone problems? What helped you?