Lifestyle Tweaks for Optimizing your Hormonal Health
Lifestyle affects my hormones??
YES. The answers to hormonal issues aren’t always simply taking a shot or hormone replacement therapy. Though it may be the easy option, it’s not fixing the root cause of what’s pulling you off course to begin with.
Basics first: hormones include chemical substances produced by your pancreas, liver, thyroid, gut, testes, ovaries, and brain. These chemical messengers play a crucial role in regulating many bodily functions, including metabolism, mood, and reproductive health.
By making simple yet effective lifestyle changes, you can significantly improve your hormonal balance and overall well-being.
Read below for the lifestyle tweaks you can implement TODAY:
#1. Clean up your nutrition
One of the most impactful lifestyle tweaks for hormonal health is adopting a balanced and nutrient-rich diet. Consuming whole foods, rich in vitamins and minerals, can support the endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone production.
Foods high in healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, and oily fish, are particularly beneficial as they provide the raw materials for hormone synthesis. Additionally, reducing intake of processed foods, sugars, and excessive caffeine (where are my coffee drinkers?) can help prevent insulin spikes and cortisol imbalances, two common disruptors of hormonal harmony. Incorporating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures a broad spectrum of antioxidants, which combat oxidative stress and support overall hormonal health.
#2 Incorporate resistance training and other exercise
Regular physical activity is another cornerstone of maintaining hormonal balance. Exercise helps regulate the release of hormones like endorphins, which elevate mood, and cortisol, which manages stress. Engaging in both aerobic exercises, such as running or cycling, and strength training can optimize the body’s hormonal response.
Resistance training, specifically, is known to improve testosterone levels, which is important for vitality and energy levels in both men and women. It also increases insulin sensitivity, which controls your blood sugar and reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.
#3. Take control of those cortisol levels with stress-busting practices
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands. When this hormone is high, it interferes with the functioning of all of the others: like testosterone, estrogen, insulin, thyroid hormones, and more.
So where does it come from? Cortisol is released in response to stress, which can take many forms: work stress, life overwhelm, life events/milestones, poor sleep, or relationship conflict, social comparison (social media).
You can lower your levels of this hormone with many types of stress management practices: deep breathing, yoga, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation among others. Even exercise can help…though it temporarily raises cortisol, it lowers your reactivity to the effects of stress.
If you want a customized plan and support to reach your goals, sign up for FREE one-on-one coaching
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