Hormones — such as oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, adrenaline and insulin — are extremely important chemical messengers that affect many aspects of your overall health. That’s why hormonal imbalance can be an issue. Whether you have PMS, irregular hormones, weight gain, loss of sex drive, brain fog, anxiety, bloating, hair loss, cramping or irregular periods or more serious conditions from PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis or fertility challenges natural health can help.

In this article, we help you to understand why hormones might go out of whack and what happens when they do. We then finish off with natural solutions to get your body back in balance and stop those hormones partying so hard!

Conventional treatments for hormonal imbalances

Typically include synthetic hormone replacement therapies, birth control pills, insulin injections, thyroid medications and more. Unfortunately, for most people suffering from hormonal disorders, relying on these types of synthetic treatments often does three things:

1. It makes people dependent on taking prescription drugs for the rest of their lives in order to keep symptoms under control.
2. It simply masks the patient’s symptoms but doesn’t solve them, which means that the patient can continue to develop abnormalities in other areas of the body while the disorder progresses.
3. It potentially causes a higher risk for serious side effects, such as stroke, osteoporosis, anxiety, reproductive problems, cancer and more.

Is it possible to balance hormones naturally? The good news is, yes, in many cases it is.

Hormones 101

Hormones are chemical substances that help to regulate processes in the body. They are secreted by glands and travel to their target organs in the bloodstream. Several hormones are involved in the female menstrual cycle. Hormones can be used to control human fertility and have advantages and disadvantages. Our reproductive hormones, most specifically oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone have more than a sexual function. They;

• are involved in growth and repair as well as reproduction
• send messages to tell our body where to lay down fat and whether to burn fat or muscle
• effect emotional and behavioural patterns related to the reproductive cycle
• play a big part in interaction with our stress hormones such as cortisol
• impact: thyroid function, bone health, body shape and size, mental clarity and mood lead to reproductive conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and fibrocystic breasts and menopause and regular and irregular menstruation cycles

Because progesterone is the precursor to oestrogen, in general, increasing progesterone production is the key to hormonal balance. This will in turn increase oestrogen, if needed, or increase the progesterone to oestrogen ratio if oestrogen is too high. It can also support the function of the adrenal and thyroid glands to optimise hormonal health.

Key actions for hormonal balance

Many women will ask my thoughts on hormone replacement of any kind and I will always talk about getting the following in balance first…

Blood sugars must be balanced. In women, blood sugar imbalances cause increases in testosterone, which will wreak havoc on the hormonal system.

The adrenal glands must be healthy. Adrenal dysfunction can suppress pituitary function and rob the sex hormones of the necessary precursors for hormone production. Dysfunctional adrenal glands are paramount in hormonal balance.

Digestion must be working properly. This is an often-missed component of hormone balance. Gastrointestinal dysfunction can raise cortisol, cause hormone detoxification issues in the liver, and produce damaging hormone metabolites. If your guts aren’t working properly, neither will your hormones. are often behind hormonal imbalance and the resulting lack of energy. This is especially true of women who are yo-yo dieters or follow low-fat, high-carb eating plans. These women often suffer from insulin resistance, which disrupts their bodies’ glucose/energy metabolism.

Poor diet and nutrition are often behind hormonal imbalance and the resulting lack of energy. This is especially true of women who are yo-yo dieters or follow low-fat, high-carb eating plans. These women often suffer from insulin resistance, which disrupts their bodies’ glucose/energy metabolism.

More about diet and nutrition

When we think about diet and hormonal health there are a few guidelines to follow including adding some of these hormone-friendly foods into your daily diet to keep your mind and body functioning at optimal levels.

Protein is extremely important for hormone balance since it influences the release of leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that control your appetite and food intake.

Carbohydrates. Nutrient-rich complex and high-fibre carbohydrates are ideal foods for hormone balance because they help stabilise blood sugar and reduce cortisol levels. Fibre doesn’t break down in the body, and since it doesn’t convert to sugar, fibre can’t raise blood sugar levels like other carbs can.

Fats. Including high-quality natural fats in your diet can help curb not only your appetite but also insulin resistance. Several studies show that consuming healthy fat at meals can trigger the release of hormones that can help you feel satisfied. The great news is that hormonal

Hormone balancing foods. Your liver is responsible for the breakdown of excess hormones in the body, so improving your liver function is important for hormonal health. So, reduce foods that are hard on the liver: including meat, cheese, cream and ice cream; coffee, alcohol, sugar, chocolate, peanuts and any highly processed foods.

• Promote progesterone: Eating foods high in natural magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6 will help increase your body’s progesterone production. Wheat germ, kelp, walnuts, turmeric, thyme and oregano are progesterone promoting.
• Nuts and seeds such as linseeds and almonds help bind liver toxins for elimination via the bowel. They’re also rich sources of omega-three fatty acids which help stabilise mood swings
• Green ‘superfoods’ such as chlorella or spirulina and organic vegetable juices are some other good liver-stimulating agents.
• Inhibit oestrogen: Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cress, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) are great oestrogen inhibitors and liver detoxifiers. They contain Di-indolylmethane (DIM), which detoxifies and clears oestrogens. Maca root is another cruciferous plant known for its hormone-regulating action.
• Oestrogen-inhibiting foods contain phytonutrients that protect against excess estrogen. These include brassicas and onions, nuts, seeds, avocados, green beans, millet and buckwheat, citrus, berries, figs, grapes, melons, pears and pineapples.
• Avoid or reduce oestrogen promoters. These include animal meats, dairy products, wheat and unfermented soy products. Modern manufacturing of soy products is very different from the traditional process of slow fermentation used historically in Asian countries such as miso, tamari (soy sauce), tempeh, fermented soymilk and fermented tofu which are safe and beneficial to our health. Unfermented soy found in many e.g. western soy milk, yogurt, processed foods etc, are toxic xenoestrogens that can disrupt hormones. Also, aim to reduce all chemicals in the house from washing to cleaning to personal use. Swap to eco-friendly, no-chemical products and avoid drinks and foods in plastic packaging as these can cause unhealthy oestrogen build-up leading to hormonal imbalances, weight gain and mood imbalance. See https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11979163. Oestrogen promoters are best eaten infrequently if you have oestrogen dominance.

What else can you do?

Manage stress: Dealing effectively with problematic issues or situations that are stressful for you is important. To reduce the load on your adrenal glands, you need to reduce your burdens and improve your quality of life.  Regular exercise, meditation or relaxation techniques and self-nurturing practices all positively affect your endocrine function.

Get More Sleep: Unless you get seven to nine hours of sleep every night, you’re doing your body no favours. A lack of sleep or disturbing your natural circadian rhythm can be one of the worst habits contributing to a hormone imbalance. Why? Because your hormones work on a schedule. For example, Cortisol, the primary “stress hormone,” is regulated at midnight. Therefore, people who go to bed late never truly get a break from their sympathetic flight/fight stress response.
Excessive stress and poor sleep are linked with higher levels of morning cortisol, decreased immunity, trouble with work performance, and a higher susceptibility to anxiety, weight gain and depression.
To maximise hormone function, ideally, try to get to bed by 10 p.m., and stick with a regular sleep-wake cycle as much as possible.

What herbs and nutritional supplements can help?

Vitamin C – HUGE for raising Progesterone levels
Progesterone is the natural anti-anxiety, anti-depressant hormone. It also affects your emotions and sleep. Low progesterone is the 2nd most common imbalance experienced by women over 35! Vitamin C is the no 1 nutraceutical to help your body produce more progesterone. Food sources: citrus fruits, bell peppers, kiwi, strawberries, tomatoes.

Zinc – my all time favourite
Zinc is effective treatment for acne, PCOS, period pain, and many other periods problems. It redcues inflammation, improves period pain, helps regulate the cycle, blocks testosterone, supports the thyroid and more

Vitamin D – Important for all hormones, especially Thyroid
Thyroid affects your metabolism, body temperature and energy levels. Vitamin D can help. The body can synthesise vitamin D on its own from sun exposure, even so many people can be deficient whether they spend heaps of time outside or not! Plus it can be very hard to get enough through diet alone, so we need to either spend some time in the sun or supplement. Food sources: low mercury fatty fish like herring, sardines, cod, egg yolks and mushrooms.

Oral contraceptive pills can deplete numerous vitamins and minerals in the body. These include zinc, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, copper, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Vitamin E – Awesome for Menopause
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and is super important for women with low oestrogen, aka menopause. Food sources: vegetable oils, nuts, beans, and whole grains. 50-400 IU per day effectively decreases hot flashes and other low-estrogen problems, like vaginal dryness, and mood swings (give it at least 4 weeks to get the effects).

Calcium/Magnesium – Prevent PMS, Constipation + sleep better
Calcium is the most common mineral in the body! Magnesium helps regulate calcium levels, so there is a special balance between calcium and magnesium. The right proportion helps prevent constipation and promotes healthy sleep, plus so many more vital processes. Both are important for balancing progesterone levels, which is one factor leading to PMS. Magnesium is particularly effective for combating chocolate cravings! Food sources: for calcium, dark green vegetables, seaweeds, sardines, almonds, dairy. Food sources for magnesium, green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains.

Fish Oil – Helps will all hormones, especially Cortisol and Insulin
Fish oil contains essential fatty acids (omega-3’s). Essential means your body can’t produce them but are necessary for cellular function. Fish oil helps regular cortisol levels, your stress hormone that “bullies” the thyroid and progesterone hormones. It’s common to have a combination of disregulated cortisol and either thyroid or progesterone. Fix cortisol and you could fix the others. Fish oil is the good fat that improves your insulin sensitivity and prevents diabetes.

Chromium – stabilise blood sugars
Chromium is a mineral that has been studied often and shown to help stabilize insulin and blood sugar. This stabilization helps curtail cravings and supports appetite regulation.

B6 (pyridoxine)  – mood support
B6 helps with oestrogen metabolism, by helping to reduce tissue hypersensitivity to oestrogen. This is important for women when the excess hormones need to be conjugated back out of the body, due to hormones in meats, birth control or supplemental estrogen.

Herbs, vitamins, and minerals, combined with good nutrition from a healthy diet, stress management and regular exercise are the best methods for relieving the symptoms of most hormonal imbalances. 

Sheena Hendon Health Hormonal balance programme is a great place to start

The hormonal balance programme promotes natural hormonal balance. You start with a one hour in house or Zoom consultation with Sheena Hendon a nutritionist and naturopath specialising in hormonal health followed by the appropriate testing/blood tests (if needed) nutritional supplements, herbal endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional follow-up consultations.

Book today

We look forward to seeing you in the clinic soon