How to Balance Your Hormones with a Healthy Diet and Hormone Therapy
Food is fuel! But it also can be a delicious escape from the day. Making smart choices about what you eat can help your body work its best and satisfy your food cravings.
Certain foods and lifestyle diets have been shown to help with hormonal issues and speed weight loss when coupled with hormone therapy.
So while you seek out hormone therapy for men or hormone therapy for women, start working to make your diet richer in healthier foods.
Treating Hormone Imbalance with the Hormone Diet
A special hormone diet created by a naturopath can help you lose weight and balance your hormones. The diet is a combination of low glycemic index foods and the Mediterranean diet.
Foods that fit within the diet – which is more of a lifestyle choice – include lean proteins, fresh vegetables and plenty of fruits, chia seeds, nuts, olive oil, and whole grains. This eating plan suggests avoiding caffeine, alcohol, fried foods, processed foods, peanuts, full-fat dairy, artificial sweeteners and simple carbs, like cakes and white bread.
Followers of this lifestyle change swap their daily coffee for green tea and opt to cook their own meals instead of eating boxed foods or pre-made snacks. Even those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet can find plenty to like about this hormone diet. People with celiac disease who must avoid gluten can also succeed with this diet.Couple this diet with 30 minutes of exercise, six days a week, rotating among strength training, interval training, yoga, and cardio.
Foods that Complement Hormone Therapy
If you’ve visited a medical provider at Restorative Health and are starting a hormone imbalance treatment plan, you can eat certain foods that may help pave the way toward success. These foods are nutrient-rich, filling, and a good blend of protein, healthy fats, iron, and more.
- Cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and bok choy are all known as cruciferous vegetables. These veggies help your liver metabolize estrogen. - Avocados
The plant sterols in avocados help regulate estrogen and progesterone, which can help regulate ovulation. Its healthy fats help you stay full. Avocados also can help balance cortisol and lower your cholesterol. - Salmon and tuna
Fats that are high in omega-3s help your body produce sex hormones. Salmon and albacore tuna are high in these fatty acids. Because your endocrine system uses hormones to communicate with the brain, balancing them can help to boost your mood and improve cognition. - High-fiber carbs
Fruits, certain veggies, and whole grains have a high fiber content, which helps regulate estrogen. Reach for root veggies like sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots to accompany whole grains like quinoa and brown rice. Don’t ditch the starch completely! Starches can help your body regulate melatonin and cortisol levels. - Fresh , organic fruits and veggies
If you’re looking to balance your hormones, be sure you’re buying only organic produce. Pesticides can act as hormone disruptors, so produce that hasn’t been treated with them is a safer bet for your body. If you can’t afford organic, that’s not too big of a deal; eating fresh fruits and vegetables, even those that are not organic, are important for a healthy diet.You may even want to shop organic for only certain foods, like those on the “Dirty Dozen” list. These are foods that are most affected by pesticides. The Dirty Dozen list includes:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale and other leafy greens
- Apples
- Nectarines
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pears
- Peppers
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Probiotics and prebiotics
Prebiotics are fibrous foods that the bacteria in your gut love to eat, while probiotics are the good bacteria themselves. Your gut secretes upwards of 20 hormones that affect your metabolism. Prebiotic foods like garlic, asparagus, almonds, apples, bananas, and artichokes, coupled with probiotics in kimchi and yogurt, can help regulate your hormones.
A Note About Food
The point of adopting a healthier eating plan is not to deprive yourself of the foods you love. In fact, completely removing your favorite unhealthy treats is not sustainable!
An occasional treat or “cheat meal” is actually a smart way to help you stay on track with healthy eating.
Visit Restorative Health for Bioidentical Hormones
If you have a hormone imbalance that needs treatment, your first phone call should be Restorative Health. At Restorative Health, patients rediscover the best versions of themselves through hormone therapy.
Each Restorative Health patient receives a custom plan that includes bioidentical hormone therapy for men and women, plus complimentary treatments that improve sex drive.
Learn more about our services, or book an appointment online to get a consultation with one of our licensed hormone replacement experts near you.
