Balancing Female Hormones

Hormones are responsible for many unusual displays in our bodies including mysterious weight fluctuations, bloating, thinning hair and skin concerns to name a few. But is there anything we can use in our diets to ‘spur on’ optimal health?

External life factors impact our health and are referred to as upstream causes of imbalance. This means what we eat can really affect how our hormones are showing up. We need to consider stress levels (are we spending more time as a Type A Personality setting high standards for ourselves leaving us feeling time pressed and irritable), what’s happening in our digestive system as a result, if we are giving our body the right nutrients to detoxify and whether or not our body is inflamed, maybe because we are doing things like over exercising, because we think we are looking after our bodies.

The two main female sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone. These are hormones produced by the ovaries, but also by the adrenal glands (which explains why stress may influence hormones).

High percentages of women manage symptoms of hormonal issues associated with PMS, PCOS, fertility issues and the menopause through prescriptions for oral contraceptive drugs, or an external exogenous hormone and this is designed to fix the down-stream problem, however nutritionists argue it isn’t fixing the upstream cause.

So how can diet support happy hormones?

Introducing the ‘Big 3’ Nutrient Sources

Healthy fats. Examples such as omega-3, are a vital part of creating hormonal harmony.
Antioxidants found in dark leafy vegetables.
Proteins be those plant or animal based.

There is a vast wealth of information about dieting out there so here is a natural tip we think you can try with ease:

Seed Cycling

This involves certain seeds being eaten at certain times of the month. The beneficial fatty acids in each specific seed works with the female body to promote a healthy cycle.

Consume 1tbsp ground flaxseed and 1 tbsp ground pumpkin seeds from day 1 to day 14 of the cycle. Consume 1 tbsp ground sunflower seeds and 1 tbsp tahini/sesame seeds from day 15 to day 28 of the cycle. For additional benefits supplement with evening primrose oil during this time. If you have any reactions to the seeds themselves for GI reasons you can alternatively use 1tsp of the cold pressed oil (flax, sunflower, pumpkin or sesame) instead. Make sure you buy oils in dark bottles and store out of sunlight. Try out our quick power ball recipe using your favourite Nakd bar flavour!