The Definitive Guide to Foods for Hormone Health

First steps for balancing hormones

First and foremost, it's essential to address gut health and inflammation. Inflammation, which is suggested to be the root of all disease - including hormonal imbalances - usually stems from your gut. From there, it can impact nearly every aspect of your health because it forces your immune system into overdrive.

When the immune system is overactive due to high stress levels, genetics, or an inflammatory diet, you may develop autoimmune reactions as your body attacks its own tissue or glands.

And since gut health plays a significant role in hormone regulation, having a gut-related issue - such as leaky gut syndrome or irritable bowel disease - also increases your chances for hormonal imbalances.

To provide your body with enough energy and nutrients so it can make the hormones you need, eating a whole foods diet is key. Whole foods are minimally processed foods that are more nutrient dense. They're also better for your gut.

Below are practical tips for including more whole foods in your diet, along with tips on which foods to limit or avoid in order to reduce inflammation and support healthy hormone production.

1. Eat a balance of macronutrients

Macronutrients is the term for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, which provide the calories you obtain from your diet. All three macronutrients are essential for hormone health, as well as digestion, reproduction, and metabolic functions.

Try to eat balanced meals, with about:

50 percent of the plate being produce25 percent protein25 percent complex carbohydrateshealthy fat incorporated throughout

You can achieve balance by including a source of all three macronutrients every time you eat. For example, your dinner may be a serving of fish (protein) with two servings of veggies and quinoa (carbohydrates), drizzled with some olive oil (fat). An unbalanced meal would be one that's overly heavy on carbs or protein.

2. Reduce inflammatory foods

A diet high in processed foods and allergens can trigger inflammation. These foods include:

refined grain products, such as white flourfoods containing glutenhydrogenated oilstrans fatsources of added sugarsometimes dairy products

Everyone's different when it comes to what foods they can digest properly. Some may have trouble tolerating foods like gluten, nuts, grains, night-shade vegetables, eggs, or dairy products, while others can tolerate those foods well. An elimination diet or FODMAPs diet can help pinpoint which foods may be causing gut-related inflammation or help you control symptoms.

3. Consume probiotic foods

Probiotics are the "good bacteria" that live inside your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and aid in repairing your gut lining. They're helpful for supporting the immune system, facilitating digestion, decreasing inflammation, and the production of hormones.

4. Aim for 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber daily

Fiber helps to keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels in check, in addition to supporting gut health by feeding good probiotic bacteria. Moderate amounts of fiber, consumed with lots of water, is usually ideal to help prevent digestive problems or other side effects.

One thing to be aware of is the relationship between fiber and reproductive hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. Very high fiber diets - such as a vegan or other low-fat diets - may lead to lower concentrations of estrogen in the blood. This may be problematic if your estrogen levels are already low.

5. Eat enough healthy fats

No matter what you hear about fats, you need to obtain a variety of fats in order to create hormones. These fats, including some saturated fats and cholesterol, are often thought of as unhealthy or fattening. But they actually have certain benefits when consumed in moderation and part of an unprocessed diet.

Fats help to fuel the brain, support reproductive health, keep inflammation levels low, boost your metabolism, satisfy hunger, and even promote weight loss.

Sources Of Healthy Fatscoconut oilolive oilavocadosgrass-fed butter, dairy, or meatnutsseedsorganic dairy productswild-caught salmon or other types of fatty fish

6. Drink enough water

You may have heard people say to drink 8 eight-ounce cups, but this depends on your lifestyle, age, and stage of life.

Many whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables can also keep you hydrated since they're high in water content.

7. Avoid too much alcohol or caffeine

High alcohol consumption has been associated with estrogen dominance and problems such as:

abnormal pancreatic functioninghigher risk for insulin resistanceincreased risk for liver diseaselower sex drivelowered testosteroneanxietymalnutrition

For women, drink only one alcoholic beverage per day, and aim to drink no more than seven per week. Men may drink up to two drinks per day, 14 per week. However, the less alcohol you drink, the better.

Meanwhile, high caffeine consumption may increase cortisol levels and impact the adrenal glands. This can interfere with appetite and energy, causing anxiety, sleep issues, and digestive problems. Try keeping your caffeine intake to about one to two servings daily, such as two small cups of regular coffee.

Beginner's checklist

Eat a balance of macronutrients: carbs, proteins, and fats.Reduce inflammatory foods.Consume probiotic foods.Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.Eat enough healthy fats.Drink enough water.Avoid too much alcohol or caffeine.

Source: Health Line