Hormone and Gut Health Guide
Eat Organic
Conventional produce is grown with harmful pesticides such as glyphosate. These chemicals are endocrine disrupters and throws off your hormone and gut balance. So eat organic as much as possible. If eating all organic is out of your budget, follow the EWG’s ‘Dirty Dozen‘ & ‘Clean Fifteen‘ guidelines.
Eat Enough Healthy Fats
Your body uses fats as the building blocks for hormones. Without enough, your hormone production will suffer. Most hormones are created and transported within the gut. Be sure to eat plenty of healthy fats like:
- Avocados
- Nuts & seeds
- Fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, & anchovies)
- Coconut oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- MCT oil
- Kefir
Keep Your Blood Sugar Balanced
Sugar and refined carbs increase insulin resistance. They also reduce leptin, the hormone that tells you you’re full. So to keep your blood sugar (and hormones) balanced:
- Eat the protein and vegetables on your plate first.
- Eat complete meals with a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs
- Keep snacking to a minimum
- Add in more Apple Cider Vinegar into your diet.
Eat Protein At Every Meal
Protein is made up of amino acids, which your body uses to make hormones. Protein also lowers your hunger hormone ghrelin and helps keep your blood sugar stable. Aim to eat 20-30 g of protein with every meal. High protein foods include:
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Salmon
- Grass fed beef
- Sardines
- Lentils
- Turkey
- Beans
- Edamame
Manage Stress
Stress raises your stress hormone cortisol. This can create a domino effect of other hormonal imbalances. Stress also leads to inflammation. Inflammation creates a harder barrier within your gut wall, that prevents you from absorbing nutrients. So set aside time for daily stress relief. Meditation, yoga, breath-work, and time in nature are all proven to relieve stress. Aim for at least 10-15 minutes every day. Simply taking a walk at lunch can make a big difference.
Go Non-Toxic
Most personal care products like shampoo, deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, and cosmetics are filled with endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA, phthalates, parabens, and dioxins. These toxins can disrupt your hormone balance. So choose clean, non-toxic products instead. Check out the EWG’s ‘Skin Deep Database’ if you could use some guidance.
Clean Up Your Cookware
Non-stick cookware is loaded with xenoestrogens. These chemicals mimic estrogen in the body and can mess up your hormone balance and then add stress on your gut bacteria. So choose stainless steel or ceramic cookware instead. Plastics can also leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals. So swap out plastic food containers and water bottles for glass or stainless steel.
Get a Good Nights Sleep
Poor sleep can disrupt your hormones and gut big time. This is when your gut can get to work, try optimizing your circadian rhythm. Here are 3 ways to do that:
- Avoid blue light from cell phones and computer screens 1-2 hours before bed
- Stick to a regular sleep schedule
- Get morning light exposure (even 5-10 min can help)
Eat Enough Fiber
Fiber keeps you pooping so you can flush out excess hormones and toxins. Fiber also feeds your good gut bacteria. If you’re not pooping regularly these hormones can get reabsorbed and throw off your hormone balance. So how much fiber is enough? Women should aim for at least 25 g of a day, while men should aim for 38 g. High-fiber foods include raspberries, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, legumes, and avocado.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps your body detox excess hormones and keeps your gut moving. Without enough water, all that fiber will just sit inside you. So aim to drink at approximately half your body weight in water every day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, your water goal would be 80 ounces a day.
Sweat It Out
Sweating helps your body remove toxins via your skin. This lightens the load on your liver, which helps your body detox hormones. You can sweat it out via exercise or even take in a sauna session. Nowadays there are even portable saunas that can turn your bedroom into an at-home spa.
Dry Brush
Dry brushing exfoliates your skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite. But it also stimulates your lymphatic system, which helps your body remove wastes and toxins. If the lymphatic system gets sluggish, it can lead to a build-up of estrogen. New to dry brushing?