Handling Your Hormones: Our Top Nutrition Tips for Balancing your Endocrine System

Our hormones are supposed to keep us functioning correctly, right? Then why in the world does it sometimes feel like our hormones are working against us? I’ve seen countless women posting on social media about how their hormones are totally screwing with them, and it can be almost impossible to deal with. But I have some good news for you: the food you eat can actually help you support normal functioning of your endocrine system! That’s right: your nutrition can help you get a handle on those hormones. If you've ever felt like your hormones are hindering your progress, taking you on an emotional rollercoaster, or just generally messing with your health and happiness- this one's for you.

Why is it so important to support hormonal balance?

Hormones play a huge part in our body's most basic processes, so it's extremely important that we make sure our endocrine system is working as it should! For just a glimpse into what some of our 200+ hormones help with, let's take a look at some of the most well-known:

Insulin, leptin, ghrelin, Triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxineare hormones that… 

• Help you manage your metabolism

• Help you maintain a healthy weight

• Assist in appetite control

• And generally help you keep a happy balance with food.

Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are sex hormones, AKA they… 

• Regulate processes related to sexual reproduction

• Maintain bone density and muscle

• Affect sex drive

• And plenty more that might make you blush!

Cortisol, adrenaline, and melatonin are pretty commonly-known hormones, and they… 

• Help regulate mood (thank goodness!)

• Control your physiological response to stress

• Regulate your sleep habits

• And control plenty other essential bodily processes we need to survive.

Needless to say…. 

Hormones are pretty dang important. So many people act as though hormones are just silly, girly things that control your time of the month, but they are really something to be taken seriously; an endocrine system that isn’t functioning properly is not something to joke about. If you feel like your hormones aren’t doing what they should, your first step should be to go see your primary care provider. However, it’s not a bad idea to make sure your nutritional habits are in tip-top shape so those hormones can keep doing what they do, so here are our top 5 nutritional tips to support your hard-working endocrine system. 

Tip #1: Eat your healthy fats!

Listen, fats have been given a completely unnecessary bad rep; healthy fat consumption actually plays a HUGE part in your hormone regulation! Eating healthy dietary fats can regulate hormone production, as well as overall hormone communication within the body, so make sure to include plenty of fat in your diet from sources like...

• Avocados

• Fatty fish

• Nuts

• Whole eggs

• Full-fat yogurt

Tip #2: Crunch down on the cruciferous veggies!

Cruciferous veggies are an extremely important part of a balanced diet, especially when it comes to supporting estrogen regulation. Cruciferous veggies are also a great way to protect yourself from estrogen-dominant cancers, so eat up!

Cruciferous vegetables you should be chowing down on include:

• Arugula

• Bok choy

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Cabbage

• and plenty more!

Tip #3: Fill up on fiber (and starch)!

While eating a diet high in fiber can have plenty of health benefits, it can also assist with keeping excess hormones from wreaking havoc on the body. Starch can also help regulate cortisol and melatonin in the body, so you can keep your stress level and sleep schedule nice and healthy!

Foods to include with starch and fiber:

• Whole grains

• Carrots

• Sweet potatoes

• Squash

• Flaxseed

• Oats

• Potatoes

Tip #4: Pump up the prebiotics and probiotics!

Foods high in prebiotics and probiotics are already a great thing to include in your diet, but the benefits they can have for your endocrine system are seldom mentioned! These foods keep your gut healthy, which is important because it secretes more than 20 hormones that regulate appetite, fullness, and metabolism.

Try out these foods for optimal gut health:

• Raw garlic

• Oats

• Almonds

• Apples

• Kimchi

• Yogurt

Tip #5: Don't pick the processed foods!

Recent studies have unveiled one of the main reasons why processed foods can lead to weight gain: It's not just the extra calories often found in processed foods, it's also the way that ultra-processed foods (chicken nuggets, donuts, etc.) alter your production of hormones like grhelin, insulin, and leptin. Aka, all the hormones that affect your metabolism and appetite!Processed foods can be delicious, but try to stick to a healthy, balanced diet of fruits, veggies, whole wheat, and lean protein!

All in all… 

​You guys probably get the gist of it: a healthy diet of whole foods is extremely important when it comes to managing your health, and your endocrine system is no different! Hormones definitely need to be running properly, so if you’re worried they aren’t, reach out to your primary care provider or an endocrinologist as soon as you can. Remember, you can’t control all aspects of your health, but you can definitely make it easier on yourself! So fill up on those fruits and veggies, be kind to your body, and call your doctor if you think something more serious might be going on; after all, “To control your hormones is to control your life.”