12 natural ways to balance your hormones

This is an automatically translated article.

Hormonal imbalance is considered one of the risk factors that can increase obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. Although the aging process and other factors are out of your control, there are steps you can take to help your hormones work optimally. Consuming nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and engaging in other healthy behaviors can help you improve your hormonal health in the long run.

1. Hormone balance

Mental, physical and emotional health is governed by hormones. Furthermore, hormones will play an important role in controlling your appetite, weight and mood, among other things.
The endocrine glands of the body will produce the exact amount of each hormone needed for different processes in the body. However, hormonal imbalances are becoming more and more common, and this process occurs with age decline, and the degree of decline will vary from person to person.
A nutritious diet combined with other healthy lifestyle behaviors can help improve your hormonal health.

2. Eat enough protein in each meal

Consuming adequate amounts of protein is extremely important. Protein in the diet is responsible for providing essential amino acids that your body cannot make on its own and are needed to be consumed daily to maintain the health of organs in the body such as: Muscles, bones and skin .
In addition, the release of hormones that control appetite and food intake is also due to the influence of protein.
Research has shown that consuming protein reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates the production of hormones that help you feel full, including PYY and GLP-.
In one study, men produced 20% more GLP-1 and 14% more PYY after eating a high-protein meal than after eating a meal with a normal protein intake. Furthermore, the participants' hunger rate decreased by 25% more after the high-protein meal compared with the normal protein meal.
In another study, women who consumed a diet containing 30% protein had increased GLP-1 and felt fuller for longer than when they ate a diet containing 10% protein. Furthermore, they experienced an increase in metabolism and fat burning.
To optimize hormone health and hormonal balance, experts recommend consuming a minimum of 20–30 grams of protein per meal.

3. Engage in regular exercise

Hormonal health is related to physical activity. A major benefit of exercise is its ability to lower insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
Insulin, a hormone that has several functions, including: Allows cells to absorb sugars and amino acids from the blood, which are then used for energy and muscle maintenance.
High insulin levels are associated with inflammatory symptoms, including: Heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What's more, insulin levels have been linked to insulin resistance, a condition in which your cells don't respond properly to insulin's signals.
Increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering insulin levels can take place with a number of physical activities, including aerobic exercise, strength training and endurance training.
In a 24-week study in obese women, exercise increased the participants' insulin sensitivity and levels of adiponectin, a hormone known to have anti-inflammatory effects and also help regulate metabolism.
Physical activity can also help boost levels of hormones aimed at maintaining muscle that decline with age, such as testosterone, IGF-1, DHEA, and growth hormone.
For those unable to do vigorous exercise, even regular walking can increase hormone levels while increasing the likelihood of improvements in strength and quality of life.
Although a combination of resistance training and aerobic exercise, hormonally balanced ways seem to provide the best results, doing any physical activity can be beneficial regularly for the body.

4. Avoid sugar and starch

Avoiding or minimizing these foods can be instrumental in optimizing hormone function and avoiding obesity, diabetes, and other diseases.
Studies have consistently shown that fructose can increase insulin levels in the body and also promote insulin resistance, especially in overweight and obese people with prediabetes or diabetes Disconnect the road. Fructose makes up at least half of most sugars, including natural forms like honey and maple syrup, in addition to high-fructose corn syrup and refined table sugar.
In one study, people with prediabetes had similar elevations of insulin and insulin resistance whether they consumed 50 grams of honey, sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup. In addition, a high-carb diet, especially refined carbs such as white bread and crackers, may promote insulin resistance in a large portion of adults and adolescents.
In contrast, following a low or moderate diet based on whole foods may reduce insulin levels in overweight and obese individuals with prediabetes along with other insulin resistant conditions such as polycystic ovary (PCOS).

5. Stress Management

Stress can wreak havoc on the body's hormone system. Two main hormones are affected by stress: Cortisol and adrenaline aka epinephrine.
Cortisol - stress hormone, plays a role in helping the body cope with long-term stress.
Adrenaline - the fight-or-flight hormone that provides your body with ample energy to deal with immediate danger.
However, it's not like it was hundreds of years ago when the adrenaline hormone was mainly triggered by factors like a hectic lifestyle.
Chronic stress causes cortisol levels to remain high, which can lead to excessive calorie intake and obesity, including increased belly fat.
Elevated levels of adrenaline can cause high blood pressure, tachycardia, anxiety... However, these symptoms are usually quite short-lived because unlike cortisol, adrenaline is less likely to be elevated. chronic high.
Research has shown that you can lower your cortisol levels by engaging in stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, massage, and listening to relaxing music.
A 2005 review of studies found that massage therapy not only reduced cortisol levels by an average of 31%, but also increased levels of the mood hormone serotonin by 28% and dopamine by an average of 31%.
Natural way to balance hormones try to spend at least 10-15 minutes a day in stress-relieving activities, even if you feel like you don't have time.

6. Consume Healthy Fats

High-quality natural fats in your diet can help reduce insulin resistance and cravings.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), the only fats directly absorbed by the liver for immediate use as energy.
They have been shown to reduce insulin resistance in overweight and obese people, as well as in people with diabetes.
MCTs are found in virgin coconut, palm, and MCT oils.
Dairy fats and monounsaturated fats in olive oil and nuts also seem to increase insulin sensitivity, based on studies in healthy adults and people with pre-diabetes. diabetes, fatty liver and elevated triglycerides. In addition, studies have shown that consuming healthy fats with meals triggers the release of hormones that help you feel full, including GLP-1, PYY, and cholecystokinin (CCK).
In contrast, trans fats were found to promote insulin resistance and increase belly fat storage.
To optimize hormone health, consume healthy fats with every meal.

7. Avoid overeating and undereating

Eating too much or too little food can cause hormonal changes that lead to weight-related problems. Overeating has been shown to increase insulin levels and decrease insulin sensitivity, especially in overweight and obese people who are insulin resistant.
A study in insulin-resistant obese adults with a 1,300-calorie meal nearly doubled their insulin intake compared to metabolically healthy lean and obese adults who consumed a single dose of insulin. identical meals. On the other hand, cutting calories too much can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which promotes weight gain when it's high.
A study that performed a diet test found that limiting food intake to less than 1,200 calories per day led to an increase in the body's cortisol levels.
A study also done with people with insulin resistance even showed that very low calorie diets can cause insulin resistance in some people, an effect you might expect seen in people with diabetes. You can help you maintain hormonal balance and a healthy weight with an individualized energy-dense diet.

8. Drink green tea

In addition to the metabolism-boosting compound caffeine, green tea also contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is credited with a number of health benefits.
Research on the benefits of green tea shows that green tea consumption can increase insulin sensitivity and decrease insulin levels in both healthy individuals and those with insulin resistance with characteristic disease manifestations such as obesity obesity and diabetes.
In a detailed analysis of 17 studies, the highest quality studies linked green tea with significantly lower fasting insulin levels.
Several controlled studies show that green tea does not seem to reduce insulin resistance or insulin levels when compared to placebo. However, results are subject to individual feedback. As green tea has other health benefits and most studies show that it may provide some improvement in insulin response. , you might consider drinking one to three cups a day.

9. Regularly eat fatty fish

Fatty fish is by far the best source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which have impressive anti-inflammatory properties. Research shows they may also have beneficial effects on hormonal health, including reducing levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
One study observed the impact of omega-3 fat consumption on men's performance in a mental stress test.
The study found that after men consumed a diet rich in omega-3 fats for three weeks, they felt significantly less increases in cortisol and epinephrine during testing than when they followed the diet. usual diet. In addition, several studies on fatty acid intake have found that increasing intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids can reduce insulin resistance associated with medical conditions such as obesity, ovarian syndrome. Polycystic eggs and gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy. Similar to type 2 diabetes, it is characterized by insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels.
In a study done in women with gestational diabetes taking 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids daily for six weeks. The omega-3 group had significant reductions in insulin levels, insulin resistance, and inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) compared with the women taking the placebo.

10. Stable, high-quality sleep

No matter how nutritious your diet is and how much you exercise, your health will suffer if you don't get enough sleep to restore your health.
Imbalance of many hormones and poor sleep quality are linked, including insulin, cortisol, leptin, ghrelin and growth hormone.
In a study of men who were restricted to five hours of sleep each night for a week, insulin sensitivity decreased by an average of 20%.
Another study looked at the effects of sleep restriction on healthy young men. When their sleep was restricted for two days, their leptin decreased by 18%, their ghrelin increased by 28%, and their hunger increased by 24%. In addition, men crave high-calorie, high-carb foods.
Furthermore, it's not just the amount of sleep you get that matters. Sleep quality is also important.
Your brain needs uninterrupted sleep that allows it to go through all five stages of each sleep cycle, which is especially important for the release of growth hormone, and this process usually occurs mainly at night during deep sleep.
To maintain optimal hormonal balance, try to get at least seven high-quality hours of sleep each night.

11. Stay away from sugary drinks

Studies on sugary drinks show that large amounts of sugary drinks can contribute to insulin resistance, especially in adults and children with signs of overweight and obesity.
In one study, when overweight people consumed 25% of their dietary calories in the form of high-fructose beverages, overweight individuals had higher blood insulin levels, decreased insulin sensitivity, and increased blood pressure. belly fat storage. In addition, the same study also showed that drinking sugary drinks leads to overconsumption of calories because it does not trigger the same satiety signals as when eating solid foods.
Avoiding sugary drinks can be seen as one of the best things you can do to improve your hormone balance.

12. Eat a high-fiber diet

Fiber, especially the soluble variety, is an important part of a healthy diet. Studies following a high-fiber diet have found that it increases insulin sensitivity and stimulates the production of hormones that make you feel full and satisfied.
Although soluble fiber tends to make the strongest impact on appetite and intake, insoluble fiber can also play a role.
A study in overweight and obese people found that consuming a type of soluble fiber called oligofructose increased PYY levels, and consuming insoluble fiber tended to increase GLP-1 levels. Both types of fiber reduce cravings.
To protect against insulin resistance and controlled overeating, make sure you eat foods rich in fiber daily.

13. Eat Eggs Anytime

Eggs have been shown to beneficially affect hormones that regulate food intake, including decreasing insulin and ghrelin levels, and increasing PYY.
In one study, men had lower ghrelin and insulin levels after eating eggs for breakfast than after eating bagel for breakfast. What's more, they felt fuller and ate fewer calories for the next 24 hours after eating the eggs. The positive effects of food and specifically eggs on hormones appear to occur when people eat both egg yolks and whites.
For example, another study found that eating whole eggs as part of a low-carb diet increased insulin sensitivity and improved several symptoms related to heart health more than a low-carb diet. Includes only egg whites.
Most studies have looked at the effects of eating eggs for breakfast because that's when people usually consume them. However, nutritious foods can be eaten with meals, such as hard-boiled eggs a great snack.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com