Nutrients in food are the energy source for your body to produce hormones. If the energy source is low, your hormones are not produced correctly, and an imbalance occurs.
Your body is a symphony of hormones that must work together in the endocrine system to maintain balance. This balance regulates your heart rate, temperature, metabolism, cycles, and much more.
What you eat and what you put on your body affects your hormones. If you are experiencing symptoms even though you are taking your medications then you need to change your nutrition and make lifestyle changes.
There are a lot of diets out there but they do not focus on the root cause of your problem. If you have a hormonal problem, an anti-inflammatory diet is the best diet approach. Let’s dig into the specific parts of a hormone-balancing diet.
If you have an autoimmune disease, then the autoimmune protocol is the best approach. It lets you figure out the foods that cause your symptoms and so you can reverse your disease.
EAT THE RAINBOW
Plants contain critical nutrients and vitamins to support hormonal health. Clean eating is about making a plate that contains as many colors as possible. Veggies are loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals that decrease inflammation and help your hormones function properly. Hear of the anti-inflammatory diet? Loaded with vegetables. Autoimmune disorders such as underactive thyroid are linked to micronutrient deficiencies and veggies are a great source of necessary micronutrients.
These are the best choices:
**Dark leafy greens like Kale, Spinach, Collard greens
**Berries have anti-oxidants
**Mushrooms
**Cruciferous Veggies such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage
**Beets/Squash/Pumpkin/Carrots/Sweet Potatoes are good sources of vitamin A
**Coconut Oil
Contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT), helps with brain function, thyroid function, and used to make sex hormones
**Avocado
Helps to balance sugars (insulin regulation-diabetes), support adrenal function, and contains high levels of energy boosting vitamin B5
**Flaxseeds/chia/nuts
These are rich in vitamins essential for hormone production like selenium, magnesium, etc. Thyroid function is especially reliant on selenium, zinc, and iodine.
**Fish oil/Cod oil
Highest concentration of omega 3’s. This supports brain function in both you and your baby if pregnant. Decreases inflammation in those with an autoimmune disorder.
WHOLE GRAIN OR GRAIN FREE
If you have an autoimmune disorder there is a good chance you can not tolerate gluten. Most of the immune system lies within the gut and therefore women with autoimmune disorders often have leaky gut due to certain foods. Gluten being the most common. Gluten is found in whole wheat/flour. If this is you then, and you suffer from digestion issues, I would suggest you start with the autoimmune protocol.
These are good grain-free solutions:
**Sweet potato/potato/squash
Rich in vitamin A and B6 which is for liver health. Also provides necessary fiber for gut health.
**Quinoa/amaranth/buckwheat
Rich in vitamins/minerals that are crucial for thyroid health.
**Coconut flour
Excellent anti-oxidant, great for baking.
HEALTHY FATS
15 to 30 grams of healthy fats daily aids in the stabilization and production of stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline. We need fat to absorb fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, K, and E which are important for our health and especially cycle regulation. If you have PCOS, then this is extremely important to get the right fats to improve your fertility.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for cell-to-cell communication in the brain. But for them to work their best, we need adequate amounts of omega-6.
The omega-6 containing foods that are best to avoid to achieve this balance include safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, canola, soybean, and peanut oil.
Good sources of anti-inflammatory, healthy omega-3 rich fats include coconut oil, avocados, flaxseeds, chia.
**Coconut Oil
Contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT), helps with brain function, thyroid function, and used to make sex hormones**Avocado
Helps to balance sugars (insulin regulation-diabetes), support adrenal function, and contains high levels of energy boosting vitamin B5**Flaxseeds/chia/nuts
These are rich in vitamins essential for hormone production like selenium, magnesium, etc. Thyroid function is especially reliant on selenium, zinc, and iodine.**Fish oil/Cod oil
Highest concentration of omega 3’s. This supports brain function in both you and your baby if pregnant. Decreases inflammation in those with an autoimmune disorder.
