how to happy Your Hormones
It’s a Riot
As soon as we are nearing puberty we start hearing talk of these mysterious things that are responsible for turning us into moody beasts, for making hair grow on our bodies, for everything negative and scary that was going to happen to us. If you are like me, hormones were only ever related to periods and moods and pretty much always had negative associations accompanied by phrased like “oh your a bit hormonal aren’t you!” I was only ever aware of them when they were working against me, otherwise they didn’t get a second thought.
There are over 50 hormones and they are responsible for so many functions in our bodies. Alongside mood, govern libido, growth, sleep, hunger and satiety, blood sugar levels, brain function, and metabolism to name but a few.
For women in their peri-menopause / menopause years (on average from age 43 but can start a lot earlier) this is another period of internal flux. There are four hormones in particular that cause an absolute riot during peri-menopause and menopause - oestrogen, insulin, cortisol and thyroid. The rise and fall of these hormones during this time can make it difficult to function on a day to day basis or sometimes to even recognise who we are any more.
If you knew that there were ways to bring your body back into a more harmonious state and to support it through these tough years, and beyond, would you do it? If the answer is yes, then read on!
The Science Part
In order to understand why our hormones go off balance in the first place, it is useful to know how they work.
Hormones are part of a complex system called the Endocrine System. The Endocrine System is made up of glands and organs that produce hormones and use them to send messages to targeted cells. In a healthy body this system will understand exactly what hormones are needed, how many of each need to be produced, and when they are needed. It is also a very delicate system which can be thrown out of whack by different lifestyle and environmental factors. When this happens too few or too many hormones can be produced or they can be produced at the wrong time - and if your hormones are out of balance you will soon know all about it! Typical symptoms of hormonal imbalance are brain fog, fatigue, loss of libido, increased appetite, weight gain, poor sleep, low mood, mood swings, constipation, poor digestion, lack of motivation, headaches, forgetfulness, acne, cravings, cold hands and feet….. ringing any bells?
Every Day occurrences that cause imbalance
The job of hormones is to keep us in a state of balance, or homeostasis in reaction to our internal and external environment. Modern lifestyles make this excessively hard work because of everything that we throw at them. Take a look at the list below of just some of the factors that throw our hormones into a state of confusion.
Stress
Toxic load
Poor sleep patterns
Food choices
Sedentary lifestyle
Notice anything? Yes! These are all things that are within your power to take control of. Working on your lifestyle choices can help bring your hormones into balance and do the job they are supposed to do, allowing you to get back to the job of living your best life with energy, vibrancy and joy.
Small Change, Big Difference
The choices we make every day impact how our hormones react in our body. Things that we wouldn’t give a second thought trigger a chain reaction that can make us feel more Incredible Hulk than Harmonious Hannah. We can spend 5 years or more of our life going through peri-menopause and the hormonal imbalance can stretch way beyond that. If you, like me, have no desire to spend that time feeling sub-par at best, then it is time to be more conscious about the decisions you are making and the impact they could be having on your health. It’s time to come out of the darkness and into the light.
Check out some of the simple changes you can make under each of the RealWell pillars to create a more balanced you.
REAL FOOD
KEY TRIGGERS - Non- organic / GMO fruit and vegetables; farmed fish; non-pasture raised meats which tend to be full of antibiotics and synthetic hormones; ultra-processed foods; refined carbohydrates; tap water (contains levels of a type of oestrogen called oestradiol which ends up in our water as a result of women taking the contraceptive pill and the hormone being flushed away with urine).
SUGGESTED ADAPTIONS
Eat organic produce as much as possible. Avoid the “dirty dozen” (see here for details).
Stick to whole foods over ultra-processed and refined foods.
Purchase the best quality meat (preferably organic pasture-raised) and fish (preferably wild and sustainable) you can afford.
Where possible avoid tinned food where the tins are lined with BPA. Biona (sold in many supermarkets and health food stores) is one brand that produce food in non-BPA lined tins.
Filter your water. This can be done simply by adding an active charcoal water filter stick to a jug of water, like these ones by company Black and Blum
REAL HEALTH
KEY TRIGGERS - Poor sleep, stress, sedentary lifestyle
SUGGESTED ADAPTIONS
Prioritise quality sleep. Read my blog for tips on how to improve your sleep.
Stress: Know what your triggers are. This is the first step in being able to manage them or find ways to avoid the trigger in the first place. Incorporate stress management tools into your life such as breathwork, mindfulness exercises, time in nature. Voice your feelings to someone trusted and ask for support. Practice your using your tools at times when you already feel calm so that you can more easily reach for them at times of stress.
Find ways to get movement into your day, every day. Be it going to the gym, gardening, restorative yoga, taking the stairs instead of the lift. Daily exercise and movement helps the body to use up excess glucose and keep insulin levels balanced.
REAL Life
KEY TRIGGERS - Chemicals found in cleaning products, makeup and self-care products, plastics, synthetic fragrances, pesticides. These all mimic or interfere with the endocrine system and lead to hormonal imbalances.
SUGGESTED ADAPTIONS
Remove the lid on a takeaway coffee cup before drinking - the heat from the coffee causes the chemicals from the lid to leach into the coffee and end up in your system.
Swap your cleaning products from chemical to natural ingredients. There are so many options for non-toxic cleaning products on the market. Try Clean Living or Tincture or maybe consider making your own. There are lots of ideas to be found at this Moral Fibres blog.
Favour stove top or oven cooking and heating over the use of a microwave where possible.
Avoid the use of non-stick cooking equipment - at high temperatures Teflon can start to break down and release chemicals which then end up in your food. Cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel and glass are all preferred choices of cookware.
Opt for BPA free containers and water bottles where possible.
Do not heat food in plastic containers and try to avoid takeaway foods that come in plastic containers- again the chemical compounds in the plastic breakdown when warm and end up in your food. Opt for glass dishes for heating food, and takeaways that use cardboard or bamboo food containers where possible.
Do not burn paraffin candles or those scented with synthetic fragrances. Instead opt for natural soy or beeswax candles (the kind that don’t leave soot marks) and those with natural essential oils.
Check product labels and avoid those that contain parabens, phthalates, and sulphates.
Use unbleached coffee filters and baking parchment to avoid dioxins which are highly toxic hormone disruptors.
Avoid the use of clingfilm. Try silicon pouches or beeswax wraps to keep food fresh and covered instead.
Fill your home with air-purifying plants such as kentia palms, aloe vera, spider plant or peace lily.
REAL LOVE
KEY TRIGGERS - Negative self-talk; lack of joy and laughter; lack of restorative rest. All of these elements cause disruption to cortisol, our stress hormone.
SUGGESTED ADAPTIONS
Practice daily affirmations for mindset change.
Spend time with people who make you laugh. Invite humour and fun into your life on the regular.
Practice a form of restorative movement like Tai Chi, stretch, or even paddle boarding.
Spend time outside and in nature.
overwhelm is not invited
Hormone disrupters are all around us in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the water we drink. The thought of trying to avoid them all can be completely overwhelming, and seem like an insurmountable task. The feelings of stress that this can bring about are counterintuitive to the balance you want to attain.
As with everything, the key is not to be perfect, but to invite small and sustainable changes into your life. Focus on the things that YOU can control. Start simply with a paper and pen and make a list of all the disruptors that you are exposed to. Highlight the ones that are most prevalent in your life and start there. One step at a time. Every week 10 percent better than the last. Keep it simple. Keep it real.