Diet Supplements, Herbs, and Hormones
Healthy Fats & Hormone Precursors
For many years, fat has been demonized as the cause of obesity and many other modern diseases. But the truth is that as our consumption of fat has decreased, obesity has increased! Why? Because while fat does have more calories per gram of food than carbohydrates or protein, it is also satiating. That means that you have to eat less of it to feel full. But not all fats are created equal. Trans fat is a man-made fat, popularized in the 1990s, that is always bad – no matter what. The body simply doesn’t know what to do with this unnatural fat, read your food labels. However, other fats, especially unsaturated fats, are highly important to hormone synthesis because they form the basis of hormonal precursors, like cholesterol. You can get high-quality fats from both plant and animal sources. Just be sure that the plants, like avocados and flaxseed, are organic, and that the meats are free-range and humanely-raised.
Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratios
Two types of polyunsaturated fats include omega-6s and omega-3s. These fats have contrasting effects; omega-6 fats are pro-inflammatory while omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory. Because they counteract each other, the proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 is 1:1. The Standard American Diet contains way more omega-6 than Omega-3, which leads to inflammation in the body. ! The Standard American Diet contains way more omega-6 than Omega-3. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s help reduce inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain. The underlying chronic inflammation can make the symptoms of hormonal imbalances worse. Prioritize omega-3s, which are found in cold water fish, flaxseed, hemp, and chia seeds. and limit omega- 6s, which are found in corn oil, soy oil, and vegetable oil.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, sprouts, turnip, watercress, and radish. These vegetables fight against invading toxins and cancer. Broccoli and kale are the superfoods for anti-aging. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, which repairs and prevents cartilage destruction, as well as protects the skin from sun damage. Cruciferous vegetables protect against loss of cognitive function, especially memory loss. These veggies also support bone health and age-related eye issues.
Seeds can regulate and support the menstrual cycle by increasing estrogen levels (such as one tablespoon each of flaxseed and pumpkin seeds) in the first half of the cycle and increasing progesterone (such as one tablespoon each of sesame and sunflower seeds) during the latter half of the cycle. Seed rotation is a great holistic approach to try if you are experiencing irregular periods, PMS, peri-menopause, menopause, or heavy flow.
Seaweed Iodine is an important component of T4 & T3
Seaweed is the best natural food source of iodine and examples include: kelp, kombu, nori, and wakame. Eating seaweed is a great method for regulating the thyroid gland and restoring hormonal balance. In fact, due to its salty flavor, you can sprinkle it on top of their food as a nutritionally-dense replacement for table salt.
Bone Broth
Throughout history, bone broth has been a staple of many cultures for good reason. Drinking bone broth can regulate hormones by fixing gut health issues. Additionally, it contains the amino acids proline and glycine that are part of the detoxification process, calcium for bone health, and collagen for skin and joint health. But store bought broth maybe costly and not as good for you. It is easy and inexpensive to make high-quality bone broth right at home. Simmer bones in slow cooker for 24 hours.
Gut Health
From the day that you were conceived, you encountered external and internal influences that impact not only hormones but also overall health. Your body may start to work overtime and become chronically stressed or inflamed. This stress often manifests itself in gut and digestive ailments.
The gastrointestinal tract can benefit from the following:
Pancreatic enzymes
Hydrochloric acid (betaine hydrochloride)
L-glutamine, an amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and helps repair the intestinal lining
Aloe vera, helps form mucus
High fiber diet, smoothes and regulates digestion
Probiotics, supports a healthy microbiome
Pre-biotics, feeds the healthy, probiotic bacteria.
Ways to check for the following signs of a high-quality supplement:
Manufactured at a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility
List a Certificate of Analysis for each ingredient
Ask your pharmacist for trusted brands.
Avoid other ingredients like:
Fillers: Inert material added to tablets or capsules to increase their bulk
Binders: Substances that give a cohesive quality to powders materials
Coatings/Lubricants: Inert material added in small amounts to prevent tablets from sticking to the molds
Colorings & Food dyes
Flavorings: Examples are sugar, natural flavoring, sorbitol
Be sure to avoid supplements that are at a low price point that’s too good to be true and try to choose supplements derived from natural sources and whole foods.