In Part 1 of this article I looked out how important it is to have your hormones in balance, and what the symptoms and effects of oestrogen dominance are. If your hormones aren't healthy, you are going to have some recurring symptoms that need tackling. As well as talking to your doctor or health specialist to get the background on what is happening, you can also take action yourself to both prevent and alleviate many conditions.
Hormonal health is very much linked to your general health, so the best way to take care of yourself is to follow the general guidelines for good health that apply to all of us. Eat a good varied diet and try to exercise regularly as it has been proved to reduce excess oestrogen levels in the body significantly, and help to regulate overall hormone levels.
A healthy hormone diet
Obviously diet is very much a matter of individual choice but here are some basic guidelines that you can follow and adapt to suit your particular circumstances: A good hormone health diet is based around these factors:
The big 4 to reduce drastically are sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine and alcohol as they can play havoc with blood sugar levels. Replace them with 'green' and 'brown' foods such as vegetables, brown rice, wholemeal bread and mueslis for 'white' foods such as sugary breakfast cereals, white bread or rice, pastry and biscuits.
• Fibre will really help normalise oestrogen levels so eat more porridge, fruits and bran cereals
• Don't underestimate the effect of food allergies or sensitivities on your hormones to deal with them first. Wheat and dairy are the most common so switch to rye, corn, rice, buckwheat and oat products, and try goats and sheep' cheeses or yoghurts, soya milk and yoghurt, rice milk, oat milk or coconut milk (diluted).
• If you are already feeling the effects of oestrogen dominance try to make your life as stress free as possible as it will increase symptoms. Use any relaxation method that works for you such as aromatherapy, yoga or consult with a professional.
The Big 3 Hormonal Conditions:
You will be a lucky woman if you get through life without being affected by PMS, mood swings and period problems, though hopefully not all three together!
繚 PMS affects around 80% of pre-menopausal women and around 70% of these have been found to be linked to oestrogen dominance.Simple dietary changes can make a big difference so switch to using soya milk and tofu and include linseeds in your diet. Most women find that a general B complex, plus some additional B6 seems to help and the most important nutrients to supplement are magnesium (deficient in around 50 per cent of women with PMS), vitamin E, and GLA in the form of evening primrose oil, starflower oil or borage oil.
繚 Mood swings really do respond well to cutting out sugar and stimulants as that regulates blood sugar swings which can affect mood. In really severe cases it can also help to have a small snack every 2 hours to keep your blood sugar levels topped up. Go for hummus, live yoghurt, fresh fruit, unsalted nuts and seeds. Avoid coffee, strong tea and alcohol as these stimulants use up B-vitamins which normalise levels of serotonin which is vital to regulate moods. If low moods are a problem, then try taking B complex and natural mood elevators like St John's wort or a supplement of serotonin.
繚 Period Problems often arise because during a period the muscles of the womb have to work hard to shed the inner lining, and this can result in painful cramps. Avoid this by cutting back on red meat and dairy produce as they contain the type of fats which interfere with short-term hormones called prostaglandins, and this can encourage inflammation.
繚 Switch to eating oily fish and eating polyunsaturated fats to see an improvement. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol can also make it worse by interfering with mineral absorption from the diet and influencing the conversion of fats into prostaglandins. Painful cramps respond to supplementing with magnesium as, with its sister mineral calcium, it affects the nerves which regulate muscle contractions. Sources of calcium and magnesium include: dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, soya beans sardines, salmon. It's important to have twice as much magnesium as calcium, so don't overdo dairy products as although they are a rich source of calcium they have very little magnesium and this can upset the balance..
繚 If one of your symptoms during a period is that of heavy bleeding then you must always have this checked by a doctor as it can be sign of fibroids or endometriosis. There is a possible link between low vitamin A levels and heavy blood loss and many women experience this just after stopping the Pill. It can help to supplement, but please check this out with a nutritionist first and do not take vitamin A if you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant.
繚 Vitamin C, together with bioflavanoids, can help to control heavy periods and if you are anaemic or have insufficient iron due to heavy periods then cut down tea drinking as it can reduce uptake of iron from a meal by two thirds. Raw beetroot increases blood levels of iron gently, and green foods such as spirulina and chlorella also significantly improve iron uptake.
繚 Water retention and bloating can be tackled with foods rich in potassium like bananas, tomatoes, watermelon and potatoes. Eat more artichokes, asparagus, parsley, watercress and chamomile tea as they are naturally diuretic but avoid salt which encourages water retention.
To to ensure that your hormones are in balance, you could have a blood or saliva test to establish the levels are many women find that supplementing with natural progesterone alleviates many of thes symptoms. To be fit, healthy and happy it really does pay dividends to pay attention to your hormones.
No comments:
Post a Comment