Learn to love your hormones

Hormones control our hunger, our sex drive, and our moods, hormones protect our joints and strengthen our bones, hormones control our menstrual cycle, relieve depression and burn fat. Your body produces over 100 hormones, all of them play a role in controlling a multitude of functions necessary for health. You just can’t live with out them.

Nutrition plays an important role in hormone related conditions, for example Type 2 Diabetes, PMT, and stress related diseases. Hormones are made within our bodies to perform important functions, nutrients (what we eat) are vital to balancing our hormones, nutrients are just chemicals our bodies use to create hormones and function.

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Controlling Insulin

Insulin is one of our most important hormones. Without it we die, however high levels of insulin lead to excess fat, increased hunger and insulin resistance, this makes losing weight difficult. High insulin levels lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, fluid retention, obesity and cravings. The good news is diet controls insulin, if you reduce refined carbohydrates, increase quality proteins, include healthy fats, and take supplements including Chromium, L-Carnitine and B vitamins, you will be able to conquer those cravings and lose weight.

Estrogen 

The womanly hormone, often this hormone becomes unbalanced, especially when we are overweight, as our fat cells also produce this hormone. Symptoms of excess Estrogen include, fluid retention, PMT, painful swollen breasts prior to menstruation, weight gain through the hips, and headaches. Increase the fibre in your diet, look after your liver, reduce alcohol, exercise, and look at ways to reduce or cope with stress. In some instances you will need to use natural progesterone to bring your hormones into balance, as Estrogen dominance is usually masking a progesterone deficiency.

Thyroid Hormone

The hormone that controls our metabolism. All hormones interact, and too much estrogen can reduce thyroid hormone. Too many stimulants, coffee, nicotine, alcohol and diet pills combined with stress can lower thyroid function. Symptoms of low thyroid are weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, and depression.

Change your diet

The old saying ‘if it’s not working change it’ works. Don’t just guess it, and don’t try a fad, get some advice from a good nutritionist, the key is to take out the guess work, what works for someone else may not work for you, we are all unique. Find out how much you should be eating, many women under-eat, and this is the reason they have a sluggish metabolism and are over weight. Remember what we eat affects our hormones.

Portion sizes

What your body doesn’t use immediately will be stored for later use. Think before you eat, will your body burn that latte and double choc muffin? Or will it take up residence on your hips and thighs? Eat smaller meals through out the day, to ward off hunger and improve digestion.

Protein

Essential for renewal of cells, and that means younger looking skin, firmer muscles, and a healthier immune system. Always choose low fat proteins and try to include protein with most meals. Hormones are proteins, so if your diet is low quality, your hormonal health will be poor.

Healthy fats

Your body uses essential fats for the production of hormones therefore essential fats must be supplied by your diet. A deficiency of essential fats in your diet will mean your body cannot make sufficient estrogen, DHEA, testosterone and other important hormones. You need a moderate supply of healthy fats for your cells and your skin. Eliminate margarine, all hydrogenated oils and burnt fats or oils. Choose cold-pressed oils like olive oil, flaxseed oils and fish oils.

Stress 

Stress is actually good for us, how ever long term chronic stress causes hormonal changes with-in our bodies that can lead to weight gain, and make weight-loss more difficult. Common events that occur daily increase our stress; traffic, phone calls, running late, worrying, too much caffeine, long work hours, no regular breaks, sickness, and relationship or family problems. Stress can cause us to over eat pasta, bread, and high starch foods; as these foods stimulate serotonin, the feel good hormone. If you are under stress correcting nutritional deficiencies will help you body and your hormones function better.

Exercise

If the thought of exercise makes you feel tired don’t panic it’s important to address your nutrition and hormone balance first before you start exercising. Women lose up to 500g of muscle per year after the age of 30, mainly through lack of resistance exercise and poor nutrition. Weight training even just twice a week will improve all of your anti-aging hormones, you’ll speed up a sluggish metabolism, and burn more fat than if you were just running or taking exercise classes.

Take action

Firstly stop using the word diet, aim to eat fantastically 80% of the time and leave the alcohol and treats for the weekend, remember its what you do most of the time that counts, the slab of choc cake you had on Sunday won’t matter if the rest of your week was great. Include good quality protein in your day especially before lunch. Make time to exercise, especially some weight training. Exercise will help you be more productive on the job, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll cope better with stress. If you lack discipline find a nutrition coach, someone you can be accountable to. Hormones can make you feel 100 years old, or they can make us feel alive and awesome so take control of them now, before they take control of you. 

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Whether you’d like to feel better, lose weight, get super-fit or just want some honest answers on the ins and outs of a healthy diet, Real Nutrition’s Kick-Start Programme is the way to go. With an initial induction session and four follow-up sessions you will be inspired, feel motivated and have a more positive attitude towards taking control of your health and happiness. Chat to a Real Nutrition consultant today and kick-start your life!

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