Hormones & The Menopause
Ladies, we cannot avoid the natural and normal phenomena that is the Menopause!!
As females we were gifted in the womb with ovaries. After about 4 decades they begin to retire, instigated by the drop in sex hormones and our bodies go from hormonal harmony to, for some women, what feels like a daily roller coaster of emotions and symptoms.
Hormones are chemical messengers which interact with our hypothalamus, the part of the brain which is responsible for balancing different systems in our body. Hormone disruption during the menopause may result in different symptoms throughout the body affecting our energy, metabolism, and emotional systems.
When our metabolic balance is disrupted, we may gain weight, especially around the middle, despite eating and exercising the same as before. We may become prone to digestive problems, bloating and gas, our circulation may become sluggish, resulting in muscle and joint pain, swelling and inflammation.
When our energy system is off balance we feel physically and mentally exhausted. We may encounter sleep issues, leaving us too tired to exercise like we had before. It often affects our emotions, so we feel more sensitive to stress. Stress increases cortisol production which in turn further disrupts our mood, sleep, and weight, leaving us feeling mentally fatigued and moody. Over time life can become a real struggle!
How can we Help ourselves?
Many of us think that medication or hormone replacement treatments are the only answer. But what if there was another solution?
We know the root cause of the symptoms is the decline in sex hormones but instead of artificially replacing them we need to work with our bodies to find a new natural balance. This approach will put less stress on the body and allow us to feel like ourselves again.
Diet
Firstly, we can provide the body with the right nutrients to support our hormones.
- Keeping our blood sugars in balance will help control the insulin and cortisol roller coaster.
- Having good gut health will support the production of essential hormones and efficient absorption of nutrients.
- Phytoestrogens found in certain foods can mimic our own oestrogen to help keep our system in balance.
- Apoptogenic ingredients have hormone balancing properties. When we eat these foods in the right amounts, they can improve our energy, sleep, weight and other menopausal symptoms.
Lifestyle
Next there are simple lifestyle changes which will help us feel calmer and happier, making it easier to manage our weight.
- Reducing stress will help balance oestrogen and progesterone.
- Reducing environmental toxins will lessen the disruptive affect they have on our hormones.
- Taking appropriate regular exercise will increase endorphins and dopamine but not stress the body. The right exercise will improve our lymphatic circulation to help remove toxins and excess hormones
To learn more about how we can Eat for Hormone Health and support our bodies naturally to bring back hormonal harmony, enabling us to feel like ourselves again, join me at my next workshop – Live and Online. This 3-part workshop includes a nutritional talk, recipe demonstrations and a cook along. For more details and to book click here.
Ref: Belinda Benn : midlifehormones.com
