Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues and organs to help them do their work. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including:
- + Growth and development
- + Metabolism
- + Sexual function
- + Reproduction
- + Mood
- + Energy
- + Sleep
Hormones have profound effects on your mental, physical and emotional health. Normally, your endocrine glands produce the precise amount of each hormone needed for various processes in your body, but hormonal imbalances have become increasingly common with today's fast-paced, nutrient-starved lifestyle. In addition, certain hormones decline with age, and some people experience a more dramatic decrease than others.
Fortunately, a nutritious diet and other healthy lifestyle behaviors may help improve your hormonal health and allow you to feel and perform your best.
BALANCING HORMONES NATURALLY
1. Consume enough protein. Consuming adequate protein triggers the production of hormones that suppress appetite and help you feel full. Aim for a minimum of 20–30 grams of protein per meal.
2. Avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates. Diets high in sugar and refined carbs have been shown to drive insulin resistance. Avoiding these foods and reducing overall carb intake may decrease insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
3. Engage in regular exercise. Even taking a simple walk has been shown to modify hormone levels in a way that reduces the risk of disease and protects muscle mass during the aging process.
4. Get good quality sleep. Inadequate or poor-quality sleep has been shown to decrease fullness hormones, increase hunger and stress hormones, reduce growth hormone and increase insulin resistance.
5. Eliminate environmental toxins. Whether it be a household cleaner, a hair care product or a lotion, find out if it what types of chemicals are in the ingredients and if you suspect it could be toxic, get rid of it and replace it with a more natural option.
6. Use essential oils and supplements as part of a hormone-healthy lifestyle. Many men and women have had great success with using essential oils for hormone balance and to alleviate many of the complaints associated with hormone imbalance. Clary Sage, Progessence Plus, Lady Sclareol, Shutran, and Dragon Time are some essential oil favorites. Femigen, Cortistop, PD 80/20, Prostate Health, and EndoGize are helpful supplements for hormone support.
Essential oils have a powerful influence on hormones and emotions. Whether it's using them topically over areas of discomfort or diffusing them to encourage calm emotions, having a happier period really is possible because there is an oil for that!
MONTHLY MAGIC:
+ Dilute Dragon Time and apply over the abdomen and on ankles to help tame the hormone-induced rage.
+ Dilute Clary Sage, Geranium, or Ylang Ylang and apply over the abdomen to help alleviate discomfort.
- Gary Taubes, The Case Against Sugar
While some people choose to go zero-sugar in an attempt to reduce their sugar consumption, many experts recommend a less drastic approach. Reading labels, making mindful choices, and choosing when and where you will consume sugary foods and drinks may have longer-lasting results when it comes to your overall health.
*Information regarding historical use of herbs and aromatic plants is for informational purposes only and is not based on modern science, nor should this information be construed as expected results from use.
Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that ingesting peppermint oil before a workout enhanced exercise performance in male athletes by relaxing the bronchial smooth muscles and increasing the ventilation and brain oxygen concentrations. That's just a fancy way of saying that peppermint oil made it easier to power through intense exercise without getting out of breath.
