Learning how to balance hormones in our bodies can be tricky. The first step is to figure out what is causing your hormones to be imbalanced. In females, it may be caused by medical conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism. Or it can be caused by things like birth control medication and menopause.

There are many different ways to balance hormones. A simple way to start balancing your hormones is changing the way you eat. 

Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are great for balancing hormones. These foods help to process and eliminate excess estrogen in the body, balancing it out. Eating extra broccoli can also help with menstruation symptoms, reducing cramps, bloating, and mood swings. I gotta start eating more broccoli if you know what I mean.

Avocado

Probably the trendiest food out there: the avocado. They can improve blood cholesterol and balance the cortisol (stress) hormone, due to its content of beta-sitosterol. Avocados also help to regulate estrogen and progesterone, which are hormones that help with ovulation and menstruation. Try some of that avocado toast that is all over Pinterest.  

Almonds

Almonds are great because they are tasty and they help to regulate levels of blood sugar. They also reduce the “bad” cholesterol that our body can get. Add some almonds to your salads for some extra crunch. 

Green tea

Green tea has so many benefits, but maybe the best one yet is that it reduces the release of cortisol, due to its theanine content. It is also rich in antioxidants so that it can fight free radicals and inflammation throughout the body. Ditch coffee for green tea and you will be golden. 

Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are loaded with plant based estrogen, which provide hormone balance and can even help with menstruation symptoms. They also are super high in fiber, which promotes bowel movements, cleaning out the body of excess hormones. You can easily add these to your diet by throwing some in your oatmeal, a smoothie, or even on top of a salad. 

Pumpkin Seeds

You don’t have to only eat pumpkin seeds in the fall, especially when we can reap the benefits of them all year long. Since they are loaded with magnesium, they work to support the adrenal gland AND lower cortisol levels. It is good to eat pumpkin seeds regularly to get magnesium because unfortunately, stress drains magnesium. 

Blueberries

Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, getting rid of those free radicals that damage our cells. They are also filled with vitamin C, which helps to balance progesterone levels during our menstruation cycle. Add a handful of these in your yogurt, smoothie, or fruit salad next time!

Eggs

Eggs are a great hormone balancer because they help insulin and ghrelin hormones work more efficiently. Insulin controls our blood sugar levels while ghrelin controls our appetite. When you eat eggs you lower your insulin and ghrelin levels, keeping you fuller for longer. 

Fatty fish

When it comes to how to balance hormones, fatty fish come in handy. Fatty fish, which includes salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, and tuna, balance our hunger hormones. That helps to keep us fuller for a longer time. Since fatty fish are high in vitamin D, it helps to improve testosterone levels in females. It is one of the best foods to eat for hormonal balance because it improves hormonal communication (communication is always key!!). 

Chicken breast

Since a chicken breast is high in protein, it secretes the hormone, leptin. Leptin gives off feelings of satiety and regulates your appetite. In some cases, people can have leptin resistance, which makes you feel hungry and eat more even though you have enough fat stores. This is why having normal levels of leptin is important. Chicken also supports insulin, estrogen, and other anabolic hormones. These hormones help to build muscle after a workout (we love!!).

Kale

Kale is loaded with antioxidants which can help fight or prevent inflammation. Since kale is high in fiber, it can help stabilize the estrogen hormone and can even lower it in some cases. It also lowers the cortisol hormone, reducing stress. Kale doesn’t seem like a very appetizing food, however if you add some oil and salt to them, stick them in the oven for a little while, they will turn into the tastiest kale chips. 

Quinoa

Quinoa balances hormones by keeping testosterone levels in females even. It is able to do that because its high protein content stabilizes blood sugar. Another benefit of eating quinoa is that it can lessen PMS symptoms and aid with sleeping, since it is loaded with phosphorus and magnesium. 

Cherries

Since cherries are high in magnesium, they can reduce cortisol (the primary stress hormone) and balance the adrenaline hormone in our bodies. Cherries also have a high content of melatonin, which helps us to sleep peacefully. 

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are known to prevent excess estrogen from being made in the body. This is good because generating excess estrogen will not keep our hormones balanced. Pomegranates are also high in antioxidants, which protect our cells against free radicals. These will help our bodies feel good and reduce any fine lines and wrinkles that we may develop on our skin. 

What are the symptoms of hormonal imbalance?

When you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance, you may feel:

• Mood swings (ugh, how about once a month 😭)
• Heavy, painful periods
• Disrupted sleep
• Low sex drive
• Skin problems
• Unusual weight gain
• Fertility issues
• Frequent headaches

If you are experiencing any of these problems and don’t notice any improvements after eating more of the foods listed above, see a doctor. You are able to get tests done to see if you have any hormonal imbalances.

How long does it take to balance your hormones?

To balance your hormones, it depends on the severity of the imbalance and the approach you take to balance them. It can be as fast as a week or as long as 6 months or more. 

If you aren’t fully committed to changing your diet and including more of the foods listed above, it could take a long time. If you are fully committed and haven’t seen improvements, I suggest seeing a doctor for other approaches to balancing them. 

When you detox your body from the chemicals and pesticides that can be found in processed food, you could notice changes in your body in as little as a week.

What foods should I avoid if I have a hormonal imbalance?

• Red meat

Red meat can increase estrogen production which can throw off your hormones quickly. Instead, eat chicken, eggs, or fatty fish. 

• Dairy products

Eating an excess of dairy products can cause a hormonal imbalance in your body. It can increase your level of triglycerides, which can lead to diabetes and in general can cause inflammation in the body. Consuming dairy products in moderation is fine, just don’t over do it if you know you have some hormonal imbalances. 

• Processed food

This one is kind of obvious. Processed food is just no good in general. But when it comes to your hormones? Think inflammation as well as extra stress on the adrenal gland (which produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, immune system, stress response, and many others). Not good.

• Caffeine

We all know the reason we consume caffeine. To stay awake throughout the day. However, too much caffeine can increase your cortisol (stress) hormone and leave you on high alert. If you know you have a hormonal imbalance be sure to reduce or cut out your caffeine intake. Also, if you struggle with anxiety, caffeine WILL make it worse and if you want to feel better, I suggest cutting it out of your diet completely. 

• Soy products

Soy unfortunately contains a bioactive substance called phytoestrogen. This substance likes to act like estrogen in the body, which really messes with the ovulation cycle, hence disrupting our hormones. 

It is hard to completely cut out foods from our diet, especially the ones I listed above. However, if you eat them in moderation and monitor your intake of them, your hormones will appreciate that. If you have a severe hormone imbalance, a doctor might suggest cutting them out completely. 

What is the main cause of hormonal imbalance?

Everyone is different and there isn’t just one main cause of a hormonal imbalance.Here is a list of different causes of hormonal imbalances:

• Extremely high stress
• Menopause
• Thyroid issues
• Menstruation
• Not enough sleep
• A bad diet
• Diabetes
• Pregnancy
• Other medical conditions 

Conclusion

How to balance hormones can become complicated to fix. However, sometimes it can be as simple as changing up your diet. 

If you struggle with hormonal imbalances you should always see a doctor first to get the proper testing done. Usually a doctor will give you a blood test to determine the levels of your hormones. 

Email [email protected] and let us know how these foods have helped balance your hormones.