Most of us don’t think about our hormones that often, but I assure you they play a huge role in our lives! If we feel good, chances are our hormones have something to do with it. If we’re feeling chronically unwell, our hormonal health could probably use some attention. This is especially true for women, because the ‘dance’ that our hormones do is extremely complicated.
It’s not just about maintaining homeostasis, as is typically the case in men; our body has to prepare for pregnancy every month. This means that at any given time during the month, our estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels will fluctuate. Every step of the delicate dance that our hormones do must be perfectly choreographed. Too much estrogen combined with insufficient progesterone (what experts call “estrogen dominance”) is a common form of hormonal imbalance in women.
Chronic stress is a sure way to get it. Exposure to xenoestrogensor synthetic estrogens, which are found in a wide variety of plastics (your water bottle!), toothpastes, deodorants, sunscreens, canned food liners, preservatives and cosmetics, is another. Eating meat and dairy from conventionally raised (factory farmed) animals is another source of exposure.
Some women have a genetic predisposition to hormonal imbalance, which may become more apparent as they age. If this is you, don’t worry! It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy healthy hormones, but you may need to pay a little more attention to them than others. Symptoms of excess estrogen can include:
- heavy, intensely uncomfortable or early periods
- a light period followed by a heavy one
- water retention, breast tenderness and cysts
- difficulty losing weight
- hair loss
- fatigue
- restless sleep
- brain fog
- head tension
- PMS
- mood swings
- irritability
Wow, that’s a long list of things no woman wants to experience! Apart from what is mentioned above, balanced estrogen and progesterone levels ensure that you have strong and flexible bones, smooth and toned skin, a good metabolism and arteries that are free of debris.
Okay, so you’ve read the list of symptoms and thought, “That’s me!” and you would like me to tell you how to get your hormones back under control. My first recommendation is to add the herb Vitex, also known as Chasteberry, to your daily regimen. Vitex works by supporting your pituitary gland to balance your hormones independently. This strategy works especially well for women who have not yet gone through menopause. If you decide to try Vitex, hold off – it may take a few months before you really start to see results, but trust me, you will.
Second, eat more cruciferous vegetables and turmeric. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower all contain it DIMa phytonutrient that promotes normal estrogen levels.
For a great way to get a hormone-balancing dose of turmeric and cruciferous vegetables, try this delicious, easy recipe:
Fried Cabbage And Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (use the stems too!)
- 1/2 green cabbage, cut into long, thin pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped small
- 2 or 3 teaspoons. ground turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat (use one that can handle the heat, such as safflower oil)
- Add the broccoli, cabbage and onion and fry, allowing the cabbage to brown slightly.
- Add turmeric, salt and pepper. Continue sautéing until the vegetables reach the desired texture (do you like them well cooked or al dente?). You can add more oil while cooking if it seems like your vegetables need it.
- Serve over pasta (I love gluten-free quinoa pasta), rice or quinoa and enjoy!
Writer Elise Tyrie lives and works in beautiful Boulder, CO.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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