Holistic Hormone Healing
The key to balancing your hormones begins with calming your nervous system.
In women's health, your hormones and nervous system are intricately connected.
Your nervous system guides your body’s hormonal responses to stress, relaxation, and overall balance. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol play essential roles in regulating your reproductive health, mood, and energy levels.
This is why foundational nervous system health is essential for restoring your hormonal balance.
What follows is a practical guide to nurturing your hormones using this approach.
1. SLOW DOWN
The deep connection between slowing down and women's hormonal health is a fundamental aspect of holistic balance. Hint: For women who have “tried everything” – this could very well be the missing piece that brings it all together!
Our modern productivity-driven lifestyle often leads to chronic stress. This imposes a substantial toll on your nervous system, creating a ripple effect that disrupts the delicate balance of your hormones.
When your body is subjected to this for a prolonged period of time, your "fight or flight" response becomes chronically activated. This constant state of alertness leads to an overproduction of stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline), adversely impacting the balance of key reproductive hormones (such as estrogen and progesterone).
To start the healing process, rest must be prioritized.
Slowing down and allowing the body to enter a state of relaxation is an act of self-care and an essential step for the nervous system to transition out of "fight or flight" mode.
In this calmer state, the body can redirect its resources towards repair, regeneration, and the restoration of hormonal health. This restorative state is particularly conducive to activities crucial for women's reproductive health, facilitating regular menstrual cycles and supporting fertility.
Daily Action Steps: Practice mindful activities like deep breathing, meditation, or simply taking short breaks during the day. These practices quiet the mind and signal to the nervous system that it's okay to slow down. Try 5 minutes of quiet breathing each morning.
2. MOVE YOUR BODY
Regularly moving your body is more than just “exercise” – it is a language deeply ingrained in the programming of your nervous system, exerting a profound influence on your hormonal health.
When you engage in movement, your body releases endorphins (often referred to as "feel-good" hormones), which not only serve as natural mood boosters, but also contribute to hormonal balance.
The release of endorphins helps to regulate the imbalance that can occur during stress, when the overproduction of cortisol leads to a disruption of your reproductive hormones.
The connection between physical activity and mind-body wellness is at the heart of this step.
Many of the physical health impacts (enhanced muscle strength, improved flexibility) and mental health benefits (decreased stress, anxiety, and depression) that come with daily movement help balance hormone levels.
This creates the right environment for hormonal balance, healthy menstrual cycles, and optimal fertility.
Daily Action Steps: Move your body in ways that feel good! This can be anything from dancing to surfing to team sports. Gentle yoga is particularly beneficial – a daily practice has been shown to restore hormonal balance, reduce stress, ease cramps, and support healthy ovulation.
3. EAT NOURISHING FOOD
A diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods provides essential nutrients needed for hormonal balance. These nourishing foods play pivotal roles in supporting your hormones at different stages of your hormonal cycle.
Whole grains contribute complex carbohydrates that provide a sustained release of energy, promoting stable blood sugar levels and preventing insulin spikes.
Incorporating a wide range of fruits and vegetables ensures a varied intake of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) critical for hormone synthesis and regulation.
Healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and fatty fish, provide the necessary building blocks for hormone production and aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, further enhancing hormonal function.
Prioritizing proteins from quality sources like poultry, fish, beans, and legumes ensures an adequate intake of amino acids, which support the production of neurotransmitters and hormones.
Overall, adopting a diet focused on these foods provides the body with the diverse array of nutrients it needs to maintain hormonal balance and contributes to your overall health, energy levels, and resilience.
Daily Action Steps: Give your body the nutrients it needs. Focus on high quality, anti-inflammatory, and nourishing foods. Opt for a balance of whole grains, veggies, fruits, quality protein, and healthy fats. Try to limit ultra-processed foods, trans fats, and excessive alcohol.
4. GET QUALITY SLEEP
Adequate sleep allows the body to restore and rebalance its hormonal systems. During the various sleep cycles, the body undergoes crucial processes that impact hormonal balance.
For instance, sleep duration and quality contribute to the regulation of cortisol, the stress hormone. In particular, sleep deprivation or poor sleep can lead to elevated cortisol levels, disrupting hormonal balance.
Another example: sufficient sleep is connected to the regulation of hormones that affect your appetite. Inadequate sleep has been associated with an increase in ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and a decrease in leptin (the satiety hormone), disrupting your ability to listen to your body’s hunger cues and eat mindfully.
In the context of women's health, prioritizing quality sleep is particularly necessary due to its impact on menstrual cycle regulation, fertility, and mood stability.
Women with irregular sleep patterns or chronic sleep disturbances may experience disruptions in their hormonal cycles, affecting the regularity of menstrual periods and potentially impacting fertility. This is why quality sleep is such an important piece of women’s health.
Daily Action Steps: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Establish a calming bedtime routine to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. Create a sleep-friendly environment by dimming lights, maintaining a comfortable temperature, and avoiding screens for at least one hour before bed.
Summary
Recognizing the connection between your hormones and your nervous system is an integral aspect of healthy hormones.
These practical steps—prioritizing rest, engaging in daily movement, embracing a nourishing diet, and ensuring quality sleep—are essential tools on your path to balance.
This is your permission to drop the endless list of hormone health trends and get back to the basics. There is immense healing in simplifying and prioritizing your essential needs.
As a holistic practitioner and health coach, I can support you in investigating and correcting your hormone health.
First, we’ll identify any root imbalances using a health assessment and functional lab testing. Some of the areas I assess (depending on your individual case) include hormone imbalances, metabolism, gut microbiome health, nutritional deficiencies, and toxin exposure.
Then, we'll design your customized holistic health plan that will be tailored to your unique needs and work together to restore balance in your mind and body.
