Five Ways to Improve Your Hormones
Most young women today experience at least some mild symptoms of hormone imbalances. PCOS and endometriosis are on the rise, and it’s become so common for women to experience debilitating cramps, migraines, and mood swings related to their menstrual cycle. The reality is that our modern world is often not conducive to healthy hormone balance, and it takes some adjustments to start to heal your body. Sometimes this means breaking away from what ‘everyone else’ is doing and figuring out how to really get your body and hormones functioning optimally.
1. Avoid Plastic
Plastic may seem harmless, but there’s plenty of evidence now revealing the harmful effects of both the microplastic particles that enter your body and the other chemicals that are used in the creation of plastic products. These chemicals act as xenoestrogens, which means that they mimic estrogen in the body by binding to estrogen receptors. This confuses the body’s natural production and detoxification of estrogen, leading to potential hormone imbalances.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty much impossible at this point to completely remove plastic from your life. It’s everywhere, even places you wouldn’t expect, like lining the inside of your to-go coffee cup. But you CAN reduce your exposure to plastic and help limit these damaging effects. Here are some easy ways to reduce plastic in your life:
Swap your plastic tupperware for glass tupperware. The harms of plastic are exacerbated when you heat it, which means microwaving your plastic tupperware is really a bad idea.
Seriously, don’t microwave anything plastic. That means stop buying those microwavable bags of frozen veggies. Or if you do buy them, microwave them in a different, non-plastic container instead (I promise, it still works).
Buy food and drinks in glass when you can. Milk, juice, water, maple syrup, spices, sauces, condiments—surprisingly, a lot of things can be found in glass containers. The options sold in glass are often a little more expensive, so this option might not be possible for everyone, but try to buy glass when you can and when your budget allows.
Use a glass or stainless steel reusable bottle or cup, instead of a plastic one. Duh. And it’ll probably keep your water cold longer too.
Use tupperware instead of ziploc bags. I promise, ziploc bags aren’t as necessary as you think. I use one every once in a while, but I mostly just put things in a glass container.
2. Clean Up Your Personal Care Products
There’s very little regulation about what types of chemicals are allowed in beauty and personal care products in the United States, especially compared to other countries. The truth is, anything you put on your skin is quickly absorbed into the body, and the average woman puts over 150 chemicals on her skin every day through her skincare, makeup, shampoo, etc. Many of these products contain endocrine disruptors such as parabens and phthalates. There are also several chemicals allowed in personal care and household products that have links to even more serious health concerns, like cancer. Here are some easy ways to clean up your personal care products:
Shop for low-tox products at sites like Live Healthillie. She sources a variety of clean and low-tox brands so that you can shop for them all in one convenient place. On her site you’ll find skincare, supplements, hair care, and more!
Reduce the number of products you use in general. Personally, I think most people do too much, and that their skin and hormones would be much better off by simplifying their routine.
Use an app like Switch Natural to help identify the harmful ingredients in your products and get recommendations for a healthier alternative.
3. Eat More Protein
There’s constant debate on the internet these days about how much protein you should be eating. Some people will say you’re eating too much, and others think you’re not eating enough. Opinions vary widely, and I personally think we’re all bio-individual. It’s impossible to use one guideline for every single person’s ideal protein intake. However, I do think that most people are probably not eating enough protein, or at least not enough high quality and nutrient-dense protein. I personally aim for around 80-100 grams of protein per day. Eating enough protein is important for things like muscle growth/maintenance and blood sugar regulation—both of which have an impact on your hormones. You don’t necessarily have to strictly track your protein intake, but try to make an effort to include a good source of protein with each meal.
4. Poop & Sweat More
No, you don’t need a ‘cleanse’ or a ‘detox program’. But our body does have natural detox pathways, like pooping and sweating, and sometimes those detox pathways need a little support. You should ideally be pooping at least once a day. This is one of the main ways that our body gets rid of toxins and excess estrogen. Sweating is another way that your body removes toxins from your body, so either exercising enough that you get nice and sweaty or sitting in a sauna can be great ways to help your body detox better.
5. Improve Your Sleep
The quality of your sleep impacts your overall health SO much, and that includes your hormone health. Most people either don’t get enough sleep, don’t get great quality sleep, or both. If you can get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, you’re doing better than most. And if you find yourself consistently waking up throughout the night, it might be time to work on your sleep hygiene. Here are some things you could try to improve your sleep:
Go outside first thing in the morning! And in the afternoon. And in the evening. Exposing your eyes to sunlight throughout the day sets your body up for success, especially when it comes to your sleep. The way the sun changes throughout the day sends your body cues about when you should be waking and sleeping. The more in-tune you are with these natural circadian rhythms, the better your sleep will be.
Reduce or block blue light at night. Try to get off your screens at least an hour before bed and use blue light blocking glasses (like these ones) after sunset.
Don’t use bright overhead lights after sunset. Stick to lamps with warm color temperatures or good quality candles (without synthetic fragrance).
Have a consistent bedtime. Most people do best with a bedtime before 11pm. Yes, even if you think you’re a night owl, the truth is… you may not be. A poorly regulated circadian rhythm or high stress levels may actually be why you feel wired and productive at night. I’ve found that when I’m feeling my best, I naturally get tired around 9:30pm. But if I miss that window of getting in bed before 11, I get another wave of productive energy. And during times of high stress, I definitely feel more wired and productive late at night.
If you consistently wake up around 2-4 am, try eating a larger dinner or a bedtime snack to help prevent your blood sugar from dropping dramatically while you’re sleeping.
Try supplements that can aid in sleep, like magnesium glycinate*
These five things are not quick fixes, and most things that are really going to work won’t be quick fixes. But they’re a great place to start if you’re struggling with your periods, PMS, or other hormonal issues. With a little bit of time and consistency, these things can help improve your hormone health. And if you’re looking for more help or guidance, I’d love to work with you in my six-week coaching program! You can schedule a free consultation to help you decide if my coaching is the right answer for you.
*Not medical advice
