5 Ways to Naturally Balance Your Hormones

BY JULIE GERMAINE

Ensuring your body has optimal hormonal balance is important if your goal is to feel great, be healthy, and more easily maintain your fitness throughout life. Hormones act as messengers within the body, initiating chemical responses that affect your appetite, mood, and weight.

In an ideal situation, the process works smoothly by releasing exact amounts of insulin, cortisol, or thyroxine to complete the necessary functions needed to keep you moving and shaking. Unfortunately, the more sedentary lifestyle that is so common today may have affected one’s natural hormonal balance. Food choices also have a big impact on how efficiently your body processes food and performs during physical activity.

Take action to improve your health by incorporating some of these 10 natural ways to balance your hormones:

1. Include protein in every meal & snack

Essential amino acids, found in protein-rich foods, are nutrients that your body cannot produce on its own. Amino acids are what the body uses to create peptide hormones, used in muscle growth, metabolic health, stress and appetite regulation, and even fertility. I recommend my clients eat at least 20-30 grams of protein per meal. This can be from a variety of sources, including lean meats, eggs, seafood, tofu, or lentils.

2. Keep fit & be active every day

When you exercise, your body pumps blood more efficiently throughout the muscles, which enhances nutrient delivery. Insulin sensitivity improves as another response to movement, and it has been proven that high intensity interval training, resistance training, and cardiovascular activity all lead to better hormonal health.

3. Try new ways to combat stress

Chronic stress hurts you in so many ways. The stress hormone cortisol has been found to increase appetite, cause possible insulin resistance, and reduce quality sleep. By committing to just 15 minutes per day of mediation, musical relaxation, or yoga, you’ll help avoid this hormonal spike.

4. Eat less sugar & more healthy fats

Fructose, the type of sugar found in most honey and table sugar, can cause poor gut health, and actually has a negative effect on production of leptin. The hormone leptin is what cues your body to when you are full. Try switching your sweet craving to salty, and reach for almonds, hazelnuts, or low sugar treats that incorporate coconut oils to reduce insulin, appetite, and stress.

5. Focus on maintaining a healthy weight

Obesity is a direct link to diabetes and other diseases that are characterized by hormonal imbalances. In men, being overweight reduces testosterone, and women who suffer from obesity may experience lack of ovulation, both of which can cause infertility. Speak with your doctor to establish your target weight range and reach out to professionals to aid you in creating habits that support this goal.

Julie Germaine is a 2x International Pro Fitness Champion, Certified Nutrition Expert and Specialized Fat Loss Coach. She has helped thousands of men and women lose 2” from their waistlines in less than 30 days through her virtual coaching since 2005. Check out her services at www.juliegermaine.com or book a FREE diet consultation: www.calendly.com/juliegermaine