Nutrition & Women’s Hormone Health
Hormones are a confusing and complicated topic for anyone and rely on a delicate balancing act between a variety of organs. Whether we are struggling with too much estrogen, not enough testosterone or a sluggish thyroid, we can support our hormones nutritionally. There are a few foundational dietary and lifestyle principles that can make a significant difference in your overall hormone balance and well-being.
When I talk about hormones, I always start with what I have coined the two “Dominating” hormones, insulin and cortisol. These hormones are not typically talked about or referenced but the dysregulation of insulin and cortisol could be undermining all your other efforts to bring your endocrine system back into balance. Your body is always going to preference survival over reproduction, a robust mentalism, or voluminous hair (thinning hair is one symptom of a low-functioning thyroid). So, when insulin and cortisol are dysregulated, it is sending the signal to your body that we are in a “fight or flight” or sympathetic state. These two hormones are secreted due to different stressors and dietary inputs, so the best starting place to balance these “dominating” hormones is with stabilizing our blood sugar.
Insulin is an anabolic hormone – this means that it works to build you up (particularly muscle and fat). It is typically called “the storage hormone” – storing things like fat, vitamins, and sugar for later use and is secreted from the beta cells in the pancreas. We release insulin in response to a rise in blood sugar. Usually, it is a common miss conception that your blood sugar is only rising in relation to what you are consuming, which is true; but it can also rise in response to stress as well, which we will touch upon later. Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that gets that biggest insulin response, but insulin is also secreted when you are consuming protein, although you also secrete a hormone called glucagon too that helps burn fat.
Main takeaway: Insulin’s main job is to lower your blood sugar. The amount of insulin secreted depends on how high your blood sugar is AND how well your body heeds insulin’s message.
Regarding nutrition, this means that a meal that is high in sugar (whether it is comings from whole grains, bread, pasta, chips, sugary sodas, etc.) causes a bigger insulin response than a meal that is balanced with protein + fat + fiber. A meal that is higher in fiber from vegetables and protein causes your blood sugar to rise at a slower rate, acting as a buffer to the stream of sugar trying to surge through your system.
Cortisol is the other “dominating” hormone. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone secreted by your adrenal glands in response to stress. We aren’t just talking about emotional turmoil but stress of ANY kind; cold, starvation, nutritional deficiencies (which are a huge stress on the body and another motivator to eat an extremely nutrient-dense diet), emotional trauma, lack of rest and sleep, inflammation, infection, over-exercising, surgery, etc. In contrast to insulin, cortisol breaks things down. It can utilize stored nutrients, fat, and even muscle to stabilize your blood sugar when you are at a low.
Main takeaway: When cortisol is mismanaged due to the different factors listed above, you start to store more fat, especially in the presence of extra insulin, leaving you with extra weight around your waistline, unbalanced hormones, and other unpleasant symptoms.
A lot of us are running around with both high cortisol and high insulin, equating to a dangerous combo. This can be caused by living on too much caffeine, lack of sleep, and a diet filled with processed food, but it can also be caused from taking good advice to the extreme like over-restricting carbohydrates, taking one too many Zumba classes, or over-consuming foods that you are sensitive to like gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, etc.
Dominating the “Dominate” hormones can be a tricky feat but is totally obtainable with some dietary and lifestyle changes.
1. Find your own individual balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. This might take some self-experimentation but start first with a plate filled with fiber-rich vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, etc., a palm-sized portion of protein (preferred from an animal source like beef, chicken, pork, eggs, fish), 1-2 tbsp. of a healthy fat (butter, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, etc.) and then adjust the rest of your plate with additional carbohydrates if needed, from starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, or fruit (this is also a place to take into consideration your personal health and needs. You could include white rice, potatoes, quinoa, etc. if tolerated). A good indicator that you have overdone it with the carbohydrates is that you feel tired, sleepy, grumpy, or mentally foggy after the meal or are crashing with similar symptoms a couple of hours later. If you are getting hungry quickly after your meals (1-2 hours) try upping your protein and then slowly increasing your fat because protein and fat help keep you feeling full, and satisfied and your blood sugar stabilized.
2. Work with a nutritionist (like Karmen) to help you uncover potential food sensitivities that could cause stress on your system. A functional nutritionist can also help you create a personalized dietary approach to support your individual health goals and promote nutritional sufficiency.
3. Work with a functional medicine provider (like Jordyn) to test you for potential infections and inflammation
4. Manage your stress – this is usually the toughest recommendation for people to adhere to because it requires them to change and prioritize their life. You need to schedule in time to decrease cortisol and support your body’s response to stress through meditation, yoga, or soft belly breathing. It could also look like incorporating a creative outlet into your life or having unscheduled time in your week for rest or play.
To summarize our nutrition and lifestyle hormone-supportive plan:
- Replace processed, carbohydrate-rich foods with nutrient-dense options like fruits and vegetables.
- Always base your plate with a combination of protein + fat + fiber.
- Consider your individual needs (for example, additional carbohydrates potential due to an increase in energy output)
- Check for underlying causes: infections, inflammation, food sensitivities, etc.
- Manage your stress: Stretch, rest, and breath through your week!
If you feel more information would benefit you and your overall health, schedule a nutrition consult with me over on our website! Or reach out on our “contact us” page!
to wellness, inside out
Karmen
