TOP FOODS TO INCLUDE IN A HORMONE BALANCING EATING PLAN
Tags: Diet, Hormonal Health, Hormonal Imbalance, Hormone Therapy, Hormones Replacement

The two most significant things you can do for your hormones is to eat foods that are

Whole and nutrient-dense.

Organic.

If you can do both, great!

However, if you’re worried about your food budget, then focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods.

Add in organic whenever you can.

Now, having said that there are some cases where organic is a must, simply because the alternative would be too toxic.

Everything is outlined in the relevant sections below.

1. Plant Proteins

Eating more plant proteins and less animal proteins is an important part of supporting your hormones.

The best plant proteins to choose from are:

chickpeas

lentils

red beans

black beans

pinto beans

cannellini beans

lima beans

quinoa

broccoli

peas

Soy products, like tofu and edamame, are also good sources of protein.

However, soy can worse hormonal imbalance for some women.

Even though some put the blame on soy’s phytoestrogens, I have another theory.

Most of the soy on the market is genetically modified.

And genetically modified soy is designed to withstand pesticides.

This means that GMO soy is actually sprayed with a lot more pesticides than non-GMO soy.

End result? Your soy products will have higher pesticide residue.

So, when it comes to soy, you can:

either avoid it completely or proceed cautiously.

choose organic for those times when you decide to consume it.

eat more fermented forms of soy instead (such as natto, tempeh, miso, fermented tofu). Many Asian cultures that benefit from the health benefits of soy eat mostly fermented soy (it’s the opposite in the U.S. and most of the West).

And while we’re on the topic of plant proteins, they’re great for adding to your smoothies.

When used in powder form, proteins make your smoothies more filling and provide an extra nutritional boost.

Best part? You can get them in different flavors (or plain).

I recommend getting this clean, organic vanilla or chocolate protein powder, organic powders from KOS.

2. Probiotic-rich Foods

Fermented foods contain probiotics which increase the amount of friendly bacteria in your gut.

This goes a long way for hormone health because the gut makes hormones and also plays a role in detoxification.

Some probiotic-rich foods to choose from are:

coconut yogurt

sauerkraut and other fermented veggies

organic yogurt (sparingly)

3. Gluten-Free Grains

Modern wheat is grown, processed and used in such a way that it can cause inflammation.

Inflammation increases cortisol, overworks the adrenals and suppresses thyroid function.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to eat mostly gluten-free grains as your body heals.

Choose from:

rolled oats

brown rice

white rice

quinoa

spelt

amaranth

buckwheat

millet

teff

sorghum

4. Whole Fruits and Veggies

When it comes to fruits and veggies, get them fresh or frozen.

Just make sure to check the label when buying them frozen — the ingredients should be the fruit only. NO preservatives or additives.

Fruits and veggies contain various antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

So eating a variety of them will give you a wider variety of nutrients.

FRUITS (this is just a selection; use what’s available in your area or in season):

strawberries

blueberries

blackberries

dates

figs

watermelon

peaches

mangoes

bananas

cherries

pineapples

tomatoes

avocados

pomegranates

lemons

limes

raspberries

oranges

apples

pears

kiwi

grapefruit

apricots

peaches

clementines

tangerines

coconuts

grapes

papayas

melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, hami, etc.)

VEGGIES

All veggies are good for you, fresh or frozen

However, when your hormones are out of whack, increase your consumption of cruciferous veggies.

They contain sulfur, which the body uses to make glutathione.

Glutathione is a major detoxifier and it binds to toxins, then removes from the body.

Cruciferous veggies to choose from:

cabbage

cauliflower

broccoli

kale

radishes

arugula

bok choy

collard greens

mustard greens

brussel sprouts

garden cress

rutabaga

turnips

kolhrabi

Aside from the above, rotate in other vegetables to once again cover all your nutritional needs. Choose from:

cucumbers

spinach

mustard greens

carrots

celery

artichokes

asparagus

endives

green beans

peas

squash

eggplant

tomatoes

carrots

dandelion greens

fennel

leeks

mushrooms

onions

garlic

bell peppers

potatoes (sweet, red, yukon, japanese purple)

snow peas

snap peas

beets

5. Spices, Herbs and Salts

Not only do spices, herbs and salts contain nutrients, but some (like cilantro, parsley, ginger or turmerics) are known to detox the body, and fight inflammation.

Feel free to use any herbs and spices that you enjoy.

Here’s a shortlist to start you off:

pink himalayan salt

red hawaiin salt

pure, unrefined sea salt

ginger

cilantro

parsley

cinnamon

clove

oregano

thyme

nutmeg

black pepper

cayenne

mint

turmeric

marjoram

rosemary

6. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which the body needs to:

Make hormones

Fight inflammation

When choosing your fish, stay away from farmed fish.

It contains a whole lot of chemicals that your body simply doesn’t need.

Instead, go for wild-caught fish.

Choose from:

salmon

sardines

mackerel

seabass

trout

Your total consumption of both fish and other meat should be no more than 3 times a week.

7. Organic Meat

We’ve already established that conventional meat contains compounds that interfere with hormone health.

So, when buying any type of meat go for organic, antibiotic-free and hormone-free varieties.

You can choose from:

grass-fed beef

chicken

turkey

lamb

Also, be aware that meat takes a lot more effort to digest (compared to plant proteins or even, fish). And since we want to reduce the amount of stress on the body, it’s important to consume meats and fish just a few times a week. I generally recommend no more than than 3 times a week in total.

In addition, while we’re on the topic of meat, bone broth is a fantastic source of healing nutrients for the gut. It’s packed with minerals and 17 different amino acids — including collagen (source)!

And unlike eating actual meat, bone broth is easy on the digestive system because it’s a liquid.

So, definitely consider adding bone broth to your hormone balance diet plan. You can make your own or buy it — but just make sure it’s made from the bones of grass-fed, antibiotic-free and hormone-free cows.

8. Plant-based Milk

Plant-based milks are a healthier, anti-inflammatory source of proteins compared to cow milk.

So, it’s a good idea to choose from one or more of these milks as your support your body’s healing:

almond milk

oat milk

cashew milk

macadamia nut milk

rice milk

Be aware that many brands use undesirable additives and preservatives in plant milks.

Shop around for clean brands like Three Trees.

Or make your own.

However, if neither of the above options are practical, then just buy what’s available to you.

As long as you’re reducing your toxic load from other sources and eating other nutrient-rich foods, your body will make progress.

9. Cold-Pressed Cooking Oils and Fats

When it comes to oils, you simply want to go for cold-pressed, non-hydrogenated ones.

Choose from:

grapeseed oil

palm oil

organic butter

ghee

avocado oil

olive oil

coconut oil

hemp seed oil

10. Gluten-Free Baking Flours

Earlier we talked about eating gluten-free grains to keep stress and inflammation low.

The same thing applies to flour.

Favor gluten-free varieties as much as possible:

almond flour

coconut flour

garbanzo flour

brown rice flour

spelt flour

buckwheat flour

11. Raw Nuts and Seeds

Raw nuts and seeds are excellent sources of proteins, as well as healthy fats, which are needed to make hormones, as well as to support the gut and liver.

The main ones to add to your diet include:

almonds

walnuts

macadamias

cashews

peanuts

chia seeds

flax seeds

sesame seeds

pumpkin seeds

sunflower seeds

12. Natural and Unrefined Sweeteners

Refined sugar is one of the most pro-inflammatory, hormone-disruptive foods in our food supply.

For hormone health, use only natural and unprocessed sweeteners, such as:

raw honey

maple syrup

molasses

unrefined green stevia leaves or powder (NOT stevia drops or other types of refined white stevia)

date sugar

SUPPLEMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR HORMONE BALANCE DIET

While supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet, they are essential for covering nutritional gaps in your diet.

This is because supplements allow you to take in high quantities of nutrients in one go.

In fact, much more than you could physically eat!

Plus, there are more and more nutrients missing from commercially farmed food (compared to say, 100 years ago).

And that means you can end up with one nutrient deficiencies.

If your diet is missing some nutrients, this can throw off your sleep, menstrual cycle, skin health…and also make it more difficult for your body to fight off toxins.

Supplements are a sort of health insurance policy that you’re investing in for your hormones.

When combined with a healthy diet, supplements give you faster results and make your life much easier!

Now, for the purposes of hormone health, there are 3 different supplements that I always recommend for hormone health.

1. Complete daily multivitamin and multi-mineral formula

If you use nothing else when it comes to supplements, then at least use this.

A complete multivitamin and multi-mineral formula is exactly what the name implies: a supplement that provides the full spectrum of 90 essential vitamins and minerals that every human body needs.

My favorite for many years now has been BTT 2.0 (Beyond Tangy Tangerine 2.0)

2. Herbal formula for women

The reproductive organs, digestive system (particularly, the liver) and nervous system all play a significant role in balancing hormones.

And one of the best ways to support those systems is with herbs.

My favorite, all-around herbal blend for women is called Women’s Balance.

3. Detoxifying and nutrient-dense powder

Wheatgrass, spirulina, moringa and chlorella are a few greens that are particularly high in nutrients and detoxifying compounds.

They can be tricky to include in everyday meals.

So I like using them in a powder blend.

For this, my top choice is Green Juice Powder, which contains all of those greens and a few other healing ingredients.