Fluctuations and imbalances of hormones affect every aspect of a woman’s life. Hormonal imbalances may contribute to an increase of mood swings, irritability, weight gain, appetite, and difficulty sleeping. Additionally, these hormonal irregularities can seriously impact our personal and professional lives, resulting in decreased motivation, low energy levels, and serious mental-health issues. But as harmful as these effects may appear, treating hormonal imbalances is a lot less scary and fairly easy to incorporate into daily routines. Small changes like switching to a healthier diet and increasing your intake of vitamins can help stabilize uneven hormone levels and even help lower the risk of hormonal fluctuation.
OB/GYN Associates of Alabama provides a list of essential vitamins that are proven to combat hormonal imbalance, in addition to a healthy, regular diet. While these supplements are intended to facilitate a balance of hormones, the OB/GYN Associates of Alabama suggest pairing these vitamins along with a consistent diet, and not as supplements for meals.
Here are 7 crucial nutrients researchers recommend to help regulate your hormone levels:
Magnesium
On its own, magnesium acts as an important mineral to natural bodily functions such as enzyme reactions, nerve, and muscle functions, and even supporting the immune system. Magnesium vitamins are a suitable supplement for hormonal imbalance, however, the best way to maintain intake of magnesium is to simply increase intake of magnesium enriched foods. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are excellent ways of maintaining a steady magnesium diet. Other foods you may want to consider are chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds, lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and even dark chocolate!
B vitamins
Despite there being multiple B vitamins, finding foods that contain most of these vitamins is an excellent way of incorporating this vitamin into your diet. Salmon, beef, trout, turkey, oysters, mussels, clams, yogurt, milk, and beans are the most notable sources of vitamin B.
Probiotics
One of the easiest ways to maintain hormonal balance is to regulate your intake of probiotics. Miso, yogurt, sauerkraut, and certain cheeses like mozzarella have been proven to be excellent sources of probiotics. In recent years, the popularization of kombucha drinks, a fermented green or black tea, has heavily influenced the intake of probiotics.
Zinc
Healthline lists zinc “as the second most abundant trace mineral in your body”, solidifying it as an essential bodily mineral needed for countless functions. Zinc also acts as a mood enhancer, especially for premenopausal women where zinc can aid in emotional status and brain function.
Liver-enhancing nutrients
Where probiotics aid in digestive functions, liver enhancing nutrients have been linked to helping the liver rid the body of excess estrogen, a common leading factor in hormonal imbalance. Red meats, broccoli, and spinach are foods heavy in alpha-lipoic acid, a vitamin/chemical that is great for the liver. The associates of Alabama also suggest a regular intake of vitamin C, as this particular vitamin can help the liver regulate its estrogen levels. Of course, strawberries and oranges are a great source of vitamin C. Additionally, the turmeric spice has also been linked to many health benefits, including liver support.
Omega-3 fatty acids
While one of the easiest ways to consume omega-3s is to take a fish-based oil supplement, omega-3’s is highest in fish and nuts. The best foods to incorporate into your diet are salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sardines, egg yolks, and mackerel.
Vitamin D3
Even as we begin to approach summer, maintaining a healthy intake of vitamin D3 is necessary to support hormone balance and other bodily functions. Vitamin D supplements are highly accessible in pharmacies, however, one of the most natural ways to consume vitamin D is through egg yolks or fish that is rich in fat.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc
