After getting my hormone health specialization and starting to implements different lifestyle shifts to support my cycle, here are eleven things that can help you start improving your hormone health.
1. Balanced Meals
This one is major key — I’ve found that eating balanced meals is way more important than worrying about exact foods you are “supposed” to eat. I focus on eating unprocessed, whole foods as much as possible and when building my plate, I make sure to include a high quality protein, fibrous carbs and healthy fats to balance my blood sugar and keep me full for longer.
2. Balancing Going Out with Yin Activities
Our bodies, no matter what, are always trying to return to a state of balance and homeostasis. Going out, dancing, listening to live music and having social interaction is a part of life that I enjoy, but it can be a heavy lift on our liver & body so I’ve been adding in more rest + restorative activities to balance it out as often as possible.
3. Adjusting Workout Intensity Based on Your Cycle
No, this doesn’t mean do completely different workouts every week - but what I do instead is simply be mindful of workout intensity throughout the cycle. For example, I’ve been loving weight lifting but have been reducing the intensity of the weights during my luteal and menstrual phase. I’ve also become more intuitive with my movement choice, adding in running & yoga/pilates as I feel called to.
4. Supporting Liver Detoxification
Our liver filters out toxins from our body & is the most important organ when it comes to flushing out excess hormones. I love the @organic_olivia liver juice, drinking dandelion tea, dry brushing and eating cruciferous vegetables to support my liver detoxification.
5. Caffeine Mindfulness
I love my matcha & nespresso lattes just as much as the next wellness girlie out there, but I try to practice moderation! I aim for < 2 caffeinated drinks/day, always after some food & reduce caffeine as much as possible during my luteal phase (the 7-10 days before you get your next period bleed).
6. Shopping Organic + Eating More Protein
One of the ways we may come in contact with external toxins that place a burden on our liver is through the food we eat. Buying organic food whenever possible helps prevent ingestion of pesticides (endocrine disrupters), which then supports proper hormone balance. If this is not possible for you, aim to buy organic for the food in the EWG Dirty Dozen list. I’ve also been making more of an effort to hit my protein goals too (100g+/day) and it’s not only helped me build muscle and ensure proper muscle/fat %, but also helped my blood sugar a lot.
7. Walking More
This one is simple - getting more steps in supports digestion & helps your body keep things moving!
8. Adding Adaptogens
Adaptogens are basically functional supplements that help your body regulate your hormones! I love adding the @weliveconscious beyond brew to my coffee (which has lots of good mushroom adaptogens) + I also like the Ashwaghanda powder by @apothekaryco & @arrae.co Calm supplement before bed.
9. Getting Acupuncture
This one is a true game changer. I am certain that getting acupuncture is one of the biggest reasons I regulated my cycle. There was one month where I got 4 sessions (1 session/week) at @wthn in NYC, and from there on, everything changed!
10. Getting 7+ Hours of Sleep
Sleeping enough is essential to help your body heal + detox, so I’ve been making more of an effort to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Also, aiming to sleep before midnight helps ensure you get more restful and REM sleep time — though this one is a little harder for me. Some sleep hygiene tips is to turn off your electronics at least 1 hour before bed if possible and adding in 1 activity (like reading, drinking tea, or journaling) that helps you slow down.
11. Surrounding Myself With Positivity
Choosing to be around kind & supportive loved ones has helped my mental health tons + boosts oxytocin and serotonin!
& That’s it! I hope these tangible lifestyle tips help you learn a bit more about how to support your hormone health and overall feel better! Let’s get growing xx
Best,
Caro
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