To balance hormones naturally, a lot of people try bio-identical hormone replacement therapy in their forties and fifties. If you have a doctor that you trust, this might be a good option for anti aging. But personally, I get nervous at the thought of taking hormones. Here’s why:
- They change so often that I think it’s difficult to get a reliable measure.
- You might end up being at a higher risk for breast cancer if you take them directly. I’ll take the negative symptoms of aging over cancer any day!
- If you give your body the hormones directly, it has a tendency to make even less of the hormones you’re lacking. The body figures it doesn’t need to make them any more since you are supplying them and then you end up with a bigger deficit than before!
This is why I’ve tried several products that balance hormones naturally.
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
I knew my hormones weren’t balanced because I had the following symptoms:
- Hair loss/thin brittle hair
- Increased heart rate
- Mood swings
- Weight gain
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Problems sleeping
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Here’s a link to even more symptoms of hormone imbalance if you’re curious.
Laying a Healthy Foundation for Hormone Balance
To balance your hormones naturally, you need a healthy foundation. Check with a doctor to make sure you have enough B vitamins, Vitamin D, Zinc, Omega 3s, and Magnesium. All of these work together to keep your hormones functioning correctly.
Caffeine disrupts the endocrine system (the glands that secrete hormones into the blood). So, limit your caffeine consumption to one cup per day if you can’t quit all together. So far, I have not been able to give up my morning cup of tea. But that’s the only caffeine I allow myself now.
Make sure your diet contains enough healthy fats because hormones are formed by fat and cholesterol. Examples of healthy fats are: avocados, coconut oil, raw nuts, eggs, grass fed organic ghee, olives, chia seeds, and salmon.
For healthy hormones, you need a healthy gut. Here are some ideas to improve your gut health:
- Try to eat fermented foods and/or consider drinking 2 ounces of a low sugar probiotic drink with each meal.
- If your digestive problems are severe, you may need the help of a digestive enzyme supplement, taken with each meal, until your gut heals.
- If your problems are less severe, you could try an essential oil blend for digestion like the one I take that contains: Anise Seed, Peppermint Plant, Ginger Rhizome/Root, Caraway Seed, Coriander Seed, Tarragon Plant, and Fennel Seed essential oils.
- If you don’t think you get enough healthy bacteria from your food, you can consider taking a probiotic supplement.
- Make sure you are eating enough fiber. Some of the top fiber containing foods are: avocados, berries, chickpeas, lentils, pears, chia seeds, and edamame.
What Are Adaptogens?
To balance hormones naturally, I like adaptogens. Adaptogens are substances that help the body “adapt” to a specific need. They promote balance in the body.
Here’s an example. Let’s say a doctor tells you that you are low in estrogen. An adaptogenic herb would help your body have what it needs to raise your estrogen level naturally. You are not giving the body estrogen directly. Instead, you are giving the body what it needs to make estrogen for itself. And if all of the sudden, your body flip flops and starts making too much estrogen, the adaptogen would then bring your body back into balance perhaps by helping your body to make more progesterone. The cool thing about adaptogens is that they know what your body needs from week to week and they help it adapt accordingly!
Adaptogens I Use to Balance My Hormones
Let me preface this by saying that I am not in menopause yet. Maybe if I was, adaptogens would not be strong enough to help me balance my hormones naturally. I’ll let you know when I get there. But so far, what I am doing is working.
Maca
Maca stimulates endocrine system helping to maintain hormonal balance. It also helps with energy, PMS, fertility issues, and healthy thyroid functioning. There are many colors of Maca but the 3 main colors are:
- Yellow – boosts energy, supports fertility, increases mental focus, balances hormones
- Red – supports endocrine system/balances hormones, helps with acne, supports thyroid health
- Black – helps with stamina/strength, memory/focus, and bone strength/density
This is why I think a product that contains all 3 Maca colors is best. My daughter uses a raw Maca powder that she puts in a smoothie or her granola in the morning. Look for a product that is organic and dried at low temperatures to preserve the nutrients. But, unfortuately, it gave me a stomach ache, which can be a side effect of Maca if you have digestive problems. So I take a gelatinized Maca that is easier to digest. I usually try to avoid taking supplements in pill form whenever I can because I feel that liquids or powders are better absorbed. But in this case, I take a supplement.
Make sure to take a break from Maca every 6 months or so or else it will quit working. Just take a week or 2 off and then you can resume taking it.
Vitex/Chaste Berry
According to Kaiser Permanente, “Vitex has been shown to help balance of estrogen and progesterone during the menstrual cycle and may alleviate PMS symptoms.” Kaiser also says vitex can: improve fertility, reduce breast tenderness, and clear premenstrual acne. The vitex I take is a liquid gel cap because, as I’ve said before, I think liquids are better absorbed and utilized by the body. This vitex is organic, the capsules are vegan, and it comes in a glass bottle.
Other Ways I Balance My Hormones Naturally
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is a phytoestrogen. According to Oncology Nutrition, “A phytoestrogen is a plant nutrient that is somewhat similar to the female hormone estrogen. Due to this similarity, it may have estrogenic and/or anti-estrogenic effects in the body.” In other words, flax can raise your estrogen if it’s too low. Or lower your estrogen if it’s too high.
In addition to helping to keep your estrogen level balanced, flax is a great source of fiber. It helps to keep your intestines cleared out of waste and toxins.
I take two tablespoons of flax per day. It has a nutty taste that I enjoy. I make “flax eggs” as an egg substitute in recipes because I am sensitive to eggs. I also add flax to the following foods:
- Granola
- Smoothies
- Green drink
- Yogurt
- Fresh baked bread
- Salmon salad
- Regular salad
Homeopathic Progesterone
I like to use homeopathic remedies whenever I can because homeopathy helps your body function the way God intended it to. With homeopathic progesterone, you are stimulating your body to make its own, not supplementing it directly. I take this homeopathic progesterone on days 10-24 of my cycle when progesterone typically takes a dive. It helps me ward off PMS and keeps me off the hormone roller coaster! By the way, you can try this even if your cycle has stopped because your hormone still fluctuate even if you’re in menopause.
Sometimes I can’t get the homeopathic progesterone I recommended above. They tend to be out of it a lot. It’s quite popular. In that case, I have a back up homeopathic progesterone. This one is cheaper than the one I recommended above. I feel it works just as well. And I love that it’s a spray bottle so you can spray it right under your tongue for maximum absorption. The reason I don’t buy it all the time is because it has leaked during shipping twice when I ordered it. Amazon was great about replacing it though.
If you are taking any homeopathic remedy, avoid food, drink, and even toothpaste 15 minutes before and after the remedy or it could stop the remedy from working. It is fine to drink water with homeopathy.
Essential Oil Blend for Hormones
I use a roll on blend of the following oils: Clary Sage Flower, Lavender Flower, FCF Bergamot Peel, Roman Chamomile Flower, Ylang Ylang Flower, Cedarwood Wood, Geranium Plant, Fennel Seed, Carrot Seed, Palmarosa Herb, and Vitex Leaf/Berry essential oils.
For me, it helps with cramps and bloating (applied to my abdomen as needed). It also keeps my mood more stable and keeps me calmer/more centered (applied to wrists) throughout the month. The underside of the wrists have major blood vessels right below the surface of the skin so the oils will be absorbed into your blood stream and transported throughout your body. If I am really worked up, I also apply the oil blend to my temples and the back of my neck.
Here’s to happy hormones!
Note: For compliance reasons, I am not able to tell you on this blog which essential oil products I use or link you to them so that you can read about them for yourself. But if you want more information, please comment on this post and I am happy to tell you more about the oils I use and why.
No information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition. Please consult a qualified health care professional for medical advice.