The team at Care Net Milwaukee cares about all aspects of your health. One thing that often does not get the attention it needs is your hormonal health, which can determine your overall health. Hormone health is good for anyone to be attentive to, but especially women who are trying to get pregnant, currently pregnant, or who are postpartum.
Daily encounters with common substances can lead to hormonal imbalances. From household cleaners to cosmetics, plastics, fragrances, and even cell phones, these substances known as Endocrine Disruptors can affect sleep, metabolism, reproductive health, and potentially lead to cancers.
While completely avoiding endocrine disruptors is near impossible, we can help you understand how to counteract their effects. Lifestyle adjustments and diet management play a crucial role in maintaining balanced hormones. Here’s how:
- Incorporate Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, radish, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and cabbage when cooked, release a chemical that improves liver function, helping remove harmful toxins from your body.
- Include Healthy Fats: Foods like avocados, salmon, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, and cheese contain healthy fats, essential in hormone production.
- Focus on High-Fiber Foods: Half your plate should contain high-fiber foods such as root veggies and beans, which enhance your metabolism and help cleanse your body from hormones or toxins.
- A balance of Prebiotics and Probiotics: Your gut, one of the largest hormone-producing organs, requires a healthy balance of good bacteria to regulate its hormone production. Fermented foods can help maintain this balance.
- Minimize fried food and processed sugars: Avoid foods that feed on bad bacteria and throw off your body’s hormone balance. Consider home-cooked alternatives for meals like pasta sauces, traditionally high in added sugar.
- If you are pregnant: progesterone is a must for a pregnancy to continue to develop. If you experience any spotting, it could be a sign of low progesterone. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if progesterone supplements are needed.
While we can’t eliminate endocrine disruptors from our lives entirely, a balanced diet can help us minimize their negative effects, promoting overall health.
Some Other Helpful Tips
Another crucial aspect of managing hormonal balance is stress management. Chronic stress can lead to an increase in cortisol levels, which can disrupt other hormone productions and functions in the body. Therefore, incorporating relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises into your daily routine can be highly beneficial.
In addition to diet and stress management, regular exercise is essential for maintaining balanced hormones. Physical activity can help regulate hormone levels, improve sleep quality, and boost mood and energy levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, or cycling, most days of the week.
It’s also crucial to pay attention to your environment and minimize exposure to endocrine-disrupting substances where possible. This can include using natural cleaning products, avoiding plastic containers for food storage and water consumption, and choosing organic or non-toxic personal care products.
At Care Net Milwaukee, we’re here to support your health by giving you the knowledge and resources you need to make informed choices. We invite you to visit our clinic for more information. Our team can guide you towards a healthy lifestyle and/or pregnancy. Feel free to schedule an appointment to receive more information on how to ensure your pregnancy stays healthy. We also have a great class on pregnancy nutrition on Wednesday, January 15 at 1:30 – hope you can join us!
