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by Mara Welty December 05, 2023 7 min read
Our hormones are responsible for innumerable functions throughout the body, from our metabolism to our mental welfare. For women, hormonal health is particularly important for reproduction and fertility, as well as physical and emotional well-being.
Hormonal imbalances can present in a wide variety of psychological and physical symptoms, from unmanageable mood swings to noticing an excess of fat around the abdomen.
Below, we’ll explore what it means to achieve balanced hormone levels, as well as how to build a lifestyle that keeps your hormonal health in check.
While hormonal health is predominantly associated with women, the truth is that hormones govern countless vital functions for overall health in both biological sexes. That said, female hormonal health is particularly crucial for:
Noticing persistent disruption in any of the aforementioned areas could be a sign that it’s time to focus on your hormone health. Specifically, experts note that the following 4 signs and symptoms are frequently correlated with female hormonal imbalance.
For women, one of the tell-tale signs of hormonal disturbances is irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Your cycle depends on a delicate feedback loop of progesterone, estrogen, thyroid and other hormones.
If something is off, it could result in:
While it’s common for women to experience some fluctuations throughout the year and their lifetimes, consistently noticing changes in your menstrual cycle could be a sign of underlying hormonal imbalance.
Your appetite is largely regulated by hormones, which can greatly influence both weight loss and gain patterns.
Sometimes, sudden weight changes may result from hormonal imbalances such as:
If you’ve noticed changes in your weight but haven’t changed much about your diet or fitness routine, it may be worth consulting with a healthcare provider on whether hormonal imbalance might be to blame. Additionally, our appetite control support could help if you’re having issues with excessive cravings.
Hormones like estrogen play a critical role in your hormonal “checks and balances” system, regulating the amount of happy-making hormones like serotonin and dopamine in your system. If mood swings are hormone-related, they may be especially pronounced during your period.
Consistently struggling to get sufficient high-quality sleep can create a cycle of hormone dysregulation: not only do out-of-whack hormones dictate sleep cycles and quality, but consistently disturbed sleep can drive hormones further into imbalance.
Poor sleep quality or not getting enough rest has been linked to several health problems, including:
Fortunately, it may be possible to reverse sleep debt by prioritizing sleep hygiene and rest in your wellness routine. Focusing on rebalancing your hormones can be an excellent place to start.
The foundation of healthy female hormone levels is establishing a balanced lifestyle and overall health: nutrition, daily movement and caring for your emotional health are all vital pieces of the puzzle.
If you’re not sure where to start, the following guidelines can help you build a regimen that encourages your body to reestablish its hormonal equilibrium.
Protein is one macronutrient that can significantly influence hormonal health. In general, you’ll get at least .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, though factors like weight management goals and your level of physical activity can influence your daily protein needs. You can learn more with our guide on the recommended daily protein intake for women.
Moreover, protein quality is as important as quantity when it comes to hormonal balance. Ideally, you’ll seek out diverse protein sources to ensure you’re prioritizing lean protein sources in your diet.
Keeping your fat intake low is one of the common weight loss myths among women. However, like protein, the quality of your fat sources may be as vital for your health as how much you include in your diet.
One of the healthiest fats to emphasize is omega-3 fatty acids. These are plentifully found in many fatty fish, including:
Omega-3s can also be derived from plant-based sources, such as:
If you’re worried about consuming sufficient healthy fat levels from food, consider talking to a healthcare provider about whether taking a fish oil supplement could be right for you.
Increasing your level or frequency of physical activity is one of the best things you can do for hormonal balance and overall well-being. Staying active has been shown to encourage myriad physical and mental health benefits, from reducing psychological stress to facilitating hormonal balance.
Low-impact workouts can be an excellent option, as they reduce the amount of stress conferred on your joints while ensuring you reap the benefits of physical exercise. If you’re looking for how to balance hormones to lose weight in a healthy manner, you can refer to our article to learn more.
If you’re just getting started, you might try:
High-intensity workouts like HIIT, running or boxing can also be excellent for total well-being. However, if you think frequent high-intensity exercise is adding unnecessary stress to your body, it may be most beneficial to balance your routine with gentler forms of exercise.
Consistently eating lots of sugar can put you at risk of developing insulin resistance. Both conditions can lead to dysregulated hormones, as well as more noticeable effects like weight gain.
You can start limiting your sugar intake by:
Stress reduction can be vital for hormonal well-being, as elevated cortisol — a key stress hormone — can negatively impact your adrenal glands and endocrine system. Under chronic stress, elevated cortisol can lead to:
Managing chronic stress is important, but not all coping mechanisms are supportive for your hormones. For instance, overusing alcohol or even exercising excessively can ultimately elevate feelings of stress, adversely impacting your hormonal health.
If you’re searching for effective, healthy ways to manage stress, you might try:
Consistently getting high-quality sleep isn’t easy, as everything from daily stressors to too much screen time can interfere with hours spent at rest.
Building a relaxing pre-bedtime ritual is an excellent way to support a more supportive rest cycle, and more balanced hormone production as a result. You might try:
Even making an effort to ease into the evening can communicate to your body that you’re prioritizing rest. By restoring more regular sleep cycles, you’ll support the vital work your hormones are performing around the clock for your body, mind and total well-being.
Whether you’re buckling down on your nutrition or looking to advance your progress at the gym, INVIGOR8 provides nutritional support to lay the foundations for total-body well-being.
Start by caring for your hormones with INVIGOR8’s Organic Superfoods Powder, a protein-packed meal replacement that can help to build lean muscle and support hormonal balance with 4 delectable flavors.
With INVIGOR8, prioritizing your health is easy and delicious. Browse our Superfood Shakes and Unflavored Collagen Peptides today to learn more.
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