1. clean up your diet

You've heard it before but I'll say it again: eat more plants, less animal protein, cut dairy and prioritize whole foods! Hormones are made of fat, eating low fat or not enough good fat could impair your ability to produce hormones. Up your healthy fats and Omega 3’s from oily fish, avocados and coconut oil. Just be mindful of reducing fish high in mercury. If you don’t like to eat fish, add a high quality Omega 3 supplement like the Antarctic Krill Oil Capsules from Rejuv.

Do your best to opt for organic foods, as pesticides can affect estrogen and worsen your hormonal imbalances. Foods naturally rich in folate are also great for balancing hormones, including green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and beans. The Super Elixir Alkalizing Greens formula is my favourite way to get in my daily dose of greens, vitamins, minerals & more. It has everything I need to fill in any nutritional gaps in my diet, I recommend it to all!

Don't forget to get your fiber in! Fiber helps by binding to toxins, including excess hormones, and flushes them out of the body. Fiber balances estrogen levels - less excess estrogen in your body means less imbalances and a reduced risk of breast cancer. Lastly, be sure to eat regularly, such as every 3-4 hours. Eating inconsistently can trigger stress hormones.

2. increase your iodine intake

Seaweed is an excellent source of iodine. You can buy dulse and seaweed flakes to add to anything. You can also make tasty homemade sushi rolls with fish and avocado and swap the rice for quinoa or opt for black or brown rice to keep your GI index down. I highly recommend the Sea & Soil Super Green Capsules if you struggle to consume enough seaweed!

3. avoid plastics & toxins

Plastics are hormonal disruptors that can create an estrogen to progesterone imbalance, so get off plastics – from water bottles, storage containers, especially if you use plastics when serving or warming food. Broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts are cruciferous vegetables that help the liver metabolize excess estrogen. It’s best to steam cruciferous vegetables, avoiding the substances present in their raw state that disrupt the production of thyroid hormones.

Please never heat plastic or use a microwave oven, particularly in microwave-safe plastic, to cook your food, as it has been linked to cancer. I recommend getting glass reusable water bottles, a home water filter and glass storage containers for leftovers.

4. prioritize rest & restore more

Low quality or limited amount of regular sleep is linked to poor immune function. It can reduce the body’s ability to heal overnight, leading to excessive stress, a natural enemy of your hormonal system. Good quality sleep helps contribute to hormonal balance by lowering cortisol levels and keeping the body in homeostasis. I love wind-down rituals like indulging in a Cannabis Sativa Oil Bath Soak or Monoï Magnesium Immersion, and enjoying a cup of the Sleep Welle Calming Tea with a scoop of TruMarine Collagen + Magnesium to ease my body into a state of deep sleep.

5. reduce inflammation

Here's what you should know: high fat, processed meats and grains increase cortisol levels. Refined sugar reduces immune function and may cause nutrient depletion. Excessive alcohol increases inflammation and reduces immune function. So lush it less! For women, heavy drinking increases the risk of ovulation disorders. Caffeine can also cause hormonal imbalances, dehydration and lead to mineral deficiencies. High consumption of caffeine can also interfere with fertility. Lower your caffeine to one cup per day, or switch to matcha (which has lower caffeine content than caffeine).

6. herb it up!

Ayurvedic herbs are wonderful to balance hormones. I recommend the Female Hormonal Balance Capsules to fast track hormonal balancing. The popular Blood Sugar Support Capsules are also a great option as they have herbal ingredients that adjust insulin levels, having a direct balancing effect on hormones. If the body has inadequate nutrients, it might produce odd cravings.

Perhaps my favourite ayurvedic herb is ashwagandha. It’s considered an adaptogen, which means that it’s believed to help your body manage stress more effectively. Research has shown that it reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal glands produce in response to stress. There’s also evidence linking ashwagandha to lower levels of anxiety and improved sleep in people with stress and anxiety disorders.

7. stress less & exercise more

Did you know that everyday stress, will take a toll on your adrenal glands? Your adrenal glands main function is to secrete the adrenaline and cortisol necessary to facilitate the body’s natural responses to stress. Being in a heightened fight-or-flight mode manifests itself as chronic low energy, which can cause hormonal fluctuations, irritability, mood imbalance, chronic inflammation, and weight gain. Research has even shown that stress has a direct impact on a woman’s risk for infertility. The Adrenal Complex Capsules are great if you need help with your stress levels. Exercise is also crucial, whatever movement works for you, stick to it! Have you tried an infrared sauna? It's an excellent way to sweat out toxins and relieve your body from disruptors. Get into nature, breath in fresh air and choose to respond rather than react to your environment and triggers.

8. up your vitamin c consumption

Vitamin C is vital to manage progesterone levels. Vit C ensures proper sleep, healthy stress & emotional levels, a strong immune system and much more. I recommend Ester-C because it is better absorbed and tolerated by the body. Vitamin C foods help your body absorb iron, an essential nutrient for a healthy hormonal system. Grapefruits and other citrus fruits, kiwis, cherries, berries, and kale are excellent sources. Pumpkin Seeds are also high in vitamin C, and as a bonus, they are anti-parasitic and even high in zinc, an essential nutrient for reproduction in both men and women. If you want to add in a vitamin C supplement, be very careful not to buy synthetic vitamin C, which is easily flushed out of the body. Opt for a whole food Vitamin C that is properly absorbed as found in the Immune Elixir capsules.

9. consider your primary foods

If you want balanced hormones, you need to balance your life. The hormonal system is incredibly sensitive to the outside world. If you are not fulfilled, satisfied or thrilled with your life, your hormones will suffer. The mind-body connection is real, negative thoughts or emotions are proven to cause havoc on the body, especially the hormonal system. One of the best things you can do for your hormones, is to listen to your own body’s needs. Learn how to balance your hormones through your primary foods. By working to balance your hormones through the primary foods in your life, you’ll naturally begin to live in harmony with your female body.