Hormones are powerful. It only takes a miniscule amount of these chemicals to cause huge changes in your cells or even your entire body. Yet statistics show that about 80 percent of women suffer from some kind of hormonal imbalance, disrupting their overall health and lifestyle.
There are many reasons why hormonal imbalances occur, but one huge factor is your diet. Here are 8 foods you should not be eating to avoid hormonal imbalances:
- Non-organic food
If you think going organic is expensive, think about how much you’re spending on hormone therapy, or how hormonal imbalance disrupts your quality of life. What you feed your body matters, especially in the manner of how it’s sourced. Non-organic food, more often than not contain high levels of hormones, antibiotics, PCBs and mercury. These chemicals are endocrine-disrupting, causing your hormones like estrogen and progesterone to dysfunction. If you are having issues with your menstrual cycle or fertility, we recommend you consider shifting to a more organically sourced diet.
- Nightshades
Vegetables are great for your health, but some veggie types cause you more bad than good, like the seemingly healthy plant group – nightshades. They include white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. These plants can trigger inflammation which may not be ideal for those going through hormonal imbalances. Consider replacing these vegetables with sea-sourced ones, such as kelp and nori, as these superfoods have incredible thyroid hormone boosting capabilities and are great for detox too.
- Sugar
Sugar ranks high on any list of food to avoid – and for good reason. Sugar causes spikes in your body’s insulin levels, which purpose is to transport sugar from the bloodstream into your cells. A healthy body with balanced hormones can shift back and forth between fat and sugar metabolism. However, too much sugar in your diet can disrupt your insulin levels and remain elevated until your cells develop resistance. Your body then focuses on insulin and processing sugar and not on other hormones. Better watch your sugar intake to avoid hormonal irregularities.
- Factory-farmed animals
Factory-farmed animals are exposed to seven hormones commonly used in industrial food production of meat, eggs, and dairy that may cause adverse effects on your endocrine, immune system, and even put you at risk for cancer. The best options are to grow your own food if you can or contact local organic farms in your area.
- White bread
Gluten and sugar, both present in white bread, increase inflammation in the body stressing out your thyroid-producing glands – adrenal, thyroid, and gonads. Hormone production levels dive and cause the many symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as irregular periods and acne breakouts.
- Dairy
One tell-tale sign that dairy is disrupting your hormones is if you get acne breakouts. Too much dairy causes inflammation and elevated insulin levels, and also cause your skin to go oily, leading to clogged pores and acne. Try going dairy-free for a month and see if your skin clears up a bit.
- Alcohol
Alcohol reduces testosterone production causing lower energy levels. Regular alcohol consumption can also increase your cortisol hormone levels, storing more belly fat. Try removing alcohol from your system for a whole month and observe your hormone functions improve.
- Soy
Soy is disruptive to your body’s estrogen levels as it mimics the hormone and therefore prevents the normal estrogen from your body’s receptors. Common symptoms of high estrogen include irregular periods, breast tenderness, difficulty losing weight, sleep problems, mood swings, and low energy levels. Soy is also one of the most commonly genetically modified, meaning it is exposed with a lot of toxic chemicals that can further cause hormonal imbalances.
Read the original article by Mindbodygreen here.
There’s no harm in trying. Give your body a break from these 8 foods for a more balanced hormonal health.
What food have you been consuming, unaware that it may be one of the reasons your hormones are going haywire? Let us know in the comments below!
Related Posts:
