The natural guide to hormonal health

Simple diet and lifestyle changes can balance your hormones, boost your energy, and help you feel your best at every stage of life

Hormones influence nearly every system in the body, from mood and energy levels to digestion, sleep and skin. When they’re in balance, you feel vibrant and resilient, but when they’re out of sync, it can affect your overall wellbeing. Here, our experts give their tops tips for how to nourish your hormones and thrive at every stage of life.

Menstrual health
“Menstrual health is a reflection of what’s happening on the inside,” says Vivienne Fitzpatrick, a nutritional therapist at Here’s Health in Patrick Street, Cork. “A few simple changes to diet and lifestyle can support your hormonal health and increase your energy levels so you can begin living your best life.”

“During menstruation, it’s a good idea to replace iron lost from bleeding by including iron-rich foods,” says nutritional therapist Liz O’Byrne, who works with health store the Aloe Tree in Ennistymon, Co Clare. “These include leafy green vegetables, lean red meat, eggs and pulses. Vitamin C increases iron absorption so it’s a good idea to include foods such as citrus fruits, berries and broccoli in meals. Vitamin K can help reduce heavy bleeding so try to include leafy greens, blueberries and eggs if heavy periods are an issue for you.”

Regulating your hormones
“Certain foods can help to support hormonal health in general and keep hormones in balance,” says Liz O’Byrne. “These include cruciferous vegetables, leafy green vegetables, berries, green tea, oily fish, nuts and seeds and probiotics.”

Vivienne Fitzpatrick also recommends healthy fats and good quality proteins, as these are “essential when it comes to hormones”. She explains: “They have the opposite effect of refined carbohydrates, which can lead to increased blood sugars, inflammation and hormonal chaos.”

Liz agrees. “We need to look at what foods can contribute to hormonal imbalances and try to minimise them in our diet,” she says. “Alcohol, caffeine, fried foods, saturated fats, high GI carbohydrates (carbohydrates that break down very quickly during digestion such as white breads, confectionery and sugary drinks) and artificial sweeteners should be avoided as far as possible.”

Another natural approach to hormonal support is seed cycling. Vivienne says: “During days 1 to 14 of your cycle, eat 1 to 2 tablespoons each of flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds as this helps to promote oestrogen production. During days 15 to 28, eat 1 to 2 tablespoons each of sunflower and sesame seeds, which promotes progesterone.”

Natural solutions for PMS
The symptoms of PMS can include breast tenderness, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, food cravings, and painful cramping, all of which are caused by unbalanced hormones.

Vivienne recommends eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like wild-caught salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna, to reduce inflammation and ease cramps. She adds: “Evening primrose oil, flax oil and flaxseeds can help to promote healthy oestrogen metabolism which helps to reduce PMS symptoms.” Incorporating healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, butter, or ghee into your cooking promotes hormone health and reduces inflammation. Avocados, loaded with healthy fats, magnesium, potassium and vitamin B6, are another excellent addition.

“Magnesium and B6 support hormonal health and can help with breast tenderness, mood swings and cramping,” says Vivienne. Research also shows that women with PMS often have lower levels of magnesium and B6, making supplements a helpful option. “Magnesium, known as Nature’s relaxer, can be found in leafy greens, nuts and seeds, but taking a supplement would be beneficial,” says Vivienne. “Saffron is another great supplement to take if you are suffering with PMS with low mood. Taking 30mg for over three months has been shown to improve symptoms significantly.”

She continues: “Support your liver and detoxification by including turmeric, green tea, broccoli sprouts and milk thistle into your diet. Stay hydrated with clean, filtered water to support your body and flush out toxins. Be mindful of stressful situations and include some breathwork or mindfulness into your day. Try something new like Pilates or weights to manage stress.” She also recommends the supplement L-theanine as well as herbs like ashwagandha and holy basil to help with stress.

Navigating the menopause naturally
“Menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycle,” says Liz O’Byrne. “It is ‘diagnosed’ once your body has not had a menstrual cycle for 12 months and occurs in your 40s or 50s. It is a completely natural biological process. Perimenopause refers to the time during which your body makes the transition to menopause. On average perimenopause can last three to four years. Some women can experience physical symptoms such as hot flushes (that can make you dizzy), difficulty sleeping (therefore poor energy levels) and sometimes mood changes.

As well as following a healthy, balanced diet and taking regular exercise, there are some herbs that are known to help alleviate the symptoms that come with menopause. Black cohosh can help with hot flushes. Valerian or chamomile might help with sleep issues. Ginseng is known for its mood-boosting qualities and may help improve quality of life during this time. Evening primrose oil is well known for its role in balancing female hormones and helping alleviate symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes. Red clover contains isoflavones that are “oestrogen mimickers” and can help ease symptoms as oestrogen levels go down. These are just a few of the herbs that may help. A nice blend of multiple herbs aimed at menopausal women would be a great option.”

Overall, Liz recommends taking a “multi-faceted approach” to managing menopause symptoms. She advises managing your stress levels, not smoking, getting a good night’s sleep and taking regular exercise such as cardio and resistance training. Combine this with a healthy diet containing adequate amounts of good quality protein, a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables and healthful fats (particularly omega-3 fatty acids). Liz adds: “Speak to your healthcare professional if symptoms persist.”