Natural Hormone Regulation
Hormones are chemical messengers in the body, sending signals to tissues and the bloodstream. They work slowly over time and affect most bodily processes. Hormones can be a factor in fitness success, and are impacted by diet and exercise, among other things.
Though not entirely to blame, hormone imbalances can be one factor that leaves your fitness progress stagnant. If you’re frustrated with the results you’re seeing, or lack thereof, learning how to support hormone health could assist in getting you back on the right track. I want to acknowledge that it isn’t always as simple as the things I’m about to outline, so if you think you could have something more serious going on, be sure to consult your physician.
The first thing I’ll mention is protein intake. The population as a whole vastly under-consumes protein as it pertains to supporting bodily processes and maintaining lean mass. Protein provides necessary amino acids that the body doesn’t produce on it’s own - these amino acids are essential for growth, energy, supporting a healthy metabolism, and controlling appetite and stress levels.
Next, making sure to move your body is a big piece of hormone regulation. Regular exercise enhances hormone receptor activity and sensitivity, which helps with delivering hormones to the proper area in the body. Along with this, do your best to maintain a healthy weight, as it will support healthy hormone function.
Pay attention to gut health. The gut is home to neurotransmitters and regulators. There are also metabolites in the gut that need to be maintained in order to help support hormone function.
Lower your sugar intake, or cut it out completely. The lower your sugar intake is, the less likely you are to develop insulin resistance, which messes with many bodily processes, including hormone regulation.
Keeping stress at a minimum will also help with hormone regulation. When the body is stressed, it secretes cortisol in response, which can lead to increased hunger and cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods. While necessary in actual fight or flight situations to stimulate a surge of energy, it is detrimental when it fires all the time.
Improve your sleep quality/quantity. Sleep also regulates the steroid hormone cortisol, and when sleep is inadequate, cortisol levels can be higher than ideal. When you are relaxed and sleep well, cortisol will reach its peak within 30 minutes of waking.
Increase your fiber intake in order to support a healthy gut microbiome, and thus support healthy insulin regulation, which will help keep hormone homeostasis in check.
Being sure to eat healthy fats will aid in controlling appetite, maintaining a productive metabolism, and provide feelings of fullness and satiety. Healthy fats are the building blocks for hormone production.
Trying these things may help you see improved results and performance if you’ve struggled in the past. If you’re just looking for ways to improve overall health and feel better, give this a shot and see if you notice a difference!