Here’s How to Balance Your Hormones: A Protocol By Dr. Sara Gottfried

Having worked with many clients in their 40s and beyond, I often hear things like, “I just can’t lose the extra 10 pounds” or “I just don’t feel myself, no matter what I do.” Dr. Sara Gottfried, physician and author of the new book, “Women Food and Hormones,” is on a mission to denormalize hormone imbalances and the symptoms that accompany them. Women who are between the ages of 35 and 60 have been suffering unnecessarily from hormone imbalances for way too long, according to Dr. Gottfried. Unfortunately, many physicians have not been properly trained how to address these issues at their root cause and have instead been taught to over-prescribe birth control or hormone replacement therapy as the solution, she says. The full title of Dr. Gottfried’s book, “Women, Food and Hormones: A 4-Week Plan to Achieve Hormonal Balance, Lose Weight and Feel Like Yourself Again,” tells you a little more about her approach. In it, she outlines a step-by-step plan to help women rebalance their hormones and gain control over their energy, moods, weight, and health at large. Root Causes of Hormonal Imbalances In a recent podcast with Dr. Mark Hyman, the two physicians discuss the following root causes of these imbalances. Toxic stress: They highlight how toxic stress causes high or low cortisol and can throw your thyroid into hypo- or hyperactivity (meaning it’s either underactive or overactive). Reproductive years: The period from postpartum through perimenopause can cause estrogen and progesterone to fall out of the normal range. Insulin resistance due to a high-sugar and starchy diet can cause that unwanted weight gain in the abdominal area that so many women fight to lose. Endocrine disruptors: Environmental toxins in plastics, herbicides and pesticides act as endocrine disruptors. The hormones in dairy have also been linked to being a problem. All of these factors have a negative impact on our hormone’s ability to function properly. So what is the solution? Solving Hormonal Imbalances in Women Dr. Gottfried recommends a ketogenic diet, but tailored for women’s hormones by including carbohydrates from nutrient-dense foods, such as cruciferous veggies. Many women also lack adequate fat in their diet, and fat is the backbone of the sex hormones. She proposes specifically that for 4 weeks, women subscribe to a diet that consists of 60-70% fat, less than 25 grams of net carbohydrates, and 20% protein. There should be no feelings of hunger or deprivation on this diet as fat delays gastric emptying, enhancing feelings of satisfaction. While 25 grams of net carbs per day is definitely low, getting these carbs specifically from high-fiber, cruciferous veggies will keep you full while meeting your nutrient needs.. RELATED: How Many Carbs Are Really in Vegetables? Ketosis and Hormones This diet will allow your body to enter ketosis, using fat for energy rather than glucose. Besides helping hormones to thrive, nutritional ketosis has benefits of increased energy, brain clarity, better sleep, weight loss and reduced inflammation. Dr. Gottfried recognizes that this diet is not for everyone and may not be something that women can stick to forever. However, trying it for four weeks allows for metabolic flexibility-enabling your body to switch between using fat and glucose for energy based on what you are eating and the fuel provided. Strength Training As We Age Along with diet, strength training is highly encouraged to maintain and grow muscle mass as women age. Dr. Gottfried recommends two thirds of weekly exercise include strength training and one third cardio. Muscle mass is used as one of the most important markers for overall health and should not be overlooked. Bottom Line The unfortunate fact is that women are more vulnerable to hormone imbalances, and society has normalized the uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating symptoms that hormone imbalances cause. With Dr. Gottfried’s prescribed diet and lifestyle alterations, women no longer have to succumb to a passive approach to aging and can take control to live a stronger, healthier, more empowered life. (Image: Shutterstock)

What to Eat For Better Balanced Hormones

Hormone balance is a hot topic for women of all ages, and all life stages. Unbalanced hormones can leave you feeling sluggish, moody, stressed out, and just not yourself. Let’s explore why balancing your hormones is so important, and how you can do it with the help of food, starting today.  Why should you care about hormone balance? Our hormones make up our endocrine system, which is responsible for regulating just about every other system in the body. Cortisol is the hormone that regulates stress, serotonin regulates mood, insulin regulates blood sugar, ghrelin regulates hunger, leptin regulates satiety, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone regulate fertility and menstrual cycles—the list goes on and on! Our hormones even interact to regulate each other via a feedback system. For example, if we aren’t managing stress, we’re potentially affecting our fertility, menstrual cycle, blood sugar levels, appetite, and weight management. This is because chronically high cortisol levels, which are often the result of chronic stress, begin to impact levels of estrogen, insulin, ghrelin, and leptin, too. It’s all interconnected! Assuming you’d benefit from  increased energy levels, stress management, weight management, improved fertility, or an elevated mood, you should strive to keep your hormones balanced. One way to do this is to incorporate hormone-balancing foods into your diet. Foods to Incorporate for Balanced Hormones  Magnesium-rich Foods Magnesium plays many crucial roles in our bodies. It regulates progesterone and helps excrete estrogen, which affects fertility. It also regulates levels of these hormones throughout a woman’s cycle. The relationship between magnesium and sex hormones continues into menopause as well. It also fuels mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of our cells and where steroid hormones/sex hormones are produced. Magnesium also converts tryptophan to serotonin, playing a role in our mood. It aids in digestion and excretion of waste, too.  Magnesium sources include: dark leafy greens legumes avocado nuts/seeds You may also want to consider taking a magnesium supplement. There are many forms of magnesium and each has different uses. Determine which works best for your goals and use it consistently for best results.  Fiber-rich Carbs When fiber reaches the gut, it helps slow the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars), helping to keep blood glucose levels stable and avoiding big spikes and crashes. This helps improve insulin sensitivity, our hormone that regulates blood sugar and that interacts with ghrelin and leptin, the hormones responsible for regulating hunger and satiety.  Fiber-rich carb sources include: fruits and veggies starchy veggies like potatoes, carrots, and squash plant-based starchy foods like quinoa, whole grains, and legumes Prioritize these carb sources over quick-digesting refined carbs and sugars, such as products made with white flour, and products made with added sugars and sweeteners. Of course these indulgences can (and should) be consciously enjoyed on occasion! Sufficient High-Quality Protein The majority of hormones are made from protein and fats, so these key nutrients are necessary for all hormone production. Protein also helps keep us full, fuels our muscles, and repairs cells and DNA.  While protein needs vary from person to person and depend on lifestyle, general guidelines suggest that 0.4-0.8g of protein per pound of body weight satisfies minimal needs. For optimal health, however, you should strive for closer to 1g of protein per pound of ideal body weight, per day. And, of course, choose high-quality protein sources whenever possible. High-quality protein sources include: organic grass-fed meat pasture-raised chicken and eggs wild-caught fish organic, whole food sources of plant protein like quinoa, hemp, tempeh, and lentils Healthy Fats Since fats and protein are the main components necessary for hormone production, healthy fats are necessary for optimizing hormone levels. In addition, healthy fats increase leptin, the hormone that tells us we are satisfied and no longer hungry.  Healthy fat sources include:  avocado and avocado oil nuts hemp seeds tahini olive oil Foods Rich in Omega-3s As Americans, our average intake of omega-6 fatty acids (found in fried and packaged foods and industrial nut and seed oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil) to omega-3s (found in the sources listed below) is approximately 20:1. A high omega 6:3 ratio has been linked to inflammation and endocrine disruption, affecting how our body regulates our hormones.  The ideal ratio is closer to 4:1, or, even better, 1:1. In order to achieve this, we need to decrease consumption of foods high in omega 6s, and increase foods high in omega-3s. Keep in mind, omega-6 fatty acids can also be found in dressings, sauces, and condiments, so be sure to watch out for them, and focus on adding more sources of omega-3s to your diet. Foods high in beneficial omega-3s include: wild-caught salmon and cod anchovies and sardines chia seeds flax seeds walnuts seaweed Brussels sprouts Enriching your diet with fiber-rich carbs, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and foods packed with magnesium and omega-3s can have a profound effect on balancing your hormones. If you’re unable to eat these foods or are having trouble working them into your daily routine, consider working with a Nutrition Coach or Registered Dietitian to devise a plan. They can also help you decide if supplementation may be right for you.  If you’d like to take it a step further and learn more about improving your life—and the lives of others!—through food and lifestyle, why not become a Nutrition Coach yourself? Learn more about our exclusive certification program here. (Image: Unsplash)