5 lifestyle choices that affect your hormones

They’re pretty much running the show when it comes to your daily life. This includes your fertility, energy, sleep, metabolism and mood…just to name a few.

But, you actually have a lot more control over your hormones than you know!

As women, we’ve been told the story that being ‘hormonal’ is normal and that having women’s health issues is just “how it is”. Well excusez-moi! This is totally NOT just ‘how it is’!!

Today, let’s take a look at 5 lifestyle factors that you can focus on to help balance your hormones.

1. What you eat affects your hormones

What you put onto your plate is so important. It literally provides the building blocks for your whole body! Your sex hormones are made from fat and we get that from the food we eat.

Your menstrual cycle also relies on micronutrients, which we get from food. And further to that, if your diet is full of inflammatory foods like sugar, preservatives and gluten, then your whole body has to try and cope with that.

To put it simply, your body cannot thrive if you’re not eating a healthy diet.

2. What stress does to your hormonal balance

Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are all made from the same building blocks as your stress hormones. But your stress hormones will always get priority because your brain sees them as vital for survival…whereas making a baby isn’t, so your menstrual cycle gets pushed to the bottom of the hormone list.

Further to that, stress puts a lot of strain on your adrenal glands (these are responsible for making your stress hormones) and over time, they can literally become fatigued.

Adrenal fatigue makes you more susceptible to inflammation which is linked to period pain, PMS, endometriosis and infertility.

3. Why you can’t ignore chemicals when looking at hormonal health

Have you ever considered the impact of the chemicals and toxins in your skincare, makeup and cleaning products?

Your liver has to work hard to process and remove chemicals from your body. If you’re adding to your livers load by using products that contain parabens, phthalates, fragrances and other chemicals, then this means your liver doesn’t have as much time and resources to eliminate excess estrogen.

Excess estrogen is one of the most common hormonal imbalances I see in my clients. Unfortunately, some common chemicals used in personal care products also act as estrogens in the body, making hormonal imbalances even worse.

Apart from the extra liver load, chemicals used in our beauty and cleaning products have been linked to the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells, fertility issues and mood changes.

But I think the real concern is the lack of regulation and safety testing for the chemicals used in our personal care and cleaning products.

4. How exercise affects your hormone balance

Regular exercise comes with heaps of benefits! Increased energy, stronger bones, better moods, increased fertility and a reduced risk of chronic disease.

But, what often gets overlooked is the importance of exercising with your female hormones in mind. Chronic exercise is now known to alter the menstrual cycle and in some cases it can lead to a condition called amenorrhea (no period).

This post explains how to exercise with the phases of your menstrual cycle.

5. How your sleep impacts your hormones

Lack of good quality sleep affects your body’s ability to regulate your stress hormones. And as you read above, more stress hormones means less building blocks for your sex hormones.

Women who don’t get enough sleep also have lower libidos and less interest in sex. It also leads to feelings of depression and weight issues.

A simple guide for building a hormone-supporting lifestyle

Choose nutrient-dense foods and focus on keeping your blood sugar levels stable. Ensure you eat plenty of healthy fats, daily carbohydrates and lots of vegetables. If you want to know what to eat during each phase of your cycle, click here.
Manage your stress. Here’s a guide to help with stress relief.
As your personal care products run out, switch to cleaner alternatives to reduce your bodies chemical load. One of my favourite clean skincare brands is offering 20% off to all RachCondon.com readers. Visit their site here and use code RACH20.
Sync your exercise with your menstrual cycle. Learn how to do it here.
Prioritise your sleep and aim for a minimum of 7 hours each night. Sleep more during illness, times of high stress and when you have your period.

If you’re struggling with period problems or hormonal issues, remember just how much power you have over your health!

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the changes you may need to make, just pick one of the 5 lifestyle area’s above and totally master it! Then, move onto the next. One foot in front of the other 🧡

If you want one on one help, click here.

Big love, Rach

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