Enhance Mood, Fight Stress: 7 Natural Ways to Balance the Body

Hormones regulate everything from your fertility to your organ functions. They are chemical messengers responsible for all sorts of bodily operations. When your hormones are out of whack, you feel it everywhere from your head to your toes. But rather than running to the doctor for prescription solutions, why not try other more natural alternatives to regulate your hormones?

Your hormones are regulated and manufactured in your endocrine glands: the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, adrenal, thymus, pancreas, and reproductive organs. They are powerful little compounds that can cause major changes with just small fluctuations.

Signs of a hormonal imbalance are many, but most often include: fatigue, menstrual irregularities, mood swings, depression and anxiety, changes in sex drive, foggy brain, memory problems, weight gain or loss,  and insomnia.

While hormone-regulating medications may help in some respect, they aren’t always the best solutions. Many medications come with various side effects and could cost a pretty penny.

Naturally Balancing Hormones

Because the natural solutions below have virtually no negative side effects, trying them could provide relief even before a formal diagnosis is sought.

• 1. Avoid processed “white” foods. Commit to 30 days without processed carbohydrates, alcohol, flour, and sugar and see how you feel. In Dr. Christiane Northrup’s Hormone-Balancing Food Plan she asks patients to eliminate refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white rice, bread, alcohol, and foods made with white flour, such as muffins, bagels, pasta, pretzels and other snack foods.

• 2. Add omega-3 fats. The best sources of omega 3 fatty acids are natural food sources. Incorporate fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia into your diet.

• 3. Get plenty of sleep. Your endocrine system depends on you to get plenty of rest for it to operate optimally. Regulating your sleep patterns each night can provide numerous benefits.

• 4. Avoid soy products. Soy is a known hormone disruptor and until you know exactly what’s causing your possible imbalance, soy could make things worse. Additionally, soy is almost always genetically modified, which could cause a whole host of other issues, including infertility.

• 5. Manage stress. Stress causes your body to undergo all sorts of changes—including hormonal. Meditate, get exercise, and sleep at least 7 hours each night to help reduce and manage stress levels. Here are 5 easy ways to stress-proof your diet.

• 6. Eat healthful fats. Cholesterol and fat are necessary nutrients that help the formation of cells and the production of hormones.

• 7. Reconsider synthetic hormones like those found in birth control pills. Many women report lasting hormonal problems after taking birth control pills, some of which are never reversed once the pills are stopped. Consider another form of birth control if you’re experiencing such negative side effects.

Hormone health is indicative of whole body health. Get regular exercise, eat health, sleep well, and meditate regularly. While common sense, these simple steps alone are often enough to regulate hormone imbalances.