Do you struggle with losing weight, or low energy, directly because of hormonal imbalance.
Hormones play a far greater role in whether your body STORES FAT or BURNS FAT, whether you have great energy or feel tired and blah – than your calorie intake or amount of cardio do you do. Hormones actually play a pivotal role in every function of the body.
Estrogen,
Progesterone,
Thyroid,
Insulin,
Cortisol,
Leptin,
Testosterone,
the list goes on.
The hard reality is that if your hormones are out of whack NO amount of dieting, fasting, cardio or fancy supplements will make a difference.
COMMON SIGNS OF HORMONAL IMBALANCE
- Difficulty losing body fat;
- Weight gain occurs easily;
- Craving sweet food;
- Bloated and puffy;
- Tired even after waking up;
- Moody, feeling low or easily frustrated?
- PMS symptoms
- Irregular menstruation (heavy, painful etc)
- Cellulite;
- Sleep issue;
- Low blood sugar or energy crashes
- Fatigue
- Low motivation / inspiration
- Poor digestion
Diet is the most powerful controller of our physiology and hormones.
Food is one of the most powerful remedies and influences our entire hormonal system.
If you want the work done for you Ive created a series of hormonally balancing meal plan programs
https://www.prometaboliclife.com/8-week-hormone-balancing-meal-plan/
If your struggling with weight loss due to a slow metabolism or unbalanced estrogen / progesterone / testosterone, start with nourishing your liver, consuming foods that increase thyroid hormone conversion and avoiding foods that suppress it.
Without a HEALTHY LIVER, the odds of restoring thyroid function are nil and your bodies ability to eliminate excess Estrogen is greatly compromised. Without adequate rest and recovery Cortisol and Adrenalin stay elevated significantly compromising any fat loss attempts at all. And Pro-Metabolic nutrition is the most effective and healthy way to increase thyroid hormone conversion to improve metabolic rate – which impacts your entire hormonal system.
20 of THE MOST EFFECTIVE HORMONALLY BALANCING SOLUTIONS
1 AVOID EXCESSIVE CARDIO
as it will increase cortisol, increase estrogen and downregulate thyroid (slows fat burning). It immediately increases estrogen production “Endotoxin (like intense physical activity) causes the estrogen concentration of the blood to rise.” – Dr Ray Peat. Focus on weight training and minimise long duration, exhausting cardio sessions.
2. AVOID OR LIMIT ALCOHOL
Alcohol raises cortisol and temporary reduces thyroid (slowing fat burning). Alcohol also adds a load to your liver for detoxifying which increases estrogen in both men and women. Even moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to increase estrogen levels and reduce progesterone. https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/35/5/417/206575
3. SALT your food.
Sodium stimulates energy metabolism, its thermogenic, increases heat production, works as a diuretic, decreases inflammation, and maladaptive stress reactions. I use plain white non iodised sea salt.
4. REDUCE MUSCLE MEAT.
(chicken breast, steak) – muscle protein is very rich in the amino acids tryptophan and cysteine which SUPPRESS the thyroid glands function – which will impair metabolism and fat burning. Consume protein from other sources (dairy, eggs, shellfish) or supplement with gelatin and bone broth (a more anti-inflammatory and thyroid stimulating amino acid profile) when eating chicken breast or steak
5. EAT QUALITY PROTEIN
Studies have shown that when at least 30% of your daily diet is from quality protein you have greater hormonal balance, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced markers of inflammation. I eat seafood (prawns) and free range eggs every day, and make sure my beef is from grass fed sources. As always be aware of added hormones to meat, grain fed beef, cage chickens and eggs. The additional hormones these animals eat or have had injected into them we consume, contributing to our hormonal balance.
6. EAT CARBS –
particularly simple sugars. Low carb diets result in low blood sugar and this is analogous to stress (cortisol – the cannibalising of protein in muscle tissue). Any decrease in blood sugar results in the releases of adrenalin and cortisol which increases fat storage. Carbohydrates are the bodies main source of fuel and glucose is necessary for the conversion of T4 to T3 (thyroid hormones) in the liver. Acutally it is the amount of glucose present in the liver which determines how much T4 to T3 is converted. By including sugars (I prefer natural ripe fruits, juices and honey) you will keep your metabolism stimulated, upregulated and optimise fat burning. I include a simple sugar with every meal for optimal thyroid regulation.
7. GET BETTER SLEEP AND MORE REST.
Poor quality sleep keeps your cortisol high and thyroid low. I consider the ability to get quality, quantity, restorative, and undisturbed sleep integral to increase metabolism, get lean and live a hormonally balanced, healthy life.
If you want to heal your body, improve metabolic rate and make fat loss easier and effortless, then TREAT THIS SERIOUSLY.
Most occasions insomnia is often simply about stress hormones being too high at night (cortisol, adrenaline, parathyroid).
“in energy deprived humans, increases in adrenalin OPPOSE the hibernation reaction, alter energy production, the ability to relax, to sleep deeply and with restorative effect” – Dr. Ray Peat.
8. BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
by eating protein/fats/carbs TOGETHER during each meal, and eating frequently throughout the day to help stabilize blood sugar. This will keep insulin stable and prevent cortisol from rising or falling.
9. INCREASE YOUR MAGNESIUM LEVELS.
You can do this with Epsom salt baths. For baths use 1 cup of Epsom salts (magnesium), and soak for about 12 minutes a few times a week prior to bed
10. RAW CARROT SALAD DAILY –
this can help the colon absorb endotoxin and estrogen for excretion. Ray Peat’s carrot salad is a daily favourite for reducing excessive endotoxins. Daily carrot salad (grated carrot with coconut oil, sea salt and vinegar) or bamboo shoots help bind to unused estrogens and flush them out. The carrot fiber has both a bowel protective and an antiestrogenic effect. In studies, several women who suffered from PMS, had their serum estrogen measured before and after eating carrot salad and they found that the carrot lowered their estrogen within a few days, and it relieved their symptoms
11. EASY TO DIGEST FOOD –
to reduce endoxtins (that cause excess estrogen) that can back up the liver (especially important for those with digestive issues). This means more simple sugars (ripe fruits and honey), well cooked root vegetables and tubers, and dairy products (if tolerated)
12. REDUCE STRESS –
This is the biggie, whatever they are, however possible. Ensuring you have down time will allow your adrenal glands to settle so they can produce more progesterone and less cortisol
13. GET ADEQUATE SUNLIGHT –
Vit D on our skin helps the synthesis of sex hormones and reduces excess estrogen
14. REDUCE CHEMICALS IN YOUR SKIN CARE AND CLEANING PRODUCTS.
Avoid xenostrogens wherever possible – check out the ingredients in your skincare products and household cleaning products – focus on more organic, or natural foods in our diet
15. INCREASE CALCIUM.
either from dairy products or calcium eggshell powder to reduce parathyroid stress hormone and to increase metabolism and fat burning
16. ADD GELATIN
Glycine in gelatin has an inhibitory effect on estrogen’s action and can help offset excess estrogen. Gelatin (hydrolyzed collagen powder) is used as it supports progesterone production, which opposes excess estrogen. I add a tablespoon to my morning coffee and in my OJ.
17. EAT ENOUGH SATURATED FAT.
Quality Fat is essential for hormonal balance Saturated fat is the backbone of sex hormone production. Testosterone levels in men actually drop after a low fat meal. Adequate saturated fat helps men to produce more testosterone and women more progesterone
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6538617/
Coconut oil is a tremendous source of healthy, pro-metabolic fat – it does not raise blood sugar levels, it does not circulate in the blood stream (which can lead to fat storage) rather is used up as an energy source. Coconut oil heals metabolic disorders and is considered a thermogenic.
Butter and ghee from organic sources support metabolism, digestion, immunity, thyroid function and gut health.
18. AVOID PUFA’S
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (vegetable and seed oils, oily fish, nuts, seed) disrupt hormonal balance, depress thyroid function and lowers metabolic rate. These oils are usually derived from genetically modified seeds and are highly processed and refined
“the estrogen promoting actions of soy oil apply to all the commonly used polyunsaturated fatty acids. The same fatty acids that suppress thyroid function, have estrogenic effects” – Dr Ray Peat. Natural Estrogens
19. VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTATION
Studies have shown that Estrogen can reduce by up to 55% after 10 weeks of Vat E supplementation
20. STOP LOW CALORIE DIETING OR FASTING
Not eating enough food is the greatest way to downregulate metabolism. Our bodies and minds need vitamins and minerals, nourishing food otherwise we start to slow down our non essential bodily systems
PRO-METABOLIC NUTRITION
A Pro-Metabolic diet is the number one strategy to balance testosterone, ESTROGEN and progesterone levels, to reduce cortisol and to increase THYROID hormone conversion.
If you need help putting all these strategies together, check out my Pro-Metabolic meal plan programs.
I have done the work for you and created these meal plans with all Pro-Metabolic food choices and the unique food combinations that reduce estrogen and increase thyroid hormone conversion.
https://www.prometaboliclife.com/meal-plans/
Fat burning favours a fast metabolism. As metabolism and thyroid increases cortisol and estrogen will decreases. Each meal is a balanced meal of protein, fats and carbs ensuring even blood sugar and insulin levels. There can be a hard way and an easy way to diet as food choices and combinations will either work for you or against you.
https://www.prometaboliclife.com/12-week-metabolic-thrive-meal-plan/
I have created these meal plans in several calorie ranges because no two bodies are alike – each week there is an entirely different menu. The food is based upon the research of Dr Ray Peat an endocrinologist who has studied the impact nutrition and lifestyle factors have upon metabolism, cellular respiration, hormonal balance, thyroid, estrogen and health.
It is becoming more evident through both my research and experience of the importance and necessity of balancing hormones and improving thyroid functioning to achieve a healthier and leaner body. I encourage you to browse the articles Ive written on my blog page for more useful information on how you can do this.
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