Ever wonder what the best ways to support hormone health are? It’s actually pretty simple, but it can get complicated when you factor in your personal lifestyle, job, how busy you are and your personal preferences. To get you started on your hormone health journey, and kick off the season of giving, my gift to you is a list of my top 10 ways to nourish your hormones.

• Eat adequate protein – especially complete proteins like eggs and soy. This likely means you include protein in every meal and some snacks. That way you have the building blocks for creating hormones in your body.

• Limit stress – This can mean both emotional and physical stress. It may also mean taking up a mindfulness practice. That way you limit inflammation and cortisol, which can get hormones out of balance.

• Eat anti-inflammatory foods – This includes veggies, berries, plant protein, ginger, turmeric, garlic and leafy greens. Again, this fights against inflammation.

• Emphasize whole grains over refined grains – Switch out white bread, white rice and noodles for whole grain versions, quinoa, farro, oats, barley and other whole grains. They have the protein, fat and fiber needed to support blood sugar levels and ultimately hormone health.

• Balance carbs with protein, fat and fiber – This also helps you keep your blood sugar in check over time. It just means that rather than eating a giant bowl of noodles, you add in a protein and veggies and some fat like butter or olive oil.

• Move your body regularly – There are so many ways exercise is wonderful for your body, including that it can help when hormones are out of whack. Be sure to get a combination of cardio and strength training to truly support hormone health.

• Eat healthy fats regularly – In addition to the proteins that make up some of your hormones, you need fat to support neurotransmitters and lower inflammation. This means incorporating things like olive oil, nuts, seeds, coconut and avocado into your daily routine.

• Limit highly processed foods – This doesn’t mean you never stop off at In N’ Out or your favorite fast food outpost, but it means you don’t do this every day, and highly processed foods with unrecognizable ingredients don’t make up the majority of your diet, limiting inflammation and other chemicals that might mess with your hormones.

• Hydrate adequately – Whether water, infused water, bubbly water, coconut water or watery foods like grapes and watermelon whet your whistle, be sure to hydrate throughout the day. This ensures your hormones aren’t trying to compensate for dehydration.

• Get those zzzs – Sleep is like a washing machine for your brain! It’s important for those neurotransmitters and hormone receptors that you get rest every night ~7-9 hrs.

Questions? Give me a shout out in the comments, and book a free 15 minute nutrition chat if you want to talk about how we can apply these recommendations to your life here.