By Mazino Malaka
1. Avoid under or overeating.
Eating too few or too many calories can lead to hormonal imbalances. Overeating has been shown to increase insulin levels and reduce insulin sensitivity. Underrating and radically reducing your caloric intake may result in you lacking vital nutrients your hormones need and increase stress within your body. Both of these practises lead to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol which can be detrimental to your mental and physical health.
2. Find practical ways to manage stress.
Stress causes a lot of torment on our hormones. Two hormones to protect from the effects of stress are adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is made in the adrenal glands and assists your body in managing stress. Adrenaline is the fight of flight hormone that gives our bodies a swift surge of energy when we are sudden danger. Everyone deals with some form of stress however when stress becomes chronic and ones cortisol levels and may ultimately lead to excessive calorie intake which disrupts your hormones. Try to spend 30 minutes daily practically eliminating stressors and engaging in activities than may help such as walks and journalling.
3. Eat less refined carbohydrates and sugar.
Telling most people to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars may be difficult however these foods are known to disrupt our hormones. Reducing your intake of these foods will reduce your insulin resistance, optimise your hormone function and ultimately help you avoid diseases such as diabetes. Prioritising whole foods and unrefined carbohydrates has been acknowledged as a driving force in reducing insulin levels and other insulin resistant conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
4. Prioritise good quality sleep.
Sleep should be consistent and of a high quality. This does not simply mean sleeping more hours but ensuring your body is in a state to enjoy good sleep. Research shows that better sleep leads to a decrease in insulin sensitivity. Where your sleep is restricted, it is likely that the hormone leptin will decrease and gherlin increase. With poor quality sleep also comes increased hunger and typically a craving for high calorie and high carb foods. Our bodies require good quality sleep to thrive. It is impossible to have the brain power needed daily without uninterrupted sleep. For optimal hormonal balance, we recommend you ai for at least 6-7 hours of good quality and interrupted sleep per night.
5. Eat more protein.
Protein gives our bodies the essential amino acids it needs to maintain bone, muscle and skin health and influences the release of leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that control our food intake and appetite. In order to optimise your hormonal health, we advise you eat a minimum of 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Eating more protein for many people results in an increase in metabolism and fat burning. Protein influences the production of hormones that suppress the appetite and help us stay fuller for longer which ultimately leads to less stress on our hormones.
Mazino Malaka is a lawyer and a holistic nutritionist based in Lagos Nigeria. She is the founder of Liberada Nutrition, a contemporary health house advancing nutrition across the African continent and beyond. She leads a team of dietitians, nutritionists and other wellness practitioners.
The Feminist Health CIC 