Nutrition + Diet for Women’s Hormone Balance, Fertility + Postpartum
Hormones are susceptible to being thrown off balance by many modern day sources:
Produce grown with fertilizers.
Meat with growth hormones.
Too much dairy.
Skin, beauty, self care + cleaning products with fragrance + other chemical hormone disruptors.
Stress
Toxic relationships.
Lack of sleep.
Too much sugar.
The lack of magnesium in the soil our food grows in.
When it comes to our nutrition, we can be mindful of a healthy diet, in general, but also particularly in relation to our hormone levels, especially as women. While doctors’ advice can always be helpful and we don’t undermine what modern and western science can offer when needed, it is good to be educated as a patient so that we know where we can choose to change things in our diet and lifestyle. Piece of always applicable life advice - diet and lifestyle changes [direction of change is situational] always help!
We chat with Carlyn Rosenblum MS, RD, founder of MTHR Nutrition. Carlyn helps women feel in sync with their body and help their body get into sync through consulting on what healthy means to YOU. mentally, physically, the changes that need to made or tweaks that need to be done in order to have a great hormonal, fertility, pregnancy, and/or postpartum journey.
Balancing Out Your Hormones
how does food + nutrition affect our hormones?
Food can impact your hormones in a variety of different ways.
““Certain foods can help to restore balance while others can completely destroy it. “”
inflammation + blood sugar spikes
Things like dairy, alcohol, caffeine and sugar can contribute to hormonal imbalance either by increasing inflammation [i.e. stress] to the body or by causing spikes in blood sugar. This creates a domino effect where chronically high blood sugar triggers higher insulin and subsequently higher androgen levels.
Additionally, non-organic foods often contain endocrine disrupting chemicals and artificial hormones that can negatively impact your own hormonal balance. However, certain foods like fat, antioxidants and fiber can really help to support hormonal balance.
fat, fiber + antioxidants
Fat is essential for hormone production and balance. Typically I recommend a diet high in healthy fats like omega-3s and monounsaturated fats for those that are suffering from hormonal imbalance. Fiber is also essential because not only does it help to bind to toxins and excess hormones for excretion, but it also helps to promote a healthy gut [which we are now learning plays a role in every aspect of our health including our hormones].
Antioxidants help to fight stress and inflammation to the body, which supports cortisol (stress hormone) reduction, and in turn reduces estrogen dominance.
“Hot Tip: You can tell if the produce is organic or not by looking at the PLU # on the stickers. Anything beginning with a 9 is organic, with a 4 is conventional””
Aristos Note: While eating organic and local is HIGHLY encouraged, if it is more expensive focus on the Clean 15 and Dirty 12 by EWG that updates their list every year, wash your produce, eat seasonally and definitely look out for any produce, even if non organic, that is NON-GMO!
what are good foods to focus on to balance out hormones - Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not?
Wild Salmon
High in omega-3s which are healthy fats needed for hormone production + anti-inflammatory compounds which reduce stress.
Avocado
High in monounsaturated fat + fiber, helps to balance blood sugar, promote hormone production.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Kale, broccoli, cauliflower etc.
Contains fiber + anti-oxidants, which promotes cortisol reduction + helps to eliminate excess hormones.
Flaxseeds
Rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats + contain phytoestrogens, which mimic estrogen, binding to our estrogen receptors, increasing excretion of excess estrogen.
Sweet Potatoes
Contain fiber, antioxidant (betacarotene) + B6 which helps to support liver detoxification + elimination of excess hormones/toxins.
Lentils
Great sources of plant based protein + fiber (good option to help reduce red/processed meat consumption).
Spirulina
Complete plant based protein + antioxidant to support detoxification + stress reduction.
Foods to focus on for high/low estrogen levels
Definitely focus on adding healthy fats like Omega-3s/Monounsaturated fats to your diet to help support proper hormone balance.
Foods to focus on for high/low progesterone levels
Certain foods can help to support progesterone production by reducing estrogen (walnuts, cabbage, shellfish) or stimulating progesterone production (beans, sesame, broccoli, pumpkin, kale, spinach).
Aristos Note: Focusing on a Mediterranean Diet-like lifestyle with healthy nuts, seeds, wild seafood, mostly plants and healthy fats, whole grains, beans and lentils full of fibre + some clean animal protein through the week seems to be the best way to maintain most health problems, with a special focus on Omega 3s + Fibre for balancing out hormones.
its commonly heard that most women, trying or not, should be on a prenatal? Do all women be on a prenatal?
Yes! I recommend most women of child bearing age take a prenatal or women's MVI that contains methylated folate, Vitamin D, magnesium, iron, etc.
Nutrition While on Your Period
Should you eat differently when you are mensturating?
Yes typically during menstruation your body needs high quality nutrients.
High quality Omega-3s like:
Wild salmon
Walnuts
Chia seeds, +
Magnesium rich foods like:
Beans
Spinach
Almonds help to reduce period pain.
I also recommend seaweed to help remineralize the body.
Should you eat specifically for every phase of your cycle? How different is it to a TYPICAL day of food?
Your body definitely requires different nutrients at different times; however, keeping it all together can be difficult. I typically recommend by starting to track your cycle so you have a clear idea of when each phase starts/ends. As a general rule of thumb eating mostly a healthy diet and reducing foods that are known to cause hormonal havoc (coffee, sugar, alcohol, dairy) is a good place to start.
““As a general rule of thumb eating mostly a healthy diet and reducing foods that are known to cause hormonal havoc (coffee, sugar, alcohol, dairy) is a good place to start. “”
Trying to Get Pregnant
If someone’s trying to get pregnant, how do they support this journey with food?
Healthy fats (omega-3s like salmon and monounsaturated fats like avocado)
Eggs (with the yolk!) which contain choline
Folate rich greens
Kale, Spinach. Broccoli, Brussel sprouts)
Buckwheat which contains inositol.
Avoid hormone imbalancing foods.
IF YOU ARE DOING IVF WOULD THE NUTRITION ADVICE BE DIFFERENT TO THE ABOVE?
No because we are still focused on creating a healthy reproductive environment.
What foods generally hinder balancing of hormones, fertility and/or post partum recovery?
Dairy
Excessive coffee consumption.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Excessive sugar consumption.
Processed vegetable oils (canola, grape-seed, vegetable, soy).
Processed junk foods.
"Fat-free" foods, artificial sweeteners.
Post Partum
new mom: good foods to focus on w/ a busy + new schedule:
Postpartum is really a period of recovery. Many women are so focused on quickly returning to their pre-pregnancy body that they do not allow time to properly heal.
Typically I have my clients focus on incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet to help support the healing process. This involves lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, nourishing fiber rich grains and starches and high quality proteins. I also incorporate natural stress reducing compounds like magnesium rich nuts/seeds, blood sugar balancing cinnamon and anti-inflammatory rich garlic.
Can what you eat affect post partum depression (increase/decrease the chances of it acting up?
I think PPD is definitely a multifaceted issue. However, nutrient depletion is common in pregnancy/postpartum and in some individuals can have an impact on their mental health.
I always recommend that all my new moms get tested for nutrient deficiencies.
Some of the following nutrient deficiencies may be connected to PPD:
Trace Minerals, such as Selenium, Zinc, and Iron, Vitamin D, B-Vitamins, and
Essential fatty-acids, including the Omega-3s EPA/DHA.
Breastfeeding: specific nutrition?
There are lots of myths surrounding brestfeeding nutrition, honestly there are no foods according to research that will increase your milk supply. I typically recommend a varied, balanced diet with lots of nutrient rich foods to help energize the new mom and support healing.
Hormones + Balance Are More Than Just Nutrition
at aristos we BELIEVE in the integration + balance of all aspects, what other factors can we give light to in regards to hormones:
It is a common that people assume their fertility is solely the result of the health of their reproductive organs and egg quality. In reality, our fertility health and hormonal health does not exist in a vacuum. It involves not just our physical health but our mental, emotional and spiritual health as well. If one area is not functioning properly it will impact the other areas as well.
When to expect seeing Change?
I think it is important to know that these changes take time. Our egg maturation process is 90 days so it takes approximately the same time to see real change in the body.
