I’m frequently asked advice by friends and family who are feeling run down, anxious, depressed, putting on weight, suffering from PMS/menopause, on how eating better can alleviate their symptoms.
Here are some of the finest foods that can help balance our hormones and improve the way we feel.
The foods we choose to eat directly, and almost immediately, affect our biochemistry and therefore our hormonal balance. This is because food is more than simply calories. It is information that has the ability to influence how we function, feel, look and even think!
It’s amazing that the nutrients we eat have the capability of sending messages to our cells and hormones, which in turn tell our body to burn or store fat, to increase or decrease energy levels, to alter our mood and even to affect our brain functions.
So, what is the best way to provide the body with all the nutrients it needs?
GET REAL!
It all starts with ditching processed foods and choosing real foods. Processed foods are loaded with sugar, salt, trans fats and chemicals, all of which will stress your body and its digestion and cause havoc with your hormones.
Choose REAL foods:
- Organic meat and eggs
- Wild fish (predominately oily fish)
- Full fat, organic dairy
- Vegetables (aim for 5 portions a day)
- Some fruit (aim for 2 portions a day)
- Whole grains (gluten free if you’re sensitive)
- Nuts & seeds
- Pulses, legumes, beans (soak if you’re sensitive)
- Healthy fats and oils (cold pressed coconut oil, virgin olive oil, grass fed butter, lard, goose/duck fat for cooking; plant and seeds oils for dressings)
Convenience is crucial in today’s busy world, so certain processed foods like coconut water, nut milks, pre-cooked beans, brown rice and quinoa are fine to incorporate into your meals.
If you want to learn more about how to incorporate simple, nourishing, hormone-balancing meals into your diet, email me on nutrition@sarahchesler.com or give me a call on 07860 472261.
