Good news … it’s not all doom and gloom!
We can actively take steps to improve our gut health and in turn improve our hormonal health!
Below are some helpful steps to start improving your
gut health and in turn, your hormonal health.
1. Limit highly processed foods from your diet. Foods that come in a package are often devoid of nutrients and fiber which help support a healthy gut microbiome. Foods high in refined sugars and refined flours and carbohydrates fall into this category. Removing gluten and dairy has also shown to improve inflammation in the gut and cut down on hormonal and gut issues in many people. Now, while we LOVE the 80/20 rule here at Level TEN and don't believe in restricting any foods or food groups, we know that in some cases, the elimination and re-introduction of certain foods can be helpful to ones health status.
2. Eat balanced meals. This means eating meals from whole food sources with a quality protein, nutrient dense veggies and carbohydrates and healthy fats. Eating balanced meals throughout the day will help keep blood sugar levels balanced which reduces inflammation and stress on the body. Not to mention eating a variety of vegetables and nutrient dense carbohydrates helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut which means improved digestion and hormonal balance.
3. Level up your fat sources. Start reading the ingredient labels on the foods you eat. Try to limit refined fats and oils. This includes oils such as partially hydrogenated oils, canola oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil or generic vegetable oils. Instead, try to swap those out for oils like coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, butter and ghee. You can also add in healthy fats from sources such as avocados, nuts, seeds and wild caught salmon. Do not fear fats! We need healthy fats for our hormonal health to function optimally!
4. Eat fermented foods. There is no doubt adding in more fermented foods from sources such as kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir can improve your gut microbiome from natural probiotics. Though, we may want to limit fermented sources such as yogurt and kombucha if/when their sugar content is a bit higher.
5. Swap some of your personal care and cleaning products. Personal care products and cleaning products are a huge source of endocrine disruptors in our daily lives. Your skin is the largest organ of your body! What goes on your skin, goes in your body.
*Check out EWG.org for ratings on your current products
and to help you find better options.
6. Limit your dependence on over the counter painkillers such as Tylenol and Advil, and even antibiotics. We're not saying you have to live in pain, but often the pain we are feeling, if chronic, are symptoms of dysfunction in the body. Work with someone to help find the root cause and find alternatives to pain management. Sometimes medications can be absolutely lifesaving and necessary but often, if we give our body a chance, it can work some things out on its own with proper nutrition and rest.
7. Manage your stress! This one is huge. Prioritize at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night. Do things that bring you joy weekly. Work to keep your focus on what you can control and let the things you can’t control go. Here at Level TEN we say “control your controllables”. Worrying about the un-controllables doesn’t change anything except your stress levels! Incorporate journaling and meditation into your daily routine.
8. Increase your intake of key micronutrients to help support healthy hormone metabolism and production.
- B12 and B6
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Soil based probiotics
