Our hormones are responsible for a huge amount of what goes on in the body. “Chemical messengers, which travel around the body telling our tissues and cells what to do, they regulate pretty much every aspect of our physical and mental wellbeing,” explains Jessica Shand, nutritionist and author of The Hormone Balance Handbook. “Prioritising our hormonal health is not just important, it’s crucial to our overall health.”
With the aim of making hormone health easier to understand, Shand’s new book offers practical methods – including lifestyle habits and delicious, simple recipes – that can be easily integrated into daily life.
“This is the book I wish I had had to guide me through my own hormonal imbalances,” she tells me of why she wrote the book. “So when I had PCOS and didn’t know how to support or heal my body; when I had debilitating anxiety; and when we were trying (and struggling) to conceive. The cure is often in the kitchen, so it’s also something I wanted to write for my clients in clinical practice to help guide them.”
What is hormone imbalance? And what are the symptoms?
Since our hormones play a bigger role than many of us really realise, it pays to understand that the degree to which they peak and drop is significant to how your body responds to things. “This rise and fall massively impacts your emotions, fertility, appetite, weight, libido and mental health,” explains Shand. “Most of us are aware of their role in sex and menstruation, but they also have the power to impact gut health and digestion, liver detox, how your hair grows, how clear your skin looks, and how anxious you feel too.”
A hormone imbalance simply means having either too much or little of a hormone. Our bodies seek homeostasis, keeping everything in a delicate balance, but sometimes – says Shand – a small imbalance left over time can cause issues. “Our hormone balance is directly influenced by the food we eat, exercise we do (or don’t) do, how much restorative sleep we get, our stress levels and our environmental toxin exposure.” This means that if you’re not addressing fundamental areas of your lifestyle, that balance can get out of whack, potentially causing issues such as irregular periods, PCOS, thyroid disorders, acne and chronic fatigue, weight issues, fertility challenges, endometriosis and PMDD.
Shand uses the metaphor of an “internal orchestra”. “I love the idea of our hormones (AKA our endocrine system, which is a complex network of glands and organs that use hormones to control and coordinate our bodily functions) being like an orchestra playing a symphony,” she says. “When each instrument plays in tune, the result is beautiful music, but when it’s out, chaos ensues.” It’s the same for our hormones – when one falls out of balance, it has a knock-on effect on the others.
5 steps to address hormone imbalance
While her book is a great way to understand your hormones in greater depth, Shand shares five steps she recommends if you suspect you have a hormone imbalance. It is, it’s worth noting, also always best to visit a doctor or health professional too.
“A life audit consists of taking a seven-day food and symptom diary, and noting down everything you eat, including timings, where you are in your cycle, and documenting every symptom that comes up for you. This insight and active reflection is invaluable as it will give you clarity on your current health and where you need to make changes.”
“This will help you really listen to what your body is trying to communicate with you and goes hand in hand with the life audit task. Tune in before, during and after your meal, asking yourself how your food looks and smells. Chew your food slowly, and recognise and honour the sensation of fullness. This practice will help you determine how the food you just ate made you feel and will give you valuable feedback on the types of foods and timing of meals that serve your body. As a result, you’ll move forward on your health journey.”
“To increase your nutrient profile. See your mealtimes as three key opportunities to support your hormones. Now you know what normal is, it’s time to make some intentional and targeted changes to how you are nourishing and fuelling your body. I like to write myself a daily plan of action – commit to eating three high protein and fibre meals each day, using the recipes and meal plan in my book to work on the body’s key systems, including gut, liver and neuroendocrine system.”
“Seed cycling is a naturopathic practice that involves eating and rotating specific seeds during the follicular and luteal phases of your menstrual cycle – it helps promote the optimal balance of oestrogen and progesterone, two of your primary sex hormones. It’s a great practice if your hormones are out of balance, you are peri- or post-menopausal, your cycle is irregular, heavy or light, or you want to optimise your fertility or improve PMS. As general guidance, consume one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds from days one to 15 of your cycle, then switch to one tablespoon of sesame seeds, and one tablespoon of sunflower seeds on days 16-28.”
“This will help promote internal balance, while ensuring you get enough restorative sleep and appropriate light exposure. Sleep is vital because it’s during our slumber when the body does its healing work, which is essential for hormone production and regulation. Get enough sunlight exposure in the morning by exposing your eyes (without sunglasses) to the natural light outside – this helps reset your internal body clock to support the sleep-wake cycle and boost the body’s production of the mood-boosting hormone, serotonin. It’s like nature’s coffee.”
