Harmful “healthy” products which can disrupt your hormonal balance

Hormone disruption is something that can affect your health and well-being in several ways. If you are experiencing an imbalance in your hormone production, you may have trouble sleeping, or you may be sleeping too much. Your mood can be affected, making you feel irritable, depressed, or anxious. Hormone disruption can also affect your weight, making it difficult to lose or gain weight, depending on the issues you’re experiencing. There are many products on the market today that are marketed as being “healthy.”. Unfortunately, they contain ingredients that can negatively affect your hormonal balance. Educating yourself on what you’re eating and how it affects your health is important so you can make better choices.

Soy Products

Soy products contain phytoestrogens, which can mimic the hormones that your body produces naturally. This can cause substantial symptoms if you’re consuming a lot of soy products. This is common with people who follow a vegan diet, as soy is a commonly used source of plant protein.

Low-fat and Fat-Free Dairy

Various hormones can be found in low-fat and dairy-free food products. This includes prolactin, insulin-like growth factor, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Not to mention, dairy products can cause inflammation in the body. This can also impact your body’s ability to keep your hormones balanced.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose have been studied quite thoroughly. Many studies have shown that these artificial sweeteners can interrupt normal endocrine function in the body. They can also affect your gut flora in a negative way, which can affect the production of hormones in the body.

Processed Vegetable Oils

Processed vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can be inflammatory. This can lead to hormone disruption, infertility issues, menstrual changes, and more.

Bottled Green Juices and Smoothies

You may think you’re making a healthy choice by grabbing a smoothie or juice off a store shelf. However, many of these drinks contain added sugars, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that can disrupt hormone production.

Gluten-Free Packaged Foods

Many people have switched to a gluten-free lifestyle after researching the benefits of this change. Gluten can be inflammatory and damage the gut flora. However, packaged gluten-free products may also be an issue. Highly processed and packaged products can be very high in bacteria and histamine, which can lead to hormone disruption.

Plastic-Packaging

Plastic packaging can leach chemicals into your food, which is then consumed. These chemicals can disrupt hormone production. They can also increase your risk of cancer, diabetes, and reproductive disorders.

Supporting Your Hormonal Health

There are several ways that you can support your hormone production. This includes lifestyle and dietary changes.

Consuming Whole, Nutrient-Dense Foods

By sticking to whole foods that are a single ingredient, you can pay close attention to what’s happening in your body. The goal should be to consume a rainbow of whole foods each day, coming from lean protein sources, fruits, and vegetables. Many fruits are high in vitamin C, which can support the production of estrogen and progesterone. You can source several of the B vitamins in green, leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and green beans. These B vitamins help support the adrenal glands and hormone production.

Choose High-Quality Supplements

If you choose to take a supplement, such as a multivitamin or herb, make sure you choose a product from a trusted company. Formulations should be organic, natural, and free of artificial ingredients.

Stay Hydrated

You should strive to consume half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For some people, this amount should be higher. Being dehydrated can impact your body’s ability to produce hormones. You may also experience symptoms like dry mouth and skin.

Regular Exercise

It’s important to move your body every day. You don’t have to participate in highly strenuous activity every single day but aim for at least 30 minutes of activity, whether it be swimming, yoga, walking, or biking. Regular exercise supports hormone production and helps the body regulate the production of cortisol.

Consider Medical Consultation

If you have been noticing symptoms of hormone imbalance, consult with an experienced and knowledgeable professional. Treatments can be beneficial for severe hormone imbalances, such as HGH deficiency. Genotropin, used under medical supervision, can restore optimal hormone levels in the body.

Several signs and symptoms can indicate you’re dealing with a hormone imbalance. Unfortunately, not all medical professionals are educated on this issue. Make sure that you find a professional who can help you diagnose and treat a hormone imbalance. This will help you feel more like yourself again while protecting the body from chronic health issues.