By Eden Susenguth
The complexity of the female body cannot be overstated. In the lifetime of a woman, there are a multitude of hormonal changes experienced. From entering puberty, beginning menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause, the female body is in a state of constant evolution undergoing physical, mental, and emotional changes based on aging and fluctuating hormones. Although it is natural for hormones to fluctuate during these stages of a woman’s life, the intricacy of hormone balance varies from person to person depending on lifestyle, diet, environmental, and genetic factors.
“…Hormone balance varies from person to person depending on lifestyle, diet, environmental, and genetic factors.”
Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body, controlling and affecting nearly every biological process from energy production, growth, mood, sexual function, and metabolism. The endocrine system is made up of glands that are responsible for this complicated feedback messenger loop, continuously monitoring 50 different hormones that exist in the body.
Specifically for women, estrogen and progesterone are the dominant hormones that impact sexual and reproductive health. Estrogen, which is mostly produced by the ovaries, is constantly changing depending on menstruation and age. For example, during puberty estrogen starts to rise, and plays a role in ovulation. This prepares the body for a possible pregnancy as a woman is the most fertile at that time during the menstrual cycle. During perimenopause, estrogen begins to drop causing ovulation to stop, and thus initiating menopause.
Progesterone is known as the pregnancy hormone for females, as it maintains pregnancy. It also plays a role in the menstrual cycle, as it rises after ovulation to prepare the uterus lining for potential implantation of a fertilized egg.
“…The effect of female hormones extends far beyond reproductive function, thus showing the complexity and interconnectedness of a woman’s body.”
The functions and levels of these dominant sex hormones vary depending on age and pregnancy status, but they also have non-reproductive functions as well. Progesterone impacts brain function, bone health, and the cardiovascular system, while estrogen impacts blood sugar, blood flow, bone density, cholesterol, and brain function. As we can see, the effect of female hormones extends far beyond reproductive function, thus showing the complexity and interconnectedness of a woman’s body.
Although it is clear that female hormones vary naturally depending on life stages, deeper hormonal imbalances, meaning hormones are consistently high or low, amongst women are not unusual and often go unrecognized. Common signs of hormone imbalance include fatigue, weight gain, irregular or nonexistent menstrual cycles, acne, bloating, mood swings, and low libido. Long-term hormone imbalances can be detrimental. Many medical conditions, including diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism, are a result of hormonal issues. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), amenorrhea, and infertility are hormonal medical conditions affecting women specifically.
Overcoming a hormonal imbalance can vary depending on the root cause and severity but preventing it from occurring can be heavily influenced by our daily lives, including nutrition and lifestyle choices to ensure equilibrium. Diet and how we choose to fuel our bodies, is a critical way to maintain this equilibrium that the body is consistently striving for.
As we know about the significant mind-gut connection, there is also a direct correlation between the brain, gut, and endocrine system as the brain signals and produces hormones for appetite and satiety.
“…Hormonal fluctuations can affect metabolism, gut health, and weight, especially for women as they enter different life stages including menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause.”
Research has shown that hormonal fluctuations can affect metabolism, gut health, and weight, especially for women as they enter different life stages including menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause. A study found that menopausal women experience body composition changes including a higher rate of fat gain and lean mass loss, as estrogen drops within the body. Another study, showed that women over 50 often experience gastrointestinal symptoms including bloating, gas, and constipation due to hormone fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone. In a review of eighteen studies, a link was found between estrogen and progesterone and an increase of severe digestive symptoms, specifically around the time of menstruation and early menopause. Overall, gut health and hormone health go hand in hand.
In addition to fluctuating sex hormones, cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, can easily influence weight and gut health. When the body is under chronic stress, elevated cortisol stimulates appetite and increases intake of sugary foods, which can lead to excessive caloric intake, leading to obesity and diabetes. Metabolic disturbances and obesity have been linked to development of depression and mood disorders as well.
The multifaceted association between gut health, hormone health, and brain health is evident. So how can we promote a positive relationship between the three? Dietary changes and maintaining a balanced diet are an incredible way to do so.
To promote hormone and gut health, a diet including real, whole foods like fruit, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats, and limiting the consumption of highly processed and high sugar foods is beneficial. High fiber foods, including whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits are a great way to promote hormone balance by affecting hunger hormones like insulin, leptin, and ghrelin, ultimately slowing digestion, promoting blood sugar balance, and keeping the body nourished longer. Antioxidants in these fiber filled foods have also been linked to fewer hormonal disruptions including menopausal symptoms like hot flashes.
Incorporating healthy fats including Omega-3 rich fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds can also be incredible for hormone health. Dietary fats are the building blocks of healthy hormones, and specifically Omega-3s rich foods have been shown to improve fertility amongst women and prevent cortisol levels from increasing.
“…Hormones are easily influenced, and affect nearly every part of the human body, making it crucial to adopt lifestyle changes that support good health.”
In addition to having a balanced diet, stress management, regular exercise, and getting good quality sleep are beneficial lifestyle changes to support hormone balance. Whether it is stress, exposure to environment toxins, or poor dietary choices, hormones are easily influenced, and affect nearly every part of the human body, making it crucial to adopt lifestyle changes that support good health. Although it is inevitable and entirely natural that a woman’s hormone levels will change throughout her lifetime, continuous effort to maintain a balanced diet to address gut health can promote a more gentle and gradual transition into the many stages that a woman undergoes, ultimately improving wellbeing.
* This post was originally published on emeranmayer.com
Eden Susenguth is a certified Nutritionist and Wellness Coach and earned her master’s degree in Kinesiology from Saint Mary’s College. Eden specializes in sports nutrition and women’s health and has worked with a wide range of clientele all over the US and abroad, including professional and collegiate athletes, models, actors, pageant contestants, and everyday men and women looking to make health improvements and reach their goals. www.eden-naturally.com