Originally published June 7 2013
Balance your hormones naturally with these food remedies
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) Hormone issues have increasingly become more a focus of health discussions over the last couple of decades. It's almost as though hormones didn't even exist for some time until connections made to hormone imbalances were linked or associated with cancer.
Mainstream medicine's response with synthetic hormone replacement therapies was a bust, and alternative natural hormone therapies moved into that void.
Endocrine or hormone disruptors like Biphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates are commonly found in household plastic products, and they tend to leach from those plastics into its contents or into your child's mouth.
They mimic actual hormones, usually sex hormones but also others including insulin, and they replace the actual beneficial hormone with what amounts to toxic waste. So one solution is to avoid those items by doing your own research and carefully reading labels.
Another solution is to consume foods that encourage proper hormonal balance while eliminating foods and beverages that don't after this short summary of hormonal functions.
What are hormones?
The word hormone is derived from the Greek term "spur on", which is a main function of hormones. They are fluids created by cell clusters known as glands which are secreted to target cells awaiting functional commands in other tissues and organs.
If those commands are blocked or confused, then no or incorrect messages are sent to tissues and organs requiring to help create homeostasis, the metabolic balancing of a body's internal systems.
There are two major types of endocrine hormones: Steroids and peptides. Steroids are generally sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. These are created from cholesterol in the ovaries and testes, and their imbalances can create havoc with mood, attitude, health, sterility, maturation, and even gender identification.
Peptides are more concerned with regulating blood sugar and sleep cycles. Examples are insulin for regulating sugar and melatonin for ensuring sound sleep. Thyroid hormones are peptides that tend to regulate metabolism in general.
Fluorides in water and pharmaceuticals and bromides used in commercial baking hamper thyroid hormones. Again, both are more to beware of and avoid as much as possible.
Positive food suggestions for encouraging proper hormone homeostasis
Starting with the thyroid, iodine rich foods such as seaweed (especially kelp), beans, organic cultured yogurt, organic non-sugared cranberry juice or fresh cranberries, unprocessed Himalayan salt, and fresh organic strawberries are among the top choices for iodine to keep your thyroid hormone production high. Of course, there also iodine supplements.
Help your liver break down excess hormones that the body is no longer using. Phytonutrients from cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower help the liver do just that. Your liver also needs sulfur compounds found in garlic and onions.
Leptin is a satiety hormone that lets you know that you've had enough to eat. If it is blocked, your cravings take over and you overeat. Refined grains, sugars, and HFCS are the major culprits for leptin resistance, which is often created by secretions from body fats, causing those who are obese to eat even more.
Avoid those and replace them with moderate consumption of complex grains. Also avoid processed or hydrogenated oils for cooking and salads. They are used to create margarine as well.
Those processed oils are also ubiquitous in processed foods. Use cold-pressed virgin olive or coconut oil, and organically produced real butter instead. Canola oil is actually not so healthy either.
The enormous omega-6 to omega-3 imbalance in processed foods creates inflammation. Increase omega-3 fat intake to create a proper balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids with eggs and fish products as well as ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, and their cold-pressed oils. Chia seeds are another source of omega-3.
Sources for this article include:
http://wellnessmama.com/5425/balance-hormones/
http://wellnessmama.com/5356/cravings-fix-your-leptin/
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/iodine-foods/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16923214
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-hormones.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cholesterol.htm
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