My Hormone Healing Journey
Going back to school to become a dietitian I didn't even know helping women understand their innate female bodies and hormones with food and nutrition was an option. I wanted to pursue a path of nutrition that allowed me to work with clients where I could help them understand how to use food as fuel and as medicine in the case of acute or chronic disease.
It wasn't until I saw the connection between what I was doing in my personal life to balance my own hormones and what was possible as a private practice dietitian during my internship that I realized I could use my knowledge and experience to help other women who were experiencing similar things. That was the defining moment that opened up the possibility to use my career to help women learn about how to support their unique physiology with foods, fitness, and lifestyle.
Without knowing there were any other options, I started taking birth control when I was younger because that's what I thought I had to do. 10 years later while trying to manage some chronic back pain, I decided to stop the pill. I had read my first book about the female body and realized there was so much I didn't know about myself and realized the pill could be impacting my body in more ways than one.
Working with an incredible chiropractor at the time, she recommended I start taking some vitamins to help replenish key nutrients in my body that can be depleted while on the pill. To make sure I was stopping the pill correctly I went to the gynecologist and had the most pointless 2 minute appointment where she told me to use an alternative form of birth control if I wasn't trying to get pregnant. It was laughable really. There was no mention of how to support my body or education on what I could expect about my cycle post birth control.
After stopping the pill things returned to normal, until they weren't. I had gotten my period but then the symptoms started. I was told by my doctor that the only answer was to go back on birth control, which I knew was not the option for me. At that point, I had started learning more and had a feeling it was my hormones, but was also told by my doctor that my hormones couldn't be tested.
Luckily, the same chiropractor I was working with was in practice with her husband who also practiced functional medicine. We started with some blood work. I felt like my own case study deciphering the same labs I was learning about while finishing my dietetic education. It was eye opening really because to be honest, I was shocked I was deficient in so many nutrients. That's when I realized how beneficial data from tests and blood work can be to create an individualized plan.
Fast forward a few years, I was still dealing with the same symptoms and feeling frustrated. I started working with a naturopath and did more tests and bloodwork which finally confirmed my hormonal imbalances.
Knowing where I was hormonally, my treatment plan was rooted in nutrition, supportive herbs, minerals, and vitamins, fitness, and lifestyle. These are some of the things I tried. Some things helped more than others. Having done so many different things over the last year it’s hard to say what helped the most, but I saw significant results after taking more of a detoxification approach after completing the 2-week liver cleanse.
Liver cleanse (from Dr. Jolene Brighten's book, Beyond the Pill)
Eating enough food, focusing on nutrient dense foods, and using food as medicine by eating certain foods with particular nutrients or properties to help balance deficiencies, support detox pathways, etc.
Protein first thing in the morning within 30 - 60 minutes of waking
Adrenal & liver support
Reduced my weekly workouts to 3 full body workouts alternating with low impact cardio on rest days
Targeted supplements to support my specific hormonal imbalances
Reduced intake of alcohol (alcohol can increase estrogen levels because it impacts how estrogen is metabolized in the body)
What I learned:
Find a trusted provider you can work with to help you uncover the root cause of your symptoms.
Educate yourself. There is a wealth of information out there but do your own research to help figure out what is best for you.
Focus on adequate nutrition and supporting your body with the proper nutrients.
Start tracking your cycle and your symptoms to help identify insightful data into your female health.
Wondering if you’re experiencing hormonal imbalances? Here are signs and symptoms of hormone imbalances: irregular periods, PMS symptoms, fatigue, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, low body temperature, acne, sleep problems, digestive issues, brain fog, loss of libido, headaches, mood swings and more.
If you're on birth control, coming off birth control, or just came off birth control you may want to consider prioritizing these nutrients in your diet. Think food first and use supplements as appropriate. This is not an exhaustive list of foods with these nutrients, but some common sources.
B vitamins including folic acid - seafood, poultry beef, eggs, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, chickpeas, seeds
Vitamins C - citrus, bell peppers, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables
Vitamin E - nuts and seeds, avocado, salmon, trout, mango, kiwis
Magnesium - dark chocolate, avocados, spinach, cashews, legumes
Selenium - Brazil nuts, eggs, cottage cheese, mushrooms
Zinc - oysters, seafood, pumpkin seeds, beef, eggs, chickpeas
Here are some nutrition and lifestyle tips for happy hormones:
A diet rich in nutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, and healthy fats.
Use food as medicine to increase specific nutrients and food properties to support healing.
Eat enough. A good guideline is every 3-5 hours. Balanced meals and snacks to stabilize blood sugar.
Get consistent quality sleep. Minimum 7-8 hours.
Adapt workouts to where you are in your cycle and give your body the rest it needs between workouts.
Get sunlight, especially first thing in the morning.
Manage stress.
It's been a very long journey but I've seen so much improvement from where I was 4 years ago and even more in the last year. I've learned so much along the way. Knowing I've cared for my body and really started to understand it by tracking my symptoms to help identify what my body needs feels pretty dang empowering.
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