Hormones and well-being? Facts, effects and recipe for success: Hormones drive processes and functions in the body. They are important messenger substances that supply the body with energy, make it active or sleepy, build muscles or tighten the skin.
Hormones, especially the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, play a key role in determining how we feel, whether we are in a good or bad mood, full of energy or tired throughout the day.
The consequences of hormonal fluctuations, which every woman experiences from puberty to the menopause, can be mitigated or even avoided with targeted support. We provide this support when we nourish our gut with healthy food.
Healthy microbiome = healthy hormones
The gut is a hormone production site. The main players here are the intestinal bacteria. There are several billion of them, especially in the large intestine. They are all collectively referred to as the intestinal flora or microbiome.
The correlation between the control of hormones in the gut and the composition of the microbiome is now a key component of numerous studies. What scientists have discovered: The more varied our diet, the healthier our microbiome and the healthier our body in general - and our hormone balance in particular.
Nourish your gut
Our gut is the main player in food utilization and controls energy production from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. If it does not function properly, nutrients cannot be absorbed. As a result, the cells do not receive the nutrients they urgently need. This leads to gradual malnutrition.
According to current research, we also know that the immune system is trained to a high degree via the gut, toxins are broken down and emotions and weight are controlled. And: hormones are produced in the gut. A healthy gut produces around 20 hormones that directly influence our physical and mental well-being.
Did you know that 95 percent of the "happiness hormone" serotonin is produced in the gut? The "reward hormone" dopamine and the "sleep and anti-ageing hormone" melatonin are also largely produced in the gut. Satiety hormones are produced here (which brings us to weight...) and the thyroid hormone T4 is converted into its active form T3.
In addition, stress hormones can be actively reduced via messenger substances produced by the intestinal bacteria themselves. For us women, fewer stress hormones means more progesterone - in other words, more "feel-good hormone". So be good to your gut, especially if you notice hormone fluctuations.
Oestrogen dominance originates in the gut
The microbiome controls oestrogen levels. The oestrobolome is the name given to the collection of gut bacteria that is able to recycle oestrogens that should actually be excreted via the gut. This is because once the female hormone has done its job in the body, it is excreted via the intestines. If the intestinal flora is not intact, the used oestrogen is sent back into the body. The result: oestrogen dominance with the "side effects" of weight gain, night sweats, cellulite and sleep disorders.
This is why it is particularly important for women to ensure a balanced intestinal flora and thus counteract oestrogen dominance. In addition to absorbing nutrients, the gut also plays an important role in eliminating toxins and waste. A function that is more important today than ever before. The absorption of toxins cannot always be avoided, but you can boost the detox function of your intestinal flora with the right diet.
Hormone food for hormone balance
In order for the gut and hormones to be in the best possible harmony, the microbiome should be balanced and particularly diverse - and this is where a healthy diet plays a key role. Because gut bacteria live off what we eat.
1. focus on dietary fiber
Fiber is a valuable carbohydrate. They get the gut going, provide lasting satiety and keep the level of the hormone insulin and therefore the blood sugar level constant for longer. They are a great food source for good intestinal bacteria - important for breaking down used oestrogen.
My fiber favorites are:
- Vegetables such as pumpkin, spinach, broccoli, kale, savoy cabbage
- Fruit from berries to apples
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, soybeans)
- Nuts, seeds and kernels
- Whole grain products such as oats, spelt and linseed
2. probiotics - a must for the gut
Probiotics include fermented foods such as natural yogurt, vinegar, sauerkraut, miso (Japanese seasoning paste), sourdough, kombucha and tempeh (fermented soybeans). They provide living microorganisms that colonize the intestines, aid digestion and benefit the intestinal flora. Fermented foods also contain vitamin B12 and have an anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and cholesterol-lowering effect
3. not to forget Prebiotics
They ensure that the "good" bifidobacteria in particular feel at home in our intestines. This makes it more difficult for pathogenic bacterial strains to spread in the gut. Prebiotics include onions, garlic, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes and honey - all of which are involved in your hormone balance.
It's in your hands...
The condition of your intestinal flora has a huge influence on your hormone balance and therefore also on your weight and mood. Your diet, in turn, has a major influence on your microbiome: it's best to include fiber, pro- and prebiotics in your diet every day.
Source: FIBO
Image source: #214597619 Alexander Raths / stock.adobe.com
Published on: 19 November 2023