Have you been feeling stressed lately with unusual acne, fatigue, and unexplained weight gain? Chances are your hormones are out of balance. Hormones are chemical messengers that send signals to the body. Too much or too little can signal disruptors in the endocrine system – which controls hormone secretion from organs such as glands and ovaries.

Could you be suffering from an hormone imbalance? Read here to find the healing foods that might help.

What is a hormonal imbalance

A hormonal imbalance is the disruption in the production of hormones. The most common cause for this disorder is menopause, which can lead to hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, urinary urgency or frequency, mood swings. Other causes include endocrine disorders such as thyroid problems or diabetes; medications like anti-depressants or steroids; chronic illnesses such as cancer or kidney failure; and even surgery that removes part of the ovaries.

Women also experience a hormonal shift during pregnancy. In all these cases, it’s important to talk with your doctor about how best to manage symptoms so you can continue living life fully while managing your condition.

8 signs of hormonal imbalance

1. Mood swings

Mood swings are the classic hormone imbalance symptom; let’s face it, no one is happy all of the time. But hormone imbalances cause dramatic shifts in emotions and energy levels that do not correlate to any external triggers. Mood swings can manifest themselves as irritability, sadness, anxiety, or anger. This condition is especially common in women

2. Irregular periods

Irregular periods are another classic hormone imbalance symptom. The monthly hormone fluctuations that prepare the body for possible pregnancy are thrown off when hormone levels get out of whack, leading to painful and excessively heavy bleeding or no bleeding at all.

3. Hot flashes and night sweats

Hot flashes and night sweats are triggered by hormone imbalance. The symptoms come from the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates body temperature, which sends signals to the sweat glands. Hot flashes occur when hormone imbalances cause an increase in hormone levels. Night sweats occur due to hormone decrease imbalances – not enough estrogen is being produced

4. Hair loss and thinning hair

Hormone imbalances can cause hair loss and thinning hair. This hormone imbalance symptom is usually accompanied with brittle nails or excess dry skin, which are also hormone related. Hormones work in tandem with each other to produce strong, healthy nails and hair growth.

5. Irregular menstrual cycles

Irregular menstrual cycles are another hormone imbalance symptom. Periods that become excessively heavy or light or cease altogether may be signs of hormone irregularities.

6. Intolerance to carbohydrates (insulin resistance)

When hormone levels get out of whack, they can affect how the body processes insulin and glucose – blood sugar. The result: hormone imbalances cause a rise of insulin hormone levels in the body. This hormone imbalance symptom can lead to weight gain, diabetes, fatigue, joint pain and more

It’s also worth noting that hormones play an important role in regulating our appetites. In fact, the hormone leptin plays a particularly vital role by telling your brain when you’re full.

7. Sleep disturbances 

Sleep disturbances are hormone imbalance symptoms that can wreak havoc on your daily life. Moodiness, concentration problems and forgetfulness are all common hormone imbalance symptoms caused by hormone imbalances in the brain’s hormone levels.

As you can see, hormone imbalances can cause many different illness symptoms, but one of the most prominent is weight gain…

8. Weight gain or weight loss

Hormones can affect metabolism and hormone imbalances cause hormone imbalances. This hormone imbalance symptom causes people to gain weight or lose weight when hormone levels get out of whack. Weight gain is more common in the midsection as hormone imbalances give you a hormone deficiency that prevents your body from using sugars properly, leading to insulin resistance.

Causes of hormonal imbalances

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be wondering how your hormones became out of whack. Here are the likely reasons for a hormonal imbalance.

Poor diet

Poor diet is a common cause of hormonal imbalances in adults, as well as being the root cause of many other health problems. A proper diet with whole foods and little or no processed foods can turn your life around. It’s good to eat organic, especially meat and dairy products. Eat a balance of proteins, fats and vegetables for the most effective diet.

Chronic Stress

Stress causes hormones to go haywire in adults. It causes excess cortisol which causes weight gain and prevents fat loss. Stress causes an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, testosterone and DHEA and other hormones. The stress hormone adrenaline can eat away at muscle tissue if you’re not protecting your body with the right nutrients. High stress causes high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease because of hormonal imbalances. There are many causes for stress such as family problems, money problems and lack of exercise etc.

Poor Sleep Patterns

Not getting enough deep sleep causes excess cortisol and this can cause a chain reaction affecting many other hormones such as progesterone and estrogen.

Lack Of Exercise

Exercise causes a release of endorphins which causes the body to produce more testosterone and growth hormone in the presence of sunlight, so get some exercise daily if you want to achieve higher hormonal activity.

Other Lifestyle Factors

Some causes are related to lifestyle choices such as smoking causes excess estrogen because it causes an increase in aromatase enzyme activity. Excess alcohol causes an imbalance in the liver’s ability to detoxify estrogen.

Lack Of Sunlight

Whether you’re working night shifts or are a “night owl”, a prolonged lack of sunlight can cause a drop in testosterone levels. Testosterone is produced by the pineal gland when it’s activated by sunlight, so get some sunshine every day to improve your hormonal health.

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are chemicals found in hair care products, cosmetics and most plastics including BPA. Xenoestrogens causes an imbalance in your estrogen to progesterone ratio and causes weight gain, excess fat storage, diabetes, as well as other problems.

The 7 best hormone balancing foods

With so many different types of foods that could be considered “good” for your hormone levels, it can be difficult to find what you need. But don’t worry-we’ve compiled a list of the seven best hormone balancing foods!

1) Garlic

Garlic has been used in traditional medicine as an antifungal and antibacterial agent to ward off infections, but it can also be used to treat high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

2) Salmon

Eating salmon can promote the production of two important hormones – estrogen and testosterone. Both are essential for happy moods, energy levels and strong bones.

3) Onions

Onions act as hormone regulators by balancing out hormone levels and stabilizing what most people don’t know is that it can also balance hormone levels and improve skin appearance.

4) Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have proven to be hormone regulators. They also contain antioxidants to help fight disease, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.

5) Green Tea

Green tea has many health benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease, boosting mental alertness, increasing endurance. It also contains hormone-balancing properties, particularly the compound eGCG.

6) Almonds

Almonds are packed with Vitamin E and magnesium that can help keep hormone levels balanced. They are also rich in protein and fiber which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

7) Olive Oil

Olive oil can improve heart health as well as promote hormone balance. It contains antioxidants that battle premature aging and cell damage.

And finally…

These days, our hormones are largely influenced by the types of foods we eat. Making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can result in huge improvements in the way that your hormones function and ultimately, your health.


Gavin Walsh
Gavin Walsh

A British fitness and fat loss magician that helps men and women lose the jelly from their belly pronto. Gavin is the head coach here at Body Fixers and has been featured in the likes of Men's Health, Women's Health and Men's Fitness, as well appearing on British TV several times with delightful nuggets of fitness and fat loss wisdom.