Hormone Harnessing Advice from Mac of Elite Health & Fitness

Ladies lifting, actually a great way to harness
your hormones!

Ways to improve your health and body composition by naturally controlling your hormones with Mac from Elite.

Eat Healthy Fats (Including Coconut Oil and Avocados)

Eating a variety of foods high in short, medium and long-chain fatty acids is key to keeping your hormones in check. Your body needs various types of fats to create hormones, including saturated fat and cholesterol. Not only are these essential fats fundamental building blocks for hormone production, but also they keep inflammation levels low, boost your metabolism and promote weight loss.

Balance Your Intake of Omega-3 to Omega-6 Fats

The use of refined vegetable oils and intake of omega-6 fatty acids in our diets have skyrocketed. Because people didn’t also boost their intake of omega-3 foods during this time period, the result has been drastically elevated omega-6 levels.  Fish oils feature heavily in our gut and fat loss programmes.

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Improve Gut Health & Heal Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut is a condition that not only affects your digestive tract, but also causes hormone issues. Gut problems have been found to trigger autoimmune reactions, including arthritis and thyroid disorders. So what exactly is leaky gut syndrome?

When undigested food particles, like gluten for example, leak through your gut into your bloodstream, it causes disease-causing inflammation that impacts the entire body — especially glands like the thyroid, which is very susceptible to heightened inflammation. Most people with leaky gut have a deficiency of probiotics in their guts. 

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can actually improve your production and regulation of key hormones like insulin, and leptin.

Steer clear of the foods that can cause damage in your digestive system most, including: processed foods, gluten, hydrogenated oils and added sugar. The top foods and supplements that support healing leaky gut include: bone broth, kefir, fermented vegetables, and high-fibre foods like vegetables and sprouted seeds. In addition, supplements like digestive enzymes and probiotics can aid in repairing your gut lining, which in turn can balance your hormones.

Thumbs up for this breakfast. But do you know why?
Expert nutritional advice can guide you to the right choices.

Exercise (Especially strength and interval training)

One of the best all-around activities you can do for your health is high intensity interval training (HIIT) − including one of my favourite types called tabata. Exercise in general is great for balancing hormones because it reduces inflammation, can help you maintain a healthy weight, lowers stress, helps regulate your appetite, and aids in getting better sleep.

Whether we’re talking about endorphins from a “runner’s high”, testosterone, growth hormone or insulin, HIIT, Tabata and strength training can help your body regulate production and use of these hormones. Exercise can also enhance your immune system, allow your cells to take up more glucose (which lowers insulin), protect you from depression, and keep you more alert without the need for caffeine.

Keep in mind that optimal exercise can differ a lot from person to person however, so it’s a good idea to seek advise from an experienced personal trainer if you’re ever unsure.

Reduce Stress & Get More Sleep

Unless you get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, you’re doing your body no favours. A lack of sleep or disturbing your natural circadian rhythm can be one of the worst habits contributing to a hormone imbalance because your hormones work on a schedule.

Cortisol, the primary “stress hormone”, is regulated at midnight. Therefore, people who go to bed late never truly get a break from their sympathetic flight/fight stress response.

A lack of sleep, long-term use of corticosteroids and chronic stress are three of the biggest contributors to high cortisol levels. 

Sleep helps keep stress hormones balanced, builds energy and allows the body to recover properly. Excessive stress and poor sleep are linked with higher levels of morning cortisol, decreased immunity, trouble with work performance, and a higher susceptibility to anxiety, weight gain and depression. To maximize hormone function, ideally try to get to bed by 10 p.m.

Can a drink like this better pick you up than a coffee?

Watch Your Caffeine & Alcohol Intake

Caffeine in moderate amounts might be okay for some people, but drinking too much caffeine is almost as bad as not getting enough sleep. Caffeine, which can stay in your system for up to six hours, is a chemical that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and raises your heart rate, increases alertness, and changes the way your brain produces hormones.  You’re probably aware that caffeine is addictive by nature, increases nervousness and anxiety in many people, and is linked with insomnia.

Another important step is to watch your alcohol intake, since high levels of alcohol (above about 2-3 drinks daily) can negatively impact liver functioning. Chronic alcohol consumption can contribute to oestrogen dominance and has been found to interfere with pancreatic functioning, increase liver disease risk, lower testosterone and contribute to anxiety and malnutrition. The liver is very important for hormonal balance and has over 500 different functions in the body!

Supplement with Vitamin D3

Vitamin D almost acts like a hormone inside the body and has important implications for keeping inflammation levels low. This is why people who live in dark areas often suffer from seasonal depression and other health problems unless they supplement with vitamin D. Sunshine is really the best way to optimise vitamin D levels because your bare skin actually makes vitamin D on its own when exposed to even small amounts of direct sunlight. 

Do you feel expert guidance could help you?
Contact Mac at http://elitefit.co.uk/ for more info.