Also read: How electronic devices can affect your sexual health. Indian cuisine boasts an array of fermented foods, including yoghurt, buttermilk chaas , and various pickles. These foods are rich in probiotics, the "good" bacteria that foster gut health.

Probiotics help maintain a diverse and balanced gut microbiota, which has been linked to improved hormonal regulation. The consumption of probiotic-rich Indian dishes supports both gut and hormonal well-being. Spices are not just culinary delights in Indian cuisine; they also offer a treasure trove of health benefits.

Turmeric, for example, contains curcumin, a potent anti-inflammatory compound that may support gut health and help regulate hormones.

Fenugreek methi seeds, commonly used in Indian dishes, have been shown to have positive effects on insulin sensitivity, an important factor in hormonal health.

The Indian diet, with its emphasis on complex carbohydrates and a variety of spices, contributes to stable blood sugar levels. This is of paramount importance for hormonal health, particularly in preventing insulin resistance. Foods like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables release glucose gradually into the bloodstream, avoiding rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar that can disrupt hormonal balance.

Traditional Indian eating practices encourage mindful consumption, which has far-reaching effects on gut and hormonal health.

Eating slowly, savouring flavours, and practising portion control can support healthy digestion and aid in weight management—a crucial factor in hormonal regulation.

Also read: The delectable art of luxury film watching with gourmet food: PVR Cinemas Chef Interview. While the Indian diet holds immense potential for promoting gut and hormonal health, it is important to address certain challenges.

Modern dietary trends, such as increased consumption of processed foods and added sugars, can negatively impact gut microbiota and hormonal balance. When your gut lining becomes too permeable, known as leaky gut, it leads to chronic inflammation, which disrupts virtually everything in your body, including hormone levels.

It also opens the door for autoimmune thyroid conditions to develop, where your thyroid to either overproduces or underproduces its hormones. Common causes of leaky gut include an inflammatory diet, stress, medications, toxins, and gut infections.

In my clinic , when patients come in with a hormone imbalance, gut health is one of the first things we address. We start with a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet to support a balanced microbiome, a healthy gut lining, and the nutrients needed for hormone production.

We restore the ingredients needed for optimal digestion, including stomach acid, digestive enzymes , and bile acid. And we use probiotics to replenish the good bacteria in your gut that support hormone metabolism. Depending on symptoms, we may also test for and treat gut infections, such as SIBO , Candida overgrowth , or parasites.

We also look beyond gut health to address factors like stress, detoxification, and other sources of inflammation. By getting to the root of hormone imbalances, our patients are able to support hormone balance naturally and often eliminate symptoms completely. About the Author: Dr. Seth Osgood is a Doctor of Nursing Practice, Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Institute of Functional Medicine IFM Certified Practitioner.

It can boost your gut health and also regulate hormone levels. The group of microbes that lives in your intestines is essential for your health and wellness. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are the best foods to eat for a healthy gut.

These foods are high in fiber, which supports the development of good gut bacteria. The fiber in apples helps to support healthy digestion and the development of good bacteria in the gut. This is why apples are considered one of the best healthy bacteria foods.

They also contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that help to reduce inflammation. Bananas also contain prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in the gut. It promotes healthy digestion and nutrient absorption. Pears are an excellent source of fiber and contain antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the intestines.

It also contains sorbitol, a natural laxative. Sorbitol relieves constipation and promotes regular bowel movements. Leafy greens like spinach are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support gut health and promote healthy digestion.

Moreover, they have antioxidants that support better hormonal balance and reduce inflammation. Besides being a healthy source of fiber, carrots also provide antioxidants. It helps reduce gastrointestinal inflammation. Carrots also contain beta-carotene, which supports healthy hormone levels.

Processed and junk foods are high in unhealthy fats and refined sugars. All these can upset the gut's bacterial balance and cause inflammation in the gut lining.

Consuming too much red meat and high-fat dairy products causes inflammation in the gut and disrupts hormone balance. It is best to avoid these food items and consume a plant-based diet.

Alcohol consumption can damage the stomach lining. It causes inflammation, which can interfere with hormone regulation. Foods that are fried or cooked in oils rich in saturated or trans fats might be harmful to hormone balance in the body.

Stress is a common experience that has an impact on our everyday life, and unfortunately, it can harm the balance of our hormones and gut bacteria. But one of the most important aspects of improving these conditions is stress management.

Regular exercise and physical activity are two of the best strategies to reduce stress. Exercise releases endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals.

It helps reduce stress and improve our mood. You can also practice deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to reduce stress. These methods help in reducing stress responses in the body and calm the mind. Sleep should be your main priority if you want to improve the balance of your hormones and gut bacteria.

Getting enough quality sleep is essential for the body to repair and restore itself, including the gut and hormonal systems. To make sleep a priority, start by creating a regular sleep schedule that includes going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.

This helps your body to regulate its internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. Keep your bedroom cold, dark, and quiet to promote restful sleep. Avoid using electronic gadgets right before bed as their blue light can affect how well you sleep.

Also, try to avoid drinking caffeine, alcohol or consuming heavy meals before going to bed. All these can harm your hormone balance and intestinal health. The production, metabolism, and regulation of hormones are highly dependent on our gut health.

Thus, taking care of your gut health is crucial to prevent hormonal imbalances. It can cause a variety of health problems, from chronic diseases to mood swings. You can support your gut bacteria and encourage hormonal balance by consuming a high-fiber diet.

You can improve your health and lead the healthiest life possible by adopting a holistic approach to wellness. Yes, digestive problems can lead to various hormone problems.

It can affect the hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones. Yes, It is possible to improve hormone regulation by restoring a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Signs of poor gut health may include digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.

The functioning of the digestive system is regulated by hormones. It also has an impact on the composition of the gut microbiome and the immune response in the gut. Yes, a leaky gut can contribute to hormonal imbalance by making the gut lining more permeable.

It allows toxins and partially digested food to enter the bloodstream. A leaky gut causes inflammation and disrupts the body's natural hormonal balance.

Gut health affects hormones by regulating the production, metabolism, and excretion of hormones. It influences the gut-brain axis and modulates the gut microbiome which produces hormones. Gut hormones are also referred to as gastrointestinal hormones. These hormones are produced by cells lining the digestive tract.

Weight gain is directly associated with hormonal imbalances that may lead to complications in insulin sensitivity and reproductive health. Obesity is strongly related to the development of insulin resistance, while losing excess weight is linked to improvements in insulin resistance and reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Obesity is also associated with hypogonadism , a reduction or absence of hormone secretion from the testes or ovaries.

In fact, this condition is one of the most relevant hormonal complications of obesity in people assigned male at birth. This means obesity is strongly related to lower levels of the reproductive hormone testosterone in people assigned male at birth and contributes to a lack of ovulation in people assigned female at birth, both of which are common causes of infertility.

Nonetheless, studies indicate that weight loss may reverse this condition. Eating within your own personal calorie range can help you maintain hormonal balance and a moderate weight. Your gut contains more than trillion friendly bacteria, which produce numerous metabolites that may affect hormone health both positively and negatively.

Your gut microbiome regulates hormones by modulating insulin resistance and feelings of fullness. For example, when your gut microbiome ferments fiber, it produces short-chain fatty acids SCFAs such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

Acetate and butyrate may aid weight management by increasing calorie burning and thus help prevent insulin resistance. Acetate and butyrate may also regulate feelings of fullness by increasing the fullness hormones GLP-1 and PYY.

Interestingly, studies in rodents show that obesity may change the composition of the gut microbiome to promote insulin resistance and inflammation. In addition, lipopolysaccharides LPS — components of certain bacteria in your gut microbiome — may increase your risk of insulin resistance.

People with obesity seem to have higher levels of circulating LPS. Here are some tips to maintain healthy gut bacteria which may also help you maintain a healthy hormone balance. Minimizing added sugar intake may be instrumental in optimizing hormone function and avoiding obesity, diabetes, and other diseases.

In addition, sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugars in the Western diet, and fructose is commonly used commercially in soft drinks , fruit juice, and sport and energy drinks. Fructose intake has increased exponentially in the United States since around , and studies consistently show that eating added sugar promotes insulin resistance — at least some of which are independent of total calorie intake or weight gain.

Long-term fructose intake has been linked to disruptions of the gut microbiome, which may lead to other hormonal imbalances. Therefore, reducing your intake of sugary drinks — and other sources of added sugar — may improve hormone health.

The hormone cortisol is known as the stress hormone because it helps your body cope with long-term stress. Once the stressor has passed, the response typically ends. However, chronic stress impairs the feedback mechanisms that help return your hormonal systems to normal.

Therefore, chronic stress causes cortisol levels to remain elevated , which stimulates appetite and increases your intake of sugary and high fat foods. In turn, this may lead to excessive calorie intake and obesity. In addition, high cortisol levels stimulate gluconeogenesis — the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources — which may cause insulin resistance.

Notably, research shows that you can lower your cortisol levels by engaging in stress reduction techniques such as meditation , yoga , and listening to relaxing music. Including high quality natural fats in your diet may help reduce insulin resistance and appetite.

Medium-chain triglycerides MCTs are unique fats that are less likely to be stored in fat tissue and more likely to be taken up directly by your liver for immediate use as energy, promoting increased calorie burning.

MCTs are also less likely to promote insulin resistance. Furthermore, healthy fats such as omega-3s help increase insulin sensitivity by reducing inflammation and pro-inflammatory markers. Additionally, studies note that omega-3s may prevent cortisol levels from increasing during stress.

These healthy fats are found in pure MCT oil, avocados, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, fatty fish, and olive and coconut oils. No matter how nutritious your diet or how consistent your exercise routine, getting enough restorative sleep is crucial for optimal health.

Poor sleep is linked to imbalances in many hormones, including insulin, cortisol, leptin , ghrelin, and HGH. For instance, not only does sleep deprivation impair insulin sensitivity, but poor sleep is associated with a hour increase in cortisol levels, which may lead to insulin resistance.

Moreover, studies consistently show that sleep deprivation results in increased ghrelin and decreased leptin levels. In a review of 21 studies in 2, people, those assigned to a short sleep group showed higher ghrelin levels than those who got the recommended amount of sleep.

Plus, your brain needs uninterrupted sleep to go through all five stages of each sleep cycle. This is especially important for the release of growth hormone, which occurs mainly at night during deep sleep. To maintain optimal hormonal balance, aim for at least 7 hours of high quality sleep per night.

Fiber is essential to a healthy diet. Studies have found that it increases insulin sensitivity and stimulates the production of hormones that make you feel full. Although soluble fiber tends to produce the strongest effects on appetite by increasing fullness hormones, insoluble fiber may also play a role.

Your gut microbiome ferments soluble fiber in your colon, producing SCFAs that stimulate the release of the fullness hormones PYY and GLP A healthy, diverse gut microbiome with a rich collection of different bacteria is critical for hormonal balance.

As the liver metabolises estrogen, this conjugated estrogen is delivered to the bile for excretion into the gut. A healthy estrobolome minimises reabsorption of estrogen from the gut allowing safe removal as waste in stool and urine again ensuring hormone balance.

Gut dysbiosis is an imbalance of the gut bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. If there is an excess of bacteria that produce betaglucuronidase, this reverts estrogen back into its unconjugated active form and it is then absorbed back into the bloodstream resulting in estrogen dominance.

Elevated betaglucuronidase levels are associated with conditions including:. Unfortunately, gut dysbiosis and gut microbiome imbalance are very common and the delicate balance of the microbiome and estrobolome can be affected by many different factors which include genetics, age, weight, diet, alcohol, antibiotics, environmental pollutants and more.

So how can we improve gut health and achieve hormone balance? We take a holistic approach in the clinic with our patients and combine lifestyle changes with bioidentical HRT to effectively correct hormone imbalance.

Look at what we put into our bodies. Mark Hyman. Diet plays a vital role. Insulin resistance causes inflammation in the body which is the root of many disease processes.

Bear in mind that cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, contain compounds that ease detoxification of estrogen. The supplement DIM diindolylmethane contains concentrates of such compounds and can be effective in lowering more toxic estrogen byproducts.

Prebiotics and probiotics should also be considered. Prebiotic foods such as garlic, onion, asparagus and bananas provide the material that gut bacteria like to feed on. Probiotic foods such as kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and other fermented foods are really useful for introducing beneficial bacterial strains, like lactobacillus, to the gut.

The supplement calcium D glucarate is a betaglucuronidase inhibitor and allows estrogen to remain conjugated, and therefore safely eliminated by intestinal detoxification. Consider our environment. Estrogens can also be obtained from the environment.

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