How to balance hormones naturally
OK, it’s time for the 8th suggestion (from Dr Axe) for ways to help naturally balance your hormones. This is one tip that will not only help your body feel better, it’ll also show on your skin. That’s because as well as messing with your hormones, caffeine and nicotine also muck around with your collagen production, so minimising your intake will help keep those signs of ageing at bay.
“8. Watch your caffeine and alcohol intake. And don’t smoke!
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.
Although caffeine overdoses are rare, caffeine is capable of elevating cortisol levels if it interferes with your normal sleep cycle. It might also have an impact on other stress hormones, such as adrenaline production. You’re probably aware that caffeine is addictive by nature, increases nervousness and anxiety in many people, and is linked with insomnia.
If you need a little boost during the day, try not to drink more than one or two cups. Ideally, you’ll turn to matcha green tea or tulsi tea, which are much lower in caffeine. The good news is that once your health is back on track, small amounts of caffeine are usually toleraable, and even beneficial. Dartmouth Medical School reports that “caffeine has been shown to increase insulin levels, reduce insulin sensitivity, and increase cortisol levels. However, epidemiological studies have indicated that long-term consumption of beverages containing caffeine such as coffee and green tea is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.*”
Another important step is to watch your alcohol intake because high levels of alcohol – more than 2-3 drinks daily – can negatively impact liver functioning. Chronic alcohol consumption can contribute to estrogen 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!
Of course, it’s extremely important to quit smoking too. Studies have found that smoking interferes with normal immunological and reproductive processes. Compared with nonsmokers, moderate to heavy smokers – who smoke more than approximately 10 cigarettes per day – have abnormal levels of steroid metabolites and reproductive hormones, up to 35 percent higher than usual. **”
Ref: *https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17998023
**https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281267/