Your gut is like the signaling hub for all of the other systems in your body. Hormones and gut health are naturally linked. When your gut microbiome is healthy and balanced, it is able to regulate the right levels of estrogen within your body, but when the gut is inflamed or out of balance, gut dysbiosis can drive the production of estrogen in either direction, disrupting the normal flow leading to estrogen related pathologies.
Why is Gut Health Important?
A healthy gut is important in order to keep your hormones in balance. In addition, your gut has many functions that are vital to your overall health. Some of its functions include:
- Key player in your immune system function
- Helps with the absorption of micro and macronutrients
- Assist with the production and regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters
- Contributes to regulation of estrogen levels in the body
Estrogens are made in the ovaries and in the adrenal glands. In women, estrogens help to regulate body fat, and are essential for your reproductive system, brain health, bone health and cardiovascular health. In men, estrogens help maintain libido and assist in the maturation of sperm.
Therefore, a healthy diverse gut is critical for hormonal balance. However, whenever there is gut dysbiosis, an imbalance of the gut bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, these hormonal imbalances can be associated with health condition such as:
- Pre-menstrual syndrome
- Obesity
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Estrogen-related cancers (prostate and breast)
- Infertility
- Heart Disease
- Mood disorders
- Endometriosis
Unfortunately, your gut microbiome is delicate and can be knocked off balance easily by many different factors such as genetics, antibiotics, age, weight, diet. alcohol use , environmental pollutants, and more.
Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
There are many symptoms of an unhealthy gut that often can be misdiagnosed as something else. As always consult with your healthcare provider should you experience on-going symptoms.
- Digestive issues (bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation)
- Autoimmune conditions
- Fatigue
- Skin Irritation
- Hormonal imbalance
- Weight changes
- Food Sensitivities
5 Ways to Improve Gut Health and Hormone Balance.
What can you do to improve your gut health and achieve hormonal balance? By incorporating simple and practical nutrition and lifestyle habits daily into your routine, you can improve your gut health and overall well-being.
1. Be mindful of what you put into your body.
What you eat plays a vital role in your gut health and hormone balance. Eating an array of colorful fruits and vegetables that are high in phytonutrients and fiber promotes microbial diversity in your gut.
Not to mention, prebiotics and probiotics play an important role in promoting gut health. They work in tandem together, optimizing gut health. Probiotics are a group of live, active microorganisms, with intended health benefits in the gastrointestinal tract, a.k.a your gut. Probiotics help to ferment, decompose, and digest the food you eat.
Plant-based Probiotics Sources includes:
- Sauerkraut
- Tempeh
- Miso
- Water kefir
- Pickled Vegetables
- Kombucha
- Kimchi
- Vegan Supplements
Prebiotic are components of non-digestible fibers such as inulin, oligosaccharides, and polydextrose that are found in plant based foods. Prebiotic sources:
- Asparagus
- Chicory Root
- Garlic
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Onions
- Bananas
- Beans
- Flaxseed
2. Be mindful of antibiotic use.
Antibiotics can be life-saving, however, according to the NIH, antibiotic use leads to gut microbial dysbiosis-associated diseases. In addition, excessive antibiotic use may also cause damage to your liver. Therefore, when antibiotic use is needed, it may be beneficial to take probiotics during the course of antibiotics therapy, however, it may be best to take several hours apart from the antibiotic. It is also recommended to take probiotics after a course of antibiotics to help restore some of the healthy bacteria that may have been killed during antibiotic therapy. Consult with your healthcare provider and/or dietitian for guidance on the use of probiotics while taking antibiotics.
3. Be mindful of your environment.
Estrogens are prevalent in the environment. Xenoestrogens which are synthetic (man-made) chemicals that mimics estrogen, disrupts your endocrine system, and interferes with your body’s ability to excrete estrogen. Xenoestrogens are absorbed in the body and stored in your liver and fat cells which can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones. These chemicals can be found in common household products like fragrances, plastics, and pesticides. It is important to find ways to reduce or eliminate these toxic substances due to the impact it has on your health and the environment.
Some health risk of xenoestrogens include:
- Cancer
- Breast and prostate cancer
- Infertility
- PCOS, endometriosis,
- Obesity
- Thyroid Disruption
Phytoestrogens are compounds that naturally occur in plants and are found in foods such as tempeh, tofu, and edamame. Many people are concerned with whether or not phytoestrogens can cause breast cancer. The American Cancer Society has noted that human research hasn’t shown harm from eating soy foods- and that eating moderate amounts of soy foods appears safe, even for cancer survivors.
New research suggests that phytoestrogens in soy are selective and don’t have much effect on breast tissue. However, the question still remains as to whether or not phytoestrogens are beneficial or harmful to human health. The answer may be dependent on age, health status, and gut microflora.
4. Be mindful of alcohol consumption.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that if alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation. That is up to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Alcohol is addictive and when consumed in excessive amounts it can cause dysbiosis, thus having negative effects on your gut microbiome.
In addition, excess alcohol consumption can impair the liver and its ability to detoxify circulating estrogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, potentially increasing the risk for estrogens related cancers.
Not to mention, in large amounts, alcohol and its metabolites can overwhelm the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and liver and lead to damage both within the GI and in other organs. Specifically, alcohol and its metabolites promote intestinal inflammation through multiple pathways.
5. Be mindful of daily movement.
It is well documented the positive health benefits that exercise can have on your body. Not only can exercise improve your mood, support mental health, manage your weight, reduce your risk for heart diseases, it can also promote a healthy gut microbiome. Exercise is a great way to support liver detoxification, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and lower levels circulating estrogen.
Yoga or exercises that stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system may also be beneficial to hormonal health. If you currently don’t have an exercise regimen, it’s never too late to start one. Try incorporating a little exercise every day or as tolerated. Small simple changes can yield significant results over time.
To sum it up
In summary, your gut is like your body’s engine. Finding the right combination of nutrition and lifestyle habits are key to optimizing your gut health and for your overall well-being. If you are struggling with your diet would like some guidance, book a free consultation http://www.corenutritionhw.com/services with me to see how my services can help you.