Not feeling yourself? Chances are, your hormones are going haywire
Sometimes, you’re firing on all cylinders, thriving at
work, hitting the gym, meeting friends and feeling like a winner.
But sometimes, you want to quit your job, climb into bed and cry.
Sound familiar?
When you’re feeling your best, you feel like you. When you’re
not, you feel like someone’s taken charge of your personality.
As Nicki Williams, author of It’s Not You, It’s Your Hormones
explains, our hormones — especially those that play havoc after
women reach 40 — are responsible for more than we realise.
Nicki says: ‘Hormones control energy levels, mood, sex drive,
stress response and fat stores. Fatigue, stubborn weight gain,
mood swings, brain fog and insomnia can all be symptoms of hormone
imbalance.’
While your doctor might have told you it’s part of getting
older, suggesting antidepressants or hormone replacement
therapy (HRT), according to Nicki, simple changes to our
diet and lifestyle can help us feel as good after 40 as we did
when we were 20.
‘When I hit 40, I felt like a different person. I couldn’t lose
my muffin top and felt constantly exhausted,’ Nicki
says. ‘I was grumpy, snappy and angry.’
When Nicki’s doctor suggested antidepressants, she felt there had
to be another solution. She rang her dad, also a doctor, and he told
her that her symptoms were caused by hormones.
Tests revealed hormonal imbalances, including low thyroid and adrenal
fatigue. Lifestyle tweaks had such a quick impact that Nicki studied
nutrition to better understand the link between diet, lifestyle
and hormones.
‘Now I’m in my 50s, and I’m sailing through menopause, maintaining
a healthy weight, feeling full of energy,’ Nicki says.
There are over 100 hormones flowing through our bodies, governing how
we feel, think, eat, sleep, digest and function.
The challenging symptoms you’re experiencing could all be down to an
imbalance of four hormones — cortisol, insulin, thyroid and oestrogen.
‘Long-term hormone imbalance can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity,
dementia, osteoporosis and cancer,’ Nicki says. ‘Yet hormone balance is
possible for everyone.’
An imbalance of the stress hormone cortisol can lead to feeling overwhelmed,
poor sleep, anxiety, irritability, low libido and belly fat.
An imbalance of oestrogen — the sex hormone — causes hot flushes, memory
loss, low libido, tearfulness and mood swings, as well as anxiety.
Insulin is the fat-storing hormone and an imbalance can cause a high
waist-to-hip ratio, feeling ‘hangry’, dizzy or irritable before you eat, and
afternoon energy slumps.
The thyroid is our metabolism regulator and a thyroid imbalance can lead to
fatigue, weight gain, depression, anxiety, hair loss, brain fog, constipation
and high cholesterol.
‘Some symptoms overlap, so it’s important to have a
hormone test,’ Nicki explains.
So how can we find balance?
Nicki says: ‘To combat cortisol imbalance, you need rest, relaxation and time
away from your phone. Gentle exercise like walking and yoga or simply
taking deep breaths, can switch off the cortisol “fight or flight”
response. Stress depletes stores of Vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc,
so supplement with a good quality multivitamin. Remove food stressors from
your diet — processed foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can burden the
adrenal glands.’
We need insulin to regulate blood sugar levels, but high levels are problematic.
When we eat too much sugar and refined carbohydrates, we have a blood-sugar
surge, followed by a crash.
Nicki says: ‘Avoid refined carbs (bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes), sugary
drinks,alcohol, caffeine and artificial sweeteners. Opt for slow-release
carbs like brown rice, beans, pulses and non-starchy vegetables. Exercise
helps insulin do its job, so incorporate movement into your day.’
The thyroid depends on a range of nutrients, especially protein, zinc and
selenium,found in meat, fish, dairy, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes.
Vitamins A, C, D and iron are essential for supporting thyroid function too.
Oestrogen starts to decline as we age and can fluctuate during perimenopause.
Nicki says: ‘Sprinkle seeds on your porridge, smoothies and salads, because
they’re powerhouses of the vitamins and minerals needed to regulate
oestrogen.’
Ultimately, our hormones want us to eat well, rest well and exercise well.
Nicki says: ‘Listen to your body, live healthily most of the
time and be good to yourself. Your hormones will pay you
back!'
Edited by Kim Willis