Our hormones affect us in more ways than we might imagine. They control our appetite, weight, and mood. Hormones play a huge role in how we feel, both physically and emotionally, but most of us don’t give them any thought.
When things are going well, our glands produce the exact amount of each hormone that we need in any given time or situation, and we don’t need to worry. Unfortunately, however, hormonal imbalances are becoming more common.
Our constantly busy lifestyles often mean that our bodies don’t know how to cope with certain situations. They don’t get a chance to think and plan, and we’re overloaded with hormones. Then, as we get older, some of our hormone production levels can drop, leading to many different symptoms affecting our bodies and minds. Fortunately, small changes to our diet and behaviors can help to get that balance back.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercise plays a massive role in your hormonal health. Regular exercise reduces insulin levels and increases insulin sensitivity. In turn, this cuts your risk of developing diabetes, helps to reduce inflammation in your body, and promotes good heart health.
Exercising can also increase hormones that help you to build and maintain muscle, such as testosterone and growth hormone – the levels of which decrease as we get older. While vigorous cardio exercise like running is ideal, any exercise helps. Regular walks, yoga, and some light strength training are enough to maintain hormonal health.
Eat Lots of Protein
Some of our hormones control our appetites, regulating how much we eat and when we eat. If these hormones are out of balance, we become more likely to overeat, and binge eat on the wrong things at the wrong times. Protein influences the release of these hormones, as well as reducing the hormone ghrelin, which is also known as the hunger hormone. This means that protein can help us to feel full for longer, and limit binge eating.
Try to Keep Eating Times Regular
When we eat, our hormone levels shift massively to process and digest the food. This isn’t a bad thing, but to keep your body balanced, it’s a good idea to stick to a routine. Eat at the same times every day, or at least eat large meals at the same time every day, preferably a few hours before you go to bed, and your body will know what to expect. Routines like this can help your hormones to stay balanced.
Try Hormone Replacement Therapy
As we age, it’s normal for our natural hormone production to start to decline. This can lead to a huge range of symptoms, both physical and emotional, and it can become quite frustrating. As much as you try to balance your hormones with diet and exercise, it can start to feel as though you’ve got no control over your emotional or physical self.
Fortunately, you don’t just have to put up with these often-upsetting side effects of a hormonal imbalance. Hormone replacement therapy is safer and easier than ever. You can even buy sermorelin injections online for ease and convenience. Find out more about how and where to buy it and talk to your doctor about the best options to suit your current hormone levels.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress is terrible for your hormones. When you are stressed out, cortisol, the stress hormone, is released to help your body cope with the pressure, and adrenaline is released to give your body the boost that it needs to make fight or flight type decisions quickly. In many ways, this is a throwback to when stress was literally a life-or-death situation. These hormones could give you the power to stay alive. Now, things are usually less risky, but we’ve still got the same stress responses.
While some stress is normal, too much can lead to a huge hormonal imbalance that’s hard to control. Find ways to reduce your stress. These could include exercise, talking to friends, walking, creative hobbies, or rest.
Some signs that your hormones are unbalanced include weight loss or gain, trouble sleeping, depression, moodiness, a loss of emotional control, anxiety, muscle weakness, spot outbreaks, and fatigue. If you notice any of these, don’t wait for it to settle – start making some changes to your lifestyle.
