1. Keep Stress Levels Low
Studies show that women who participate in daily meditation or yoga experience less hormonal swings

than those who do not mediate stress in some fashion. Rest is also important. Many women live fast paced lives that their bodies have little time to wind down from life’s demands. The natural hormone cycle is then affected. Make sure to find small ways to incorporate rest and relaxation throughout the day. We know that it is not entirely possible to stop stress and we need a certian amount to move us into action and keep us on our toes. However there is a natural balance. Studies have shown that stress affects the endocrine system in such a way that it throws off our hormonal balance, which can literally stop ovulation from happening as well as have the body hold onto body fat. Therefore, it is important to find ways to lessen the load and start chilling out.

2. Sleep enough at night
Sleep is when our body recovers from any imbalance it may have suffered throuought the day. Lack of sleep swings hormones into over-drive. If possible, try to go to bed by 10pm every night. If 10pm doesn’t work for your schedule, try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. It is also important to get adequate sleep for optimum weight loss. The hormones leptin and ghrelin work to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the brain when you are full. So what’s the connection to sleep? When you don’t get enough sleep, it drives leptin levels down, which means you don’t feel as satisfied after you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food.

3. Nourish yourself well
Try to incorporate more fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, plus an abundance of raw nuts and seeds into your diet. Foods such as processed carbohydrates, fried foods, soft drinks, enriched flour, processed vegetable oil and soy products may alter the delicate balance ofthe hormones. Also, avoid non-organic dairy products which may contain harmful bovine growth hormones, steroids and antibiotics. As a result, these added hormones and antibiotics reside in the milk, which interfere with the female hormonal system – most notably changing the way hormones are metabolized in the bowel and ultimately changing our hormone levels. Choose organic fish and meat when possible: non-organic animals are fed estrogenic steroids to fatten them which ultimately leads to estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance has been linked to some unpleasant conditions such as migraines, PMS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility, weight gainh and irregular periods. For all those memory challenged women out there eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, a balance of protein and carbohydrates, and avoid alcohol, which only impairs memory. Certain foods have been linked with improved mental acuity including blueberries, salmon, flax oil, organic canola oil, walnuts and eggs.
4. Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Antioxidents

These fats act to create responsive and healthy cell membranes, allowing hormones to adhere to the cell more easily. Omega-3 fatty acids also aid the body in keeping the cellular receptor sites (where hormones bind) repaired and in optimal condition. Eat full fat products (skip fat-free products). Low-fat diets are one of the main reasons so many women have hormonal imbalances. Your hormones are made out of cholesterol. If you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body can’t make hormones. If you are not eating sufficient amounts of fat and cholesterol, you could be exacerbating your hormonal imbalance. Natural, healthy fats include olive oil, coconut oil, butter, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish. The majority of the cell structure in the brain consists of omega 3 fats. As the brain continues to fix itself and grow additional neurons, it needs a good amount of these fats to be consumed. It is also to protect your brain with antioxidents. As people get older, substances called free radicals, which are floating through the bloodstream, will break down the brain cells. There are a good deal of antioxidant food sources to choose from. Antioxidants will merge with these free radicals, turning them harmless. Make sure you eat foods that have this healthy food source such as blueberries (other berries too), broccoli, carrots, garlic, red grapes, spinach, and tomotoes.

5. Exercise Frequently

Incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week, into your routine. It is important to find a routine that you can stick to on a consistent basis. Exercise increases circulating hormones which may help reduce some of those unpleasant effects of aging. Perhaps exercise may aid women who are experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and mood swings. We do know that increases in levels of estrogen and testosterone aid calcium absorption which is vital for our bones.

6. Let the Sunshine In

Giving your body a healthy dose of full spectrum sunlight can help stabilize hormones. Get out and take a walk around the block at least a few times a week. This will help get you the exercise you need, as well as the sunshine your body craves.

7. Eat throughout the day.

Three meals and two snacks a day are optimum. It is important that you have all of these meals. Small frequent feedings keep hormones in balance and prevent excessive hunger. You should try to eat some protein at breakfast or for your midmorning snack. This provides energy and quenches hunger later in the day. Lunch and the mid-afternoon snack should be light. Dinner is protein, starch and lots of vegetables. A snack at least two hours before bedtime is important to keep fueling your metabolism throughout the night. By following this advise you provide a constant low-level source of glucose (energy) to your body, and your body will not respond with a huge insulin surge, which can cause weight gain. Metabolism slows after a big meal, and sleep slows metabolism (and digestion) even more. Several studies have linked obesity to skipping breakfast. This can be from overeating the night before. Always start the day with protein because it has been shown to reduce hunger cravings and you’ll be less likely to overeat at both lunch and dinner.

May these tips support you to find balance in your hormones and ultimately in you life!

My commitment is to extract the beauty that is you, by inspiring you to feel energized and empowered to live your most passionate dreams. If you are interested to learn more join me in this upcoming seminar…….

“Balance Your Hormones To Feel Your Best” Seminar

Cleanse And Recharge For Radiant Health
External toxins from your environment are found in your foods, water and air. Pesticides, heavy metals and other pollutants bombard your body on a daily basis leading to many of the chronic illnesses we see today.
If your body has the proper nutrition in sufficient quantities and if the organs of elimination and detoxification are functioning at optimal levels, your body is able to eliminate these unwanted substances safely and efficiently via the main organs of detoxification (i.e., skin, bowels, liver, kidneys and lungs). Toxins are then eliminated through perspiration, bowel elimination, urination and respiration. However, if the body is taking in more toxins than it can safely eliminate, a state of chronic toxicity may occur. Most chronic illnesses can be attributed to the presence of unwanted substances in the body or the lack of needed substances in the body. When the body has been exposed for a prolonged period of time, it loses its capacity to detoxify at the same rate that toxins are being produced and ingested causing your organs to be weakened.
The presence of unwanted substances in the body is a very common root of illness.

Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew optimum health.

Where Do I Begin?
First, lighten up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles to your healing process. Also, minimize use of chemical based household cleaners, laundry detergent and personal care products such as cleansers, shampoos, deodorants and toothpastes and substitute natural alternatives.

Another deterrent to good health is stress, which triggers your body to release stress hormones into your system. While these hormones can provide the “adrenaline rush” to meet a deadline, in large amounts they create toxins and slow down detoxification enzymes in the liver. So it’s a good idea to detox stressful life situations along with detoxifying your body. Yoga and meditation are simple and effective ways to relieve stress by resetting your physical and mental reactions to the inevitable stress life will bring.

A detox program can help the body’s natural cleaning process by:

1) Resting the organs through fasting;
2) Stimulating the liver to drive toxins from the body;
3) Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin;
4) Improving circulation of the blood; and
5) Refueling the body with healthy nutrients.

Tips to begin Detoxing
Slow down on Sugar: refined sugar decreases your liver’s ability to detoxify toxins.
Bring on the Greens: veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, High in a phytochemical that promotes liver detoxification. Aim for 2 cups / day green vegetables.
Eat your Antioxidants: Aim for 1 Tbsp / day tomato paste and 1 – 2 cups / day dark berries.I eat organic berries to stay away from pesticides and herbicides.
Power on the Protein: Many of the biochemical detoxification pathways in the liver are protein dependent and will slow down with out adequate protein. Try a breakfast shake made with rice, pea or hemp protein powder blended with frozen berries and natural fruit juice.
Fill up on Fiber: Fiber keeps the bowels moving and traps fat soluble toxins that are being excreted with bile into the small intestine. Aim for 2 Tbsp / day of Psyllium or Rice Bran Fiber / day.
Take Time for Tea: Green tea contains anti oxidants, protective against certain types of cancers, helps rid the body of toxins. Aim for 2 – 4 cups / day.
Just add Water: Flushes unwanted toxins, keeps your brain sharp!
Aim for 1.5 to 2L / day.
Sweat it out: 30min of exercise a day will help to begin mobilizing fat soluble toxins. Aim for at least 20 to 30min a day during your cleansing. If you have access to a sauna this will enhance your body’s ability to sweat!
Foods to Lose:
Take at least one week to reduce and eventually eliminate regular tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, alcohol, junk food, fatty and fried foods, foods containing hydrogenated and trans fats, sugar and foods containing it, processed foods and foods with additives. Reduce and then if appropriate avoid dairy and wheat products.
Reduce your exposure to other toxins by using only natural products on your skin and for household cleaning.
Filter your drinking water and ideally your shower water too. Avoid exposure to all chemicals in your home and garden as much as possible.
Foods to Use:
Fresh fruit and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga ; whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds. Flavor with fresh herbs, turmeric and ginger.