Foods That Help Balance Your Hormones

6 Hormone Hacks That Support Healthy Aging

What to eat to keep levels balanced

Getty Images Doctors suggest avoiding caffeine, sugar, alcohol and highly processed foods for healthy aging. Before you order that bacon cheeseburger, you should know that what you eat can support (or sabotage) hormone balance and healthy aging. In both men and women, five play a role in cognition, memory, sex drive, mood, bone health, sleep quality, skin tone, weight — even how often we have to pee, says Tasneem Bhatia, a doctor of integrative medicine and the author of the new book . A sixth hormone, progesterone, is key to quality of life in women as they age. Bhatia shares some new ways to think about hormones and healthy choices in the chart below. Jody Dushay, an endocrinologist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told us which foods to leave on the shelf in order to support . Avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and those with ingredients you don’t recognize. Pass up the snack cake, white rice and white bread. Most important, she says, don’t self-medicate with nonprescription hormone supplements you might see in stores or on the internet without checking in with your doc. Hormone Think of it as… Impact on Aging Eat this to help keep levels balanced Estrogen The beauty hormone Supple skin, hair thickness and shine, reproductive health (in women) all depend on balanced levels. You need healthy fat to manufacture this hormone. Opt for coconut oil, olive oil or ghee. Sweet potatoes and are other great menu choices. Progesterone The brain hormone In proper balance, supports sleep, cognition energy and mood in women. Pumpkin seeds, black beans. Testosterone The mojo and muscle hormone In both men and women, plays a function in mood stability, sexual performance, mental sharpness. Reach for foods high in zinc. Try pumpkin seeds, oysters, , lean meat, chicken. Thyroid Hormones (including TSH, T4, T3) The energy hormone Metabolism, mood and weight. Brazil nuts and other sources of , red meat and other sources of iron. For iodine: seaweeds such as nori or kelp, iodized salt or Himalayan pink salt. Insulin The metabolism and weight hormone We become more resistant as we age, meaning spike. That’s linked to high blood pressure, some cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Limit your daily fruit intake to a serving or two. Load up on fresh veggies. Choose such as nut butters. Cook with healthy fats. (See "Estrogen.") Choose quality carbs such as sweet potatoes. Cortisol The stress hormone Chronic , due to prolonged stress, trigger an inflammatory response. Inflammation is linked to diabetes, cancer and other diseases. B-vitamin-rich such as oatmeal and quinoa are calming to the nervous system, as is chamomile tea.

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