There are key foods that can support your health at this time of life, which I have discussed today on BBC Radio Nottingham. These are my 6 key suggestions for a hormone balancing diet:
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables for their vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.
Antioxidants protect against free-radicals, health & ageing and are even more important later in life. - Choose complex carbohydrates, as opposed to simple, white carbohydrates, for longer lasting energy & greater health benefits.
- Eat foods rich in phytoestrogens e.g. pulses (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans) & soya prods. Plant oestrogens can have a balancing effect on our hormones.
- Eat the good fats in oily fish, nuts and seeds and use their oils too – these are all good for the brain, joints and cardiovascular system. Try to reduce saturated fats in meat and dairy products and trans-fats (found in fried foods and bakery prods).
- Drink plenty of water and keep caffeine and alcohol levels low in the diet – they over-stimulate the body and can cause loss of nutrients.
- Avoid sugar as this causes insulin production which can promote fat storage & weight gain. It also disrupts blood sugar levels and provides empty ‘calories’ of no nutritional value.
Eat well and be healthy!
