Best food to Help in Pregnancy, Menstruation and Menopause

What we eat can greatly affect our levels of oestrogen. Too much or too little oestrogen can cause a complex range of unpleasant symptoms.

To support your body’s ability to regulate hormone levels it’s essential to feed it with hormone-balancing foods.

• For liver support eat plenty of garlic, onions, especially red onions, and always start your day with a large glass of warm lemon or lime water for a great liver flush.
• Healthy fats are absolutely essential for good hormonal balance. Oestrogen is made from saturated fat, so eating regular amounts of unrefined coconut oil, coconut chunks and coconut milk provides a super-healthy form of saturated fat.
• Eggs and butter made from grass fed milk are also highly beneficial. Other fats to help hormonal balance are extra virgin olive oil, avocados and avocado oil and omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines, herring and wild salmon.
• Omega 3 is a key part of your body’s hormonal production and regulation. Most women are very low in Omega 3 as it is found in so few food sources. Make an extra effort to eat the fish listed above or consider taking a high quality Omega 3 supplement.
• Flax seeds are a great functional food as they have many health benefits. The fibres are ideal for supporting gut health, and a healthy gut allows the body to better regulate hormonal balance.
• Flax seeds also contain phyto-oestrogens, very mild, plant oestrogens that have a balancing effect for women with excess oestrogen symptoms such as fibroids, heavy periods, endometriosis and menopausal symptoms. Freshly grind flax seeds and add to yogurt or smoothies to experience the affects.
• Red meat, pumpkin seeds, egg yolks and shellfish or seafood are good sources of zinc, a mineral greatly lacking in many women’s diets. These are essential for healthy hormone production, so be sure to eat a combination of these to increase zine intake.
• Sage is a lovely herb for regulating female hormones especially for menopausal symptoms. Fresh sage can be used to make tea and sage supplements can be taken.
• Limit alcohol as this will reduce your liver’s ability to process oestrogen. If you’re oestrogen dominant, greatly limit all sources of dairy, especially non-organic milk, as any animal milk will contain high levels of oestrogen.