Healthy Hormone Hacks Continues…
Have you been missing out on my simple tips to keep your hormones balanced during the holidays?
I’ve been giving away all kinds of knowledge goodies over the past week in regards to practical things you can do to keep hormones (such as cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, melatonin, insulin, and leptin) balanced during the holiday season.
The holidays can wreak havoc on your hormones as you tend to focus SO much on giving to others this time of year and not so much on giving to yourself as you run around from holiday parties, last-minute gift shopping and visiting family or friends.
By the end of it all, I bet you usually feel wiped out and wondering why you feel so fat, tired and sick all the time – it’s because your hormones took a hit!
To help you keep your hormones intact this holiday season, I kicked off an Instagram series last week called the 12 Days of Healthy Hormone Hacks for the Holidays.
Over the course of 12 days on Instagram, catch my posts where I’m delivering simple tips for practical things you can do to keep your hormones balanced while you enjoy the holiday season!
Here’s what you might have missed so far…
Day 6: Bank Some Sleep
Sleep is the first thing to go during the holiday season. We stay up late this time of year…
- Burning the midnight oil to meet last-minute work deadlines
- Wrapping presents when kids or loved ones are asleep
- Dancing or socializing the night away at holiday parties
- Waiting for Santa or loved ones to arrive
- Or by taking red-eye flights to save a few bucks
Have you ever noticed that even when you get 8 hours of sleep or allow yourself to sleep in after a late night, you just don’t seem to wake up feeling as rested?
Our body is on an internal time clock according to the sun cycles. Based on this internal timer, our body has specific times of day when it does critical functions to help keep our hormones balanced.
From 10 pm-2 am, the body releases human growth hormone to repair damaged tissues or cells, and create new cells. This is also when cortisol levels are at their lowest, and the hormone melatonin peaks to support restful sleep. And from 2 am–4 am, the liver and gallbladder get to work cleansing and detoxifying to release toxins.
If we miss these windows of sleep, our body does not shift its internal clock; we simply miss out on these important functions, and our hormones take a hit. Constantly staying up late can completely flip your cortisol rhythm, mess with melatonin production, and disrupt the rest of your hormones.
Obviously, there are some fun-filled and valid reasons to miss some shut-eye this time of year, but you can make up for it by banking sleep on the days you can get to bed at a more reasonable hour.
Every 1 hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours of rest!
When you don’t have holiday obligations, be in bed by 10 pm or earlier to bank sleep for late nights ahead or to make up for the ones already had.
Getting good quality sleep at the optimal times will help you to wake up feeling rested and make it through the holidays without your hormones being completely out of whack.
***
Day 5: Crush Some Cruciferous Veggies
It’s the last full weekend before Christmas Eve, and all through the town, Christmas cocktails are flowing… meaning estrogen levels are rising.
One alcoholic beverage can increase estrogen levels in the body for up to 24 hours. But this time of year, there’s bound to be more than one drink had, and with back-to-back holiday festivities, our bodies may not get a full 24-hour break for estrogen levels to fall back to normal.
Aside from alcohol, there is a whole category of toxins called xenoestrogens, such as certain plastics, that we are likely to come in contact with more frequently this time of year.
Alcohol and plastic can increase estrogen.
Constantly elevated estrogen levels from alcohol consumption or toxin exposures can lead to estrogen dominance, which can, in turn, trigger thyroid imbalances, sleep issues, and mood swings.
But don’t worry; you can still indulge this holiday season and not worry about every plastic you touch if you focus on crushing some cruciferous veggies when you sit down to eat.
Cruciferous vegetables are a staple in an anti-estrogenic type of diet or lifestyle. They contain a compound called DIM (3’3 diindolylmethane), which helps your body remove estrogen through the liver.
DIM isn’t the only reason why cruciferous veggies are anti-estrogenic. Most of them also contain chlorophyll (found in the green leaves), which also aids in reducing estrogen through improved liver health.
Next time you go out to eat or cook at home, see where you can incorporate some of these cruciferous veggies…
- Arugula
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Collard Greens
- Kale
- Mustard greens
- Radish
- Turnip
- Watercress
Some of my favorite holiday side dishes include different styles of roasted Brussels sprouts and kale salads. Brussels sprouts, in general, are a big trend these days for appetizers, so look to add them to your meal when eating out. Or double the benefits with some sauerkraut to get in your cabbage to lower estrogen AND promote better gut health.
Keep that estrogen in check by crushing some cruciferous veggies as we wind down the year!
***
Day 4: Wake Up with Warm Water
It’s cold outside ❄️ so why not start your day with some warm lemon-salted water while you brew your usual cup of joe or tea?
Beyond warming you up, your hormones can hugely benefit by starting your day with warm water enhanced with a slice of lemon and a pinch of Himalayan or sea salt.
Lemons have been shown to help detoxify the liver. The liver is where we convert hormones, such as thyroid T4 to T3, and it helps to excrete excess hormones, such as estrogen, which can lead to weight gain, sleep, and mood issues if they build up.
A pinch of Himalayan or sea salt promotes better hydration and electrolyte balance, which is important for hormone and bodily functions. Plus, the salt’s magnesium, sodium, and potassium nourish the adrenal glands, which primarily produce cortisol and the hormone DHEA and contribute to the production of adrenaline, estrogen, and other hormones.
Warm or room temperature water aids in the absorption of the lemon and salt nutrients into the body in addition to promoting digestive function and bowel movements, which is how we excrete toxins that can impact hormone balance or excess hormones themselves. Essentially, warm water gives the insides of your body a gentle nudge to get going instead of a cold electric shock to get out of bed.
During the craziness of the holidays, we are more likely to forget to drink water throughout the day and indulge in other activities such as drinking alcohol, drinking more coffee, and traveling, which dehydrate and rob us of nutrients even more.
This holiday season, see if you can add a cup of warm, lemon-salted water to your morning to give your hormones a healthy boost to start your day!
***
Head on over to my Instagram to see what you might have missed AND to catch the rest of my 12 Days of Healthy Hormone Hacks for the Holidays.
Self-Care doesn’t have to be complicated. Download your free copy of our 5 Simple Self-Care Rituals eBook today.
