How to Naturally Reset Your Hormones in 7 Days
In This Article
How can I reset my hormones?
How many times do you find yourself asking the following questions “Is this normal to be in this much pain during my period?
Why am I so irritable?
Why am I constantly breaking out?”
And of course the age old question: How can I reset my hormones?
Don’t worry, I have asked myself these questions so many times! These are all such common questions we as females ask ourselves and they are all related to the intricate balance of our hormones.
Finding the right balance between our hormone levels is rather difficult in today’s society with so many factors contributing to the balance of our hormones.
Our hormones are constantly in a state of ebb and flow - and this is NORMAL.
Our hormones fluctuate daily and even those females without menstrual cycle issues will still experience hourly changes in hormones such as cortisol, melatonin, and thyroid hormones as the body attempts to keep everything in balance.
It’s when our hormones become out of balance things become an issue especially for period health.
What causes hormone levels to become imbalanced?
Our bodies are becoming increasingly more polluted by chemicals that mimic hormones and cause our own natural hormone levels to fluctuate - mimicking the female menstrual cycle.
This is why many women experience a lack of ovulation, absent periods, pregnancy scares, heavier than normal periods or other symptoms which are completely normal.
Of course, you may be wondering: how do I balance and reset my hormones? I've got you covered sister.
(PS. If you want to go super deep on this topic, I’ve written a super comprehensive guide on how to balance your hormones naturally here.)
What is a hormone imbalance?
A hormone imbalance is where our hormones fail to work in concert with each other, causing frustrating symptoms like:
- Painful periods
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Irregular periods (speaking of which, I’ve got this great “Why is my period late” calculator you should check out!)
- Weight gain
- Heavy periods
- Spotting
- Acne
- Hair growth on the face
- Fertility issues
- And many more!
If it gets out of balance, our bodies experience physical symptoms like PMS, infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a complete lack of ovulation or other issues related to an imbalance in the hormones.
What causes hormone imbalances?
The world we live in today is filled with so many things that will affect our hormones and how well they remain balanced throughout the day - hint: stress is one of the biggest influencers on our hormones.
Other factors that may contribute to a hormone imbalance are medications, diet, environmental toxins, exercise and many more!
Focusing on implementing a new practice daily for 7 days is the best way to start supporting your hormones in the journey of achieving natural hormone balance.
Hormones are there to help us, and they give our bodies cues on what to do and when.
They will control how we feel (happiness, depression), what we eat (appetite changes), how much energy we have in a day for work, play and everything else in between.
When our hormones start to get out of balance it can have serious impact on the way we live our lives.
It can make us feel out of control, anxious and/or just plain depressed.
Our constant exposure to toxins and chemicals can get our hormones seriously out of whack.
The good news is that there are many ways we can help our bodies naturally reset our hormones back to a balanced state.
To reset your hormones, you will need to address the root cause of your issues and get back in balance. It all starts with a hormone reset diet, lifestyle and exercise regime.
We have routines in many other areas of our lives (like sleep, eating, working, etc) so it makes sense to support our hormones with daily practices to keep them in balance, rather than just at the time of our period.
One of the best ways you can start supporting your hormones is to get my best selling PCOS book, PCOS Repair Protocol, to help you get into the habit of daily practices to promote hormone balance.
Are you ready to take the challenge and naturally balance your hormones?
Now, let’s break down some of the daily habits I go deeper on in the book.
Day 1 - Ditch the coffee, cut out the alcohol
I know, coffee gets us through the day.
The thought of giving it up is too much for some to deal with.
Trust me, I understand - I love my coffee!
Same goes for alcohol, it can be difficult to even think about having to give this up especially if it’s only that one glass you are having to wind down at the end of the day.
I promise you, you can do it and I’m right here with you through this!
It’s only for 7 days and then you can go back to enjoying coffee and the occasional glass of wine.
Having even just 7 days off coffee and alcohol will show amazing benefits and allow your hormones the chance to start balancing out.
Swap the coffee for green tea.
Caffeine slows down your liver's ability to detoxify and clear excess hormones out of the body.
Caffeine also is linked with higher anxiety.
Alcohol is also putting an extra load on your liver meaning the liver will prioritize detoxifying this out of the system instead of the excess hormones circulating around.
Keep scrolling for some alternatives to coffee and alcohol to try.
Taking a break from coffee and alcohol can be an important part of a hormone reset diet for 7 days of detox.
Coffee alternatives to try:
- Matcha latte
- Turmeric latte
- Green tea
- Hot cocoa
- Dandelion tea
Alcohol alternatives:
- Kombucha
- Sparkling water with fresh fruits such as limes, berries, etc
Day 2 - Add magnesium into your day
Adding a good quality magnesium supplement will have a significant effect on the health of your hormones.
Magnesium helps with many areas of our health however, its ability to help with hormonal issues in women is why I love it so much!
When we are stressed, our body burns through magnesium leaving us very depleted - and let’s be honest, who isn’t stressed in this day and age?
Why have magnesium for your periods?
- Reduces period cramps & painful periods: Magnesium works as a muscle relaxant meaning it will help your uterus muscles to relax and reduce period pain experienced.
- PMS: Magnesium works to reduce PMS symptoms including breast tenderness, mood disturbances as well as irritability, and anxiety.
- Digestive support: Magnesium is important for peristalsis (the movement of food throughout the digestive system) to occur. Magnesium therefore may help to reduce constipation experienced.
- Stress support: Magnesium helps our body cope with stress
- Sleep: Magnesium promotes restful and restorative sleep. Sleep is vital in having happy and balanced hormones.
- Balances blood sugar levels: Magnesium helps to lower your blood sugar levels and improve your insulin response making magnesium the perfect supplement for people suffering from PCOS.
- Balances hormones: Magnesium is vital for the production and balance of healthy hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Thinking it’s time to invest in a magnesium supplement? Ensure you buy magnesium in the form of magnesium biglycinate as this form is better absorbed than others.
Want to learn more about how magnesium supports your menstrual cycle?
Day 3 - Increase dark leafy greens
Dark leafy greens are nutrient powerhouses when it comes to balancing hormones.
2 key reasons leafy greens should be your best friend for naturally balancing your hormones:
- Support detoxification and elimination: Dark leafy greens help to support your liver in removing toxic substances including excess hormones. The high fibre content of dark leafy greens helps to improve the excretion of estrogen through daily bowel motions.
- Natural hormone balance: Greens contain high amounts of many nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, and vitamin C which are needed for optimal hormone production.
High level of magnesium helps reset hormone imbalances and restore hormonal health. Magnesium not only supports muscle contraction but also your body's protein synthesization.
Dark leafy greens to include in your diet are:
- Spinach
- Rocket
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Swiss chard
- Dandelion greens
How many should you be having?
Aim to start with ½ cup of cooked greens and increase this to 2-3 cups daily.
If you notice you are struggling with your digestion of foods, cooked greens are easier to digest.
Try adding your greens as a base to your salad, mixing them into smoothies, mixing through curries or soups or adding them into stir fries.
Day 4 - Enjoy healthy fats with every meal.
So many of my clients still hold onto the belief that eating fat makes you fat.
Hands up if you still order a skim latte and use reduced fat cheese or margarine at home?
If you’re scared of getting fat from eating fat, I have some great news for you: the science has moved on from this outdated theory and is now confirming that healthy fats consumed in moderate amounts not only aren’t the cause of obesity, but are crucial in many body functions, including maintaining hormonal balance.
Yes, we need fats to make our hormones as they provide the building blocks for your hormone including progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.
Without these fats, hormone production is altered causing the symptoms mentioned above.
Fats are also vital in providing the key nutrients for the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K which are also vital for fertility and hormone health. Hint hint, fats will also help to:
- Give you soft glowing skin
- Give you strong and healthy hair and nails
- Keep you satisfied between meals
- Avoid those energy crashes after high carbohydrate meals
Healthy fats to start including in your diet to help balance your hormones:
This will also help to make you feel more satisfied after a meal. Healthy fats to try are:
- Wild-caught salmon
- Avocado
- Walnuts
- Ghee
- Olives and olive oil
- Brazil nuts (great for your thyroid!)
- Ground flax seeds
- Tahini (ground sesame seed paste)
- Coconut milk and oil
- Hemp seeds
- Almond/cashew butter
Day 5 - Chew your food
How to chew properly
- Switch off your phone, and move away from any distractions
- Place food in your mouth and aim for 20-30 chews before you swallow
- Appreciate the flavours and textures of the food
- After eating, spare a few minutes to be still and let your food digest
Day 6 - Prioritize Sleep
When we wind down for sleep a hormone called ‘melatonin’ (otherwise known as our sleepy hormone) is secreted to signal its time to sleep. Melatonin signals the body to stop producing cortisol (our ‘stress’ hormone).
Tips for Improving Sleep:
- Switch off electronics 30-60 minutes before bed
- Wind down by reading a book
- Use blue light blocking glasses
- Drink a calming cup of chamomile tea
- Listen to guided meditation
- Journal
Day 7- Add Turmeric
How to include turmeric in your diet to support hormone balance
- Start with 1tsp per day added into smoothies, curries, turmeric lattes, warm drinks, stir-fries
- Try sprinkling it over eggs or toast
So there you have it, you have taken amazing steps in 7 days that will have you on the road to achieving balanced hormones naturally.
Adding these habits into our daily routine can have such positive affects on our overall hormonal health and balance our hormones.
Remember, if our hormones are balanced the way they are meant to be, you can avoid asking yourself the questions such as “Is this normal to be in this much pain during my period? Why am I so irritable? Why am I constantly breaking out?”.
Now it’s your turn!
Keen to dig your teeth into even more hormone-loving content?
About The Author - Tamika Woods
