Benefits of Healthy Eating on

Hormones

Samantha BrownDipNT mBANT CNHC ANP

Benefits of Healthy Eating on Hormones

•What are Hormones?

•List of common hormones and what they do.

•How they connect to one another?

•How can we balance them naturally?

What Are Hormones?

•They are Chemical Messengers which travel through the bloodstream, arriving at target tissues.

•This is how the body communicates to other areas of the body.

•They influence health and wellbeing in a variety of ways.

•They are released into the bloodstream via a collection of glands in various place in the body.

Where are these glands?

•Brain: Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Pineal glands.•Thyroid and Four parathyroid glands.

•Adrenal glands.

•Pancreas.

•Thymus.

•Gonads.

1. Thyroid: Regulation of the bodies metabolism.

• - This effects every cell, tissue and organ system• - Essential for life, growth and development• - Required for mitochondria health in every cell in the body

2. Cortisol: Stress Hormone - flight or flight.

• - Prepares the body for survival on the presence of danger• - Increases bloody glucose production and mobilisation• - Increases protein catabolism from muscle• - Helps us wake in the morning and is part of the circadian

rhythm

Insulin: Transports glucose from the bloodstream into the cells.

- Converts glucose to it’s stored form glycogen- Inhibits the release of stored glucose- Slows breakdown of fat- Stimulates fat storage ….FAT STORING HORMONE

4. Glucagon: Causes the release of glucose from glycogen.

- Prompts the liver to convert stored glycogen to glucose for immediate use- Promotes the breakdown of fatty acids and triglycerides for fuel for the body- Released when the concentration of sugar in the blood decreases

• Leptins: Satiety hormone • - Helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger• - Regulates fats stores• - Influenced by gender, age, exercise and glucose

uptake into cells

• 6. Growth Hormones: • - Stimulates growth repair.• - Stimulates cell regeneration

• Oestrogen: Female Sex Hormone• - Responsible for the increase growth of cells• - Dominant at ovulation

• 8. Progesterone: Female Sex Hormone• - Main role is maintaining a healthy pregnancy• - Down-regulate of oestrogen receptors• - Dominant in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle•• 9. Testosterone: Male sex hormone important in women's health.• - Involved in growth, maintenance and repair of reproductive

tissues.• - Also influences bone mass

For sex hormones to function properly all the above have to be balanced as well!

• Thyroid – Sex Hormones: Hypothyroid

• Women demonstrate low oestradiol levels (most active oestrogen in the body).

• Thyroid dysfunction causes disturbances in the ovarian cycle.

• Reduces metabolic clearance of oestrone (week oestrogen in the body).

• Increases peripheral aromatisation. • Increase in unbound testosterone and reduction in SHBG

• Cortisol – Insulin:

• Cortisol provides the body with glucose from body stores ready for fight or flight!

• Long term elevated cortisol increases blood sugar levels.• Insulin production is increased to reduce blood sugar.• Long term stress contributes to insulin resistance.

• Cortisol – Leptins:• Cortisol promotes fat accumulation around the abdominal

area.• Abdominal and visceral fat increases leptin release • Leptin resistance switches off satiety signaling

• Leptins – Sex hormones:• Leptin resistance is connected to being over weight and

obesity.• Being over weight is correlated with insulin resistance which

drives sex hormone dysregulation.

• Insulin – Sex hormones:

• Insulin resistance is associated with reduction in SHBG• Reduction in SHBG increases the effect of testosterone

(possibly more connected to adiposity)• Insulin resistance contributes to reduction in oestrogen

• Intermittent Fasting:

• Eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating

• NOT LOW CALORIE• Reduces blood sugar levels • Reduces insulin and ghrelin levels• Helps balance hormones.• Increases growth hormones• Facilitates fat loss without reducing resting

metabolism

• Breaking a Fast:

• After a fast the body is more insulin sensitive.• The foods that break a fast are important.• Essential to concentrate on protein, healthy fats and

fibre• Leave healthy starchy carbohydrates till last meal to

improve sleep • Carbohydrates reduce stress hormones including

cortisol to allow the melatonin (sleepy hormone) to release

• Sleep:

• Include habits that improve melatonin release• Regular bedtime routine• Regular wake up time• Reduce blue light devices after dinner. Worst

offenders; phone, tablet and laptop! • Syncing the body with the natural day and night

time cycle.

• Sleep Cont:

• Nutrient timing of last meal so that most of the digestion is done.

• Promoting the circadian rhythm • Sleep quality is connected to stress hormone

levels the next day• Herbal tea such as pukka night time blend and

nighttime latte are great for relaxation.

• Increase Fibre:

• Increases satiation • Slows the release of sugar into blood stream from

digestion• Increases bulk of stools to help stimulate regular

bowel movements everyday• Lowers circulating oestrogen and other hormones

• Vegetables of the brassica family.

• Increasing oestrogen metabolism to a more favourable 2-OH oestrogen

• Connected to the prevention of breast cancer• Provide fibre for bowel health• Provides pre-biotics for the gut microbiota

• Increase waste elimination out of the body:

• Increase water intake • Increasing fibre• Decreasing foods/drinks that dehydrate • Avoiding foods that contain sugar alcohol such

as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol• Promote the natural motion that helps

elimination of feces. • Increase Protein foods for amino acids used in

detoxification.

• Nutrients for production hormones:Thyroid:

• Zinc – Regulate synthesis and mechanism of thyroid hormones., connected to hair thinning of hypothyroidism, T4-T3 conversion.

• Vitamin E – Protects against oxidative stress due to thyroid dysfunction.

• Vitamin A – Regulates thyroid hormone, production of TSH.

• Thyroid continued:

• B6 –Used for utilisation of iodine, synthesis of thyroid hormone.

• B2 – Synthesis of thyroid hormone, energy production.

• B3 – Synthesis of thyroid hormone, energy production.

• Thyroid continued:• Vit C – Thyroid hormone synthesis,

antioxidant activity, protects against oxidative stress.

• Copper – Required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Connected to hair thinning of hypothyroidism

• Selenium – Thyroid hormone synthesis, activation and metabolism

• Cortisol:

• Learning how to lower stress and recognise your triggers.

• Sleeping Well and maintaining good bedtime routine.• Relaxation techniques.• Avoid caffeine foods in the afternoon and evening.• Avoid alcohol.• Resist sugary cravings and eat a good diet with plenty

of water.

• Cofactors to hormones:• Omega 3 – DHA. • Precursor to many hormones.• Associated with many health benefits from

cardiovascular to brain health.• Reduces inflammation.• Modulating effect on adiposity, insulin resistance.• Shown to reduce testosterone levels and

regulate menstrual cycle in PCOS.

• Essential B Vitamins:• B1: Needed to produce energy, plays role in

phase 1 detoxification.• B2: Essential for fatty acid metabolism, plays

role in detox pathway.• B3: Regulate blood sugar levels, effect on

adrenal hormones, promotes release of growth hormone.

• Essential B Vitamins:

• B5: Supports liver phase I & II detox, precursors to all steroid hormones, production of adrenal hormones.

• B6: Promotes flow of bile to and from the liver, mood elevating, serotonin production, binds to sex hormones to detoxify.

• Vitamin D: Also a steroidal hormone!

• Regulates the immune system.• Works closely with other steroidal hormones.• Important in bone health.• Associated with lower SHBG, lower oestrogen and

higher DHEA levels.• Deficiency is a factor accelerating insulin resistance

formation.

Thank you

Thank you