Healthy Hormones & Aging
Thankfully my wellness journey began decades ago with my mother who experimented with food and food combining, who also believed that eating as close to the farm was the best way to get the freshest ingredients, and used the microwave as a bread bin. It wasn’t until I was older that I really started paying attention to what I ate and how much exercise I got. My first insight at a the value of graceful aging came as a result of my work as a tour guide. I escorted people all over the world and my guests were typically 70 plus and there wasn’t a morning that didn't start without someone at breakfast taking a wide variety of medication(s). As I witnessed this, I made a commitment that first and foremost, I was going to see and experience the world while my body was young and flexible enough to climb a mountain and throw a suitcase in the overhead bin without assistance. So I ask you, on a scale from 1-10, how important is your health to you?
Do you choose TRANSFORMATION or do you choose CHANGE? There is a difference. Think about it. Transformation can happen in the blink of an eye, change sounds like that dreaded four lettered word ... WORK. You already spend 40 hours working, why would you want to cut into your free time too?
Remember your time is valuable! It’s the only commodity that we can NEVER get back so making time for you and the things that are important to you should be at the top of your “to do” list.
Transformation takes surrender and a willingness to shift your perspective and a willingness to receive. Work is blood, sweat and tears. Both can leave you feeling accomplished but if you are like me, you want to tear off the wrapping paper and get to the gift inside! So what are you waiting for? Look, I’m not suggesting that you sit down and eat the whole pantry in one go. Go after it one savory bite at a time and it gets easier and don’t beat yourself up every time you stumble. As for me, whether I choose to nurture myself from the “outside in” or the “inside out”, there are some important things that I've learned about small but significant changes to one’s diet that will help from the inside out along with some Integrative Coaching. My personal preference is to eat organic and for the most part, plant based, however I realize it’s not always affordable so you pick and choose mindfully.
Below is a list of hormones that are super important to our aging process and I’ve included recommendations of foods you can eat to help your body.
DHEA
A natural hormone made from cholesterol & it’s critical for good health & vitality. Chronic stress & illness can drive your DHEA levels too low. Low levels of DHEA makes your skin DRY, IRRITATED, and DEHYDRATED.
Foods: Coconut milk, Flax seeds, organic butter/ghee, cod liver, coconut oil, red palm oil, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, pumpkin seed & olive oils … Omega Oils convert to DHEA.
ESTROGEN
Lack of: Makes your skin thinner & less elastic but remember this comes naturally with age. The goal is to be preventive.
Foods: Flax seeds, Soy (non-GMO soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu), strawberries, peaches, pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, dried apricots, prunes, dates, red wine.
INSULIN
High insulin levels accelerate WRINKLING of the skin.
Foods: Broccoli, Green Leafy Veggies, Peppers, Tomatoes, Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes), Berries, Beans & Lentils.
GROWTH HORMONES (HGH)
Lack of: Makes your skin SAG - especially your chin and above the knees & the lack of HGH is why we “don’t feel so young anymore”.
Foods: Start your day by eating melatonin rich foods such as raspberries, grapes, oats, tomatoes, pomegranate, then there is the pineapple, dark chocolate (I know you’ve been waiting for this one), cheese, eggs, wild caught salmon, coconut oil, air-chilled chicken, fish, tofu (soy), grass fed beef, spinach.
MELATONIN
Guards from UV radiation and repairs BURNED, DAMAGED skin PLUS melatonin production is vital to a good nights’ sleep. With COVID-19, doctors in Europe have been conducting studies with increasing melatonin supplements in order to help the body build a stronger immune system.
Foods: Almonds, turkey, chamomile tea, kiwi, tart cherries/tart cherry juice, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout, walnuts, passionflower tea, even white rice! Food specific to sleep in addition to the above are milk, bananas, oatmeal, & cottage cheese.
PROGESTERONE
This often begins to decline in women in their mid to late 30s, which leaves your skin looking DULL and LACK LUSTER. Many women will use Progesterone Cream before and during menopause but then stop afterwards. A continued use of the cream after menopause will help with aging bones.
Foods: Beans, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, pumpkin, spinach & whole grains. If you need to lower you estrogen levels which might help to balance out the progesterone in your body, these foods can help lower that process … bananas, cabbage, shellfish, walnuts.
TESTOSTERONE
Yes, even women need to have balanced Testosterone levels! Excessive testosterone may result in ACNE on the face, chest, or back and boosting testosterone levels in the body can be as simple as getting some exercise. Now this is the one that I want to point out that the following actually DIMINISH testosterone production: alcohol, soy, mint tea (peppermint & spearmint), bread, pastry, desserts that are made with processed sugar, licorice root and polyunsaturated fats.
Foods: Ashwaganda tea, fresh ginger, oysters, tuna, pomegranate, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, fatty fish and fish oil like Atlantic mackerel, herring, wild salmon (avoid farm raised), sardines, trout, EVOO (I have recently read that the Italians are using glycasophate on their crops so needless to say, I am not a fan of that and would choose an EVOO from another country), onions.
So in closing, your health is directly tied to the quality of your life. Do you want to spend time in the doctor’s office or tied to a schedule of medications? Or do you want to spend your time being present with your family, friends and loved ones, savoring life’s most precious moments … THE PRESENT?