5. Lower your sugar intake
Minimizing added sugar intake may be instrumental in optimizing hormone function and avoiding obesity, diabetes, and other diseases.
The simple sugar fructose is present in many types of sugar, comprising up to 43% of honey, 50% of refined table sugar, 55% of high fructose corn syrup, and 90% of agave (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).
In addition, sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugars in the Western diet, and fructose is commonly used commercially in soft drinks, fruit juice, and sport and energy drinks (30Trusted Source).
Fructose intake has increased exponentially in the United States since around 1980, and studies consistently show that eating added sugar promotes insulin resistance — regardless of total calorie intake or weight gain (30Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
Long-term fructose intake has been linked to disruptions of the gut microbiome, which may lead to other hormonal imbalances (35Trusted Source).
What’s more, fructose may fail to stimulate the production of the fullness hormone leptin, leading to decreased calorie burning and increased weight gain (33Trusted Source).
Therefore, reducing your intake of sugary drinks — and other sources of added sugar — may improve hormone health.
Summary
Diets high in sugar have been shown to promote insulin resistance, disrupt your gut microbiome, and reduce leptin production. Thus, lowering your sugar intake may aid hormonal health.
6. Try stress reduction techniques
Stress harms your hormones in several ways.
The hormone cortisol is known as the stress hormone because it helps your body cope with long-term stress.
Your body’s response to stress activates a cascade of events that leads to cortisol production. Once the stressor has passed, the response ends. However, chronic stress impairs the feedback mechanisms that return your hormonal systems to normal (36Trusted Source).
Therefore, chronic stress causes cortisol levels to remain elevated, which stimulates appetite and increases your intake of sugary and high fat foods. In turn, this may lead to excessive calorie intake and obesity (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).
In addition, high cortisol levels stimulate gluconeogenesis — the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources — which may cause insulin resistance (38Trusted Source).
Notably, research shows that you can lower your cortisol levels by engaging in stress reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, and listening to relaxing music (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source).
Try to devote at least 10–15 minutes per day to these activities, even if you feel you don’t have time.
Summary
Engaging in meditation, yoga, and other soothing activities may help normalize your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
7. Consume healthy fats
Including high quality natural fats in your diet may help reduce insulin resistance and appetite.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are unique fats that are less likely to be stored in fat tissue and more likely to be taken up directly by your liver for immediate use as energy, promoting increased calorie burning (42Trusted Source).
MCTs are also less likely to promote insulin resistance (42Trusted Source).
Furthermore, healthy fats such as omega-3s help increase insulin sensitivity by reducing inflammation and pro-inflammatory markers (43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source, 45Trusted Source).
Additionally, studies note that omega-3s may prevent cortisol levels from increasing during chronic stress (46Trusted Source, 47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source).
These healthy fats are found in pure MCT oil, avocados, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, fatty fish, and olive and coconut oils (42Trusted Source).
Summary
Eating healthy fats may help reduce insulin resistance and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
8. Get consistent, high quality sleep
No matter how nutritious your diet or how consistent your exercise routine, getting enough restorative sleep is crucial for optimal health.
Poor sleep is linked to imbalances in many hormones, including insulin, cortisol, leptin, ghrelin, and HGH (49Trusted Source, 50Trusted Source, 51Trusted Source, 52Trusted Source).
For instance, not only does sleep deprivation impair insulin sensitivity, but poor sleep is associated with a 24-hour increase in cortisol levels, which may lead to insulin resistance (49Trusted Source, 50Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source).
In fact, one small study in 14 healthy adults found that 5 nights of sleep restriction decreased insulin sensitivity by 25% (54Trusted Source).
Moreover, studies consistently show that sleep deprivation results in increased ghrelin and decreased leptin levels (49Trusted Source, 50Trusted Source).
In a review of 21 studies in 2,250 people, those assigned to a short sleep group showed higher ghrelin levels than those who got the recommended amount of sleep (55Trusted Source).
Plus, your brain needs uninterrupted sleep to go through all five stages of each sleep cycle. This is especially important for the release of growth hormone, which occurs mainly at night during deep sleep (56Trusted Source).
To maintain optimal hormonal balance, aim for at least 7 hours of high quality sleep per night.
Summary
Poor sleep has been shown to decrease fullness hormones, increase hunger and stress hormones, and increase insulin resistance.
9. Follow a high fiber diet
Fiber is essential to a healthy diet.
Studies have found that it increases insulin sensitivity and stimulates the production of hormones that make you feel full (57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source, 59Trusted Source).
Although soluble fiber tends to produce the strongest effects on appetite by increasing fullness hormones, insoluble fiber may also play a role (59Trusted Source).
Your gut microbiome ferments soluble fiber in your colon, producing SCFAs that stimulate the release of the fullness hormones PYY and GLP-1 (57Trusted Source).
As such, try to eat several high fiber foods each day.
Summary
High fiber intake is linked to improvements in insulin sensitivity and the hormones that control hunger, fullness, and food intake.
10. Consider following the Mediterranean diet
Estrogen is a hormone involved in both female and male reproductive health, as well as blood sugar balance, bone and heart health, and immune and brain function (60Trusted Source, 61Trusted Source).
However, estrogen levels that are either too low or too high have been linked to acute and chronic health conditions, including obesity, metabolic disorders, and various cancers (60Trusted Source, 61Trusted Source).
However, dietary choices may contribute to changes in your estrogen levels.
Research shows that the Western diet — primarily composed of refined sugars and animal products — is linked to higher estrogen levels, which are a risk factor for breast and ovarian cancers (61Trusted Source, 62Trusted Source, 63Trusted Source, 64Trusted Source, 65Trusted Source).
On the contrary, following a Mediterranean-style diet rich in whole grains, seeds, fish, legumes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower may help reduce estrogen levels and, thus, cancer risk (62Trusted Source).
Similarly, long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet may reduce breast cancer risk during and after menopause — stages that are characterized by low estrogen levels (66Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source).
Researchers believe that this diet increases your intake of protective plant compounds such as polyphenols and lignans (62Trusted Source).
Summary
Replacing a diet high in red meat and processed and refined foods with a Mediterranean-style diet rich in whole grains, legumes, and fish may help you manage your estrogen levels.
The bottom line
Your hormones are involved in every aspect of your health. You need them in very specific amounts for your body to function optimally.
Hormone imbalances may increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions.
Although aging and other factors that affect hormones are beyond your control, you can take several steps to help manage your hormone levels.
Consuming nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and engaging in other health-promoting behaviors such as meditating and getting enough sleep may go a long way toward improving your hormonal health.
