Happy gut, happy hormones
We all know that a well functioning gut is the cornerstone for good health, but did you know it can benefit your hormones too?
Oestrogen and progesterone receptors are found throughout the GI tract so it’s not surprising that rising and falling levels can have a marked impact on your wellbeing.
Here’s a 4 step guide to keeping yours on track:
Fibre
A drop in oestrogen and progesterone can leave many peri and post menopausal women suffering from changes in bowel habits, particularly constipation.
One of oestrogen’s many jobs is to keep cortisol levels low, so when oestrogen levels dip, cortisol - and stress - can rise. This means a slowing down of the digestive process, which can be further exacerbated if you’re taking iron, thyroid or anti-depressants.
The answer is to make fibre a priority. Lots of wholegrains (brown rice, oats and bran flakes), plenty of fruits and vegetables (a recent study showed two kiwi fruits a day made a difference), as well as legumes (lentils and beans), nuts and seeds. Increase slowly - add a few extra handfuls each week - and make sure you hydrate well; your urine should be the colour of pale straw.
Exercise
Daily movement can help regulate bowel movements. Aim for 30 minutes a day, even if it’s just walking. In fact, exercise first thing in the morning can help to bring on what’s known as a ‘mass movement’, although interestingly many people find coffee has the same impact.
Moderate exercise also lowers cortisol levels, which we know from above has an influence on gut motility. It’s worth noting that excessive workouts such as HIIT can heighten your fight or flight response so it’s crucial to include rest days or counterbalance high intensity regimes with something low key like yoga or pilates.
Microbiome
There’s no escaping the link between our gut and our brain, especially when you consider that up to 90 percent of the body’s serotonin (your happy hormone) is made in the digestive tract. The principal players in this production process? Microbes.
To keep your gut bugs plentiful and happy you need to feed them a variety of plant sources (30 plus a week if you can), avoid over use of antibiotics, reduce alcohol, minimise stress, and include fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and miso into your diet. Simple!
Many people who suffer with digestive health issues such as IBS swear by probiotics such as Symprove and Optibac, so it’s worth considering a supplement. However, if you do decide to take a probiotic and don’t see an improvement in symptoms after six weeks then don’t bother continuing, it’s a waste of time and money.
Omega 3
According to many studies, including the SMILE trial carried out a couple of years ago, there is a link between omega 3 essential fatty acids and improvement in mood disorders. It’s worth noting that healthy fats are also crucial to hormone production. But where’s the link with the gut?
Omega 3 fats have been shown to increase SCFA-producing bacteria that in turn help reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Help boost yours by including oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines into your diet twice a week, or look to plant sources like walnuts, chia and flaxseeds.