Ditch the boring pills! Discover how you can eat your way to a healthier gut. Unleash gut and hormone health with my favorite foods packed with gut-loving prebiotics and probiotics.
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When it comes to optimizing your health, there’s one relationship we can’t overlook: the powerful connection between your gut and your hormones. In my latest video, I dive deep into how what you eat affects not only your digestion but also your hormonal balance. One of the easiest (and tastiest!) ways to improve both is by including prebiotic and probiotic foods in your diet.
Balancing Gut and Hormone Health
When you regularly include both prebiotic and probiotic foods in your diet, you’re supporting a healthy gut, which in turn helps regulate your hormones. Improved digestion, less bloating, more energy, and balanced moods can all be signs that your gut-hormone connection is working in harmony.
To learn more about how to incorporate these foods into your daily routine and why gut health is essential for hormone balance, be sure to check out my latest video below.
I also share simple recipe ideas that make it easy to get started. It’s easier than you think!
I also talk about the top signs you have an unhealthy gut and top foods you can avoid that make it worse.
Taking care of your gut is one of the most impactful ways to support your overall health, and with these delicious foods, it can be an enjoyable journey too!
But first, let’s break it down: Why are prebiotics and probiotics so important?
Why Gut Health Matters for Hormone Health
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that are crucial in everything from digestion to immune function. But did you know that your gut can also impact your hormones? A healthy gut supports proper hormone regulation by influencing how hormones like insulin, cortisol, and estrogen are produced and metabolized. In other words, if your gut is out of balance, your hormones likely are too!
Fun fact: The subset of the [gut] microbiome involved with estrogen metabolism is called the estrobolome.
Your gut and your hormones – Causes of Female Hormone Changes (helloclue.com)
Probiotics: The Good Gut Bacteria that Support Healthy Gut and Hormones
Probiotics are live bacteria that can help maintain or restore the gut flora. By eating probiotic-rich foods, you’re essentially adding more of those beneficial bacteria to your digestive system, helping to keep the gut environment healthy and balanced.
Some of my favorite probiotic-rich foods include:
• Kefir: A fermented drink loaded with more beneficial bacteria than yogurt.
My fave is Coconut Kefir. Watch out for added sugar that will encourage more growth of the bad guys!
• Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage may sound simple, but it’s packed with probiotics.
This is so easy to make. Check out my recipe in the video below!
• Miso: A Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s versatile in soups and marinades.
This is my go-to for home-made dressings with super umami flavor!
Pro tip: Don’t heat miso because you’ll kill the microorganisms. Add it after the dish has cooled some and isn’t too hot.
Prebiotics: The Fuel for Good Bacteria for Gut and Hormone Health
Prebiotics are the non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Think of them as the food for your probiotics! They help the good bacteria grow and thrive, ensuring a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
Here are some top prebiotic-rich foods to include:
• Leeks: Mild onion-y flavor that’s full of fiber to fuel good bacteria.
I love starting soups with this fiber-rich allium.
• Asparagus: Rich in prebiotic fiber and a tasty addition to many dishes.
One of my favorite spring-time vegetables and so versatile. Try leeks and asparagus in scrambled eggs!
• Chicory Root: Often used as a coffee substitute, chicory root is a prebiotic pow.
Check out my recipe below for chicory root coffee!
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Chicory and Dandelion Root Coffee: A Tasty Way to Feed Your Gut Without the Caffeine Jitters
Here’s a delicious dark brew that you can have alone or mixed into your favorite coffee drink for a gut-health boost! This recipe is for a batch that will last you a while …
Ingredients (buy organic whenever possible)
- Roasted Chicory Root (prebiotic)
- Roasted Dandelion Root (blood and liver cleanser)
- Ginger Root (boost circulation and digestion – packs a warming punch!)
- Cinnamon Chips (same as above and regulates sugar metabolism)
I get my organic ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs. I encourage you to find a local apothecary to source your ingredients!
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Recognize the Signs of Gut Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis happens when there’s an imbalance in our gut’s microorganisms, tipping the scales against us and messing with our body’s usual functions. It can be triggered by things like a bad diet, excessive medication, stress, or just not living healthily. But it’s not just about stomach issues; dysbiosis can actually impact our overall health and well-being.
Take the quiz below and get our free Gut Guide: Recognizing the Signs of Gut Dysbiosis.
Good Gut Health Supports Overall Women’s Reproductive Wellness
Ok, so I hope you get how important prebiotics and probiotics are to a health gut and as a result healthy hormones. That said, it also affects nearly every physiological process in your body.
Did you know that improving your gut health can also…
- support fertility and healthy pregnancy.
- lower your risk for PCOS, endometriosis, and breast cancer.
- lower your risk for thyroid issues like hypothyroidism.
- support healthy cholesterol levels that help to regulate estrogen and progesterone.
An unhealthy gut causes hormonal disruptions and chronic inflammation which can precede serious diseases such as diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s.
Sources
Nutrition, stress reduction can affect women’s health conditions through gut health (healio.com)
The impact of the gut microbiota on the reproductive and metabolic endocrine system – PMC (nih.gov)
Unveiling the Intricate Link Between Leaky Gut and Hormone Imbalances (drjennarayachoti.com)
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Please be advised that the content on this website is for education and information purposes only and does not replace advice from a medical professional.
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