Part 2 of 3: The Suzy Shinner Wellness Series
Welcome back! In Part 1, we explored how modern stress impacts your body differently than our cave girl ancestors. Now that you understand the cortisol connection, I'm here to tackle the hormone myths that might be keeping you from feeling your best.
I’m Suzy, a registered Nutritional Therapist specialising in female hormone health - and I’m here to bust some myths about our hormones.
There’s a lot of chatter out there about our hormones, so we’re bringing you evidence-based knowledge and tips to help you get back to feeling balanced.
1. We can support hormone balance naturally.
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Fact. There are lots of things we can do ourselves to optimise hormone health. Eating a balanced diet with all the right nutrients, reducing sugary, ultra-processed foods, limiting toxins in our environment, prioritising sleep and exercise can all help to keep you balanced.
2. Caffeine has no impact on hormones.
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Myth. Research suggests that caffeine can alter oestrogen levels. It also triggers the release of cortisol, one of our stress hormones, which can in turn impact our female sex hormones like progesterone. Caffeine can negatively affect sleep quality, again adding to our stress levels and potentially impacting hormones.
3. Hormonal imbalance always shows up as mood swings.
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Myth. Signs of hormonal imbalances are hugely varied, depending on the hormones involved (women have many!). Hormone imbalance could manifest itself in dry skin, acne, excess facial hair, thinning hair, memory loss, headaches, brain fog, cravings, fatigue, low libido, fertility issues, sore breasts to name just a few. If you don’t feel right, please see a medical professional.
4. Magnesium can be helpful for hormone health.
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Fact. Magnesium is a wonderful mineral, which many of us are not getting enough of in our diets. It contributes to the maintenance of hormonal health, so I often recommend it to my female clients. It may be helpful in supporting PMS, hot flushes and some symptoms of perimenopause like tiredness and fatigue. I love Sweet Bee’s Sweet Sleep Magnesium Butter which has a whopping 360mg of magnesium per dose.
5. Stress has nothing to do with your hormones.
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Myth. Stress has everything to do with our hormones! Stress triggers the release of hormones cortisol and adrenaline, and can have a knock-on effect on other hormones, like prolactin, insulin and progesterone. Because of this, managing stress levels is a real must for female hormone health.
Healthy wishes,
Suzy x
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