The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
Your body is a complex network of glands, organs and
processes that interact with each other through chemical messengers
called hormones. This hormonal network makes up your endocrine system.
As
the main regulator of your body, the endocrine system manages bodily
functions like mood, sleep, appetite, metabolism, heart rate, sexual
function, reproductive cycles, stress levels, body temperature, and your
growth and development.
When the system goes out of
balance you can suffer from a wide array of symptoms, depending on your
gender and the affected hormone. Possible signs and symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Appetite changes
- Weight gain or loss
- Sleep problems
- Skin changes
- Hair loss
- Osteoporosis
- Depressed mood
- Sensitivity to cold or heat
- Altered sex drive
- Water retention
- Urinary tract infections
- PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
- Changes in blood pressure or heart rate
- Mood disorders including anxiety and depression
While
prescription medications may be able to help alleviate your symptoms,
it’s also a good idea to learn how to balance your hormones naturally.
When you address the root cause of your problem, then you can find an
actual solution rather than just a mask over your symptoms.
Why Does Hormonal Imbalance Occur?
There
are many reasons why a person’s endocrine system might go out of
balance. While medical conditions can affect the endocrine glands and
organs, your environment and lifestyle habits can also contribute to
creating a hormonal imbalance.
Causes of hormonal imbalance may include:
- Poor nutrition
- Anorexia
- Being overweight
- Infection
- Severe allergy
- Chronic stress
- Injury to a gland or organ
- Exposure to toxins (e.g. BPA, phthalates, pesticides)
- Medication (e.g. birth control, anabolic steroids)
Natural Strategies To Balance Hormones
There
are several strategies you can take to correct hormonal imbalances
naturally so that you can address the root cause of the problem:
1. Reduce intake of sugar and anything that is a food sensitivity for you.
In
the presence of sugar, your insulin level stays high. Insulin is a
strong hormone that can drive five other hormones out of balance –
cortisol, glucagon, growth hormone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
If
your insulin remains elevated too often or for too long, then your
body’s cells may become overwhelmed and no longer respond to insulin’s
signal to take in the sugar (glucose) from the blood. When your body
develops this insulin resistance, it can eventually lead to the onset of
diabetes.
Food sensitivities can contribute to hormonal
imbalance by increasing inflammation which can influence hormones like
cortisol. So you may want to work with your healthcare provider to
determine your food sensitivities with an elimination diet or a food
allergy blood test. Common food sensitivities include gluten and dairy.
2. Maintain a healthy diet.
Since inflammation can disrupt hormone balance, incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet which includes raw nuts and seeds as well as fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.
Oily fish like salmon and mackerel provide a good dose of healthy fat in the form of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3s
are anti-inflammatory and are essential for creating certain hormones.
If you aren’t getting enough omega-3s from fish, then you should
consider taking a quality fish oil supplement.
These
fish are also good sources of cholesterol, which is required to
synthesize sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Cholesterol is
needed for vitamin D production as well.
Avoid
fish, meats, poultry, and dairy products that may contain hormones,
steroids or antibiotics. Stay away from foods like processed soy
products, enriched white flour, artificial sweeteners and processed
vegetable oil that can disrupt hormonal balance.
3. Manage stress appropriately.
Chronic
stress can be a major factor in creating hormonal imbalance. When
constantly pumping out cortisol and adrenaline in response to stress,
the adrenal glands can get overworked. These stress hormones signal
blood glucose to increase, blood pressure to increase, and digestion to
slow down. Mood and sleep can also be affected. Over time, elevated
levels of stress hormones can lead to diabetes, heart disease,
depression and autoimmune disorders.
Incorporate stress-relieving habits that fit into your lifestyle. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises are possible options for giving your body time to rest and adjust to life’s demands.
In
some cases, an herbal supplement may be a wise addition to a stress
management plan. Adaptogens are plant substances that can provide
support to the adrenals by helping the body deal with stress. Adaptogens
work to help return your body to normal function. So if a hormone is
deficient or overabundant, then an adaptogenic supplement will act in
the opposite direction to restore hormonal balance.
Maca is
an adaptogenic supplement that you may use to enhance the function of
the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. These are known as the “master
glands” of the body because they control the functions of many of the
other glands in the endocrine system.
4. Beware of toxins.
Chemicals
which can be toxic to the body are prevalent in today’s world. They can
be in the air you breathe, the food you eat, the water you drink and
products you put on your skin. Many of these toxins are referred to as
endocrine disruptors because they can interfere with hormonal processes.
Some common endocrine disruptors and how to avoid them are listed here:
- Lead: Get rid of old, chipped paint on your walls. Install a quality water filter for your drinking water and your bath/shower.
- Phthalates: Avoid body and personal care products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient because this often means it contains phthalates.
- Organophosphate pesticides: Look at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) list called the “Dirty Dozen.” Each year, the EWG ranks pesticide contamination of popular fruits and vegetables. Choose organic options of produce on this list.
- Bisphenol A (BPA) and BPA substitutes: Do not use plastic to store your food or drink. Avoid canned goods from companies that do not specify that their cans are free from BPA and its substitutes.
- Perfluorinated chemicals (PFC’s): Avoid non-stick cookware as well as stain- and water-resistant coatings on your carpet, clothing, or furniture.
It can be
difficult to avoid all toxins, so it’s important to boost your body’s
detoxification methods. Increase your sweating function through exercise
or sauna therapy. Exercise can also enhance the circulation of your
lymphatic vessels which carry toxins away for neutralization and
elimination.
5. Get adequate sleep.
Getting
less than optimal sleep can play a huge role in creating a hormonal
imbalance. A sleep disturbance can impact many hormone levels including
cortisol and the appetite hormone, ghrelin. Aim for getting at least 7.5
hours of sleep each night.
If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, here are some suggestions that may help:
- Turn off electronics a couple hours before bedtime.
- Spend at least 30 minutes outside in natural light during the day. The wide spectrum of natural light can support your serotonin level so that your melatonin level is appropriate for good sleep.
- Stay away from artificial light as much as possible after sunset.
- Drink sufficient water throughout the day, but stop drinking about 2 hours prior to bedtime. This can help limit the number of times you must wake up to use the toilet.
- Consider temporary use of a natural supplement to help with sleep. Possible choices include GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and melatonin. Ask your healthcare provider for guidance on the best option for your situation.
6. Avoid Caffeine
Stimulants
like caffeine can trigger an overproduction of adrenal gland hormones.
This is especially disruptive when other hormone stressors are involved
like toxins, pregnancy, chronic stress or insufficient omega-3 intake.
7. Stay informed.
Consult
with a healthcare provider who is well-versed in conventional medicine
and natural methods of balancing hormones. Your doctor can order blood
tests to determine what your hormone levels are. Before you start any
treatment (medications, bioidentical hormones, supplements or even
lifestyle changes), discuss possible adverse effects. It’s important to
know how anything you do or take may interact with any existing
conditions or medications.
By Venus Ramos, MD
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