Your  hormones  are  chemical  messengers.  They  travel  your  body  through  the bloodstream   to   reach   the   cells.   Dozens   of  hormones   work   every   second   to accomplish  major  physiologic  functions.  They  are  produced  by glands  and  organs such as the adrenals, pituitary, thyroid, ovaries, testicles and pancreas. An imbalance in hormone levels can lead to all sorts of health issues such as constant hair  loss,  rapid  weight  gain,  chronic  fatigue,  insomnia,  anxiety,  low  libido  and  even infertility. A  lot  of  people  suffering  from  low  or  imbalanced  hormone  levels  as  a  result  of  bad eating  habits  and  a  stressful  lifestyle  resort  to  hormone  replacement  therapy. Unfortunately,  synthetic  treatments  like  this  only  address  symptoms  at  a  superficial level and could lead to drug dependency as well as a slew of side effects. Needless to say, it’s always best to take the natural route.

Here are 8 ways to balance your hormones naturally.

1. Say yes to a healthy diet.
Make sure your meals and snacks are rich in essential micronutrients. If you rarely eat fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, here are some quick tips on adding more superfoods to your diet. Limit your intake of simple carbohydrates, fatty foods,and heavily processed  junk  that  satisfy  cravings but  offer  no  lasting  benefit.  On that note,  keep  in  mind  that milk  is  not  as  healthy  as  some  of  us  think.  In  fact,  certain non-organic dairy products  are full  of  antibiotics and  steroids  that  are  sure  to  cause hormonal imbalance.

2. Don’t miss out on sleep.
The  best  thing  you  can  do  for  yourself  after  a  long  and busy  day  is  to  get  at  least seven hours of sleep. Give your body a chance to recover from all imbalances it may have experienced throughout the day. If you always get less than seven hours of sleep or go to bed at different times every night, you need to improve your sleeping habits  and take  the  right  steps  to  improve  sleep  quality.  Your  hormones  follow  a schedule and you should too.

3. Beat stress.
Do you always have a hectic schedule that puts you in stressful situations and leaves you feeling drained every day? To make sure your busy lifestyle doesn’t disrupt your natural  hormone  cycles,  deal  with  stress  properly.  I  recommend  setting  aside  a  few minutes each day for resting and meditation. Check out these 5 easy stress-busting strategies as well as my blog post on meditation to get a closer look at its awesome power.

4. Up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
Your hormones will be able to do their job more efficiently if you eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids that help keep cell membranes healthy. These fatty acids will maintain the health of cellular receptor sites so your hormones can easily bind with them. They will also balance out your omega-6 consumption, thus keeping chronic inflammation and serious diseases at bay. You can get your daily omega-3 fix from rich sources like fish, flaxseed, walnuts and chia seeds.

5. Don’t drink too much coffee.
It’s perfectly fine to kickstart your day with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. But as the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be bad. Copious caffeine consumption will not  just  ward  off  drowsiness.  It  will  also  wreak  havoc  on adrenal  glands,  elevate cortisol levels, and reduce thyroid levels. It’s  best  to  stick  to  just  one  or  two  cups of  coffee  when  you  need  a  good  boost.  Or better  yet,  get  your  daily  caffeine  fix  from  green  tea,  which  has  cancer-fighting  and weight loss properties.

6. Make your workouts more intense.
Working  out  for  at  least  30  minutes,  three  times  a  week  will  do  wonders  for  your physical and mental health. But to reap the most benefits in terms of hormone health, try  high-intensity  interval  training  or  burst  training.  This  type  of  exercise  can  reduce stress,  enhance  your  immune  response, and  improve  metabolic function, all  of  which contribute to balanced hormone levels. When done correctly, HIIT can be very taxing for your muscles and nervous system, so it’s best not to overdo it. You should check out this comprehensive guide to HIIT. And if you can’t seem to make enough time for exercise, these tips should help you get started.

7. Get some sunshine.
Get your daily fix of vitamin D from the sun. Regular exposure to sunshine will not just  help  stabilise  the  secretion  of  insulin  by  the  pancreas.  It  will  also  keep  your immune system healthy, regulate blood pressure and maintain heart health. If you live in an area that doesn’t get plenty of sun, it’s best to supplement with vitamin D3.

8. Use the right supplements.
One  of  the  most  powerful  supplements  that  can  keep  your  hormones  in  check  is coconut  oil.  It  is  rich  in  essential  fatty  acids  that  serve as  the  building  blocks  of hormone production and regulation. Don’t miss out on coconut oil’s amazing benefits; be sure to check out our Organic Coconut Oil, which comes in 1L and 650ml. Look  for  quality  herbal  supplements  that  can  help  keep your  organs  and  glands functioning  optimally. Dandelion,  chaste  tree  berry,  motherwort,  blessed  thistle, evening  primrose  oil , and  Rhodiola  are  all  excellent choices.  And  of  course,  take essential vitamin and mineral supplements, such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin  E  and  all  B  complex  vitamins.