Hormones

Foods that encourage hormonal balance are garbanzo beans, lentils, mung beans (and sprouts), aduki, and the whole grains. Flax seed too. Are you eating beans and grains? Well we really aren't because beans are better cooked-and grains too. So unless you are eating alot of sprouts, this could be part of your hormonal fluctuations.

Phytoestrogens-foods that block the estrogen receptors in our cells and tell our body we are cool with the estrogens are:
Coffee
Soy, Licorice, Red clover tea, Thyme, and Turmeric were said to be the strongest, in one study.
Alfalfa, Sunflower seeds, Fennel, Oregano, Nutmeg, Cloves, Goldenseal, Camomille, Verbenna, Hops (beer), Turmeric - remember when I was dreaming about turmeric and didn't know why?
Pomegranate - the Greeks used this as a contraceptive because it is such a strong phytoestrogen.

This is one of the reasons to add more spices to your foods.

Other good foods for us:
Coconut oil, Flaxseed oil, Nuts, Pumpkin seeds, Hemp seed oil is a balance of 3/6/9 as is UDOS.
Anything in the Cabbage family: broccoli, caulliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbages because they increase the rate at which the liver changes oestrogen into a water soluble form that can be excreted. All the oil rich foods-like fishes Jac, which may be exactly why you are craving it.

When we register a fluctuation in our moods, we get irritable, short tempered, anxious, edgy, it means that there are HIGH levels of oestrogens in our bloodstream in relation to our progesterone. If your breasts suddenly feel really tender-your estrogen is high in relation to our progesterone. If you start to get food cravings for sugar-high estrogen.

Reduced levels of progesterone could be due to the liver being unable to process out the excess estrogen in our systems. We get fuzzy thinking, heart palpitations, water retention, food cravings for sugar-we are estrogen high in relation to progesterone. It's all a balancing act.

Magnesium helps, B6, B complex, red clover tea, licorice to calm the adrenals (NOT with high blood pressure please). I've just started adding magnesium.

Progesterone stimulates the healing process in connective tissue/bones and skin, and prevents collagen breakdown (like stretchmarks), and it stimulates bone growth. Good things. Ah but when we are getting hot flashes, having dips in our energy, feel depressed, or are noticing connective tissue stuff going on (joint stuff) we could be low in progesterone. See?

Soybeans and yams are what progesterone is chemically identical to in our body. And if you use a progesterone cream it makes you sleepy-I put mine on at night for that reason.

20% of our progesterone comes from our ovaries and the rest from your adrenals. When you are flooding, you don't have any progesterone to oppose the estrogen. Estrogen gets your uterus to thicken and when estrogen levels hit a certain level you ovulate, and progesterone to heal and maintain the "pregnancy". Progesterone also stabilizes the lining of the uterus-so it will help stop flooding.

Estrogens are produced by the fat cells and the adrenals. No wonder we have more estrogen than progesterone...So estrogen stimulates tissue growth, and progesterone signals the body to slough it off.

We make 3 types of estrogen, and only 1 progesterone. Too much estrogen in relation to the progesterone in your system-and we get fibroids. Progesterone will shrink them. Progesterone is your happy hormone! It's the feel good hormone, and it keeps the estrogen in check for most of us.

EVERY CELL has estrogen receptors. If our adrenals are pumping out cortisol, if we are under alot of stress, our body in its infinite wisdom, will DIVERT progesterone to make the cortisol...then we don't have enough progesterone to oppose the rising levels of estrogen. And stress triggers estrogen overproduction.

Guess what else progesterone does? It converts fat to energy. It metabolizes glucose. If we are low in progesterone, we gain weight, and have trouble losing it. Now some of us pears are naturally highly estrogenic...but you know I don't think so! I think we are naturally lower in progesterone. Same same...but why?

Low progesterone effects thyroid function! Imagine that! Low thyroid function, low progesterone. Big thighs-estrogen dominance by the way. Hey, what a surprise. And cramping means high estrogen.

Even if we are low in estrogen, we can have estrogen dominance because of the overall ratio to progesterone! So, even if you are done with menopause, if you ratios are off it could still be hormonal.

HOT FLASHES-sluggish liver. And you might want to avoid ginger if you are getting hot flashes...try it and see if it helps.

MENOPAUSE means a drop in progesterone, and without progesterone to oppose all that estrogen-the estrogen levels go up, hence the typical "mood swings" everyone talks about.

IRREGULAR PERIODS means stressed system and means a hormonal imbalance