hormonal harmony copyright © 2015 maureen garry...hair loss and hair thinning low libido...


Warning: This eBook is for your personal use only.

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Copyright © 2015 – Maureen Garry, BA, Pn1, CTT. All rights are reserved. You may not

distribute this report in any way. You may not sell it, or reprint any part of it without

written consent from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.


Disclaimer

The information presented in this work is not intended as medical advice or as a

substitute for medical counseling. The information should be used in conjunction with

the guidance and care of your physician.

Consult your physician before beginning this program as you would with any exercise

and nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain the consent of your physician and/or

work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using the

recommendations in the program, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your

actions.

By continuing with the program you recognize that despite all precautions on the part

of Maureen Garry, there are risks of injury or illness which can occur because of your

use of the aforementioned information and you expressly assume such risks and waive,

relinquish and release any claim which you may have against Maureen Garry or her

affiliates as a result of any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with,

or as a result of, the use or misuse of the program.


Hormonal Harmony

Sounds blissful, doesn’t it?

You bet. And that’s what we’re after. Ahhh. So let’s get creative, shoot for the stars and

have some fun while we balance your hormones to create hormonal harmony

Look, it’s no secret that hormones affect just about every aspect of your health and

happiness. They not only affect reproduction, but they control mood, energy, fat

storage, libido and sleep, just to name a few. Hormones can get out of whack, off center,

imbalanced, out of harmony. And you suffer.

A few of the most common side effects of (more accurately PAIN caused by) hormone

imbalances include:

Weight gain

Fatigue

Insomnia

Depression

Hair loss and hair thinning

Low libido

Infertility

Yikes.

While we’ve known for ages that organs and glands like your thyroid, adrenals,

pituitary, ovaries, testicles and pancreas secrete hormones, new research is showing

your gut health is a major player in hormone regulation. Even fat cells and brain tissue

manufacture hormones. If any of these delicate systems become even slightly

imbalanced you can have major health issues.

But don’t fret! The good news is there are easy steps you can take to naturally get

your hormones working in harmony.

Pick one practice, get it under control, then rinse and repeat...

By taking small steps daily you can work your way back to living with a beautiful

hormonal symphony. Cue the conductor….


Hormonal Hack #1: Eat Three Meals a Day

According to Christiane Northrup, MD, women should eat at least three meals per day.

Many women skip breakfast or lunch, or even both, saving their calories for dinner.

Although this works fine for some people, especially men, it’s not the preferred eating

pattern for most women.

This is because your metabolic rate naturally peaks in the morning and slows as they

day goes on, so the calories you eat later in the day are far more likely to be stored as fat

instead of used up as you eat them. When you eat breakfast, your metabolism gets

jump-started for the day. If you skip it, your metabolism will slow down into

conservation mode and this can lead to weight gain.

Hormonal Hack #2: Ditch the Added Sugar

Although their effect varies by the dose and the individual, all excess added sugars will

promote insulin resistance, which makes it very hard to lose weight.

The worst player is high fructose corn syrup, since it is metabolized in the liver just like

alcohol. Found in the great majority of processed foods, this supercharged sweetener is

linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a serious disease that can lead to liver failure

or cancer. Except for the occasional treat, all your sugars should come from natural

sources like whole fruits.


Hormonal Hack #3: Eat Coconut Oil, Avocados, Grass-Fed Butter and Wild Caught Salmon

Eating a variety of foods high in short, medium and long chain fatty acids is key to

keeping your hormones in check. Not only are these essential fats fundamental building

blocks for hormone production, they speed up your metabolism, promote weight loss

and reduce inflammation. Coconut oil even has antimicrobial and antibacterial

properties.

Hormonal Hack #4: Supplement with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Getting more omega-3 fats is one of the easiest things you can do to help balance your

hormones. EPA and DHA are the forms you ultimately need, which are concentrated in

cold water fish.

Krill, the crustacean staple of baleen whales, also has high omega-3 content with the

added benefit of astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant. If you supplement, shoot for about 2

grams of omega-3s per day.

Chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts have alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty

acid which your body must convert into EPA and DHA. The total fraction converted is

small, so the most reliable way to get adequate useable omega-3s is supplements from

animal sources.


Hormonal Hack #5: Stay Away from Oils High in Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Avoid most omega-6 oils, such as safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, soybean,

peanut and canola as they throw the critical balance of omega-3 to omega-6 oils off.

Because these oils have been heavily emphasized in processed foods, we get far too

many omega-6 oils. Except one.

GLA, gamma linoleic acid, is an omega-6 oil that can help with achieving and

maintaining healthy progesterone levels. Supplements are available as evening

primrose or borage oil, but it is also found in hemp seed oil.

Courtesy of www.chriskresser.com


Hormonal Hack #6: Get Your Fiber On

Get more fiber into your diet with plenty of raw fruits and vegetables – and make your

choices mostly vegetables to avoid eating too much sugar. Fiber binds itself to old

estrogen and clears it out of the system, leading to better overall balance.

Estrogen dominance is very common because of the xenoestrogens (chemicals that act

like our body’s own estrogens) in our environment, and fiber will help to normalize

levels.

Think of fiber as the garbage collector taking out the trash. You don’t want to let excess

estrogens build up, so make sure to take out the garbage by eating lots of fiber.

Hormonal Hack #7: Speaking of Fiber…Eat Flax Seeds

Integrative medicine doctor Aviva Romm, MD, counsels her patients that, “Eating two

tablespoons of ground flax seeds daily is one of the best things women can do for

themselves if they’re having any kind of hormonal issue.”

When freshly ground, these little seeds effectively grab onto and help to clear out excess

estrogens, satisfy your appetite, prevent diabetes and high cholesterol, and even make

your skin glow.


Hormonal Hack #8: Don’t Stop There…Eat Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables contain a compound from which diindolylmethane (DIM) is

derived. DIM has anti-estrogenic action that blocks xenoestrogens and lessens estrogen

dominance. It is actually used as a treatment for breast cancer, uterine cancer and

premenstrual syndrome.

Excess estrogens cause many perimenopausal symptoms and make it difficult to lose

weight, which is why they are also often called obesogens. Yes, that name is derived

from the word “obese” because these chemicals cause such problems with weight

control they can make you obese!

Load up on arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese

cabbage, collard greens, daikon radishes, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, land cress,

mustard greens, radishes, rutabagas, Shepherd's purse, turnips and watercress.

Embrace the hot or bitter taste of some of these foods, knowing the sweet rewards they

bring you.

Hormonal Hack #9: Limit or Completely Avoid Caffeine

I know this can be a tough one! But caffeine has a dark side. It elevates cortisol (the belly

fat stimulator), lowers thyroid hormone (the metabolism stimulator) and disrupts sleep

by making it harder to fall and stay asleep.


Daniel Amen, MD, well known for his programs on increasing brain health,

recommends against caffeine because it restricts blood flow to the brain, dehydrates the

brain and raises homocysteine, a biomarker for inflammation and heart disease, with as

little as a 200 mg dose (less than a tall Starbucks coffee).

That said, be sure to take your detox slowly to avoid serious withdrawal symptoms

which can include headache, sleepiness, irritability, lethargy, constipation, depression,

muscle pain and stiffness, lack of concentration, flu-like symptoms and insomnia.

If you need a little boost, drink matcha green tea. You’ll keep your hormones in check

and enjoy weight loss and cancer-killing benefits as well.

Hormonal Hack #10: Get More Sleep

Unless you’re getting 7– 8 hours of sleep every night, you’re pushing too hard and

taking away from your optimal health and performance. Lack of sleep and sleeping at

the wrong time might be the worst habit that disturbs hormone balance. Hormones

work on a schedule, and they want you to rest during the nighttime hours.

To maximize hormone function make sure you are asleep between the hours of 10 p.m.

and 2 a.m., since these are the most crucial for hormonal regulation and rejuvenation.

A typical model of sleep deprivation is the exhausted, overweight and stressed-out

woman: lack of sleep causes fatigue and increases cortisol, which leads to greater

appetite – especially for carbs and sweets - and agitation during the day.

Get more sleep to lose your belly.


Hormonal Hack #11: Use Natural Body Care Products

Avoid all products containing the endocrine disruptors DEA, parabens, propylene

glycol and sodium lauryl sulfate. These act like estrogen in the body and contribute to

estrogen dominance. Thankfully many more manufacturers are catching onto this and

healthy product choices are increasing.

To be sure of what you’re putting on your body and thus absorbing through your skin,

check the safety of over 72,000 products at The Environmental Working Group’s Skin

Deep Cosmetic Database.

Hormonal Hack #12: Revise Your Kitchen Cupboard Contents

Just like in body care products, endocrine disruptors can be found in your plastic

storage containers.

To avoid the estrogen-mimicker BPA, or bis-phenol A, replace plastic water bottles and

storage containers with stainless steel and glass.

Take it one step further and buy new cookware, switching from Teflon to stainless steel,

ceramic or cast iron.

These moves might seem like a lot of work and expense, but they could make a big

difference in balancing your hormones, and making it easier to lose the extra belly fat.


Hormonal Hack #13: Heal Leaky Gut

The gut microbiome (the collection of microorganisms that live in your stomach and

intestinal tract) has gotten a lot of press lately, and for good reason. In addition to

having a strong influence on your immune system, those trillions of little critters affect

hormone production.

Your gut health directly affects your success in getting the body you want. Poor gut

health can lead to low thyroid function, which directly leads to low energy and

difficulty in losing weight and keeping it off.

Processed foods, gluten, hydrogenated oils and emotional stress can all damage the gut

wall. This damage creates spaces between the cells, which are normally packed tightly

together, and allows undigested food particles to leak through the intestinal wall and

into your blood stream. Those particles are attacked as invaders by the immune system,

causing inflammation throughout the entire body.

A common finding in people with leaky gut is a deficiency of gut probiotics. Kefir,

kombucha, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kvass are all naturally fermented foods and

beverages that can help to recolonize the gut with beneficial microorganisms.

Supplemental probiotics are convenient and can also help, though they are less potent

than the natural foods.

Hormonal Hack #14: Exercise Regularly in Short, Intense Bursts

Short bursts of high-intensity exercise trigger a cascade of beneficial hormonal

reactions. As the American College of Sports Medicine reminds us in their slogan,

“Exercise is medicine,” and it’s powerful.


Anaerobic exercise has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and burn fat better

than aerobic exercise, and it doesn’t take long. As little as three 20 minute sessions per

week will get your fat-burning hormones on your side.

Hormonal Hack #15: Supplement with Adaptogenic Herbs

Adaptogens are a unique class of healing plants that promote hormone balance and

protect the body from a wide variety of diseases.

Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., an internationally recognized expert in integrative medicine,

dietary supplements and women's health, says rhodiola is one of her favorite herbs for

patients suffering from "21st century stress": fatigue, mental fog, trouble concentrating,

low energy and even mild depression. She recommends using a standardized extract

containing 2-3% rosavin and 0.8-1% salidroside.

Start with 100 mg once a day for a week and then increase the dosage by 100 mg every

week, up to 400 mg a day, if needed. Dr. Low Dog notes that while studies suggest that

rhodiola reduces anxiety, some people might feel revved up so she advises taking it

early in the day to avoid any interference with sleep.

Maca root has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women

notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin. Maca is also high in minerals

and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones.

Ashwaganda and holy basil are both known to boost immune function, combat stress,

improve thyroid function, lower cholesterol, reduce anxiety and depression, reduce

brain cell degeneration, stabilize blood sugar and help your adrenal glands to work

well.


Hormonal Hack #16: Meditate

A review of 35 years of data showed meditation profoundly influences hormones, all

positively. Deep meditation is more restful than sleep, dropping oxygen consumption

up to 250% more. Melatonin and serotonin are increased while cortisol is decreased.

Meditating 45 year old women have an average of 47% more DHEA – a hormone that

drops off as we age – compared to non-meditators. Bringing DHEA levels up can

decrease stress, heighten memory, preserve sexual function and control weight.

Seventy-five percent of insomniacs were able to sleep normally when they meditated,

and 34% of people with chronic pain significantly reduced their medication. Finally,

long-term meditators had 80% less heart disease and 50% less cancer than non-

meditators.

Many people are intimidated by the thought of meditation, and think it involves

contorting yourself into the lotus position for hours on end chanting “om”. This isn’t

true! Although some people take it to the extreme, benefits can be seen with just five

minutes of sitting quietly with your eyes closed, paying attention to your breath.

Simple.


You Can Do This

So there you have it, baby steps you can start on today to help balance your hormones

and make losing weight easier. But like we talked about at the beginning, don’t think

you have to do everything all at once.

That’s overwhelming and will raise your cortisol!

Instead, pick one thing at a time—or two if you’re feeling they’ll be pretty easy—and

make small changes every day. Pretty soon you’ll sport a flat belly, sleep like a baby

and feel ten years younger.

When your friends and family ask you what happened just tell them the truth:

You’re a Hormone Hacker!


References

1. http://www.drnorthrup.com/nutrition-hormone-balancing-food

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25115507plan/

3. http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/fatty-liver-disease

4. http://avivaromm.com/flax-seeds-super-food

5. http://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms-top-ten

6. http://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sick

7. http://draxe.com/10-ways-balance-hormones-naturally/

8. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400399/Rhodiola-for-What-Ails-You.html

9. Vaarala O, Atkinson MA, Neu J (2008) ‘The “Perfect Storm” for Type 1 Diabetes The Complex

Interplay Between Intestinal Microbiota, Gut Permeability, and Mucosal Immunity’, Diabetes

Journal, (57)10(2555-2562).

10. Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. Am J

Clin Nutr 2000; 71(1):179S-188S.

11. http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

12. Tremblay, A. et al., Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism,

Physical Activities Sciences Laboratory, Laval University, Quebec, Canada Metabolism 1994

13. Panda S, et al. Changes in thyroid hormone concentrations after administration of ashwaganda

root extract to adult male mice. Journal of Pharmacology 1998; 50:1065-1068.

14. Kalani A, et al. Ashwagandha root in the treatment of non-classical adrenal hyperplasia. BMJ

Case Reports 2012; 10(1136).

15. Agrawal P, et al. Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients

with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 1996; 34(9):406-9.

16. Murphy M., Donovan S. The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation. 2nd Ed., Institute

of Noetic Sciences, Sausalito, CA 1999

http://www.noetic.org/research/medbiblio/index.htm

hormonal harmony copyright © 2015 maureen garry...hair loss and hair thinning low libido...

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