Hormonal Health for Women: Tips to Balance Naturally

30 June 2025

Hello Ziddis! Hormones may be invisible, but their effects are impossible to ignore. Did you know hormones have the most impact on our health? Their effects show not just in our health but also in our appearance! From mood swings to menstrual health, from fatigue to weight gain, from acne to diabetes, hormonal imbalance shows up in frustrating ways. For women, hormonal shifts are especially brutal and misunderstood. It is a vicious cycle of issues!

But here, we are not just going to rant about what hormones can make us go through, but also about how it can be fixed to a certain extent. With the right food, lifestyle and movement, you can take control of your hormonal health naturally.

Hormonal Health

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate every function in our body, be it sleep, appetite, stress, metabolism, fertility, skin and hair health or even mood! For women, hormones take more control, like estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, and thyroid can make a big impact on a woman’s health. When these hormones are balanced, life feels like La La Land! Women’s skin, hair, digestion, menstrual cycle and energy levels all fall into a rhythm. But if they are out of balance due to stress, diet, major changes, environmental impact, sleep cycle issues or medical conditions like PCOS, thyroid or insulin resistance, symptoms start showing up!

Here are some signs that your body gives to communicate that your hormones might be out of sync:

Irregular or painful periods
Hair thinning or hair loss
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Acne and other skin issues
Fatigue
Sleep cycle disruption
Hot flashes
Low libido
Mood swings
Anxiety
Depressive episodes

If you checked some of these, you might want to check yourself. You are not alone, and change is possible, but you would need to act quickly!

Hormone Balance

Your body thrives on balance. Balancing your hormones is extremely important. Rather than going for the quick fixes from the clickbait you see on your social media, your goal must be to create an environment for your body that helps your hormones regulate themselves naturally.

Here are 5 ways you can fix your hormonal balance:

1. Eat in sync with your cycle

During the follicular and ovulation phases, you must eat lighter, fresher foods like leafy greens, lean proteins, fruits and seeds like pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.
Luteal and menstrual phases require you to feed your body with warm and comfortable food like complex carbs, healthy fats and seeds like sunflower and sesame seeds.

It is also important to include these foods throughout your cycle:

Healthy fats for estrogen and progesterone support
Proteins for stabilising your blood sugar and supporting hormone creation
Fibres to help detox excess estrogen

2. Balance your blood sugar

Spikes and crashes in blood sugar can wreak havoc on cortisol, insulin and even reproductive hormones. Fixing it requires some lifestyle changes like:

Not skipping meals, especially breakfast.
Include protein and fat in every meal
Avoid excess caffeine
Reduce intake of refined sugar

3. Prioritise your rest and quality sleep

While hormone imbalance causes sleep cycle issues, it is also caused by sleep cycle issues

Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep
Create a consistent bedtime routine
Limit screen light before bed

An increase in cortisol or lower melatonin levels can cause disruption in the whole system.

4. Move your body wisely

Exercising can support hormonal balance, but if the intensity is too much, this can backfire.

Try to strike a balance between cardio and strength training
Involve yoga and pilates in your workout routine
Sync your workouts to your cycle, like high-energy movements during the ovulation phase and gentler workouts closer to periods.

5. Manage your stress

Chronic stress is one of the biggest culprits for hormonal disruption. It raises cortisol, which then interferes with progesterone and causes insulin imbalance.

Practising breathwork and meditation can help
Taking breaks and going outdoors
Schedule a downtime like you schedule work meetings.
Have a relaxing morning and night ritual.

Hormonal Health Tips for Women

We also have some additional natural ways in which many women can balance their hormones to lead a more fulfilling life, which is not governed by continuous hormone disruptions. Here is what you can do:

Seed cycling: It is a natural method of using different seeds during different phases of your cycle to support estrogen and progesterone. Some fit foods have a mix of seeds.
Adaptogens like ashwagandha and shatavari: These can help you regulate stress and the menstrual cycle.
Stay hydrated: Hydration is very important, especially if you are active. It will help keep bloating and cramps at bay
Gut-friendly foods: A healthy gut helps your body remove excess hormones. Include probiotics like curd and fermented food, and also a good share of fibres in your meals.
Watch for nutrient deficiencies: Any nutrient deficiency can cause hormonal changes. Make up for these nutrient deficiencies by adding multivitamins to your routine.

Get checked for foods that cause inflammation: Bloating, acne, and weight gain can be linked to an inflammatory reaction in your body. Get checked for foods that trigger it.

Hormonal health is not one-size-fits-all. No two women could have the exact same problem, so their solutions will be personal too. Make sure to get an opinion from your gynecologists or doctor before you make significant changes in your diet and lifestyle.

Takeaway

Hormonal health is not just a woman’s thing”. It is the foundation of your well-being and health. While imbalances can feel overwhelming, you have the power to support your body naturally. By focusing on nourishing food, gentle movement, enough rest and stress relief, you can guide your hormones back to their right place and quantity!

Chase balance and health will follow!