Are you a woman over 35?

I have a lot of clients who are.

At Kick Start we discuss hormone balance. Have you heard of it? This is the key to losing weight.

Hormones are not just about puberty, pregnancy, PMS and menopause. They actually regulate so much of how we look, feel, think and perform every day.

So here are the main culprits.....

Stress – our main stress hormone is cortisol. Cortisol is released from our adrenal glands to help us deal with stress or ‘perceived danger’ and is an essential survival mechanism. Its job is to pump sugar into our blood and muscles for extra energy to ‘fight or flight’. But modern life is so full of stressors that our cortisol can be too high for too long and we don’t give ourselves a chance to rest. And all that extra sugar in our blood gets stored as fat, especially around our middle. And the resulting blood sugar dips make us crave more sugar and carbs – a vicious cycle.

Thyroid – as we get older (especially us girls) our thyroid gland can suffer. Thyroid hormones are needed in every cell of our bodies to produce energy and help them do their job. So when we don’t have enough, our whole system can slow down and make us feel tired, lethargic, foggy, depressed and of course make it very hard for us to burn fat. And too much stress also suppresses our thyroid!

Insulin – this is the hormone that regulates our blood sugar. It’s also our fat storing hormone, so whenever we eat sugar or carbs that we are not burning off, the extra glucose gets stored as FAT. Too much insulin not only increases our risk of obesity, but also diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone – these are our sex hormones that determine our femininity and reproduction, but also help keep our bones, heart and brain healthy. As we get towards our peri menopausal years and beyond, they can fluctuate and decline, causing all kinds of symptoms, including carb cravings and stubborn weight gain.

The joys of being a woman.

Don’t panic just yet.

You can do a lot to help yourself and here are some foods to help balance those hormones.

Cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress, kale, rocket, bok choy, brussel sprouts) – this group of vegetables are super hormone balancing foods. They help to detoxify excess oestrogen, keeping your levels in check and is also protective against some oestrogen driven cancers. Make sure your veg is organic if at all possible though – pesticides can wipe out any of these benefits.

Avocados – avocados are low carb and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including Vitamin K, C, E, A, B vitamins, potassium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus. In fact they contain more potassium than bananas, and more fibre than many other fruits. They also make you feel full for longer, reducing cravings and keeping your energy stable.

Coconut oil – contains saturated fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s) which don’t need to be digested in the gut, instead go straight to the liver to be quickly converted into energy, giving your metabolism a nice boost (helping your thyroid and increasing fat burning!).

Nuts and seeds – nuts and seeds are a really easy (and tasty) way to get healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals into your diet. Flaxseeds (or linseeds) help to detoxify excess oestrogen. Chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 and fibre. Nuts are also a filling snack with plenty of nutrients. I add these to my gluten free porridge.

The easiest way to get this little lot in your daily diet is to make a green smoothie each morning. Add veg, almond milk or water, whizz it up and volia!

Add in some lifestyle tweaks to reduce stress levels, increase your sleep, move more and reduce your chemical exposure and your hormones will reward you with a faster metabolism, a leaner belly, balanced moods and super charged energy levels!