Gut Health & Hormones
Just when you think you understand hormones, you then get told something new!
Did you know the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle are influenced by your gut? Your intestinal bacteria (and their genes) have so many important functions for your body, such as assisting with digestion and releasing chemicals that regulate your mood, metabolism and immune function. Plus if all that wasn’t enough, it also helps to control the level of estrogen.
Estrogen is made primarily by your ovaries. It then circulates through your body to your uterus and breasts and other organs, until it reaches your liver where inactivated estrogen is then sent to the intestine where it is supposed to stay inactivated so it can be pooped out!
However when certain intestinal bacteria are present, something very different happens. Unfriendly bacteria make an enzyme which instead then re-activates estrogen in your gut. That’s a problem because re-activated estrogen then re-enters your body and causes excess estrogen.
Too much estrogen can contribute to heavy & painful periods, bloating, painful boobs, low sex drive, irregular periods, mood swings and headaches!
Sounds like an average period week doesn't it?!
So what do you do?
Fortunatly there are a few simple things that you can do to help look after your gut, incase this is the root of your symptom problems. Introducing some of these into your diet will really help.
- Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower & kale
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Organic lean meats
- Tumeric
- Green tea
- Oats
- Natural plain yoghurt
this is a link for youtube that will tell you more about
Digestive Hormones, Gut Bacteria & Gastric Bypass