Balancing your hormones — but what does that actually mean?
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
The expression "balance your hormones" is one I have come across many times. But for a long time I was not entirely sure what it meant in practice. So I decided to look into it properly.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the verb "balance" means "to bring into harmony or proportion." I love that definition because harmony is exactly what we are working towards when we talk about hormonal health.
But which hormones are we actually talking about? Our bodies are regulated by hormones that change throughout the day, the month and across our lifetime. Are we talking about the sleep-wake cycle regulated by cortisol and melatonin? The stress hormone cortisol? The hunger and fullness hormones ghrelin and leptin? The metabolic hormone insulin — so critical to our overall health? Or the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone?
The honest answer is: all of them. These hormones are deeply connected, and when one is out of balance, the effects ripple across the whole system. Supporting hormonal harmony is therefore relevant to a wide range of health goals, including weight management, better sleep, less painful periods and reproductive health.
This is the foundation of the four pillars framework I use with every client. Here is how each one contributes to your hormonal health.
1. Nutrition
Food is your most powerful tool. The goal is not to eat less, it is to eat well. Think varied meals built around colourful vegetables, enough protein (around 20 to 30g per meal), quality carbohydrates and healthy fats. All four play a role in hormone production and regulation. Cutting any of them out entirely can have consequences you may not expect.
Some practical examples:
Breakfast: 3 eggs with half an avocado and cherry tomatoes
Lunch: Salmon with brown rice and a mix of roasted vegetables (peppers, courgettes, aubergines) cooked with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
A useful habit: every time you cook, ask yourself "could I add one more vegetable?" Dinner: Quinoa salad with mixed vegetables and chicken
Snacks if needed: apple with peanut butter, Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries, or salted popcorn.
Do not forget water and aim for 8 glasses a day. Even mild dehydration can affect your cortisol levels and energy.
A well-deserved note on gut health. With approximately 70% of your immune system and 90% of your serotonin (your main mood-regulating chemical) produced in the gut, it has a direct influence on your hormones.
To support your gut, aim to eat 30 different plant-based foods per week (this includes wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, herbs and spices). Variety is the key. Including a fermented food daily such as kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha, is also a simple and effective habit.
How this supports hormonal balance: Eating varied, balanced meals stabilises your blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar means steadier energy, fewer cravings and lower cortisol output, all of which directly support hormonal harmony.
2. Sleep
Sleep is one of the most underrated pillars of health and one of the most common issues I see with clients. Poor sleep disrupts the hormones that control hunger and fullness, making you significantly more likely to overeat the next day. Over time, chronic poor sleep can be linked to weight gain, insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
During sleep, your body also regulates cortisol, repairs itself and produces growth hormone, all essential for hormonal health. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night and try to keep a consistent bedtime and wake time where possible.
For a deeper look at sleep and its relationship to fertility and hormonal health, take a look at my previous blog posts on this topic:
How this supports hormonal balance: Quality sleep restores the balance between your hunger and fullness hormones, supporting better food choices, fewer cravings and improved metabolic health the following day.
3. Movement
Movement is one of the most accessible tools we have for hormonal health and walking is the most underrated of all. A 10 to 20 minute walk after a meal has been shown to stabilise blood sugar levels, support digestion and reduce insulin spikes.
More broadly, regular movement supports your sleep-wake cycle, reduces inflammation and has a well-documented positive effect on mental health. Intensity matters less than consistency: sustainable, regular activity will always deliver better long-term results than sporadic bursts of intense exercise.
How this supports hormonal balance: Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine while regulating cortisol. This combination supports mood, energy, sleep quality and metabolic function, all of which feed directly into hormonal harmony.
4. Mental health
This pillar is perhaps the most complex and the most important. How we feel emotionally has a real impact on the choices we make every day, whether that is what we eat, how much we move, how well we sleep or the habits we lean on during difficult times.
From a scientific perspective, chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated. Persistently high cortisol suppresses oestrogen and progesterone, disrupts thyroid function, impairs insulin sensitivity and interferes with sleep. The mind and the body are not separate: they are one system.
If you are struggling, please do not hesitate to speak to a healthcare professional. Seeking support is one of the most impactful health decisions you can make.
Take a look at my previous blog post on the topic of stress:
How this supports hormonal balance: Managing stress and supporting your mental wellbeing directly lowers chronic cortisol levels allowing your sex hormones, thyroid hormones and metabolic hormones to work as they should. A calmer nervous system is the foundation of true hormonal harmony.
Final thought
Hormonal balance is not something you achieve overnight. It is the result of consistent, small choices made across all four pillars over time. You do not need to overhaul everything at once: start with one pillar and build from there.
Your hormones are not working against you. They are simply responding to the environment you create for them.
For personalised support, book your complimentary discovery call here
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