Being moody, struggling with insomnia and watching the scale go up is frustrating. Hormonal imbalances downright suck.
Perhaps you’ve tried herbs, bio-identical hormones, meditation to name a few things and nothing’s worked.
Finding the right solution is not an easy task.
Chances are you haven’t thought of hula hooping as an addition to your hormone balancing protocol.
Hula hoops can help improve your balance, build core muscle strength, enhance bladder health and balance hormones!
Hula hoops can’t help but bring you back to childhood and the laughter will help with stress management as well.
Whether you use the hoop for fitness or for fun, it can be a powerful anti-aging weapon.
Especially for women in the perimenopause and menopausal stages.
How long has it been since you picked up a hula hoop?
Hormone Balance Can Be a Lifelong Challenge
From puberty to menopause hormone balance can be a lifelong challenge for women.
Signs of perimenopause can start in the 30’s and 40’s depending on a woman’s diet, lifestyle and stress levels.
During this time, the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
By the late 40’s into the 60’s menopause generally begins.
There are three main types of estrogens; estriol, estrone and estradiol yet estradiol is the main one you want to maintain.
Estradiol is the strongest of the estrogens and it’s job is to maintain your youthful skin and bones, while keeping your heart healthy and moods stabilized.
Estriol is the weakest estrogen that helps maintain vaginal lubrication while estrone is the inflammatory estrogen that you don’t want to have in excess.
Progesterone helps to keep your weight in check, and prevents insomnia.
Precursors to progesterone are used by the body to make cortisol.
The more stressed you are the more your body steals progesterone precursors to make cortisol instead of progesterone.
This is why those who are stressed often suffer from insomnia.
Stress can cause women to head into perimenopausal states prematurely.
Keep in mind that it’s best to confirm perimenopause and menopause by checking hormone levels and comparing with symptoms.
Hormone balance can be supported in many ways from diet, to herbs, supplements to hormone replacement therapy and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
The 4 Hormone Balance Tips
Stress management and fitness are the two main topics here but it’s important to know that the gut can have a heavy influence on hormones too.
The balance of good and bad bacteria, yeast, and the gut lining strength, all play a role in hormone balance.
Tip #1 – Eat Closest to Nature 80% of the Time
Personal trainers often say that diet is 80% of success and this is true when it comes to hormone balance, too.
By paying attention to what you eat you can make positive changes in your hormone balance.
– Eat organic fruits and veggies
– Eat 2 tbsp of ground chia, flax or pumpkin seeds to support estrogen and 2 tbsp of ground sunflower or sesame seeds to support progesterone balance daily
– For those who still have periods: consume estrogen supporting seeds the 1st half of their cycle
– The 2nd half of the cycle, from ovulation to start of the next period consume progesterone supporting seeds
– Eat closest to nature
Tip #2: Support your Hormone Balance with Supplements or Hormone Replacement Therapy
Sometimes the body needs a little more than food to regain hormone balance.
Hormone replacement and bio-identical hormone replacement are options for those with severe symptoms and for those that did not find success with supplements and herbs.
Consult your doctor to determine the right dosage and delivery method for you.
Listen in to my podcast on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for more info.
Dr. Krause’s Protocols
Instructions Included
Traveling soon? Looking to detox or reset your gut? Try one of Dr. Krause’s Fullscript plans.
Supplements to support hormone balance:
– Evening Primrose and Chasteberry daily for progesterone support
– Black Cohosh for estrogen
– Stress Response by Gaia Herbs for balancing the adrenal glands that manage stress
– Twice Daily Multivitamin by Designs for Health for vitamin and mineral metabolic support
– Nordic Naturals Pro-Omega Fish oil for skin dehydration
Tip #3: Strengthen Your Gut
Keeping the gut lining healthy is a powerful anti-aging strategy.
The gut lining needs glutamine and other amino acids as well as good bacteria to aid healthy digestion.
We all have a unique microbiome according to the genetics we’re born with and how we eat.
The key components here:
– Take a supplement of at least 1,000 – 3,000 mg of L-Glutamine by Pure Encapsulations daily
– Chew at least 25 times per bite
– Consider digestive enzymes, bitters or apple cider vinegar with each meal to help maximize digestion
– Drink bone broth soup as often as you can
– Eat more dark leafy greens
– Megaspore Probiotic and Mega Mucosa nightly for gut health
Tip 4: Hula Hoop to Manage Stress and Hormones
Knowing that hormone changes are a part of aging, there is more than one way to try to stay balanced.
Hula hoops tackle two of the biggest anti-aging proponents in one: fitness and stress management.
Hula hooping improves the body and mind.
In fact hula hooping reduces belly fat and back pain, while improving balance and coordination.
Hula hooping stimulates the deep core muscles; transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus, and gives one heck of an oblique workout, too!
Here are some tips for getting started with hula hooping for fitness:
– Start with a hoop that’s made for adults – they are larger and heavier than children’s
– Spin slower – this will give you proper time to learn correct form
– A hoop that weighs 1.5-2 lbs. is a good starting point for an adult
– Go lighter for different areas of the body – neck, hands, legs
– Find a hoop that’s smooth all the way around – knobby hoops hurt!
– As you progress, lower the weight for more of a challenge
– Work the hoop in both directions to avoid imbalances in your muscles!
Stress Management
A major component of balancing hormones is keeping stress in-check. We need this to bring down cortisol levels.
Chances are you’ve developed an unhealthy habit to manage stress such as – drinking wine, stress eating or sitting in front of the TV for hours.
I’m not saying you have to ditch your favorite show, moderation is key, but if you can swap out a not-so-healthy stress reliever with a healthy one, your body and mind will both be better for it!
Does hula hooping sound fun? Let’s make it even more so!
– Channel your inner childhood and let loose – judgement free!
– Put on your favorite music and rock out with your hula hoop for 30 minutes a day
– Make sure you have adequate space inside or a nice area outside so you don’t knock stuff over
– Don’t be discouraged if you struggle to keep the hoop up – there are tons of pointers online!
– Remember hula hooping isn’t a circular hip motion, it’s back and forth or side to side
What are You Waiting for? Grab a Hula Hoop for Hormone Balance!
Whether you have fond memories of hula hoops from childhood, or you were never able to master one, it’s time to try again.
Hula hoops are a versatile tool that can be used for both fitness and stress management, which can both help to fight aging by balancing your hormones.
The more balanced your hormones are, the better you’ll feel, and the more gracefully you will age.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so there’s a podcast dedicated to this subject – click HERE to listen to Dr. Jannine Krause interview Leigh Little from Canyon Hoops.
Our Partners
youtube
