Hormone Balance For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Hormone imbalances occur when your body’s delicate chemical messengers — responsible for regulating everything from mood and metabolism to energy and reproductive health — are out of sync. Left untreated, these imbalances can lead to serious health issues and affect your overall quality of life.

This Cheat Sheet offers quick, practical tools and essential tips to help you identify symptoms, make informed choices, and develop habits that support your hormones. Use this guide as a handy reference to support your hormone health journey.

Hormone-friendly grocery shopping list

Your diet is one of the most powerful tools you have to support your hormone health and overall physical and mental well-being throughout your life. The goal here isn’t perfection but consistency in choosing foods that nourish your body and avoiding unnecessary hormone disruptors. This list will guide you toward smarter choices while helping you steering clear of processed foods and hidden toxins:

• Avoid processed foods: Choose whole, single-ingredient items. If it comes in bright, flashy packaging and has a shelf life of months or (even worse) years with a long list of ingredients, it’s likely processed.
• Protein: Wild-caught salmon, organic eggs, grass-fed beef.
• Healthy fats: Avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts.
• Fiber-rich foods: Leafy greens, vegetables, berries.
• Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, Greek yogurt.
• Low-toxin products: BPA-free containers, organic food produce, paraben-free personal care items

A supportive food shopping list for each phase of the menstrual cycle

As you cycle through the menstruation (bleeding), follicular, ovulatory, and luteal (premenstrual) phases, your body is changing nearly every week — and sometimes every day! Just as each season has distinct characteristics, the hormonal shifts occurring in each phase of your cycle create different physical responses and emotions. Certain foods are especially supportive for each phase of your cycle:

• Follicular phase: Revitalize and replenish
  • Grains: Barley, oats rye, wheat
  • Vegetables: Broccoli, carrots, peas (green), string beans, lettuce, rhubarb, parsley
  • Fruits: Avocado, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, pomegranate
  • Legumes: Black-eyed peas, green lentils, mung beans, split peas
  • Nuts: Brazil nuts, cashews, lychee
  • Proteins: Chicken, eggs
• Ovulatory phase: Energize and optimize
  • Grains: Amaranth, corn, quinoa
  • Vegetables: Asparagus, spinach, red peppers, chives, dandelion greens, eggplant (aubergine), okra, Swiss chard, endive, escarole
  • Fruits: Apricots, cantaloupe, strawberries, guava, figs, raspberries
  • Legumes: Red lentils
  • Nuts: Almonds, pecans, pistachios
  • Proteins: Lamb
• Luteal phase: Ground and nourish
  • Grains: Brown Rice, millet
  • Vegetables: Cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, pumpkin, radishes, sweet potatoes, squash, garlic, ginger, mustard greens, leeks, onions, parsnips, daikon, chicory
  • Fruits: Apples, dates, peaches, pears, raisins
  • Legumes: Chickpeas, navy beans, great Northern beans
  • Nuts: Hickory nuts, pine nuts, walnuts
  • Proteins: Beef, turkey
• Menstrual phase: Restore and rebalance
  • Grains: Buckwheat, wild rice
  • Vegetables: Beets, mushrooms (button, shiitake), kelp and seaweed (dulse, kombu, and wakame), burdock root
  • Fruits: Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon
  • Legumes: Adzuki beans, black soybeans, black beans, kidney beans
  • Nuts: Chestnuts
  • Proteins: Duck, pork

4 somatic techniques for emotional and stress regulation

These quick, accessible techniques can help you release emotional stress and reconnect with your body whenever you need it.

• Rocking: Sit or lie down and gently rock your body back and forth for two to five minutes. The rhythmic movement calms the nervous system and helps release emotional stress. This is a great technique to try before sleep.
• Shake and twist: Stand up and start shaking your hands, arms, legs, and feet as if you’re shaking off water. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, with your feet wider than shoulder width, twist your torso side to side, letting your arms swing freely. Do this for three to five minutes. This helps release tension and stagnant energy.
• Deep belly breathing: Inhale fully through your nose, expanding your belly, and exhale slowly through your mouth. This technique surfaces and releases emotions. Try a guided session on YouTube for extra support.
• Body scanning: Lie down and scan your body from head to toe. Notice any areas of tension, and as you do, take deep breaths. Inhale calmness and exhale any stress or tightness, allowing each part of your body to relax.

Common signs of hormone imbalance

Keep track of your symptoms, working on your diet and lifestyle. If you notice any of them persisting, it may be time to consult a healthcare professional for testing or investigation:

• Fatigue and low energy
• Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
• Irregular menstrual cycles, painful periods, or PMS (for women)
• Low libido (sex drive)
• Digestive issues (for example, bloating, constipation)
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Acne, hair loss, or skin changes
• Sleep disturbances or insomnia

Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

If you experience any of the following symptoms, please seek medical attention right away. Hormonal imbalances can escalate quickly and may lead to life-threatening complications if left untreated:

• Sudden, severe headaches or vision change
• Severe abdominal pain or heavy bleeding may signal endometriosis, fibroids, or even a ruptured ovarian cyst. Contact a doctor if you experience severe discomfort or excessive blood loss.
• Unexplained rapid heartbeat or palpitations.
• Chest pain or shortness of breath
• Severe mood swings, suicidal thoughts, or psychosis .
• Sudden, unexplained weight loss with fatigue
• High fever with flushing or sweating
• Severe vomiting or dehydration
• Persistent swelling in the neck
• Signs of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), including confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness, or extreme shakiness. This requires immediate intervention, especially for those with diabetes.

Getting the care you need

Finding the right care for hormone issues can be challenging, so here are some guidelines on how to get the support that you need.

• Know what’s available: Western medicine is effective for cure and chronic disease management, with a focus on treating symptoms with medications, surgery, and other interventions. Integrative medicine combines conventional treatments with holistic therapies such as mindfulness, whereas functional medicine aims to find and treat root causes.
• Be thorough with your symptoms: Bring a detailed list of your symptoms, including when they started and when they show up. This helps ensure your provider gets a full picture of your health.
• Request comprehensive testing: Standard blood tests might miss subtle imbalances. Functional medicine practitioners often conduct broader testing, including thyroid, cortisol, estrogen, and gut health assessments.
• Consider a holistic perspective: Western medicine plays a vital role in ruling out serious diseases and addressing acute health concerns, offering essential diagnostics and treatments when they’re most needed. However, if you’re told everything is “normal” but you still don’t feel like yourself, it might be time to dig deeper. Seek a second opinion with an integrative or functional provider who takes a more comprehensive view of your health, considering not just your symptoms but the root causes behind them. This approach can help uncover more subtle imbalances that might otherwise be overlooked.
• Mix and match approaches: Blending Western treatments with functional strategies for long-term healing is a wonderful approach that helps many find success.
• Keep records and follow up: Track your symptoms, test results, and notes from appointments. Don’t hesitate to follow up if you need clarity. Remember, you are the only expert in you!