5 Hormone Balancing & Fertility Boosting Foods
You know me - I'm a lover of happy, healthy hormones for women at ANY age!
I'm an advocate for women being as fertile as possible... whether they are trying to conceive or not.
You see, fertility isn't only about conceiving, it's a reflection of your WHOLE health.
As the Naturopath and author, Lara Briden, often says, "your period is your monthly report card". Each month your body gives you feedback and you can check-in with yourself and consider if you had enough sleep, prioritised nourishing foods, overcommitted on weekends, etc.
In my fertility program, we spend a lot of time learning about nutritional and lifestyle strategies that balance hormones (including oestrogen dominant and/or low progesterone conditions, such as PCOS, endometriosis and fibroids), because this information can set your body up to be as fertile as possible, while also balancing hormones and creating the foundations of good health.
Research shows nutrition and lifestyle has a huge impact on hormonal health and fertility for both men and women.
A review in 2022 found that the Mediterranean-based anti-inflammatory diet improves fertility, assisted reproductive technology and sperm quality in men.
Top 5 hormone balancing and fertility boosting foods:
Now, you'll notice most of my top hormone balancing foods are high quality protein and/or fat, and that's because hormones are made up of protein and fat!
🥑 Avocados - a rich source of hormone balancing and inflammatory fighting omega-3 fats, that nourish the nervous system and balance hormones.
🍣 Oily fish - Wild-caught oily fish like salmon, herring and sardines, are all wonderful sources of unsaturated fats and hormone supportive nutrients including calcium and vitamin B12. The Heart Foundation recommends all Australians should aim to eat 2–3 serves of fish, including oily fish, per week. If you don’t think you’re hitting your dietary omega-3 fats target, speak to your practitioner, as fish oil supplements may be a suitable addition to your diet.
Research shows that women taking omega-3 supplementation are 1.5 X more likely to conceive compared to women not taking omega-3s.
🍳 Eggs - Think of eggs as ‘Nature’s Multivitamin’; jam-packed with protein, fat and nutrients to keep you satiated, improve metabolic health and balance hormones. Most healthy adults benefit from an egg a day!
🥜 Cashews - Now I’m not talking about the addictive, salted, store-bought cashews, sorry! Raw cashews are an amazing source of resistant starch fibre and nutrients, which can help with the elimination of excess hormones like oestrogen (elevated oestrogen is often the case with PCOS, endometriosis and fibroids) and cholesterol, and promote healthy hormones. A handful of any nuts/seeds a day can be beneficial as it provides a powerhouse of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants.
🫐 Blueberries are a prebiotic, which is fuel for your probiotics and can support a healthy gut microbiome. Blueberries also contain Vitamin C and a powerful phytonutrient known as anthocyanins, which can protect egg and sperm health from oxidative damage, reduce inflammation and boost fertility.