Written by the Smart Solutions Education Team
As the seasons shift towards fall, our bodies may need a shift too. How can you balance hormones with the season change? There are plenty of seasonal fall foods to choose from to help balance hormones naturally.
First, it’s important to understand that hormones have a major role in the body, signaling and controlling most functions, but when they become imbalanced (E.g. Estrogen dominance) the body has to work harder to function properly.1
Hormones are made from proteins and healthy fats (good cholesterol).2 Eating foods that contain healthy sources of protein and fats will help your body to make the hormones it needs to work properly. Try adding more legumes, wild caught salmon, avocado, nuts, and seeds to your diet.
Seasonal foods from the “Brassica” family are rich in a powerful antioxidant sulphoraphane that can help to detoxify and remove unwanted hormones from the body.3 Some of the easiest Brassica vegetables to find include:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Turnip
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Rapini
To put these fall veggies to use, try out this Creamy Broccoli Soup recipe:4
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 heads of broccoli, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 large white potato, chopped
- 4 cups of vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a medium sized pot, sauté onion in oil over medium heat until softened. Add in vegetable stock, broccoli, potato, and seasonings; reduce heat, simmering until all vegetables softened (approx.15 minutes). Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend to desired consistency. Cozy up with a hot bowl topped with cheese or non-dairy alternative. Enjoy!
References:
- Jamshed R. (2005) One hundred years of hormones. EMBO Rep. Jun; 6(6): 490–496.
- Open Text BC. Concepts of Biology – Types of Hormones. Accessed August 31, 2020 at:
https://opentextbc.ca/biology/chapter/18-1-types-of-hormones/
- Sanlier, N., Guler, S. M. (2018). The Benefits of Brassica Vegetables on Human Health. J Human Health, 1(1): 1-13.
- Erren’s Kitchen. Creamy Broccoli Soup. Accessed August 31, 2020 at: https://www.errenskitchen.com/creamy-broccoli-soup/
