Older couple walking together holding hands on a beach at sunset

Hormone Health; Youthification; Pathways That Slow Aging

Hormone health is about total personal health. One of the reasons that hormones can be so clinically useful and can even help with “Youthification” is because they turn on our own antioxidant systems in our body. Cutting-edge research shows that hormones are not the only way to turn on these systems. This means that we can use other tools, like compounds found in broccoli, to activate pathways that will slow aging, decrease heart disease and reduce osteoporosis. This is fantastic news for those of us who may need the support of hormones but have risk factors that preclude their use, or for those of us who just want to start. Also, even though our hormones are the highest when we are young, this is when we have our lowest risk of breast cancer. By examining this paradox we can learn how to make hormones safer when we use them later in life.

There are many natural compounds that can help balance hormones. Some of the best herb and vitamin supplements for natural hormonal balance include magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, B vitamins, iodine, ashwagandha, rhodiola rosea and probiotics,

In addition to supplements, there are also many foods that can help balance hormones. Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a natural substance shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol levels. That same compound also helps to balance the stress hormone cortisol, and it may help restore low DHEA (a hormone produced by the adrenal gland) and decrease the inflammation typically associated with the stress of intense exercise.

There is a link between hormone health and breast cancer. Hormonal contraceptives have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer ¹. A new study shows that combined and progestin-only contraceptives of all forms appear to increase breast cancer risk ². Hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells contain proteins called hormone receptors (estrogen receptors, or ERs, and progesterone receptors, or PRs) that become activated when hormones bind to them. The activated receptors cause changes in the expression of specific genes, which can stimulate cell growth ³ ⁴ ⁵.