Hormone Health Archives - Page 4 of 10

How to Have Better Sleep?

Written by trish on February 8, 2022. Posted in Hormone Health.

There is very little worse than when you are exhausted, but your brain is still going a million miles an hour. All you want to do is sleep, but your body refuses to calm down. You lie in bed, eyes closed, and sleep just beyond reach.

Melatonin is a chemical in your body that is responsible for regulating your sleep cycles and making you sleep. Your pineal gland is responsible for producing that melatonin. Each night your body produces approximately 25mcg of melatonin to promote a peaceful and restful sleep. Studies have shown that this amount gradually decreases as we age, which may explain why toddlers and youth require more sleep at night than adults.

You can help regulate your sleep and promote more relaxed, restful sleep by helping your body produce melatonin when you need it. If you are having trouble sleeping, try a few of these tips before you turn to medication.

Say “no” to electronic devices and gadgets:

The blue light produced by our phones, laptops, TVs, and tablets may be counteracting your body’s attempts to produce melatonin. Instead of checking your phone or social media accounts before going to bed, read, journal, or even color. These activities are much less stimulating than electronic devices, allowing your brain to start shutting down and encouraging your body to start producing melatonin for the night ahead.

Drink chamomile tea:

Chamomile tea actually has melatonin in it. Drink a warm cup of it in the evening to help your body relax, de-stress, and prepare for restful sleep.

Shower or take a relaxing bath:

Warm water relaxes tense muscles and refreshes your mind. According to research by Loughborough University in Leicester, the relaxing effect of taking a bath before going to bed helps increase the production of melatonin in your body. This is because taking baths and showers reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, allowing your body to produce melatonin instead.

Block all sources of light:

Pull all the curtains, shut all the blinds, turn off all the lights. Make your room completely dark. Even the smallest amount of light can disrupt your sleeping and melatonin production. Blocking out all the sources of light while sleeping will significantly boost the melatonin in your body, help regulate your sleeping patterns and promote deep sleep so that you wake you up happy and well rested.

Focus on your diet:

Your diet plays a huge role in your body’s sleeping habits. Studies have shown that reducing or eliminating caffeine and processed foods has a hugely positive impact on your amount and quality of sleep. It is also helpful to avoid trying to sleep on a very empty or very full stomach; both can leave your body focused on processes other than sleep. A light snack or a warm cup of tea just before bed can help calm hunger pangs without overtaxing your body. What are the best foods to help you sleep? – watch here

Reminder of the key hormones needed for sleep: Melatonin, Cortisol, Serotonin and impact on immune system

VITAL TIPs: Manage stress and support your adrenals.

HOW?

Ways to support your immune system with daily rituals that are easy to do.

Meditation
Journaling
Tapping – EFT at the end of the day to calm the mid and process anything you are still feeling
Cool dew on your feet at night or a cold shower on your feet
Cold water therapy
Supplements such as 5HTP, CBD, Magnesium glycinate – talk to me I can guide you.

Sleep is a 24-hour cycle, not just something that happens when you go to bed.

In the morning, your body makes cortisol to wake you up. In the evening it makes melatonin to make you sleepy

Hormonal factors that influence sleep can include making too much cortisol, making cortisol at the wrong times of day, and not making enough melatonin.

Serotonin also influences sleep. Essential oils can support serotonin. The best essential oils on the planet can be purchased here Vetiver, lavender and roman chamomile are my favourite and I use them every night.

A healthy sleep cycle includes anchoring both cortisol and melatonin, so that you are awake and alert when you should be, and tired when you should be.

Sleep is when we repair cells – the heart of the immune system!

If you would like to learn more about my hormone tests get in touch. When we get to the root cause of why you are not sleeping – your life will change forever!

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish

Healthy Chocolate Making Workshop

Written by trish on January 22, 2022. Posted in Brain Health, Hormone Health.

Would you like to learn how to make healthy chocolate.

Would you like to learn how to make delicious healthy chocolate

I will be running a chocolate making workshop in my kitchen.

2-4pm on the 12th March

This will be vegan friendly, healthy chocolate

We will be eating, drinking and making chocolate.

Just in time for Easter. You can learn how to make delicious chocolates for your friends and family.

How to Eat For a Healthy Thyroid

Written by trish on January 11, 2022. Posted in Hormone Health.

The health of your thyroid depends heavily on what you eat and put in your body. Your thyroid plays a big role in the following daily functions

Your metabolism and your weight.
Your hair growth.
Your energy levels.
Controlling other hormones like insulin, cortisol and your sex hormones
Your mood.
Your ability to concentrate and remain focused.
Your body temperature.
Your heart rate.
Your menstrual cycle.

To keep your thyroid happy and healthy, your body needs appropriate amounts of iodine, zinc and selenium. To ensure the health of your thyroid, try incorporating the following foods in your diet for better iodine, zinc and selenium levels.

Yogurt: Yogurt is an excellent source of iodine. Plain and Greek yogurts are your best options.
Berries: Berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are packed with iodine, selenium, and vitamin D. These berries also contain a variety of other nutrients and are very high in antioxidants, which are critical for the health of your thyroid. Goji berries and cranberries contain the highest number of antioxidants. You can eat these berries raw, or you can use them in smoothies or in an acai bowl. You can use them to top yogurt or oatmeal.
Fish: Fish is another great source of iodine. Lack of nutrients is one of the primary reasons why thyroid health deters, and fish contain all the necessary nutrients to maintain the health of your thyroid. One 3-ounce serving of cod contains around 99 milligrams of iodine. If you do not like fish then you can opt for cod liver oil supplements.
Chicken: Zinc is also necessary for thyroid health, and chicken is a perfect solution to fill that need. Three ounces of chicken contains 2.4 milligrams of zinc.
Beef: Organic grass-fed beef is also high in zinc. A 3-ounce serving of roasted beef provides seven milligrams of zinc and a 3-ounce beef patty contains three milligrams of zinc. Make sure you choose very lean, organic beef.
Brazil Nuts: Brazil nuts are incredible little powerhouses for selenium. Daily consumption of moderate serving amounts can help produce glutathione, which helps fight against and decrease thyroid antibodies.
Eggs: Eggs are another simple, one-stop shop for your thyroid health. A large egg consists of 20% of selenium and 16% of iodine. Eggs are extremely versatile and easy to prepare. Hard boil or scramble them, but make sure you include the yolk; that is the part the provides the most selenium.
Nuts: To protect and maintain the health of your thyroid, try adding a variety of nuts to your diet. Hazelnuts and macadamia nuts provided the highest amount of selenium. You can eat them raw, snack on them, or add them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, or other meals.

If you would like to learn more about thyroid and blood panel tests book a call here https://p.bttr.to/2MZVUKN

I can arrange private tests with a nurse visit for the blood draw. This is especially beneficial at the moment with such long wait times at the NHS, plus private tests are far more thorough.

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish

How to Know if Your Blood Sugar is Stable?

Written by trish on December 15, 2021. Posted in Hormone Health.

What are the tell-tale signs that you need to work on your blood sugar?

Do you have trouble falling asleep and drag yourself out of bed in the morning?

are you gaining weight and you don’t know why?

do you feel drained and tired all the time?

do you crave ice cream or salty crisps in the middle of the day, late at night or immediately after your evening meal?

Do you find your sunglasses in the freezer and your car keys in the bathroom?

If you answer yes, it could be because of your blood sugar balance.

Maintaining your blood sugar is important for your overall health. A stable blood sugar level helps you maintain a healthy weight, reduces your risk of diabetes, regulates your glucose levels, and can help increase your physical activity.

Here are some noticeable signs that your blood sugar needs attention.

You suffer from any sort of inflammation.

Your blood sugar often spikes in response to the excess release of cortisol by your body and excess cortisol can cause inflammation. Excess sugar equals inflammation. If you suffer from any kind of body inflammation, your blood sugar needs attention.

Your skin is troubled.

Acne, rashes, eczema are all forms of inflammation. When your body suffers from an injury or illness, it tries to protect itself; the same is true when your diet is not healthy. If you consume a lot of sugar, your body will react in the form of inflammation. Acne and rashes are an inflammatory response to poor microbiome health, which is often a result of unstable blood sugar.

You feel sluggish and tired all the time

Excess sugar releases cortisol in your body that can lead to increased fatigue. When your blood sugar is not stable, you may feel lazy and sluggish. If you are enjoying stable levels of energy and are not easily tired by physical activity, you have a healthy blood sugar level.

You crave sugar all the time.

Insatiable sugar cravings are a sign of an unstable blood sugar level. Occasional cravings are normal; everyone feels like scarfing up a whole tub of ice cream at some point or another. But, if satisfying that initial craving keeps you consuming sugar, there is a good chance your blood sugar is not stable.

You can’t lose weight no matter what you do.

When your blood sugar level is stable, it is a lot easier to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. An unstable blood sugar level makes it impossible.

You need to urinate frequently.

A well-functioning bladder is a sign that your blood sugar level is normal. People with unstable blood sugar levels often suffer from a weak bladder and may feel the need to urinate more frequently than normal.

You can’t quench your thirst.

People with stable blood sugar levels can easily quench their thirst after drinking water. Many people who have unstable blood sugar levels feel thirsty all the time and are not able to quench their thirst even after drinking water.

You experience brain fog.

Another symptom of unstable blood sugar is brain fog, when your brain suddenly becomes fatigued, and it becomes hard for you to focus or concentrate. Healthy blood sugar levels can help promote sharp and extended periods of focus.

How to balance your blood sugar?

Eat three meals per day and make sure you have fat and protein at each meal.
Avoid snacking between meals. Allow at least 4 hours between your meals.
Drink plenty of water. At least 2 litres to help hydrate your blood.
Restrict your time eating window to 12 – 14 hours. There will be a sweet spot so try various times and see what works for you. Don’t eat late at night.

If you are unsure and worried about these symptoms and are not getting the support you need from your doctor, book a call with me. I can test your blood sugar, thyroid and hormones.

Get the support you need.

My next 8-week Time to Nourish program starts on the 18^th January. It is £750 and there is an early bird price of £625 so to book now email trish@trishtuckermay.com or book a call

6 ways to know if your hormones are out of whack

Written by trish on November 30, 2021. Posted in Gut Health, Hormone Health, Uncategorized.

If you regularly feel like something is just not right with your body, that you are just not yourself, you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance. Here are a few signs and symptoms to help you determine if your hormones may be out of whack:

You feel tired all the time.

Consistent fatigue may be the cause of an imbalance in our stress hormones that are produced when your body releases cortisol. Your body tends to release excessive cortisol in response to a bad or unhealthy diet, especially one with excessive daily consumption of sugar. This fatigue may even make you feel a little depressed and lethargic and cause brain fog or brain fatigue, a temporary condition in which your brain is simply exhausted and cannot perform the simplest task.

You are unable to lose weight.

The stress hormone cortisol not only makes you feel tired but can also hinder your body’s ability to maintain or lose weight. Your hormones control your metabolism. An imbalance in your hormones can result in a slowed or inefficient metabolism. Furthermore, hormonal imbalances promote fat storage that can lead to weight gain.

You suffer from insatiable cravings.

An increase in cortisol can cause you to have crazy and insatiable cravings for sugary foods. You may feel ravenous and get abnormally cranky if you are unable to satisfy those cravings.

You feel as if you are on an emotional roller coaster.

When your hormones are out of whack, you may feel as if you are on an emotional roller coaster. One minute you are happy and having the time of your life and in the next, you may feel incredibly depressed. Hormonal imbalances can cause you to experience extreme, inexplicable highs and lows in your emotions.

You have digestive problems.

Hormonal imbalances can also contribute to digestive problems like abdominal spasms, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, excessive flatulence and burping, nausea and discomfort.

You sweat excessively.

Your hormones can cause you to sweat excessively when they are out of whack. This is due to a swing of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which are caused by hormonal imbalances in your body.

What to do if you are struggling with these symptoms?

The key to supporting your hormones is to focus on these key areas:

Nourish – eating unprocessed wholefoods and avoiding too much sugar, alcohol and stimulants will help to reduce stress and calm your hormones
Cleanse – think about all parts f your life. What you eat, absorb through your skin in personal care products and inhale in your environment.
Restore balance by resting and getting excellent quality sleep
Realign your body and mind with gentle exercise. Strengthening and stretching daily can help you digest better and bring harmony to the hormones.

If you would like to get your hormones tested book a call here and be sure to check out the programs on my website

Biohack for Bulletproof Coffee to support your brain and your hormones

Written by trish on November 2, 2021. Posted in Brain Health, Gut Health, Hormone Health.

Do you love coffee?

I encourage you to limit caffeine intake as it can be dehydrating plus it can put a strain on the adrenals and the hormones. if you’re like me and you love your one coffee a day or encourage you to try this recipe.

What is Biohacking?

Biohacking is the process of making changes to your lifestyle in order to “hack” your body’s biology and feel your best. Biohacking is improving the health of your body using external tools, and the term is gaining popularity as part of an increasing move toward improving health and wellness.

Here are a few simple biohacks I recommend to my perimenopausal and menopausal clients

Do not use alarms to wake yourself up with a sudden jolt; start waking yourself up naturally and gradually
Incorporate smart supplementation into your diet to support the adrenals and your gut health. Vitamins A, C, D, magnesium and zinc are all fundamental to gut health and hormone balancing.
Incorporate some good fat into your daily diet. Coconut oil, avocado, hemp oil and cashews are all good fats that help hormone harmony.
Try breathing deeply throughout the day. Diaphragmatic breathing is a great way to control stress and support the digestive system
Love dark chocolate? Try eating sugar-free dark chocolate.
Track your sleep length and quality; start trying to get at least 8 hours every night. The earlier you go to bed the better it is for happy hormones.
Try bulletproof coffee

What is Bulletproof Coffee?

Bulletproof coffee is a type of coffee used to enhance cognitive abilities. Concentration, attention, focus, and intelligence are all cognitive abilities that affect the performance of our social and professional lives. Bulletproof coffee is one way to enhance that performance and stay alert in all situations.

Bulletproof coffee is becoming increasingly popular among athletes and business people to improve their cognitive abilities and attain higher levels of energy.

The magic ingredient in bulletproof coffee is unsalted grass-fed butter. Yes, this coffee has butter in it, but it also has the highest performance and lowest toxin level. It has all the benefits of healthy fats without the casein proteins found in milk.

How to Make Bulletproof Coffee

Here is a simple recipe for bulletproof coffee for improved cognitive abilities and energy.

Ingredients:

Organic coffee beans ground fresh

Unsalted grass-fed butter

MCT Coconut oil

Recipe:

Using filtered water, brew 1 cup of coffee just off the boil along with 2½ tablespoons of coffee beans that have been freshly ground. Gradually add about 1 tablespoon of MCT oil to the hot coffee. Follow with 1–2 tablespoons of grass-fed, unsalted butter. If you do not have unsalted grass-fed butter, you can use grass-fed ghee. Blend until it is frothy for 20-30 seconds.

The best foods to support your thyroid

Written by trish on October 19, 2021. Posted in Hormone Health.

If you are struggling with weight gain, poor memory, low libido, feeling tired all the time and brain fog it may well be due to your thyroid.

Your thyroid helps regulate metabolism, hair growth, body temperature and digestion. Your body contains a TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) The TSH comes from your brain and goes to your thyroid glands, signalling them to produce T4, your inactive thyroid hormone. The T4 travels within your tissues and your bloodstream until it gets converted into T3, which is your active thyroid hormone. T3 gets into your cells to reach your nuclear receptor to increase your metabolism.

Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland present in our neck which plays a huge role in the proper functioning of the body. It releases T4 (thyroxine) and T3 hormones which helps in maintaining heart rate, breathing, digestion and body temperature in the optimal range. Improper functioning of the thyroid can affect you in a number of ways.

The vitamins that are found to be most deficient among clients who suffer from any thyroid disorder, are vitamins B12, D, A, B2, and C, and the most important of these is vitamin D. Its anti-inflammatory properties help the flexibility of the immune system and are critical in helping insulin resistance. Vitamin A is essential for eyesight but also is important in the production of TSH and the conversion from T4 to T3. Vitamin A is very important for the entire metabolic process. Deficiencies in vitamin B suppresses the functioning of your thyroid.

Eating a diet that includes foods rich in calcium and vitamin D supports the thyroid and your liver.

Foods that can help include saffron, bananas, baked fish, seaweed and fresh seafood.

Around 1,000 mg of calcium a day will reduce risk of brittle bones. The best way to eat 1,000 mg calcium is by consuming seaweed and leafy greens. It is a common misunderstanding that dairy is a rich source of calcium. Many of us are allergic or prefer not to consume too much dairy because of the increase in mucus. Eating more white beans, salmon, dried figs, bok choy, black eyed peas, tofu, oatmeal and fresh pressed fruit juices are all good ways to increase calcium in your diet.

Other foods high in calcium include spirulina, barley grass, kombu, kelp, sardines, almonds, parsley, brazil nuts, kale, sunflower seeds and quinoa. Magnesium rich foods are also necessary to help absorb calcium into your bones. Foods that are an excellent source of magnesium include dried seaweeds, soy, mung, black and lima beans, whole grains like buckwheat, corn, millet, barley, rye and rice, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, spirulina and wheatgrass. Osteoporosis can be serious, so introduce calcium rich foods well before perimenopause.

So how do you know how your thyroid is performing?

If you are struggling with FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, LOW LIBIDO, POOR MEMORY or BRAIN FOG, WEIGHT GAIN or INABILITY TO LOSE WEIGHT, CONSTIPATION, HAIR LOSS or THINNING HAIR or EYEBROWS, COLD EXTREMITIES, and LOW STAMINA are common signs and symptoms of inadequate thyroid function.

Thyroid hormone supports serotonin function, and serotonin contributes to the release of pituitary TSH. Thus, low serotonin can be a compounding factor in hypothyroidism. High levels of GABA may have an inhibitory effect on thyroid function. Excess cortisol negatively effects thyroid homeostasis in at least four different ways.

With relation to the sex hormones, estrogen elevates thyroid binding globulin, which decreases the amount of free thyroid hormone available – thus inhibiting overall thyroid function.

Progesterone and testosterone are associated with improving thyroid function.

You may benefit from a sex hormone evaluation and possibly body identical hormone replacement to optimize thyroid function.

A comprehensive thyroid panel is suggested for all of my clients struggling with these symptoms.

Get in touch if you want to test. Functional medicine tests are a thorough way to get to the root cause of your symptoms.

KEY NUTRIENTS

Multi with B’s, iodine, selenium and zinc (& possibly iron if needed)
Vitamin C – 500mg – 3000mg per day (split dose)
Vitamin D
Magnesium – 200 – 400mg per day

If you would like me to review your current supplement regime, please get in touch. Book a call here

Link to podcast here

Easy Ways To Improve Your Appearance During Menopause

Written by trish on September 16, 2021. Posted in Gut Health, Hormone Health.

Ladies, we want to look our best during the Menopause. After all, it can boost your self-esteem and make you feel better about yourself. Dieting and exercising are important in the transition to menopause but so is your gut health.

As effective as these are, they aren’t the only ways to improve your appearance. You also wouldn’t need to do something as drastic as cosmetic surgery. Instead, you could implement a few changes into your daily routine to help balance your hormones and improve your digestion.

As minor as these may seem, they can have a much larger impact on your appearance than you’d think. Combining them together will maximize this impact.

I know you are here to improve digestion, beat belly bloat and perhaps lose some weight.

Here are my top 7 tips to get you started. Sometimes it is the simple things that will make a massive difference.

Do you do these already?

 Drinking plenty of water?

 Taking little breaks during the day?

 Deep breathing before your meal?

 Chewing well?

 Veggies for breakfast?

 Diversity on your plate?

How To Look Better During Menopause

Take Care Of Your Mouth and Oral Microbiome

Your smile is one of the first things that many people notice when they see you. While it mightn’t be something they focus on, it can drastically affect how you look. You’ll need to look after it. The easiest way of doing so is by brushing regularly.

You might need to have certain things done, however. These can range from teeth whitening to a root canal treatment. It’s recommended that you get these done as early as possible. Alongside helping to improve your smile, most treatments focus on preventing future issues.

Oil pulling is a gentle technique for improving the microbiome in the mouth. It can be done with olive sesame or coconut oil. Put one dessert spoon of oil in the mouth and swish around for two minutes. Add either two drops of peppermint or two drops of tea tree oil to help improve the texture and the coating on the tongue. Followed by tongue scraping this technique helps remove bacteria from the mouth. You can watch some techniques here.

Take Care Of Your Personal Hygiene

While personal hygiene is an obvious thing to focus on, it may be something that many people overlook. There are quite a few aspects involved in this, with brushing your teeth being notable.

Showering or bathing several times a week is also mandatory. Getting a skincare routine by adding in extra nutrients in your diet will help you navigate a smooth menopause.

Make Sure To Stay Hydrated

Few people think of how hydration can affect how they look. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll look so. The more dehydrated you are, the more it will affect your appearance. Typically, it’ll make you look worn out and tired, which you should want to avoid.

There are other ways that dehydration can affect your body. These will go farther beyond how you look, as it can affect energy levels, how well your body operates, and much more. Keeping well-hydrated will be essential for avoiding all of this.

The fact that it can help you improve your appearance is a nice benefit on top of this.

Wrapping Up

As much as each of the above can improve your appearance during menopause, they’re no replacement for looking after yourself physically and mentally. Proper dieting and exercising are recommende. Adding some other methods on top of this will help support hormones and improve diegstion.

Make time to exercise regularly. These tips can be helpful in maintaining an attractive appearance during your transition to menopause. If you would like further support for your menopause journey book a free half hour call here to see how I can help.

Top Tips For Achieving Your Best Smile

Written by trish on September 2, 2021. Posted in Hormone Health.

Achieving your best smile is possible. Your best smile is one that you feel your most comfortable and confident in. Whether you lack confidence in your smile or simply want to achieve a better, brighter, and happier smile, then follow this guide. Your oral microbiome is directly linked to your gut health. It is important to look after the good bacteria in your mouth and crowd out the unwanted bacteria.

Consider dental work

If you lack confidence in your smile due to dental issues, then you might want to consider dental work. Dental work will help you achieve your best smile and return your teeth to their best condition.

For example, you can get permanent porcelain veneers that will help you achieve a straight, bright, and confident smile. These will last years if you take good care of them so you will be able to maintain your best smile for as long as possible.

Maintain a good diet

What you eat will affect your teeth. If you like to consume a lot of sugary foods, then you might want to consider cutting your consumption down or out completely.

A good diet is one that involves a lot of healthy fats and proteins. For instance, eating a lot of leafy greens, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and nuts, is one that can help you achieve good health in general and will help you attain the best oral health.

If you are someone who likes to snack on sweets and biscuits, then you might want to consider changing these for healthy snacks such as natural-occurring sugar in fruit, nuts, and vegetable sticks. If you are struggling with cravings, get in touch so I can guide you with ways to combat cravings.

Smile more in the mirror

Boost your confidence will help you show off your best smile. The more confident you are in your smile, the brighter your smile will appear. A smile is the best facial expression anyone can wear. A smile can brighten up your whole face and make you seem more friendly.

If you don’t smile often, then you should practice smiling more in the mirror. You will see how much friendlier and happier you look with a smile on your face and it will encourage you to do it more.

Have good oral hygiene

Good oral hygiene will help you combat dental issues and achieve a brighter and whiter smile.

Your oral hygiene routine should involve oil pulling, tongue scraping and plenty of brushing.