Trick Your Hormones And Help Your Health

They’re responsible for so much – from menopause and moods to sleep and hunger. Here’s how to harness yours...

MENOPAUSE

The hormone:

OESTROGEN It’s responsible for your female shape and characteristics, and levels of it fall dramatically when you enter perimenopause (usually in your late 40s) and menopause (in your early 50s). This leads to hot flushes, drier skin and thinning hair.

Take action: Health expert Dr Marilyn Glenville recommends foods containing plant oestrogens (phytoestrogens) which may help balance oestrogen levels. ‘Isoflavones are the most beneficial form of phytoestrogens,’ she says. ‘Tuck into tofu – 100g gives you around 30mg of isoflavones.’ Other sources are soya beans or milk and isoflavone supplements. Or ask your doctor about

WEIGHT LOSS

The hormones:

GHRELIN & LEPTIN Ghrelin gives hunger signals. Leptin tells you when you’re full. And some experts believe they are linked. Another vital hormone is insulin, which controls blood/sugar levels when you eat, moving glucose into cells for energy. If you don’t have enough insulin, or it isn’t effective, you may be diagnosed with diabetes. No lifestyle changes can lower your risk of Type 1 diabetes, but Type 2 is often linked to being overweight.

MOOD

The hormone:

SEROTONIN It regulates mood, and a lack of it has been linked to insomnia, binge eating and depression. The majority of the body’s serotonin is actually produced in the gut, with the rest made in the brain. Another important neurotransmitter is dopamine, a lack of which can lead to depression and fatigue.