A Holistic Approach to Hormone Health

Mood swings, low energy, and weight fluctuations have become a part of our daily narrative. They are often shrugged off as small annoyances in our busy lives. However, according to Dr. Paria Vaziri, ND, these everyday occurrences could be the body’s subtle cries for help.

“There’s a wide variety of hormones that impact you daily,” Dr. Paria tells rē•spin. “At the baseline, you have your thyroid hormones, which you can picture as your body’s thermostat. If it’s too high, you might be prone to feeling jittery, hot all day, or anxious. If it’s too low, which many women unfortunately experience, you might struggle with low moods, weight, energy, and hair loss.”

These are just a few common symptoms of hormonal imbalances we face daily. “There are also your cortisol hormones, which make a huge difference in your energy and your sleep. When that’s out of whack, you can find yourself with low energy during the day or feeling wired at night and unable to sleep,” Dr. Paria explains.

When it comes to a weekly reset, Dr. Paria encourages a shift in focus away from the pressures of checklists. Instead, look towards the art of tuning into your body’s intuition.

“I want people to ground down into your body and ask yourself every time, ‘What is it that I need right now?’ Sometimes it’s laying on the couch doing nothing, and sometimes it’s going outside,” she says. She places emphasis on the importance of flexibility in routines.

What our bodies need one week can vary vastly from what it may require the next, and that’s okay. The secret to setting ourselves up for a successful week doesn’t lie in our ability to check off rigid to-do lists. Rather, it exists in the ability to keep our hormones in check.

Instead of tackling our imbalances in isolation, Dr. Paria offers a holistic approach with her hormone-balancing rituals. These practices go beyond surface-level self-care. They’re designed to reshape your emotional well-being and energy levels, setting the stage for a better week ahead.

1. Morning Sun Exposure

“If you’re able to get morning sunlight, I definitely recommend it,” Dr. Paria says. Morning sunlight naturally supports your cortisol levels, like an internal alarm clock. It helps us feel and sustain more energy throughout the day.

2. Meal Prep

“Meal prepping can often be the missing piece for someone struggling with energy,” she explains. “I often see people powering through the day with lots of caffeine, but your body needs fuel. Taking the time to meal prep nourishing, whole foods that you can have on hand during the week can be helpful.”

Dr. Paria’s Hot Tip: buy in-season produce, as they have more bioavailable nutrients. Prep individual ingredients to mix & match during the week for more variety.

3. Wind Down

Whether sipping a cup of herbal tea, stretching, or reading a book, taking time to unwind before bed is essential. to prepare our bodies for restorative sleep and a busy week ahead.

“After sunset, our cortisol should be going down, and our melatonin should be increasing. If you’re getting exposure from your phone, laptop, or bright lights, your cortisol stays elevated, and you won’t properly have those levels drop down, which makes it harder to sleep at night,” explains Dr. Paria.

Being mindful of light exposure, using red or orange lights, and winding down at least 30 minutes before bed can reduce cortisol levels.

4. Supplement Your Sleep

Quality sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a must for keeping our hormones, moods, and energy balanced.

Thankfully, Dr. Paria offers a solution, revealing her “holy grail” supplement combo for better sleep: Magnesium Glycinate and L-theanine. These supplements work in harmony to regulate our nervous systems and alleviate stress, paving the way for a good night’s sleep. “It’s my favorite thing to do that always gives me the best sleep,” she says.

With refreshed minds and bodies, we’re geared up to tackle the week ahead with better energy, balanced hormones, and a renewed sense of confidence.

In her closing words, Dr. Paria reiterates the importance of following our intuition. “Self-care these days has turned into more work for a lot of women,” she observes. “I really want to encourage people to follow your body’s intuition when it comes to taking care of yourself, as opposed to feeling like self-care is just another thing we have to do.” By embracing this intuitive approach, we can rē-spin the true essence of living well, infusing our daily lives with a stronger connection to our mind, body, and soul.