Gut-Hormone Connection: How Your Diet Impacts Hormones and Whole-Body Health
While most of us can only name a handful of hormones, there are over 50 hormones in the body. These chemical messengers work synergistically to regulate essential
functions in the body. Although complex, hormonal regulation is something you have more control over than you may think. This is due to the gut-hormone connection. Let’s explore this connection.
What Is the Relationship Between the Gut and Hormones?
The gut is also referred to as your body’s second brain. This is because it’s part of the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for emitting hormones that
influence mood, sleep, appetite, and more. The endocrine system is linked to the nervous system through the hypothalamus in the brain. Some refer to this as “hormonal
pathways”. If you aren’t fueling your body with healthful foods, your gut doesn’t efficiently connect with the brain and nervous system. This can lead to hormonal imbalance and disruption in how your body self-regulates.
This includes:
Microbial imbalance can create inflammation that disrupts hormone-producing glands and organs.
Internal inflammation caused by microbial imbalance can disrupt estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone regulation.
90% of the hormone serotonin is produced in the gut, regulating sleep, mood, stress, and more.
Hunger-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin are produced by the gut.
While not a hormone, proper microbial balance triggers glucose regulation.
The imbalances above are directly linked to obesity, diabetes, depression, decreased immunity, weight gain, and other health and wellness concerns.
How Can I Regulate My Hormones and Gut Health?
Personalizing your nutrition empowers you to optimize the gut-hormone connection. However, microbial balance requires you to do more than take probiotics. Probiotics
may improve your microbial balance, but they only stimulate the growth and regulation of a few strains of the 300+ bacteria in your digestive system. To stimulate the growth and regulation of all bacteria in your digestive system, a fiber- rich diet is required. We often think of fiber only in terms of regulating digestion, but it’s responsible for so much more. Dietary fiber feeds and fuels gut bacteria, promoting optimal microbial balance.
How Much Fiber Should I Consume?
Currently, 95% of Americans aren’t eating enough dietary fiber. Most adults require at least 25 grams of fiber per day. In addition to getting enough fiber in your diet, eating a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes feeds and fuels the full spectrum of bacteria. So, don’t just aim to consume a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, but as many different types of produce as you can mix in.
Be mindful that sugar and the chemicals in processed foods can kill gut bacteria. So, promoting microbial balance is more than a matter of just eating more whole foods.
How Else Can I Support Hormonal Balance?
Your gut health isn’t the only thing you can do to promote proper hormonal balance.
Consume a diverse range of protein sources.
Ensure you’re eating enough omega fatty acids.
Keep sugar and processed foods to a minimum.
Exercise, manage stress, and prioritize quality sleep.
Want to Learn More About How to Optimize Your Gut Health?
If you would like to learn more about how your daily dietary choices promote optimal gut-hormone connection—reach out to Nina’s Nutritional Values. We can explore
personalizing your nutrition to support your whole-body health.