Hormone Hacks! How to Boost Your Health and Happiness with Dr. Sara Gottfried

Sugar cravings, insomnia, struggling to manage weight, depression — these are all symptoms of hormonal dysregulation, something Dr. Sara Gottfried says 85% of women experience. How much can food influence your hormones? How do your hormones affect your brain health and your metabolism? How long should you be on birth control? What about HRT? This week, Dr. Gottfried, a Havard-trained physician and the author of four New York Times bestselling books joins us on SHE MD to talk about the critical roles of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in longevity and health, as well as how to test and understand healthy hormone ranges.  We’ll get into the role of estrogen in processing glucose and discuss continuous glucose monitoring and GLP1s. Dr. Gottfried shares how she healed her autoimmunity with functional medicine and natural strategies for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

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Dr. Gottfried's Top Hormone Hacks

1. Test Your Hormones: Regularly measure your hormone levels to establish a baseline, even if you're not experiencing symptoms. This is crucial for understanding your body's state of regulation and can be beneficial later in life when hormonal changes occur. Use various methods such as blood tests, dried urine tests, and saliva tests for a comprehensive analysis.
2. Personalize Your Food Plan: Adopt a food-first philosophy, recognizing the profound impact food has on your body. Aim to eat whole, nutrient-dense foods that nourish your body at the cellular level. Utilize tools like a continuous glucose monitor to gain real-time insights into how your body reacts to different foods, allowing you to tailor your diet for optimal health and hormone balance.
3. Incorporate Strength Training: Incorporate strength training and heavy lifting into your exercise routine. This is not just about building muscle; it's about improving overall health, enhancing metabolic function, and supporting hormone balance. Contrary to the fear of bulking up, women generally develop lean muscle mass, which is beneficial for long-term health.
4. Track Your Sleep: Use wearables like smartwatches or sleep tracking devices to monitor your sleep patterns. Understand metrics such as deep sleep duration, REM sleep, sleep interruptions, and heart rate variability. Good sleep is critical for avoiding hormonal imbalances and maintaining optimal health. Make adjustments to your lifestyle to improve sleep quality, ensuring you get restorative rest.
5. Find Purpose and Meaning: Cultivate activities, relationships, or causes that bring you purpose and meaning. Whether it’s family, career, volunteering, or a personal passion, having a sense of purpose positively impacts your mental and physical health. Purpose and meaning have been shown to enhance healthspan (years of healthy living), reduce stress, and contribute to overall well-being, acting as a stabilizer during periods of hormonal dysregulation.

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