My Story:
After Asher was born, I struggled a lot with imbalanced hormones. I felt like I was going crazy! ‘Is this normal?’ I often wondered. However, so many moms deal with post-partum depression, anxiety, and nutrition depletion. I slowly began to realize, YES-this is NORMAL!
New moms aren’t the only ones experiencing imbalanced hormones though. More people are experiencing unexplained mood changes, fatigue, excess weight, sleep problems, acne, digestive complaints and the list goes on! Our hormones are a very complicating system known as the endocrine system. If one thing goes wrong, the whole system can cascade into many other problems! It is increasingly difficult to have balanced hormones in today’s modern world with the presence of stress, not enough outdoor activity, pesticides, toxins found in lotions, potions, cooking utensils, and polluted air and water systems.
I don’t say all this to add fear, only to inform you. Thankfully, we have many foods found in nature that help the body fight toxins that disrupt hormonal imbalances. I put many of these nutritious foods in this smothie. This drink helped me tremendously get back to my normal self, and not feel so crazy! 🙂
The Ingredients & Health Benefits:
One of the top ways to keep our hormones in balance is to eat enough protein and healthy fats. Excessive sugar and refined carbs increase insulin levels, sending the body into an imbalanced state. Healthy fats on the other hand, help reduce insulin resistance and appetite, keeping us satiated longer. The healthy fats in this smoothie are chia seeds, pistachios, brazil nuts, and coconut flakes.
Brazil nuts, in particular, are the richest food source of selenium. This mineral is essential for proper thyroid function, as is iodine (present in maca). A healthy thyroid keeps hormones in check. This is something that I have personally struggled with over the years and found a huge difference in adding more of these minerals into my diet.
Berries and dark leafy greens are both rich in vitamin C. This vitamin balances estrogen and progesterone in the body. The greens and chia seeds also support our detoxification process, helping toxins and excess hormones make their way out of our system.
Cacao powder, found in this smoothie, is rich in magnesium (think dark chocolate). This nutrient is a very important mineral for balancing hormones. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get an adequate amount of magnesium these days from our depleted soils. I used to get bad leg cramps and restless legs at night (one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency). When I began adding cacao to my diet, the cramps quickly went away. It was amazing to see! I have also recommended cacao to some of my health clients with similar complaints and they were thrilled to also notice a difference!
Last, but not least, is collagen. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you might want to omit this supplement. Collagen comes from cows (or another animal) which is why quality really matters! We get this one, because it is sourced from grass-fed cows. Collagen is rich in amino-acids, which promote healing in the body and reduces inflammation. It also supports healthy nails, skin and hair. This is a supplement that I take daily and have noticed a huge difference in my digestion, energy levels, and hair!
To make:
Simply add all your ingredients to a blender and mix! Eaaaasy.
This is one of my favorite smoothies for balancing my own hormones and I know it will help you too.
It is delicious and Asher is always reaching for a glass for me to pour him a cup.
Hope you enjoy, let me know how it turned out for you!
If you like this recipe, I know you’ll love my homemade strawberry kombucha!
Hormone Balancing Strawberry Smoothie
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 1.5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup frozen strawberries (or any berries!)
- 1 banana
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp raw cacao powder
- ½ tsp maca powder
- small handful spinach
- 3 brazil nuts
- 1 scoop collagen-omit if vegetarian or vegan
- optional! toppings
- coconut flakes & pistachios
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to your blender and mix!
- Have fun with the toppings!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
Can u replace spinach with kale ??
Yes, any greens should work well! I often switch off between the two.