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5 Ways to Optimize Your Hormones, Metabolism and Health
Dr. Elena Zinkov ~
Instagram: @drelenazinkov | proactivehealthnd.com
#1 Remove the Junk
This means that items like processed sugar and fat, dairy and refined grains need to go. Cut back on caffeine, alcohol and any other substances you use daily. Instead, increase your intake of cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts and broccoli, eat artichoke hearts and include a tablespoon of ground flax seeds daily.
#2 Twenty Minutes of High Intensity Training Daily
Just 20 minutes is enough to boost your testosterone levels and balance cortisol levels. Cortisol is our fight-or-flight hormone. The more stressed you are, the more cortisol you have pumping through your body. Too much cortisol means poor sleep and more belly fat. Exercise is great at offsetting this!
#3 The Best Herbs For Hormone Function
The best herbs that are known to increase testosterone, decrease cortisol, optimize overall hormone function, increase libido, improve fertility and support good sleep in both men and women include ashwagandha, maca, rhodiola, schisandra and shatavari. You can commonly find these herbs in tincture or pill form, in teas or in powder form.
#4 Break a Sweat
Environmental toxicity from the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we eat can contribute to a hormone imbalance. Actively sweating for at least 15 to 30 minutes, whether at the gym, hot yoga or infrared sauna, is a highly effective way to decrease toxin burden.
#5 Add Methylated B12
Add methylated B12 to your list of vitamins. B12 is one of the most important nutrients involved in energy production, reproductive health, liver health and sleep. Look for a sublingual form of B12 and take at least 5,000 mcg daily. Nutritional yeast sprinkled over your salad or kale chips is a great source of B vitamins!
Dr. Elena Zinkov is a leading voice in the field of naturopathic medicine and the author of Crave Reset.
