Holistic Approach to Hormonal Health
- Brainz Magazine
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Katarina Lijovic is a Functional Nutrition and Holistic Wellness expert who successfully applies her knowledge and skills to help individuals and communities to optimize their health and quality of life.
Many women struggle with hormonal imbalances nowadays and asking themselves: “What’s wrong with me? ”They feel tired, wired, unmotivated, drained, without energy, battling insomnia, irregular cycles, fertility challenges, anxiety, acne, stubborn weight gain, intense PMS symptoms, and more. It can start to feel like your own body has turned against you. But the truth is your body isn’t working against you. It’s communicating with you through hormones, chemical messengers that signal what your body needs: more rest or better sleep, less toxins, more nourishing food, or a gentler pace.
Hormones are the silent, invisible directors of your body’s vital biochemical processes, influencing everything from energy and mood to metabolism, libido, and sleep quality. When they’re in balance, you feel connected to yourself, vibrant and grounded. But when this delicate balance is disrupted, the body sends signals in the form of symptoms.
As a functional nutritionist, I see every day how food alongside lifestyle choices can bring profound transformation to a woman’s hormonal health. This approach isn’t about strict diets or deprivation. It’s about listening to your body, discovering the root cause of symptoms, and embracing a whole-person perspective. It includes thoughts, emotions, behavior patterns, habits, relationships, nutrition, and the way you live and function every day.
This is the power of a holistic approach it can improve health concerns far beyond hormonal imbalances.
The hormonal dance
The female body is rhythmic, and hormones lead this natural cyclical dance that shifts daily, influenced by the menstrual cycle phase, time of the day, life stage, sleep quality, stress levels, nutrition, movement, and exposure to daylight. Cortisol rises in the morning, melatonin in the evening, insulin after meals, while sex hormones fluctuate depending on the menstrual phase.
Our modern, fast-paced lifestyle: chronic stress, lack of movement, artificial lighting, irregular and unbalanced eating, and ignoring the body’s needs, disrupts this natural rhythm, leading to irritability, fatigue, insomnia, low energy, and emotional burnout. All that can cause hormonal imbalance, and our body starts sending signals that something needs to change to restore harmony.
When we align our diet and lifestyle with our biological rhythms, the body naturally returns to balance.
Food as a powerful ally
Food is not just fuel, it’s information for your body, your cells, and your hormones. Every bite sends a message. The golden rule for balanced hormones is balanced nutrition and well-balanced meals.
Each meal should include:
Protein (meat, eggs, fish, quinoa, legumes, nuts, cheese, yogurt)
Healthy fats (especially omega-3s from flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, sardines)
Fiber (vegetables, fruits, whole grains)
This trio supports stable blood sugar, a cornerstone of hormonal balance. One of the root causes of hormonal imbalance lies in unstable blood sugar levels. Skipping meals, consuming excess sugar, or eating carb-heavy meals without protein and fat cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, impacting insulin, cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone.
Also, avoid excessive snacking to give your body time to rest and digest, and skip coffee on an empty stomach, as it can spike cortisol.
Key nutrients for hormone support
Proteins - building blocks for hormone production and blood sugar stability
Cholesterol - precursor for sex and adrenal hormones
Fiber - aids in hormone elimination (yes, excess hormones need to be eliminated from our body)
Leafy greens - support hormone detoxification and provide essential minerals like magnesium
Omega-3 fatty acids - reduce inflammation and aid hormone function
Magnesium - lowers stress and supports hormone detoxification
Zinc - crucial for ovulation and thyroid health
B vitamins - ease PMS, regulate stress, and support hormone production
Beyond food, digestion, absorption, gut, and liver health all impact hormones. The body needs to properly absorb nutrients to use them for hormone production, while the liver and gut eliminate excess hormones. The gut microbiome plays a role in metabolizing and eliminating excess hormones, particularly estrogen. Constipation, dysbiosis, poor digestion, and sluggish liver can lead to estrogen dominance or other imbalances such as PMS, anxiety, and water retention. Prioritizing probiotics, prebiotics, and whole-food fiber helps maintain a healthy gut-hormone connection. How you eat matters too – mindful eating, chewing thoroughly, avoiding distractions, and being present improve digestion and support hormonal health.
Lifestyle shifts for hormonal balance
Hormones thrive on routine, adequate movement, restorative sleep, low stress, healthy relationships, minimal toxin exposure, and connection with nature and self. Chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated, which can steal resources from sex hormone production, a phenomenon often called the "pregnenolone steal." Managing stress through mindfulness, breathwork, gentle movement, or simply slowing down can be transformative for hormonal balance. Sleep is when your body recalibrates and repairs. Poor sleep disrupts cortisol rhythms, growth hormone production, and even appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Prioritizing 7-9 hours of quality sleep is a non-negotiable part of hormonal health. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics, cosmetics, cleaning products, and pesticides can mimic or block natural hormones. Reducing exposure by choosing cleaner products and filtered water supports your body’s natural hormonal detox pathways.
Focus on:
Consistent, quality sleep at least 7 hours, same bedtime/wake time, reduce screen use before bed, get morning sunlight
Stress reduction: yoga, meditation, breathwork, nature walks, creative hobbies, journaling, healthy boundaries
Daily movement: 30 minutes of activity, walking after meals, cyclical training that respects menstrual phases
Toxin reduction: avoid endocrine disruptors in plastics, personal care, and cleaning products; choose natural alternatives
The results of a holistic approach
When you address hormonal health from a whole-body perspective, the transformation goes beyond symptom relief. Women often report renewed energy, stable moods, easier weight management, improved skin health, better digestion, deeper sleep, and a stronger sense of emotional resilience. Most importantly, a holistic approach empowers you to understand your body’s signals and create an environment where your hormones, and you, can thrive.
And remember, hormonal balance isn’t about perfection, it’s about consistent self-care and alignment. Nourishing foods, supportive relationships, and grounding habits create space for your body to thrive. When you listen to your body and work with your hormones, they become your allies. Balance doesn’t mean you never stumble, it means you know how to return to yourself, every time.
Read more from Katarina Lijovic
Katarina Lijovic, Functional Nutrition Counselor/Nutritionist
Katarina Lijovic is a Nutritionist and Functional Nutrition Counselor who focuses on addressing the root causes of nutritional imbalances and health concerns, rather than merely managing symptoms. By using a holistic, personalized approach, Katarina works to optimize an individual’s health through tailored nutrition plans, lifestyle modifications, and evidence-based practices. Her mission is to guide individuals toward long-term, sustainable solutions. With her focus on prevention and balance, Katarina empowers individuals to make informed choices that support their overall health and well-being.
