Hormonal diet: can you control hormones with food? – GOOD SHAPE

Among all types of diet, one modality has drawn attention: the hormonal diet. As the name says, its purpose is to help control the body’s hormone levels, in addition to ensuring their maintenance. Cool huh?

What is a hormonal diet?

“The hormone diet is a diet to control hormone levels, such as cortisol, in the body”, explains the nutritionist Débora Copelli Lima. “Cortisol is considered a hormone that helps in the stress control and is related to inflammatory control, blood sugar (glycemia), blood pressure and the immune system.”

This means that the objective of a hormonal diet is to regulate these hormones through food, whether excluding or adding some food. “In the case of cortisol, we restrict caffeine, in the case of leptin, we increase food sources of zinc. But a blood test must be done to measure these hormones so that we can know what is deregulated and only then can we put together the correct diet”, continues the professional.

Advantages and disadvantages of the hormonal diet

The main advantage of following a diet like this is healthy weight loss, mainly accompanied not only with measurements such as weight and abdominal circumference, but also with blood tests that accompany the process. In addition, there is also the prevention of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, in addition to gaining quality of life.

And this, of course, extends to the long term, since taking care of the quantity and production of hormones in the body also brings many benefits, such as improving hormone levels in the blood, reducing chronic stress, reducing the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension, in addition to decrease in the accumulation of fat, mainly in the abdominal region, and to improve sleep.

“The disadvantages are that, if it is not followed up correctly with blood tests, you can lower or raise these hormones a lot, bringing other complications to the body”, explains Débora. “It is important to emphasize that what is right is a balance, not everything that is low is healthy”.

It is also important to pay attention to the contraindications: such as patients with brain tumors, with dysfunctions in the adrenal glands, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents. Women in menopause or pre-menopause should have a more rigorous follow-up.