12 Amazing Women in Health Share the Hormone Truths Every Woman Should Know
By Women, For Women: Tips for Women’s Health from Female Experts
For too long, women’s health has been viewed through the lens of male biology—treating women as “smaller men” when it comes to nutrition, movement, sleep, and even stress. But the truth is, our bodies operate very differently. From hormonal shifts to unique metabolic and emotional needs, women need a more personalized approach to truly thrive.
I’ve been in the patient’s shoes—navigating hormonal imbalances, burnout, and unanswered questions. Much of what I’ve learned came from digging into research and seeking support outside the conventional path. I often wondered: Why wasn’t I told this sooner? That’s why I’m so passionate about helping women access this wisdom without having to learn the hard way.
The good news? More women are stepping into the integrative and functional health space—not just as patients, but as practitioners. And we need that. We need women supporting women.
For this special Wholesome Wednesday, I’ve invited 12 incredible women in health to share the one thing they wish more women knew sooner about hormonal health. Their responses are powerful, practical, and heart-centered—and I’m excited to share them with you.
(1) Everything is Connected
Hormones don’t work in isolation. Neither should we. Blood sugar, sleep, gut health, stress—all of it speaks to your hormonal symphony. If something feels off, look at the whole picture. Support your body with nourishment and rhythm, yes, but also with curiosity. Healing happens when we honor how deeply everything is connected.
Andrea Nakayama, Functional Medicine Nutritionist, Founder Functional Nutrition Alliance
(2) Supporting Your Hormone Health With TCM Acupuncture
People don't often associate acupuncture with hormone health, but it is a powerful tool in our armoury when it comes to all things women's health, from painful periods and fertility, right through to menopause. Nourishing our Liver and Kidney energies is key, and acupuncture can provide the extra support needed to promote the smooth flow of Qi & Blood and help balance hormones naturally. There are also lifestyle tweaks that we can make, these include avoiding overworking, reducing stress, avoiding smoking, moderating caffeine and alcohol intake, incorporating gentle movement, and wearing socks!
Kate Sleeman, Licenced Acupuncturist
(3) Hormone Harmony: Start with What's on Your Plate
My top tip for hormone health is to embrace a real food lifestyle. Our hormones thrive on nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that provide essential building blocks like healthy fats, quality proteins, and abundant fiber. Prioritize pasture-raised meats, wild-caught fish, organic vegetables, and natural fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive oil. These foods support stable blood sugar—a cornerstone of hormonal balance—while providing the micronutrients your endocrine system needs to function optimally. By avoiding refined grains, factory made fats, and added sugars, you're removing the dietary disruptors that can hijack your hormone pathways and create imbalances throughout your body.
Beth Bollinger, Nutritionist and Integrative Health Practitioner
(4) Balanced Blood Sugar = Balanced Hormones!
Based on my personal hormone journey (and it’s been a journey!), nutrition training at Stanford, and work at Levels Health, a very important piece of the women’s hormonal health equation is not just what you eat but how you combine what you eat for blood sugar balance.
Blood sugar fluctuations directly impact key hormones like insulin, cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone and can lead to fatigue, mood swings, cravings, PMS, PCOS, infertility, and perimenopausal symptoms.
What to do:
Always pair carbs with protein, fat, and fiber - don’t eat your carbs naked! Instead of eating a piece of sourdough by itself dress it up with avocado, egg, or smoked salmon!
Eat in the right order - start with fiber, protein, and fat before your carbs to slow glucose absorption.
Don’t drink sugary beverages (like juice or soda) on an empty stomach - they hit the bloodstream too fast, leading to insulin surges. Have them with or after a protein-rich meal!
Prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods over processed carbs or snacks - High-fiber whole foods (vegetables, berries, nuts) lead to slower glucose release. Processed carbs (white bread, pastries) flood the bloodstream quickly.
Sonja Manning, Home Chef, Entrepreneur, Consultant
(5) What Losing My Period Taught Me About Hormone Health
College taught me a lot, but most importantly, it taught me what it means to support my hormones and love my body well. Through the loss and regaining of my period, I have discovered it is not about the extremes that lead to health, but the harmonious balance of quality sleep, eating wholesome and nourishing foods, staying hydrated, properly managing stress, spending time outdoors, moving your body, and surrounding yourself with a loving and supportive community.
Grace Barker, Founder of Grace & Greens
(6) Don’t Fear Fat!
We've been told to fear fat, especially saturated fat, because it raises cholesterol. But cholesterol is essential—it’s the building block for hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, which work together to maintain balance. Including healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, and beef tallow daily supports hormone production for better balance. Don’t fear fat—embrace it to nourish your body and promote optimal hormone health!
Danni Macfarland, Holistic Nutritionist
(7) Happy Hormones: 4 Simple Steps to Balance and Thrive
First, wrangle your insulin. Insulin resistance or poor metabolic health will cause disruption in all the downstream hormones - cortisol/DHEA, and your sex hormones. Easy start: avoid processed foods and refined sugars in your nutritional template and notice how you feel!
Second, create time and space for stress management. We cannot avoid stress, but we can tend to it! Especially as we age, unmitigated stress means an increasingly dysfunctional cortisol system. Our adrenal/cortisol system is the insurance policy on our wellness as our sex hormones change with aging. Paying into that system on the front end only means better health as you age!
Third, Sleep! Our society has so many demands on us, and I find women often eat into their sleep time to "get it all done". I suggest letting go, and putting sleep high on the priority list as sleep supports stress management, and improves the secretion of many hormones
Finally - have fun! Bringing joy, meaning, and connection into your life plays a huge role in the release of positive hormones and neurochemicals that make you feel good in the moment, but also elevate your hormone health in time.
Anjali Dsouza, Integrative and Functional Medical Doctor
(8) Hormonal Balance Begins with Nervous System Safety
A woman’s ability to produce and regulate hormones depends on her sense of safety. When the nervous system is dysregulated, the body prioritizes surviving over hormone production. Somatic practices like EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) turn off our stress response, reducing cortisol and signaling safety to our brain's fear center. By focusing on nervous system regulation, we create the conditions for balanced hormone health.
Sarah Stebbins-Avilla, Integrative Health Coach
(9) Stress Less for Hormonal Health
Prioritizing daily stress management is the best step you can take for improving hormonal health. Chronic stress disrupts our hormones as the elevated cortisol affects our moods, energy levels, sleep, and more. To restore balance, commit to a daily stress-reducing practice that you enjoy. Five minutes of quiet, deep breaths, meditation, prayer, yoga, gratitude journaling, or reflection lowers cortisol, allowing your body to reset. This simple practice can promote hormonal stability, fostering inner peace and balance that will benefit your whole well-being.
Shannon Dubois, MS, Holistic Nutritionist
(10) Your Hormones Are Not the Problem - Toxins Are
Hormonal chaos? It’s not you, it’s the toxins—plastics, heavy metals, pesticides, and processed foods are hijacking your hormones daily.
Low-tox living is your secret weapon. Ditch plastics, filter your water, clean up your beauty and home products, and nourish your body with minerals like magnesium and shilajit.
Detox gently but daily—sweat, liver-loving foods, binders, and nourishing foods are your allies. Your hormones will thank you with better moods, clearer skin, and real, radiant energy!
Aneta Zubek, Holistic Health Coach
(11) Hormonal Cancers in Women: What Most Doctors Miss (but Shouldn’t)
One of the most empowering things we can do for our hormone health is to focus on prevention. Cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide, and breast cancer is the most common in women. Hormonal cancers like breast and ovarian are tied to our unique biology, and can carry a strong hereditary component. Know your family history, stay consistent with screenings, and pay attention to your body—small signs can speak volumes.
Sara Redondo, Medical Doctor, Author, Integrative and Preventive Health Advocate
(12) Finding Your Menopause Champion: Why Expert Support Matters
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting women's health during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause. On their site, you can find Certified Menopause Practitioners (NCMP) local to you. When you work with informed practitioners who understand the latest research on hormonal health, you're more likely to receive personalized care that addresses your specific symptoms and concerns. This might include discussions about hormone therapy options, lifestyle modifications, nutritional approaches, and complementary therapies—all tailored to your unique health history and needs. Perimenopause and menopause are natural phases of life, not medical conditions to be endured in silence. With the right support team, you can not only manage symptoms effectively, but potentially thrive during this transformative time.
Anne Campbell, Registered Dietitian and Avery O’Connor, Health Coach
Hormonal health is a multifaceted journey—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
It’s about understanding the interconnectedness of our body systems: balancing blood sugar, eating real food, managing stress, supporting sleep, and even considering environmental factors we may not be aware of.
If there’s one takeaway from all these incredible perspectives, it’s this: hormone health isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about tuning in, getting curious, and offering your body steady, sustainable support. Even the smallest shifts—on your plate, in your routines, in your mindset—can spark meaningful change.
Remember, it’s not just about surviving—it’s about thriving.
Embrace your body’s natural rhythms. Create a life that feels wholesome and aligned. Take what resonates and begin where you are.
The truth is, your hormones aren’t working against you—they’re communicating with you. They’re asking for nourishment, rest, boundaries, joy, and care. This roundup of expert tips and personal stories is here to remind you: hormone health isn’t about restriction—it’s about empowerment.
I hope these insights leave you feeling encouraged, seen, and ready to take that next small, intentional step toward balance.
You’ve got this.
In case you missed my previous Wholesome Wednesday article:
Liver Support 101: Daily Habits That Make a Difference
Think of your liver as your body’s in-house cleaning crew, hormone regulator, and energy support team—all rolled into one.
Thank you! ✨
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supports my work here on Substack.
✨ P.S.
If you know someone facing health challenges related to blood sugar balance, hormonal or metabolic issues, or someone looking to take an active role in their health journey—or even someone who simply enjoys eating whole foods for better health—would you forward my Substack to them? I’d love it if you could share my page with a friend or restack it to your notes. Your support means so much to me—thank you! ✨
Stay wholesome,
Karina
Thank you to each and every one of you, ladies, for your wonderful contributions and for being part of this! I wish I had all this knowledge at the beginning of my hormonal health journey. I'm sure this will be a valuable resource for many women! 💛
Such an honor to be part of this group of incredibly inspiring women. Thank you, Karina, for bringing us all together to share knowledge, truth, and empowerment. So much wisdom in this space — I’m proud to contribute and to keep learning alongside each of you.