7 Hormone Balancing Foods for Women Over 40 for Weight Loss, Stress-Relief and a Healthy Thyroid

Are you a mama who’s almost 40? Congratulations! You have joined the ever-growing group of women that sometimes lose control of their emotions without knowing why (Ha! Growing up, I always wondered how women could cry over commercials). Another ‘reward’ for a woman getting three decades under her belt is that belt may be starting to get tighter. Yep, the over-40 accomplishment for many ladies sadly means unwanted weight gain.

I know what you are thinking: “Yay! I am going to have emotional ups and downs I can’t control, and on top of that, I will get fat! Where do I sign up?”

No, just kidding. However, let me explain.

Seriously, what happens to ladies after they turn 40 that affects their emotions and body weight is scientific. It has to do with hormones, perimenopause and PMS. Your thyroid is in play, too. It’s influenced by your annual birthday slowly but surely moving the “sweet spot” for reproduction further behind you in your review mirror (Just like your mother keeps reminding you).

WebMD tells us these things all come together as early as your 40s. As egg production dwindles during perimenopause (think of it as pre-menopause), you also begin producing less estrogen. Your hormones can go crazy, and this leads to emotional and physical changes that can happen seemingly overnight for some ladies.

This all leads to more stress and anxiety. Has frustration hit, making you wonder why your Pilates class, your diet and your clothes have stopped making you feel and look good?

Because it’s all scientific, we’re in luck! We’re lucky because science (and diet) can reverse the problem.

Simply put, start eating more of the following foods if you’re over 30. They help you regulate the complex relationship between your hormones and emotions, stress and weight gain, your thyroid, and several other bothersome health issues.

1. Avocados

First off, avocados give you essential fats that make your heart healthier. That’s a good thing, and avocados also help regulate hormonal balance by keeping your cholesterol levels in check. The bumpy-skinned, green and humble looking avocado delivers over 20 essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that help balance estrogen levels. This helps ward off those estrogen imbalances which can lead to anxiety and stress, headaches and weight gain, tender breasts and insomnia.

2. Coconut Oil

The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut oil do NOT negatively impact the thyroid like many other oils. Coconut oil additionally increases energy use, which can help combat weight gain. Coconut oil is the most nutrient-dense part of the coconut and may appear a little strange at first if you are a first-time user. It is solid at room temperature like butter and doesn’t break down in heat or light, making it great to cook with.

3. Eat Carrots like Bugs Bunny Does

That’s right — eat them raw or juice them. The over-40 issue we are fighting here is once again hormones. Eating raw carrots effectively detoxes excess estrogen from your body and less excess estrogen is absorbed by your liver. This regulates a healthy metabolism and influences hormonal balance.

4. Brazil Nuts

Selenium and iron are found in high supply in Brazil nuts. The fatigue and weight gain experienced by a lot of over-40 ladies are influenced by a poorly functioning thyroid. Guess what nutrients are vastly important for thyroid health? That’s right, selenium and iron. Eating six to eight nutrient packed, raw Brazil nuts a few times a week is just enough to provide your body with the minerals you need.

5. Salmon

It seems fish like wild-caught salmon and sardines always wind up on healthy diet lists, and there is good reason for this. Wild-caught salmon has essential fatty acids your body needs, and … it has selenium! Crust your salmon with hemp seeds to further regulate hormonal balance with more omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, fiber and protein.

6. Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain flavonoids (which cause the beautiful, rich red coloring in tomatoes) that help women produce hormones. They are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. The lycopene in tomatoes is a health-boosting antioxidant that repairs unhealthy brain cells while reducing stress levels.

7. B Vitamins for More Energy and a Better Mood

You may want to consider taking a methylated B-complex daily supplement. This ensures you get plenty of the folate (vitamin B9) that many women your age are lacking. When you do, look for “methylcobalamin” in the ingredients list.

Don’t buy if you see “cyanocobalamin” listed. A full 40% of women have a gene mutation that means they don’t fully absorb B vitamins. Cyanocobalamin can hurt more than it helps for those 4 out of 10 women, as it further decreases how much vitamin B goodness is absorbed.

You might be thinking your 30s is too early to be worrying about the natural process of Father Time messing with your hormones. Can’t you just have fun and stay under 40 forever? The unfortunate truth is that many women (like you and me) experience less than desirable changes in moods, emotions and their bodies as early as their late 20s in some cases, and most in their 30s. But this is not inevitable!

Don’t you want to be that gal that everyone says looks like she is 10 or 20 years younger than her real age in her 30s, 40s and 50s (and feels that way too)? If so, take the steps we just discussed to burn fat and extra body weight, and to naturally balance your hormones and emotions.

I’m interested in what you have to say on this topic — what hormone-related changes have you battled as a 30+, 40+ or 50+ woman? Let me know in the comments below and let’s get the conversation started!

I’ve mentioned that stress can play a strong factor in influencing this time, so check out my FREE 60 Second Stress Buster Meditation here to easily improve your stress response and overall well-being.

Wishing you well,

Dr. Jessica