{"id":100038,"date":"2014-09-01T06:00:54","date_gmt":"2014-09-01T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=100038"},"modified":"2014-09-01T09:28:03","modified_gmt":"2014-09-01T14:28:03","slug":"3-most-important-hormones-for-a-womans-good-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/09\/3-most-important-hormones-for-a-womans-good-health\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Most Important Hormones for a Woman&#8217;s Good Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><a title=\"women\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/09\/3-most-important-hormones-for-a-womans-good-health\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-100044\" alt=\"women\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/women.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/women.jpg 600w, https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/women-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s a popular punchline in movies and TV sitcoms when a woman is acting irrational &#8212; \u201cIt\u2019s her hormones.\u201d As it turns out, there\u2019s more than a kernel of truth in this stereotype. While wonky hormone levels can\u2019t be blamed for every strange thing a woman says or does, they can be the culprit in a variety of areas. Shape Magazine&#8217;s talking about the<strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shape.com\/lifestyle\/mind-and-body\/20-most-important-hormones-your-health?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=site%20?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=twitter%20?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=facebook?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=site%20?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=twitter%20?utm_source=dietsinreview&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_campaign=facebook\" target=\"_blank\">20 most important hormones for our health<\/a> <\/strong>(yes, 20!). We&#8217;re looking at the ones most key for women.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>3 Important Hormones for Women\u2019s General Health<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Estrogens<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This household-name hormone is produced in the ovaries and helps control sexual development (puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy) and also maintain bone strength. When levels are too high, it can cause increased risk of breast cancer, dementia and even uterine cancer.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Progestogens<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As the uterus prepares for fertilization, these levels rise after ovulation, maintaining the uterine lining in preparation for implantation and throughout gestation. If pregnancy doesn\u2019t occur, levels drop, causing menstruation to start.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Gonadotropins<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">These hormones regulate normal growth, sexual development, and reproductive function. They include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), regulates puberty and reproductive processes<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Luteinizing hormone (LH), triggers ovulation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Placental chorionic gonadotropins (<strong><a title=\"hcg diet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/hcg\">hCG<\/a><\/strong> and eCG) secreted by the placenta following implantation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Prolactin (PRL), a hormone that enables females to produce milk<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>How can women make sure their hormone levels are on track?<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Resident nutrition expert <strong><a title=\"Mary Hartley\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/authors\/mary\/\">Mary Hartley, RD<\/a><\/strong> weighs in, saying, \u201cWomen often pay indirect attention to their hormone levels by monitoring their general health. When the menstrual cycle is normal, pregnancy is healthy, menopause is uneventful, and there is no related disease, hormone levels are most likely fine. When physical symptoms or concerns occur, then follow-up with a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Other Key Players:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Irisin<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If disease prevention is top of mind, you may want to hit the gym. Irisin, sometimes called the exercise hormone, converts calorie-storing white fat cells into calorie-burning brown fat cells. Some research suggests that higher levels of this hormone may reduce cancer, heart disease and even Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Testosterone<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Women don\u2019t need to worry about testosterone, right? Wrong. This \u201cmale hormone\u201d affects <strong><a title=\"fitness for sex life\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/01\/how-fitness-improves-your-sex-life\/\">sex drive<\/a><\/strong>, bone density, and muscle strength. Heightened levels can lead to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which prevents ovulation and results in an increased risk of insulin resistance, heart disease, excess hair growth, acne, and more.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>How to Keep Hormone Levels Healthy?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cThe same practices that care for the rest of the body help hormones too: eat a wholesome balanced diet, get regular physical activity, rest, stress control, etc.,&#8221; explained Hartley. &#8220;For hormonal balance, eat foods that favor intestinal health, like vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, and fermented foods. For exercise, <strong><a title=\"yoga for stress\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/yoga-keeps-you-calm-in-the-midst-of-chaos\/\">yoga<\/a><\/strong> and tai chi are especially good for hormonal balance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Also Read:<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"hormones in food\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/hormones-in-food-the-good-the-bad-and-the-potentially-dangerous\/\">Hormones in Food: The Good, Bad, and Potentially Dangerous<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"best arm exercises\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/the-5-best-moves-every-woman-needs-for-strong-toned-arms\/\">5 Best Moves Every Woman Needs for Strong, Toned Arms<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"essential oils pro and con\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/the-essential-oils-trend-stinks-see-what-really-works-and-when-this-new-health-coup-gets-dangerous\/\">The Essential Oils Trend Stinks!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a popular punchline in movies and TV sitcoms when a woman is acting irrational &#8212; \u201cIt\u2019s her hormones.\u201d As it turns out, there\u2019s more than a kernel of truth in this stereotype. While wonky hormone levels can\u2019t be blamed &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/09\/3-most-important-hormones-for-a-womans-good-health\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59,58],"tags":[8495,768,3667,3632,8738,7092,10866,2549,95],"class_list":["post-100038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pregnancy","category-womens-health","tag-estrogen","tag-hormones","tag-mary-hartley","tag-menopause","tag-menstrual-cycle","tag-pregnancy-2","tag-progesterone","tag-shape-magazine","tag-testosterone"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100038"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100072,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100038\/revisions\/100072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}