Words by Amelia Hetherington
As a women’s health naturopath, one of the most common threads I see in clinic is hormonal imbalance. Whether it’s showing up as fatigue, irregular cycles, mood swings, anxiety, PMS, or skin issues—imbalanced hormones can affect every corner of our lives. But here’s the beautiful truth: your body is
designed to be in balance. When we begin to support it holistically—through nutrition, lifestyle, and gentle natural medicine—your hormones start to respond.
These five foundational practices are designed to support your hormones from the inside out. They’re not quick fixes, but instead grounded, long-term approaches that honour the natural rhythm of your body.
1. Support Your Nervous System & Lower Cortisol
One of the most powerful ways to support hormonal balance is by caring for your nervous system. Cortisol, our main stress hormone, plays a central role in overall hormone health. Chronic or ongoing stress can suppress ovulation, deplete progesterone, and disrupt the delicate balance between oestrogen and progesterone. Over time, this can lead to cycle irregularities, PMS, anxiety, sleep issues and burnout.
Simple daily practices like mindful breathing, meditation, journalling, or spending time in nature help send a clear signal to your body that it’s safe. This “safety” allows the body to move out of fight-or-flight mode and back into a parasympathetic state where hormone regulation naturally improves.
2. Balance Blood Sugar to Ease Hormonal Stress
Blood sugar stability is also key when it comes to managing stress and cortisol. When blood sugar dips too low—often after a sugar-heavy snack or skipping meals—cortisol steps in to bring levels back up. This repeated pattern puts extra strain on your adrenal system and can throw your entire hormonal rhythm off course.
A great starting point is eating regular, balanced meals that include quality proteins, healthy fats, and slow-burning carbohydrates. This helps stabilise blood sugar and reduces the need for cortisol to step in and do the job.
3. Support Liver Detoxification for Oestrogen Balance
The liver plays an essential role in hormone balance. It’s responsible for breaking down and clearing out used or excess hormones, particularly oestrogen. If the liver is overburdened—whether from alcohol, environmental toxins, processed foods, or medications—it can’t clear hormones as efficiently.
This can lead to oestrogen recirculating through the body, which may contribute to symptoms like heavy periods, breast tenderness, mood swings, and fluid retention.
Supporting your liver doesn’t require extreme detoxing. In fact, the liver naturally detoxifies every day—it just needs the right support. Eating plenty of leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, and herbs like turmeric or dandelion can gently enhance liver function. Staying hydrated,
moving your body daily, and ensuring regular bowel movements are also key to keeping hormonal detoxification flowing smoothly.
4. Eat to Lower Inflammation and Fuel Hormonal Health
Inflammation and hormone imbalance often go hand in hand. Chronic inflammation can interfere with the endocrine system, disrupt ovulation, and contribute to conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, and painful periods. Reducing inflammation through food is one of the most accessible and effective things you can do for your hormones.
A wholefood, anti-inflammatory approach includes colourful vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, quality protein, and fibre-rich foods.
This way of eating helps to reduce oxidative stress, stabilise energy, and support hormonal pathways. Nutrients like magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and omega-3s also play key roles in hormone synthesis, mood support, and menstrual regularity. Aim to eat seasonally and tune into how your body responds to different foods throughout your cycle.
5. Align with Your Cycle and Use Herbal Support
Another beautiful way to support hormonal health is to start living in alignment with your cycle. Hormone levels naturally fluctuate throughout the month, and when we work with these phases instead of against them, we create more flow and ease in our body and life.
The follicular phase (after your period) is typically when energy starts to rise, making it a great time for more dynamic movement, social events and creative output. Around ovulation, oestrogen peaks and any women feel vibrant, outgoing, and expressive. After ovulation, in the luteal phase, hormones begin to dip and the body naturally asks for slower movement, deeper nourishment, and rest. Honouring this phase with more restorative practices can help reduce PMS and prevent burnout.
Aligning your food, movement and self-care with the different phases of your cycle is a deeply nurturing and intuitive way to support hormonal balance. It’s about listening to what your body needs—without guilt—and letting that guide your rhythm.
Herbal medicine is a gentle and effective way to support the body’s natural hormonal pathways. When used thoughtfully and in combination with nutritional and lifestyle changes, herbs can help bring the system back into balance.
Vitex (also known as chaste tree) is commonly used to support progesterone production and regulate cycles, particularly where there’s PMS, spotting, or irregular ovulation. Shatavari, a beautiful Ayurvedic herb, can support oestrogen balance and nourish the reproductive system during times of stress, postpartum, or perimenopause. Adaptogens like ashwagandha or rhodiola help support the adrenals and buffer the impact of chronic stress on the hormonal system.
Herbal medicine works best when personalised, so if you’re unsure what’s right for you, it’s always worth seeking guidance from a qualified practitioner to create a tailored plan.
Our hormones are a reflection of how we live, eat, think, and rest. They are not the problem—they are the messengers showing us where we need more support. When we slow down and nourish ourselves on all levels, our hormones begin to find their natural rhythm again.
If you’re feeling out of balance, know that your body wants to come back into harmony. With the right support—whether through food, lifestyle, herbs or all of the above—you absolutely can feel more connected, more energised, and more you again.
With love and balance,
Amelia Botanica
Naturopath | Women’s Health & Hormone Support
@ameliabotanica.naturopathy
www.ameliabotanica.com