Why The Ketogenic Diet Is Great For Hormone Balance

In my new book The Hormone Fix, I write about why I think it's the perfect diet for women who are going through major hormone changes or dealing with symptoms related to hormone fluctuations. As a gynecologist and women's health expert, I employ ketogenic nutrition to help women fix their hormones and keep them feeling healthy, especially as they get older. Here's how and why the ketogenic diet can come to your rescue:

Fat is your best friend on a ketogenic diet. On a true keto diet, roughly 75 percent of your calories should come from healthy fat sources such as avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, butter, olives and olive oil, and other high-fat foods. These "good" fats support hormone production and maintain hormone balance because they are the building blocks for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. For too long, we've been told to be wary of fat, and thus we slashed fat in favor of carbs. This was a mistake, and personally, I believe that this low-fat movement contributed to the hormonal challenges many women face today.

When you're insulin sensitive, all sorts of metabolic miracles happen. You stay slim and get fit more easily; you lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia; you tend to not have hot flashes or night sweats; and you rebuild your bone health so that you're less at risk for frailty and osteoporosis. Cravings become a distant memory, and you feel and look healthy and energized.

Another cause of estrogen dominance is exposure to estrogens in the environment. These are toxic forms of estrogen that not only worsen PMS symptoms, but they are through to increase the risk of breast cancer, endometriosis, fertility struggles, and autoimmune diseases. If you opt for a primarily plant-based keto diet, you're encouraged to eat foods that detoxify these nasty estrogens like veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and greens and delicious herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and turmeric.

One of the main causes of fertility struggles in women is polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. This condition develops from poorly balanced sex hormones, and more than half of the women diagnosed with PCOS are obese or overweight, have poor blood sugar regulation, and have insulin resistance. There's no cure for PCOS, but because insulin problems are associated with PCOS, a ketogenic diet is a viable solution. Duke University researchers found that women with PCOS who followed a keto diet2 were able to balance their levels of insulin and testosterone and experience improvements in weight, fertility problems, and menstruation among other factors. Two women in the study got pregnant despite previous trouble getting pregnant, and everyone lost weight.

The keto diet isn't for everyone, but for a lot of women in my practice it's been a game-changer for hormonal imbalance and hormone-related symptoms. If you're suffering or just not feeling your best, the keto diet is definitely worth a try!