Hormones play a role in every aspect of the body including aging and longevity. Levels of most hormones decrease with aging, however that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it.

Maintaining the proper balance of these 3 hormone help you support healthy aging and feel younger longer:

1) Cortisol

To keep it short – stress increases cortisol and cortisol may speed aging. High cortisol does so by increasing inflammation, contributing to weight gain, blood sugar dysregulation, poor sleep, low energy and low mood and so much more.

Stress can also increase aging in our skin cells. Cortisol-induced collagen and elastin loss in the skin is 10 times greater than in any other tissue, meaning more wrinkles and thinner, duller skin.

Dr. Courtney checks cortisol using a 4-5 point cortisol test to ensure your cortisol levels stay balanced in the day. Learn more about testing and cortisol.

2) Melatonin

You may be wondering why the ‘sleep hormone’ is on this list. It is for many reasons! Melatonin doesn’t just help you get deep, restful sleep, it’s also a potent antioxidant which helps to protect the body’s cells against free radical damage. Melatonin is released cyclically with production ramping up when the sun goes down, and declining in the morning. Maintaining healthy sleep rhythms and patterns has been associated with longevity.

Preliminary studies have shown that melatonin is protective for the heart and brain as well, which are two extremely important organs to keep in top shape especially as we age.

We can test your melatonin levels! Learn more about testing and sleep.

3) Testosterone

Testosterone is often thought of as a male-only hormone, but it is extremely important for women too! If you’re a patient of mine, you know how much I push for good testosterone levels for women.

People who are testosterone-deficient tend to notice increase belly fat, diminished muscle mass, low mood + libido and loss of performance ability. Low testosterone is also associated with age-related illnesses like heart attack, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and depression.

The Good News: It is Possible To Rebalance Your Hormones

The light at the end of the tunnel is it’s very possible to rebalance your hormone levels. Understanding where your levels are imbalanced (are they too high, low or peaking at the wrong times?) using proper testing along with following a comprehensive plan that takes into account all aspects of health is imperative to rebalance cortisol. Some common hormone balancing tips are:

1) Test Your Hormones (DON’T JUST GUESS!)

Comprehensive hormone testing is available from Dr. Courtney.

2) Focus On a Healthy Lifestyle

• Practicing stress reduction techniques daily can help to reduce stress and balance hormones
  • Meditation
  • Deep breathing
  • Acupuncture
• Have refreshing sleep… every night
  • One key cause of cortisol imbalance is poor sleep – that means not sleeping well, enough or at the wrong times
  • Having refreshing sleep is key to balance hormone levels
  • If you’re not having refreshing sleep, we need to work on it! 
• Exercise 
  • Exercise is one of the best ways to lower and balance hormones 

3) Optimize Nutrition

This is where eating a balanced diet that is personalized for you and your lifestyle comes into play

• Focusing on protein and healthy fats helps to keep blood sugar, appetite and hormones in check throughout the day
• Timing carbohydrates and reducing sugar help as well.
• Coffee can further worsen a cortisol imbalance. For some people, cutting it out can help dramatically.

4) Supplements can help… a lot! 

Specific supplements are great for balancing and regulating cortisol levels. Supplements are an important part of a comprehensive plan because we can’t just simply avoid all the stressors in our life. We can’t just stop commuting to work or start avoiding our messy houses (although we may want to!). This is where supplements come in to help modulate the hormones that drive our bodys’ stress response, like cortisol. Some supplements that can help are:

• Adaptogens like Rhodiola, Holy Basil and Ashwaghanda
• Melatonin
• L-Theanine
• Phosphatidylserine 
• Magnesium

Always check in with your Naturopathic Doctor or other health care provider before starting any treatments or making changes to your healthcare plan.

 If you are interested in optimizing your hormonal health and cortisol levels, I am a Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto, Mississauga and Vaughan and would love to help you reach your health goals. Feel free to reach out and check out available appointments here!

In health,

Dr. Courtney Ranieri, ND