Seven Secrets to Healthy Hormones

by Deborah Maragopoulos FNP | Apr 21, 2016 | Hypothalamus | 0 comments

I’ve been asked many times what I recommend to keep Hormones in Harmony®, and I like to respond with seven simple lifestyle changes for healthy hormones.

These seven small changes will make a huge difference in your hormone health!

#1 Sleep in the Dark.

Your pineal gland can only produce melatonin in the dark. Any artificial light will turn off melatonin production. Without melatonin, you do not reach deep REM sleep, which means you are in fight or flight mode and that constant internal stress disrupts your hormones.

Lack of adequate sleep can cause serious hypothalamus dysfunction, which will affect your sex hormones, weight, memory, and moods.

#2 Eat Good Fats.

Hormones are made from fat. In fact, steroid hormones – cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA – contain a cholesterol molecule. Your cell membranes are made of fat, and if they’re not healthy, your hormone receptor sites will not function properly. Man-made fats cannot be used by your body to build healthy cells. Consuming natural saturated fats like butter and coconut oil, or Omega 3 rich fats like salmon and walnuts, will help your body build healthy cell membranes.

#3 Limit Excess Carbohydrates.

While glucose fuels mitochondrial energy production, consuming more carbohydrates than you can expend leads to fat storage. Taxing your insulin reserve by consuming too much sugar will stress your endocrine glands and lead to insulin-resistant diabetes. Plus, too much-circulating sugar and insulin can cause hypothalamus inflammation, especially when combined with a high-fat diet. This means, cut out processed carbs – flour, pasta, white rice.  Choose whole fresh fruit over juice. Avoid sweetened beverages, and limit alcohol intake to help balance your hormones.

#4 Relax and Rejuvenate.

When you are under stress, your adrenals go into fight or flight mode. These powerful endocrine glands do not know the difference between stress over being late for an appointment and stress over being chased by a tiger. It’s the same reaction. All your reserves go to fueling the fight or flight response, leaving little leftover for healthy hormone production. Your hypothalamus controls your stress response via the HPA axis. Chronic stress leads to hypothalamic dysfunction and adrenal fatigue. So, make time every day to unwind, take a vacation, and harmonize your hormones.

#5 Give and Receive 12 Hugs a Day.

Touch is therapeutic, and studies show that hugging reduces stress hormones. Connecting to others keeps your hormones healthy. Hugging also helps to increase the hypothalamus production of oxytocin – the cuddle hormone. Close physical contact allows us to share pheromones — the tiny inhaled hormones that help us bond with one another, choose a mate, know if we are safe, and feel loved. Be sure to get or give at least 12 hugs a day for healthy hormone production.

#6 Honor your Natural Cycles

Our bodies respond to the seasons. At the end of winter, our hormones rise, causing spring fever. This isn’t just reproductively, but metabolically. We literally run faster hormonally. Thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, even our immune system, and brain chemistry are primed for the longer days of summer. Our bodies respond to the lunar cycles as well. Emergency rooms are busier on the full moon. Women menstruate with the moon cycles. Don’t resist Mother Nature, but listen to her. Go with the flow, and harmonize your hormones.

#7 (And most importantly!) Feed your Hypothalamus

Years ago, when I was researching how to balance hormones from the inside out, I discovered the hypothalamus an amazing under-appreciated organ that orchestrates the body’s entire symphony of hormones. Hormones sing to the DNA, which dances accordingly. The disease is a result of miscommunication between the hormones and the genetic blueprint. Health is Hormones in Harmony. I looked far and wide for something that would provide the hypothalamus with what it needed to do its job well. There was nothing available, so I created what I was looking for. Genesis Gold® helps balance your body from the inside out, by feeding your hypothalamus what it needs to run your system to keep your Hormones in Harmony®.

If you have any questions about how to balance your hormones naturally, then please join me in our Hormone Support Group. You’ll get access by signing up to my free hormone reboot training. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sunshine Protection Act?

The Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) is federal legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, ending the twice-yearly clock change. The U.S. House passed it on July 14, 2026, and it now awaits action in the Senate.

What's the difference between permanent daylight saving time and permanent standard time?

Both would end clock changes, but in opposite directions. Permanent standard time keeps clocks aligned with the sun so light arrives earlier in the morning. Permanent daylight saving time shifts clocks later year-round, meaning darker mornings — especially in winter — and more evening light.

Why do some sleep experts favor permanent standard time?

Many circadian researchers and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have expressed support for permanent standard time, citing its closer alignment with natural light and the body's internal clock. The concern with permanent daylight saving time is the loss of morning light, which can influence sleep timing.

How does morning light affect the body?

Morning light exposure can help signal the brain's internal clock, which may support healthy sleep-wake timing, alertness, and hormone rhythms. Reduced morning light may make it harder for the body's clock to stay in sync. Individual responses vary, so speak with your provider about your own sleep concerns.

What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)?

The SCN is a small cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus that acts as the body's master clock. It responds to light and dark cues and helps coordinate daily rhythms in sleep, hormone release, and metabolism.

About the Author - Deborah Maragopoulos FNP

Known as the Hormone Queen®️, I’ve made it my mission to help everyone - no matter their age - balance their hormones, and live the energy and joy their DNA and true destiny desires. See more about me my story here...

     

Last Updated: January 10, 2023

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