Female Hormone Health 101: Nutrition, Lifestyle & Natural Support
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In this highly requested episode of the Foundational Health Podcast, Dr.Kevin Schultz tackles the complex and crucial topic of female hormones. Join us as we explore natural methods to balance hormones at every stage of life, from menstrual cycles to perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Schultz delves into the key roles that nutrition, exercise, sleep, and lifestyle play in women’s health, offering practical tips and scientific insights to help women with their hormone health.
Whether you're in your twenties, fifties, or beyond, this episode provides valuable information to support your hormonal health and overall well-being. Stay tuned until the end for essential tips on supplements and essential oils that can provide symptomatic relief. Don't miss this comprehensive guide to achieving hormone harmony naturally!
Key Topics Covered:
How your hormones change throughout life (and why most health advice ignores that)
The best way to eat for hormone health—including what and when to eat
Why traditional cardio workouts may be hurting you (especially in perimenopause)
How to use resistance and sprint training to balance hormones
The dangers of fasted workouts for women
Why toxins are wrecking your hormones—and how to detox smartly
Sleep, hydration, and essential oils for relief from hormonal symptoms
Natural supplements that support hormone balance at every stage
Want to get started improving your hormone health? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter to receive Dr. Kevin’s 60-Day Hormone Protocol, releasing next week!
Let’s Start with Some Hormone Background
Understanding what stage you’re in helps you better respond to your body’s needs:
Premenopause: Everything before your period stops.
Perimenopause: The years leading up to menopause when symptoms (mood swings, sleep issues, weight gain) intensify.
Menopause: One day—literally the 12-month mark after your last period.
Postmenopause: Every day after that one.
Estrogen and progesterone do way more than regulate your cycle. They affect your brain, bones, muscles, gut, metabolism, and mood. When they’re out of balance, everything feels off.
The problem? Most of the research we’ve relied on for women’s health was actually done on men. The good news? New, female-specific research is finally catching up.
Nutrition for Hormone Health
What to Eat (and When):
Build every meal around protein. Aim for 0.75–1g per pound of ideal body weight daily. Protein is critical for hormone production and stabilizing blood sugar.
Eat within 30 minutes of waking. Women have a natural cortisol spike in the morning. Eating protein and carbs (e.g., 15g protein + 30g carbs) helps balance blood sugar and hormones.
Front-load your eating. Try to finish your last meal by 6 p.m. Eating earlier in the day supports circadian rhythms and improves sleep.
Focus on variety. Wild-caught fish, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, kale, cabbage), and probiotic-rich foods (kefir, sauerkraut) all support hormone balance.
What to Avoid:
Packaged & processed foods
Conventional meats with growth hormones
The “Evil 8” oils: Soy, sunflower, safflower, corn, canola, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran
Sugary drinks and fruit juice
Alcohol, especially during perimenopause—triggers hot flashes and weight gain
Learn more in our nutrition episode of the Foundational Health Podcast!
Hydration: A Must for Hormone Production
You can’t make or regulate hormones without adequate hydration.
Drink at least half your body weight in ounces (or up to 1 gallon/day)
Sip water throughout the day—not all at once
Add electrolytes (like LMNT). Avoid toxic drink mixes like Gatorade or Liquid IV
Never use tap water—filter everything
Learn more in our hydration episode of the Foundational Health Podcast!
Toxicity & Hormones
Toxins act as xenoestrogens, meaning they mimic estrogen in your body and throw off your natural hormonal rhythms.
How to Detox Your Life:
Choose organic, real whole foods—not just “organic junk food”
Switch to non-toxic sheets, pillows, and undergarments
Avoid plastics for food storage
Filter your cooking, drinking, and bathing water
Ditch unnecessary medications when possible
Sleep: Where the Hormonal Magic Happens
You do 85% of your body’s healing—including hormone balancing—during deep sleep.
Simple Tips for Better Sleep:
Mouth taping for nasal breathing
Red or orange light bulbs at night
Caffeine delay: Wait 90 minutes after waking to drink coffee
No caffeine after noon
Stop eating 3 hours before bed
Learn more in our recovery episode of the Foundational Health Podcast!
Exercise: The Most Powerful Tool You’re Not Using Right
Exercise is a positive stressor—but only if it’s the right type, at the right time, for your hormones.
The Problem with Traditional Cardio:
Zone 2/moderate cardio raises cortisol (bad news in perimenopause)
It worsens hot flashes, mood swings, and belly fat
Long cardio workouts = more stress, less healing
Better Alternative: Sprint Interval Training
30 seconds max effort + 90 sec to 4 min full rest
Repeat up to 5 times
Increases HGH, testosterone, fat-burning, muscle signaling
Lowers cortisol and improves deep sleep
Strength Training: Your Longevity Secret
Muscle is an endocrine organ—it regulates hormones, supports the immune system, and improves metabolism and brain health.
How to Train by Decade:
20s–early 30s: 10–12 reps to failure, 3x/week
Mid-30s+: Shift to power training (6–8 reps, heavier weights)
Perimenopause+: Heavy strength + sprint intervals = best combo
Reminder: Women don’t “bulk up” easily. Any resistance is better than none. Start with bodyweight and build up slowly.
Bonus: Impact Training
Jumping 10 min, 3x/week can reverse osteopenia
Bone responds to impact—your body was designed to adapt and strengthen
Fasted Workouts: Why They Backfire for Women
What works for men doesn’t always work for women.
Risks of Fasted Training for Women:
Decreased thyroid hormone and function
Increased cortisol
Muscle and bone breakdown (catabolic state)
Greater hormonal disruption during perimenopause
Bottom line: Eat before you train—especially if you’re trying to build muscle or balance hormones.
Learn more in our motion episode of The Foundational Health Podcast!
Natural Symptom Relief: Supplements & Oils
Not everyone is ready to overhaul their lifestyle immediately, and that’s okay. Here are tools that can ease symptoms while you build new habits.
Supplements for Hormone Health:
Start with The Foundational 4:
Then add targeted support from NutriDyn:
Supports mood, brain, gut, bone, and heart
5–7g/day is ideal—especially helpful for pregnancy and menopause
Essential Oils for Menopause Symptoms:
Clary Sage – Balances hormones, eases anxiety & hot flashes
Roman Chamomile – Stress relief
Peppermint – Cooling during hot flashes
Thyme – Natural hormone support
Apply 3 drops to the feet and neck 1–3x daily (use a carrier oil like jojoba)
Final Words About Hormone Health
Perimenopause and menopause aren’t diseases—they’re natural life stages. Let’s stop treating them like conditions that need to be ‘fixed’ and instead support the body through this beautiful transition.
Your Action Plan for Hormonal Health
Eat with intention – real food, timed right
Train with your hormones, not against them
Sleep like it’s your job
Hydrate with purpose
Detox your environment
Move every day—but smartly
Apply what you’ve learned
“Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power.”
Share this episode with a woman who needs it! This message can change someone’s life. If this episode inspired or educated you, share it with a woman in your life who’s navigating hormonal shifts. Help her feel empowered—not broken. And remember, “Make Health Your Hobby”.
