Zoom
Health Four simple ways to help your hormones so they don't go haywireSome imbalances 'warn' us and we can alleviate them quite simply by changing our diet or becoming more active
Solange Vázquez
Friday, 9 January 2026, 16:03
We blame hormones for everything. Is my hair a disaster? Do my jeans not fit well due to bloating? Do I sleep terribly? The usual answer to all these questions and many more is the same: it must be my hormones..., an assumption we'd like to banish to the realm of myths, but whether we like it or not, it's very real. Hormonal imbalances are the order of the day.
But what exactly are they? Laura Aguirre, a dietitian specialised in hormonal health and author of No Eres Tú, Son Tus Hormonas (It's Not You, It's Your Hormones, Molino Publishing), notes it's a question she's often asked.
"It's when your hormones are not at levels considered adequate for your body to function correctly," she responds. And this translates into many types of problems. Some reach the level of disorder or disease - and must be treated by a doctor - but others are mild or 'natural' and "we can alleviate them ourselves if there's no pre-existing problem."
But is there a way to know - without blood tests - that we're suffering from a hormonal disorder? We can be alert to some signs, according to the expert: tiredness and fatigue, mood swings, weight fluctuations, changes in body hair, inflammation and wind, food sensitivity, increased or decreased appetite, sensitivity to cold, excessive thirst, loss of sex drive and, in women's case, menstrual changes.
Aguirre, whose book is aimed "primarily at women, because we're more exposed to hormonal changes", offers us advice to keep our endocrine system in shape, based on the Milan Declaration, a catalogue of recommendations that emerged from the first European Hormone Day, held three years ago.
Supplements: Sometimes yes.
The magnificent four: Although good habits are the foundation for having ‘happy’ hormones, there are supplements that can give us a hand, according to the expert:
"They will make a difference to your wellbeing," she says.
1. Proper activity and diet, the simplest regulators
"Exercising two or three days a week can help the body produce hormones naturally and regulate their levels," the expert indicates. Minor alterations can be corrected with a bit more movement and a diet where whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables are predominant. However, ultra-processed foods must be avoided.
2. Vitamin D, iodine and calcium
We must pay attention to these three parameters, because their deficiency is easily preventable "and they're necessary for a healthy endocrine system". As she advises, we should consider taking vitamin D supplements during winter (always under medical supervision) if we don't have the possibility of being in the sun for at least half an hour daily. We can also 'load up' on this compound by eating more oily fish. As for iodine (present in eggs, dairy, seafood and seaweed), to help maintain optimal levels there's a very simple 'solution': use iodised salt. And calcium? Yogurt is our best friend; we should have it daily (beans, almonds and leafy green vegetables also help).
3. Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors
To reduce exposure to chemical substances present in plastic containers, in the air and in personal care products, Aguirre suggests checking product labels to confirm they don't contain BPA (bisphenol A) nor BPS (bisphenol S, the former's substitute). And we must use glass or steel containers, drink tap water (not bottled), never put plastics in the microwave and keep household dust at bay by vacuuming and ventilating.
4. Eat dinner early and sleep at least seven hours
Sometimes we're in a terrible mood or we start gaining weight or our hair falls out... and the problem is that we sleep little or poorly and that has altered our hormones. Aguirre advises eating dinner early and sleeping at least seven hours.