Nourish Your Gut, Balance Your Hormones: How Ancestral Eating Supports Women's Health
Hormonal imbalances can stem from various lifestyle factors, including diet, stress, and exposure to environmental toxins. For women, balancing hormones is essential not only for menstrual health and fertility, but also for overall well-being. One powerful approach to supporting hormones is through ancestral eating—a way of eating rooted in traditional, nutrient-dense foods. In this blog, we’ll cover how ancestral diets can nourish your gut and help restore hormonal balance, using insights from the Weston Price Foundation and Lily Nichols, RDN, whose work on nutrition provides practical strategies for women’s hormone health.
1. What Are Ancestral Diets?
Ancestral diets are rooted in the traditional eating patterns of various indigenous cultures, prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods over modern, nutrient-poor options. Dr. Weston A. Price, a pioneer in the study of traditional diets, found that isolated populations who followed these diets had stronger immunity, fewer chronic illnesses, and healthier teeth compared to those exposed to Western, industrialized foods. According to the Weston Price Foundation, these diets were naturally rich in essential fats, high-quality proteins, and micronutrients—all vital for supporting immune and hormonal health.
A traditional, nutrient-dense diet typically includes grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, organic fruits and vegetables, whole dairy, and fermented foods. Each component plays a significant role in promoting gut and hormone health. For instance, grass-fed meat is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), both known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Whole, unprocessed dairy provides fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and K2, which are critical for reproductive health and immune support. In contrast, a diet high in processed foods and refined sugars can lead to chronic inflammation and dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria), impairing hormone production and regulation.
Lily Nichols also highlights the benefits of nutrient-dense animal foods in her book Real Food for Fertility, where she discusses how nutrients like choline, found in egg yolks and liver, are critical for reproductive health and hormone balance.
2. Why Gut Health Matters for Hormone Balance
The gut, often called the “second brain,” plays a critical role in hormone regulation due to the gut-hormone axis, the direct relationship between gut health and hormonal balance. When the gut is healthy, it effectively produces and manages hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune responses that contribute to balanced mood, stress response, and reproductive health.
An imbalanced gut, or dysbiosis, can disrupt the entire hormonal system. Gut bacteria, for example, are essential in metabolizing estrogen, which is crucial for menstrual health, fertility, and menopause. According to research, poor gut health can lead to estrogen dominance, contributing to symptoms like irregular periods, bloating, and fatigue. A well-functioning gut is essential for nutrient absorption, particularly for vitamins and minerals necessary for hormone production and balance.
Incorporating gut-friendly, probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi can support this balance. These foods not only enhance digestion but also improve nutrient absorption, making them a cornerstone of hormone-friendly diets. Fermented foods are a staple in many traditional diets worldwide, from Eastern Europe to Asia, underscoring their importance in ancestral eating practices.
3. Nutritional Strategies Inspired by Ancestral Diets
Incorporating ancestral diet principles can support hormone health in a sustainable way. Here are some practical dietary shifts inspired by both the Weston Price Foundation and Lily Nichols’ work:
Whole Animal Foods: Consuming nutrient-dense foods such as liver, bone broth, and marrow, which are rich in vitamins A, D, and B12, provides nutrients essential for hormone production. These foods were commonly included in traditional diets and can be incorporated into soups or stews for an easy addition. Unlike synthetic supplements, nutrients from these sources are more bioavailable, meaning they are easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
Fermented Foods for Gut Health: Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and miso support gut health and, by extension, hormone health. These foods are essential for enhancing nutrient absorption and promoting a balanced microbiome.
Natural Fats Over Processed Oils: Healthy saturated fats from sources like grass-fed butter, olive oil, and coconut oil provide structure to cell membranes, enhance nutrient absorption, and aid hormone production. In contrast, processed vegetable oils, found in most processed foods, promote inflammation and can disrupt hormone balance, so opting for healthier fats is a simple yet effective way to support hormonal health.
High-Quality Proteins and Seasonal Produce: High-quality proteins such as grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken eggs, and wild-caught fish offer the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals required for hormone balance. Seasonal fruits and vegetables provide fresh, nutrient-dense produce that is more easily absorbed by the body.
Research has shown that nutrient-rich foods containing B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for supporting menstrual health, fertility, and energy levels. Nichols emphasizes the role of a balanced diet in helping women manage issues like menstrual irregularities and premenstrual symptoms in her books.
4. Real-World Success Stories: Nourishing Your Body for Optimal Hormone Health
For women looking to improve hormone health, embracing nutrient-dense ancestral diets has shown promising results. According to the Weston Price Foundation, traditional diets rich in whole, unprocessed foods — including animal fats, organ meats, raw dairy, and fermented vegetables — provide essential nutrients that support the endocrine system and female reproductive health. For example, their article Nourishing the New Mother emphasizes how postpartum diets high in fat-soluble vitamins and minerals can enhance recovery, support lactation, and balance postpartum hormones by replenishing nutrient stores depleted during pregnancy and childbirth.
Similarly, their article Fertility Awareness, Food, and Night-Lighting discusses how nutrient-dense diets combined with lifestyle adjustments can benefit women struggling with cycle irregularities and fertility issues. Women reported experiencing improvements in digestion, mood stability, and energy levels, and some even noticed fewer PMS symptoms and a more regular menstrual cycle within a few months of making the switch.
Lily Nichols echoes these principles in her book Real Food for Fertility and across her blog. Nichols highlights how nutrient-rich foods, like pastured meats, eggs, seafood, and vegetables, provide the full spectrum of nutrients women need for hormone balance and fertility. One of her notable examples involves how diets high in Omega-3s from fatty fish and grass-fed meats reduce inflammation, directly impacting estrogen metabolism and balancing progesterone levels, both of which are key for reproductive health.
Real-world results also demonstrate the impact of these dietary changes. In testimonials, women have reported improvements in menstrual health, reduced PMS symptoms, and even successful conception after implementing these nutritional strategies, underscoring the power of ancestral eating.
5. Practical Steps for Integrating Ancestral Eating
Transitioning to an ancestral-style diet isn’t as hard as you might think—it can be both enjoyable and beneficial. Start by adding some of these foods gradually into your regular cooking routine. Here are some beginner-friendly ways to start:
Experiment with Fermented Foods: Adding a few spoonfuls of sauerkraut or a serving of kefir to your meals can help support gut health. These probiotic-rich foods can improve digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall hormone health.
Choose Natural Fats Over Processed Oils: Replace oils like canola and vegetable oil with healthier fats like olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee. These healthy fats enhance the taste of food while also supporting hormone production.
Incorporate Organ Meats Gradually: Organ meats like liver are nutrient powerhouses that provide essential vitamins for hormone production. If you’re new to organ meats, try blending small amounts into soups or stews for a mild introduction. Or, try taking freeze-dried organs in pill form from companies like Heart & Soil.
Eat Seasonally: Choosing in-season fruits and vegetables can maximize nutrient intake, make ancestral eating more affordable, and ensure a variety of flavors throughout the year.
Conclusion
Adopting an ancestral diet can be a game-changer for both gut health and hormonal balance, helping women feel more energized and in tune with their bodies. Traditional diets, as emphasized by the Weston Price Foundation and Lily Nichols, serve as a powerful reminder that whole, nutrient-dense foods can support our health in ways modern, processed diets cannot. By making intentional food choices, you’re not only supporting hormone and gut health but also connecting with timeless, tried-and-true nutritional wisdom.
For more information on ancestral diets and nutrient-dense foods, explore the resources below from the Weston Price Foundation and check out Lily Nichols’ Real Food for Fertility and related articles.
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