I finally finished The Hormone Diet by Natash Turner, ND and although it’s a crazy long book, it’s filled with tons of great material and is still accessible to a reader without a science or medical background (such as myself). I do recommend that you browse through the book, and look through the index for what interests you the most. This information does not need to be read in order for it to be valuable. Her book encourages a low glycemic mediterranean style diet, which actually pushed me toward eating a paleo diet as a way of reducing my intake of sugar.

Reducing sugar will prevent the release of excess insulin, which is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. Excess insulin has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Reducing sugar will also help keep your liver healthy. Since the liver also controls the production and breakdown of different hormones including cortisol, an overburdened liver may cause hormonal problems. The liver also aids in detoxification, and toxins can cause hormonal imbalances as well. This book has tons of great advice and resources for detoxifying your home and work space.

Another thing I loved about this book, was her in-depth explanations of supplements and how it effects your different hormones. If you are considering taking a supplement to improve your hormonal health, I highly recommend you consult this book. Supplements are not regulated like prescriptions, and it’s important to get a quality product that is recommended by a doctor or naturopath. In her book, you can find both the brand names she recommends and the correct dosage.

In conclusion, I really liked this book as a comprehensive guide to understanding your hormones and how it relates to symptoms and disease. I was not a fan of the diet recommendations and recipes, but I did appreciate her explanations for avoiding sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. Check out The Hormone Diet by Natash Turner, ND if you are serious about your hormonal health. If your not serious, you should be. According to Turner, “Hormones are powerful chemcial messengers in the body, controlling everything from the reproductive system to mood, sleep, and appearance” They play an important role in metabolism and injury recovery, as well as many diseases related to aging including diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease. Excess estrogen (unnaturally found in our environment) has been linked to thyroid disease, obesity, and breast and prostate cancer. Just to name a few 🙂