It can be hard to imagine that the right kind of breakfast can be instrumental in rebalancing our hormones. Today you will learn why that is so and what kinds of breakfasts can make such a difference.
The biggest challenge many of us face is feeling confused about what to eat for breakfast. Many others think they are eating “healthily,” but in reality, they consume breakfasts that are so full of sugar that they might as well be called “morning desserts”.
Many of us grew up with the belief that a good breakfast should contain large amounts of fruit, flavored yogurt, grains, cereals, bars, and oatmeal.
Here is the problem: they are full of carbohydrates and sugars.
Breakfast, sugar, and hormones
This creates three hormonal and metabolic problems:
Sugar addiction
When we consume too many carbohydrates and sugars for breakfast at, say 8 am, we will then experience a sugar dip by 11 am and feel hungry or shaky, moody, and unfocused.
So what do we do? We reach out for something sweet again, like a bar, fruit, or coffee to “rebalance our sugar level” and this way we end up only adding more sugar to our lives.
It’s not uncommon for many people to eat as much as a 30 teaspoon equivalent of sugar per day without even realizing it. One thing you can do today is to check the sugar content of the food you eat, especially for breakfast by using the simple conversion of 4 grams = 1 teaspoon of sugar.
As an example, Starbuck’s Vanilla Frappuccino contains 69 grams of sugar which equal 17 teaspoons of sugar. Naked’s 15-oz orange juice will set you back with 42 grams (or over 10 teaspoons) and a Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin label states 24 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar.
As you can see, it’s easy to fall into the sugar trap and become dependent on sugar.
Sugar lows and adrenal exhaustion
The second problem is that sugar addiction and sugar dips create STRESS to the body which calls for a release of cortisol by the adrenal glands to rebalance our sugar levels.
One of the functions of your adrenals (other than helping us deal with stress) is to rebalance our sugar levels.
As it is, many women suffer from compromised adrenals and these sugar dips weaken our them even further.
Compromised adrenals have been linked to premature aging, dry skin, fatigue, coffee addiction (another skin-aging factor), weight gain, moodiness, frequent sickness, and feeling depleted and de-motivated.
Breakfast and sleep connection
Many women note that their carbohydrate-rich breakfasts and sugar dips are big contributors to their insomnia, poor sleep, and waking in the middle of the night. That’s not surprising – we often experience compromised sleep due to sugar level dips and cortisol spikes which are what keep us awake or wake us up in the middle of the night.
Their sleep typically improves with a change of breakfast. More on that below.
What is a good breakfast?
OK, so what do you do?
In today’s article, there are tips that will help you stop craving sugar, and help you feel grounded, focused, and satiated, and they might help you achieve deep and restful sleep.
Tip #1: PFF Breakfast
PFF stands for “Protein, Fat, and Fiber.”
Yes, this means we will be loading up our breakfasts with protein, fat, and fiber. Why?
Because they will guarantee us no sugar dips, they will sustain our sugar levels so we don’t exhaust our adrenals and they will help us break our sugar habit (or addiction).
Proteins are also full of amino acids which are the building blocks on our hormones.
The sources of proteins in your breakfast could come from fish, beef, chicken, bison, lamb, tempeh (if you can tolerate soy), and coconut butter, but also from moderate amounts of pre-soaked nuts and seeds, if tolerated.
I know, it might sound a bit unusual to be talking about dinner food for breakfast, right?
If you think about it, all global cuisines have savory breakfasts – like the Turks eat plenty of salami and cheese, Chinese dim sum is fat and protein-heavy, a traditional Japanese breakfast would have some miso soup and fish which are savory and rich in protein and fats.
Tip #2: Real food only
Many people think of protein shakes and powders when they hear the word “protein” and “breakfast.”
Well, in this new approach to your breakfast, the focus is on using only real and fresh food, not processed foods like powders and shakes.
As humans, we were designed to eat, metabolize and absorb real food and not food that can sit in a box for two years – like protein powders.
That’s not real food. That’s just great marketing and gimmicks that make us feel fearful that we can’t get the right nutrients from real food.
It might be hard to hear me urge you to put away your protein powder. But, if you suffer from hormonal challenges, why not try something different for just the next three days and see how your body responds?
There are a couple of recipes at the end of this article for you to try; we hope you will give them a chance.
What to expect?
People who follow the PFF breakfast recommendations report massive improvements.
Many of them start losing weight, feel focused and grounded, their sugar addiction ends or lessens, they stop to binge, their energy returns, their skin clears of acne, eczema, and dryness, they sleep better, and many report less PMS and less hot flashes.
Is it not amazing? From a simple change like that?
So let’s get to work. Try the recipes below and let us know how they worked for you.
How did you feel after having them for a few days?
Are you craving sugar the same way?
How different is your skin now?
PFF Recipe #1: Farmers Wife Breakfast
A hearty and savory breakfast is a wonderful way to start the day feeling grounded and satisfied.
Healing foods in this recipe:
- Sauerkraut (probiotics, estrogen regulator)
- Mustard greens (nutrient-packed, estrogen regulator)
- Avocado (sugar-balancing, anti-inflammatory, nutritionally dense, anti-carcinogenic)
- Ghee (precursor for a precursor of steroid hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and DHEA)
PFF Recipe #2: Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
This low-sugar breakfast recipe can easily be adapted to become a decadent snack or a healthy dessert. The fat from the avocado and coconut butter along with the protein from the hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds will help keep blood sugar levels stable.
Healing foods in this recipe:
- Cacao (magnesium, flavonoids as antioxidants, vitamin Bs and E)
- Avocado (sugar-balancing, anti-inflammatory, nutritionally dense, anti-carcinogenic)
- Coconut butter (supports plump skin, is anti-bacterial, healthy fat for long-term energy, is high in fiber, precursor for many hormones)
- Pumpkin seed (high in magnesium, zinc, protein, fiber, anti-oxidant, anti-fungal, anti-viral)
Equipment: blender
- 1 avocado
- 2 tbsp raw unsweetened cacao
- 1 tbsp coconut butter
- a handful of pumpkin seeds
- a handful of hazelnuts, pre-soaked overnight
- a handful of dry cherries, pre-soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (you can replace them with goji berries too)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
- 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon powder
- Put all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
Learn more with Overcoming Estrogen Dominance
“The body has an amazing ability to heal. We just need to give it the right resources.”
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.
More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.
So many women have experienced the pain and frustration that comes when they feel their symptoms and complaints are dismissed or minimized. This is particularly true for women who are experiencing the symptoms of hormone imbalance. Even when doctors do offer treatment, it’s typically in the form of prescription medication or invasive surgical procedures.
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I hope to show that those extreme interventions are often unnecessary, and to give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements and natural protocols to rebalance hormones.
To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.
Are these recipes still good for you if you’re estrogen dominant? Will they help balance hormones or increase the imbalance? Thanks for your help.
HI Vanessa,
These recipes are intended to help the body come back to balance. They are especially good for estrogen dominance, sugar balancing, PCOS, thyroid, menopause, and the adrenals.
Hi Vanessa,
Yes all the recipes are designed to bring hormones back into balance from a variety of ranges. Give it a try and let us know how it goes for you.
I had lost weight with lchf before having to have a hysterectomy, now on estrodol and have gained almost all of it back. I eat no grains,gluten,dairy or sugar for almost 4 yrs and still gaining I still heat very low carb and have been trying intermittent fasting and have been gaining weight even doing IF. All my new weight gain is low ab… will your program help this me straighten out hormones and should I be on or off estrodol?
Hi Michele,
This way of eating can be very helpful for losing lower ab weight. However, with IF there is additional fatigue added to the adrenals from not eating regularly. When the adrenals are stressed, there is further imbalance with cortisol. If you are considering this program, you may also want to look into the Liver Support guide (included). The heavy protein-low carb way of eating can put added stress on the liver. There are ways to customize the food guidelines. It will take tuning into your body and seeing what is “right” for you. Once you begin to FEEL the difference, it is very empowering.
Michele,
Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry you have been having some health challenges. Please join our free workshop http://www.cookigforbalance.com to learn more about how to regain your hormonal health.
I’ve just been diagnosed with adrenal issues which is affecting my thyroid. My doctor says I have a reverse T3 issue. Would the thyroid Diet help? Or do you have a adrenal diet that would help?
HI Jackie,
Clients with reverse T3 issues have shared testimonials of how the food guidelines have helped them to heal/improve. It is like a symphony. If one instrument is out of tune, it truly affects the entire performance. The Cooking for Balance program http://www.cookingforbalance.com/join does have a comprehensive adrenal support portion. recipes, classes and a Done-for-You Guide.
Hi Jackie,
yes the Thyroid Detox would help and so would the Cooking for Balance. You might start with Cooking for Balance to get more info about your adrenals and healing foods as well.
Hi Jackie,
Please start by watching the free Thyroid Detox workshop http://www.thyroiddetox.com. You can follow the thyroid detox with the cooking for balance program that has an adrenal protocol in the program. I hope you can experience the benefits that so many other women have.
This Chocolate Cherry Smoothie recipe is very good – takes lots of ingredients, that fortunately, I had on hand. However, I would not call it a smoothie – more like chocolate pudding and that was after I added about 1/2 cup coconut milk simply because my blender wouldn’t blend without more fluids.
HI Amy,
Yes, it is on he thicker side. You can always add a little water too. What did you think of it? The HB team considers that a real favorite 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts here!
Hi Amy,
I’m glad you tried the smoothie. I like that you experimented with more liquid. Thank you for sharing.
What about oats, chickpeas, or eggs? I am not huge fan of meat, but love warm cereals. Could that work?
Hi Angelika, you could try these foods in place of meat but take note to see how you feel and your digestion feels after eating them.
Hi Angelika,
Oats are a grain and can raise your insulin levels, eggs are one of the Big 5 that Magdalena recommends to steer clear of if you want to balance your hormones and chickpeas could be a good way to start your day with some dark green leafy veggies added.
Why not eggs please Angela? My mum grew up on a free range poultry farm and she thinks that eggs are the bees knees! Also, a pharmacist just recently recommended to me that I eat (more) eggs as I have very low dhea levels.
TIA!
Louise 🙂
Most of the recipes look like they’re for Estrogen dominance but I am really low in estrogen (full hysterectomy for cancer and not on hormones). Will these recipes still work for me?
Hi Geri,
We have 3 types of estrogen in the body. These recipes boost the good estrogens and suppress the “dirty” estrogen. ~Deanna
Are these recipes healthy for men in addition to women
Also are your recommendations in general safe and healthy for men also ?
Hi Laura,
Yes, these are healthy for men as well. ~Deanna HB Team
Some of the ingredients are not allowed on the Elimination diet or the Low Fodmap, any substitues?
Hi Niki,
You can send an email to [email protected] and let us know which ingredients you would like to substitute. We will try to find some options. ~Deanna HB Team
I just returned from the doctor, she found nothing. She said I should take vitamin d. I have all the symptoms of adrenal fatigue . I have gained 10 poundsin the last month:(, please help.
Hi Amy,
Yes, it can be challenging trying to get workable answers. Here is a link to learn more about how food can help balance hormones naturally https://hormonesbalance.com/cfb/. ~Deanna HB Team
Hi Magdalena, I just started reading this, had hysterectomy 2 years ago, i’m on a bio-identical hormone now, had hypertension due to hormonal imbalances, feels stress and nervous, but im on a supplements too, told me to eliminate coffee, chocolate, soy,dairies,whole grain and fish ( had high mercury and lead before)
but had a chezone (ozone and chelation), now mercury and lead backed to normal levels, am almost done with the treatment. but seems i need your way of balancing the hormone naturally. So I want to resolve high blood pressure and have a balance hormone naturally, can you help me on this? I stop DHEA supplements felt that it causes high blood pressure.
Hi Olivia, If you want to learn about how food can balance hormones, here is Magdalena’s free workshop: https://hormonesbalance.com/cfb. ~ Jeanne HB Team
Would farm fresh eggs be a good source of protein for breakfast?
Hi Jeanne, is it oK to use those ghee, beef tallow and lard if I had the hypertension.? please let me know. thank you.
Hi Olivia,
We cannot make medical recommendations. Magdalena finds those healthy fat options helpful when used with a nutrient dense way of eating. Were you able to check out the workshop https://hormonesbalance.com/cfb.? ~Deanna HB Team
What are the patties in the mustard green sauerkraut avocado breakfast? It also looks like there are sprinkled pomegranate seeds on top. Interested to know what the patties are…
Hi Linne, They are lamb sausage patties. Here is the recipe for you https://hormonesbalance.com/recipes/farmers-wife-sunday-breakfast-2/ ~HB Team
Please share brands you use when making recipes, such as the coconut butter you like, ghee, etc. Many thanks for all you do for this community!
Hi Lusia, She uses Artisana Coconut Butter and Tinstar Ghee. I hope that helps ~HB Team
[…] Balancing blood sugar and insulin, starting with your breakfast […]
[…] In order to balance your blood sugar, I recommend starting your day with a PFF breakfast. PFF stands for Protein, Fat, and Fiber and is the first step in eating to promote balanced blood sugar levels. Learn more about balancing blood sugar to balance hormones (and grab some great recipes) here. […]
[…] in your blood sugar levels throughout the day, you’re going to have a hard time restoring your adrenal function as well as getting your inflammation in check. The resulting disruption in cortisol levels, […]
I was unable to download “15 breakfasts that balance your hormones”. Could you please send the file to my email?
Hi Christi, send us an email at [email protected] and we’re happy to help! Thank you for your interest. ~ HB Support.
I would be interested in balance hormones breakfasts ideas
Hi Carolle, you can get our free recipe book here with this link: https://hormonesbalance.com/free-15-breakfast-recipes/
Enjoy! Jennifer @HB Support