How Food Impacts Energy, Clarity and Hormones for Success
Your feelings are closely tied to your hormones, and what you eat directly impacts them. This connection is essential for your reproductive health, mental clarity and overall drive. Discover how food impacts hormones and inadvertently impacts your motivation to achieve your goals.
Why Hormones and Nutrition Matter for Your Success
Your mind, body and diet are deeply intertwined. While racing for comfort food might offer a temporary escape from negative emotions, it’s essential to understand its broader impact. Your food choices also directly influence your hormones, which powerfully shape your feelings, motivation and hunger for success.
Balanced hormones provide consistent energy, a sharper mind and a more resilient emotional state, all essential for achieving your goals.
5 Ways Food Impacts Your Hormones and Drive to Succeed
Discover how food impacts various hormones and their mental implications.
Insulin
Insulin is one of the most vital hormones for blood sugar regulation and converting sugar into energy. When insulin is high, you may develop insulin resistance due to a diet rich in sugar and refined carbs. This is damaging to the body and may cause unintentional weight gain. The overall impact of insulin resistance can affect your mood and potentially contribute to negative emotions, impacting your motivation.
Leptin
Skipping meals isn’t ideal for your body. It can lead to ghrelin and leptin imbalances — hunger hormones that can regulate satiety and appetite. High levels of leptin may result in depression, food addiction and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Binge-eating or depression can hamper your ability to perform well at work or in life.
Estrogen and Testosterone
These two reproductive hormones are instrumental in fertility and sexuality. A diet that gets 40% of its calories from dietary fat can boost testosterone and estrogen concentrations. As with anything, too much can lead to issues.
High estrogen levels increase the risk of insulin resistance, pain from endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Conversely, a testosterone spike may lead to acne, affecting self-confidence. Fear of judgment can cause people to withdraw from social situations, potentially missing out on valuable opportunities.
Cortisol
Stress is an underestimated factor in hormonal health and success. It releases cortisol, which can disrupt ovulation and lower the ovarian reserve. This can be a problem if you want to conceive. Excessive cortisol usually results from anxiety and stress, which may further heighten negative emotions and impact your mental resilience. This could lead to fatigue and burnout, which may erode your enthusiasm and engagement with work and your passions.
Serotonin
Serotonin is a brain chemical and hormone that influences your mood, sleep, digestion and appetite. It’s what helps you feel happy and calm, which is why it’s often used to treat depression and other mood disorders. Your body produces this neurotransmitter from tryptophan, so eating foods with tryptophan can boost your serotonin levels. It’s found mostly in animal products — including beef, pork and lamb — but also in whole grains and legumes.
What to Do to Support Your Hormonal Balance
Some practices can help you achieve hormonal balance, better mental and emotional health, and a stronger body.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Plant-based foods are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that positively affect your overall health. They have fewer calories than processed food and meats and are fiber-rich, making you feel fuller longer. When buying from your local farmer’s market, seasonal vegetables are often healthier, tastier and less expensive. You also help promote a more sustainable environment by reducing waste and carbon emissions.
Do Stress-Busting Activities
How you deal with stress can affect your hormones, particularly cortisol. Chronic stress can throw your hormonal system out of whack and may cause period delays, potentially causing anxiety about hormonal imbalances or pregnancy for individuals not trying to conceive. Constant worrying can sap your emotional strength and make concentrating at work or school difficult. Yoga, journaling and simply making time for your hobbies can help balance cortisol levels.
Consume Protein
Protein is essential for the structure, regulation and function of your body’s organs and tissues. Proteins break down into amino acids, which are the raw materials for hormones and neurotransmitters. Include a portion of protein — like beef, chicken, shrimp or lentils — in every meal.
Eat Healthy Fats
Anti-inflammatory diets that are rich in healthy fats can help decrease leptin levels and boost leptin sensitivity. They also provide energy for the brain, giving you the mental power to work on your life goals. Some sources include extra virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil but remember to consume them with a balanced diet.
Eat Your Way to Success
What you eat influences the delicate balance of your hormones. When these things are in harmony, your body functions more efficiently, your mood is more stable, and your energy levels remain consistent. All of these factors can help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Be mindful of what you eat and exercise regularly to reap the health benefits.
Beth is a mental health advocate and food editor at Body+Mind, a health and wellness brand. Her work centers around traveling and sampling global cuisines sustainably. Beth is a proponent of food justice, sustainable agriculture, and plant-based diets as ways to reduce our carbon footprints. She is raising her own family on plant-based recipes and mindful nutrition.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog.