We are super proud to introduce you to
Renate Schellekens from Mowgli’s Medicine!

Through her research and work, Renate helps other women get their hormonal health and periodic cycle back in sync ♡

She is a dear friend of our shining star & female founder Ingy, and she’ll be writing a series of monthly articles in collaboration with the Amazingy Mag – this is the third one.

The long-term impact of diet, lifestyle and hormonal chaos 

In my previous article, I dove into the hormonal turbulence of my teenage years, largely influenced by the pill. The journey of hormonal disruption often begins in adolescence for many girls. However, the story doesn’t end there. As I transitioned into adulthood, my lifestyle and dietary choices increased the chaos within my endocrine system. Perhaps you can relate.

A diet far from perfect 

During my twenties, my diet was anything but optimal. Although I believed my oatmeal breakfasts were healthy, I didn’t realize that oatmeal, being a starch, turns into glucose (sugar) when digested. This glucose creates a spike in blood sugar levels, leading to continuous inflammation and unhappy hormones. I mistakenly thought I was gaining weight due to fats, not realizing that frequent morning blood sugar spikes triggered cravings for more starches and sugars throughout the day. Consistently high blood sugar levels cause the body to store excess glucose as fat once the muscles and liver are full. In my attempt to shed pounds, I frequently jumped onto restrictive diet trends, which only worsened the situation. During my three-year vegan phase, I consumed more vegetables but also significantly more processed carbohydrates, leading to even more glucose spikes – massive endocrine disruptors. My diet lacked balance, and I unfortunately believed everything the internet said, thinking I was doing good for my health. I was unaware of the critical nutrients my body needed to maintain hormonal harmony.

The party lifestyle 

In addition to my unstable eating habits, I indulged in a vibrant social life. Partying hard and often skipping nights of sleep was exciting at the time, but it wreaked havoc on my body. Lack of sleep creates a stress reaction, raising cortisol levels, which in turn disrupts progesterone, the calming hormone that helps regulate your menstrual cycle and mood. Sleep deprivation also affects insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into the cells for energy. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, meaning that it needs more insulin to manage the same amount of glucose. As a result, everything you eat has a greater impact on your blood sugar levels, leading to more significant spikes and crashes. These habits progressively disrupted my endocrine system, causing my PMS symptoms to spiral out of control. It became clear that something had to change.

Understanding the endocrine system 

The endocrine system is the body’s complicated network of glands that produce and regulate hormones. These glands include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, and ovaries, each playing a vital role in maintaining hormonal balance. Hormones act as chemical messengers, influencing various physiological processes such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and mood.

Balancing the endocrine system — the universal solution for hormonal issues 

The key to addressing hormonal imbalances lies in stabilizing the endocrine system first. When the endocrine system is out of balance, it can lead to an overflow of issues such as irregular menstrual cycles, PMS, PCOS, weight gain, fatigue, night sweats and mood swings. The system will send out the wrong messages, your hormones are missing the memo, and so the chaos begins. By focusing on the root cause, women can achieve more sustainable and overall relief.

Steps to balance the endocrine system:

1. Nutrition – a nutrient-dense diet is essential for supporting endocrine health. Consuming foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can help regulate hormone production and detoxify the body. Incorporate plenty of leafy greens, veggies, healthy (full) fats and proteins into your diet and ditch the processed carbohydrates and gluten. 
2. Stress management – chronic stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that can disrupt the balance of estrogen and progesterone. Think about lack of sleep, work pressure, processed foods, emotional stress due to grief, illness, overthinking, overusing our phones. Change every stressful situation you can and manage cortisol levels with techniques such as mindfulness, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises that can significantly reduce stress levels and support endocrine function. 
3. Sleep hygiene – quality sleep is crucial for hormone regulation. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to allow your body to repair and maintain optimal hormonal balance. 
4. Exercise – regular physical activity helps regulate hormones by reducing stress and improving insulin sensitivity. Go for a balanced mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises to support overall endocrine health. A 30-minute exercise will boost endorphin levels, which makes you feel good and happy. When the workout is one hour plus, it will also boost cortisol levels. For nurturing the adrenals it is best to keep it at 30 minutes for a while. 
5. Avoid endocrine disruptors – minimize exposure to chemicals found in plastics, personal care products, and household cleaners that can interfere with hormone production. Choose natural and organic products whenever possible.

Get the basics on point and feel on fire with ease 

Adjusting your lifestyle takes time. Every step you implement brings you closer to good hormonal health. Start with the step that feels easiest for you to implement at this moment. Take one week per step to get used to it before adding the next. Think of it as a game: each step you master earns you points. Some days you get all the points, some days fewer. But every point counts. 

Your hormones will thank you later.

In the next article, we dive a little bit deeper into micro & macronutrients and we’ll explore how to compose your meals for optimizing the hell out of your hormonal health. 

“I am very much excited for you implementing these steps into your lifestyle. I would love to hear from you how you are feeling after a while and how things are going! You can always send me a DM on Instagram, @mowglismedicine!”  —  Renate Schellekens

Photos by Cliff Booth on Pexels