Hormones have a huge effect on our lives, especially as women. They affect everything from our mood to our weight. Most any pregnant woman or teenage girl will tell you how her moods, weight and even her sense of smell have changed since her hormones took over.

Hormone imbalances can present themselves in the form of skin issues, infertility and even fatigue. Weight gain, abdominal weight, PMS, PCOS or sleep problems are also issues with a hormone imbalance.

Here are sixteen ways to balance your hormones naturally:

1.    Begin by eating a well-balanced diet. Eat lean meats, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits. Choose a large salad with a small amount of meat or seafood over a white bread sandwich and potato chips.

2.    Use real butter or coconut oil instead of margarine, both better for you.

3.    Opt for whole-grain breads and natural sweeteners like honey, molasses or Stevia.

4.    Avoid a low-fat diet. Hormones are synthesized from cholesterol. So eating a cholesterol-free diet means your body can’t create the necessary hormones it needs to function properly.

5.    Choose healthy fats such as real butter, cream, egg yolks, olive oil, whole milk, lard and palm oil.

6.    Avoid man-made, polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, canola oil, soybean oil, margarine and shortening.

7.    Ditch the junk food. Junk foods, those high-carbohydrate processed foods found in bakeries and soy products, stimulate hormonal balance.

8.    Add organic dairy products. Mass market milk, cottage cheese and other dairy products all come from cows with the Bovine Growth Hormone and antibiotics. These steroids and antibiotics are then transferred into the milk and then into your body. These can interfere with the hormonal system.

9.    Limit the amount of caffeine you get each day. Caffeine wreaks havoc on your hormones so limit the amount of coffee, chocolate and soft drinks you consume. Replace it with herbal teas that are less stressful on your body.

10.    Get enough sun every day. Just 15 minutes of natural light a day helps restore your hormone balance. Sit outside in the early morning sunshine while you have a cup of tea and read the paper.

11.    Take up Yoga, meditation, Pilates, Tai Chi or any other form of calming exercise that uses deep relaxation techniques.

12.    Add alternative healing arts like acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology and massage therapy to help restore your hormones to a balanced state.

13.    Get enough sleep. One of the best ways to get your body back to optimal health is to get the proper amount of sleep each night, typically seven to eight hours. Magnesium contributes to better sleep. It can be taken in powder, liquid or applied to the skin.

14.    Use supplements. We cannot always get the proper amounts of nutrients and sleep. Supplements can fill any gaps found in your lifestyle.

15.    Maca is a tuber from the radish family. It boost hormone production and your libido. It’s high in essential fatty acids that are good for hormone balance. It can be taken in powder form or in capsule form.

16.    Fermented Cod liver oil provides nutrients necessary for building hormones including vitamins A, D and K.

Living a naturally healthy lifestyle is one way to achieve better hormone balance. In addition to looking and feeling great, a balanced hormone system can help you lose weight, reduce stress, and have an improved sex life.