351: The great balancing act - how nutrition affects our hormones

The hormones which charge around in our bloodstream are incredibly influential, but what role can nutrition play in regulating them? We are probably most familiar with oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone, the female and male sex hormones But they are just part of a vast endocrine system, affecting our bodies in countless ways. Things like appetite, metabolism, sleep, reproduction, body temperature, mood, you name it, there is a hormone controlling it.  But this is a delicate system and, if hormonal balance is out of sync, it can affect pretty much everything else.   So how does our nutrition interact with this system?   Is it possible to improve overall hormonal balance by tweaking what we eat?   And can we target specific things like better sleep or a more regulated appetite, without adversely affecting other aspects of the system?   Finally, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we ask: Is the food industry aware of its effect on our inner hormonal lives? Suzie Sawyer, Clinical Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer is a Clinical Nutritionist with over 20 years’ experience in the natural healthcare arena.  From working in a private clinic in Harley Street, to managing a team of nutritionists in one of the UK’s leading food supplement manufacturers, Suzie is passionate about the topic of nutrition with a specialisation in female health and menopause.  Working within a very evolved industry also requires her to be current on the latest science and research Suzie’s work is broad and varied, running a busy nutrition clinic dealing with complex health conditions, offering sophisticated DNA testing, writing for a myriad of health publications, working as a regulatory consultant for various food supplement manufacturers, to educating others on the topic of nutrition.  She enjoys delivering inspirational and motivational seminars in the workplace including in 10 Downing Street, and speaking at industry events.  Suzie encourages positive change and lasting results. She has also worked as a Guest Presenter on QVC television and is a member of the Guild of Health Writers.