Hormonal balance, the key to well-being?

Updated on 2025-05-07

Summary: Hormonal balance, the key to well-being?

In her column on 104.7 FM, Lynn Goneau, naturopath at La Boîte à Grains, explains the crucial importance of hormonal balance for women's health. Hormones are chemical messengers that influence key functions such as mood, sleep, libido, memory and weight. An imbalance can lead to fatigue, menstrual cycle disorders, hot flushes and poor concentration.

To remedy this, Lynn first recommends a diet rich in healthy fats (avocado, olive oil), complex carbohydrates (quinoa, oats) and fiber, while eliminating refined sugars, major hormone disruptors. For support, two natural supplements are recommended: the Vitex to regulate the cycle and EstroSense for women with more pronounced imbalances. She invites listeners to come and meet her every Tuesday at the Gréber Boulevard store of La Boite à Grains.

Why are hormones important?

• Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate almost every bodily function.
• They are produced by various glands (adrenals, ovaries, etc.).

• A hormonal imbalance disrupts the whole system, a bit like a field hockey player who harms his team if he doesn't play well.

Specific to women

• Women produce estrogen, progesterone and some testosterone.

• These hormones influence: mood, sleep, libido, weight, memory and concentration (e.g. brain fog), menstrual cycles, skin condition, hair, etc. 

Diet and hormones

Preferred :

• Good fats: avocado, salmon, olive oil, nuts, seeds

• Good carbohydrates: oats, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruit

• Fiber: essential for eliminating excess hormones via the intestine

Avoid:

• Refined sugars → main hormone disruptors

Recommended natural supplements:

1. Vitex by WomenSense

• Regulates the menstrual cycle
• Reduces PMS symptoms
• Helps with heavy or irregular periods

2. EstroSense by WomenSense

• Helps women on hormonal contraception
• Support for acne, endometriosis, fibroids, etc.

Where to meet Lynn Goneau :

• Every Tuesday at the Gréber branch of La Boîte à Grains, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Also available for private consultation

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Radio host at 104.7 FM on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

As we do every Monday, we're back with our naturopath Lynn Goneau. And today, you'll have to take her word for it. In any case, I should because I don't have these problems and that's normal. It's just for women and it's reserved for women. But I imagine that there are many, many, many people and women, especially, who are going to talk to her about it. Hello Lynn Goneau.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So we're going to talk about hormones, about the importance of hormonal balance, which is undoubtedly one of the keys to women's well-being.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, that's right. And it's interesting because the men who listen to us will understand a little better how it works.

As we know, hormones are little chemical messages that play a role in regulating almost every bodily function.

So important, because your body has several glands. Each gland produces hormones. Each hormone has its own function. If we're talking about the adrenal glands, we all have them. They manage our response to stress; for example, during restless nights, cortisol may be involved.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

And this. So we have these glands in men and women, but then the ovaries and in men, the testicles will manage this in a different way?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

No, actually, it's that other hormones that come from the ovaries and the testes, the others will produce progesterone, then testosterone. Each gland has a unique role, but they're all really interconnected. It's like a field hockey team. If one player doesn't do his job, the whole team pays the price.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Okay, we're all going at the speed of the slowest in the background, so if one doesn't work properly, it upsets all the others. And for women in particular, the right hormonal balance depends on what?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Progesterone, estrogen and, of course, testosterone.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Also. The so-called male hormone?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

We've got the women.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So, if we look at all the hormones you're talking about, yes, depending on which one is out of balance, we can suffer from what, for example?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

You may have problems with weight management, fatigue or hot flashes. We often hear about women's and men's low libido and mood swings. We know that women go through periods that are special and difficult to control in terms of mood.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Men, it's a link, precisely with the hormonal cycle and that, not you. It happens anyway. You have to hear women say that. It doesn't make sense. I was even listening to the documentary on Véro not long ago. It sounds like painful pain.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Honestly, the people around us can get around it, but we're stuck with it. We live with it every day. It can be as much a sleep disorder, hair loss, anything that affects memory and cognitive functions. The famous brain fog, yes, yes, yes. Concentration, depression. Listen, I'm going on and on.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Well, there are lots of solutions. There are more recent ones, but there are basic ones too. If there are any women out there who want to help rebalance all this, starting with the food groups that might be best.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, because diet is really the foundation, Fred. And you have to start with that, especially since we banned that for a long time. We talk a lot about fats. So lipids.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Les bon gras.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, they play a very, very important role in hormone production. So, as we're talking about good fats, avocado, olive oil, grains, nuts, they really have a vital role to play. We shouldn't banish them completely from our diet, we should eat them.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

And was like, it's a good fat. Yes, we'll eat avocado on its own. We won't fall into it like we fall into a bag of potato chips, which is a bad fat, right? Then in parallel, ideally, in any case, the more a woman has problems. Maybe we can recommend cutting out refined sugars.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Fred, if you only knew, it's the biggest hormone disruptor. Ah, it's the refined sugars, the whole thing. What comes from the outside? What's not a natural sugar?

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Yeah. Carbohydrates too, but good carbohydrates are important.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

But it's important because the role of carbohydrates is to communicate with the brain to announce the manufacture of hormones are important. And we're still talking about good carbohydrates. So oats, grains, fruit. It could be brown rice, quinoa or sweet potatoes. So really good carbohydrates.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

And with good fibers.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

But fiber is important because it's going to allow your gut to be able to release the excess hormones. It's an imbalance. Excess hormones are released by the intestine.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

And when you say that everything is linked, everything is, everything is linked. Yes, it's linked to diet. Imagine someone who doesn't eat or who doesn't eat these good elements. Now, we're including everyone here, but your body is trying to produce things. I understand. It's running on empty.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Total imbalance. Then we look for outside solutions. When you can start strictly with the basics.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

There are supplements for women, for example, who may not be able to produce everything or who have difficulty or need help.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

There are two products that can help. There's Vitex and EstroSense from WomenSense. I like this company because it's Canadian and specializes in all-natural supplements for women.

So we're talking about the first one, Vitex, which reduces discomfort that's probably related to PMS or regulates a cycle that's too slow or too short. It can also reduce excessive bleeding, in fact, all female hormone disorders.

EstroSense is for women who may be suffering from acne or endometriosis. It could be heavy periods. All in all, they're two good products to help women rebalance until they're ready to make the changes.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Interesting, we can see you at La Boite à Grains.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, every Tuesday, I'm at the branch on Gréber. From 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., you can come and chat with me.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

We can also see you in private consultation. Have a good week. I wish you a good week.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Thank you Fred.