Important tips for navigating the journey of tremendous growth.

Say “puberty” and the word “hormones” is usually not far behind.
And that is exactly what I want to talk about today, although not estrogen and testosterone, as you might expect.

Don't get me wrong; these hormones go through wild fluctuations during this transformative phase in our kids' lives.

However, what I want to highlight first is a hormone that impacts these other hormones - and one we can influence through nutrition and lifestyle: Cortisol.

Cortisol 101:

Cortisol is the key hormone our body releases as a response to stressors and it plays a pivotal role in the balance of other hormones. Our kiddos face stress from many sources - academic, social, and sometimes hidden culprits like mold or parasites. It all fills their stress bucket.

When cortisol is released, it impacts digestion, sleep, blood sugar, and more. The problem occurs when chronic stressors keep us 'fight or flight' mode all the time. It can lead to a slew of issues, including anxiety and depression.

We can empower our kids to make choices that will support stress and cortisol levels. Lifestyle choices make all the difference, and I go into detail on this on the following slides.

Share this post with your teens to help them understand their bodies and take charge of their health.

What matters for balanced hormones:

Nature - Spending time in nature can dramatically decrease cortisol levels, even 20 minutes a day. Go for a walk in the woods, resist the temptation of the whirring world on your phone, and just be among the trees as we were created to be. Studies show that compared to other stress-reducing habits, nature is one of the most impactful ways to reduce cortisol.
Minerals - When the body is under stress, it burns through key minerals that are key supports for many systems in our body, such as thyroid health. It is not uncommon to see minerals incredibly depleted on a bioresonance scan or HTMA (quantumcollective.co/services) when someone has been in seasons of stress. Add minerals to your routine when stress is high - particularly sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Balanced blood sugar - when blood sugar is dysregulated and drops too low, the body will release cortisol to encourage the release of more glucose into the blood stream. This is for survival! However, this blood sugar roller coaster can act as a constant stressor and is not what we want as our norm. Eat meals that are balanced in protein, fat, carbs, and fiber - and eat enough protein throughout the day to avoid these spikes and crashes.
Sleep - Cellular repair and detox happens while we sleep. This is also when growth hormone is released, which is why our teens may sleep in until noon some days. Alternatively, bad nights of sleep can set them up for cortisol imbalances and blood sugar dysregulation the following day.

Drainage supports - Gentle drainage supports can help our kiddos bodies deal with the everyday toxins they come into contact with - decreasing their overall stress load. My number one priority would be to make sure they are having bowel movements 2-3x per day. Castor oil packs, sauna, movement, rebounding for lymph, and nutritional bowel supports if needed are a great start.
Nervous System - Sometimes we need more than just words to calm ourselves when stress is high. Our front brain may know “everything is going to be okay” but our nervous system is still triggered. Supporting that mind-body connection of the nervous system can be huge for calming that stressed response. Some of my favorite activities for teens are tapping, breathwork, nature (see above), grounding, music, vagus nerve exercises, and bodywork like CFT.
Connection - Our teens and tweens are a sensitive and in-between stage of life. One day the last thing they want is our help, and the next they need to be catered to as a toddler. And that is okay.

Their brains are growing in independence, but they need to know we are always their soft place to land. We need to see them for who they are, where they are, what they need, and meet them where they are at.

Connection with our kids goes so far, but is sometimes easier said than done. I just encourage you to find a moment in the day when you can smile into your kids eyes and tell them that you see them and you love them.