Brussel Sprout Miso Salad

Your hormones play a significant part on how you focus, how you perform, what you eat, how your body manages your weight and your stress levels. Your lifestyle can easily influence the health of your gut which in turn affects your hormones, because your gut is your endocrine system and when your hormones are imbalanced, your work performance will be affected, your relationships will feel it and your body will know it. If you have had more stress, less movement and little community support, you may be feeling the impact on your body and mind. By paying attention to your moods, your cravings and your energy levels, you can change your mood from bad to happy, from distracted to productive and from not wanting to be touched, to wanting to be loved.

Here are simple ways to notice hormone imbalance and know what to do next:

1. Keep track of you periods. Know when you are due. Usually two weeks prior to your period you will enter PMS mode. That is the time when you can fly! You are strong and ready to take on the world. But for some, this may be the time you mood is not so great, your sleep is deprived, and your feelings are more sensitive.

2. Write. Journal. Story tell. However you feel best writing, do it. It truly helps to get on paper what’s floating around in your mind. I am big on writing. It heals. It can be used as a long for you to see that depending on the time of the month, the stories floating around in your mind, the feeling your body is having are all

3. Eat for your hormones. There are many foods you can eat to support all the hormones in your body. For instance blueberries help release serotonin. Your gut is endocrine system. It creates hormones, it sends out messages to hormones, and it stores hormones. I know it can be hard to eat healthy especially when you’re craving carbs, salt and unhealthy fats, but really make an effort to eat mindfully especially during your menstrual cycle or times you feel your mood declining. This will help you get out of the period funk faster and lighter. Eat more vitamin B’s like squash, chickpeas, tuna, salmon. Eat more vitamin C’s like berries, cruciferous veggies (broccoli and brussel sprouts), Eat more magnesium like Joule Bars, nuts, avocado and brown rice. Eat more zinc like Joule Bars, seeds like pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
   
   Although you should eat these nutrients daily, you should definitely be more mindful on the nutrition you take in during times of your cycle.

Try this Brussel Sprouts Miso Salad I make when I need to reboot my hormones.

Activated ingredient Miso is a nourishing tradition in Japan. This activated ingredient is fermented powering the guts bacteria, for high vibe goodness. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, cleaned, trimmed and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup veggie broth
• 1 cups mushrooms (shiitake/ crimini)
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cooked beans (we use adzuki but you can use any bean)
• ½ cup Onions smaller than small dice but not minced
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• ½ cup minced cilantro
• 1 bunch swiss chard (thin slice)