How to increase your progesterone levels naturally

 What is Progesterone?

Progesterone is a sex hormone produced by the ovaries to help regulate the menstrual cycle. In the first part of a women’s cycle estrogen dominates, but after the ovaries release an egg for fertilization, progesterone levels increase. Higher levels of progesterone thicken the uterus lining in preparation for the implantation of the egg. Once implantation occurs, progesterone helps maintain the pregnancy.

If conception doesn’t occur, levels of progesterone decrease and estrogen rises, causing the uterine lining to deteriorate.

Even though progesterone plays an important part in women’s health, men produce the hormone too. The production of progesterone occurs in the adrenal gland and testes and is the precursor for testosterone.

Men need optimal levels of progesterone for healthy testosterone. The sex hormone controls sex drive, sperm production, muscle mass, and bone density.

Causes for Low Progesterone

Low progesterone levels affect women’s health for a variety of reasons. When people need hormone balancing to boost progesterone, it’s usually due to age or struggles with infertility.

Menopausal Symptoms

As women grow older, the body makes varying amounts of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone causing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings. and weight gain. Menopause typically affects women in their early 50s, but women can experience perimenopause and menopause health issues much earlier.

Infertility Concerns

Struggling to get pregnant affects millions of people each year. Fertility decreases as you age, but other factors, such as low progesterone cause hormonal imbalances. Since progesterone is critical to conception and maintaining pregnancy, raising progesterone levels when lowered will help conception. 

How to Naturally Increase Your Progesterone 

1| Invest in Natural Progesterone Cream

One effective way to boost progesterone levels is to apply a natural progesterone cream. Apply the cream to your arm or wrist as needed to help relieve painful symptoms associated with age, menopause or infertility. Bioidentical hormone creams made with progesterone are an effective and easy way to balance hormones.

2| Maintain a Healthy Diet

Sometimes maintaining a healthy weight and diet can be a challenge, but if you consume foods rich in fiber and nutrients, you’ll naturally increase your progesterone levels. Good food choices include:

• Fatty fish like sardines or salmon (rich in Omega-3)
  
• Fruits and vegetables like brussel sprouts
  
• Foods rich in Vitamin B6 like whole grains or chicken
  
• Magnesium rich foods like pumpkin seeds or flax seeds
  
• Lean red meat loaded with heavy zinc

3| Lower levels of stress

Reducing stress can increase progesterone production. Progesterone is the precursor for cortisol, the stress hormone. When you’re stressed out, you generate more cortisol depleting progesterone and B6.

4| Indulge in Some Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has been used by the Aztecs and Mayans for thousands of years to help relieve common health conditions. The cacao bean contains cancer-fighting antioxidants that are not only delicious but help hormonal imbalances.

5| Relax with Essential Oils

Take it easy with essential oils mixed with thyme and clary sage oil. Thyme oil improves progesterone production and clary sage oil reduces cortisol.

Whether you make yourself a healthy dinner or apply a natural progesterone cream to increase your low progesterone levels, finding hormonal balance is key to a healthy, long life.

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Infertility. (2018, March 08). Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infertility/symptoms-causes/syc-20354317

Menopause basics. (2018, May 22). Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/menopause-basics#1

University of British Columbia. (2014, January 15). Using progesterone for hot flashes shown safe for women's cardiovascular health. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 13, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140115172832.htm