Ancestral Wisdom for Female Hormonal Health, Part 1

Ancestrally Living Humans

There are pockets of traditional humans left on earth, living and eating as they have for thousands of years. While they do not have access our modern advances and healthcare in more immediate situations, they have very little degenerative disease or need for long-term pharmaceutical medications. Studies have shown that they have healthy and balanced microbiomes and well-functioning reproductive systems. They appear to achieve this by:

• consuming a nutrient-dense diet, focusing on animal foods
• experiencing deep connection to the earth and each other
• having supportive social and familial networks
• little to no exposure to EMFs, forever/toxic chemicals, or air pollution
• remaining active throughout life with lower overall stress
• daily exposure to natural light from the sun, with firelight at night
• regular exposure to cold or heat

These lifestyle practices have been shown in scientific research to support human circadian rhythms, healthy metabolisms, balanced hormonal and reproductive function, sound sleep, redox potential, stress management, and naturally high “feel-good” hormones.

Part 1 – Light, Diet, and Connection

Light

Exposure to natural light is one of the most important factors when considering hormonal health. We evolved outside, and ancestrally living humans still spend the bulk of their time outdoors. Safe, natural light exposure, particularly through our eyes and into the brain via the suprachiasmatic nucleus (the circadian pacemaker), is key to the balance of our hormones and neurotransmitters and our circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock that regulates our sleep/wake cycle through hormones like melatonin (sleep) and cortisol (wake). Put simply, the changing spectrums and amounts of blue and bright light in the sunlight throughout the day help to trigger the release of the right hormones and neurotransmitters at the right time, and the red spectrums benefit our mitochondria and hormone production. Hormonal and circadian disruption has negative consequences that are linked to chronic disease, especially metabolic dysfunction and blood sugar imbalance. At any life stage it can manifest as poor sleep, low mood, irritability, worry-mind, etc. During perimenopause these things can worsen, along with the addition of internal temperature fluctuations, joint stiffness, brain fog, irritability, and more.

Sunlight stimulates cellular melatonin and feel-good hormones and photoproducts that support immune health, body comfort, and energy. Sunlight helps manage nitric oxide levels, which is important for your cardiovascular system. The infrared rays from the sun help to generate exclusion zone water in your blood vessels (essential for healthy blood flow) and in and around your cells to support energy production. Sunlight helps the body balance deuterium (heavy hydrogen) levels, the body’s microbiome (microbes of all types respond to the natural light/dark cycle), blood sugar, and so much more. Research has found that a lack of sunlight is linked to younger menopausal transitions and more intense symptoms. This means that low sunlight exposure may adversely affect reproductive health throughout the fertile years. These and many other studies show that we are not getting enough natural light from the sun, especially in the early morning, and too much artificial light, from our modern lightbulbs and device screens, after dark.

A lumen is the measurement of light emitted, while lux is the intensity of the light on a surface. There is research showing that daily exposure to strong lux (brightness of the light in our environment) is just as important as the exposure to the full spectrums of sunlight over the course of the day. Sunlight, even on a cloudy day, is brighter than the light in our home or office, and a lack of exposure to bright light during daylight hours contributes to issues with sleep. There is even evidence to suggest that bright fire or candlelight at night can contribute to poor sleep, which indicates that some of us may need to avoid all but the lowest lux light at night while we recover our circadian health. Sleep is key to health, and getting the right cues from the sun and the darkness supports melatonin production and sound sleep.

Speaking of sleep, because there are multiple factors that can affect an individual’s sleep patterns, there is no one thing to consider beyond the aspects mentioned in this series of articles; however, make sure you leave enough hours between bedtime and waking (8-10 hours). Aim for getting to sleep by 9 or 10 pm at the latest; the earlier, the better. Additionally, take note of seasonality—winter is a time for more sleep and rest. Having effective sleep hygiene and getting to bed early wherever possible will help a lot. You may find that adopting the sunlight and circadian health part of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle will automatically help you get to sleep earlier, and, consequently, be able to rise earlier. “Sunrise; sunlight; sunset; sleep; repeat.”

• Watch the sunrise and spend time outside in the early morning, infrared, and then UVA light (before UVB appears—dependent on your latitude), even if it’s cloudy. If it’s raining, you might just want to have a few moments “look” in the direction of the sun, but do try and get out for a spell, anyway. This supports healthy neurotransmitter levels, particularly dopamine and serotonin.
• If the sun isn’t up when you awaken, use the same protocols as if it were the evening (darkness) and then get outside when the sun rises. The light from the sun should be the first light you see (no devices).
• Take light breaks outside, regularly, and open windows where you can (car, house, office, etc.), especially if you work indoors. The light inside, even in a brightly lit office, is lower than that of an overcast day and not bright enough for our health. Eat outside or near an open window.
• Sunglasses block the signals to the SCN from the sun, so only wear them if driving, skiing, or boating (or you need to protect your eyes); otherwise, wearing a wide-brimmed hat will do.
• Watch the sunset and limit/avoid artificial light exposure after dark to decrease cortisol and promote melatonin. Try amber/red, blue-light-blocking glasses, amber or carbon filament lightbulbs, or candlelight, and use Iris or Nightshift software on your screens.
• Stop screen use 1-2 hours before sleep. The content on your device also raises cortisol.
• Spend as much time outdoors as you can, safely—dependent on skin tone or time of year.
• The winter is a great time to get outside because the sun stays, more safely, lower in the sky.
• Shift workers can get tips on how to navigate night shifts from Dr. Max Gulhane.
• Get some vitamin D from safe midday sun exposure in the summer, which supports progesterone production.

N.B., the sun is fierce in New Zealand and Australia, so be sensible with fairer skin around midday in the summer, and, when in doubt, cover up, get in the shade (you’ll still be in natural light), or use a natural sunscreen on exposed skin.

Focused wisdom for:

• Teens and puberty: Help them build a sensible relationship with natural light. Limit their screen time at night and guide them to shift their sleep time earlier in the evening so that they do not build a habit of sleeping in and missing that essential morning light.
• Reproductive age and fertility: Healthy sunlight exposure is linked to healthy fertility. Get into the habit of getting that early morning infrared and UVA light for hormone balance.
• Pregnancy: Sun exposure during pregnancy is associated with healthier babies and less preterm births. Use light clothing for protection in summer, but do not fear the sun—the pregnant belly lets in the appropriate spectrums of sunlight for each stage of the pregnancy.
• Menopause: Consider light therapy. Red and infrared light has been shown to support mood, sleep, hormones, joints, skin health, circulation, and relaxation. But there really is no substitute for the complete spectrums in sunlight…and it’s free! Sunrise, early morning UVA, and blue light blocking after dark will be your best friends.

Diet

Diet also plays a massive role in our health. When thinking about what constitutes a healthy diet, we might want to move away from the diet wars and dogma and simply think about what we need to nourish, protect, and energise our bodies. We would want to get amino acids (proteins), essential fats, minerals, vitamins, energy substrates (fat/carbs), and co-factors from real foods as much as possible. We might want to learn to prepare these foods in traditional ways to maximise bioavailability. We might wish to eat according to our ancestry and what sort of environment our ancestors lived in but also with adaptations to what is local and seasonal where we live now. We might want to watch our metabolic health and liver and thyroid function and consider getting professional guidance for our bio-individuality if we have issues. Our metabolic health simply refers to the biochemical process of turning food into fuel for the body and how our mitochondria are functioning.

Humans, from around the world, living an ancestral lifestyle have the following diet practices in common (all backed by scientific research…):

• They eat locally and seasonally.
• They do not eat refined, denatured, and modern ultra-processed foods (those that have incorporated them are now showing the ill effects).
• They prioritise nutrient-dense animal foods, including things like organ meats, animal fats, eggs, raw dairy, shellfish, fish liver oils, and fish eggs. These contain building blocks and bioavailable micronutrients that are so crucial to reproductive hormone and metabolic health.
• They eat some animal food raw and cook or ferment (detoxify) plant foods.
• They eat lacto-fermented condiments and beverages. Ferments outshine fibre for microbiome health and balance.
• They eat animal fats for the essential fat-soluble vitamins (A, D3, K2, and E), cholesterol, DHA, EPA, arachidonic acid, and other healthy fatty acids. Plant fats can reduce these nutrients and cause an imbalance of omegas and overconsumption of linoleic acid.
• They do not use seed/vegetable oils or refined sugars, which are so damaging to human metabolism and hormonal health.
• They make liberal use of unrefined, whole salt, usually a sea salt. Low whole salt and sodium intake is linked to premenstrual and pregnancy issues, oestrogen dominance, water retention, low energy, and more.
• They make gelatinous bone and connective tissue broths for soups, stews, gravy, and sauces and consume this collagen-rich broth regularly.
• Not many of them regularly eat plant seeds—grains, beans, seeds, and nuts—but if they do, they take the time to soak and ferment them to minimise anti-nutrients and enhance digestibility. In studied groups, the fewer seed foods they eat, the healthier and more long-lived they were…

Interestingly, recent research into the hunting habits of traditional and prehistoric human groups has uncovered that women engaged in intentional hunting practices, possessing “tool kits” and favourite weapons. Even grandmothers were/are skilled hunters and renowned to be the best teachers of hunting and trapping. Biased scientists have previously dismissed prehistoric female hunting prowess, even when they find plenty of historical evidence to the contrary—females buried with hunting weapons, etc. Another recent study concluded that prehistoric hunting, even for big game and megafauna, was a gender-neutral process. Both men and women have been found to be buried with their hunting weapons.

Focused wisdom for:

• Teens and puberty: Traditional humans focus on animal fats for the omegas, fat-soluble vitamins, and cholesterol (precursor to sex hormones). They would also give their children a taste for fermented foods. If you are worried about animal fats, don’t be… See “Fats are either saturated or unsaturated. Know the difference?” for the skinny on fats. All minerals are essential; however, iodine intake (and thyroid health) becomes a focus at puberty.
• Reproductive years: Traditional humans limit alcohol and prioritise liver health so that hormones are metabolised correctly. Eating a nutritious breakfast, with proteins and fats, is a secondary circadian signal of abundance for your brain, thyroid, and hormones – regularly skipping breakfast can lead to a slowing of metabolism and weight gain. Eating animal protein supports progesterone production. At the other end of the day, stop eating 3-4 hours before bed for sound sleep. See Good Health Cycle Balance for herbal hormone support or Good Health Pro Flora Care for genitourinary microbiome support.
• Fertility: Traditional diets emphasise an even more nourishing diet containing nutrient rich offal, particularly liver, and/or seafood—fish roe is a reproductive powerhouse—and animal fats, prior to conception for both males and females, and during pregnancy.
• Menopause: Traditional humans prioritise protein and collagen-rich foods like bone broth to support joints, bone strength, connective tissue health, and blood sugar balance, and animal fats for the brain, hormones, heart, joints, and skin. Bone health is not just about calcium intake – bones can be well-mineralised but brittle due to loss of collagen (protein) structure, so animal proteins are favoured along with minerals. Make sure digestion is optimised to facilitate absorption and that metabolism is healthy, as metabolic health appears to affect perimenopausal symptomatology. If you haven’t already, get rid of seed/vegetable oils from your diet, which will be a big help. Animal fats have been shown in research to support and protect liver function, which is so important for hormonal health. See Good Health Peri-Meno+ for herbal perimenopausal support.

Connection

Traditional groups and hunter/gatherer societies are known to have very supportive families and communities. They are comfortable with being physically close to each other, and introversion is unheard of. Intimacy allows for feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters like oxytocin (“the cuddle hormone”) to be produced more readily in the body, controlling stress and increasing feelings of well-being and satisfaction with life. Scientific research has even found a role for social interaction and emotional support in managing cortisol. As human animals, we are supposed to feel good every day, but in the western world, many of us are using food, alcohol, drugs, TV, and social media to cope with the separation and lack of connection inherent in modern lifestyles. Additionally, poor diet, lack of sunlight, etc., will also affect the ability to attain a natural feeling of “bliss.”

We now know the importance of having a connection to loved ones, self-love and mana (respect), and a strong social and familial support network for overall health. Research shows that our connection to ourselves and others supports hormone balance. We even share microbiomes with those we connect with. Our thoughts are known to influence our physiology, and so thinking good thoughts is also key. Learning new skills is important for brain health as we age, and that can only help our hormonal function. Having purpose and enjoying creative endeavours can enhance a sense of connection, and techniques to connect with your inner child (inner bonding) can strengthen heart-centred communication. We can create energy in our body and support our feel-good chemicals by having a regular loving and caring practice for self.

Practicing inner bonding and self-care, having a sense of purpose every day and/or having a creative or educational practice, and establishing social and strengthening familial bonds may support female hormone balance throughout the reproductive years and help women get through menopause in a much smoother way.

There is also evidence to suggest that our connection to the earth and nature is important for our health. There are traditional humans who still walk barefoot on the earth or use natural materials for footwear and live within the natural environment. Research shows that regular barefoot grounding, or earthing, can support our circadian rhythm and biological clock, which supports our female hormones. Grounding and being in nature have been shown to benefit the human microbiome as well as our mood, immune health, and hormones, because we can become exposed to all sorts of spores and microbes and natural sounds. Our brain waves show an increase in the relaxed state “alpha” brain waves when we are grounded or in nature, which is one of the reasons we experience a sense of calm when we walk in the bush or forest (“forest bathing”) or barefoot at the beach. Swimming in natural bodies of water is the ultimate in grounding, and it gets you outside and into some cool or cold water (see Part 2).

Focused wisdom for:

• Teens and puberty: self-love is one of the strongest predictors of health. Teach them self-love and self-respect, with constructive and positive self-talk, and you will set them up for life.
• Adults of all ages and stages can benefit from learning self-love techniques like inner bonding and implementing self-care routines, which can help you to connect with others.
• All ages and stages may find benefit from walking barefoot on grass or the beach for just 30-60 minutes a day.
• The more adventurous might wish to combine cold water plunging, or forest bathing, and early morning sunlight exposure, with being grounded.

If you are at all concerned with any part of your reproductive and/or hormonal life, please see your GP or connect with a natural health professional to personalise your diet, lifestyle, and herbal supplements.

See Ancestral Wisdom for Female Hormonal Health, Part 2

And for the rest of the Women’s Health Series:

The 3 Ms and the Female Hormonal Life Cycle, Part 1 – Menarche

The 3 Ms and the Female Hormonal Life Cycle, Part 2 – Menstruation

The 3 Ms and the Female Hormonal Life Cycle, Part 3 – Menopause

The Female Microbiome