How Do I Know I Have Estrogen Dominance
Diagnosis through a blood test by your doctor. Your doctor is looking for, levels between the normal range listed below. Anything below or above these ranges is considered abnormal. Your doctor will look for Estradiol serum levels through a blood test. This is one of the three estrogen hormones in the human body.
Females
Exogenous Sources Of Estrogen
Exogenous sources of estrogen are often referred to as xenoestrogens. Xeno means foreign, so this term refers to synthetic substances which mimic natural estrogen in our body, but are slightly different biochemically.
Hormonal birth control and hormone replacement therapy can contribute to estrogen dominance. The ethinylestradiol in your pill is a type of xenoestrogen that is stronger than natural estradiol. This can contribute to poor ability to clear natural estrogen in your body as well as damage intestinal bacteria, further impairing your bodys ability to eliminate hormones.
Is Really A Plant Based Diet Healthy Plant
A plant-based diet doesnt mean no meat. It just indicates a diet higher in fruits, vegetables, entire grains, nuts, and seeds. Plant-based meals are a much better option for the bodys immune system and are loaded with phytochemicals and vitamins. Antioxidants in plants help your bodys cells remain healthful and balance out your bodys functions. A plant-based diet is also excellent for people with diabetes, since it contains a lot more fiber and significantly less sugar than a regular American diet.
Plant-based diets include more fiber than other diets, which assists maintain you typical and aids ward off unhealthy cravings. Inflammation is actually a common health threat factor for cancer, but eating plant-based foods might help preserve your bodys inflammation levels in check. Plant-based foods are packed with phytochemicals and antioxidants that fight inflammation inside the body. > > > Plant-Based Diet Estrogen Dominance Or Read On > > > Excess weight contributes to an elevated risk of cancer, and obesity increases the threat of 12 various types.
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How To Lower Estrogen Levels
As stated above, estrogen is just one of the hormones found in both men and women. When we are in perfect health, all our hormones are all in balance with none being outside their normal range. That said, in some cases factors such as medication, weight gain and more cause estrogen to go above its normal levels and become out of balance with progesterone in women or above its optimal levels in men.
Symptoms of estrogen dominance in women include but are not limited to bloating, swollen and tender breasts, decreased sex drive, irregular menstrual periods, increased fatigue and sleep problems, mood swings, headaches, anxiety and panic attacks, weight gain, hair loss and more.
In men, estrogen dominance is characterized by erectile dysfunction, migraines, weight gain, depression, pulmonary hypertension, and enlarged breast tissue.
If you are looking for ways to lower your estrogen levels, then a low estrogen diet may be helpful. A diet to lower estrogen levels is one that.
Drink Plenty Of Filtered Water
Filtered water removes the majority of contaminants from the water. Reverse osmosis is a process where your water passes through a filter that has openings that are as small as .0001 microns. These tiny openings trap particles smaller than the estrogen-inducing agents, and it also passes through a triple filtration system.
Since there are trace amounts of estrogen in your drinking water, this reverse osmosis or filtered water works to remove them. One study ran water through this filtration system and found that it was effective for removing the majority of the estrogen-inducing agents in the water. In turn, this lowers your intake.
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A Brief Introduction To Estrogen Dominance
When Im referring to estrogen in foods, Im talking about specific compounds in the foods that look very similar to the estrogen hormone in your body. So similar that these compounds bind to estrogen receptors in your body and actually exert a biological effect just like the estrogen hormone would!
Since you have estrogen receptors all over your body, excess estrogen can cause symptoms in many different body systems. Some of the common areas that contain estrogen receptors in your body include:
- Reproductive organs
For example, imagine your body secretes one hundred units of estrogen per day which is a healthy limit. But through food and environmental exposure, youre receiving an extra one hundred units of estrogenic substances. This dramatically raises your estrogen levels.
Over time, you start experiencing symptoms in some of the areas I listed above. You have your hormone levels run and your estrogen is incredibly high. Then your practitioner diagnoses you with estrogen dominance.
Estrogenic substances bind to your estrogen receptors telling them to exert the instructions of estrogen. In moderation, this is no issue. But when youre estrogen dominant, your body is flooded with estrogen. Thats when symptoms start to arise.
Plant Based Diet For High Blood Pressure
A plant-based diet is an excellent way to reduce blood pressure and minimize your danger of cardiovascular illness. Almost half of all adults endure from high blood pressure. This situation has no apparent symptoms and is actually a main contributor to the risk of developing several different types of cardiovascular illness. Youll be able to decrease your blood pressure naturally without medication, and many research have shown that a plant-based diet is successful at lowering it. Perform closely together with your wellness care provider to determine if a plant-based diet is correct for you personally.
Vegetarians have a tendency to possess reduce blood pressure simply because they consume more phytochemical-rich foods. In reality, a study of matched cohorts found that vegetarians had a 34% lower risk of building hypertension than omnivores. The results have been a lot more impressive. > > > Plant-Based Diet Estrogen Dominance Or Continue Reading > > > The outcomes of this study bolstered the expanding proof supporting plant-based diets. And it was not only a single study it was a mixture of several observational studies and clinical trials that showed considerable reductions in blood pressure.
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Diet For Balancing Estrogen
Our diet can have a big impact on how well our body metabolizes and successfully eliminates estrogen.
Most of our estrogen gets eliminated through our digestive tract. And when our gut is working well, helped along by a gut-healthy diet, having balanced estrogen levels is so much easier.
Here are some simple diet tweaks that can help you improve your estrogen balance.
Limit Or Avoid These Foods And Drinks To Naturally Regulate Estrogen In Your Body:
Coffee
Limit to one cup or shot of espresso daily or replace with green tea to reduce the burden on your liver to metabolise caffeine
Alcohol
Just one glass of wine can dramatically increase estrogen levels in the body. This is because alcohol changes the way that the body breaks down estrogen. The effect is increased with the amount of alcohol you consume, to aim to limit alcohol to special occasions and stick to maximum 3 glasses in one sitting
Conventional meat and dairy products
Animal products that are not organic often use growth hormones, antibiotics and pesticides in their products, some of which still remain in the final product you consume. Opt for organic, grass-fed or pasture raised where possible
Refined sugar, processed foods and refined carbohydrates
Products like cakes, cookies, white bread, white pasta and deep fried foods promote unstable blood sugar which contribute to and worsen hormonal imbalances due to insulin instability
Non-organic soy
If you choose to consume soy products, opt for strictly organic and unprocessed forms. Soy is one of the most heavily sprayed crops and has been shown to retain significant levels of pesticides and herbicides like roundup. Consume unprocessed, organic soy products in moderation . For most of my estrogen dominant clients and students in Hormone Harmony Academy, I find its best to avoid more processed forms of soy like soy milk, tofu and vegetarian meat substitutes.
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Plant Based Diet Benefits And Stubborn Weight Loss
In Part 3 of my hormone series, I talked about the relationship between estrogen and weight. When estrogen levels are normal, this helpful hormone supports the maintenance of a healthy weight. But, in excess, estrogen may contribute to weight gain and stubborn weight loss .
When it comes to how to get rid of stubborn weight, a plant based diet has many benefits. Here is how plants help:
- Plants increase satiety. Plants help you to feel full, satisfied and satiated. They contain fiber to provide volume and bulk to the food as it passes through the digestive system. Certain plant foods â such as nuts and seeds â also contain protein and fats that contribute to satiety as well.
- Plants support the microbiome. Fiber and polyphenols feed beneficial bacteria? Yes, please! A balanced microbiome is more associated with a healthy weight and altering the microbiome in this direction may help with weight loss.
- Plant foods support hormone balance that leads to weight balance. Insulin, thyroid hormone and cortisol, in addition to estrogen, are important for weight. Whole plant foods support insulin and balanced blood sugar and are needed for an appropriate thyroid hormone response. In addition, we need estrogen detoxification for a healthy thyroid.
Without the nutrients from plants and when carbohydrate levels are too low, this strains the thyroid and adrenal systems in the body making it harder to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
Estrogen Detox and Diet
References
Other Natural Treatments For Estrogen Dominance
Get your sweat on!
Sweating is an alternate route of elimination for toxins and waste products. Reduce the load on your liver by engaging in activities that help you sweat like regular cardiovascular exercise, saunas and warm baths.
Deal with stress
Excess cortisol production from being in a chronic stress state can lower progesterone production and/or halt ovulation .
Find practices that support you to work through unavoidable daily stressors like meditation, breathing practices, massage, yoga, slow nature walks and journaling.
Ditch hormonal birth control
The ethinylestradiol in your pill is a form of xenoestrogen that is stronger than natural estradiol. This contributes to poor ability to clear natural estrogen in your body and can damage intestinal bacteria, further impairing your bodys ability to eliminate hormones.
Consider a switching to a natural alternative to hormonal birth control like the Fertility Awareness Method or barrier methods . Speak to a holistic practitioner about natural alternatives.
Address underlying causes of excess weight or fat loss resistance
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Eat Other Brassica Family Vegetables
Brassica family vegetables include deep leafy greens. The most widely eaten ones are broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, collard greens, and rutabagas. They contain several protective vitamins and minerals that can help with estrogen dominance.
The vegetables in the Brassica family contain high levels of phytochemicals. Research shows that these phytochemicals work to disrupt estrogen receptors and block your body’s natural production of estrogen. They also contain Indole-3-carbinol, and this helps to convert estrogen to a protective layer called 2-OH-estrogens.
How Do Low Estrogen Levels And Diet Affect Each Other
According to a review published by the journal of Clinical Biochemistry, researchers stated that the foods you eat can affect the production and secretion of hormones by direct actions on the gut, by nervous reflexes, through changes in the concentration of various metabolites in the blood, or secondary to changes in circulating gut hormone levels .
In short, your diet may influence your estrogen levels in either direction by influencing estrogen metabolism and excretion in the body . For example a Western dietary pattern may be associated with increased free estradiol in postmenopausal women .
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What Is Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance is a condition wherein levels of the hormone estrogen are higher compared to progesterone in the body. That means even if estrogen is within normal range, you can have estrogen dominance if progesterone levels are low.
A common misconception is that estrogen dominance affects only women, but thats not correct. Just like men have estrogen, they can also have estrogen and progesterone dominance.
You see, mens adrenal glands and testes produce progesterone. In males, this hormone is necessary for the production of testosterone and sperm. Progesterone in women is necessary for pregnancy and preparing the uterus lining for the baby.
On the other hand, the presence of estrogen in the male body was detected over 90 years ago. The main form of estrogens in men is estradiol, which plays a role in male sexual function by modulating libido, spermatogenesis, and erectile function. It also plays a role in liver health.
A domino effect may ensue when hormones arent in balance, and youre bound to experience various problems. The same happens when estrogen levels are higher than normal or when progesterone is too low you may develop estrogen dominance.
The whole story of estrogen dominance started in 1996 when John R. Lee and Virginia Hopkins published a book about estrogen dominance and menopause. Some women may have it due to birth control, such as ethinylestradiol, which can affect their menstrual cycle.
Why Do We Need Estrogen
Beyond its importance for developing and maintaining the reproductive system, estrogen is necessary for childbearing and a healthy, regular menstrual cycle. We also need estrogen in order to maintain bone density, positive mood, and healthy cholesterol levels. Furthermore, estrogen contributes to cognitive function and overall vitality.
Image by Michelle Nash
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Plant Based Diet And Diabetes
The benefits of a plant-based diet happen to be documented for decades. Consuming a wide variety of plants gives the physique with the required vitamins and minerals needed to preserve good wellness. Plant-based foods possess the ability to promote healthful cell, organ, and bone structures. A weak immune method can result in illness, poor healing, and poor manage of blood glucose levels. A plant-based diet also limits saturated fat, which can improve blood pressure and clog blood vessels.
In addition to enhancing all round wellness, the advantages of a plant-based diet extend beyond diabetes. There are numerous reasons why you need to follow a plant-based diet, such as the wellness advantages for the planet and animal welfare. When you have diabetes, this diet might help you reverse the situation, or even avoid it altogether. > > > Plant-Based Diet Estrogen Dominance Or Otherwise Read On > > > This diet is wealthy in vitamins and minerals, as well as high-fiber content. Its also low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt.
In the current study, people following a predominantly plant-based diet have a lower threat of type 2 diabetes than people who do not. This association was consistent across several prespecified subgroups. Furthermore, a diet higher in plant-based foods can improve insulin sensitivity, aid reduce weight, and relieve systemic inflammation. Nonetheless, a lot more research are required to confirm the connection in between plant-based diets and diabetes.
Soy Consumption Is It Helpful Or Not
Soy is said to contain phytoestrogens, specifically isoflavones. Some say it can increase your estrogen levels, others say it has been known to decrease your estrogen levels. Its also important to understand that vegetable oil is in fact, soybean oil. Its best to avoid soybean oil , due to its high fat content and potential negative effects on estrogen levels.
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Can Males Reduce Their Estrogen Levels
Many websites and natural health gurus say that certain diets can lower estrogen levels, but there has been little research into these claims.
Some studies have suggested that specific foods may raise or lower estrogen levels. However, it is unclear whether these foods can address the health effects of high estrogen.
Speak with a doctor before making dietary changes to reduce estrogen. The most healthful diet varies from person to person.
Some research suggests that certain foods may reduce the level of estrogen in the body. However, this research is often low quality or has involved animals rather than humans, and more research is needed.
The following foods may lower levels of estrogen:
Hormone Imbalances Are More Common Than You Think
These days, hormone irregularities are remarkably common. In fact, studies show that upwards of 80% of women suffer from hormone imbalances. PCOS %20is,fail%20to%20regularly%20release%20eggs.” rel=”nofollow”> polycystic ovary syndrome), for example, affects approximately 5 million women in the United States. That makes this condition one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age.
In essence, when you have a hormonal imbalancewhich, by the way, commonly happens in men as wellyou have too much or too little of a particular hormone. When your endocrine glands dont secrete enough of a particular hormone, things go awry. From high cortisol to low testosterone, fluctuations in hormone levels are usually a result of lifestyle factors. And while hormone levels are supposed to fluctuate throughout your lifetime , chronically high or chronically low levels wreak havoc.
There are a few major hormones in the body:
- Cortisol is our main stress hormone.
- T3 and T4 are our two primary thyroid hormones.
- Melatonin controls our sleep and wake cycles .
- Progesterone and testosterone are involved in reproduction theyre often called the female and male hormones, as progesterone is mostly produced by the ovaries, and testosterone is mostly produced in the testicles.
- Insulin is required for the cells in your body to properly use glucose in your bloodstream.
- Estrogen plays an incredibly important role in the functioning of both female and male bodies.
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