Estrogen is the queen bee of reproductive hormones in the female body. It is famous for its role in the development of secondary sex characteristics ( e.g growth of breasts) and for the major role it plays in ovulation. Estrogen is that little bit of femme power that causes the uterine lining to build up in the first half of your cycle. It works in intricate balance with the other reproductive hormone – progesterone, which is produced by the corpus luteum in the second half of the cycle.
Estrogen is of great importance in your body, however, like with many good things in life, too much of it is not a good thing! Estrogen dominance is when the amount of estrogen in relation to progesterone is too high. Estrogen dominance has been commonly linked to weight gain, leaky gut, ovarian cysts, fibroids, breast and uterine cancer, infertility, and increased blood clotting.
What Causes Estrogen Dominance?
- The age factor – Typically as women go into perimenopause the quality of the progesterone-producing corpus luteum declines. At this stage, women also do not always experience regular ovulation and therefore estrogen levels tend to rise unopposed by progesterone.
- Stress – I am being polite when I say stress places a MASSIVE strain on bodily functions. Stress causes an overproduction of hormones like cortisol and estrogen that then proceed to throw entire systems out of whack
- Hormonal Contraceptives – Most hormonal contraceptives rely on high doses of estrogen to suppress ovulation, and so this puts your body in a prolonged state of high estrogen exposure. FYI, the amount of estrogen in the pill is significantly higher than the normal estrogen levels during a natural menstrual cycle.
- Our food/diet – Just like many other living things, we are essentially nurtured by the soil. Sadly our current ways of growing food are so nasty to the soil and foods they produce thereof. The use of pesticides like glyphosate has become ridiculously widespread and these chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors ( they mess with your hormonal balance)
- Being overweight – Body fat has the ability to produce extra estrogen causing estrogen dominance which in turn causes more weight gain.
- Toxic overload – Because of modern-day living, we are generally exposed to a whole bunch of toxins daily like e.g parabens, microplastics, and heavy metals. These toxins can easily overwhelm the liver and kidney whose jobs are to detoxify and eliminate any excess estrogen.
What are the Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance?
- Low sex drive
- Irregular or painful menstrual periods
- Heavy/clotted periods
- Inability to ovulate
- Bloating (water retention)
- Breast swelling and tenderness
- Weight gain (mostly around the abdomen and hips)
- Sluggish metabolism
- Foggy thinking, memory loss
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Headaches
- Mood swings ( irritability and depression)
- Hair loss
- Thyroid dysfunction
- PMS
- Leaky Gut
- Increased risk of uterine fibroids
- Increased incidence of ovarian cysts
Treating Estrogen Dominance Holistically
- Diet
- Get Veggied up! Load up on those cruciferous and dark green leafy veggies. Veggies help you build up fiber for good bowel movements and remember that excess estrogen is passed in the bowels.
- Add more beans and legumes to your diet.
- Cut back on Meat, Milk & Eggs. These food contain natural estrogens and the non-organic meats are often grown with the use of synthetic hormones and antibiotics e.g broiler chickens
- Eliminate sugar and all refined, processed foods.
- Ensure you get moderate amounts of healthy fats e.g olive oil, avocados, and fish.
- Avoid alcohol
- Lifestyle
- Move your body regularly- research has proven that physical activity actually curtails the overproduction of estrogen!
- Go for natural skin and makeup products – Your skin is the largest organ and what you put on it is directly absorbed into your bloodstream.
- Avoid aluminum products often found in conventional deodorants and cookware.
- Avoid drinking from plastic bottles. Go for glass or stainless steel.
- It goes without saying, that if you are struggling with estrogen dominance, it is paramount that you avoid all hormonal contraception or Hormone replacement therapy.
