Estrogen dominance occurs when your levels of estrogen are higher than your progesterone. These two hormones like to live in a nice, healthy balance so you get the benefits of both. If your progesterone drops down or your estrogen shoots up, you suddenly find yourself full of symptoms such as PMS, heavy periods, longer periods, clots, weight gain, breast tenderness, mood swings, and potentially estrogen dominant cancers.
Here are simple ways to reduce your risk of estrogen overload:
1) Non-organic/non-free range cattle & poultry are fed estrogen like hormones to grow and become meatier. Make the switch to free-range, hormone-free meat and dairy products.
2) Non-organic vegetables have pesticide residues with an estrogen like chemical structure. Make the switch to organic and avoid these chemicals.
3) Extra hormones, such as birth control and estrogen replacement can increase estrogen. Talk with your doctor about other options or utilize this list for balancing help.
4) Petrochemicals and Parabens in creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfume, hairspray, room deodorizers…etc. can all act like estrogen and mimic its actions. Choose more environmentally safe products without these chemicals.
5) Eat liver friendly foods such as artichokes, onions and garlic, salad greens (not just iceberg lettuce!), ground up flax seeds (not oil), broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale to help process your estrogen more effectively.
6) Take a good quality multivitamin with B6 and magnesium to assist estrogen balance.
7) Limit your alcohol to 2 servings per week. Anything more increases estrogen in your bloodstream and can slow your liver down.
8) Limit your coffee! 500mg of caffeine (4-5cups/day) increases estrogen as well.
9) Work on your stress! Make sure you are setting your boundaries and taking the time to do things for you! This helps support your adrenal glands with hormone balance.
10) Increased fat = increased estrogen. Commit to eating healthy, exercising most days of the week for at least 30 minutes, drinking enough water, and getting your 25-35 grams of fiber per day.