Can You Replace Estrogen Naturally

Supplements And Vitamins For Estrogen Dominance

If you have tried all of the natural solutions covered in this article, and are still dealing with signs of estrogen dominance, consider adding one or two of the following supplements to your regime to support your body to lower estrogen levels and efficiently clear excess estrogen naturally. Always visit a health care practitioner before beginning any new supplement or vitamin to make sure it is an appropriate choice for you.

Vitamin B6

B6 supports progesterone production, which is often low in estrogen dominance. Improving the ratio of estrogen to progesterone can be helpful in reducing symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Diindolylmethane

DIM is a concentrated compound derived from indole-3-carbinol . This compound is only to be used when working with a practitioner and when estrogen excess has been confirmed, as it is a powerful way of lowering high estrogen levels. In conditions where estrogen levels are not high, DIM can do more harm than good by significantly lowering estrogen, so do not use this supplement without professional guidance.

A high quality magnesium and B-complex

These nutrients are needed to support optimal liver function

Broccoli sprout extract

Broccoli sprout is a gentler form of indole-3-carbinol which supports the breakdown of estrogen in the liver. It is less powerful than DIM so may be an appropriate choice if you have milder symptoms or high estrogen levels have not been confirmed through functional testing.

Calcium D-glucarate

Are Natural Alternatives To Estrogen Replacement Therapy Safe

Although individuals often consume natural products because of their potential health benefits, a review indicates that it is not clear whether the benefits of plant-derived compounds that mimic estrogen outweigh the possible health risks.

Phytoestrogens are compounds from plants that are similar in structure to estrogen and are found in a variety of foods, especially soy. Some women may consume phytoestrogens promoted as natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy to help ease menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes or to protect against bone loss.

When Ivonne Rietjens, PhD, of Wageningen University in The Netherlands, and her colleagues analyzed the published medical literature, they found that several potential health benefits of phytoestrogens have been reported, including lowered risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, brain function disorders, and various types of cancer, in addition to reduced menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens are considered endocrine disruptors, however, which indicates that they have the potential to cause negative health effects, including infertility and increased risks of cancer in estrogen-sensitive organs such as the breast and uterus.

Why You Need Estrogen

Estrogens main function is to control reproductive changes in women, but it serves other roles in both male and female bodies, including:

Each of these phytoestrogens has antioxidant properties. This means that in addition to the nutrients potential health benefits, they fight cell damage in our bodies linked to a wide range of chronic diseases.

The best dietary sources of phytoestrogens include:

1. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are the richest dietary source of lignans . Researchers believe they lower breast cancer risk. You can sprinkle flaxseeds on many dishes, bake them into bread and cookies, or blend them into smoothies and spreads.

2. Soy

Soy contains high levels of isoflavones, phytoestrogens that may mimic estrogens effects and reduce the risk of both breast and prostate cancer. Soy is also rich in a range of essential vitamins and minerals. It can support heart health as an alternative to red and processed meats. Its also extremely versatile you can include soy in your diet with foods like tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soymilk.

3. Peaches

Because of their high lignan content, studies show that eating two servings of peaches or nectarines a week reduces a womans breast cancer risk. Researchers find similar effects from consuming blueberries and strawberries.

4. Garlic

5. Red Wine

6. Sesame Seeds

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What Are The Benefits Of Hrt

Benefits of hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women, include:

• Increased elasticity of the blood vessels, allowing them to dilate and let the blood flow more freely throughout the body
• Improved short-term symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and mood swings, as well as vaginal dryness, dry skin, sleeplessness and irritable bladder symptoms
• Possible decreased incidence of Alzheimers disease
• Possible improvement of glucose levels

Added Sugars And Processed Carbs

38 ).

In one study in 196 menopausal women, caffeine and alcohol intake increased the severity of hot flashes but not their frequency .

On the other hand, another study associated caffeine intake with a lower incidence of hot flashes .

Therefore, it may be worth testing whether eliminating caffeine affects your hot flashes.

Another factor to consider is that caffeine and alcohol are known sleep disruptors and that many women going through menopause have trouble sleeping. So, if this is the case for you, consider avoiding caffeine or alcohol near bedtime.

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Menopause Diet: How What You Eat Affects Your Symptoms

• The Bottom Line

Menopause is a natural transition in a womans life as her menstrual cycles come to an end.

Its confirmed 12 months after your last period. However, the transition and symptoms associated with menopause can last for several years .

While menopause is linked to many uncomfortable symptoms and increases your risk of certain diseases, your diet may help reduce symptoms and ease the transition.

This article discusses how what you eat may affect your symptoms.

Natural Estrogen Replacement: The Great Debate

Because bioidentical estrogen is in the same form as the estrogen in our bodies, some argue that our bodies recognize it easier and therefore it gives us less chance of unwanted side effects.

They contend that bioidentical hormones are clearly superior over synthetic hormones, while others say that there is not enough evidence to prove this.

I recommend talking to your doctor and looking into natural estrogens found in herbal supplements.

Years of women using these herbs with positive experiences along with the low possibility of side effects is a great reason to take natural estrogen supplements.

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Natural Estrogen Replacement After Menopause

Estrogen is not a singular hormone rather, the term estrogen actually encompasses a close-knit group of three hormones: estriol, estradiol, and estrone. Since different hormones interact, the low or high level of estrogen hormone in the body can start to cause problems with other hormones, namely progesterone. Often, early perimenopause symptoms are characteristic of progesterone deficiency rather than low estrogen. This interruption of hormone balance is one of the main causes of the menopause symptoms that women experience. Estrogen and progesterone counteract and balance one another out, and any kind of deficiency or excess of either hormone may cause unpleasant results.

How Serious Are Side Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Most side effects of HRT are not severe. However, HRT can rarely cause more severe side effects, including double vision, depression, extreme weakness and fatigue, fever, and severe abdominal pain. If you experience these or any other concerning or persistent symptoms, call your healthcare provider immediately.

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How Is Estrogen Broken Down In The Body

Once your body has created natural estrogen and it has exerted its effects in the desired tissues in the body, it needs to be metabolised and eliminated. Estrogen is broken down via two steps.

The first step takes place in the liver where natural and synthetic estrogen-like substances are broken down. The second step takes place in the gut where the metabolised estrogen is packaged up and eliminated via our stool.

If either or both of these processes is not functioning optimally, estrogen can be reabsorbed into circulation rather than eliminated, contributing to high levels of estrogen.

The breakdown of estrogen in the liver requires several nutrients including B-vitamins, magnesium, glycine and selenium. Deficiency in these nutrients can slow or impair liver breakdown of estrogen and other hormones. Liver function is further impaired by high intake of alcohol, caffeine and pharmaceutical drugs.

The second part of estrogen metabolism happens in the gut. This requires a healthy gut bacteria , as well as regular bowel movements. Having an unhealthy ratio of bacteria in your gut can cause estrogen to be reabsorbed rather than broken down and eliminated. Similarly, if you are suffering from constipation or infrequent bowel movements, there is more time for estrogen to be reabsorbed, contributing to estrogen excess.

Eat Estrogen Rich Foods

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. So food is the first option to explore when we look for natural treatment for estrogen deficiency.

Certain foods are rich in phytoestrogens, plant-based estrogen. They are an excellent natural hormone replacement that easily converts into estrogen in the body.

Soy, millet, barley, flax seed, lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, rye, clover, fennel, and chickpeas are super-rich in phytoestrogens.

Other foods that contain phytoestrogens include apples, brown rice, celery, beets, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, and almost all seeds, beans and legumes.

In general, moistening and lubricating foods are yin friendly. So add plenty of water in your cooking and many of the estrogen-rich foods are excellent ingredients for yummy and nourishing soups and stews.

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Keeping Or Restoring Strong Healthy Bones

Osteoporosisthinning of the bone tissueis common, particularly among Caucasian women, after menopause. The cause is not an inadequate calcium intake, ordinarily. The problem is abnormally rapid calcium loss, aggravated by the following five calcium wasters:

Use An Infrared Sauna:

Your skin is your largest organs and one of your most important detoxifying organs. Its way of detoxification is through sweating. While being outside on the summer heat is a great way to sweat, it is not the most effective. The sun is not available year-around and you have to be careful with the ultraviolet light and skin damage.

Infrared sauna, on the other hand, is a sauna that releases infrared light. Infrared light is safe and goes deeper into your body allowing to release fat-soluble toxins, lower toxic burdens, and even enhance internal detox pathways as well. Here is a helpful article on how to use an infrared sauna for detoxification.

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Bioidentical Or Natural Hormones

Bioidentical hormones are hormone preparations made from plant sources that are promoted as being similar or identical to human hormones.

Practitioners claim these hormones are a “natural” and safer alternative to standard HRT medicines.

However, bioidentical preparations are not recommended because:

• they are not regulated and it’s not clear how safe they are there’s no good evidence to suggest they’re safer than standard HRT
• it’s not known how effective they are in reducing menopausal symptoms
• the balance of hormones used in bioidentical preparations is usually based on the hormone levels in your saliva, but there’s no evidence that these levels are related to your symptoms

Bioidentical hormones are not the same as body identical hormones. A body identical hormone, or micronised progesterone, can be prescribed to treat menopausal symptoms.

Many standard HRT hormones are made from natural sources, but unlike bioidentical hormones, they’re closely regulated and have been well researched to ensure they’re as effective and safe as possible.

Lifestyle And Diet Changes

You can easily add exercise into your daily routine. Doing so will help boost energy and estrogen levels, as well as helping fight the symptoms of menopause. Something as simple as going out for a walk three times a week can help keep your body strong and fight menopause. Also, introduce more fruits and veggies into your diet and you will gradually see a change in how you feel.

It is important to know if you should attempt to boost estrogen levels, but you should also learn about the other symptoms of menopause. Click on the following link to find out about the different treatments for increasing estrogen levels.

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Minimize Xenoestrogen Containing Products:

If possible, it is wise to discuss with your doctor or health care practitioners about coming off all oral contraceptives, hormone creams, and hormone based prescription medications. You may need to wean off of these slowly so it is imperative to discuss this with your prescribing practitioner.

Additionally, you want to do your best to reduce your exposure to plastics, tin cans and conventional hygiene products that contain parabens and sodium lauryl sulfates. Look for natural and organic personal hygiene products that minimize chemicals in their manufacturing process.

Estrogen Side Effects And Risks

Hormone therapy is not without its risks. In fact, hormone therapy is not used as widely as it once was because research began revealing complications with long-term use, such as cancer and heart risks.

However, thanks to these studies, doctors and medical researchers have a better understanding of who will benefit most from estrogen therapy and who should try other treatments.

The risk factors and side effects associated with estrogen use include:

• Blood clots: Estrogen increases your risk of blood clots, which can cause stroke, heart attack, and even death.
• Cancer: Estrogen may increase your risk of certain cancers, specifically breast cancer. Talk with your doctor about your personal health history, your family history, and your risk of breast cancer.
• Birth defects: If youre using estrogen or hormone therapy and become pregnant, your pregnancy may end prematurely. If youre able to carry a pregnancy to full term, birth defects are common for babies born to women using estrogen.
• Dense breast tissue: Women who take estrogen may develop dense breast tissue. Dense tissue makes reading mammograms harder, so detecting breast cancer in its early stages may be difficult.

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What Can Phytoestrogens Do For Your Health

A plant-based diet is very rich in natural phytoestrogens in healthy amounts, especially from soy.

To a limited extent, phytoestrogens could serve as a type of natural hormone replacement therapy. This is especially the case with phytoestrogen supplements.

Because they mimic your bodys own estrogen, phytoestrogens accomplish some of the same things. Other potential benefits of phytoestrogens include:

Tips To Balance Estrogen Levels Naturally

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Does Coffee Increase Estrogen

However, white women who consumed 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day had slightly lower estrogen levels than women who consumed less. Black women who consumed 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day were found to have elevated estrogen levels, but this result was not statistically significant.

Reduce Exposure To Environmental Estrogens

Environmental contributors to estrogen dominance include xenoestrogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals . To reduce your exposure to these toxins and naturally lower your estrogen levels, consider these simple tips:

• Prioritise organic fruit and vegetables – these products do not contain pesticides and growth agents which contribute to the toxic load in your body. If buying all organic is unaffordable, follow the Environmental Working Groups Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen list

• Use glass containers for storing and reheating food, instead of plastic

• Use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic

• Choose organic meat and dairy where possible. If this is not possible, avoid eating the fatty parts of meats of conventionally raised animals as this is where most toxins are stored

• Consider an inexpensive water filter

• Slowly swap out regular personal care products with low-tox, natural alternatives.

• Avoid using cling-wrap and other soft, flexible plastics – opt for natural beeswax wraps or paper bags as an alternative for storing and wrapping foods

• Minimise consumption of foods from tin cans, and choose BPA-free labelled cans where possible

• Slowly swap out regular cleaning products in your home with low-tox, natural alternatives

• Consider ditching the birth control pill or other hormone replacement therapy after consultation with your primary care provider. Speak to a holistic practitioner about natural alternatives to hormonal birth control and HRT

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