Why It Is Important To Keep Your Estrogen Levels
Estrogen is responsible for regulating many functions in females and is a crucial hormone in the female health journey. From puberty, through fertility and menopause, estrogen also plays an important role in reducing the risk of certain diseases and has even been shown to play a protective factor in heart health.
What You Can Do: Stop Overeating The Foods That Cause Insulin Resistance
How do we ensure our insulin levels remain balanced? First, we need to stop eating too much. Its a known fact that overeating leads to insulin resistance, especially when we eat too much food thats no good for our bodies and minds. When we eat too much sugar, too much fast food, and too many processed carbohydrates, insulin goes haywire. These elevated insulin levels lead to weight gain and low-grade inflammation. A 2010 study published in the journal Diabetes found that even eating too much of these foods in the short term leads to insulin resistance and weight gain.
You may also want to restrict carbohydrates in your diet. According to a study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, a low-carb diet prevents metabolic syndrome and the insulin resistance that causes it. Other findings show drinking green tea, consuming omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, and eating adequate amounts of protein all help balance insulin levels.
The Estrogen Dominance Diet Foods To Include
If youre finding my dietary suggestions overwhelming, focus your energy on the foods to avoid. It is more important you avoid the foods I listed above than include the foods I list below. Once you have the above foods eliminated, work towards increasing your serving sizes of the following.
Foods with sulforaphane
Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane. These include veggies like:
- Broccoli
- Sardines
- Egg yolks
Yes, you can get omega-3 from flax. But dont forget all the estrogenic activity caused by flaxseed. If its omega-3 youre after, get it from fatty fish. Plant sources dont contain anywhere near the levels of DHA and EPA when compared to fish.
While there is no research directly connecting omega-3 fats and their anti-estrogenic effects, there is research suggesting omega-3 intake improves PCOS symptoms and helps with both breast cancer prevention and treatment. Combine this with a ton of data suggesting omega-3 fats lower inflammation and youve got a good justification as to why these foods should be in the estrogen-dominant diet.
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Sample Diet For Your Estrogen Dominance Treatment Plan
Now that weve covered all the basics of how to eliminate estrogen dominance naturally, its time to put it all into action!
To help you get started, Ive put together a comprehensive post that walks you through what you need for a hormone balancing diet.
You get a breakdown of foods to eat, supplements, herbs and a few download .
For more details, visit this post on how to put together a hormone balance diet plan.
There Are Several Ways To Trigger The Formation Of Estrogen Or Maintain Estrogen Levels Here Are A Few Foods To Achieve That
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Estrogen is a hormone present in both males and females which helps in many important biological processes. Primarily, it is required more in women for their development of sexual health and reproductive system.
It is produced in ovaries, fat tissues, and adrenal glands. It performs several mandatory functions like improving cognitive health and cardiovascular system, making bones strong, and motivating several body processes.
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Estrogen Foods To Avoid:
The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of a diet that may promote healthy estrogen levels in the body. The diet, which is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and fish, limits foods associated with increased estrogen levels such as red meat and highly processed foods .
Other diets that may help keep your estrogen levels in check are fiber-rich diets that focus on consuming whole grains .
Whole grains containing huge amounts of fiber may help reduce the absorption of cholesterol, which then helps reduce the circulating levels of estrogen in the blood.
Plant-based diets are also good for people struggling with high estrogen levels. Avoiding animal products goes a long way in keeping estrogen levels in check. The consumption of more plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes lowers saturated fat levels in the body .
What Changes Happen During Menopause
During the transition to menopause and beyond, the hormone estrogen begins to decline, disrupting your normal cyclical patterns of estrogen and progesterone .
Declining estrogen levels negatively impact your metabolism, potentially leading to weight gain. These changes may also affect your cholesterol levels and how your body digests carbs (
Fortunately, making changes in your diet may help relieve menopause symptoms.
Summary
Menopause is a natural transition in a womans life as her menstrual cycles come to an end. Changes in hormones can cause symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep and may negatively affect metabolism and bone density.
There is evidence that certain foods may help relieve some symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, poor sleep and low bone density.
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Foods That Increase Estrogen Levels Naturally
Written byEmily LunardoPublished onJune 2, 2018
The transition into menopause has been attributed to the decrease of hormonal estrogen in the body, which is responsible for womens sex characteristics. The following are some of the physiological changes that are attributed to estrogen:
- Responsible for female puberty
- Control growth of the uterine lining during the menstruation cycle and at the beginning of pregnancy
- Involved in breast development and breast changes seen during pregnancy
- Play a role in bone and cholesterol metabolism
- Helps to regulate food intake, body weight, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity
Phytoestrogens As Food & Breast Cancer Risk
There has been much speculation about the risk of breast cancer from phytoestrogens in soy products. This is mainly based on the misconception that because these foods contain oestrogen-like compounds, they might stimulate breast tissue in the same way that our own body’s oestrogen or pharmaceutical oestrogen can.
A 2006 review of research on the link between phytoestrogens and breast cancer showed that:
- there is a small reduction in the risk of breast cancer associated with phytoestrogen consumption
- the risk of breast cancer was reduced more in premenopausal women who consumed soy compared to postmenopausal women
- a diet high in phytoestrogen in early life may be important for the anti-cancer effects of phytoestrogens in later life
There is conflicting data on the breast cancer risk of individual isoflavones, daidzein and genistein, that are found in soy. For this reason, supplements containing individual soy isoflavones, and soy supplements which have standardised amounts of these constituents should be avoided. Eating whole soy foods is safer.
A 2013 review highlights that studies that show that eating soy decreases the risk of developing breast cancer, are done in Asian rather than Western cultures. This is likely attributed to the greater amount of soy consumed in Asian diets compared to Western diets. In a typical Asian diet, the average daily intake of isoflavones is 25-50mg, whereas in Western diets the amount of soy isoflavones is less than 1mg per day!
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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
The Bottom Line On Balancing Estrogen Naturally
Balancing estrogen levels naturally doesnt have to be an extra to-do on your already full list.
Most of these diet and lifestyle adjustments are what I would recommend for any woman looking to improve their general health and wellbeing.
There are some targeted approaches we can take to balance estrogen, specifically. But implementing these changes will help improve not only your hormone balance but your overall health as well.
Have you had any success with changing your diet and reducing excess estrogen? Please share your story in the comments below!
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How To Increase & Boost Estrogen Levels
Why Should I Increase & Boost Estrogen?
Increase Estrogen Through Supplementation
Why Should I Increase & Boost Estrogen?
I was born with less of an ability to create the hormone that is so important to who I am!
Boost Estrogen Through Diet
Why Should I Increase & Boost Estrogen?
I began my journey of Estrogen Boosting through diet.
Increase Estrogen Through Supplementation
Increase Estrogen Through Supplementation
Increase Estrogen Through Supplementation
I quickly realized that I needed an Estrogen Booster to get the results I so desperately wanted!
Keep Toxic Chemicals Out Of Your Home
- Choose chemical-free and biodegradable laundry and household cleaning products. As an alternative way, you can create your own detergent with baking soda, washing soda, Borax, and gentle bar soap.
- Use chlorine-free products and unbleached paper products .
- Install high-quality filters in your house to clean the water from chlorine, fluoride and other industrial chemicals.
- Reduce plastic products to the maximum. Avoid plastic water bottles, food containers, and bags.
- Purchase furniture for your house carefully. Avoid furniture bathed in flame-retardants which are xenoestrogens. Instead, try to find flame-retardant-free furniture. Also, it is better to use natural latex foam cushions.
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What Is The Endocrine System
The endocrine system is in charge of coordinating the relationship between different organs and hormones, which are chemicals that are released into your bloodstream from cells within your endocrine glands.
Hormones are secreted by various glands and organs, including your thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, ovaries, testicles and pancreas. The entire endocrine system works together to control the level of hormones circulating throughout your body, and if one or more is even slightly imbalanced, it can cause widespread health problems affecting growth, sexual development and function, sleep, metabolism and hunger.
Once your hormones are in circulation, they target specific tissues or cells by binding to receptors that are located inside the cell or on its surface. These hormones work as chemical messengers and play a key role in your bodys daily functions.
The endocrine system is made up of many glands, including the pituitary gland or master gland thats responsible for sending information from your brain to other glands in your body. The pituitary gland also produces many hormones that travel throughout the body and have different important functions.
The pituitary gland is made up of two different tissue types: the anterior pituitary that synthesizes and releases classic hormones, and the posterior pituitary gland that secretes neurohormones that are made in the hypothalamus.
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Weight Gain And Cellulite
If youre low on progesterone, your body wont burn fat stores for energy. In addition, you lose progesterones anti-catabolic benefits, which help to protect your muscle tissue, particularly when youve had a rough week.
Your body will not burn fat. Instead, you will pull glucose into your bloodstream, which often means your body starts breaking down your muscle tissue to provide this quick source of energy. This can, in turn, lead to the production of cellulite.
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How Diet Impacts Estrogen
Research shows that specific diets are linked to high estrogen levels. For example, the Standard American Diet , which is characterized by conventional red meat and dairy, processed foods, sugary treats, and refined grains can cause hormone imbalance.
More than ever, its important to take inventory of what youre putting in your body. Conventional animal products contain high amounts of estrogen. In essence, hormones have been used for decades to accelerate animal growth. Synthetic estrogen and testosterone are the most common, unfortunately. Not only are these synthetic hormones harmful to the animals and usconsumersbut they contribute to environmental issues too.
What Happens To Estrogen As You Age
There are three types of estrogen in your body, depending on which stage of life youre in:
- Estrone : This is a weaker form of estrogen in women who are past the point of childbearing and are in menopause.
- Estradiol : Produced in the ovaries, this is the most common form of estrogen in non-pregnant women. This form peaks just before ovulation and drops right after it.
- Estriol : Created by a womans placenta during pregnancy, this is a weaker form of estrogen that becomes more dominant when a woman is pregnant since her body is no longer stimulating the release of an egg each month.
Even though women past childbearing years are more likely to experience drops in estrogen, its possible for this to happen a few years before menopause hits .
Its also possible for women who are still ovulating to experience low estrogen levels too.
Because of this, women of all ages must recognize the red flags signaling something may not be right with their hormone levels.
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Ways To Detox Estrogen
Do you suffer from any of the following
- Acceleration of the aging process
- Allergies, including asthma, hives, rashes, sinus congestion
- Breast cancer
- Breast tenderness
- Cervical dysplasia
- Depression with anxiety or agitation
- Dry eyes
- Fat gain, especially around the abdomen, hips and thighs
- Fatigue
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Foggy thinking
- Increased blood clotting
- Infertility
- Sluggish metabolism
- Uterine fibroids
- Weight loss resistance
Then you may be suffering from estrogen dominance!
Estrogen is fundamental to the formation offemale sexual characteristics and reproductive function. In other words its what helps grow breasts, pubic hair and armpit hair. It also stimulates growth of the inner lining of the uterus during the menstrual cycle, increases uterine growth, improves lubrication of the vagina, and thickens the vaginal wall while increasing blood vessels to the skin.
If all is in check, Estrogen gives us soft, voluptuous, wrinkle free womanliness AND the ability to make us orgasm! If Estrogen is not in check she becomes the beast making us overweight, angry, and certainly not sexual!
When estrogen levels are too high or the ratio between estrogen and progesterone is off it is called estrogen dominance.
Estrogen dominance can be caused by a number of different reasons such as xenoestrogens man made chemicals in the environment that mimic estrogen in our bodies and act as endocrine disruptors even in minute concentrations.
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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Estrogen Balancing Diet : What Foods Increase Sex Drive For Males
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Bonus: 4 Supplements To Help You Overcome Estrogen Dominance
Finally, there are health supplements you can take to help you overcome your estrogen dominance. Since there are hundreds available, we rounded up the top four below.
1. Maca Root
Maca Root comes from the Andes mountains, and it’s an important component in Peruvian cooking to help flavor dishes. However, Maca Root also has a vital role to play with helping to balance out your hormones.
Studies show that Maca Root can help to stabilize your hormone levels and balance out your estrogen and progesterone levels. Twenty-two participants got split into two groups of 11 for the study. Group A got 20 mg of Maca Root per day, and Group B got a placebo. At the end of four months, they found that the group A had far reduced levels of estrogen over the placebo group.
2. Berberine
Berberine is an extract that comes from several different plant sources. It has a long history of medicinal use by the Chinese. It’s also important for regulating your hormones.
One study involving Chinese women took 102 women and gave them 0.4 grams of Berberine three times a day to help stabilize their hormone levels. At the end of the four-month study, they found that 14 women regained a normal menstrual cycle and had healthy hormone levels.
3. Ashwagandha
This medicinal herb is a powerful and natural adaptogen. It has a usage history that dates back over 3,000 years, and it’s useful for both emotional and physical health problems.
4. Probiotics
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