Estrogen Dominance: Signs you may be estrogen dominant
& What to do about it
Estrogen is an essential component of being a woman. It's because of estrogen that we ovulate, that we have breasts, that we have a libido, and that we maintain healthy bones and muscles. Estrogen is not the enemy. It actually regulates over a thousand genes in our bodies (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783169/).
So, you don’t want to have too little estrogen, however, when we have too much estrogen, and not enough progesterone, it can cause a lot of unwanted symptoms.
Unfortunately, we are operating in a time where estrogen is at an all time high. Living in our environment today we are constantly surrounded by xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are endocrine disrupting chemicals that mimic estrogen in our bodies. Xenoestrogens are in artificial fragrances, pesticides, plastics, unfiltered tap water, non-organic meat and vegetables, birth control, the list goes on... In our modern industrial world, it's difficult to escape the toxic overload of xenoestrogens.
Why don’t we want to have excess estrogen?
An overabundance of estrogen can lead to a number of problems in women (and men). If not treated it can cause things like hormonal cancers, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune disease, candida overgrowth, and even obesity. And, as we age it becomes increasingly important to make sure your estrogen is as balanced as it can be.
Common Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance:
- Depression or Anxiety
- PMS
- Menstrual problems (heavy bleeding or light bleeding)
- Sore, swollen, or fibrocystic breasts
- Uterine Fibroids
- Weight gain (usually in the hips/thighs/abdomen)
- Loss of libido
Estrogen is metabolized through different pathways in the liver. If these pathways are blocked it can start to cause a lot of the negative side effects mentioned above. When it comes to balancing estrogen, your liver health is key. And, in order to keep your liver happy you have to make sure that your nutrition is dialed in, your stress levels are in check, and you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep. Other common causes of estrogen excess include: Perimenopause, impaired metabolism, and obesity.
Why don’t we want to have excess estrogen?
- Reduce your exposure to xenoestrogens: check your personal care products carefully, avoid the use of plastics, buy organic, drink clean water, take walks in preserved lands!
- Exercise to maintain a healthy weight
- Get off hormonal birth control
- Reduce inflammatory foods like cow’s dairy (cow’s milk causes your estrogen receptors to be hypersensitive)
- Limit your consumption of alcohol
- Incorporate more ways to decrease your stress: meditation, grounding in the forest, and limiting EMF exposure
- Maintain healthy gut bacteria: Avoid antibiotics and eat in a way the supports your microbiome
- Eat to support the liver: greens, cruciferous vegetables, sprouted grains and legumes, healthy fats, and organic sources of protein.
Our favorite supplements for lowering estrogen:
“Healing begins when we start to live the life we really want to be living.” — Dr. Claudia Welch
It’s amazing what can happen when we choose to be open to healing. It can be difficult to stay positive, inspired, or creative when our health is feeling out of whack or weakened, but sometimes we get stuck with a “dis-ease” in the body when we aren’t truly embodying the life we are meant to be living. One of the most powerful medicines can simply be to choose the life you know you are meant to be living out. Maybe that looks like taking a sabbatical to work on the book you’ve always wanted to write, maybe it means quitting your office job to pursue wellness coaching, or maybe it simply means allowing yourself to eat that french croissant at your favorite bakery. Whatever the thing is, before you buy the next supplement, make sure to check in and ask: