Too much estrogen exposure is leading to a modern day epidemic called estrogen dominance, that is harming the health of men and women alike. Unfortunately, most conventional practitioners don’t acknowledge or test for estrogen dominance, and since the symptoms are so diverse, many people suffer with it, without even realizing that’s what they have. Read-on to discover what causes estrogen dominance, some of the most common symptoms of it, why it’s so important that you treat it, and how to both prevent and reverse it naturally.
Xenoestrogens
One major cause of estrogen dominance is xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are environmental estrogen-like compounds that produce intense estrogen-like effects in your body and increase the risk for cancer and other complexities. Xenoestrogens are ubiquitous and unavoidable; they’re the water we drink, in pesticides, herbicides and food products; in industrial pollutants; and in cleaning products, cosmetics, furniture, children’s toys, paint, plastics and food packaging…to name a few.
Animal Estrogens
Even more potent and harmful then xenoestrogens, are the estrogens in meat and dairy products. Animals produce massive amounts of estrogen naturally, and to further compound the problem, factory farmed animals are injected with extra hormones in order to increase their size and profitability. Worse still, cooked meat contains a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compound called PhIP, and it activates estrogen receptors almost as strongly as pure estrogen does.
Symptoms and Health Risks Caused by Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance can lead to a wide range of symptoms and some of the most common include: excess belly fat, sluggish metabolism, mood swings, acne, decreased sex drive, bloating, breast swelling (and breast tissue growth in men), fibrocystic breasts, menstrual irregularities, PMS, cold hands and feet, fatigue, foggy thinking, insomnia and hair loss. If left untreated, it can markedly accelerate the aging process and may also increase the risk for allergies and other autoimmune disorders, breast and uterine cancer; heart attack and stroke; infertility, impotence, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, thyroid disease, increased blood clotting and rheumatoid arthritis.
How to Prevent and/or Reverse Estrogen Dominance
The most important thing you can do is vastly reduce your intake of animal products. Consume a whole-foods, plant-based diet; high in fiber, fruits and veggies, and completely eliminate dairy. Focus on getting your protein from plant-based sources such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, beans and legumes. Meat in moderation is okay, but you should limit your intake to just 2-3 ounce servings as an occasional treat, as oppose to the standard American serving of 8-12 ounce slabs, almost daily. When/if you do eat meat, make sure to only consume organic, pasture raised meat. The meat from cows that are allowed to roam freely in the sun, and to eat a natural diet of grass and plants is far healthier than the meat that comes from cows that are immobile in a stable, fed hormones and bred to be all fat and little muscle.
You should also reduce your intake of fat and eliminate vegetable oils, as excess fats are converted into estrogen in the gut. Finally, choose organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, in order to reduce your herbicide and pesticide exposure.
In addition to modifying your diet, you should also make sure to only buy BPA-free packaged foods. This is important because plastics made with BPA are one of the most potent sources of xenoestrogens and the xenoestrogens seep into the food and water that is contained within them. Also, avoid microwaving plastics (use glass instead) and never leave plastic water bottles in a hot car or the sun – as the heat causes more xenoestrogens to be released. Reusable glass water bottles are far superior to plastic ones and should be used whenever possible. In addition, buy organic cleaning products and cosmetics and make sure you exercise regularly. Finally, if you are already experiencing symptoms of estrogen dominance, you will likely require added support, in order to get your hormones back into balance.
Bioidentical progesterone and a high quality estrogen reducing supplement such as EstroBlock (http://estroblock.com/) can both help you to do just that. Be patient, it may take a few months before you notice any major changes, however if you stick with these lifestyle modification, you will eventually notice that you are both looking and feeling better than you have in years.
References:
https://www.bodylogicmd.com/bioidentical-hormones
http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2008/11/dangers-of- excess-estrogen- in-the- aging-male/page-01
http://www.drnorthrup.com/estrogen-dominance/
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/hormones/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2132437/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTjLzxf0BJ4
http://www.nickdelgado.com/how-to-prevent-and-reverse-americas-newest-health-epidemic/
