Support liver health
Liver health is also important in preventing estrogen dominance. Much of estrogen metabolism occurs in the liver and failure to adequately break it down can result in the recirculation of metabolites which can put you at risk for other diseases.
Improve your liver health by eating clean, upping your intake of bitter leafy greens, drinking lots of water, and reducing your toxic load by reducing preservative-laden foods. You will find liver-supporting foods below.
Eat Brassica family vegetables
This food group is particularly important in estrogen dominance. Brassica family vegetables contain a compound called Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which supports healthy phase 1 conversion of estrogen to 2-OH-estrogens in women. We know that this phase helps protect against estrogen dominant conditions while decreasing other metabolites that are known to exacerbate estrogen dominant conditions.
This group of veggies is a great source of fiber, which helps clear estrogens through bowel movements.
Members of this family include:
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts
Kale
Rutabaga
Rapini
Kohlrabi
Bokchoy
Collard Greens
Reduce stress
Stress relief is helpful for modulating ED. When cortisol is secreted in excess, blood sugar rises, which then increases insulin levels. High insulin states perpetuate inflammation and promote obesity, two risk factors for estrogen dominance. Imbalanced cortisol on its own has been linked to higher inflammatory states. Try reducing stress by exercising, practicing meditation, and mindfulness. Use adaptogenic herbs and focus on an anti-inflammatory diet.
Eat clean meats
A diet full of poor quality saturated fat and trans fats promote inflammation. Poor quality meats tend to be riddled with high amounts of these types of fats. Animals fed grain and corn aren’t as lean and tend to be fed antibiotics and injected with hormones to increase their weight for greater profit.
These added chemicals not only increase the toxic load on our body when we eat these foods, but the added hormones also add estrogen to our bodies, promoting estrogen dominance!
Go with grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, or at least try to pick meats that are raised hormone and antibiotic-free.
Avoid chemical products
A number of chemical compounds mimic estrogen in the body, increase aromatase, are liver toxic, and in general, are carcinogenic.
Chemicals specifically found to lead to estrogen-dominant conditions include:
A) Found in cosmetic products and soaps:
Metallo estrogens such as aluminum salts
parabens
cyclosiloxanes
phthalates
UV sunscreens
B) Plastic packaging:
Styrene – a widely used plastic for food packaging
Bisphenol-A (BPA): the WORST – found to activate aromatase, lower progesterone effects, bind and activate estrogen
C) Birth Control Pills/Oral Contraceptives
Lose weight
This is by far the hardest one on the list, so start with the others and see if it makes a difference in how you feel.
Be patient, hormone balance does take time.
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