Oestrogen Dominance. Big. Complex. Words.
Big. Complex. Issue.
It can lead to horrible hormone symptoms and influence health and fertility
How would you know if YOU have it? And what can you do about it, anyway?
What Is Oestrogen Dominance?
Oestrogen is actually a group of women’s hormones. Sex hormones to be precise.
It’s produced by the ovaries.
Oestrogen is responsible for the changes in girls at puberty- like breasts growing and periods starting.
It controls the lining of the womb in the first part of our monthly cycles.
When a woman falls pregnant, the placenta creates oestrogen to help the body carry the pregnancy. Oestrogen suppresses periods in breastfeeding mothers.
It helps maintain healthy bones, sound sleep and balances cholesterol. Oestogen supports good skin and a healthy urinary tract. It’s involved in different body processes like fluid balance.
Oestrogen expands blood vessels, relieves hot flushes and night sweats, prevents dry vagina and improves memory. Premenopausal and menopausal women will spot menopause symptoms here. Basically, many menopause symptoms are due to low oestrogen.
But what happens when you have TOO MUCH oestrogen?
Too much oestrogen is usually called Oestrogen Dominance. It can mean either just too much oestrogen OR just too little progesterone to balance it out, if that makes sense?
Symptoms Of Oestrogen Dominance.
Common signs of too much oestrogen/ not enough progesterone include:-
- Bloating
- Sore boobs
- Hormonal migraines and other headaches
- Tiredness
- Chilly hands and feet
- Hair loss
- Weight gain and slow metabolism
- Sleeplessness
- Low sex drive
- Period problems
- Thyroid issues
- Endometriosis
- Mood swings, irritability and depression
- Infertility and miscarriage
- Fibroids
- PMS
- Brain fog and memory issues
- and MORE
Oestrogen Dominance – Why Might I Have It?
When women get into pre menopause – which can be late 30s to 40s typically – there can be cycles where no egg is released. So oestrogen goes unbalanced by progesterone.
But in this crazy, modern world, there are other factors that influence oestrogen dominance.
Excess body fat i.e. more than about 28% body fat.
Low fibre diets meaning that excess oestrogen is not being pooped out. Diets low in nutrients, high in refined carbs and low in good fats don’t help.
High stress meaning your stress hormones and fat-storing hormones go haywire. That can lead to adrenal fatigue and hormone imbalance.
Artificial “oestrogens” from plastics and other chemicals which pretend to be oestrogens in our bodies. That also risks hormone health and fertility.
Oestrogen Dominance – What To Do About It.
If you think you may have signs, of course speak with your doctor. Here are my suggestions for superb self-care at home.
Get plenty of fibre
Excess oestrogen needs to be pooped out. If it’s not, it gets reabsorbed and goes round and round your body. Do yourself a favour and make sure you “go” regularly.
Be kind to your liver
Your liver is your filter system. It screens out all the alcohol, drugs, caffeine, toxins, chemicals and other nasties. If it’s already working flat out on that, it’s not going to be that efficient at cleaning our blood of oestrogen.
Learn to love your liver – find out how here.
Reduce stress
Self-care isn’t selfish. Invest time and energy in yourself – removing sources of stress and reducing stress. AND taking the best care of yourself that you can.
I know we’re all busy, but you can’t keep giving from an empty vessel. Somethings gonna give and it just might be your health, hormone balance and wellbeing.
Manage your weight
If you’re carrying to much weight, lose it slowly and sensibly. That’s not crazy slimming diets, removing whole food groups or snarfing the chemical sh1t storm that is diet /lite/slimming products.
Eat real food- also see next point below. Avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed and packaged food and takeaways. Eat good quality carbs in moderation only – it’s sugar and carbs that influence fat storage most.
Take regular, gentle exercise – mix it up a little between weight bearing, fat burning and strengthening. Choose things you’ll enjoy and stick with.
Eat real food
Eat lots of veggies and fruits, organic if you can. Take a look at my guidance on hormone harmers lurking in your fridge.
Take good quality protein with each meal and snack. Think organic meat and poultry, wild fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, beans/peas/lentils, a little organic dairy, fermented organic soy, quinoa.
Choose healthy fats – olive oil, coconut oil, a little organic butter or ghee, nut and seed oils for drizzling.
Have wholegrains in moderation and avoid “white” and processed carbs like white flour, white pasta, white rice, cakes, biscuits etc.
Cut down or avoid caffeine and alcohol to give your liver a rest.
These are common issues I see in my clinic. AND in my online groups. That’s where we can get into more detail on how to reduce your symptoms and get better hormone balance…naturally.
For now, these tips and tricks should really help.
Love,
Recent Comments