Are You Estrogen Dominant?

What You Need to Know About Estrogen Dominance and Xenoestrogens

Estrogen dominant means having more estrogen than progesterone and can occur at any age. In our modern world, estrogen dominance is a big problem. This is because xenoestrogens–estrogens found in our environment–are overly abundant. Xenoestrogens are found in water, food, household cleaners, pesticides and personal care products. Common examples in your daily life may be: water bottles, plastic food storage containers, nail polish, perfume and cologne. Xenoestrogens are endocrine disruptors, meaning they cause hormone imbalance by blocking hormone detoxification or by binding to hormone receptors creating an effect of excess hormones. Worse, xenoestrogens are not biodegradable. Instead, your body stores them inside fat cells.

Xenoestrogens can cause excess estrogen. Having too much estrogen in relation to progesterone may lead to:

Heavy periods
Weight gain, acne, PMS headaches, uterine fibroids, decreased libido and mood fluctuations. For those experiencing estrogen dominance, these unpleasant side effects may spur them to seek strategies for how to flush out extra estrogen.

How to Flush Out Extra Estrogen

If you’re looking for how to flush out extra estrogen, start with your diet. To promote more balanced estrogen levels, opt for organic green-leafy fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish and raw nuts and seeds. If you struggle to eat enough of the healthy foods above, look for supplements that can help fill in nutritional gaps, like Life Extension’s Estrogen for Women, which is formulated with minerals, phytonutrients, soy isoflavones, and potent botanicals like broccoli super concentrate extract.

Give your home and personal care products an overhaul. Read the ingredients list carefully and avoid things like phthalates, parabens, dyes, and BPA (a food preservative). Choose only natural ingredients that are petroleum free.

To help further manage a more balanced estrogen to progesterone ratio, reach for supplements containing any of the following ingredients:

DIM

Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts. DIM helps metabolize and breakdown estrogens in the body and can also shift 16-hydroxy estrogen to the more beneficial 2-hydroxy estrogen metabolite. One and half pounds of raw cruciferous vegetables can provide up to 30 mg of DIM. The standard recommended dosage is 100-200 mg of DIM daily for women and 200-400 mg a day for men, so opting for a supplement form of DIM is a popular choice.

Spanish Black Radish

Spanish Black Radishes have been found to increase Phase 1 and Phase 2 liver detoxification, helping not only cleanse the liver but also regulate hormone levels. This beautiful radish is a hard find in the grocery store, but can be grown in your garden, raised bed or patio container and matures in about 55 days. Add this to salads, roasted vegetables or enjoy with hummus!

Fiber

Diets high in fiber also help promote healthy estrogen levels. Fiber helps bind estrogen in the colon therefore increasing fecal excretion. Popular fibers that help the body remove estrogen are psyllium husk fiber, guar gum, flax seed, and Acacia fiber. Women under 50 should aim for a minimum of 25 grams of fiber a day. Older adults should strive for 21 grams of fiber a day.

I-3-C

Indole-3-Carbinol (I-3-C) is a plant compound found in high amounts in cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli and collard greens. It acts as an antioxidant and also regulates estrogen levels by increasing the ratio of 2-hydroxy estrogen to 16-hydroxy estrogen. 2-hydroxy estrogens are less active than 16-hydroxy estrogens and can be eliminated from the body. Supplements for I-3-C typically provide 100-400 mg of Indole-3-Carbinol. Women struggling with estrogen dominance may find best results with 400 mg daily. For starters, try NutriDyn’s I-3-C Plus Indole-3-Carbinol & DIM, a dietary supplement that may support estrogen formation and normal cellular functions in the body.

Progesterone

Progesterone is the calming hormone that balances the effects of estrogen. Natural progesterone creams can be applied topically to thin-skinned areas of the body. Increasing your progesterone levels can relieve symptoms of night sweats, heart palpitations, missed periods, heavy periods, insomnia, and even brain fog. Dosages of even 30 mg a day of extra progesterone can even have dramatic effects, so more is not always better.

Looking for more ways to support healthy hormone levels and reproductive health? Try Kyolic’s Estro-Logic Optimal Estrogen Balance.

Entering Menopause

We’ve discussed estrogen dominance, but it’s also important to mention how the lack of enough estrogen can affect women’s health. During menopause, levels of estrogen decline significantly as the ovaries produce fewer hormones and the menstrual cycle eventually ends. This reduction in estrogen leads to various symptoms. For temporary relief from the symptoms of menopause, also known as “The Change,” stay balanced with Solaray’s Her Life Stages Menopause, a dietary supplement with targeted ingredients to support the body during hot flashes, night sweats, infertility, weight changes, breast tenderness, insomnia, or mood swings.

The above information should not be used to self-diagnose or treat a medication condition. Always notify your healthcare provider when you are taking supplements. Dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health when used correctly.

About the Author
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Lori Bray-Levinsohn

Lori Bray-Levinsohn was born and raised in a large family in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Her family had the tradition of all sitting down for dinner together each night, and the meal usually consisted mostly of the typical Midwest diet of meat and potatoes — and, being in Sheboygan County, a lot of hamburger and brat cookouts with fresh corn on the cob from local farmers on summer weekends.

She hopes to see that tradition of the family dinner return to homes everywhere. They also lived in a house right on Elkhart Lake, which kept them busy with a lot of outdoor and lake activities.

She moved to the Chicago area and worked as a Flight Attendant for 20 years. Lori stopped flying when she got pregnant with her son at 44 years young. She struggled with earlier pregnancies and miscarriages before having a healthy baby. Due to this, Lori became a stay-at-home mom, content to spend as much time with him as possible.

As her son was getting into his double digits, she decided she wanted to do more to help and inspire herself and others.

Lori decided to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach and received her Certificate from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). Through her struggles with pregnancies, she got inspired to help other women navigate their journeys to become healthier and happier and to become parents, as well as guide them in making better choices for themselves and their children’s health. Being an older mom has also made her realize the importance of staying healthy for your family, and she also has a quest to keep kids healthy and centered with all that kids face in today’s world.

At IIN, she studied dietary theories, contemporary health issues and topics, and Eastern and Western nutrition with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts. While recognizing each client’s bio-individuality, Lori works with people, helping them discover their primary & secondary nutrition choices as they create a healthier lifestyle.

Lori loves getting out and doing activities with her family, especially watching car racing at Road America. She has taken up paddle boarding as a hobby and loves to get out on Elkhart Lake and Lake Michigan whenever she can.

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