The delicate dance of hormones in our bodies can be difficult to understand and manage. There are many health conditions and symptoms that occur when our hormones are out of balance. (Check out our article on menopause here to see some of the symptoms that are related to certain hormones being out of balance.)
One of the conditions that can result from this lack of balance is estrogen dominance (ED) and it is at an all time high. ED can occur no matter what season of life a woman is in.
What is Estrogen Dominance?
ED occurs when there is a higher concentration of estrogen to progesterone in your body. This can happen for 3 reasons (sometimes all 3 at the same time!)
1. E1, E2 and E3 ratio is unbalanced – Too many of the bad guys: Too much estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2), also known as the “aggressive estrogens”, compared to estriol (E3), which is the “protective estrogen.” This excess of estrogen can come either internally, (due to other health issues) or externally (environmental triggers). It’s important to identify and reduce all known causes of this excess estrogen.
2. Progesterone to Estradiol is unbalanced – Not enough of the good guys: When there is insufficient progesterone (the calming hormone), to counteract the more aggressive estradiol (E2).
3. Estrogen not being metabolized well: When estrone metabolites get broken down and ineffectively detoxed and/or eliminated they can become “dirty” metabolites, and recirculate in the body causing an excess of estrogen.
What are the symptoms of Estrogen Dominance?
- Heavy and/or painful periods
- Spider/varicose veins
- Gall bladder problems
- Vaginal dryness
- Migraines
- Breast tenderness
- Decreased energy
- Sleep issues
- Fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Cellulite
- Hair loss
- Allergies
- Thyroid, breast or uterine cancer
- Infertility
Why does Estrogen Dominance happen in the first place?
- Increased toxic load on the body. This can come from:
- heavy metals
- PFOAs in cookware
- Pesticides
- Plastics
- Chemicals in personal care products and home cleaning products
- Environmental toxins
- Synthetic hormones from the birth control pill or HRT
- Liver congestion
- High Blood sugar levels
- Chronic stress – unresolved trauma or unhealthy mental patterns
- Smoking and alcohol use
- Nutrient deficiencies – Some of the most harmful culprits are grains, dairy, corn and sugar.
- Genetics – Certain gene mutations make you less able to break down estrogens and remove them
What can be done to treat estrogen dominance?
Lots!! But no one thing will be the magic solution. Since it most likely took several things to create this imbalance in your body, there will several components to your healing. We can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results; we need to change some habits and incorporate others to shift our bodies towards healing.
- Reduce stress. You may think you are coping but your body is telling you otherwise. There is extensive research on the mind/body, brain/gut connection. Leaky minds, (toxic thinking, anxiety, depression), lead to leaky guts and vice versa. It’s important to address both and activate the parasympathetic nervous system as much as possible.
- Improve nutrition. Everything you put in your mouth either helps heal you or harm you. Eating the same foods every day is not good for the gut microbiome; a 4 day rotation is ideal. Incorporate lots of cruciferous veggies into your diet, (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, arugula, mustard greens, collard greens, turnips, radishes, rutabaga and watercress)
- Heal your gut. Even healthy foods can be harmful if you have a sensitivity to them. Try an elimination diet for 2-4 weeks. Start by eliminating the 7 most common aggravators, (gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy peanuts and nightshades), for 2-4 weeks and see if you have any improvement. You may need to advance the elimination to remove the next 7 most common, (nuts, seeds, chocolate, beef, coffee, sugar and bananas). Check out the AIP, (Autoimmune Protocol) for more info. Bone broth is awesome to help heal the digestive tract too.
- Love your Liver. Try Incorporating several detoxing strategies to begin removing the many toxins that clog up your liver. Dry brushing, castor oil packs, oil pulling, green smoothies, and deep breathing are just a few. Some of these “at home” things can really add up and assist your body in detoxing and healing.
- Remove toxins. Try to remove as many toxins from your life as possible. Look for more natural brands and/or try switching to essential oils and making some of your own beauty and household products. Check out this resource for more info.
- Invest in essential oils. Certain oils are very helpful for hormone health. Clary Sage, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Rosemary, Frankincense, Bergamot and Lavender. Check out this resource for tons of great info on essential oils and healthy living.
- Investigate helpful supplements to support your body and help rebalance your hormones. Some of them include DIM, chasteberry, black cohosh, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, rhodiola rosea, ashwagandha, Omega 3 fatty acids, maca, and probiotics.
- Book a pelvic floor consultation. At Durham Pelvic Health we believe in treating the whole person. We can provide relief and healing from some of the conditions that result from estrogen dominance as well as provide lots of education to help you build a firm foundation for health.
Give us a call!!
Whitby location: 905-444-2282
Newcastle location: 905-987-4533
