The balance of 4 hormones regulates the menstrual cycle of every woman. Those are luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulating follicle hormone (FSH), estrogen and progesterone. All these hormones must be in sync as they often are. However, there are times when one of the hormones is in abundance or is deficient to cause serious hormonal troubles in your body. One such hormonal turbulence is created by Estrogen Dominance.
What causes Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen is a principal sex hormone which itself represents a family of hormones. Estrone, estradiol, and estriol are the three forms in which estrogen can exist. The difference between the three types is quite significant as they differ in terms of metabolic activity and the stage of life when they are dominant in a woman’s body.
- Estrone is weaker in terms of metabolic activity than Estradiol and is dominant in a woman’s body when she is going through her menopause.
- Estradiol is present in a non-pregnant woman’s body, while Estoril is quite prevalent in a pregnant woman’s body.
The liver works to metabolize estrogen and convert it into metabolites. This is where the question of how the metabolism of estrogen divides it into the categories of good estrogen and bad estrogen. Consumables are often categorized into “estrogenic,” and it is crucial to know that whatever you are consuming is giving your body good estrogen or not.
For example, alcohol and flax seeds are both estrogenic substances, but while flax seeds promote the generation of good estrogen metabolites, alcohol is a promoter of bad estrogen metabolites. Another source of good estrogen is estrosmart – Yes Wellness. When the generation of bad estrogen metabolites in the body increases, the Estrogen dominance occurs.
Various reasons for Estrogen Dominance Include
- Consumable items such as detergents and lotions consist of industrial xenoestrogens, exposure to which can cause the imbalance.
- Hormone Replacement Therapy and contraceptive pills.
- Lack of ovulation during the menstrual cycle or anovulation.
- Complications indigestion can also trouble the metabolism of the hormone.
- Chronic stress affects the adrenalin and thyroid glands.
- A poor diet, emotional instability, and negative lifestyle habits such as smoking and alcohol can affect you further.
Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
Though there are some alternative diagnostic procedures for detecting the level of Estrogen Dominance, its early signs are visible in a woman’s body through the following symptoms:
- An unusual increase in the PMS symptoms
- Water retention or bloating
- Sudden irregularity in the menstrual cycle
- Fibrocystic or tender breasts
- Uterine fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Allergies
- Increased libido
- Fatigue
- A headache and irritability
- Infertility
- Fat gain around the abdomen and thighs
If you are experiencing the above symptoms, here are some natural steps you can take to escape the severe damages this can have on your lifestyle.
- Focus on Diet and Fitness
The relationship between what you eat and how it affects your hormones is well established. The healthier your dietary habits are, the better you will be able to cope with Estrogen Dominance. So, you should focus more on the foods that provide good estrogens such as natural foods, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and grains. Strictly avoid fast foods and processed foods.
Apart from changing the diet, you should also focus on maintaining a fit body and get rid of all the access body fat. As you gain weights, the ovaries tend to become bulky due to adipose deposits. The higher is the fat content, the more likely are the levels of estrogen to increase in your body.
Working out and regular physical activity will help you restore the hormonal balance as well as reduce the cardiovascular risks.
- Stay away from Environmental Toxins
Exogenous estrogen can be acquired by your system from the regular exposure to environmental toxins. One such toxin is BPS which is often released by plastic bottles in your water, and you intake it. Exposing yourself often to the dangerous industrial waste and smoke is also very dangerous and can cause a hormonal imbalance in the body. Here are a few tips you can follow:
- Switch the plastic water bottles and food containers with steel or glass ones.
- Reduce the intake of alcohol and smoke.
- Try to live in surroundings which are clean, safe, and pollution free.
- Bid farewell to Stress
Today, with our sedentary lifestyle and the rat-race which we face on the professional front, the mental health often takes a backseat. However, for the hormonal well-being of the body, mental health should be put in place. If you are experiencing unusual fatigue, irritability, and a lack of vivacity, then you most certainly need to take a break from all the hustle and get back to life as it were.
The take away from the above article is that though Estrogen Dominance is not very easy to diagnose, you can always alter your lifestyle for better to deal with it.
