How to Lower Estrogen Dominance
- Written by Jing J.
Estrogen dominance is one of the most common patterns of hormonal imbalance, and one of the foremost causes of menstrual disharmonies among women, such as PMS, irregular periods, menstrual pain, and mood swings.
If you experience signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance, don’t let this fancy and mysterious diagnosis scare you. There are 6 simple steps you can take to help your liver metabolize estrogen more efficiently – and lower estrogen dominance naturally.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 1: Detoxify the Liver
Many things can overburden the liver. These include environmental toxins, harmful chemicals in the foods, water and household goods, stress, lack of sleep, and emotions like frustration, anger and resentment.
When the liver is congested, its ability to metabolize estrogen is compromised, which will cause excess estrogen to build up over time. Too much estrogen can interrupt the body’s natural hormone balance and produce various signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance.
So it’s helpful to detoxify the liver once in a while. If you’re really motivated and have a strong constitution, you can try a more powerful form of detox, such as a master cleanse. Personally, I find it a little too depleting for my body, so I prefer a milder form of detox, one that involves eating healthy foods while adding certain supplements to clear the liver.
Dr. Tobias Liver Support - 21 Day Cleanse contains several major liver herbs, as well as enzymes to help cleanse and repair the liver and support its natural detox process – and it’s received excellent reviews.
DIM-Plus contains diindolylmethane, a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. It supports the activity of enzymes that improve estrogen metabolism. The beneficial effect of DIM on reducing excess estrogen has been proved by numerous randomized trials.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 2: Avoid Xenoestrogens
Once you get rid of the junk from your liver, you want to keep it clean by being conscious of what you take into your body. One of the biggest contaminants you want to avoid are xenoestrogens – chemicals that mimic the functions of our natural estrogens.
When they enter the body they attach themselves to the cells' receptors, taking over the natural estrogens' functions to control growth and development, and interrupt the body’s natural hormone balance. Check out the top 10 xenoestrogens you should avoid to regain your hormone balance.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 3: Switch to a More Liver-friendly Diet
One of the key roles of the liver is to aid in digestion. So it’s no surprise that an improper diet is a major contributor to a tired and overloaded liver. Here are a few suggestions on how to make your diet more liver-friendly:
Reduce alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol raises estrogen levels and disrupts the function of the liver. So does overconsumption of caffeine. I don’t believe either is bad when consumed in moderation. The key is to find a happy medium that works for you.
If you have severe signs of estrogen dominance, you may want to cut out the consumption of alcohol and caffeine entirely. On the other hand, if you’re overall healthy, it’s okay to enjoy them in moderation.
Eat organic when possible
Foreign hormones and toxins can sneak into our body without our knowledge. Grains, fruits and vegetables sprayed with lots of pesticides, and animal products packed with antibiotics and growth hormones, are good examples.
Luckily, there are many healthier options available today, e.g., grass-fed, organic, non-GMO, etc. And they’re usually clearly labeled. So by paying a little more attention you can greatly reduce the risks of bringing harmful toxins into your body.
Include an anti-inflammatory diet
Certain foods cause inflammation and congest the liver, such as processed foods, junk foods, soda, etc. On the other hand, eating clean and anti-inflammatory foods are kind to the liver. Consider adding these top 10 anti-inflammatory foods to your diet.
Among them, kelp (seaweed), resveratrol from blueberries and grapes, and turmeric are known to reduce the harmful effects of excess estrogens.
Add foods that promote bowel movement
Because estrogen is excreted from urine and stool, a healthy elimination is important for estrogen metabolism. So make sure you have at least one bowel movement per day.
Drink plenty of water. Eat foods with a good amount of fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, dry prunes, etc. You can also take probiotics to create a healthier and cleaner gut, which will help relieve the burden of the liver.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 4: Restore Your Adrenal Balance
Prolonged stress increases cortisol – the body’s main stress hormone. Cortisol is known to reduce the production of progesterone and block its receptors. And lower levels of progesterone lead to higher estrogen/progesterone ratios and signs of estrogen dominance.
A healthy adrenal function is the foundation for estrogen and progesterone balance. For this reason, it’s important to recognize the signs of adrenal fatigue and learn natural ways to restoring your body’s adrenal balance.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 5: Support Your Progesterone
As mentioned earlier, progesterone deficiency is another reason for estrogen dominance. When progesterone is low due to these 7 reasons, estrogen levels will appear high relative to progesterone, producing various symptoms of estrogen dominance as well as signs of progesterone deficiency.
Luckily, you can boost your progesterone naturally, which will also help restore your estrogen and progesterone balance.
Lower Estrogen Dominance Step 6: Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight is one of top five leading causes of estrogen dominance. This is because estrogen is not only produced in the ovaries, but also made by fat cells. So if you’re overweight, getting your weight down to normal is key to lowering your estrogen levels.
Of course this is easier said than done. I’ve seen many women struggle with losing weight, as I did when I was younger. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to understand and identify the root mental, emotional and physical causes of weight gain – and address them.
Our 12-week Harmony Program is designed to help you understand, identify, and correct the underlying causes of imbalance in your body and in your life – so you create balance and harmony from the inside out. Find out how our Harmony Program can help you.
So far, I’ve shared 6 simple steps you can take to improve your liver and adrenal functions – and lower estrogen dominance naturally. I hope you find this info useful. If so, please share it with other women in your circle.
Next Step:
Get my free Hormone Guide to help you identify the pattern of your hormone imbalance and take steps to restore its natural harmony.
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