5 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR ESTROGEN IN CHECK:
Estrogen imbalances can cause countless health problems for women, making it a frequent topic of discussion. The pendulum swings between estrogen dominance (an excess amount of estrogen) or lack thereof (not producing enough estrogen). Estrogen dominance often manifests as insomnia, weight gain/fluctuations, slow metabolism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and even hair and skin problems. If your body isn’t producing enough estrogen, a low sex drive, unstable emotions, weight gain, depression and anxiety are not uncommon for women to experience.
Although this is not at all a complete list of symptoms or concerns, one hormonal imbalance can encourage others. That being said, here are 5 helpful ways to naturally keep your estrogen levels in check:
Check your gut!
Gut health plays a role in hormone regulation, estrogen imbalances included. Without enough beneficial bacteria lining the intestinal wall, digestive issues can occur. This something a probiotic can improve! For a cost-effective way of increasing probiotics in your diet, try making fermented foods like kombucha, kefir, or sauerkraut at home.
Improve your diet!
Encourage proper hormone function by increasing your fruit and vegetable intake and eliminating foods that are cooked in vegetable or canola oils. Instead, use oils that are rich in fatty acids and omega 3s like olive oil. Avoiding highly-processed foods and sugary treats wont hurt either.
Go natural!
Household products can impact your estrogen balance depending on the chemicals and ingredients. Many cleaners and beauty products contain synthetic substances that act like natural hormones in the body (but clearly are not). Eliminate this by carefully selecting which chemical cleaners you allow in your home & switching to more natural makeup & skincare brands. I use the app “Healthy Living” to score my household products and learn more about their impact on my health.
Less stress, more self care!
High stress is often linked to hormone imbalances, including estrogen. Stress involves 3 key players: cortisol, progesterone and estrogen. When we experience stress, our bodies make cortisol to cope. In order for our bodies make cortisol, it must also make progesterone (the governor of estrogen). The result: cortisol production steals progesterone from the body. Progesterone is the governor of estrogen and keeps it in check. When that governor is compromised, estrogen SPIKES out of control (like a teenager, if you will)! This is why stress management is KEY! Slow down and do some self-care, whatever that might look like.
Get your beauty sleep!
The body repairs itself while you’re asleep, and regulating hormones is part of the body’s repair cycle. Lack of sleep can encourage hormone imbalance! You can avoid this by improving your sleep environment with a weighted blanket, light blocking curtains or a new pillow. A proper night time routine supporting restful sleep is also key (aka no screens, electronics or lazer tag before bed!)