The Dirty Details on “Estrogen Dominance.”
Estrogen- who? Estrogen what?
The term “Estrogen Dominance” runs rampant in the wellness industry, but what does it actually mean?
I formulated a whole Instagram post last week on this, so if you missed it, run over to @THATENDOGAL to check it out. But, in this blog we are going to dive into how you can naturally support your body’s detox system, and rid yourself of excess estrogen.
First thing is first…
While the term “Estrogen Dominance” is thrown around a lot it’s not actually a legitimate “condition” in it of itself. It’s honestly more of a blanket term for chronic hormonal issues. But that being said many individuals suffer from conditions and diseases that are fueled by an increase in estrogen. From an increase in excess estrogen complications that are especially on the rise are leading to an increase in serious cancers, infertility issues, PCOS, PMS, PMDD and of course Endometriosis.
So, let’s dive into this leading lady herself; Estrogen.
While she gets a bad reputation, estrogen is an extremely important hormone in our overall wellbeing as women. Aside from reproductive health, she is also responsible for things like cell growth and development, along with controlling systemic inflammation. Estrogen is also responsible for maintaining healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, bone health. She even regulates our stress response, and plays a role in neurotransmitter production like serotonin and dopamine.
So, what happens when there is an imbalance, and what does this look like?
Symptoms look like:
Unwanted weight gain, moodiness, migraine headaches, cyclic breast tenderness, fibroids, heavy bleeding during your periods, and yes even depression and anxiety.
Unfortunately, the world that we live in nowadays makes balancing hormones tricky-let’s not lie to one another. But there are things that are in your control, and you can gradually work towards living a lower stress, lower toxin life, that will positivity affect your hormones and overall health.
As I mentioned in my Instagram post an area that you want to look at deeply is household cleaning products and your daily personal care items. Many of these items contain Endocrine disrupters, specifically ones called “"xenoestrogens." Think of these ones as the villains that are essentially mimicking your body’s natural production of estrogen and overfilling your reserves.
In the kitchen/bathroom, swap plastics for glass. Plastics contain BPA, and even ones that are marked “BPA free” can slowly leak into the foods or products stored inside. This doesn’t have to happen right away but over time try to replace storage containers, especially ones that house leftovers and foods. When you are first starting, remember that at the least never reheat in plastic, avoid foods that have been stored in plastic for long periods of time, and when you can save jars from soups, and sauces for later use.
When searching for clean beauty products you can use the apps “Think Dirty” and EWG to help make things easier on yourself. They will rate the product so that you don’t have to sit there in the store and worry for yourself. A key note to remember is limiting artificial fragrances specifically found in things that you use daily. They can be sneaky and even hide your favorite Bath and Body Work Candle, to your laundry detergent. Remember, “smelling clean” doesn’t make the product clean.
While we would all love to afford the “clean” household item brands, that is not always a reality for everyone. I’ll tell you right now, castile soap, white vinegar, and baking soda go a long way as essential items to keep on hand, and don’t break the bank. You can clean almost anything with them!
So, let’s get to the good part, about how to naturally detox your body from excess Estrogen. There are many ways, but I want to focus on the free, and low-cost ones here.
Sweating. Yes, I know that seems simple, but for some it is not. I’m not telling you that you have to run a marathon every day, but I am telling you to sweat. Periodically, if the budget allows saunas and steam rooms are great to really get a good sweat on.
Good points of focus, specifically if you are working through painful periods, and/or Endometriosis is gentle movements that can still break a sweat. IE: Pilates, Yoga, and the most underrated of them all, walking.
Love your lymph. Yes, your body’s natural recycling system is your lymphatic system. If you aren’t sure why you aren’t sweating, it is probably due to stagnant lymph. And yes, that is a problem too. When the lymph is overwhelmed by things like toxins or excess estrogen, it cannot properly function. I encourage you to read about it and or check out Lisa Levitt Gainsley’s, “The Book of Lymph.” She takes a deep dive into the whole lymphatic system, at home practices, and the reality of the effects the system has on our overall immunity.
One of my favorite ways to love my lymph regularly is dry brushing before a shower 3-4 times weekly. Dry brushing is an easy practice to incorporate into your health routines, and really doesn’t require too much effort. Make sure to buy a quality brush, and you are good to go!
One of the other ways as a fellow Endogal that I love to support detoxing estrogen is through Dandelion root tea. “Dandelion is rich in nutrients like beta carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamins K, C and E, and potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and choline.” -Juli Keene, Nutritionist. Dandelion root tea has been used in alternative medicine to help patients with chronic liver issues, as a form of detoxification. We also know that among many things that our liver does (it performs over 500 functions!) it is responsible for detoxing our hormones like estrogen.
My favorite brand to sip on is “Traditional Medicinals” and it tastes good both hot and cold! As a disclaimer, dandelion root does come with some medication interactions like blood thinners, antacids, lithium, and certain antibiotics. *Please consult your practitioner first if you are unsure of medication interactions.
