How can I reduce my estrogen dominance naturally?

If you do not wish to use progesterone but still have estrogen dominant symptoms, you can lower your estrogen by several methods. Reducing and preventing excess calorie intake, avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugars, maintaining a high fibre diet and keeping good gut/bowel elimination, supplementing high fibre products such as rice and bran, and looking after your liver because estrogen excretion occurs in the liver and it’s vital to have an optimally functioning liver to rid the body of hormone waste, particularly estrogen. To help enable the liver and balance the hormones, there are
nutrients that support the liver to help this process.

When the detoxifying pathways of the liver are working, the liver will eliminate contaminants, pollutants, insecticides, pesticides, food additives and hormones. This will reduce the impact on the body and the effect of xeno-estrogens within the body as well.

Since toxins, pollutants and drugs are fat soluble, they can be stored in body organs over many, many years. Little wonder that women feel overloaded, overweight, and end up with all sorts of immunity problems that may include allergies, sinus/asthma problems, and food sensitivities. Particularly if they?ve undergone synthetic HRT or other forms of treatment.

The liver is capable, when functioning correctly, to convert the fat soluble chemicals into water soluble chemicals so that they may be easily excreted from the body via the watery fluids, such as the bile and urine. Many symptoms of liver dysfunction could be mistaken for estrogen dominant symptoms and in a sense, they are also estrogen dominant systems because they both go hand in glove.

Women complain of abdominal bloating, high levels of Candida, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, sugar cravings, insulin resistance, low thyroid function, and an inability to lose weight, together with unpleasant moods and frequent fatigue.

These things also signal hormonal imbalance. So when we explain to women the connection, it makes sense to work on your liver, watch your diet and to use appropriate hormone supplementation to bring about a holistic healing process.

Worth noting, synthetic hormones may place extra stress on the liver, perhaps already be overloaded, and may contribute to further imbalance.

We caution women not to throw too many hormones into their system and overburden their liver. Nine times out of ten, once the liver is functioning optimally, progesterone supplementation becomes the icing on the cake. Some responses have been such that no hormone replacement therapy is needed.

Guidelines of an estrogen reduction program:

• Commence progesterone therapy - to oppose effects of estrogen in the body


• Reduce excess weight


• Maximise estrogenic benefits through phytoestogens and phyto-sterols (diet)


• Learn your body shape type - and eat accordingly


• Stabilise blood sugar levels which reduces insulin resistanceand sugar cravings


• Address fatty and dysfunctional liver


• Use appropriate nutritional supplements


• Increase metabolism through liver and thyroid function


• Reduce exposure to xenobiotics


• Reduce stress


• Get plenty of rest and relaxation


• Exercise regularly


• Reduce over-the-counter medications where possible

Some women need to avoid foods that act as estrogens

Certain herbs< stimulate estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells to grow, and/or compete against any natural progesterone taken and should be avoided.

In last decade, new research has come to light that demonstrates that synthetic chemicals that are very different in structure to estrogen may act as an estrogen. The xenoestrogen in question may either bind to the receptor strongly or weakly. It may also stimulate the receptor strongly or weakly to imitate the effect of estrogen, or it may elicit a response that is an abnormal estrogen response. Thus, these chemicals can cause breast cancer, uterine cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, premature sexual development and uterine fibromas.

Some have hypothesized that since the prostate and uterus are embyrologically the same, xenoestrogens may also cause benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer. Critics have proclaimed that these chemicals are for the most part “weak”. However, they exist in the body in concentrations 100?s to 1000?s of times of the natural body hormones; also one researcher demonstrated that two “weak” estrogens may act synergistically to give a strong estrogen response. Some of these xenoestrogens like DDE (a metabolite of DDT) may persist in the body fat for decades. Since this is a new field of research only a few chemicals have been tested (this by definition is an incomplete list).

What are some of the foods containing natural estrogen?

There are many foods and herbs that are natural sources of plant estrogen referred to as phytoestrogens, and these can be very beneficial in helping control menopausal symptoms. Not only are these foods of estrogenic benefit, but they are also high in vitamins, minerals, fibre, essential fatty acids and low in saturated fat. No surprisingly, consuming generous amounts of these phytoestrogens on a
regular basis enhances general hormonal health and wellbeing.

Foods foods range from hops, fennel, linseed, garlic, olive oil, olives, parsley, peas, plums, potato, pumpkin, soya beans, split peas, sunflower seeds, yam, wheat, rhubarb, red beans, red clover, rye, sage, sesame seeds, alfalfa, apples, bakers yeast, barley, beets, carrots, chick peas, clovers, corn, cow peas, cucumbers, liquorice, the list is endless.

Those women who have wisely incorporated phytoestrogens in their daily routine have reported benefits in helping reduce hot flushes, joint pains, promoting bone building, fatigue, headaches, skin irritations such as itchiness and dryness, improved immunity and cardiovascular systems.

Who would benefit most from estrogenic foods?

Everyone! Because our typical Western diet is lacking adequate servings of raw vegetables, fresh fruit, and salads.

There is a ‘class’ of woman in particular who are high in androids or male hormone, and run an andrenous pathway that, using the assistance of phytoestrogens, helps feminise and balance the overabundance of male hormones.

Typically, women who have PCOS, who have hair loss or male pattern baldness, acne, carry excessive body weight around the stomach and abdomen often involving a fatty liver and insulin resistance, need to balance their body with forms of estrogenic foods and progesterone.

We encourage women to be aware that these are the foods of life that will help to maintain and balance your hormones, and reduce your symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Foods that can be tailored to your specific body shape.

Certain herbs stimulate estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells to grow, and/or compete against any natural progesterone taken and should also be avoided.