Avoid the Dangers of Estrogen Dominance

Both sexes by middle age become estrogen dominant. Estrogen, without the tempering of progesterone or testosterone that youth has, fuels inflammation in our bodies. Parts of our bodies have worked constantly since before birth, never resting. I would guess that they would be the first to feel this increased inflammation.

Old injuries or wounds, misaligned joints or poorly functioning organs would also be susceptible before healthier areas. We now know that many diseases are brought on by inflammation. Pain is its companion and now yours.

But, this is not the entire story. Inflammation fuels another process, scar tissue building. Wherever we have one, we will have the other in time. And, since this process is constantly fed by estrogen dominance, scar tissue will be growing throughout our systems and into our vital organs until they no longer function.

The body is all about balance, just like the natural world it inhabits. Imbalance creates stress on the system, whatever it is. Uncorrected, it could signal the end of that system as its functioning is crippled.

By middle age, nature has less use for us as it begins to balance its needs for the next generation. Our time is waning and we move into planned obsolescence through estrogen dominance.  We have the option today to somewhat slow this process. Here are a few tips.

1. Avoid as much as you can. Our world is awash in estrogens and xenoestrogens (foreign or not of the body). Xenoestrogens are all around us in petrochemicals and exhaust, herbicides and pesticides, plastics, receipt paper (BPA), personal care and household products. All of them add chemical or plant estrogens to our environment and to us.  Find more natural replacements where you can.

2. Buy organic meats, dairy and eggs. Modern agriculture adds estrogenic hormones to our meat supply to fatten the animals that produce our dairy, eggs, and meat.

3. Seek balance. Contraceptives add even more estrogen to our young women during their child bearing years. Estrogen as a drug is given to our women exiting their fertile life to prevent osteoporosis. Seldom is it balanced out with testosterone or progesterone. Estrogen dominance can be a part of prostate or breast cancer development.

4. Keep a healthy weight.  Fat cells produce more estrogen and the weight gain of middle age and beyond has begun. This should be a wake-up call and a call to action. It is time to examine your diet, the products in and around your home, and your lifestyle. It is your lifestyle, your health and it is your choice.

5. Eat more cruciferous vegetables. Bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and more all help to clear estrogens from the body.  If you like it hot, wasabi belongs to this family of vegetables, as do radishes.  And, if you like to eat flowers, nasturtiums have a similar flavor, but more delicate.  Those with low thyroid may wish to consult with their doctor before upping their consumption of these nutrient filled plants; cooking these vegetables is your way around the thyroid depressing abilities.

6. High estrogen can mean low magnesium. Most of us are already deficient in magnesium and just continue the slide, unaware. This magnificent mineral is responsible for a constant array of over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Zinc also works with enzymes to maintain various body structures and functions. It helps lower estrogen levels. Without the support of magnesium and zinc, the enzymes die. Without enzymes and their actions in our bodies, we die.

Your genetics can also point to problems with estrogen metabolism.  I just had my DNA analyzed for ancestry, then sent it off for nutritional analysis.  That report was eye opening.  I am now slowly revamping my supplements to support what actually needs the most support.  Part of that includes estrogen metabolism. To learn more about my work, you can visit www.loveyourlongevity.com.