Oestrogen Dominance

Modern cycles and reduced pregnancies, along with other factors, contribute to an accumulation of aggressive Oestrogens in the body. We call this situation "Oestrogen Dominance". The following factors affect women who are 'oestrogen dominant':

1. They produce "aggressive" oestrogens every day of the month. (Oestrone (E1) and Oestradiol (E2)). They do not produce enough Oestriol, the protective Oestrogen as this is primarily produced in pregnancy.
2. Progesterone, which protects the body and balances oestrogen, is produced only during the two weeks of the month following ovulation.
3. The level of Progesterone declines significantly after a woman reaches the age of 35 and during Peri-menopause (10 years prior to menopause) Progesterone is usually gone from the body.
4. The birth control pill that liberates women from the risk of pregnancy could raise the level of aggressive oestrogen in their bodies. The pill contains only strong, chemicalised Oestrogen along with chemicalized Progestins, which has no resemblance to your natural Progesterone. Thus the pill gives you aggressive oestrogens without Oestriol or Progesterone protection.

Unlike any time before in history, we are exposed today to huge amounts of "Xenoestrogens"----foreign oestrogens originating outside the body. Pesticides and chemical compounds found in, petrochemicals (car fumes), plastic, detergents, personal care products (parabens), canned foods, and even contraceptive creams contain these xenoestrogsens. Dioxin is an example of one such chemical found throughout our environment and in alarming levels in our food supply. These chemicals behave like aggressive Oestrogen and further throw hormonal levels off balance. They often begin creating problems in young girls hence early puberty. Xeno-Oestrogens have been linked to the huge increase in the occurrence of breast cancer over the last 30 years, to the increasing rate of infertility in females and the decreasing sperm count in males 

The results of Oestrogen dominance are evident in the myriad of hormonal imbalances reflected in our society that were not present in past centuries!! 

Symptoms of Oestrogen dominance include:

• Fluid retention
• Fatigue
• Breast swelling
• Fibrocystic breast cysts
• Premenstrual mood swings
• Loss of sex drive
• Heavy or irregular menses
• Uterine fibroids
• Sweet cravings
• Weight gain
• Endometriosis
• Premenstrual migraines

What can you do?

While it is impossible to eliminate all Xeno-Oestrogens from our environment, it is possible to limit the amount we are exposed to by implementing the following guidelines:

1. Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water
2. Heat food up in the microwave in glass or ceramic covered dish
3. Use a simple detergent with less chemicals. This includes laundry detergents and household clearers
4. Use organic soaps, shampoo and personal care products.
5. Use natural pest control not pesticides
6. Don't use herbicides instead use a cup of salt in 4ltr of vinegar
7. Wear natural fibres
8. Buy hormone free/organic meats
9. Buy organic produce, vegetables and fruits grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizes or hormones
10. Use anti-oxidant supplementation of Vit A,C,E to combat Xeno-Oestrogen effects
11. Use supplements Di-Indoyl Methane to down regulate Oestrogens
12. Use condoms without spermicides instead of birth control
13. Avoid parabens used in skin lotions
14. Use Natural Hormones, like Progesterone and DHEA rather than synthetic

Reiss Uzzi M.D. Ob/Gyn Natural Hormone Balance
Dalton K. M. D. "Once a Month"
Martin R, Gerstung J. "The Estogen Alternative."
Lee J.R. M.D. "What your Doctor may not tell you about Premenopause."

Phyto Oestrogen

Phyto-Oestrogens are plant based foods that have an oestrogen mimicking property. Phyto-Oestrogens are weak in their oestrogenic action but very quick to the receptor sites around the body. Through this mechanism they are able to block Xeno-Oestrogens from entering the cells and thereby lower the Oestrogen dominance.

Food that contain Phyto-Oestrogens are:

Reiss Uzzi. (2002) Natural hormone balance (6th Ed) New York, NY. Altria Books
Dalton K. (1999) Once a month. Salt Lake City, UT. Publishers Press.
Martin R, Gerstung J. (2005) The estogen alternative: Natural hormone therapy with bioidentical hormones. 4th Ed). New York, NY. Bear & Company
Lee J.R. (1999) What your doctor may not tell you about premenopause. New York, NY. Little, Brown & Co.