Estrogen dominance refers to a condition where a woman has excess estrogen in relation to progesterone. This hormonal imbalance can lead to various symptoms like:
Irregular periods
Heavy bleeding
Fibrocystic breasts
Weight gain
Fatigue
Mood changes
Foggy thinking
What causes estrogen dominance?
There are a few potential causes:
Perimenopause - As women approach menopause, progesterone levels decline faster than estrogen. This creates an imbalance.
Chronic stress - Leads to more cortisol production, which uses up progesterone.
Obesity - Fat cells produce more estrogen, leading to excess levels.
Environmental toxins - Xenoestrogens from plastics, industry pollution, etc. can accumulate and cause high estrogen.
How do you know if you have it?
Besides the symptoms mentioned earlier, some signs include:
PMS symptoms like bloating, cramps, acne
Lumpy or tender breasts
Endometriosis or fibroids
Inability to lose weight
Low sex drive
What can you do about it?
To treat estrogen dominance, you'll need to rebalance your hormones. Tips include:
Improve your diet - Eat fiber-rich plant foods, healthy fats, clean protein sources. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and processed foods.
Reduce toxin exposure - Cut out BPA plastics, parabens in personal care products.
Increase progesterone - Through diet changes or possibly bioidentical progesterone cream supplementation (under medical guidance from Rejuvenate Clinic).
By making appropriate lifestyle changes and working with your doctor, you can help overcome estrogen dominance and relieve those unpleasant symptoms.