Is estrogen dominating you?

Estrogen is a sneaky hormone often overlooked in typical blood tests, yet it commonly correlates with issues such as weight gain, sleepless nights, sugar cravings, low energy, depression and insulin resistance in both men and women, and irregular periods or intense PMS symptoms just for the ladies.

It has snuck up on me personally a few times over the years and I frequently discover that it’s at the core of my client’s weight and health woes.

Since I’m onto estrogen’s tricks, I’m giving you the inside info to make it easier for you to figure out if estrogen is getting in the way of you feeling like your best self.

Unexplained weight gain, struggling to lose weight despite your best efforts, acne, low libido, restless sleep, hot flashes, and challenges with building muscle, are just some of the common characteristics that can be seen when estrogen is dominating your body.

And Estrogen doesn’t discriminate. It’s just as much of an issue these days for both men and women. I see it all the time with clients coming through my virtual practice door.

My husband is a perfect case in point.

For the majority of his adult life, he was able to manage his body weight with the simple calories in versus calories out equation. When the scale started to tip, he simply cut back on his food intake and exercised more.

That was until estrogen took control.

The older he got, the harder it became to manage his weight through diet and exercise, and one day it just stopped working altogether. Not only was he not able to lose weight, but one day he stepped on the scale and had actually gained weight despite his efforts to work out harder and monitor his food intake.

For an engineer and scientific-minded guy, this scenario was mind-boggling. He applied the equation of calories in versus calories out and it did not produce the outcome it was supposed to.

There are a million things I could say about the broken calories in versus calories out equation (you can read more of that here), but let’s stay focused on estrogen.

There was obviously something going on behind the scenes preventing my husband from managing his weight, so we ran the right type of hormone test to collect some clues, and here is what we found…

Clue #1 – A possible genetic predisposition. A few years ago, his mom had been diagnosed with the estrogen-driven type of breast cancer called ER-2. About 80% of all breast cancers are “ER-positive”, meaning the cancer cells grow in response to estrogen.

Clue #2 – A Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH) revealed estrogen metabolites (estrone and estradiol) were very high outside the functional range, and testosterone was within range. These values can not be seen on a blood test, so they were routinely missed.

This indicated a classic case of underlying estrogen dominance that was keeping him from losing weight.

What is estrogen dominance?

In men, it’s usually determined when estrogen levels are relatively high in comparison to testosterone. Meaning testosterone levels could be normal or low, and estrogen is relatively high to whatever that number is.

In women, it’s commonly evaluated based on the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, but as with men, it can also be evaluated when comparing testosterone to estrogen.

In general, when estrogen levels are relatively high compared to other hormones, it’s not good.

I, too, was duped by estrogen dominance back in the day. My weight slowly crept up by 15 pounds over the course of 2 years, at which point I broke out with acne for the first time in my life. I had painful and heavy periods, didn’t sleep great, and couldn’t keep my emotions under control- all because estrogen had taken over.

And I’m also certain my elevated estrogen levels were part of the tipping point leading to Hashimoto’s.

The good news is that estrogen dominance doesn’t happen overnight. It’s preventable and reversible in almost any case.

In this week’s video and blog, I dive into more detail about what drives estrogen up and what actions you can take to get it back under control or keep it there.

If estrogen gets out of control, it can lead to more health issues beyond stubborn weight, acne, and pain-in-the-ass periods.

Estrogen dominance can also contribute to:

• Hormone-driven cancers such as ER-2 breast cancer
• Autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s
• Yeast and bacteria overgrowth such as Candida

So how can you keep estrogen within a level playing field?

To regulate and maintain a healthy estrogen balance in the body there are two primary areas you’ll want to address…

Area #1: Sort Out Estrogen Sources.
One of the biggest reasons why estrogen is on the rise is due to a category of toxins known as Xenoestrogens. These toxins have the ability to mimic estrogen in the body or block hormone receptor sites resulting in elevated estrogen levels.  

Common sources of estrogen-promoting toxins can be found in:

• Plastic food and water containers, or other types of containers
• Lotions, shampoos, conditioners, deodorant, or other personal care products
• Metal substances such as cadmium, lead, and mercury

Aim to swap out your plastic containers for glass or stainless steel, and use the EWG’s Skin Deep Database to find non-toxic personal care products.

Other estrogen-elevating sources also include:

• Non-organic foods containing pesticides or added hormones
• Tap water (yes, even though it’s deemed “safe”) contaminated with pesticides/toxins
• Intestinal parasites, bacteria, and yeast that elevate toxic enzymes and trap estrogen
• Excess body fat that absorbs, stores, and synthesizes estrogen
• Synthetic hormones found in hormone replacement therapies and/or birth control 
• Water-damaged buildings with mold growth
• Constant mental or emotional stress

Some actions you can take RIGHT NOW to tackle these sources are eating organic, drinking and cooking with properly filtered water, addressing any water leaks and potential mold, and taking time to meditate or de-stress daily.

Area #2: Power Up Liver Function
The reality is, we can’t control our exposure to estrogen-driving toxins 100% of the time.  But our liver does play a major role in getting rid of excess estrogen that might be circulating in the body, and that’s something you can get behind.

By supporting liver function, you can address two essential health elements at once: eliminating toxins you’ve been exposed to that might raise estrogen levels, and getting rid of excess estrogen.

Simple daily activities to power up your liver function include:

• Avoiding top inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, and alcohol 
• Eating naturally detoxifying foods such as beets, grapefruits, lemons, and dandelion
• Drinking adequate amounts of water according to your body weight
• Aiming to be asleep during the body’s detox window 12 am-4 am 
• Taking a daily liver support supplement with nutrients such as milk thistle
• Incorporating a castor oil pack and other gentle detoxing tools into your routine

These two areas are the primary focus of my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge that you can join right now for just $28

This challenge will help you boost your liver function naturally using foods and gentle cleansing methods so that you can:

• Lose those stubborn pounds
• Boost your energy
• Enhance your hormones and overall health

By taking action to minimize estrogen sources and boost liver function, it’s possible to get estrogen back under control so you can lose weight, increase energy, and resolve any other elevated estrogen-related issues you might be experiencing.

Today I’m happy to report that with the proper diet and lifestyle changes, my husband has lost over 30 pounds. He easily maintains his weight while taking more days off from exercising than ever before, and he is proactively preventing a future battle with a genetic predisposition for estrogen-driven cancer.

I have also fully restored balance to my estrogen levels after dealing with mold and a long history of birth control in order to feel like myself again.

And I have helped hundreds of other people do the same with the concepts covered in my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge.

If you suspect estrogen is dominating your body, and want a simple step-by-step plan to get it back under control, click here to join my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge NOW for just $28!