Hormones can be wonderful or horrendous, depending on how they’re balanced in the body! But when we women have a hormone imbalance – such as oestrogen dominance – all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms can arise.
An introduction to oestrogen dominance
We all need oestrogen. It keeps our bodily systems functioning properly. But too much or two little certainly does cause havoc.
Oestrogen dominance was a term coined by Dr. John Lee, who said menopause was caused by unusually high oestrogen. This was contrary to popular opinion that menopause is in fact brought about by a drop in oestrogen.
Lee stated that oestrogen dominance occurs when there isn’t enough progesterone to counteract all that excess oestrogen during the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle.
What causes oestrogen dominance?
There are many reasons why oestrogen dominance occurs. We take in oestrogen through the contraceptive pill, the food we eat (as well as not getting enough fibre), plastics, vehicle fumes, air, and even water. And if we take synthetic hormones, our natural hormone production is affected, causing more disruption.
Why is oestrogen dominance bad?
From migraines to menstrual problems, there are many reasons to see a medical professional if you think your hormones are out of whack.
Other issues caused by oestrogen dominance are breast cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, weight gain, and fibroids.
How to reduce your risk
If you have too much oestrogen in your body – or want to avoid it getting to that point – there are some things you can do. First is to have your hormones tested, to avoid messing with their delicate dance.
If there is too much oestrogen, you will want to eat more fibre, consider diet supplements, boost progesterone with a cream, increase your exercise, and maintain a healthy weight.
