The Silent Epidemic: Estrogen Dominance
Have you ever felt like your hormones were dominating your life? You’re not alone! I decided to start studying hormones when I realized how out of whack mine were, and I know many women around me feel the same. I used to feel like I was going crazy during PMS, suffered from terrible cramps, and dreaded my period. I felt like I had a 5-10 day window every month where I actually felt normal, hormonally. Our society has conditioned us to believe that these struggles are normal, just part of being a woman. But what if I told you that’s not the case? You don’t have to dread your menstrual cycle or let your hormones take control. In this blog, I’ll be diving into a key factor of hormone disruption: estrogen dominance.
What is estrogen and why is estrogen dominance bad?
Estrogen is a hormone that regulates your period, mood, skin, bones, and heart health. There are two types of estrogen dominance: ‘Frank estrogen dominance,’ where your body produces too much estrogen, and ‘Relative estrogen dominance,’ where estrogen is high compared to progesterone. This imbalance can cause PMS, weight gain, fatigue, headaches, irregular or heavy periods, breast swelling, water retention, and mood swings. Some women may experience only a few of these symptoms, while others may struggle with all of them.
What affects estrogen?
Environmental toxins, gut health, diet and nutrition, stress, a healthy liver, and birth control can all affect your estrogen. Let’s dive into some of the specifics below
Environmental Toxins:
Many everyday household products contain xenoestrogens, a harmful chemical that mimics estrogen in the body and contributes to estrogen dominance. Where do these xenoestrogens lurk?
Plastics – Water bottles, food containers, and plastic wrap often contain BPA and phthalates, which can leach into food and drinks.
Cosmetics & Skincare – Many beauty products contain parabens and synthetic fragrances, which act like estrogen in the body.
Cleaning Supplies – Harsh chemical cleaners release toxins that disrupt your endocrine system.
Non-Organic Produce – Pesticides and herbicides often contain hormone-disrupting chemicals.
A few tips to reduce exposure:
Switch to Glass or Stainless Steel – Use glass containers for food storage and a stainless steel or glass water bottle.
Choose Clean Beauty Products – Look for paraben-free, fragrance-free, and organic skincare and makeup. Brands like Beautycounter, Ilia, and RMS Beauty offer safer options.
Use Natural Cleaning Products – Swap chemical cleaners for natural alternatives like vinegar, baking soda, and thieves based cleaners. Branch Basics is a great natural brand!
Buy Organic and Local When Possible – Reduce pesticide exposure by choosing organic produce, especially for high-residue fruits and veggies like strawberries, spinach, and apples.
Filter Your Water – Invest in a high-quality water filter, like Berkey, to remove contaminants, including hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Gut Health:
The gut is always a hot topic in the naturopathic world and for good reason. The gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem connected to your entire body. Your body depends on your “gut bugs” to function and when they are making too much beta-glucuronidase you can also be left with too much estrogen. When beta-glucuronidase levels are too high, it interferes with your body’s ability to properly detox excess estrogen, leading to estrogen dominance. This enzyme essentially "unpacks" estrogen that your liver worked to eliminate, allowing it to recirculate in your body. Poor gut health, inflammation, and an imbalance of good and bad Berkeyia (dysbiosis) can all contribute to this issue. Supporting your gut with fiber-rich foods, probiotics, and a nutrient-dense diet can help promote estrogen detoxification and overall hormone balance.
Diet and Nutrition:
Processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol can all make your body produce excess estrogen. What you eat plays a powerful role in balancing your hormones, especially when it comes to estrogen dominance. The right foods can support your body’s natural detoxification processes, while the wrong ones can contribute to imbalances that leave you feeling bloated, moody, and fatigued. Check out my “Nourishing Your Cycle and Balancing Hormones” Blog for meal ideas to naturally balance your hormones through each phase of your cycle. Some foods that support hormone balance include fiber rich foods, cruciferous vegetables, healthy fats, and fermented foods.
Foods to avoid include processed food as packaged snacks and food contain inflammatory oils and additives that disrupt hormone balance. Refined sugar spikes insulin, which can throw off estrogen and progesterone levels. Try swapping sweets for natural options like berries and dark chocolate. Your liver is responsible for breaking down estrogen and alcohol overburdens this process, leading to higher estrogen levels.
Managing Stress:
Stress is a major contributor to hormonal imabalances, particularly when it raises cortisol, which can disrupt the estrogen-progesterone balance. The result of this includes not getting adequate sleep, worse periods, and feelings of being overwhelmed with any minor inconvenience. Find some ways to feel restored when you recognize stressors in your life. I always say that sometimes your body doesn’t know the difference between being chased by a tiger and rushing to get out of the door in the morning. Remember to take time to breath in the moment. You can also reduce stress through breath work, warm baths, walking, painting, journaling, or pilates.
Supporting Liver Detox:
Your liver is responsible for breaking down and removing excess estrogen from your body. When your liver is overburdened from toxins, poor diet, or dehydration, it can’t process estrogen efficiently. This leads to estrogen recirculating in your system, contributing to symptoms like bloating, mood swings, and heavy periods.
How to Support Your Liver for Hormone Balance:
Stay Hydrated – Drinking enough water helps flush out toxins and supports liver function. Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.
Eat Liver-Supporting Foods – Incorporate foods like beets, dandelion root, turmeric, leafy greens, and cruciferous vegetables to help your liver detox efficiently.
Limit Alcohol & Toxins – Alcohol and processed foods put extra strain on the liver, making it harder to clear out excess estrogen. Cutting back can make a big difference in your hormone balance.
Support Gut Health – Since estrogen is also eliminated through digestion, eating fiber-rich foods helps ensure proper detoxification.
Balance Hormones Naturally:
Estrogen is often misunderstood or may have a bad name to it but there are many benefits to estrogen. Estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle, supports brain health, strengthens bones, crucial for thyroid health , enhances skin and hair, supports the metabolism and so much more.
Estrogen dominance can make you feel pretty lousy, but the good news is that it is reversible! Incorporate some of the above lifestyle changes and try swapping toxic household products for cleaner alternatives. It doesn’t have to be all at once as that can get expensive, when you run out of a product, swap it with a cleaner brand or something homemade if you have the time.
Healing your hormones is NOT about eliminating estrogen, it’s about bringing it into balance so your body can function the way it is designed to. Balanced hormones don’t just mean better periods; they mean better energy, clearer skin, improved mood, deeper sleep, and a body that feels in sync rather than out of control. Your body is incredibly resilient, and designed to heal, it just needs the right support. Your hormones don’t have to rule your life, take back control today and schedule an initial consult with me to start your journey towards healing!