Estrogen dominance is a health condition that occurs when certain estrogen levels are too high. It can also develop when progesterone drops too low, even if estrogen levels are in a normal range because progesterone keeps estrogen in check. Estrogen dominance wreaks havoc on the body, it is extremely common in both males and females, and it often goes undiagnosed. Read-on to discover more about this troublesome condition, how birth control pills can cause it, and how to reverse it.
Causes and Symptoms
Common causes of estrogen dominance include chronic stress, obesity, toxin overload, environmental estrogens (xenoestrogen), and a diet high in processed foods, fat, meat, and/or dairy. Common symptoms include acne, excess belly fat, fatigue, mood swings, loss of libido, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, headaches, and foggy thinking. Female-specific symptoms include PMS, irregular periods, bloating, endometriosis and fibrocystic or swollen breasts.
Birth Control Pills and Estrogen Dominance
Birth control pills are a major cause of estrogen dominance in women, because they reduce progesterone and introduce excessive amounts of an extremely potent type of estrogen called estradiol. The reason the pill often helps with acne (which is a very common estrogen dominance symptom), is because it increases sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). SHBG binds to and reduces the circulation of testosterone and DHT, both of which in excess, increase pore-clogging sebum.
Why Women Should Never Take Birth Control
Birth control pills are unnatural and toxic to the body. In addition to estrogen dominance and all of its nasty symptoms, the pill can also cause weight gain and markedly increase the risk for blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, breast cancer and cervical cancer (to name a few). Also, studies show SHBG remains elevated and testosterone levels reduced even after quitting the pill. This can lead to a long-term loss of libido and other sexual side effects; as well as long-term metabolic, and mental health consequences.[i] If you want a safe alternative to the birth control pill consider using condoms, or combining the withdrawal method (don’t use this on its own) with fertility awareness. There are plenty of apps available to help you with fertility awareness, but Natural Cycles is the only one that is certified for contraception.
How Taking the Pill Makes Acne Worse
The pill is a mere Band-Aid solution for acne and it fails to address the root cause, so acne almost always reappears as soon as a woman discontinues it. And because the pill often triggers (or worsens pre-existing) estrogen dominance, most women will experience more severe and persistent acne after quitting the pill, than they did prior to taking it. Sadly, many women who never suffered with acne before, will experience it for the first time after quitting, thanks to estrogen dominance.
Diet, Lifestyle and Valentines Suggestions
We all love the taste of Chocolate and we suggest for Valentines Day you try the Carob tree, Cacao beans free of dairy and low in fat, sweetened with natural fruit or Stevia. Chocolate bars and candy bars are traditionally loaded with fat, sugar, cholesterol from eggs, industrial man-made fructose, allergic producing dairy proteins and chemical preservatives. If you want to reverse estrogen dominance, stubborn acne and the rest of its troublesome symptoms, you should start by consuming a high-fiber, low-fat, plant-based, organic diet. These dietary guidelines are recommended because fiber helps reduce circulating estrogens; fatty foods trigger excess sebum production; animal products are loaded with toxic estrogens; and non-organic produce and packaged foods contain xenoestrogens such as pesticides and preservatives. You should also exercise regularly, lose weight, and reduce stress.
The Miracle Estrogen Dominance Fighting Nutrients
Diindolylmethane (DIM) and its related extract Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) are naturally occurring phytochemical nutrients. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Bok Choy are the most concentrated dietary sources of DIM and I3C. These two nutrients help to detoxify and convert the harmful estrogens that cause estrogen dominance into helpful estrogen types such as 2 OHE. High doses of these two phytochemicals, in combination with the lifestyle modifications mentioned above, is the absolute best way to reverse estrogen dominance.
The Ultimate Supplement
You would have to consume a whole lot of cruciferous veggies in order to receive a clinically effective dose of DIM and I3C. For optimal ease and benefit, we therefore recommend you take a DIM and I3C supplement such as the internationally acclaimed EstroBlock. EstroBlock is superior to most other DIM and I3C supplements because it contains a much higher dose — one serving provides concentrations that are equivalent to what is found in two pounds of raw cruciferous vegetables. Also, it was formulated by a team of leading physicians, hormone therapists and acne experts, and they balanced the naturally-derived ingredients in a specific way to ensure optimal absorption and efficacy.
*This article was based off the book “Annihilate Acne Naturally,” by Nick Delgado, ABAAHP, Ph.D., and Sonia Badreshia-bansal, MD.
Get your 100{26cc0ed11e2bb6722aeee461b889fb0a3f7e0a26d72d2ac41cff8364d94a8d9c} FREE COPY of it here: http://estroblock.com/alt-store/
[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16409223
