There’s been plenty of chatter lately about flushing out excess estrogen from your body. And along with that talk comes the need for learning about estrogen, its forms, where it’s found in foods, and exactly how to rid your body of too much of the hormone. Here’s everything you need to know about how to flush out excess estrogen on your own.
*As always, if you feel you have excess estrogen in your body, please talk with your doctor about manageable and safe ways to reduce it. High estrogen levels can be a sign of illness, cancer, tumors, or even insulin resistance, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Let’s Start with the Basics
Before I can even begin to tell you about excess estrogen flushing, I think a quick estrogen 101 is in order. In a female body, there are three different types of estrogen:
Estriol
This type of estrogen kicks into high gear during pregnancy. Peaking just before giving birth, it prepares the body for delivery and helps the uterus grow as a baby gets bigger.
Estradiol
During reproductive years, estradiol is the most common form of estrogen in the body. Both females and males have this type of estrogen, and it’s a balance game as too much can cause acne and depression. Too low of a level can result in heart health issues and weight gain.
Estrone
If you’re in menopause right now or have already gone through it, estrone is the estrogen your body is working with. The cool thing about this type is that your body can convert it into different kinds of estrogen as needed.
Symptoms of High Estrogen
The list of high estrogen symptoms is long but definitely worth mentioning:
- Breast tenderness and swelling
- Decreased sex drive
- Hair loss
- Weight gain
- Cold feet & hands
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Trouble sleeping and fatigue
- Anxiety attacks
- Panic attacks
- PMS symptoms/irregular menstrual periods
- Foggy memory/memory issues
- Bloating
- Fibrocystic breast lumps
These are the most common symptoms associated with high estrogen levels, but keep in mind they can also be related to many other illnesses. If you’re experiencing the above, do see your doctor.
Foods High in Estrogen
Believe it or not, there are several foods that are naturally high in phytoestrogens. If you want to keep your levels down, eat these in moderation:
Flax Seed
Rich in lignans (a chemical group functioning as phytoestrogens), flax has, by far, the most phytoestrogens. Studies have shown that eating flax seeds may decrease the risk of breast cancer.
Soybeans
Generally processed to make other foods, soybeans are rich in proteins as well as offer vitamins and minerals. Soybean isoflavones (phytoestrogen) can mimic natural estrogen in the body.
Edamame
Whole immature soybeans that are eaten either boiled or fried with light oil.
Sesame Seeds
Packed with fiber, sesame seeds offer a nice crunch when roasted, but there are also phytoestrogens when you enjoy them.
Cruciferous Vegetables
If you’re not familiar with cruciferous vegetables, think broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts.
Dried Fruit
The highest in phytoestrogens include dried apricots, prunes, and dates.
Peaches
Rich in lignans, peaches are one of my favorite summer fruits to enjoy. If you’re the same, shy away from them to help flush out excess estrogen.
Berries
Along with vitamins and minerals in delicious berries like blackberries, strawberries, & raspberries, you’ll find phytoestrogens.
Wheat Bran
We all know a high fiber diet is good for us, but wheat bran, in particular, has high amounts of phytoestrogen.
Having written that, you should always stick with a high fiber, low-fat diet and avoid high and processed-sugar foods.
Exercise
Countless benefits arise from exercising, but you can also flush out estrogen from your body while helping your heart and muscles. Research has shown that women in premenopause have reduced their estrogen levels by up to 19% by exercising for five hours a week.
Get Enough Sleep
Easier said than done for some of us, but sleep does have an effect on lowering estrogen levels. When we lack sleep, the melatonin levels in our bodies lower. As melatonin is responsible for keeping lower levels of estrogen, the more natural melatonin we have, the lower our estrogen will be.
Check Your Daily Medications
The medicines you ingest may have a link to higher estrogen levels. If you didn’t know that, no worries – I didn’t until I began researching. Both over-the-counter and prescription medicines can affect the balance.
- HRT – The abbreviation for Hormone Replacement Therapy; if you’re taking it, you may be getting too much estrogen in your body. As a lady that’s been on an estradiol patch for nearly a decade, for me, the benefits outweigh the risk.
- Antibiotics including ampicillin and tetracycline
- Steroids
- Phenothiazines
Read Next:
Eat These Estrogen-Rich Foods For Menopause
How Estrogen Deficiency Can Affect Your Skin & And What to Do About It
The post 3 Ways to Flush Out Excess Estrogen appeared first on Prime Women | An Online Magazine.