Flush Your Filter

We're all friends here, so you can be honest. Do you suffer from any of these symptoms? Or do you know someone that does??

• Abnormal menstrual cycle: irregular, too long, too short, excess clotting

• Low libido

• Fatigue

• PMS: including breast tenderness/swelling, mood swings, and headaches

• Hair loss

• Weight gain, especially in the hips and thighs

• Brain fog

• Trouble sleeping or night sweats

• Thyroid dysfunction

• Sluggish metabolism

Sound familiar?? Tired of struggling?? In this day and age, everything from our food, to our cleaning supplies, to our environment and our water are ladened with estrogen-promoting elements. Estrogen dominance is very common in women men. Knowing the signs and symptoms of this condition is imperative, and if you want to take action to resolve the issues, read on.

The following steps can help restore healthy hormonal balance within the body:

Step 1: Eliminate Xenoestrogens
We are constantly being exposed to various chemicals throughout our homes, offices, and even the outdoor environment - playgrounds, golf courses, and soccer fields are polluted with herbicides and pesticides. Most of these chemical contribute to endocrine disruption, but one of them is “xenoestrogenic” which mimics estrogen in the body creating many of the symptoms listed above. These products are the top offenders and should be avoided whenever possible. Our Living Well List of Toxin-free Alternatives will help you find replacements for many of the items below, but please feel free to message me for information or with questions that you may have about other products not on this list. Start by avoiding and/or replacing the following top offenders:

• Plastic storage containers = switched to glass storage containers

• BPA cans and bottles = switch to stainless steel or glass

• Cosmetics, makeup, and toiletries = detox your personal care items with toxin-free products. We are happy to assess the products that you are currently using by identifying blacklisted, hormone-disrupting ingredients. You can find our recommended brand of green beauty by clicking here.

• Tap water = berkey filtered water or reverse osmosis

• Non-organic dairy and produce = replace all conventionally grown food products to organic

• Soy protein isolate, and soy products = organic whey or pea protein

• Dryer sheets = wool dryer balls

• Avoid high fructose corn syrup in all foods = check labels

• Birth control pill, talk to your doctor about other birth control options that are non-estrogenic, like condoms or fertility awareness. The birth control pill is one of the biggest offenders in estrogen dominant health issues.

Step 2: Efficient Elimination
This step is essential as it will ensure the removal of excess estrogen, and prevent its re-entrance into the bloodstream in the case of chronic constipation, or a congested liver. Therefore, make sure you are having daily bowel movements,. If you are not, please choose from the following list and include as many as needed to have one to two bowel movements daily:

• Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of filtered water daily

• Increase the intake of fiber-rich foods, such as pears, green peas, artichokes, raspberries and oatmeal

• Increase the intake of vegetables with every meal

• 4 ounces prune juice or several prunes

• Consume probiotics such as kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, or SP Prosynbiotic

• Nettle leaf tea: 2 cups per day to improve urinary function

• To promote bowel movements, supplement with Standard Process Magnesium Lactate, Traditional Medicinal Smooth Move tea, or Medi-herb Colax
  To promote additional detoxification:

• Exercise on a rebounder for lymphatic drainage

• Zendocrine EO: http://bit.ly/zendocrinecleanse

• Sauna time or brisk walking to stimulate sweating

• Breathing exercises to enhance lung function

• Lymphatic massage

• Dry skin brushing to eliminate dead skin cells and promote detoxing

• Detox bath: 2 cups of epsom salts in a warm-to-hot bath, soak for 20 minutes

Step 3: Improve Liver Health & Estrogen Detoxification
Excess estrogen is stored in the liver. In the first stage, the liver traps harmful estrogen and converts it into a milder, weaker form of estrogen. In the second stage, it converts it into a water-soluble form, so it can be eliminated through the stool or urine. Our livers become congested due to poor dietary habits, processed foods, prescription and recreational drugs, alcohol, and toxic chemicals in the environment, so the excess estrogen gets "stuck". Supporting the liver and it’s 2,000 functions, including elimination of excess estrogen and other hormones, is essential. To support detoxification of the liver:

• Start your day and end your day with 16 ounces of filtered water with the juice of one whole lemon or lime

• Eliminate all alcoholic drinks, including wine and beer

• Each a real, raw, whole-foods based diet cooked from scratch at home. Utilize meal services such as Kate’s Plate or Sunbasket for those days when you are short on time, or energy or both.

• Avoid eating fats before noon. After noon, use a maximum of 2 Tablespoons per day, including dressings, fats that are used for cooking, and avocados

• Avoid overeating - eat 5 to 6 small snack-style meals per day with a giant bowl full of vegetable salad for lunch

• Eat foods that support liver health with every meal, such as kale, wild blueberries, dandelion greens, beets, garlic, dark leafy greens, artichoke, onions, leeks, shallots, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts

• Supplement with organic botanicals that improve the function of the liver, like burdock, celery juice, red clover, milk thistle, dandelion root, Oregon grape root, licorice, turmeric and ginger.

Releasing stored estrogen and creating a healthier environment that promotes daily detoxification, smart choices, and optimal liver function is essential for endocrine system balance. As the hormones reset a happier, healthier body, mind and spirit will result!

As always, let us know if we can help you on your Living Well journey! For more information on this and other health topics, please join us in a Living Well Life.