Step 1: Listen to your body
Your body will tell you if it is out of homeostasis (balance) so listen up because knowing these classic symptoms will tell you if you are struggling with your hormonal health.
- Irritability
- Weight gain
- Bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Cravings
Relief usually starts when your cycle starts. This universal phenomenon is basically when estrogen levels dominate over and above your progesterone levels. This can happen because of your diet, stress, ability to detoxify hormones etc..
Step 2: Treat the root cause
- Make sure your thyroid levels are optimal; thyroid controls estrogen metabolism.
- Avoid oral contraceptives (especially oral ones).
- Avoid plastics (these are estrogen mimickers)
- Avoid meat and dairy products (all have estrogen even if organic)
- Consider helping liver detoxification with estrogen detoxifying botanicals, nutrients (see below supplement list).
Step 3: You are what you eat
- Eat more leafy greens and plant-based foods
- Eat a pesticide free diet; organic foods do not contain pesticides. These substances all act like strong estrogens in the body.
- Eat beets, carrots, dandelion greens, psyllium, flax, oat fibers, organic soy, dairy free cheese, nuts and seeds.
- Avoid alcohol; since ethanol is a poison; our bodies prioritize detoxification of this substance over anything else (like our hormones)
Step 4: Introduce Nutraceuticals/Botanicals that help balance high estrogen levels:
- B vitamins (try the methylated version)
- DIM ; this breakdown the strong estrogens into weaker ones.
- Indole-3-Carbinol: also helps weaken estrogens and safeguards against their carcinogenic effects.
- Zinc: A huge help in balancing estrogen levels
- Nutra-Vida Superfood blend: contains several supportive nutrients/botanicals for PMS.
Shop the above supplements list here
Step 5: Other ideas for balancing estrogen dominance
- Apply 50 mg of progesterone USP cream (transdermal) days 12 of cycle until first day of cycle starts
- Exercise regularly; women that have less body fat; make less estrogen.
- Meditate, do yoga, avoid stressful situations. Don't Worry; Be Happy!