High Estrogen and Weight Gain
Do You Struggle with High Estrogen and Weight Gain?
I struggled with high estrogen for years, (aka estrogen dominance) prior to my weight loss journey.
I always had a feeling that something was “off”.
I was working out everyday, pushing myself to lose weight and my diet was on target but I still was left feeling as if nothing was working.
I was overweight for years and could not figure out what was happening.
Maybe you can relate to this, you're eating fruits and vegetables and moving your body every day and still not getting the results you expect and really need to feel healthy.
I finally had a colleague who tested my hormone levels, the results… high estrogen, was this the cause of my overweight issue? Possibly. Continue reading to learn more about estrogen dominance and how this affects our weight loss goals.
Produced within the ovaries, estrogen is responsible for optimal functioning of all female reproductive organs. Estrogen promotes the storage of fat for healthy reproductive years. When estrogen is balanced, the right amount of fat helps carry out female reproductive functions. However, when there’s too little or too much estrogen, weight gain often results.
Estrogen balance is essential for achieving and maintaining fat loss. In men and premenopausal women, too much estrogen can cause toxic fat gain, water retention, bloating and a host of other complications. Women who are overweight typically have higher amounts of estrogen.
“Estrogen dominance’ means that the ratio of estrogen to progesterone in the body is disproportionately high.”
Having too much estrogen is called estrogen dominance meaning estrogen is excessive in one of two ways either estrogen is in excess in relation to its natural hormone opponent, progesterone, which balances estrogen's effects or the imbalance of “good” estrogen vs “bad” estrogen.
What Are the Symptoms of Having Too Much Estrogen?
swelling and tenderness in your breasts.
fibrocystic lumps in your breasts.
bloating.
decreased sex drive.
irregular menstrual periods.
increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
mood swings.
headaches.
Excess fat around the hips
Difficulty losing weight
What Causes Estrogen Dominance?
There are only two ways to accumulate excess estrogen, we either produce excess estrogen or we acquire it from our environment or diet.
We are constantly exposed to estrogen like compounds in foods that contain toxic pesticides, herbicides and growth hormones. Many of these toxins cause weight gain which then serves to fuel the production of estrogen from our fat cells.
More weight gain and you guessed it insulin resistance which then leads to more excessive estrogen.
Estrogen Dominance Has Many Causes Including:
Xenoestrogens: These are harmful compounds that mimic estrogen and make their way into the body via food, cosmetics, dairy, beef and plastics.
Stress: As the body responds to stress, it “steals” progesterone to manufacture more cortisol in response to stress, leaving excess estrogen vs progesterone.
Impaired liver function: Estrogen is broken down in the liver, alcohol consumption, drug use, fatty liver disease and other factors that impair healthy liver function can cause estrogen to build up.
Poor digestion: insufficient dietary fiber, gut imbalance and other issues that impair proper elimination of estrogen cause build up of estrogen
Alcohol consumption: Research shows that just one alcohol drink can spark an increase in estrogen production
Nutrient deficiencies: The body requires sufficient intake of zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and other essential nutrients not only to support the breakdown of estrogen but also to aid in the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
Obesity: In both men and women obesity increases the production of bad estrogen and encourages the storage of estrogen in the fat cells.
Lack of exercise: One more reason why exercise is so essential for reducing the risk for breast cancer and other malignancies.
Sleep Deprivation: Promoting sufficient, quality sleep increases the production of the hormone melatonin which helps protect against estrogen dominance
How to Keep Estrogen at Optimal Levels
To balance estrogen levels naturally and prevent the weight gain that happens with an estrogen imbalance, you’ll want to do the following:
Commit to a regular exercise routine. Many studies have explained how exercise lowers estrogen levels in obese women.
Eat your fiber. Fibrous foods help decrease elevated estrogen levels.
Eat veggies in the cruciferous family. These include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, and bok choy. Anything green and leafy is always a good idea, too!
Reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with our natural hormones. Avoid plastic containers, cans, or water bottles made with BPA. Never microwave plastic.
Avoid alcohol.
Choose organic foods when possible, and choose phthalate-free cosmetics and personal care products.
Consider bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, which uses plant-based hormones identical to those produced naturally by the human body to keep hormones balanced.
Get Relief from Estrogen Dominance Today!
High estrogen can cause an array of symptoms that often we are told are “normal” or “you’re fine” from our medical providers. However this is far from the truth, hormone imbalances can be corrected so you can start feeling better!
If you believe you may suffer from estrogen dominance, help is on the way!
Contact Synergy Health and Wellness today to begin a hormone balancing program that includes evaluating your health and lifestyle issues, check your hormones with a simple blood test, and write prescriptions for exactly the hormones that YOUR body needs.
Schedule a FREE discovery phone call below to begin your journey to achieving health and wellness!