Hormonal imbalances are more common than people realize. In many cases, people deal with imbalances for years before taking the time to determine the cause. For women, low or elevated estrogen levels are especially pervasive. Learning how to balance out these levels can prove to be enormously helpful.
The Role of Estrogen in the Body
Estrogen is a hormone that’s important for both sexual and reproductive development in the female body. While men do possess very small quantities of estrogen, it plays a far more significant role for women. The term is actually used to describe a collection of chemically similar hormones: estrone, estradiol, and estriol.
Estrogen is manufactured from cholesterol by the ovaries each month. It circulates in the blood and passes in and out of organs and tissues before being metabolized by enzymes in the liver.
The liver metabolizes estrogen in two primary phases. They are known as Phase I and Phase II.
“Phase I is the main metabolic pathway in which estrogen is further broken down into three other pathways – the 2, 4, and 16 pathways,” InVite Health explains. “The preferred pathway is the 2-hydroxy pathway, which produces a weak estrogen. The 4 and especially the 16 pathway produces a very potent estrogen able to provoke estrogen sensitive tissue like the breast and uterus and make it more susceptible to health risks and cancer.”
The Phase II pathway involves the attachment of the glucuronide molecule to the estrogen that then travels into the bile and is eliminated via the gut.
When either of these phases is compromised or altered, estrogen levels can become imbalanced.
How to Balance Estrogen Levels
While many women turn to hormone replacement as a solution, creams, prescriptions, and contraceptives like birth control aren’t the best options. They flood the body with abnormally high amounts of hormones, which can reduce receptor sites, alter the body’s ability to regulate hormones, place undue stress on the liver, and lead to the accumulation of toxic estrogen metabolite. Above all, the underlying problem isn’t actually solved – it’s just masked.
The real solution is to find out what’s causing the imbalance and to use natural methods to normalize estrogen levels. Here are some ways this can be done:
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Minimize Use of Xenoestrogen Containing Products
For women with elevated estrogen levels, the first step is to minimize interaction with products containing xenoestrogen.
“Get off all oral contraceptives, hormone creams, and hormone based prescription medications, etc.,” Dr. David Jockers advises. “You should consult your doctor about this and weaning stages may be necessary. This also includes plastics, personal hygiene products, makeups, etc.”
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Improve Liver Health
Since it’s the level that breaks down estrogen, you need to be sure you’re properly caring for it. Liver disease, fatty liver, drug use, alcohol consumption, and other factors can all impair the liver from properly breaking down estrogen – leading to estrogen build-up.
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Consume Healthy Bacteria
Your gut plays a keen role in helping your body balance out hormone levels (including estrogen). Consuming healthy bacteria will aid in digestion and allow for proper elimination of estrogen from the digestive tract. You’ll also want to boost your fiber intake to further help this process.
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Manage Your Weight
Weight management can be a sensitive topic for many women, but it’s impossible to deny the connection it has with hormonal imbalances and overall well-being.
“Weight management is incredibly important for keeping estrogen balanced, and the best way to do this is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly,” fitness blogger Pratik Dholakiya writes. “Try taking up yoga or running and eating a colorful diet packed with fruits and veggies.”
Stop Ignoring Your Health
When your car needs new brakes, you drop it off at the mechanic and have new brakes installed. When there’s a leak in your attic, you call out a contractor and have it repaired. When your dog gets sick, you take him to the veterinarian. Why then are you – and millions of others – so slow to attend to your own personal health needs?
There’s arguably nothing more important in life than health. Without it, it’s challenging to fulfill your responsibilities and live a meaningful life. So instead of procrastinating, adopt a proactive posture that prioritizes your health and well-being. Whether it’s physical health or mental health, you deserve more.