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Is Estrogen Dominance Making You Gain Weight?


Did you know that 75% of women over the age of 40 have too much fat-packing estrogen in their system because of a GI glitch?


During peri-menopause, estrogen levels begin to decline, but estrogen's partner hormone, progesterone, falls even lower. Progesterone is what helps keep estrogen levels in check. However, studies show that progesterone production slows by 75% during the fifth decade of our life but estrogen levels fall by only 35%, which creates an imbalance called ESTROGEN DOMINANCE. This excess in estrogen makes women more likely to gain weight as they age. When women ask their doctors for options, many are prescribed antidepressants or hormone replacement therapy, but these treatments can be costly and ineffective. New research from New York University reveals a surprising reason as to why estrogen levels are difficult to regulate and offers a solution. In a healthy body, if things are working as they should, estrogen is circulated through the bloodstream and ends up in the liver, where it is usually deactivated and sent to the intestines for removal. BUT, estrogen can be REACTIVATED in the intestines by an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase that's produced by our gut bacteria. Reactivated estrogen can then reenter the bloodstream and start circulating throughout the body again, worsening estrogen dominance.


But there is GOOD NEWS! A simple diet shift can reverse estrogen dominance and help your body lose those extra pounds! The key is eating more fiber rich foods that will eliminate excess estrogen-reactivating bacteria and clear the excess estrogen from your body! Fiber is the key to maintaining the healthy levels of bacteria that will recycle excess estrogen properly. Also, the bacteria that promote healthy estrogen levels also increase the body's ability to produce adiponectin, which happens to be a hormone that Burns Fat! Now that IS good news!

Here are 3 tips that you can do to increase your daily fiber and balance estrogen levels:

  1. Eat your Seeds- Flaxseeds contain a plant-based compound that helps flush surplus hormones from the body, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Recommended amount is 2 tbsp daily. Sprinkle them on your salads, add to oatmeal, or add to smoothies to get in the daily amount needed.

  2. Sip Green Tea-Green- Green tea contains polyphenols which help shed excess estrogen, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. A recent study found that women who drank at least 8 ounces daily had 40% lower levels of estrogen.

  3. Take the right Probiotic-Specific strains of targeted bacteria are especially beneficial for reversing excess estrogen. According to research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, taking a supplement containing Lactobacillus Acidophilus produces a four- fold decrease in the activity of the enzymes that reactivate estrogen in the gut, enabling the body to eliminate more estrogen.




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