In the third of a series of articles on healthy hormones for women, Nutritionist, Belinda Rennie looks at specific foods that can help manage symptoms of estrogen dominance.

The response to my two previous articles on healthy hormones suggests that many women are suffering from imbalances between estrogen and progesterone (and many other related hormones!). Symptoms like heavy periods (more than a week), irregular cycles and debilitating PMS can suggest an excess of estrogen in relation to progesterone and needs to be checked out by your health professional.

Complementary approaches like nutrition and lifestyle changes, homeopathy, herbs and acupuncture can have profound effects on your hormone balance and wellbeing without the side effects of medication.

As we discussed in the previous article, making the commitment to a wholefood diet is the first step. A diet that is high in fibre from wholegrains, nuts, seeds, lentils and beans and eating quality fats from organic eggs and fish helps your body to produce the right level of hormones whilst excreting excess estrogens. Beneficial fats help to reduce inflammation and have other important effects on the circulatory and immune system that can help heal endometriosis, cysts and fibroids. This commitment assumes that you leave white/beige foods on the shelf – white bread, white rice, white pasta, biscuits, pastries etc – eat them only occasionally.

The next commitment is to eat organic, fresh, living foods. For women with hormone imbalance, going organic isn't just a trendy thing to do…it is essential. Organic foods reduce the chemical load on your body from pesticides, petrochemical products and plastics to name a few, These “P's”, called xenoestrogens can mimic the negative effect of estrogen in your body with dangerous growth promoting effects on the breast and uterus. Fresh, living fruits and vegetables daily provides a lot of the nutritional goodies that a girl needs to combat the stresses of living in a toxic environment. And if you can make them organic too that's the aim (visit the Organic Foods and Café now open in Satwa www.organicfoodsandcafe.com).

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Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are specific foods that can be included in your diet. These are beneficial plant chemicals that can have anti-estrogenic effects by binding to estrogen receptor sites on cells like a lock and key, reducing the effect of excess estrogen. There are three main categories:

• Isoflavones – soy products, peas and beans
• Coumestans – red clover, alfalfa sprouts, sprouted soya beans
• Lignans – linseed meal, fruits and veg

Certain phytoestrogens are more suitable for individual women, for example not all women are able to eat soy and it is not necessarily recommended for women with a diagnosis of breast cancer because it can also raise estrogen levels. But most women benefit from adding 1-2 tbs of ground linseeds to their breakfast, soup or salad daily because of the beneficial essential fats they contain.

Cabbage family

Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain other plant chemicals called indoles which promote the conversion of estrogen into the protective form. Indoles improve liver detoxification and removal of estrogen and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects so they can be very helpful in cases of endometriosis, cysts and fibroids. However, you need to eat loads of broccoli – 1kg each day – to get all the benefits so it may be worth considering a supplement as well as eating these vegetables daily if you have hormone imbalances.

Beneficial bacteria in the large intestine play an important role in converting these plant chemicals into useable forms in the body. They increase the metabolism of estrogens to the protective form as well as getting rid of excess estrogens. So fundamental to healthy hormones is good gut health and symptoms of maldigestion, bloating, constipation and gas all need to be addressed first usually with a probiotic supplement.

Nutritional Supplements

It is worthwhile taking specific vitamins and minerals as your body has extra demands for these if you are on the Pill, under stress or have a deficient diet. To work out what you might be deficient in you can download Nutricheck (www.lifestyle-uae.com).

Vitamin B complex, calcium, magnesium, zinc, essential fatty acids (fish oils/flax oil/evening primrose oil) are important in the treatment of hormonal imbalances but dosages need to be tailored individually. Antioxidants A, C, E, can be found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables and selenium in nuts like Brazil nuts,

Limit coffee, soft drinks and alcohol and try green tea or herbal teas like rooibos which are chock full of antioxidants.

Take these changes step by step with the support of your health professional and after three months repeat the Hormone Balance Test. The results will testify that food can be your medicine.

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