Signs of Menopause

Alcohol Affects Estrogen Levels

Friday, August 27, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Numerous studies show that women are markedly less able to tolerate alcohol than men.

Women metabolize alcohol slower than men, thus it takes longer to clear out alcohol’s toxic effects.

Alcohol is particularly problematic for women with estrogen dominance, as it increases estrogen levels, and is associated with fibroids, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, and the development of breast cancer. Plus, it may inhibit ovulation. Moreover, excess alcohol can tax your liver, making it more difficult to detoxify excess estrogen, thus allowing more free estrogen to be circulated in the blood. This can lead to a whole host of issues for estrogen dominant women.

Plus, alcohol worsens menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and mood swings. It is particularly pronounced in women who suffer from night sweats and insomnia. And, alcohol is a diuretic. This means that overconsumption can lead to dehydration of your skin and tissues, as well as loss of essential minerals through urination.

For more information on foods that affect estrogen levels and other hormone issues, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Estrogen Dominance-Friendly Snack

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 by Kimberly Day

I recently came across Beanitos, a new snack “chip” that is made from black beans or pinto

beans, whole grain rice and/or flaxseed, sea salt, and vegetable oil. They are corn-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. They are also low glycemic, high in fiber, and are packed with essential fatty acids and protein. In short, they are a Godsend for women with estrogen dominance!

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are health-promoting nutrients your body needs to perform a whole range of functions. For women with estrogen dominance, EFAs are particularly helpful for reducing inflammation, false fat, and the pain that often accompanies conditions such as endometriosis and menstrual cramps.

The fiber helps to eliminate excess estrogen from your body. According to a study from Tufts University Medical School, vegetarian women excrete two to three times more estrogen in their bowel movements than do other women who eat a diet lower in fiber and higher in fat. This is great news for women with estrogen dominance who are trying to reduce the estrogen load in their body.

And since estrogen dominant women are prone to insulin resistance, the low glycemic, high protein is a huge boon! Plus, they taste great…I paired them with homemade guacamole to get even more great EFAs.

So, if you have estrogen dominance, switch away from your other chips and give these a try.

For more information on estrogen dominance, excess estrogen levels, or other hormone issues, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Beta-Carotene for Estrogen Dominance

Thursday, August 12, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Beta-carotene is a plant-based, water-soluble precursor to vitamin A that is abundant in the

ovaries, and is found in very high concentrations in the corpus luteum and the adrenal glands—both of which produce progesterone to help balance excess estrogen levels in women with estrogen dominance, and support progesterone levels, even if greatly reduced after menopause.

Research studies have also found carotenoids such as beta carotene are useful in treating or preventing conditions related to estrogen dominance, including ovarian cancer, heavy menstrual bleeding, and benign breast disease. Additionally, studies have shown that high levels of vitamin A can help reverse fibrocystic breast disease.

To ensure that you are getting enough beta-carotene in your diet, be sure to include plenty of the following foods: carrots, kale, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, and cabbage.

For more information on estrogen dominance, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Hormone Replacement Therapy Dangers

Friday, August 6, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Reports on the risks associated with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have

filled medical journals for more than 20 years. There was clear evidence that conventional HRT use increased a woman’s risk for heart disease and breast cancer. And yet, many physicians were still insisting on prescribing conventional hormone replacement therapy. And many women were still taking it. But the summer of 2002 forever removed the curtain of doubt surrounding the dangers of HRT.

On July 17, 2002, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported on the findings from one part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), an 8.5 year project funded by the National Institutes of Health. The WHI involved 161,809 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79, and outlined the benefits and risks of a variety of treatments designed to lower the incidences of several diseases, including heart disease, breast and colon cancer, and fractures in postmenopausal women. Of this group, 16,608 women who were healthy and had an intact uterus participated in one part of the WHI, which tested the effectiveness of estrogen/progestin therapy.

According to the findings, women taking estrogen/progestin for five years or more had an increased risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease (CHD), strokes, and breast cancer. The researchers concluded, "The results indicate that this regimen should not be initiated or continued for primary prevention of CHD."

The data indicated that if 10,000 women took the drugs for a year and 10,000 did not, women in the first group would have eight more cases of invasive breast cancer, seven more heart attacks, eight more strokes, and 18 more instances of blood clots.

In fact, researchers felt so strongly about the negative implications of long-term combined hormone replacement therapy, especially the unacceptably high risk for breast cancer, that they ended the study three years early! Participants were contacted and instructed to stop taking the drug—immediately.

The Research is Clear

The research leaves no room for doubt about conventional hormone replacement therapy and its negative effects on women’s health.

It does not reduce a woman's risk of heart disease. While it can improve HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, these improvements are not associated with fewer heart attacks or other heart problems.
It increases a woman’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
It does not reverse pre-existing heart disease.
It raises levels of C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation that is a strong predictor of a future heart attack.
It increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.
It increases the likelihood of an abnormal mammogram after just one year of use.
It increases risk of gallbladder disease by 40 percent.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While many physicians and researchers are still hoarding the "fool's gold" known as hormone replacement therapy, complementary medicine is busily mining the mother lode of real gold—and women are taking notice.

Large numbers of American women are either abandoning their hormone replacement therapy or deciding to never start taking it. Many are rejecting physicians unfamiliar with or unsympathetic to natural health supports. They are also realizing the power and wisdom of using natural medicines and herbal remedies for easing menopausal discomforts, and are very interested in natural solutions for heart disease and osteoporosis.

Before changing your hormone replacement therapy regimen, be sure to discuss your plans with your physician. Chances are, you will be able to eliminate your conventional hormone replacement therapy or dramatically reduce the dose you require for symptomatic relief. Either way, you win: Recent research indicates that breast cancer risk returns to normal within a few years of stopping HRT, and it's likely that lower-dose HRT has less of an adverse impact on estrogen-positive breast cancer risk.

For more information about hormone replacement therapy and for a variety of natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.

Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer

Thursday, August 5, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Not so long ago, conventional hormone replacement therapy's impact on breast cancer risk was

still the subject of heated debate. This debate essentially ended when an article described by a Harvard Medical School professor as "close to being the final word" on conventional hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer was published in the Lancet.

Fifty-one studies involving more than 161,000 women were reviewed. The conclusion: Conventional hormone replacement therapy increased the risk of breast cancer with each year of use. Women using conventional hormone replacement therapy for five or more years were at 35 percent greater risk.

Another study revealed that after 10 years of use, estrogen replacement therapy (hormone replacement therapy using estrogen alone) increased a woman's risk of dying from breast cancer by 43 percent. Other similar studies indicate that combined estrogen-progestin therapy, the kind used by most women, increases breast cancer risk even more than estrogen replacement therapy does!

Concerns about combined estrogen-progestin hormone replacement therapy were identified by a large National Cancer Institute study and were reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study concluded that women who took the combined treatment for five years were 40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women taking estrogen alone or no hormones.

Similarly, other studies have confirmed an even higher 60 to 70 percent increase in breast cancer risk with the long-term use of HRT.

While the figures vary from study to study, the evidence is clear, compelling, and consistent—conventional hormone replacement therapy increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, and with each additional year of use, that risk gets higher.

Opt instead for natural hormone replacement therapy options, such as maca, black cohosh, and bioidentical hormone replacement.

For more information on HRT and natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.

Estrogen Levels in Food and the Environment

Friday, July 30, 2010 by Kimberly Day

While estrogen levels decline with age, the amount of estrogen in your body is influenced by a range of other factors, including diet and environmental toxins—a topic that has not

received sufficient attention to date.

Meat, poultry, and dairy foods contain estrogens that have been injected into the animals to fatten them for market. One of the synthetic estrogens routinely given to livestock was DES (diethylstilbestrol). DES was also given to women to prevent miscarriages and symptoms of menopause, until it was associated with birth defects in their offspring and was finally banned in 1979. However, today poultry and livestock, especially dairy cows, are still given other forms of estrogen compounds. Hormones such as estrogen accumulate in fatty tissue in the animals we eat as well as in us, and high-fat diets have been associated with changes in human estrogen levels.

Caffeine and alcohol consumption can also influence estrogen levels. Excessive alcohol intake can affect the liver’s ability to break down estrogen for excretion, thereby elevating the body’s blood estrogen levels, particularly of the more chemically active forms of estrogen. Even public water supplies may contain estrogens, if that water is recycled at treatment plants and still contains traces of excreted synthetic estrogens, such as those contained in birth control pills and excreted from the bodies of women using these products.

Additionally, pollutants that have estrogen-like activity when they are taken into the body (xenoestrogens) are found in an enormous range of products for the home and workplace. They are present in cosmetics, detergents and dishwashing liquids, and bug spray. Pesticides and industrial chemicals such as organochlorines, dioxins, and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) also contain substances related to estrogen.

There are many suspected health consequences of our wide exposure to xenoestrogens, including an increased risk of PMS and breast cancer. This problem has also affected male reproductive health, and has been implicated in lowering sperm counts in men all over the world.

To avoid these dangers, be sure to take the following precautions:

Eat organic as often as possible, especially when it comes to animal-based products such as meat, eggs, dairy, etc.
Limit (if not avoid) caffeine and alcohol consumption. Aim for no more one or two caffeinated or alcoholic beverage per week.
Use natural beauty care products.
Choose natural, chemical-free household products as often as possible.

For more information on estrogen levels or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Maca for Estrogen Dominance

Friday, July 16, 2010 by Kimberly Day

I have been taking maca for my estrogen dominance for at least five years now. In addition to my foundational supplement regimen, it is the one supplement I simply cannot do without.

Maca is a malty, butterscotch flavored root from Peru that operates as an adaptogenic herb to help regulate hormones produced by glands in the endocrine system. In other words, it helps your body produce its own unique balance of female hormones. It does this by encouraging your ovaries and adrenals to produce the hormones you need, in the levels you need them.

A 2003 study from the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science showed that maca was particularly effective in treating estrogen dominance. Researchers tested the effects of maca on mouse sex hormones. They found that while progesterone and testosterone levels increased significantly in those mice that received the maca, their estradiol levels were not increased. In other words, the maca helped to raise the levels of progesterone and testosterone to offset the blood levels of estradiol.

But that’s not all! Maca is also great for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Plus, it has been shown to increase libido and sexual desire!

Dosages for maca can be tricky. It really is based on your own body and needs. Dr. Lark suggests starting with 2–4 grams a day, and some women may need as much as 10 grams a day. There have been no acute toxic effects of maca, even at very high doses. However, due to no formal studies, Dr. Lark recommends that you avoid maca if you have a hormone-related cancer, liver disease, if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are currently taking conventional HRT.

For more recommendations on estrogen dominance, menopause relief, or other conditions related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or subscribe to her monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #5 for Menopause Relief

Thursday, July 15, 2010 by Susan Lark

This final acupressure exercise helps relieve menopause hot flashes, as well as some of the common effects of menopause like fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

1. Sit up and prop your back against a chair. Hold each step for one to three minutes.
2. With your right hand, hold the point at the base of the ball of your right foot. This point is located between the two pads of the foot.
3. Next, with your right hand, hold the point in the center of your breastbone, at the level of the heart. Your fingers will fit into the indentations in this bone.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Should You Take Supplements?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Any time I do any talks or consultations (or even just sitting around with friends), I am inevitably asked about supplements. Do you really need to take them? Which ones? For what?

I have always advocated that everyone needs to take a foundation consisting of a multivitamin, fish oil, and probiotics. And, lately, due to mounting research, I’ve added vitamin D3. As it turns out, I’m far from alone on this subject.

In a July 10th posting to huffingtonpost.com, Dr. Mark Hyman reported on research from the Lewin Group which found that taking key supplements could save the U.S. $24 billion over five years.

Specifically, they looked at calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis, folic acid for birth defects, omega-3 fatty acids for heart disease, and lutein and zeaxanthin for macular degeneration. In each case, taking these supplements in the right amounts for five years would save the U.S. billions of dollars in prevented fractures, heart conditions, vision loss, and neural tube defects in babies.

Moreover, Dr. Hyman goes on to reference studies from the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine that supports the use of supplements.

Given this, I am glad to see my recommendations are on the right track! If you have specific concerns (i.e. osteoporosis or vision concerns…both age-related), then you need to augment your foundation with calcium/magnesium and lutein/zeaxanthin. Dr. Lark recommends taking 1,000–1,500 mg of calcium carbonate, 500–750 mg magnesium, 7–8 mg of lutein, and 1–2 mg of zeaxanthin daily.

For more supplementation recommendations, especially those for menopause symptoms or appetite control, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or subscribe to her monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #4 for Menopause Relief

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 by Susan Lark

This exercise helps relieve menopause hot flashes by stimulating the entire endocrine system. It involves a very powerful point for the pituitary gland, the master regulator of your ovaries. This point also helps relax the emotional tension that you may feel as an effect of menopause. Finally, you may also experience relief from eye strain and headaches using this pressure point.

1. Sit upright in a chair.
2. With your right hand, hold the point directly between your eyebrows, where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead.
3. Hold for one to three minutes.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #3 for Menopause Relief

Sunday, July 11, 2010 by Susan Lark

This acupressure exercise relieves menopause hot flashes, and is also excellent for a variety of skin problems.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Hold each step for one to three minutes.
2. With your left hand, hold your left calf. With your right hand, hold your right calf.
3. Next, cross your arms under your knees and hold each calf with the opposite hand.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Estrogen Dominance and Stress

Saturday, July 10, 2010 by Kimberly Day

As a writer constantly on deadline, I know a thing or two about the effects of stress. But, as a woman with estrogen dominance, I also know that it is critical for me to keep my stress

under control.

Stress can cause or aggravate hormone imbalances. In fact, it can interfere with your ability to ovulate, thereby blocking progesterone production and pushing further into estrogen dominance. This can lead to severe PMS, menstrual cramps, anxiety, fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility.

Studies from journals as varied as Human Stress, Psychosomatics, and Acta Psychiatry of Scandinavian have all shown that women with stressful lives are much more likely to experience PMS symptoms. In fact, a study from the Archives of Family Medicine found that women who suffered from PMS scored four times higher on a stress scale than other women.

Another study from the British Medical Journal found that excessive stress can increase your risk of breast cancer. This is a double whammy for women with estrogen dominance, as our excessive estrogen levels already put us in the danger zone.

If you have estrogen dominance, you need to be extra vigilant about keeping your stress levels under control. Exercise is a great way to maintain calm. But my favorite for one the spot stress reduction is deep breathing.

First, take a moment to acknowledge the stress. Then close your eyes and take a few deep, abdominal breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Focus on how the air goes in and out of your body. Do this five to 10 times and you can actually feel the stress moving out of your body.

For more information on estrogen dominance or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Another Reason to Take Fish Oil

Friday, July 9, 2010 by Susan Lark

According to a new study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, taking fish oil can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Researchers had about 35,000 women fill out questionnaires, which included questions about their past and present supplement use. About 8 percent of the respondents were taking or had taken fish oil at some point. Over the next six years, 880 women got breast cancer. Researchers found that the women who were taking fish oil when the study began had a reduced risk of one type of cancer--invasive ductal carcinoma, which is the most common form.

I recommend fish oil to treat and prevent a wide variety of health conditions and complaints. Just some of the reasons to take fish oil include natural appetite control; regulation of hormones, including estrogen dominance; creating wrinkle free skin; and alleviating perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes. I am so pleased that fish oil is starting to be recognized as a breast cancer preventive, too!

I recommend taking a minimum of 1,000 mg of fish oil per day.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit my Web site. While there, you can also sign up for my FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Estrogen Dominance, PCOS, and Exercise

Friday, July 9, 2010 by Kimberly Day

I remember when I first learned I had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). I had all the symptoms (stubborn weight gain, embarrassing stray hairs on my chin, irregular and painful

periods, etc.). I was glad to at least have a name for what I experienced month after month, but now what?

It wasn’t until I worked with Dr. Lark that I was truly able to get my PCOS under control. The first step was to realize that PCOS is a common condition that affects many women with estrogen dominance. In addition to following a specific diet and taking targeted supplements, I also used the best prescription possible…a pair of running shoes.

Studies have shown that exercise not only helps women with estrogen dominance and PCOS gain better control over insulin and glucose, but also promotes hormonal balance. Plus, exercise helps reduce stress, which is an aggravating factor of PCOS.

If you have PCOS or estrogen dominance, your “fix” is a walk, run, jog, bike, or triathlon away. It’s the best (and easiest) prescription I know!

For more information on estrogen dominance or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #2 for Menopause Relief

Thursday, July 8, 2010 by Susan Lark

This acupressure exercise relieves menopause hot flashes and night sweats.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. With your right hand, hold the point below your little toe (on the underside of your foot). Hold for one to three minutes.
2. With your right hand, hold the point above your middle toe, on the top of your foot. Hold for one to three minutes, then move your hand to the point behind your ankle bone. Again, hold for one to three minutes.
3. With your left hand, hold the point on your right hand on the outside of your fourth finger.

Repeat this sequence on the left side of your body.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Estrogen Dominance and Triathlons

Thursday, July 8, 2010 by Kimberly Day

I’ve recently started training for a triathlon. It’s an Olympic distance and will be the fourth or fifth time I’ve done one. Every time I begin to train for one of these events, I am struck by how great I feel about three weeks into it. My mood improves, I have more energy, I think more clearly, and my overall self-esteem is higher.

I used to think it was because it was simply due to the inevitable weight loss that occurs with exercising six days a week, but after working with Dr. Lark on Hormone Revolution, I came to realize that intense exercise fits perfectly with my particular hormone profile.

As a woman with estrogen dominance, I need to keep my hormones properly balanced with high-intensity activities such as running and triathlons. In other words, I am more “hare” than “tortoise.” (Okay, not when biking…but that another issue.)

As Dr. Lark has explained, women with estrogen dominance tend to be instinctively drawn to strenuous types of exercise that are more contractive, more acidifying, and more yangizing to counter our natural tendency towards alkalinity and expansiveness. These types of exercises are more likely to deplete both the oxygen content and the natural buffering agents contained within the muscles, as well as to generate lactic acid.

That’s why physical activities such as jogging, weight lifting, competing in triathlons, competitive cycling, and mountain climbing are best for us ladies with estrogen dominance. The key for these women is to generate more yang energy by heating up their bodies, sweating, and ridding themselves of excess yin (as edema, bloating, or excess weight).

So, next time I don’t feel like training or tell myself I have too much to do that day, I’ll stop and remember that this type of exercise comes “naturally,” and benefits my mind and soul, as well as my body.

For more information on estrogen dominance or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure for Menopause Relief

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by Susan Lark

Acupressure is a great way to get relief from menopause symptoms and menstrual complaints. This week and next, I am going to give you new acupressure exercises to try.

The first one, below, balances the energy of the entire reproductive tract. It is also helpful for the control of excessive menstrual bleeding and menopause hot flashes.

Note: This exercise uses a knotted hand towel to put pressure on hard-to-reach areas of the back.

1. Lie on the floor with your knees up. Place the towel between your shoulder blades.
2. Cross your arms on your chest. Press your thumbs against the right and left inside arms. Hold for one to three minutes.
3. Interlace your fingers. Place them below your breasts and press your fingertips directly against your body. Hold for one to three minutes.
4. Move the knotted towel along your spine to your waistline. Place your left hand at the top of your pubic bone and press down. Hold for one to three minutes.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Recognizing National Women’s Health Week

Monday, May 10, 2010 by Susan Lark

Between taking care of their kids and families, working, and handling various errands, women usually have to-do lists a mile long.

When you look at your to-do list, how many of those things involve doing something for yourself? For instance, when was the last time you had your hair cut, or your nails done, or--even more importantly--a physical exam? If you can't remember the last time you saw your doctor, it's time to add "yearly physical," complete with all the appropriate screenings and tests, to the very top of your to-do list. Since this is National Women's Health Week, now is as good a time as any to put yourself--and your health--first.

What tests and screenings you have done depend on your age and overall health. But, in general, you want to ask your doctor about:

A blood pressure check
A blood cholesterol screening
A gynecological exam that includes a pap smear, pelvic and breast exam, and bone density testing
Breast cancer screening using thermography, which I strongly prefer over mammography
Thyroid hormone testing
Diabetes testing
A skin exam to look for signs of skin cancer

You can also ask about colon cancer screening if you're over 50 or if you have significant family history. And if you're in premenopause or are experiencing signs of menopause, you can talk to your doctor about specific tests that check your female hormones, particularly your progesterone and estrogen levels.

Here's to your continued good health!

Best Foods for Estrogen Dominance

Thursday, April 29, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Women with estrogen dominance need to eat a more acidic diet that can help to bring their estrogen levels back into balance. The best foods for job include:

High fiber foods such as buckwheat and flaxseed
Citrus fruits (oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit), berries, pineapple
All vegetables, especially sauerkraut, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli
Free-range poultry and wild fish
Vinegar
Hot, spicy foods
Nuts like almonds and walnuts

Natural Weightloss for Estrogen Dominance

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by Kimberly Day

What I’ve learned from Dr. Lark and through additional research and personal experience is that if you are overweight, you are very likely eating the wrong foods for your hormonal and body type. Instead, you need to eat the right foods, in the right ratios and proportions, for your hormonal type if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

I learned this first-hand when I tried to go vegetarian several years ago. I swear I was the only person who managed to GAIN weight as a vegetarian. Plus, I was weak, sluggish, and had brain fog. Turns out, when women with estrogen dominance try to adopt a low-fat, low-protein, and high-complex carbohydrate diet with a more vegetarian emphasis (such as those advocated by Dean Ornish, MD, or the Pritikin Institute), this feeling of “blah” is quite common. Eating this type of diet will cause those of us with estrogen dominance to lose our natural robust energy and stamina.

Instead, I learned that a better diet for women with estrogen dominance includes fish and range-fed poultry, as well as some game meat like venison (which is low in saturated fat) as the chief sources of protein. You can also include virtually any fruit and vegetable, and be sure to use various types of fiber to help reduce estrogen levels and cholesterol from your body.