People think of hormones as just being important for young women. But do you know that woman of all ages and men can have toxic estrogen buildup and they must worry about xenoestrogens which come from harmful chemicals. Xenoestrogens can be found in plastic, cleaners, personal care products, receipt paper and more! Your body must dispose of both toxic estrogen breakdown products and xenoestrogens in order to have optimal health.
Eating fibrous, raw foods can help your gut to excrete extra estrogen and there are certain fibers that are more helpful than others. You must also have the good bacteria in your gut to feed on these fibers to create substances that enhance gut, reproductive and overall health.
The helpful bacteria in your GI tract release enzymes that break down estrogen. If these enzymes aren’t released, the estrogen isn’t broken down and the harmful metabolites of estrogen build up. This is why having a powerful microbiome is so important, as is having daily bowel movements so that the spent hormones don’t recirculate and cause harm. They must be excreted… every day!
You can make sure that you’re feeding your good bacteria with the right foods. These same foods actually support the breakdown and detoxification of estrogens.
Carrots are a superfood for hormone balance! Their unique undigestible fibers help detox excess estrogen from the body. Raw carrots have been found to help with high estrogen levels by preventing the reabsorption of estrogen in the intestines.
Foods like carrots and coconut oil both also protect the balance of gut bacteria with their antimicrobial compounds that kill harmful bacteria that can take the place of beneficial bacteria in your GI tract. It’s all about balance!
This salad recipe provides powerful estrogen-balancing support and is so easy:
- 1/2 to 1 medium carrot (don’t use baby carrots – they don’t contain those special fibers)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
Grate your carrots, add the other ingredients, mix, and eat your way to healthier estrogen levels.
All cruciferous vegetables provide DIM, a compound that helps to lower estrogen. Aim for two cups of cruciferous vegetables a day. These can be cooked (unlike the carrots which are best eaten raw for this purpose).
Helpful foods for decreasing estrogen levels:
- Broccoli sprouts *
- Broccoli *
- Cauliflower*
- Brussel sprouts *
- Radishes
- Collard greens *
- Cabbage *
- Turnips
- Citrus fruits
- Berries
- Ground flax seeds
These foods are high in sulfur so if you are sulfur sensitive, please limit intake. Watch for gas and brain fog.
Herbs that help with detoxing estrogen:
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Milk Thistle
- Dandelion
We offer the Dutch Test which looks at all of your hormones along with what makes them and what they break down into. This gives us a full picture of what is going on in your body.
Contact us today to find out which test would be best for you.
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