The role of our hormones are way underplayed when it comes to talking about health and wellness. And they shouldn’t be! Our hormones are so powerful. We have hunger hormones, sleep hormones, and sex hormones.
The best way of thinking about hormones plainly is thinking of them as instructions that tell our body what to do – they send messages to our organs and body systems to help us function optimally.
But what happens when those instructions get messed up?
What happens when, for whatever reason, a really important hormone gets out of whack? Well, the consequences range from slightly annoying to totally serious, especially when it comes to Estrogen.
High estrogen is becoming more common in our modern society due to high levels of stress, excess weight, and the xenoestrogens produced in the environment around us.
What are xenoestrogens? Xenoestrogens are a type of xenohormone that acts like estrogen in the body. Added to the body’s natural estrogen production, high estrogen can be the result. Xenoestrogens manipulate our own estrogen levels through pesticides, plastics, personal care products, and more.
Symptoms include:
- Decreased sex drive
- Mood swings
- Weight gain
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Breast swelling
- Increased risk for breast cancer
and especially for women…
- PMS
- Irregular periods
If you suspect you might be high estrogen, it is important to consult with your MD or Naturopath. But on your own, there are things you can do to take back control of your estrogen!
Here are 3 easy tips to reduce the effect between xenoestrogens and you:
- Detoxify your environment. This means getting rid of personal care products high in xenoestrogens. Look for items containing benzophene, 4-MCB, an parabens. Personal care items containing xenoestrogens have been implicated in increased risk for breast cancer. You can also detoxify your environment by swapping out your old, plastic tupperware for glass or stainless steel containers. Microwaving food in plastic containers promotes the release of harmful substances that act as xenoestrogens – into your food! Gross.
- Invest in a water filter. Chlorine is one of the main modern xenoestrogen contributors – and it’s found in tap water in almost every industrialized country. A water filter can remove chlorine from your water and reduce the harmful effects of chlorine.
- Favour organic food options. I know not everyone can afford to buy everything organic, so check out the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Dirty Dozen’, listing the worst offenders in pesticides – a great guide to deciding which produce to buy organic.
After reading this post, it may feel like xenoestrogens are ‘everywhere’, and although they are prevalent in today’s society, it is possible to minimize them.
Stay Healthy everyone!
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.608.6037&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Standing Strong Wellness 
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