Why Soy Promotes Estrogen Dominance

So what’s wrong with  soy?

It has now been found that soy is an active promoter of  estrogen dominance, which, as we know, not only causes numerous uncomfortable and life disrupting symptoms but can also lead to diseases such as breast cancer and other potentially fatal conditions.

Here’s the problem.  Soy is  a phytoestrogen-containing substance.  Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring estrogen-like compounds found in a variety of foods,  spices and herbs and are especially prevalent in soy.  Although phytoestrogens are weak compared to real estrogen and xenoestrogens, it is still additional estrogen that a body already laboring from the effects of too much estrogen does not need.  If consumed on a regular basis, soy can boost estrogen levels significantly.

Other Negative Effects of Soy

Adding fuel to the estrogen dominance fire is not the only negative effect of soy.  It also has several other undesirable effects on your health.

Soy contains high levels of phytic acids.  Phytic acids impair your body’s ability to absorb needed minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, magnesium and zinc.  Without those essential minerals, our bodies can face serious consequences.  A lack of minerals can affect nerve function, brain development, wound healing, reproductive health and other bodily functions.

Soy also has a negative affect on the thyroid because it contains goitrogens, a substance which interferes with the absorption of iodine.  Soy inhibits the production of the active thyroid hormone known as T3.  The lack of T3 can cause hypothyroidism, which causes fatigue and weight gain in adults and stunted growth in children.  Goitrogens also encourage the development of goiters.

High levels of aluminum are found in soy as well.  Aluminum is toxic to the nervous system and also causes damage to the kidneys.

Soy is also rich in enzyme suppressors which makes it more difficult for your body to digest proteins and some carbohydrates.  When food is not digested well, bacteria found in the large intestine attempts to finish the job, resulting in bloating, discomfort and gas.

If You Must Eat Soy, Choose Fermented Soy

Dr. John Lee, a pioneer in the study of estrogen dominance, recommended that if soy products are used  in your diet at all , you should choose only fermented soy, such as miso, tempeh and natto.  These products should be used in strictly limited quantities.

Anyone prone to estrogen dominance should avoid soy completely.  It is just one of the steps you can take to return your body to its natural hormone balance while encouraging optimal health.

Related posts:

1. Xenoestrogens and their Role in Estrogen Dominance
2. Do Birth Control Pills Contribute to Estrogen Dominance?
3. PMS and Essential Fatty Acids

Women with PCOS suffer from larger than normal ovaries and undeveloped follicles that bunch together like grapes. These follicles are generally benign and cause no pain or fertility problems. The bunches do, however, affect the hormone levels in the body. The resulting changes in the body are often referred to as a “metabolic” disorder, or PCOS.

The Follicle and Progesterone Levels

When the follicle is unable to release the maturing egg, a cyst can developing preventing the follicle from performing its normal duty. That duty is to surge progesterone into the body to keep the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) under control. These hormones are used during egg maturation, ovulation and reproduction. If there is no surge of progesterone, more LH and FSH are produced and, in turn, estrogen and androgen levels rise which can lead to estrogen dominance.

The female body is all about balance. Estrogen levels must stay in balance with progesterone levels in order to maintain optimal health. Women with PCOS rarely produce enough progesterone which leads to estrogen dominance. Estrogen is a healthy female hormone, but in excess can cause very unhealthy side effects. Women can increase their estrogen levels through the use of natural progesterone cream.

The Symptoms of PCOS

Women who suffer from estrogen dominance may also suffer from PCOS. This syndrome is diagnosed as a result of a series of symptoms that may not have any other known cause. The most common symptoms of PCOS include:

• Recurring Ovarian Cysts
• Abnormal Menstrual Cycles
• Absent Menstrual Cycles
• Problems with Fertility
• Excessive Body Hair
• Excessive Facial Hair
• Hypertension
• Depression
• Obesity
• Difficulty Losing Weight
• Enlarged Ovaries

This is only a partial list of symptoms that may appear when a woman suffers from PCOS. If estrogen dominance is also a problem, the symptoms of PCOS could be compounded with the symptoms of estrogen dominance.

The causes of estrogen dominance  may include estrogens present in the environment. Certain insecticides, pesticides and plastics have been termed “environmental estrogens” because of the effect they have on the body. All together, more than 50 such estrogens have been identified with many more left to be tested. Just like natural estrogen, these chemicals are stored in the fatty tissues of the body just waiting to be released. As fat cells are used for energy, the estrogens are released causing an imbalance. If this is the case, progesterone levels may not have to be lower than normal for estrogen dominance to develop.

Visit your doctor if you are experiencing the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). He or she will be able to help you diagnose your condition and determine if you are suffering from estrogen dominance, either as a cause or effect of your PCOS.

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Ovulation Sends a Signal to your Hormones

A healthy premenopausal woman produces estrogen during the first two weeks of her menstrual cycle.  In mid-cycle ovulation normally occurs when a luteinizing hormone (LH) causes an egg to be released from the ovary.  When the egg emerges, a signal is sent to your system to begin producing progesterone.

If there is no ovulation, however, there is no signal sent.   Since it didn’t get the message, your body fails to produce the progesterone it needs to balance the estrogen in your system.  Without ovulation, the progesterone level in your body begins to fall quickly while the level of estrogen spirals upward.  Now you are a prime candidate for estrogen dominance and all the troubles it brings.

Some Reasons Why you Might Not be Ovulating

There are a variety of reasons why a healthy young woman might not ovulate.  Some of the most common ones include:

• Excessive exercise and weight loss.  A strenuous, long term exercise regime, such as extensive running, sometimes interferes with the ovulation cycle by limiting the hormone gonadotrophin produced by the hypothalamus.  When this occurs, ovulation ceases and menstrual cycles often stop.
• Stress is another cause of missed ovulation.  Emotional stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on the hormonal system, but you may continue to have periods.
• Medications such as birth control pills and other steroidal drugs can cause this condition.
• You could already be estrogen dominant and experiencing a hormonal imbalance.

How to Test for Ovulation

One way to find out if your are ovulating is to consult your doctor.  He/she can run tests to find out if your body is releasing the egg when it should.  If  that is not a viable option for you, there are other ways you can determine if  you are ovulating or not, including the use of over the counter ovulation tests.  Home ovulation tests are most often used to help women predict when they are most likely to become pregnant, but can also be used to determine if you are ovulating.

Learn more about 3 ways to test for ovulation at home .

Although you may not want to get pregnant, you do want and need to ovulate to maintain healthy levels of progesterone in your body and prevent hormonal imbalance or estrogen dominance.  Take a proactive stance towards your health and find out if you are ovulating monthly.

Related posts:

1. Do Birth Control Pills Contribute to Estrogen Dominance?
2. The Effects of Progesterone Deficiency
3. Estrogen Dominance and PCOS

What are Xenoestrogens?

Xenoestrogens are man-made substances that mimic the affects of natural estrogen.  The name literally means ‘foreign estrogen’.  These estrogen imitators  are found in products all around us -  in our drinking water, in our food, and in the products we use every day.  The human body cannot tell the difference between natural estrogen and xenoestrogens, so absorption and consumption of them cause estrogen levels in our bodies to spiral upward.  Constant exposure to these  estrogen-like substances are believed to play a major role in causing estrogen dominance.

Where are Xenoestrogens Found?

Industrial, agricultural and chemical companies first introduced xenoestrogens into the environment.  They are now prevalent in every day life.  There are more than 100,000 registered chemicals in use that are known to have hormonal effects on the body and many of those have toxic and carcinogenic effects as well.  Just a few of the many ways people are exposed to xenoestrogens include:

• Commercially raised meats (this livestock is often given hormone supplements to make them grow larger and more rapidly)
• Styrofoam cups and food containers
• Plastic bottles, plastic dishes and containers, plastic food wraps
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Cosmetics and personal care products (xenoestrogens absorbed through the skin are 10 times more potent than ones that are consumed)
• Birth control pills and spermicides
• Canned foods (80% of food cans contain a plastic lining to eliminate the taste of metal from the food it contains)
• All artificial scents (perfumes, air fresheners, etc.)
• Commercial dairy products
• Paints, solvents and lacquers
• Detergents and household cleaners
• Industrial wastes

What can you do to Avoid Xenoestrogens?

The fact that xenoestrogens are so commonplace can be a little overwhelming but there are steps you can take to avoid xenoestrogens.  You may not be able to escape them altogether, but you can certainly reduce your exposure to estrogen imitators.  Here are some simple ways to avoid xenoestrogens:

• Go Organic Whenever Possible. Choose meats that are labeled hormone-free or organic.   Certified organic produce is free of the herbicides and pesticides found on other commercial produce.  Even household cleaners of all types can be found that are all natural and free of xenoestrogens.    Whenever possible use cleaners like baking soda, vinegar or other natural substances.  Look for detergents that are scent and dye free.
• Choose Personal Care Products Carefully. For excellent information about choosing the least harmful cosmetics and other personal care products, visit the Environmental Working Group’s SKIN DEEP cosmetic safety database.
• Plastics Do not microwave or store food or water in plastic containers.  Use DEHA free cling wrap.  Do not cook with Teflon or other non-stick cookware.  Cast iron is an alternative that is safe, affordable and long lasting.
• Limit or Eliminate your use of Commercial Dairy Products. Not only do cows often eat food that has xenoestrogens in it, they are frequently milked when they are pregnant and their estrogen levels are at their highest.  This means that commercial dairy products are a prime source of outside estrogen that is getting into our bodies.  Substitute rice or almond milk whenever possible.
• Safer Water At this time our water treatment plants do not filter out hormonal pollutants and bottled water is an unregulated source for drinking water.  Instead, install a reverse osmosis filtration system under your sink or consider a system that filters water throughout the house.

Estrogen dominance is reaching epidemic levels and the finger of blame must point towards xenoestrogens as a clear contributor to the problem. The more you know about these potentially serious health hazards caused by xenoestrogens and how you can limit them in your life the better your odds of avoiding estrogen dominance.

Related posts:

1. Estrogen Dominance in Men
2. Foods to Avoid to Balance Your Hormones
3. The Relationship Between Soy and Estrogen Dominance

Birth control pills have an interesting effect on the physical body. Because they keep the levels of estrogen in the body so high the body is tricked into believing it is pregnant and, as such, a true pregnancy can never occur. These continuously high levels of estrogen can also, unfortunately, contribute to the development of estrogen dominance.

Types of Hormonal Birth Control

There are three main types of hormonal contraception, or birth control. The first is your standard hormonal contraceptive, including the pill, vaginal rings (like NuvaRing), and the patch.  All of these methods of birth control contain synthetic versions of both estrogen and progestin which are designed to keep the body from releasing eggs while at the same time thickening the cervical mucus so that it is more difficult for sperm to find eggs to begin with.

The second option is an extended-cycle pill. With extended cycle pills, like Seasonale, women take 12 weeks of synthetic hormones and only have four periods per year instead of the average of 13 (or once each season).

Mini pills, while not as effective as traditional hormonal contraception, only contain progestin. The pills are designed to thicken the mucus in the cervix, prohibiting the sperm from reaching the eggs and preventing implantation of a fertilized egg.

The Gruesome Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

The main problem with most hormonal birth control methods is the fact that they’re made with synthetic hormones. Synthetic estrogen has been known to cause yeast infections, vaginitis, pain during menstruation, yeast infections, leg cramps, and breast pain. Synthetic progestin has been linked to heart disease, strokes, blood clots, and even breast cancer. Scientists also believe that the synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones, because they trick the body into not ovulating, are one of the main reasons for increased levels of infertility.

Most women who have incredibly painful periods while on birth control don’t realize that it is the birth control itself causing the problem. The pills keep progesterone levels at bay while increasing estrogen levels and that reduced level of progesterone is what causes cramping, pain, and an irregular menstrual flow in addition to many unseen side effects, including estrogen dominance.

Alternatives to Traditional Birth Control Pills

If you suffer from estrogen dominance, or are simply disgusted with the negative side effects of birth control pills, you may want to consider an alternative method of contraception. Believe it or not, you have a wide variety of alternatives, most of which are much safer than hormonal birth control pills. The simplest options are over the counter birth control methods such as condoms, contraceptive sponges, and spermicides. . Sponges and spermicides do rely on small amounts of chemicals and may not be the most viable alternative. All of these contraceptive methods can be purchased at your local pharmacy or online.

Prescription alternatives include diaphragms, cervical caps, and IUDs. If your main goal is to stay away from hormones you will need to talk to your doctor about using a polyethylene, silicone, copper, or silver IUD. Some, like Mirena, contain small levels of hormones so you’ll want to ensure you’re getting a non-hormonal version.

Those who’d prefer all-natural alternatives to hormonal birth control pills may be interested in the Fertility Awareness Method or the Ovulation Method. Both methods track changes in a woman’s body to determine what time of month she is fertile. Couples then know when they are capable of conceiving or when to use extra backup protection to avoid pregnancy.

You should not, however, suddenly stop any type of hormonal birth control without first consulting your physician. Suddenly stopping a drug may cause your body to experience hormonal or chemical fluctuations and you may need to be monitored as you wean yourself off of the medication.

Talk to your doctor about estrogen dominance before starting a new birth control pill or contraceptive regime, especially if the pill you have chosen or have been taking contains mostly synthetic estrogen. There may be healthier and safer alternatives that will in turn reduce your risk for developing estrogen dominance and related disorders in the future.

Related posts:

1. Estrogen Dominance and PCOS
2. Xenoestrogens and their Role in Estrogen Dominance
3. Breast Tenderness and Estrogen Dominance