Some women are doing everything right! They are exercising, eating healthy, living a great lifestyle but they just can't seem to get rid of that "lower" belly fat or pouch.
If you're one of these women, read on.
A very possible reason for this problem is estrogen dominance. I find women with estrogen dominance everyday in my scope of practice.
Estrogen dominance is an epidemic in our era. So what is estrogen dominance anyway?
Estrogen and Progesterone are two sex hormones that work synergistically together. They must be in a constant state of balance. This means that there are two possible causes for estrogen dominance: high estrogen or low progesterone. There could be several root causes for this condition. However, today I will explore the most common cause: the increase in estrogen in the environment by estrogen mimickers.
Xenoestrogens or estrogen mimickers are chemicals in the environment, food or cosmetic products that either act like estrogen or make estrogen receptors more sensitive. In women, symptoms can present as anxiety, higher fat in the lower belly (the pouch), emotional sensitivity, bad PMS, heavy menstrual periods, bloating, carbohydrate craving, and even breast fibroids and sensitivity. In men, this problem can also lead to belly fat, gynecomastia (enlargement of the breast in men), enlargement of the prostate gland and loss of muscle mass.
Exposure of estrogen mimickers can happen from chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA), glyphosate or roundup that is sprayed on crops in the United States, antibacterials like triclosan, oxybenzone in sunblocks,....and many others. Here is a more comprehensive list. BPA can also be contacted by touching thermal receipts from the supermarket! The skin is the largest organ in our body. Things you apply on your skin are directly absorbed to the blood. In fact, skin exposure to chemicals is more dangerous than eating the chemicals because when you eat it, there is an intense detoxification system that happens in the liver.
Supporting your detoxification system is crucial in removing the excess estrogen from your body. This is mainly done by nutrients from food (especially cruciferous vegetables) and supplements like I3C, and DIM.
Steps to help estrogen dominance
1. Eliminate the source
- Choose organic as much as you can.
- Avoid conventional meats and dairy especially in the second part of the menstrual cycle. These are external sources of hormones.
- Use natural cosmetic/personal hygiene products and avoid chemically-laden ones. Shower gels, shampoos, sunblocks, creams and lotions, deodorants are all products that you use on a daily basis. This makes the probability of accumulation of toxins very high.
- Reduce caffeine which can be a sensitizer for estrogen receptors. Use green tea or matcha instead of coffee
2. Increase nutrition and tackle insulin resistance
- Insulin and sex hormones are not separate. All hormones act in the body as a team. Insulin resistance is a big driver of estrogen dominance. Avoid refined carbohydrates and simple sugars. Make sure your meals are not high in the glycemic index.
-Cruciferous vegetable like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale and brussel sprouts can increase the detoxification of estrogen.
-Ground flaxseeds are a good source of phytoestrogens that can bind to the receptors and have a weaker effect, avoiding the binding of the strong estrogen to the receptors.
-Iodine and magnesium and two crucial nutrients in estrogen dominance
3. Support detoxification
- Address constipation. Make sure that you're drinking enough water and eating enough fibers. Make sure the magnesium is sufficient and the thyroid hormones are optimal. Bowel movements are the most important way that allows your body to get rid of toxins.
- Use activated B-vitamins after checking the deficiency. You need the activated forms just in case you have a genetic defect that makes it harder for your body to activate the vitamins (common in estrogen dominance because your body cannot detoxify estrogen properly which is highly likely due to impaired detoxification pathways)
-Again cruciferous vegetables or their supplement form (Diindolylmethane DIM, Indole-3-Carbinol I3C)
4. Increase Progesterone
If you tested and you are sure that your progesterone is the problem, you might want to consider Chastetree berry, a supplement that addresses the low progesterone problem.
Reducing stress and maybe the intensity of exercise is also crucial in tackling this problem.
