How to Balance Estrogen Levels with Food!

Estrogen levels fluctuate on a daily basis, but extreme highs and lows can wreck havoc on your energy, mood, and health. Manufacturers are pumping our food full of hormones that are stored in the tissue of your body. These synthetic hormones are toxic to your system. Knowing the foods to avoid and the foods that will help flush out toxic levels can help restore your life to balance.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
   The meat industry may be sabotaging your weight lose efforts!

   One by-product of excess estrogen is increased fat on your hips, belly, thighs and buttocks! Think about it, the meat industry use hormones to plump up animals for slaughter. Hormones do the same thing to your body that is why men don't usually carry weight in their buttocks and hip area. So extra estrogen in your diet will add extra pounds!

2. Signs that you may be estrogen-dominant:
   Stubborn fat in female areas like hips and thighs
   Intense PMS
   Breast pain
   Cravings for carbs and sweets
   Water retention
   Fatigue
   Chronic headaches
   Digestive problems such as bloating or IBS
   Fuzzy thinking
   Slight depression

3. 
   Seafood does not have added hormones!

   The easiest way to stop the cycle is to stop eating meats all together, but for some of us that is a choice we do not want to make. Fortunately the food industry has recognized the consumers desire for fewer additives in our foods. Organic meat is available at most grocery stores now. The cost is more, but so is the cost of diet foods and medical help! The idea plan would be to cut your consumption of meat to twice a week and increase your consumption of seafood.

4. 

   Foods that flush away estrogen deposits have indole-3 carbinol and sulforaphane, which is found in leafy and cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables improve your livers ability to metabolize estrogen in less than a week! Eat at least one cup a day of cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, or leafy green vegetables like spinach. Lightly steam the vegetables, do not overcook, as you will kill the nutrients your body needs. Be sure to drink 8 glasses of water a day to flush out the body as you detox!

5. There are foods that help block estrogen. The fats in avocados, nuts, olives, and seeds help your body to produce progesterone, which blocks estrogen. Women can double their weight loss by adding as little as 1 oz of nuts or seeds a day to their diet. If you don't have time or don't like nuts or seeds add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your diet each day.

6. Foods to avoid when you are trying to block estrogen are bacon, soy, beer, sausage and licorice!

Tips & Warnings

• Hot spices, like curry and ginger, help to flush out estrogen too!
• You should consult a doctor for further information if you suspect you are estrogen dominant!