Estrogen balance is essential for achieving and maintaining fat loss.

In men and premenopausal women,

too much estrogen — a condition called estrogen dominance — causes toxic fat gain, water retention,
bloating, and a host of other health and wellness issues. As women age, there is a natural decline in
testosterone and progesterone levels, leaving a relative excess of estrogen.

While premenopausal women with too much estrogen tend to have the pear-shaped body type — with
more weight at the hips — both men and menopausal women with this estrogen excess exhibit an apple
shape with more fat accumulation in the abdominal area.

What causes estrogen dominance?

There are only two ways to accumulate excess estrogen in the body: we either produce too much of it on
our own, or acquire it from our environment or diet. Unfortunately, accumulating estrogen is not hard.
We are constantly exposed to estrogen-like compounds in foods that contain toxic pesticides, herbicides,
and growth hormones. Many of these toxins are known to cause weight gain, which serves to fuel the
production of more estrogen from our own fat cells.

Pharmaceutical hormones, such as those used in hormone-replacement therapy (HRT), can also increase
estrogen — whether we take them actively or absorb them when they make their way into our drinking
water. We are living in a virtual sea of harmful estrogens, and researchers are only beginning to identify
the extent of this exposure on health in humans — and even other species.

The signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance

If you are a premenopausal woman with estrogen dominance, you likely have PMS, too much body fat
around the hips and difficulty losing weight. Perhaps you have a history of gallstones, varicose veins,
uterine fibroids, cervical dysplasia, endometriosis, or ovarian cysts. In both sexes, estrogen dominance is
thought to be responsible for many types of cancers. This particular hormone imbalance could be be one
of the leading causes of breast, uterine, and prostate cancer.

How to correct estrogen dominance

Use these foods or habits to decrease harmful estrogen:

1. Take care of your liver

Since the liver breaks down estrogen, alcohol consumption, drug use, a fatty liver, liver disease, and any
other factor that impairs healthy liver function can spur an estrogen build-up.

2. Eat healthy bacteria

Bacterial imbalance in the gut, and other problems that compromise digestion, interfere with the proper
elimination of estrogen from the body via the digestive tract. Try including a daily probiotic to your diet.

3. Boost your fibre intake

Insoluble fibre binds to excess estrogen in the digestive tract, which is then excreted by the body. A fibre
supplement can also affect the composition of intestinal bacteria and reduce the build-up and re-
absorption of free-floating estrogen. Good sources include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of
fruits and vegetables (apples, pears, berries, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and carrots), nuts (especially
almonds), seeds (particularly sunflower seeds), soybeans, dried beans, and whole-grain foods.

4. Go organic

Some dairy and meat products may contain hormone additives, so choosing organic dairy and meat may
reduce your exposure to excess estrogen.

5. Change up your diet

Consume weak phytoestrogenic foods, which counteract the effects of estrogen, such as pomegranate,
flaxseeds, pears, apples, berries, organic non-GMO fermented soy, wheat germ, oats, and barley.

6. Ensure you’re getting your vitamins

The body requires sufficient intake of zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and other essential nutrients, not
only to support the breakdown and elimination of estrogen, but also to aid the function of enzymes
responsible for the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
7. Be mindful of what you consume

Avoid exposure to xenoestrogens from plastics, cosmetics and the birth control pill. Xenoestrogens
mimic the effects of estrogens, and tend to be found in water, soil and food products.

8. Be soy careful

Soy has a relatively high concentration of some types of estrogens, so try to avoid unfermented soy
products like tofu and soy milk.

9. Manage your stress

As the body responds to high levels of stress, it “steals” progesterone to manufacture the stress
hormone cortisol, often leaving a relative excess of estrogen.

10. Sleep well

Maintaining poor sleep habits cause a reduction in the hormone melatonin, which helps protect against
estrogen dominance. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night in a cool, dark room.

Men and low testosterone

Low testosterone is a fairly common issue as men age. Men who are experiencing low testosterone, or
“low T,” often have elevated levels of the hormone estrogen. One potential way to remedy this excess is
to try an estrogen-blocking diet, which can be a natural complement to low-T medications.

Elevated estrogen not only diminishes men’s testosterone levels. It can also put both men and women at
risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer. According to the Journal of Medicinal Food, estrogen-
blocking foods that contain phytochemicals can help reduce estrogen levels in the bloodstream.

Plants are complex sources of nutrients, including specific phytochemicals which may help reduce
estrogen. But they also contain other phytochemicals that act as phytoestrogens and may mimic
symptoms of excess estrogen in the body.

The question of how phytoestrogens affect human health currently remains unresolved, and more
studies are needed relating to this topic.
Phytoestrogens are also being studied for positive health effects, like reducing cancer rates and bone and
cardiovascular health. Individual responses to phytoestrogens also vary from person to person. Learn
more about the pros and cons of phytoestrogens.

Cruciferous vegetables

One of the best ways to block estrogen is by eating cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables have a high
level of phytochemicals and work to block estrogen production. Cruciferous vegetables can be cooked in
a number of ways. Some of them, including broccoli and cauliflower, taste good raw.

Cruciferous vegetables include:

broccoli

cauliflower

cabbage

Brussels sprouts

bok choy

kale

collard greens

turnips

rutabagas

Mushrooms

Varieties of mushrooms, such as shiitake, portobello, crimini, and baby button, work to block estrogen in
the body. They’ve been known to prevent the production of an enzyme called aromatase.

Aromatase is responsible for converting the hormone androgen over to estrogen. Incorporating this food
into your diet will help prevent new production of estrogen.
Raw mushrooms can be a great addition to salads. They can also be sautéed with onions and other foods
for flavoring.

Be sure to select mushrooms from grocers. Wild-picked mushrooms may be poisonous. Organic
mushrooms are a good choice because they’re pesticide-free. Try one of these 16 mushroom recipes.

Red grapes

Another estrogen-blocking food is red grapes. Their skins contain a chemical called resveratrol and their
seeds contain a chemical called proanthocyanidin. Both of these chemicals work to block estrogen
production.

Red grapes are easy to clean and eat. They’re great to eat refrigerated or at room temperature. They can
be eaten alone or added to fruit or green salads. As with any other fruit or vegetable, organic is a good
way to go.

Seeds

Certain types of seeds — such as flax and sesame — contain micronutrients called polyphenols.
Polyphenols are found in plants and reduce estrogen levels in the bloodstream. According to information
from Oregon State University, flax seeds contain some of the highest levels.

Flax seeds are also one of the richest sources of lignans, which act as phytoestrogens. Many factors
determine the health effects of phytoestrogens, including how efficiently a person absorbs and
metabolizes phytoestrogens.

Because of their complex nutrition composition, flax seeds may help lower estrogen in some people. For
others, they may not help or may even mimic estrogen-dominant symptoms.

If lowering estrogen is your goal, speak with a doctor or a dietitian before adding flax seeds to your diet
to individualize your diet plan.
Flax and sesame seeds are available at many grocery stores and health food shops. They can be added to
all sorts of cooking and baking recipes and are especially easy to add to fruit smoothies.

Whole grains

Unrefined grains aren’t broken down like processed ones. They maintain all of their parts: endosperm,
bran, and germ. Like seeds, whole grains contain anti-estrogen polyphenols and also phytoestrogen
nutrients, so an individual’s response varies.

The following whole grains can be eaten in a variety of forms, including breads, pasta, and cereals:

wheat

oats

rye

corn

rice

millet

barley

Green tea

Already known for its healthful properties, green tea is also a great source of polyphenols, which may
influence enzymes that metabolize estrogens. In addition, Harvard Health Publications cites green tea
may also lower heart disease risk.

There are many varieties of green tea available at large grocery stores and smaller health food stores.
Green tea can be combined with flavorings such as mint, lemon, ginseng, and ginger for added taste and
nutrients. It’s refreshing both hot and cold.

Shop for green tea.

Pomegranates

When people think of fruit, the pomegranate may not be the first thing that comes to mind. It turns out,
however, that this particular fruit is high in phytochemicals. Pomegranates are becoming more widely
known for their estrogen-blocking properties as well as their antioxidant virtues. Learn more about
antioxidants.

Pomegranates can be cut up and eaten like other fruit, or they can be consumed in juice form. Many
grocery stores carry pomegranate juice and juice blends.