The modern estrogen epidemic

We live in an estrogen-dominant society. With the massive use of plastics, xenoestrogens and endocrine disruptors, and a decrease in the nutrients that support hormone balance, it's no wonder the majority of women are estrogen dominant, and that estrogen levels in men have risen drastically while testosterone levels have dropped significantly compared to our ancestors.

From PCOS and endometriosis to infertility in women, and low testosterone in men, the impact of too much estrogen is extremely harmful to both men and women's health. Western medicine's approach is to ignore the rise, or worse, give more estrogen in the form of the contraceptive pill or HRT to women.

Lowering estrogen is then of the utmost importance for both genders, through lowering estrogen and supporting the hormones that truly give us back our vitality, hormones such as progesterone for women, and testosterone and DHT for men.

The estrogen imbalance

Hormones need to be balanced. We still need estrogen in both men and women; the problem comes when too much estrogen is present compared to other hormones. The true female hormone is progesterone, but many women have much lower levels of it than they should, especially when compared to what their ancestors had.

This imbalance of estrogen, caused by the contraceptive pill, estrogen-impacting foods, endocrine disruptors and xenoestrogens, causes the body to react in ways that harm the body and mind. The rise in PCOS, endometriosis and obesity can all be linked to a rise in estrogen in women, as society adopted ultra-processed foods such as seed oils, the contraceptive pill became widely used, and a flood of plastic entered everyday life.

In men, a rise in estrogen levels is often accompanied by a decrease in testosterone. UPFs, seed oils, vegan and vegetarian diets, along with endocrine disruptors, all begin to steal testosterone from men and cause an imbalance.

When women see a decrease in estrogen and a rise in progesterone, they often experience less PMS and gentler periods. Men gain more clarity and vitality. As mentioned at the start, we need estrogen, but it needs to be balanced and in small amounts.

Estrogenic environment

Today's environment is very estrogenic, since a lot of endocrine disruptors mimic estrogen when we come into contact with them. These range from perfumes to cleaning chemicals, the more we can remove endocrine disruptors, the lower our estrogen will be.

The contraceptive pill is often just estrogen, and aside from the impact it has on fertility, it also rises in estrogen immensely which leads to conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. It's no wonder, then, that we've seen a huge increase in these conditions. Estrogen dominance also causes an uneven distribution of fat, often increasing fat around the thighs, hips and stomach, this happens in both men and women.

Plastic, as you may well be aware, is highly estrogenic. The amount of microplastics in the environment is frightening, but the key to decreasing your exposure is using fewer plastic items and less plastic clothing. A study done with dogs showed how polyester literally decreases sperm count when worn by male dogs, switch back to natural fibres and save your hormones.

Estrogen and the gut

Endotoxins reside in the gut and cause gut permeability, but they also largely affect our ability to eliminate estrogen through our stools. Targeting endotoxins, then, is a key component of reducing estrogen levels, we do this by focusing on sealing, cleansing and repopulating the gut with good bacteria.

Daily eliminations are so important for detoxing estrogen and endotoxins. If you go multiple days or more without passing a stool, you need to work on your gut health. The minimum standard is daily stools, ideally two or more.

A raw carrot salad with coconut oil and apple cider vinegar is particularly effective for targeting endotoxins and detoxing estrogen remaining in the gut. Alongside this, incorporate natural antimicrobials and fermented foods for probiotic strains of bacteria.

It's staggering how much you can change the course of your health by fixing your gut health. It can help you detox estrogen, boost your hormone health and lose weight, as well as feel so much better. Getting rid of the estrogen hiding in your gut is where you need to start. Tools such as lactoferrin from raw milk or colostrum, and S. boulardii, are particularly effective here.

Boost the opposing hormones

The demonisation of cholesterol came at the cost of the hormones that give us vitality. Cholesterol is the building block of hormones, so why demonise it?

When we start adding cholesterol-rich foods back into our diet, from quality sources such as grass-fed organs, red meat, butter and full-fat dairy, we give our bodies the tools they need to boost the true female and male hormones, such as progesterone and testosterone.

In addition to cholesterol, we also need nutrients and carbohydrates, when we aren't getting enough of these, our bodies struggle to produce the hormones that oppose estrogen. Eating a nutrient-dense diet that contains cholesterol from high-quality sources is the goal for better hormone health.

We can also prioritise movement that boosts our hormones. When we move and exert our bodies, endorphins are released; for men, lifting weights directly impacts testosterone.

Summary

There is no lack of estrogen in today's world, but there is a lack of true female and male hormones. We needn't turn to hormone replacement therapy, but instead look to nature and an environment that doesn't negatively impact our hormone health.

Rebalancing your hormones makes you feel alive again and keeps your body in a state of equilibrium, rather than the state of imbalance from which so many conditions arise. Protect your hormones and give them the stimulus they need.