When people talk about estrogen, it’s usually associated with regulating womens monthly cycle. That is right, but that is only part of the picture. The reality is that, estrogen plays a bigger role in your health than you can probably imagine or have ever been told.
Estrogen is a powerful hormone that work in concert with other hormones in your body to maintain your health in optimal state. There are hundreds of hormones in the body, all of them are important and serve interrelated and critical functions. Let’s focus just on discussing estrogen and it’s role.
There are four natural forms of estrogen
Even though we talk about estrogen as a single hormone, it is a complex of different hormones working together.
leafEstretol (produced only during pregnancy)
As the principal sex hormone, estrogen is a hormone that promotes cell growth. It stimulates the development of the female reproductive tract, the ovaries and the follicles inside the ovaries.
Estrogen also stimulates differentiation, and functioning of many target tissues. It is responsible for the so called female fat distribution pattern, which is deposition of fat on the breasts as well as the hips.
Estrogens also plays an important role in bone maintenance, in the central nervous system and in the cardiovascular system where estrogens have certain cardioprotective effects.
Some of the actions of Estrogen
Reduces risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
Preserves the strength of bones
Has anti-inflammatory properties
checkAids in the prevention of skin aging
checkProtects the Heart
checkMaturation of sperm
Estrogen receptors are a group of proteins found inside the cells that bind to estrogen. You have estrogen receptors in almost every organ of your body. Some examples are: breast, bladder, brain, kidney, liver, lungs, ovaries, thyroid, your skin and more.
What happens when all these receptors get out of whack?
You probably know that chemicals in the environment are bad for you.
Xenoestrogens interfere with estrogen signaling and bind to estrogen receptors. They are also called endocrine disruptors, because they change the normal function of your hormones. They mimic or imitate natural estrogen and block or bind hormone receptors. They get stored in fat tissue and cause a wide array of health issues such as cancer, birth defects, diabetes, depression, mood disorders, early puberty, hormonal imbalance (estrogen dominance), liver toxicity and obesity, among others.
Estrogenic substances are divided in different categories
1PARABENS are used as preservatives are commonly found in lotions, fragrances, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.
2PHTHALATES are found almost everywhere. They are used in plastic to make it flexible and clear. You can find them in plastic containers, cosmetics, vinyl flooring, etc.
3BISPHENOLS are a chemical commonly found in plastic, canned foods and baby items. It has strong estrogenic activities and has been banned and several countries.
4RED FOOD DYES are so common in processed foods. You can probably find them in 30% of foods at the grocery store. Red food dye #3 is banned for comestic use but still allowed in foods. They can cause depression, ADHD, and damaged to dopamine receptors.
5PESTICIDES/INSECTICIDES can be estrogen disruptors. Atrazine, a weed killer that has been illegal in Europe since 2004. DDT has been banned since the 1970’s. But the breakdown products are still in the environment. There is a growing list in this category, specifically the organophosphates.
6PHYTOESTROGENS are estrogens from plants. Some common sources of phytoestrogen come from soy, flax, lavender, tempeh, yams, and red wine.
How can You protect yourself from these harmful substances?
Filter your water. Our favorite filter is Berkey
Consume organic, locally-grown vegetables and fruits
Eat organic grass-fed meat and pasture-fed chicken
Eat cruciferous vegetables as they help remove excess estrogen.
In the Kitchen
Use stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic cook-ware
Don’t put plastic containers in the microwave
Don’t store foods and liquids in plastic containers/bottles
Use glass to store food
Health and Beauty Products
Avoid deodorants with estrogenic chemicals and parabens
Avoid perfumes and fragrances
Don’t use soaps and hand sanitizers with triclosan
Make-up with parabens