Rebalancing Naturally with Diet and Supplements.
How can women suffering from hot flushes, depression and other symptoms of Oestrogen Dominance help themselves? It is important to know that one solution will not often be sufficient. will certainly balance the Hormones but diet and lifestyle factors need to be addressed in order to achieve Hormonal Harmony
The nutrition factor
There are certain steps that every woman can take to try to improve her health. A well-balanced diet is essential during as it enables the body to adjust automatically to the hormonal changes, naturally.
Keep blood sugar levels stable
Eat fewer refined foods (white bread, white flour, sugar etc.) and any foods and drinks that have a stimulant effect e.g. coffee, sugary drinks. Stimulants can bring on a hot flush. Also when blood sugar levels drop too low, adrenaline is released, which has a dissolving effect on our bones.
Reduce your intake of dairy products and red meat
Excess saturated fats have been suspected in breast cancer. Red meat is also high in phosphates and so can increase the loss of calcium from bones, raising the risk of osteoporosis. Try Soya instead (in tofu and soy milk) - it is a good source of protein and contains phytoestrogens.
Ensure your diet contains sufficient essential fatty acids
These are found in nuts, seeds, vegetables oils and oily fish. These essential oils have been found to help vaginal dryness and relieve benign breast disease.Supplement with Essential Fatty Acids as found in Omega 3 and 6.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
Also make sure you eat complex carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, potatoes, oats, corn etc. Consume > 100 grams fibre daily
Protect your calcium levels
If your food is too acid, calcium stores (in your bones and teeth) are used to neutralise the acid imbalance. So if your diet if too acidic, you will be continually using up your stores of calcium.
Avoid too many acid foods such as tea, coffee and animal products (meat and dairy). A study of 1,600 reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that vegetarians had a higher bone density than meat eaters of the same age.
Take a balanced Calcium Supplement this needs to contain magnesium as magnesium facilitates the absorption of calcium, you will need a formula with a 2-1 ratio e.g. calcium 1200mgm and 600mgm of magnesium.
Healthy habits
If you smoke, stop. Smoking can bring on a premature menopause and also reduces bone mass by up to 25%. Take regular exercise as this helps to increase bone density. Try taking brisk walks for about 20 minutes a day.
The Body Blues Book contains excellant advice and charts to help you get started.
Vitamins and minerals
It is not always possible to get enough nutrients from our diet, especially at menopause. So a good multivitamin and mineral would be useful. Studies have also shown that both vitamin E and vitamin C with bioflavonoid are effective for reducing hot flushes.
There are some very useful herbs well known for their use in Progesterone Balance.
Examples are Vitex (chaste tree) Black cohosh, Dong Quai,these have been used for women’s hormonal imbalances for thousands of years and will be found to contain progesterone precursors, or perhaps phytoestrogens or both.
- Serenity for women natural moisturizing cream to balance Progesterone and Oestrogen
- Serenity Natural Triple Phyto-oestrogen cream for hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness that have not been relieved by Progesterone Cream or Diet Changes.
- Vitamin E 400 i.u. 3 times daily beneficial for hot flushes, heart health & circulation
- Evening Primrose Oil Essential Fatty Acid – helps hot flushes
- Correctly Balanced Calcium Formula
- Whole Psyllium Seed Husk – Sticky form of of fibre that binds up harmful excess oestrogen as well as fat and other harmful toxins
- Drink ample Water 4-8 glasses daily
- Achieve quality sleep
- Exercise (30-45 minutes four to five days per week)
- Laugh freely!(Preferably with a mate)
- Learn to Manage Stress
