Hi loves!
How's everyone doing? Today I'm bringing up a brand new topic in the Tangeld wellness category. We're talking about HORMONES. Those mythical things affecting our entire wellbeing that everyone talks about but no one can see.
Backstory: Up until 4 months ago, I had constant hormonal breakouts for years. I had no idea why. I thought I was doing everything right. I ate right, avoided dairy 95% of the time, hadn't consumed a single piece of meat in 5 years, and drank a lottt of water. But about 8 months ago, after noticing how uneven the skin on my chin was, I was fed up. I knew what was causing my breakouts, I just didn't know how to get rid of them! So I got on Google, researched hormonal breakouts, and read this one article that changed everything. It talked about how not only cow's milk/ dairy can affect hormones but so can nut milk. I was shocked! I used nut milk for everything. With a little further research it turned out I was eating a diet completely wrong for my body (although I thought it was super healthy). I don't want you to go through the same discomfort and confusion I went through, so let's get into it.
First off: What even are hormonal breakouts?
Hormonal breakouts are when you have clogged pores generally on the lower half of your face. Specifically, your chin. As someone who had horrific acne during my teen years and had been on every cream in the book, I knew what worked to clear my skin and keep my acne gone. But one thing never changed, I still would have congested pores and consistent breakouts on my chin. Dermatologists and aestheticians would constantly say "oh this is all due to hormones" and leave it at that. But what does that even mean?
As women ( and men) we all know the basis of hormones: certain ones make you happy, others sad. Girls have more of these kind and men have more of those. Nice, fluffy, ambiguous phrases unless you studied biology. However, never once in my many years of reading did I come across the balances these hormones need to be in and what problems can occur when your body isn't in that balance. More importantly, how to FIX these problems using natural solutions and not running to the pharmacy. So for women specifically, what causes hormonal breakouts? Well, generally it is because of a natural imbalance of estrogen. We all know estrogen, right? She makes us moody and angry when she's here in high levels. Our body produces natural amounts of estrogen, all based on the time of the month. When that happens, all is normal and well and she is working in harmony with the other hormones (like progesterone). However, we live surrounded by factors in our environment and BIG TIME in our food that cause excess production of estrogen. Because of this, we can have high levels of estrogen in our body that aren't being balanced out by the other hormones, and it reeks havoc on our system. This is referred to as estrogen dominance.
Things estrogen dominance can cause are:
- PMS
- Headaches (specifically associated with PMS)
- Bloating
- Brain fog
- Anxiety
- Swollen and tender breasts
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
For a full list, check it out here.
Sound familiar? On top of the hormonal acne, it sure did to me. A lot of the symptoms were ones that I was dealing with. I was determined to learn more. I picked up the book Estrogen Dominance: Hormonal Imbalance of the 21st Century by Michael and Dorine Lam and was shocked about what I never knew. There are these little things called xenoestrogens that make up so many chemicals in things like our furniture, upholstery, and clothing. These little chemicals actually cause the production of more estrogen in the body and can contribute to estrogen dominance. Then I got to thinking: if we're exposed to these every single day, there was no way eating a diet that also encouraged more estrogen production is good either, I was thinking cow's milk. Little did I know there are also LEGUMES that could increase estrogen in the body. It was then I knew I had to change my diet. So I did. The results, like anything, were not immediate but during the first month of eliminating foods from my diet I did notice changes. I no longer had a single headache during my PMS days when previously I would have one every morning, for 5 days straight. The next month my usual backaches and sore chest were significantly reduced, if not almost nonexistent. And now, I am a whole new person with barely any PMS symptoms (aside from the slight moodiness). I never thought there would be a day I could say that!
What Foods Increase Estrogen In The Body?
- Dairy and meat
- Soy
- Legumes (beans, chickpeas, peanuts)
- Nuts (almonds, pistachios)
- Wheat
- Non-organic produce (due to pesticides)
- Vegetable Oils
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
What To Eat Instead To Promote A Positive Hormone Balance:
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Herbal teas
- Avocado
- Flax seeds
- Whole grains
- Olive, coconut, and avocado oils
- Green tea
- Turmeric
A lot of information, right? Don't be overwhelmed. Like anything, living a healthy lifestyle most suitable for your body is a journey. If you think you may be suffering from estrogen dominance take it in strides and try eliminating things one by one from your diet. The Women's Wellness Comprehensive also gives an even more extensive article on the topic here if you want to learn in more detail about where xenoestrogens are found and what specific foods to eat to heal estrogen dominance. There are many things you can do but diet is crucial to see a change. Once you've subbed out some of your estrogen increasing foods, there are other ways you can decrease your intake of the hormone too. Simple ways that are better for your overall wellbeing too!
Ways To Decrease Estrogen, In Addition To Diet:
- Reduce stress levels
- Exercise
- Drink pure water
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Use clean makeup and skincare products
- Skin brushing
- Use of a sauna
- Epsom salt baths
Easy right? Everyone deserves a relaxing bath while sipping on green tea once in awhile.
If you're still curious about estrogen dominance, hormone balances, and where to start, tomorrow I'll be posting about why I quit coffee (due to the link of throwing off hormone balances) and how you can too. Next week a What I Eat In A Day post will go live, consisting of 5 days of plant-based meals that are simple and only include ingredients that help to reduce estrogen!
I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think of this article and what changes you've made to your diet that have made a positive impact on your hormonal breakouts and/or lifestyle as a whole!
*Disclaimer: Living and learning about a healthy lifestyle has many benefits. However, I am not a medical professional. This article is for informative purposes and should not to be used to make medical decisions. Discuss all new diets and supplements with your healthcare provider prior to beginning.
xo
