ESTROGEN DOMINANCE & WEIGHT GAIN…
What’s going on? Why am I 5-10-15 pounds heavier when I am eating the same?
Oh, ladies…This happens as we begin to reach menopause. It happens to men, too, by the way as their hormones decline, but they just don’t seem to care the same way we do. Men don’t seem to mind the “pooch”, but we do!
What is happening: During perimenopause, estrogen levels begin to fall but estrogen’s partner hormone, progesterone, falls even lower. Indeed, studies have shown that progesterone production slows by 75% during our 40’s and 50’s while estrogen levels fall by only 35%, creating an imbalance called estrogen dominance. This relative excess of estrogen makes women more likely to gain weight….right around the middle. This affects 75% of women over 40. So we end up always fighting the weight loss battle
So many women are not sure why they feel so stuck at the same weight, no matter what. Many are working out every day and STILL not losing any weight. One lady emailed me this week that she was put on estrogen-based birth control pills to ease her hormone symptoms. She said she took them for 2 weeks, felt worse AND gained 10 pounds. Of course…more estrogen equal more fat. Estrogen is the Fat Storage Hormone!
In a healthy body, estrogen circulates thru the bloodstream and eventually ends up in the liver where it is deactivated and excreted thru the bowel. But as we age, and our livers are less efficient, estrogen can be reactivated, re-enter the blood stream and start circulating through the body again, causing or worsening estrogen dominance.
What to do? You can do a 3 month estrogen detox with a product called DIM OR you can make a dietary shift toward high fiber foods.
Fiber eliminates the estrogen-reactivation and will sweep excess estrogen out of the body and kick start your weight loss. It acts like a powerful excess estrogen vacuum cleaner!
Couple this with a bio-identical hormone crème to boost your progesterone levels and most women see weight loss very quickly. My writer told me she dropped from a size 14 to a 6 and feels control of her life has returned after many years of unsuccessful dieting.
Indolegard with DIM
To recap: Progesterone crème & high fiber. Women say they feel happier and more energized within 5-7 days of eating fiber rich foods.
So, how much fiber? Between 35-50 grams per day
Here are the Top 12 High Fiber Foods: You will see how easy it is to get 35 mg.
Lentils 16 g in 1 cup
Beans 15 g in 1 cup
Chia seeds 10 g in 1 TBS
Avocado 10 g in 1 avocado
Green peas 9 g in 1 cup
Artichokes 8 g in ½ cup
Raspberries 8 g in 1 cup
Pears 6 g in each pear
Broccoli 5 g in 1 cup
Oats 5 g in 1 cup
Brussel Sprouts 4 g in 1 cup
Almonds 4 g in 1 ounce
Cruciferous vegetables, which include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale, are not as high in fiber, but they are especially helpful in supporting estrogen removal because they are loaded with sulfur compounds that boost liver function to support the deactivation and removal of estrogen.
Another Power House: Milk Thistle. Studies show that women who took a milk thistle supplement doubled the amount of estrogen they excreted in their urine after 28 days. The credit goes to silymarin, a flavonoid in the herb that increases the liver’s ability to filter out environmental toxins that can raise estrogen levels. The dose 100-150 mg twice a day, once with breakfast once with dinner.
Milk Thistle
Also smart: Drink at least 10 cups of water or unsweetened liquid each day to keep the fiber moving through your system.
Okay, ladies: Banish Belly Fat!
If you want more written help, I have a book called The Belly Flat Handbook.
The Belly Fat Handbook
You can find it here: https://www.mcssl.com/store/18391473/the-belly-flat-handbook
If you do not want to spend money on a book, just email me. barbara@askbarbarahoffman.com
I am here to help!
Blessings,
Barbara
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