Post 206

Estrogen Dominance

Most people consider this to be a woman’s problem, however, and although woman do experience the problem more often than men, it also affects men in so many very important ways. The following material is most beneficial when combined with personal facts about your hormones. If you suspect you are Estrogen Dominant, the first step is to get a blood test to provide you with information on what hormones are too low and which are too high. Once you that, you do have a natural recourse to restore hormonal balance. The blood test is needed because it is very individual. The test you need is;

• • For Women;  Female Hormonal Panel

• For Men:  Male Hormonal Panel

Once you determine your hormonal imbalance, the good news is that natural has already provided you with a solution. All of us cannot afford to have Bio-Identical Hormone Compounding, but the next best thing is to help your own body produce or supplement what you need. If you can afford Bio-Identical Hormone Compounding, it is of course a recommended option. But even with this, re-testing every 6 months to a year should be done. It is best to know the facts so you can get the best results.

Here is a list of symptoms of Estrogen & Oestrogen Dominance in Women

If you have any of these problems, probably more than one of them, the above suggestions should benefit you. If you are Estrogen Dominance you are most likely Progesterone deficient, including Xenoestrogens.

• Autoimmune conditions
• Birth Control Pill use or history of use
• Bloating
• Belly Fat
• Brain Fog
• Breast Cancer
• Breast tenderness before periods
• Bone Spurs, Calcium Deposits, higher incidence of Plantar Fasciitis discomfort during ovulation, frequent incidence of ankle, knee, and foot injuries during ovulation (higher estradiol, higher body and tissue temperature during this time invokes higher incidence of injuries due to possible tissue being more flexible)
• Cold feet and hands, can be chilly even when weather is warm
• Chocolate craving (rich in magnesium and antioxidants)
• Chronic constipation
• Endometriosis
• Estrogen Dominant Hormonal Cancers
• Fatigue
• Fibroids
• Fibromyalgia
• Fibrocystic Breast Disease
• Hair thinning, overall hair loss
• High Blood Pressure (develops frequently in and after menopause)
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Hypothyroidism (low metabolism, low thyroid)
• Impatience, short temper, irritable for no or small reasons
• Infertility
• Magnesium deficiency
• Menstrual cramps- more pronounced than normal
• Menstrual cycle ceases or becomes irregular
• Ovarian cysts
• PCOD & PCOS (polycystic ovarian disease or syndrome)
• PMS
• Migraine headache
• Muscle tension in the legs; often the entire leg and particular in the calf muscles
• Neuropathy, developing Neuropathy with Plantar Fasciitis (especially around menses in menstruating women)
• RLS (restless leg syndrome- this is why magnesium helps reduce this- because it is helping to reduce the estrogen dominance)
• Sugar cravings
• Swollen breasts
• Swollen feet and hands usually mistaken for general water retention
• Thyroid hormone imbalance, hormone becomes more sensitive
• Vitamin B deficiencies (contributing to fatigue and chronic brain fog)
• Weight gain
• Weight carriage around the belly
• Weight carriage in hips and thighs

These are the Symptoms of High Estrogen in MEN

• Atherosclerosis
• Belly fat
• Enlarged prostate
• Gynecomastis- “man-boobs”
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Hypothyroidism (low metabolism)
• Impotency and erectile dysfunction
• Increased risk for stroke & heart attack
• Increased risk for hormonal cancers
• Increased risk of hormone imbalances and Low T
• Infertility
• Low sex drive, low libido
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Weight gain, excessive belly fat and upper leg fat and hips

Reducing Estrogen & Oestrogen Dominance

Understanding Estrogen Dominance;  It is important to understand that for women especially, they can actually be deficient, excessive, or normal in estrogen levels but have little or no progesterone and be estrogen dominant. Even though a woman’s female blood panel indicates low estrogen levels they can still be estrogen dominant and show all of the symptoms because they do not have any progesterone. It is important to bring hormonal balance back to level and the best way to do so is through diet, herbs, and the avoidance of specific foods that cause the problem.

Begin by considering dietary restrictions;

AVOID Foods High in Estrogen if You Are Estrogen & Oestrogen Dominant

• Avoid GMO soy products. Use ONLY organic to assure it is not genetically modified
• Avoid seed oils and commercially produced seed products; again these seeds and their oils need to be organic. Seed oils have been found to be highly inflammatory;  seeds such as safflower, canola, sunflower, etc. Eating whole seeds or oil that is organically sourced is the priority
• Avoid grains that are not organically grown. The standard grains whether in whole forms, flour, oils, etc. are all GMO unless they are organic. Too many grains increases sugar because starch converts to sugar. Sugar can be like fertilizer for cancer. Use whole grains and limit your intake. Primary diet of cancer survivors should be majority vegetables with some fruit
• Poultry– unless organically grown and fed, again, you are contributing to hormonal imbalances
• Meat– again has to be organically grown and GRASS FINISHED. Any grass fed animal has been gorged with a high GMO grain for production during the last 2 months, so although grass fed for the majority of their life, they are actually GMO-Finished unless labeled otherwise. Grass fed is a step up but grass finished is superior
• Avoid artificial sweeteners altogether
• Throw away all teflon pans;  this coating will increase PFOA’s by a whopping 400 times! plus other chemicals—
• Avoid any liquid heated in a plastic bottle, any plastic left in the sun or in your car that liquid has been exposed to heat, should be discarded
• Use glass containers when heating or cooling food. Plastic bottles or food storage containers made of plastic mimic estrogen, heating or freezing accentuates these negative effects.

Take a regimen of herbs to detoxify the body; milk thistle, dandelion leaf or root, yellow dock. Herbs not only detoxify, they help to balance hormones.

Herbs to reduce estrogen dominance;

• Dong qui
• Red clover blossoms
• Flax seed oil
• EPO
• Chaste tree berry
• Essiac Tea (the 8 herb, not 4)
• Jason Winters Tea
• Iodine (kelp, or lugol’s)
• Black Salve (salve or tablets)

Extremely important foods to include daily with 1-3 servings;  cruciferous;  broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, cabbage, collard greens. The product DIM contains I3C which is from broccoli

1. If a serious medical condition has evolved, consider supplementing DIM
2. How do cruciferous foods to help reduce estrogen dominance; cruciferous vegetables are important to detox the liver of synthetic hormones which is critical for thyroid health. All cruciferous vegetables (cooked supports the thyroid and guards against low thyroid. Raw is okay if underweight as it slows the thyroid down for those that need it) are beneficial for reducing Estrogen Dominance Raw cruciferous foods suppress the function of the thyroid and interferes with the T4 hormone (including Synthroid) conversion to T3, the bioactive hormone. The only people who should eat raw cruciferous vegetables are those with a hyper-thyroid. If you have the opposite problem and have Estrogen Dominance and a Hyper-Thryoid, you should try to eat more raw cruciferous vegetables and drink 3 cups a day of a tea containing bugleweed, motherwort, and lemon balm. People have even had tumors shrink using this combination but ONLY with hyperthyroidism.
3. Take Organic Sulfur twice daily. This will remove unmetabolized hormones from the liver and detox the body, strengthen the liver, remove heavy metals, and restore multiple body functions with time. Take 1 teaspoon twice daily on an empty stomach in 2 divided doses 6 hours or more apart. The ideal dose is 4 grams per 100 pounds of body weight but if you are not using weight, take a teaspoon twice daily at least 4 hours apart. SEE POST 28, 200, and 201 for how to use Sulfur
4. Medicinal Mushrooms  these are great regulators, being both healing and adaptogenic by nature. Take 1 to 5 grams daily. Simply stir into any liquid;  water, coffee, tea, broth of any type, juice. Take it 20 minutes or so prior to a meal or anytime during the day on an empty stomach.

 How to Clear Out Stored Estrogen & Oestrogen

Women have usually taken drugs like birth control during their life. These drugs are a form of synthetic hormones which are NOT metabolized and discarded but rather, they are stored in the liver. To move stored synthetic hormones out of the body, alter your diet to include foods which will help clear them out. Herbal formulas also help to do this by supporting the body with natural compounds that co-exist with the natural hormones in plants. When a product such as synthetic estrogen or other pharmaceutical hormones are taken, they are isolated and in a single & synthetic form. In a synthetic form, the naturally occurring compounds that metabolize the hormones are missing and devoid of true effectiveness. What the result is, is side-effects because the body cannot properly metabolize it;  it goes to the liver where it is then stored while waiting for clearing. To move it out- to clear it out of your body, eat the right foods and take the right herbs and soon you will be on the road to better health and well being. Some good news is that by following these dietary changes, you will burn fat, especially around the waist, as you clear out the estrogens and oestrogen foods! Cortisol known as the death hormone tends to show by way of an enlarged waistline.

First- Here are the foods you WANT to eat

1. Number one- citrus fruits. These fruits contain d-Limonene. If you have heard of diets where grapefruit is recommended, this is what they are capitalizing on to help you burn away belly-fat. The reason it works is because it is clearing out estrogen and oestrogen. To Detox your body with citrus you need either 1 serving of fruit per day or substituted 10 oz. of juice per day. Juice can be and should be diluted if using lemon or lime. With grapefruit, simply drink it straight. Commercial juice will not work because it has been cooked which converts the alkaline effects to acidic; juice needs to be raw. Choose from lemons, grapefruit, and lime- not oranges. These can be single or combined. If you want sweetener, use stevia or monk’s fruit. It is best to eat fruits rather than juicing them because whole fruits contain the fiber which offsets the natural containing sugar. This is especially important for those with metabolic syndrome (onset of diabetes). If you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, follow your fruit servings and types given to you by your health care provider.
2. Increase insoluble fiber (verses soluble). This fiber will bind to the excess oestrogen in the digestive tract and remove it through elimination. Sources of insoluble fiber are; brown rice, whole grain breads and cereals, barley, couscous, quinoa, rice and wheat bran, raw fruits and vegetables, especially carrots and other root vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, all kinds of seeds, especially psyllium fiber (even taking 1-2 pills of psyllium with meals can help). Fiber also helps to improve the count of friendly bacteria in the gut. If you make Kombucha, mix your psyllium fiber with it for a super-charged probiotic-fiber natural medicine. Taking a prebiotic such as inulin every day will work to restore your prebiotic balance in the gut. The best inulin is chicory derived with Jerusalem artichoke coming in second. Agave is not recommended. A blend of the two is superior.
3. Cruciferous vegetables. These contain something called I3C which in supplement form is called DIM (usually about 250mg per pill). Don’t eat these vegetables raw unless you have a hyperthyroid. Cruciferous vegetables will slow the thyroid down and this results in a low metabolism. Eat them cooked, try to consume 2-3 servings per day. So what are these powerhouses of vegetables? choose from these;

• Cabbage
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Radish
• Beets
• Celery

These foods specifically remove excess oestrogens.

4. Green leafy vegetables; a salad a day helps to keep estrogen away! These types of vegetables contain a form of calcium called calcium d-glucarate and DIM (diindolylmethane), they are rich in vitamin E and the B complex- all of which help detoxify the body of unmetabolized hormones including oestrogen.
5. Take a multi-vitamin-mineral supplement for restoring balance. We have a food sourced daily tablet that is an excellent option. Using real minerals and a multivitamin & minerals supplement is the most bioavailable. An excellent source of minerals is derived from dirt. Fulvic Humic liquid is a good supplement. Shilajit is also a good resource. HOS probiotics are derived from dirt and recommended for those with digestive disorders. For daily minerals, use either sea salt or Himalayan pink salt which contains 84 minerals.  Organic vegetables and fruits also contain the minerals you need. Minerals are your electrolytes such as;  calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. These clean up the system at a cellular exchange level.
6. You need protein. Although being a vegan and vegetarian is popular, you truly have the teeth of an omnivore and need animal protein for tissue repair, along with sulfur. Animal protein contains YY peptide which will not only help remove these hormones but will help you to lose weight while keeping the skin more firm. The protein should also be clean- free-range without hormones of course, otherwise it is defeating the whole purpose and rather infusing you with hormones. Shop clean meat and reduce how much you eat. You do not need a lot of protein, generally Americans eat too much protein and not enough vegetables. It is a healthy mindset—some protein + lots of vegetables. Women need more protein than men, about 50-60 grams, men require 60-70 grams per day. As you get older, authorities agree that we need to increase this a bit. Just as combining a bean and grain together = a complete protein, just as flaxseed oil contains omega 3 fatty acid, all of these foods have special ingredients and compounds that make them what they are. None replace the other. Every food has value. If you are allergic however, then you must eliminate that food for your health, such as casein protein (in cow’s milk). Reacting to casein makes cow’s milk a problem for you but in general, milk is good for most people. If you learn anything from this material just know– you likely need more of two things;  vegetables and fiber.
7. Seeds– flaxseed is a “hormonal seed” but in a good way. It will help to regulate and remove “bad estrogen” and reduce the storage of oestrogen in body fat. Pumpkin seed is excellent for this and is especially good for men. Sesame seeds, psyllium seed, chai seed, linseed, all are good for this purpose. Sprinkle these into yogurt, cottage cheese, salads, Chinese food, cooked vegetables, or add them to smoothies. 3 tablespoons daily is recommended or if using flaxseed oil about 1 tablespoon with a meal. Flaxseed oil must be organic, cold pressed and is additionally beneficial if it is high lignin. Keep oil refrigerated or in the freezer between uses (don’t worry, oil doesn’t freeze and it protects it from becoming rancid). When the body is oestrogen dominant, these plant oestrogens will bind to the body’s existing receptors to reduce fat storing (which helps reduce belly fat). Seeds, just as increasing insoluble fiber, increase the counts of friendly bacteria in the gut.
8. Oils– some popular oils are very inflammatory such as canola, sunflower, cottonseed, safflower, corn, soy, etc. These will work against you, especially soy oil. The only oils to use as part of your daily food preparation are; olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. Good oils not only help you to remove estrogen and oestrogen from the body but also protect and nourish the brain. Without “good fat”, you will experience “brain-fog”. Good fats work with healthy plant hormones for your benefit. You have heard of 3-6-9 oils;  omega 3 oils are fish oil (best), chai, and flaxseed, 6 are seeds oils (mostly inflammatory) and 9 is olive oil. You should not supplement 6. As Americans, we get way too much omega 6 fatty acid which is a commercial product issue because these are inexpensive and provide fat, so manufacturers load up our food with these fats. Just remember that these seed oils are inflammatory and inflammation is the gateway to disease. Olive oil balances hormones and makes you skin supple, the omega 3 fatty acids, especially fish oil, nourish the brain and help you prevent dementia. The other number one fat which is animal based comes from eggs;  these however MUST be not only pastured but organic– cage free just means they are in the quonset hut and not in a little cage. Watch some videos and you’ll never be able to eat these types of eggs again and you will cry for the chickens. Every animal should have a good life in the big picture.
9. Water– help the body flush away toxins by drinking 2 liters or basically 2 quarts of water per day. Tea counts as your water allowance and has an added bonus for weight loss, especially green tea. To read about the benefits of the different types of tea and weight loss, see Post 154. Another way to get your water allowance in every day is to make something I call “tea-waters”. These are made with things like ginger root, fruits, or fruit teas such as All Very Berry, Blueberry Blast, etc. You can make them very weak if you want, just a touch of flavor to make drinking water a little easier to work in every day. These tea-waters can then be used to make a cup of green tea for example. By doing this, you do not have to over-steep your green tea which makes it bitter. By using “tea waters” for flavor, you can make great tasting water without bitterness that is more beneficial than water alone.  Make a large batch of tea-water and store it in the fridge up to 6 days for convenient use. Use this water to steep your tea every day.
10. Organic Sulfur– (as mentioned in no. 13 above in this Post) this is not only critical to overall health, it is a great detoxifier. Read the details in Post 28 and 200, as well as how to use it externally in Post 201. This is taken daily using 4 grams per 100 pounds of body weight, twice a day. This is approx. 1 teaspoon 2 x daily. Foods rich in sulfur include garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, arugula, and coconut milk & oil.
11. Specific hormonal deficiencies; specific herbs and foods help your body to produce natural hormones. These herbs and foods help to both support production and promote an adequate supply of hormones. You can use Maca instead of the pharmaceutical HRT, in replacement for taking specific birth control pills for the purpose of hormone replacement (such as acne), you can take Chaste Tree Berry, Flaxseed Oil, and DIM. If you need testosterone you can supplement Epimedium (horny goat weed) and Longjack. The list is long. There is an herb for all of the hormones you need found simply in nature. Remember again, herbs are not isolates, these are “whole” and contain the compounds that give it the “go factor” as I like to call it. Think of this way– take the herb Chaste Tree Berry (for progesterone); this is the car, the compounds in Chaste Tree Berry are the gas that fuel the production and supplementation of the progesterone found naturally in the plant.

 Sometimes what you avoid is as important as what you need to include.

Foods to AVOID to Reduce Estrogen & Oestrogen Dominance

1. Too much caffeine. Heavy caffeine consumption results in elevated oestrogen levels. Limit coffee to no more than 2 cups per day. Tea is not only healthier for you than coffee, but because it contains so much less caffeine, you can drink many cups per day without overloading on caffeine. Remember too that decaffeinated tea still contains the EGCG’s and antioxidants for better health, just at a reduced level. Fun Fact:  people who drink 1 cup of coffee per day have an increase in longevity compared to people who abstain totally from any coffee. In addition, 3 cups of coffee per day is then anti-health. Everything has purpose but is beneficial in moderation (of course as always)
2. Soy- this bean is very phytoestrogenic and contains naturally occurring oestrogens. Any hormone imbalance is greatly aggravated by GMO soy but is a regulator in organic soy bean or edamame. Watch for GMO soy especially in salad dressings and mayonnaise. This a very cheap oil and manufacturers put in everything they can get away with. If you have to pick between soy or canola, even though canola is bad too, still choose canola. Both of these GMO and non-organic oil are inflammatory but the soy is further complicated.
3. Bad fats– saturated fats with the exception of coconut oil. Avoid sausage, bacon and ham. Add to this list; chips, biscuits, pastries, margarine, and most breads. READ LABELS, for example if you are choosing chips, you probably can’t find any with olive or avocado oil and sea salt but you can find labels with under 5 ingredients. I was surprised to find the kettle fried chips were high in the number of ingredients- mostly bad, so “lower fat” is not necessarily the only consideration. Try to select a chip with sunflower seed oil and sea salt instead of complex multi ingredients as long as a paragraph. Ingredients;  LESS IS GENERALLY MORE. Butter is ok but in moderation. Butter is a food source of butyric acid which is very good for the gut and promoting healthy levels of probiotics but in excess, as with all things, can be “too much of a good thing”. Of course butter is always the choice when compared to margarine. Remember way back when and the commercial producers sold Americans on margarine (which is really just about like spreadable plastic). I never fell for this but many people certainly did. Low fat or variations of these diets over a 10 year period also resulted in more cases of dementia. Always question when suddenly, common things become “bad”. Bad fats increase the levels of oestrogen circulating in the bloodstream, good fats bind these and remove them from your body, again- balancing the system.
4. Alcohol- again, moderation is key. Choosing red wine over beer for example is a no-brainer. Oestrogen is broken down by the liver for removal, so a taxed liver loses its ability to expel the hormone. Limit alcohol to 2 drinks per day. Red wine has flavonoids so there is also benefit. It is popular in today’s society to claim that all alcohol is bad. When it comes full circle again, it will be found that how it is made will determine whether it is disease causing or not. Corn syrup, colors, arsenic and chemicals found in many wines is disease causing but organic well managed crops produce a safe and beneficial product.
5. Processed foods– hormone balances are greatly influenced by refined and processed foods because the increase in blood sugar impacts the release of insulin. Eliminate sweets, white sugar, poor quality rice, biscuits, cakes, jelly, and canned fruit. Even raw fruit should be reduced to remain within a ratio of 1 fruit to 5-7 servings of vegetables. You earn your fruit allowance by eating your vegetables. Fruits you do consume need to be raw.

 These Nutrients/Supplements Have Been Found to Block “Bad Estrogen”

1. Calcium D-Glucarate
2. DIM (indole-3-carbinol and diindolylmethane)
3. Rhodiola Rosea (also promotes serotonin which = happiness)
4. Grape Seed
5. Zinc (improves prostate health, reduces inflammation and reduces acne breakouts from hormonal imbalance)
6. Vitamin D3 (mostly everyone needs to supplement this vitamin)

 Take These Supplements to Lower Estrogen

1. DIM
2. Fish Oil
3. Zinc
4. B Complex
5. Magnesium
6. Melatonin
7. Vitamin E
8. Green Tea Extract
9. Eat Cruciferous Vegetables as a supplement
10. Flaxseed Oil
11. EPO

 Foods That Provide Natural Estrogen

1. Chickpeas
2. Yams
3. Carrots
4. Kale (cooked)
5. Celery
6. Alfalfa Sprouts
7. Apricots
8. Strawberries
9. Peaches
10. Flaxseeds
11. Sesame Seeds
12. Fermented Soy (fermented examples are miso, soy sauce, kimchi)
13. Peas
14. Pinto Beans
15. Olives and Olive Oil
16. Dark Rye Bread

 Foods To Increase Progesterone

1. Russet Potatoes
2. Tuna
3. Salmon
4. Bananas
5. Walnuts
6. Spinach
7. Beef
8. Chicken
9. Sweet Potato
10. Beans
11. Prunes
12. Turkey
13. Foods high in B6 and taking B6;

• Seafood
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Beans & Peas
• Nuts & Seeds
• Fish
• Beef

When you are deficient in certain hormones, the earth has answers. There are specific herbs for every hormone you need. To replace synthetic hormones, match the hormone you need to the appropriate herb. Most people are unaware that bio-identical hormones are made from plants. If you are using progesterone cream for a progesterone deficiency (in most cases this is present but not all), then be sure to use a natural progesterone cream and not synthetic. Synthetic will once again add to the very problem you are trying to solve. Natural hormonal herbs are referred to as phytohormones. Having a blood test done which is either a Female Hormonal Panel or a Male Hormonal Panel.  This will determine which hormones are out of balance, which are too high and which are too low. Using herbs to bring up low levels of important hormones, developing an individual plan is a layman’s version of bio-identical hormone replacement.

Here are herbs to help you restore balance based upon your individual hormonal need;

1. Progesterone: as a cream, this is applied to the inner arm or thigh. Progesterone herbs act as a precursor for testosterone, oestrogen, DHEA, cortisone, and aldosterone. Aldosterone, less known, is an important salt-regulating hormone which reduces edema (water retention). Chaste Tree Berry, also called Vitex, is a source of progesterone. Wild Yam and Mexican Yam is a natural solution for a non-synthetic progesterone cream. Even though many women experience relief from using natural progesterone cream, if you do not need progesterone or if you have a high progesterone level, using progesterone can be detrimental. This is where the Hormonal Blood Panel is important, prior to taking progesterone promoting herbs or using cream, is absolutely recommended. Facts about your hormones are more important than feelings you may analyze or symptoms you are interpreting. Same goes for estrogen.
2. Fenugreek: this seed is a source of phytoestrogens which resemble human estrogens but instead act to protect our vital organs and functions but without the harmful effects of progesterone and estrogen. The actions of this seed’s phytoestrogens helps to rebalance your system and offsets the detrimental effects of hormonal dominance. For nursing mothers, fenugreek promotes the production of breast milk. For men, fenugreek improves libido, improves the ability to build muscle mass after exercise, and promotes healthy production of testosterone. For diabetics, it can help to improve insulin sensitivity and has the potential to modulate carbohydrate metabolism. Fenugreek is a powerhouse, often overlooked but very effective.
3. Kelp: a seaweed that is rich in natural occurring iodine, it helps to support healthy thyroid function and lifts a low metabolism by improving glandular function. Kelp has the potential to modulate carbohydrate metabolism. Taking kelp should be part of anyone’s weight loss diet in general which will also aid in reducing belly fat. Kelp has been found to inhibit the binding of estradiol to the estrogen receptor alpha and beta and progesterone to the progesterone receptor which shows that it has endocrine modulating effects which contribute to a lower incidence of hormone-dependent cancers. If you have a history of cancer, you would be wise to supplement kelp.
4. Wild Yam and Mexican Yam: is an alternative to taking synthetic progesterone and is often taken during menopause. Yams contain diosgenin which is a plant substance that has a structure which is chemically similar to progesterone. For a natural alternative to synthetic progesterone creams, wild yam is an excellent option.
5. Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex): this herb is slow acting but worth the wait, taking about 3 months to begin to notice the positive benefits. It has a direct influence on the pituitary and hypothalamus glands to regulate luteinizing hormone and the production of prolactin. Although indirect, it enhances the body’s own production of progesterone rather than just supplying an herbal source of progesterone. Chaste Tree Berry is also a great herbal choice to combat adult hormonal acne. For quick results in cases of severe PMS, take Chaste Tree Tincture using a dropper full or about 10-14 drops, twice daily, under the tongue. Usually within about 14 days you will notice some results.
6. Maca: Both soy, phytoestrogens, and HRT mimic estrogen. Unlike these, Maca can actually cause your body to produce natural estrogen if you need it. For younger women, Maca can help to regulate the menstrual cycle and improve fertility. For men, it makes sperm swim faster, improves fertility and the chances of inception, although it does not raise testosterone (frequently misunderstood). Women and men can become Estrogen Dominant even when estrogen levels are low if they are also low in progesterone. Maca, because it helps your body produce estrogen, is a modulating herbal hormone to restore balance. When used consistently for 4 months, women tested have improved their progesterone levels taking as little as 1000 mg. a day. It is also very complementary with Chaste Tree Berry to improve progesterone levels.
7. Red Raspberry Leaf: this is a great herb to enjoy as a tea because it tastes very similar to green tea but without the caffeine. It contains a valuable antioxidant called ellagic acid which has been found to alter estrogen metabolism and reduce the risk of hormonal cancers caused by 17beta-estradiol. If you are low in iron, this leaf is a good organically compounded form of natural iron (but should not be used by pregnant women until the last couple of weeks of pregnancy).
8. Broccoli Sprouts Powder: broccoli sprouts contain 50 x more antioxidants than mature broccoli. Sprouts contain high amounts of sulforaphane which is a compound that inhibits breast cancer stem cells and prevents new tumors from growing.  Growing sprouts is easy and broccoli seeds are available to grow your own sprouts which can be added to salads and sandwiches for a delicious food-medicine.

 Cleaning the Liver- a Collector of Unmetabolized Hormones

Excessive estrogens circulating though the body overloads the liver. The liver acts as a filter to rid the body of these harmful metabolites. When the liver cannot effectively do its job to excrete excessive estrogen or synthetics hormones from medications or foods, then the body circulates levels of estrogen. To help keep the body capable of ridding itself of these hormones, the liver needs to be optimal. Cleaning the liver is easy with herbs, citrus fruits, and Organic Sulfur.

 Herbs & Foods to Cleanse the Liver For More Effective Excretion of Estrogen & Synthetic Hormones

1. Milk Thistle Seed & Leaf
2. Dandelion Root & Leaf
3. Yellow Dock
4. Artichoke
5. Carrots
6. Beets
7. Celery
8. Ginger Root
9. Citrus Fruits; lemon, lime, grapefruit (see above- Foods You Want to Eat)

Herbs are easy to consume as teas, capsules, and tinctures. Foods in any relevant amount are easily available through juicing. The more serious situations will benefit from juicing because you just cannot eat enough of them to derive the same level of care.

Side Note:  Smoothies are not juice although the new coined term is “whole juice”. These are just NOT juices and the only way to get juice is to make juice using an actual Juicer. Juicing is when you extract juice from the fruit or vegetable and separate the pulp away. If you have a serious health issue, consider juicing to ingest the volume of nutrients you need without the bulk.

 Seeds That Boost Estrogen

• Flaxseeds & Oil
• Pumpkin Seeds & Oil

Seeds That Boost Progesterone

• Sesame Seeds & Oil
• Sunflower Seeds & Oil

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

Too much estrogen is more often a problem for women, but it also affects men. There are so many symptoms of this hormone being in excess that it is possible it may be more often involved in our health problems than we are aware. Considering that as a population, we have been fed foods laden with hormones, antibiotics, and soy, for decades without ever being made aware of the consequences until more recently. Considering our soil in commercial farming has become low in natural occurring sulfur, we cannot repair and recover from illness as we should. Sulfur is so critical to our health and worst of all, we cannot produce it in our body and we cannot store it, we must ingest it through our diet. With that not being possible as it once was, supplementing Organic Sulfur (see Post 28, 200, 201)  is simply now required if we want to maintain or recover good health.

 Summary of Supplemental Solutions

1. Organic Sulfur: One of the most important things is to begin taking Organic Sulfur. Start with a smaller amount and work up to about 1 teaspoon AM and PM or at least 4 hours apart. It can cause more energy so if this occurs, take the PM dose early in the afternoon 4 hours after the initial morning dose. See Post 28, 200, and 201 for detailed use of this product. All sulfur is not alike. MSM powder is not a substitute for pharmaceutical grade pure organic sulfur crystals. MSM is a substitute if Organic Sulfur is simply unaffordable and only a default choice at best. MSM can contain 16 undisclosed ingredients not required to list on the label. MSM is good for dogs but for humans it is inferior.
2. EPO (evening primrose oil): this is an excellent good fat to decrease “bad estrogen”. It will reduce muscle tension and pain from fibromyalgia, especially when taken with magnesium
3. Fish Oil (small fish only- those not ladened with mercury): reduces inflammation and improves brain signals to the body, helps reduce brain fog and memory retention. Whether eating a lot of fish or taking fish oil capsules, mercury is a concern. The great news is that Organic Sulfur expels heavy metals from the body. So if you eat fish, this supplement is very important to your health. If you take fish oil pills, always use a high quality fish oil. General commercial fish oil is usually made from tuna. Tuna is a large fish and is at risk to be high in mercury. Th larger the fish, the greater the risk of mercury. Take a fish oil derived from fish like sardines, mackerel, krill, and anchovie. These are small fish which have little concern for mercury toxicity.
4. Dong Quai: reduces bad estrogen. This will also help with a low sex drive and improve libido
5. Chaste Tree Berry (vitex): provides natural progesterone. It is a slow acting herb so allow 3 months or if a woman-  3 menstrual cycles, to be fully enacted for noticeable improvements. It is also the best herb for PMS and fibroids.
6. Coconut Oil: very helpful nerve insulation and promoting healthy thyroid hormone release. 2 tablespoons daily should be taken by adding to food preparation, stir into coffee, tea, or herb tea, spread on toast, or simply taken by mouth. Always take coconut oil as a supplement with food. Coconut oil is also great brain fat which helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and menopausal brain-fog. Monolaurin is a good way to increase the benefits of coconut oil. Taking 1 capsule per day of Monolaurin provides as much nutrient benefit as an entire cup of coconut oil!
7. D3 5000mg: 1 daily with a meal
8. Women: Female Hormone Replacement & Reproductive Herbal Formulas- equal parts of each. Until symptoms of Estrogen Dominance diminish, take both formulas. Even if you want to take only 1 capsule, then take 1 capsule of each, even if in menopause. Always take an herbal formula without food on an empty stomach unless directions state otherwise. Taking both formulas at the same time will help restore balance to all hormones over time. Maca should be taken daily and is the herbal replacement for HRT. Women’s multi-glandular supplement can also be very beneficial for a well-rounded full body recovery.
9. Men: Male Hormone Replacement & Reproductive Herbal Formulas to raise testosterone and reduce estrogen.  Choose at last two herbs from this list although a complex with all of them would be desirable;

• Horny goat weed (epimedium)
• Mucuna (also promotes release of dopamine)
• Muira puama
• Catuaba
• Longjack
• Tribulus
• Nettle root (not leaf)
• Turmeric
• Bulbine natalensi (do not take too much or there is a toxicity issue- use as directed) This herb is especially important as a balancer. It greatly increases testosterone by hundreds of percents and simultaneously reduces “bad estrogen”. It helps to correct premature ejaculation, low libido, and erectile dysfunction. This can especially beneficial when combined with Maca. Taking too much bulbine natalensi does not yield more benefits- so again, take dosage as directed. A 180 lb man equals about 82 kilograms. This supplement is ideal at 50mg per kilogram of body weight or for this example, this would be appox. 4100 mg. See below for how to figure ideal dosages based on your body weight.

Take Maca as a balancer in addition to your target herbs. Maca does not stimulate testosterone although there is a lot of false information out there. It does balance your hormones which in turn will help normalize healthy testosterone. In addition to herbs, take supplements to restore testosterone function and reduce Estrogen Dominance. These include;  zinc, probiotics, healthy fat, DIM, cooked cruciferous vegetables every day, D3, fish and fish oil, Collagen Rx and make bone broth for cooking, Organic Sulfur, B100,

If you are going to pursue health using herbs and natural medicine, you will need a few things.

1. Gram scale that measures to the 1/10^th of a gram
2. Figure your true weight in kilograms
3. To determine your most ideal dosage for your weight and condition, you need to know the math. Next I will tell you exactly how to figure this in simple calculation.

Natural medicines rely on a metric system dosing. To understand grams is important if you are going to use herbal remedies correctly and most effectively.  To help you figure dosages, use this as a guide.

FIRST — Determine your weight in kilograms. This is done by dividing weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, if a person weighs 110 pounds, divide 110 by 2.2, which equals 50 kilograms (110/2.2 = 50). This is done because one kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds.

Next, find out what the ideal dosage of mg. is desired for kilograms of body weight. Take any herb and google, “how many mg. of ________ per kilogram of body weight”  Use any herb, just fill in the blank and you will find exactly how much you need for your weight, then do the math. You will be surprised how much your results will improve when you individualize your herbal medicine. If you don’t want to figure this out, simply follow the directions on any product which is determined on the average person. This keeps things in the “safe range” which you should be able to use in confidence.

NEXT–  Example 1;   now that you know your weight in kilograms;  multiply milligrams by kilograms. For example, if a medication is recommended to be dosed at 100 mg/kg/day and the patient weighs 50kg: 100mg x 50kg = 5,000mg/day.  The above translates to 100 mg per kilogram of body weight each day. So, if you want 100 mg. per day based on your kilograms of weight, again;  take 100 mg x 50 kilograms (your weight) which will tell you exactly how many mg. you need each day for optimal dosing. 5,000 mg. = 5 grams.  Each gram is 1000 mg.

Example 2;  let’s say you weigh 180 pounds. Take 180 pounds and divide it by 2.2 which equals 81.82 (or approx 82 grams) grams.  Now multiple 81.82 x 50mg which = 4,091 mg. or 82 x 50mg = 4,100 mg.

See? This is easy, you just need the math. Once you know your weight in kilograms and you have a recommended mg. per kilogram of body weight, just calculate your dosage with this simple formula. When you see the recommended daily dose on a bottle of vitamins, they are using average weight of the average person to recommend what you should take. This is a mass formula. For individual dosage, this formula is how you get it.