5 SUPERFOODS TO CRUSH ESTROGEN IMBALANCE

Your 30’s and 40’s, are years that add greys, stress, and responsibilities. This invariably means a lack of nutrient-rich food intake that throws your body’s estrogen levels out of sync. What a lot of us don’t realise is that estrogen production and nutrition go hand in hand. As you age, your body’s estrogen production starts to deplete. Although this may sound like a normal occurrence, it brings with it a host of issues and problems, that are avoidable with good quality nutrition—vitamins, minerals, and more.

Estrogen production in our body is an important function that controls a woman’s overall health, be it her energy levels, menstrual cycles, fertility, sleep and even mood and libido. This generally happens when you get into your 30s and starts accelerating as you approach menopause.

Here is what your body might experience when the estrogen production depletes or just because of a lack of essential nutrients:

• Tremendous mood swings: Your estrogen controls a lot of your hormones and overall mental health. All those mood swings that you witness when you are PMSing or are peri-menopausal or menopausal are because of estrogen imbalance that affects serotonin production in the body. Ever wondered why you feel exceptionally emotional when you are expecting your period?

• Hot flashes: The horrible heat you feel right before your period or when you are menopausal is because of estrogen imbalance. A decrease in estrogen sets off a chain reaction that affects your brain’s thermostat resulting in hot flashes.

• Low libido: You know as you age, your desire to ‘get in on’ or even enjoy the act, reduces? This isn’t just hearsay. It is a real problem caused by a drop in estrogen levels. Vaginal dryness, mood swings, and a lack of stimulation are all due to the imbalance in this hormone.

• Disturbed sleep: Hormonal changes are the biggest precursor to irregular or disturbed sleep. Estrogen affects the metabolism of serotonin and other neurotransmitters that affect our sleep cycle. A drop in estrogen inevitably affects your sleep patterns.

• Cramps and painful periods: When your body does not have enough estrogen, your pain receptors are out of whack. You know that painful period you just had? Thanks to estrogen imbalance.

• Skin health: Estrogen helps collagen production, hydrates your skin, helps wounds heal, and more. A lack of this will in turn give you acne, dry skin, skin irritation, and slower healing of wounds.

And this is without listing the compounding effects that your body undergoes as a result of lowered estrogen levels. However, there is nothing that good food and nutrition cannot solve. Here are 5 superfoods that help jump-start the production of estrogen in your body naturally and help balance your hormones:

• Flaxseeds: They contain an abundance of Lignans, which are phytoestrogens and are similar to the hormone estrogen in women. Rich in Vitamins: E, K, B1, B3, B5 (Pantothenic Acid) B6, B9 (Folate), controls breast pain associated with the start of the menstrual cycle.

• Soy Isoflavones: Soy contains the highest concentration of isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen (phytoestrogen) that is similar in function to human estrogen. When isoflavones mimic estrogen, they might help reduce hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, osteoporosis, and antiaging.

• Ginseng: The antioxidant present in ginsenosides, boosts the immune system. Ginseng Panax has been beneficial for women experiencing perimenopause symptoms. Panax Ginseng is famous for increasing libido and satisfaction among postmenopausal women.

• Shatavari: A plant root, often used to enhance reproductive and digestive health, Shatawar also has rejuvenating and nourishing effects. An adaptogenic herb, it helps your body cope with physical and emotional stress. Shatavari helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and female hormones, and reduce pain during the monthly cycle. It promotes uterine strength during pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation post-pregnancy. It acts as an aphrodisiac by increasing the blood flow to the female genital area, enhancing sexual sensation, sensitivity, and increasing vaginal lubrication.

• Black Cohosh: Compounds found within the Black Cohosh root include: triterpene glycosides and aromatic acid derivatives such as caffeic, isoferulic, and fukinolic acids. It is most commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and irritability.

Estrogen production is an essential function. These superfoods help your body sustain its functions and itself.

The writer is Founder of Caim by årelang™.