I was, however, highly suspicious considering breast cancer is rampant in my family. Of course, I’m young and didn’t have any symptoms of estrogen dominance, so I never thought it would affect me. I was so glad I found out because it has changed my life. Estrogen dominance occurs when either your body is producing too much estrogen or you’re not getting rid of it properly, as in my case. These are the things I do every day to keep my estrogen levels in check: I also snack on broccoli for its detoxifying properties. I encourage patients to eat more veggies rather than becoming vegetarian. Going vegan improves estrogen dominance; however, getting adequate protein is also important, so I minimize the amount of red meat I eat. Eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress, and Brussels sprouts (at least three servings per day) is optimal. These vegetables contain indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a compound that helps break estrogen down, which aids in detoxification. A study in China showed that consumption of cruciferous vegetables also lowers the risk of breast cancer. I still have a glass of wine on occasion, but for the most part, I know how it affects my body, so I avoid it most of the time. More than three alcoholic beverages a week actually increases estrogen levels, according to a 2011 JAMA study, and alcohol decreases the metabolism by 24 percent. DIM (diindolylmethane) is found in cruciferous vegetables, and it alters estrogen metabolism, protecting against breast cancer. You have to eat A LOT of broccoli and kale to get these benefits, so that’s why a supplement is good to add. It’s been shown to inhibit breast tumors by decreasing new blood vessel supply to the tumor. I3C (Indole-3-carbinol) when given orally, is converted to diindolylmethane (DIM), which is broken down by stomach acid. This suggests that DIM is the predominant active agent and that I3C is a precursor. Together, they have many anti-tumorigenic and anti-carcinogenic properties. Sodium laurel sulfate is found in many skin and hair products and can increase estrogen levels. This is something I encourage females to avoid if they can. BPA (bisphenol-A), found in plastics, has also been linked to breast cancer. If the breast cancer genes are present, then BPA can increase the risk. Phthalates are also found in many plastics, cosmetics, environmental products, and household cleaning products and can disrupt the endocrine system. I advise people to start checking labels to see what they’re using in their homes and on their bodies. Studies have shown that physical activity can decrease overall breast cancer risk over a lifetime. Losing weight and total body fat also decreases the total amount of estrogen you are exposed to. Increasing lean muscle mass decreases the pathway converting testosterone to estrogen, which happens when there is more body fat.
