Women's hormones, gut + metabolism

Got Estrogen Dominance? Your Gut Could Be To Blame!

I know. You are looking at this thinking Laura, what in the actual F is this?

Let me explain.

This is for the women that are doing ALL THE THINGS but are still struggling with estrogen dominance symptoms:

PMS
Irregular/heavy periods
Acne
Swelling/ water retention
Breast tenderness/ fibroids
Bloating
Weight gain
Digestive issues
Headaches/migraines
Sleep probs
Mood issues/ anxiety
Endometriosis
PCOS…

You get the gist. Literally every female problem can be brought back to estrogen dominance whether it be relative (in comparison to progesterone) or true.

I don’t care if your digestion seems great. I can guarantee your gut is to blame for your hormonal issues. Like I’ve said before and I will say again. We always work on minerals (hello copper) and gut health first. 9x out of 10 your hormones will balance as a result.

This stupidly detailed graph 👆🏻is simply just a representation of what goes wrong when your microbiome is not functioning optimally.

You have an entire microbiome dedicated to regulating estrogen levels. It’s called the estrobolome.

After estrogen circulates throughout the body doing what it needs to do it ends up in the liver where it’s broken down and packaged for elimination or reabsorption, then sent to your intestines. When in the intestines, estrogen will either be eliminated through your poop or reabsorbed and recirculated in the body by an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which breaks down estrogen to be excreted or reabsorbed.

When the system of estrogen metabolism is working the way it’s supposed to, you absorb and excrete the right balance of estrogen, creating happy hormone balance.

Recirculating estrogen in an already estrogen dominant body is the last thing we need!

Your estrobolome can only function well if your gut is healthy, there are so many of us walking around these days unbeknownst to us with a wrecked gut.

There is a constant conversation taking place between your gut and endocrine system. I will say it again, it ALWAYS comes back to your gut (and minerals) but hey, if you’re not absorbing your minerals due to poor digestion you’ll just end up in shits creek without a paddle. Get yo’ gut checked girlfriend.

Got Digestive Issues?

Raise your hand if this has ever happened to you?

I remember when I was struggling with my digestive issues far before I got into nutrition and alternative health. I will never forget walking into the doctor’s office after waiting an hour to be seen, pouring my heart out to this man about how my digestive issues were ruining my life only to be told to eat more fiber and that I needed to be referred out to run additional testing for thousands of dollars. I was in my early 20’s, I obviously didn’t have that dough to be throwing around but I thought it was my only option after seeing tons of other doctors, being told that my blood labs looked fine and I should consider taking anxiety medication.

I thought this was my last resort. I went through with the testing, only to be left with more questions when I was told “everything looks fine, just a little gastritis, here’s some Nexium.”

Zero explanation as to why I may have gotten gastritis, no diet advice, no lifestyle advice, no mention of other symptoms I was experiencing, how to reduce stress or how to eat to help gastritis.

To this day I don’t even think I had gastritis they needed something to tell me to make these tests seem viable.

It wasn’t until I started asking these questions (the ones on the right) + taking my health into my own hands that my digestive system finally started to heal.

How in the F can we walk into a doctor’s office to discuss our digestive issues and never discuss what we are eating? Digestion is the process of breaking down food! Food that gives us nutrients and life. What in the actual fuck? How can a doctor that specializes in digestion not discuss diet with you? MIND BLOWN.

Miralax? Are you kidding me? It contains anti-freeze!

Metamucil? Are you looking for a hormonal shit storm, maybe some diverticulosis? Maybe WORSE digestive issues? It contains the very ingredients that wreck it.

I love the famous blanket recommendation to eliminate dairy without knowing a goddamn thing about what a person is eating.

Don’t fall for this trap. Advocate for yourself. Work with someone that is on your team and truly wants to help you find the root cause to your issues. Don’t settle for less.

Pro-Digestion Foods vs. Anti-Digestion Foods

Are you shook?

Yup, the same foods that are pro-metabolic are also pro-digestion.

You see. Digestion requires lots and lots of nutrients and energy to do its job and keep that digestive fire burning.

If you metabolism is sluggish due to nutrient deficiencies then your digestion will be too whether it be bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, etc… it is always a metabolic issue.

The problem is when you have digestive issues the first thing you want to do is restrict food in hopes of feeling better which in the end is just contributing to more nutrient deficiencies.

By supporting your metabolism you are in turn supporting your digestion.

Bone broth, collagen + gelatin: supply the body essential amino acids that are therapeutic to the digestive tract and they bring down inflammation in a muscle meat heavy diet.

Fruit + orange juice: Easy to digest carbohydrates full of minerals like potassium and magnesium. Potassium helps send signals from the brain to the digestive system to churn and digest food.

Beets: stimulate bile flow to break down fat

Cooked mushrooms: help the intestines break down food, disinfect, suppress bacterial growth and absorb toxins plus they are aromatase inhibitors and help balance hormones

Raw Carrots: are anti-microbial and anti-fungal and help to clean the intestines of bacteria, fungus and endotoxins

Coconut oil: contains lauric acid which is antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal and easily digested

Dairy: “Besides being an ecologically favorable source of calcium, protein, sugar, and fat, the composition of milk causes it to be digested efficiently, supporting the growth of bacteria that are safe for the intestine and liver, and reducing the absorption of endotoxin.” – Dr. Ray Peat.

All the foods in the anti-digestion column are gut irritating, hard to digest, inflammatory and contain anti-nutrients that make them even harder to break down and assimilate nutrients from.

They are stressful to the digestive tract and it’s all about bringing down stress in the body.

Stress = less blood flow to the digestive tract.

At the end of the day support your metabolism so you in turn support your digestive system.

You Don’t Need To Trick Your Body Into Thinking It’s Full By Drinking Water

After seeing this water bottle trend, you know the one, that fancy gallon size water bottle with cute markers like “ you’ve got this,” “no excuses,” “keep drinking”…

I couldn’t help but wonder, where the hell did we get the idea that we should be drinking a gallon of water a day regardless of your size, what you ate that day, the outside temperature, your activity level and most importantly your metabolic rate.

If you are already showing signs of low metabolism like frequent urination, cold hands and feet, dry skin, anxiety, mood swings, poor sleep, skin issues, digestion probs then I would steer clear of drinking loads of water.

I remember years ago when I went on my health journey I was watching YouTube videos of fitness competitors to see what they would eat and drink. I distinctly remember them drinking a gallon of water a day and avoiding salt like the plague as a recipe for successful weight loss.

Some other tricks I was told to basically starve myself was that drinking cold water causes you to burn extra calories to warm the water up and that drinking a lot of water reduces your appetite.

I’m annoyed at myself for falling for this bullshit.

I also remember drinking so much water one time that I had to leave work because I felt so sick with a headache, nausea and diarrhea. Yes, OVER-HYDRATING is a thing. I remember thinking it was a badge of honor to have clear pee.

And over-hydrating can make you thirstier and actually dehydrate you more.

Here’s the deal. Drinking too much water can be a huge stressor. You are basically:

1. Creating severe mineral imbalances – you need sodium, potassium, + magnesium to absorb water and so much water without sodium will create hyponatremia.
2. Overworking your kidneys while they try to secrete all this extra liquid.
3. Lowering your metabolic rate. Cold hands and feet? Sucking down a shit load of water will only make you colder.
4. Putting out your digestive fire, hello heartburn, bloating, + gas!

Hydrate with salted water, coconut water, fruits, milk, fruit juices, + broths.

Drink when you are thirsty. If you are hungry- listen + eat. Don’t trick your body into thinking its full with a glass of water. 🙄