How Men Can Avoid Estrogen Dominance

How Men Can Avoid Estrogen Dominance
By Mark Rosenberg, MD

Many aspects of our health depend upon balance. For energy, we must balance rest with exercise. For fuel, we must balance protein with carbohydrates. Finally, for healthy cells, we must balance estrogen and testosterone. These two key hormones, along with progesterone, are vital for good health. When they fall out of balance, however, various problems can occur. In men, the condition known as estrogen dominance may lead to infertility, breast development, even cancer. Fortunately, it is possible to fight estrogen dominance and prevent these alarming outcomes.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

All men need both estrogen and testosterone in the correct balance. When the balance is sent askew and estrogen reaches a level that leads to health problems, a man may be diagnosed with estrogen dominance. Testosterone levels are high in young men, but they decrease as we age. This is normal. Outside factors, however, often cause estrogen levels to rise at the same time testosterone is decreasing. In this case, it is not our bodies that are to blame, but environmental factors.

The most common culprits in estrogen dominance are substances known as xenoestrogens.2 These are estrogen-like substances found in our environment, from the food we eat, to the products we use. Common sources of xenoestrogens are commercially raised beef, chicken and pork due to the hormones often given to the animals to produce rapid growth.
Other sources are styrofoam, plastics and cans used for food and water; cosmetics and personal care products; detergents and household cleaners; artificial scents such as air fresheners; herbicides and pesticides; and paints and solvents.

How Excess Estrogen Impacts Male Health

Though estrogen dominance may cause a host of health concerns, prostate cancer may be chief among them. Studies show that men with the highest levels of estrogen have enlarged prostates. In laboratory experiments, prostate cells exposed to estrogen proliferate and become cancerous. When treated with testosterone, the cancer cells die. Therefore, fighting estrogen dominance may be the key to reducing your prostate cancer risk.
Other problems in men due to estrogen dominance are decreased fertility due to low sperm count, and other sexual problems like erectile dysfunction. In some men, estrogen dominance may cause the development of breast tissue, baldness, weight gain and other cancers. To avoid these outcomes, you must reduce your exposure to xenoestrogens as you age.

Fighting Estrogen Dominance

You can cut your exposure to excess estrogen by avoiding the substances I named in the first section. Many of these include commercial products you may have around the house. For every product you throw away, there is likely to be a natural and safe replacement. For example, you can buy laundry detergents with no scents or dyes in most supermarkets. There are several affordable lines of natural cleaning products available through mainstream retailers. A company called Seventh Generation makes virtually every natural cleaning product you might need.
Besides changing your shopping habits, there are more easy steps you can take at home. Use glass or ceramic containers for food storage rather than plastics. Replace Styrofoam plates and cups with traditional serving ware. Reduce your exposure to solvents found in products like rubbing alcohol, paint thinner and nail polish remover. If you must handle solvents for a job, wear gloves.

If you already have a diet rich in whole foods and low in processed foods -- the best way to eat for optimal health -- then you are on your way to minimizing estrogen exposure. If you do not buy organic produce, consider doing so to avoid commercial pesticides.

Buy meat that is labelled "hormone-free" or organic. Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of canned foods, processed snack food and prepared meals. If a food has a long list of ingredients you cannot understand, it is more likely to contain xenoestrogens. Whole fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, are loaded with antioxidants that are completely natural and fight disease in the body. To bolster your supply of healthy vitamins and antioxidants, consider vitamin supplements as well.

If you are a man approaching middle age, there is no need to fear estrogen dominance. With all the ways to take action and live a more natural lifestyle, you will likely avoid the consequences described above. All men should strive to minimize the risk of prostate cancer. By guarding against hormone imbalance, you will be more likely to enjoy a long, healthy life.

References

1. http://www.drlam.com/articles/Estrogen_Dominance.asp#6.
2. http://www.querce-dim-complex.com/.
3. http://tsangenterprise.com/news75.htm.

Soy Milk May Be a Dieter's Joy!

Soy Milk May Be a Dieter's Joy!

If you've switched to soy milk because of problems digesting cow milk—you might enjoy an added benefit besides fewer stomach troubles. New research suggests drinking several glasses of soy milk daily may be just as helpful for shedding pounds as cow milk!

Researchers from Northern Illinois State University tracked women on an eight-week, low-calorie diet. They either had three cups of fat-free milk each day or light, calcium-fortified soy milk.

The women in each group lost an average of 8.8 pounds—regardless of which milk they drank. So tip your cup and enjoy this diet-friendly drink!
My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor is the story of a 37-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist who experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuro-anatomist by profession, she detailed the experience of watching her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four brief hours.

Fortunately, Taylor was able to recognize what was happening and got help quickly. But would you know if someone – maybe yourself – were having a stroke? And could you get the proper care to minimize the damage?

Warning Signs

When stroke symptoms occur, quick action is vital. Warning signs can begin anywhere from a few minutes to days before a stroke. If you think you or someone with you is having a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), seek immediate medical attention. If you can’t reach your doctor by telephone, go to a hospital emergency room – preferably one that specializes in treating acute stroke. If you know you are at risk for stroke, find out ahead of time the name and location of the nearest hospital that specializes in treating acute stroke.

Even if you aren’t knowingly at risk, it’s smart to become familiar with the symptoms that can herald a stroke. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately or go to an emergency room.
• Weakness in an arm, hand, or leg
• Numbness on one side of the body
• Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
• Sudden difficulty speaking
• Inability to understand what someone is saying
• Dizziness or loss of balance
• Sudden, excruciating headache
Time is of the essence when you’re having a stroke. The sooner you get medical attention, the better your chances of recovery. Since the 1980s, researchers have developed rapid, safe, and effective diagnostic techniques that accurately identify the extent and location of a stroke and the nature of the vascular problem causing it. The goal of treatment is to restore blood circulation before brain tissue dies. The time frame for reaching this goal is frighteningly slim. Treatment usually has to begin within 60 minutes of a stroke to prevent brain-cell death that is significant enough to cause disability.

One of the main clot-dissolving drugs, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), is best given early. People treated with tPA one hour after the onset of a stroke were more than three times as likely to survive with few disabilities compared with those treated two hours after stroke onset, according to two trials sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. An important goal of research is to find treatments that can buy time by protecting the patient’s brain until blood circulation is restored, thus improving the odds of survival and decreasing disability.

Amazing Blood Pressure from the Japanese

Amazing Blood Pressure Secret
from the Japanese

For more than 1,000 years, people in Japan have consumed a soy-based food called natto, which contains a unique enzyme called nattokinase. By eating this powerful enzyme, the Japanese keep their blood vessels clear and free of dangerous blood clots.

Plus, there's an amazing side effect—less blood pressure is needed to push blood through your arteries. In fact, a blue ribbon study in Japan showed a 10.9% drop in systolic blood pressure and a 9.7% drop in diastolic blood pressure with nattokinase supplementation.

Now, after many centuries in secrecy, nattokinase is finally available in America.

Clearly, if you want to support healthy circulation and enjoy normal blood pressure at the same time, nattokinase is the nutrient for you.