In the gut, there are 100 trillion bacteria which help to protect


the body from infection and disease. When the gut “microbiota” become imbalanced, there can be increased production of an en- zyme called beta-glucuronidase. Beta-glucuronidase allows estro- gen which is marked for excretion through the stool to be recycled back into the body. Thus, elevated beta-glucuronidase levels can be associated with elevated estrogen levels, as less estrogen is elimi- nated from the body. Beta-glucuronidase levels can be evaluated with stool testing.


What can we do to encourage estrogen balance in our bodies? So much! If we consider the multitude of causes and condi- tions for imbalance, we can then focus on the important aspects of creating and maintaining healthy estrogen levels.


These are the basic steps: • Eat a largely plant-based anti-infl ammatory organic whole food diet to give your body the key nutrients and information it needs to function optimally.


• Eat cruciferous vegetables to stimulate the production of the favorable 2-OH estrone metabolite in the liver.


• Reduce toxin exposure as much as possible from processed foods, hormonally-treated meats and dairy products, unfi l- tered water, plastics, beauty and personal care products (look up the “Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors” from the Environ- mental Working Group.)


• Maintain an ideal body weight to decrease excess body fat and insulin resistance.


• Optimize gut health with pre- and probiotic foods to support good gut bacterial balance.


• Avoid alcohol or moderate alcohol intake to two or less drinks/week.


• Consider natural progesterone supplementation or chaste tree extract (Vitex agnus castus) to enhance progesterone activity.


• Consider non hormonal forms of contraception such as an IUD, diaphragm, or Fertility Awareness Method (if you have very predictable regular menstrual cycles.)


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• Consider consulting with a functional medicine practitioner to explore issues with sex hormone metabolism, GI and detoxi- fi cation issues. Specialty testing can provide personalized and in-depth information about what specifi cally is causing imbal- ance for you, and provide an individual roadmap to restore the intended balance and rhythm of your body.


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Estrogen: Friend or Foe? Whoa! That was quite a ride we took to explore the beautiful intricacies of estrogen. My hope is that we realize that our bodies have so much complexity to help balance our physiology and that there is so much that we can do to infl uence all of it to achieve optimal health and well-being. If we take the time and effort to care exquisitely for this body we have been blessed with, estrogen will be our friend for life.


Jessica Wei, MD, FACOG is a board-certifi ed Ob/Gyn and func- tional medicine practitioner, who left her private practice of thirteen years to create the women’s functional medicine practice, Women’s Holistic Health, LLC in West Hartford, Connecticut. To augment her extensive conventional training, Dr. Wei completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, the internationally recognized expert in integrative medicine. She spe- cializes in the evaluation and treatment of hormonal issues such as PMS, PCOS, fi broids, endometriosis, and menopausal issues, as well as fertility, fatigue, digestive problems, thyroid issues, and depression/anxiety.


Women’s Holistic Health, LLC is located at 18 North Main Street, 3rd fl oor in West Hartford. For more information, please visit: www.jessicaweimd.com; or e-mail info @jessicaweimd.com; or call 860-904-9728. Dr. Wei looks forward to hearing from you! If you are interested in talking with Dr. Wei about hormonal imbal- ance, please schedule a free 15-minute telephone consultation at www.calendly.com/drwei. See ad on page 23.


30 Natural Nutmeg - October 2017


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