There is such a fear of phytoestrogens or estrogen-containing foods out there that women frequently ask me about whether they should consume flaxseeds.
Do flaxseeds cause hormonal problems in women?
Can they cause cancers?
Could you exacerbate symptoms of the dreaded estrogen dominance that can cause us women to gain weight, experience PMS, bloating, heavy periods, breast tenderness, etc.?
Well, most of the time you’ll be glad to hear, the answer is no!
Typically estrogen dominance is not associated with too much estrogen but with difficulties with breaking down and eliminating estrogens well. Adding some plant-based estrogen to your diet does not usually cause a problem. In fact flaxseed can actually help redirect estrogen metabolism from the unhealthy estrogen metabolites in the direction of the preferred ones and improve your ability to detoxify and eliminate unhealthy estrogen metabolites.
Additionally, flaxseeds act as estrogen balancers – either promoters or blockers to our internally produced estrogens as well as synthetic xenoestrogens (synthetic hormone disrupters found in our personal care and cleaning supplies) as is needed by the body.
How to include Flaxseed in your diet:
Let us know how your body responds. We’d love to hear from you.
Do flaxseeds cause hormonal problems in women?
Can they cause cancers?
Could you exacerbate symptoms of the dreaded estrogen dominance that can cause us women to gain weight, experience PMS, bloating, heavy periods, breast tenderness, etc.?
Well, most of the time you’ll be glad to hear, the answer is no!
Typically estrogen dominance is not associated with too much estrogen but with difficulties with breaking down and eliminating estrogens well. Adding some plant-based estrogen to your diet does not usually cause a problem. In fact flaxseed can actually help redirect estrogen metabolism from the unhealthy estrogen metabolites in the direction of the preferred ones and improve your ability to detoxify and eliminate unhealthy estrogen metabolites.
Additionally, flaxseeds act as estrogen balancers – either promoters or blockers to our internally produced estrogens as well as synthetic xenoestrogens (synthetic hormone disrupters found in our personal care and cleaning supplies) as is needed by the body.
How to include Flaxseed in your diet:
- Buy it in seed form and not pre-ground.
- Don’t buy flaxseed oil as it turns rancid easily.
- Keep it in the fridge and grind as needed.
- Add 1 or 2 tbsp per day to foods like smoothies, yogurt, porridge etc.
- Pay attention! For most women, hormonal symptoms improve but if you start eating flaxseed and your estrogen dominance symptoms worsen then flaxseed is not for you. We are all biochemically different after all!
Let us know how your body responds. We’d love to hear from you.
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