- Hot water, lemon, olive oil + (dash of cayenne), morning cleanse: 1 cup hot water, 1/2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, ¼ of a lemon. Sip first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The combination of lemon and olive oil, helps the liver cleanse, while encouraging the gall bladder to empty.
- Drink green tea or ‘Liver Loving Teas’: Look for ‘Liver Loving teas’ that have any of the following ingredients: Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Red Clover, Burdock Root, Yellow Dock Root, Turmeric.
- Experiment with vegetarian recipes: Plant foods contribute to healthy hormone levels because they are high in fiber, low in fat and support balanced blood sugar levels.
- Increase dietary fiber: High fiber foods include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, flax, fruits & legumes. Prunes are particularly effective at lowering estrogen. They help clear estrogen through regular bowel elimination.
- Work out/ Sweat/ Weight loss: Exercise lowers estrogen levels. Extra adipose tissue (fat cells) holds onto and stores excess estrogen.
- Reduce Alcohol and Caffeine: Alcohol raises estrogen levels and disrupts the function of the liver. Lower caffeine intake helps to balance your estrogen levels and calm your cortisol.
- Reduce Xenoestrogens around the house:
- Use a water filter: Public water supplies often contain chlorine, fluoride, and other chemicals that act as xenoestrogens.
- Avoid plastics, canned food and processed foods: Plastic and canned food containers often contain bisphenol A (BPA), which mimic estrogen in the body.
- Cook with ceramic or cast iron pans for healthier meals- avoid “non-stick” cookware.
- Choose natural skin care and laundry detergents.
- Get to sleep by 10pm: When you don’t get enough sleep, levels of melatonin are disrupted. Melatonin has a protective effect against excess estrogen.
- Increase cruciferous vegetables or take DIM: DIM (Di-indolemethane) has been shown to favour the production of protective estrogens and reduce bad estrogens. DIM occurs naturally in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
- Castor oil Rub over liver (right rib cage): Pour 1-2 tsp of castor oil over your liver (over the right ribcage, below the right breast). Place the flannel or thin towel over the skin and cover with a hot water bottle. Leave in place for 20- 60 minutes.
- Choose organic meat and organic produce (See dirty dozen handout): Conventional farms feed livestock estrogenic drugs to fatten them up and improve milk production. Organic produce has lower levels of pesticides, and many pesticides are hormone disruptors.
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