How to Detox for Balanced Hormones

Its the New Year!  Feels good to finally get back into a schedule!  If you aren't feeling your best, a quick detox may be all that it takes to get your hormones back into balance. 

How do you know if you need to detox?   Are you having any of these symptoms?

Bloating

Heavy periods

Mood swings

Feeling tired

Not sleeping well

Breast tenderness

Retaining fluid

Achy joints

Hair loss

A detox program will help your body eliminate excess hormones, cellular waste products and environmental chemicals, as well as reducing the amount of toxins that you are exposed to. 

FOODS TO INCREASE:

Certain foods help to support your body's natural detox pathways (especially liver health) and help to keep your hormones balanced.  

1.  Vegetables:  Increase your intake of green leafy veggies, and vegetables of a variety of colors to get all the phytonutrients (plant compounds) that keep your cells at optimal function.  Try to choose organic whenever possible.  

2.  Water:  make sure you stay well hydrated.  The enzyme systems involved in cellular metabolism don't function well when you are dehydrated. 

3.  Healthy fats:  Sources of good fats include avocado, coconut oil, raw nuts, extra virgin olive oil and seeds (like chia seeds, hemp seeds, raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds are all good choices).  The healthy fats help to protect your liver and are necessary for balanced hormones. 

4.  Sulfur containing foods:  The sulfur in these foods is important for your liver detox pathways, especially for the production of glutathione - an important antioxidant made in your liver.    Good sources of sulfur include Allium vegetables like onion, garlic, shallots, chives and Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. 

5.  Seasonings:  cilantro, rosemary, ginger, turmeric and many of the other seasonings you have in your kitchen right now are natural detox support nutrients.  Use them!  Your food will taste better, and you will feel better.  Its a win-win!

FOODS TO AVOID:

Certain foods promote hormonal imbalances, and interfere with natural detox processes, so they should be avoided.  

1.  Alcohol:  Sorry, but alcohol is very hard on your liver, so avoiding alcohol is important while you are detoxing.

2.  Sugar  Sugar drives inflammation and insulin resistance,  which cause blood sugar problems and weight gain.  

3.  Hormone disrupting foods:  grains, corn, soy, and dairy should be temporarily avoided.  

4.  Inflammatory fats:  vegetable oils like canola and safflower promote inflammation and hormone imbalance.  The worst of all are trans fats - hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.  These promote diabetes, weight gain and other chronic disease.  They are predominantly found in deep fried foods, commercially baked goods, and in shortening and margarine. Choose healthy fats instead, and keep this up as a new habit!

AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS WHEN POSSIBLE

Toxins are everywhere and it isn't possible to avoid them all, but here are some simple things that you CAN do. 

1.  Go through your personal care products (lotions, cosmetics, shampoo, etc).  Look for anything that contains parabens or artificial fragrance, and replace them.  Parabens cause hormone imbalances, and are possibly associated with an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer  

2. When you are shopping for cleaning products, look for "greener" choices, with less chemicals.  Even better, use natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda!

3.  Don't microwave your food in plastic (especially avoid putting plastic wrap in the microwave).  Plastics contain phthalates which are a group of chemicals that also contribute to hormone disruption.  Heating them leaches out the chemicals and increases the risk.  Heat things in glass containers instead.

4.  Don't char your meat.  When you cook on the grill and the edges of the meat become slightly charred, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced.  These are cancer causing compounds.  Cook your food at lower temperatures to avoid this. 




TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

If you are constantly stressed out, your body's detox pathways won't function effectively.  Here are some stress reducing tips.

1.  Do deep breathing exercises.  Take some slow, deep belly breaths and concentrate on the air going in and out.  Do this for 5 minutes twice daily (you can even start out with 1 minute and it still works!)

2.  Learn to meditate.  A great app is called Calm - it is available for free on your phone!

3.  Start doing yoga.  Yoga stretches your muscles and relaxes your brain - so it helps both physically and emotionally - a two-for-one!

4.  Pet your dog.  Or cat.  Or watch your goldfish swimming.  Caring for a pet helps with stress reduction!

SWEAT

Besides your liver, your skin is another important organ of detoxification!




1.  Exercise helps you in many ways!  When you sweat, you are releasing toxins through your skin.  Make sure you shower promptly so they are not reabsorbed.

2.  A sauna is another good way to release toxins through sweat.  Look around - they don't have to be expensive (I managed to find a barely-used sauna on Craigslist and I love it.  Especially when it is cold outside!)





ADD DETOX SUPPORT SUPPLEMENTS

Many "cleanses" at the health food store are mostly laxatives or fiber supplements that cause loose stools (you get more exercise by running to the bathroom all day!).  

A detox program is supporting your liver function, which is different.  However, it IS important to avoid constipation while you are detoxing:  your liver is doing all that work to excrete unwanted substances into your gut and if you are constipated they are more likely to get reabsorbed back into your system, defeating the purpose. 


My favorite detox supplements are included in our 6 Day Detox Kit. It contains everything you need, including a detox shake (OptiCleanse GHI), a probiotic (Probiomax daily), a fiber supplement, a liver/kidney/gallbladder drainage support supplement and a meal plan with full instructions!   

If you are a patient, and want to join the Signature Wellness staff in our annual January detox, you can call the office to get your kit - the price is reduced for the month of January, but the kits are very popular so call now before they run out!   

You can reach us at 704-752-9346 or questions@signaturewellness.org. 

Yours in Health!

Dr Deborah Matthew 

5 Nutrition Tips to Naturally Reduce Hormonal Symptoms

Did you know that what you eat directly affects your hormones?  Here are a couple of examples.

Jessica is a 43 year old lady with perimenopausal symptoms.  After starting on our nutrition program, she felt tremendously better (without any hormone replacement).  By one month her energy and mood were back to normal, she no longer had night sweats, her bloating was gone and she no longer had brain fog.  As she started drifting back towards her prior eating habits, her symptoms started coming back.   Because she was able to recognize the connection between food and hormones, she is now able to control her symptoms by making better nutrition choices. 

Jack is a 55 year old man on testosterone replacement therapy.  He had been doing well, but when he came in for an appointment in January he complained of insomnia.  His sugar intake had increased significantly over the holidays, and he was finding it hard to cut it back down again.  When we helped him to clean up his diet and reduce the sugar,  his insomnia resolved and he did not need sleeping pills. 

The standard american diet is a perfect recipe for hormonal chaos, resulting in weight gain, insomnia, depression, poor memory, fatigue, lack of libido and hot flashes.  But you don’t have to fall into that trap!  Eat right for your hormone health and you can start to feel better very quickly!  Here’s how. 

1.  Eat healthy fats

For years you were told to eat a low fat diet, but it turns out that was wrong information!    

Certain fats are healthy and help promote hormonal balance.   While high in calories, these fats do not promote weight gain - they actually help improve hormonal health and keep your metabolism functioning normally to help maintain a healthy weight.   

• Omega 3 fatty acids, found in wild caught fish, flax and walnuts, are important for brain health, skin health, eye health, heart health and even help to regulate your immune system.  They also play an important role in hormone function.  Unfortunately, most americans don’t get enough omega 3s.
• Raw nuts are rich in monounsaturated fat, as well as containing many nutrients such as magnesium and zinc, which are very important for hormones. 
• Seeds, like raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or ground flax seeds, contain healthy fats, and are an excellent source of fiber and protein that help to balance hormones.   Add raw seeds to your salad, stir fry, or smoothie. 
• Avocado is another delicious source of healthy fat.  It contains many anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that help with hormone health.
• Organic Coconut oil not only supplies essential fatty acids, but is also has natural anti-microbial properties to help maintain the healthy bacteria in your gut.  Use it for cooking, melt it over vegetables, stir into smoothies.  
• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a source of healthy fat, is anti-inflammatory and is helpful for healthy estrogen metabolization and proper blood sugar metabolism.

The most important fat to AVOID is trans fat.  This is a toxin that increases weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and other chronic diseases.  Trans fats are found in deep fried foods, margarine, commercially prepared baked goods, and other processed foods.  Read the label - if it says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated then leave it at the grocery store.

Also avoid commercially available vegetable oils, like canola and safflower.  These oils are highly processed and pro-inflammatory.  

2.  Add more broccoli

Cruciferous veggies have a lot going for them including cancer prevention and hormone balance.  

Examples include:

• broccoli
• cauliflower
• cabbage
• kale
• collards
• Brussels sprouts

These foods are good sources of calcium, fiber, vitamins and minerals.  They also have very important phytonutrients that affect how men and women metabolize estrogen.  Eating more of these veggies can help reduce hormonal symptoms, and may also reduce breast and prostate cancer risk. 

3.  Be Cautious with soy

Soy contains natural phytoestrogens, which are plant nutrients that can have some mild estrogen-like activity.  While there have been studies that suggest that soy can help reduce menopausal symptoms, in the US the vast majority of soy is genetically modified and is not recommended.  Also, most soy products are processed foods, like soy milk, soy cheese, and soy hot dogs which are not health promoting.  Even soy protein shakes are not a great idea. 

Excess quantities of soy can actually interfere with thyroid function.  Many people have hidden sensitivities to soy, and consuming extra soy can make them feel worse and cause an increase in hormonal symptoms. 

Fermented soy foods (which most people don’t choose to eat, and are not as readily available) like natto, miso or tempeh are good choices, so give these a try! 

4.  Avoid alcohol

While it is true that alcohol in moderation is good for heart health, no amount of alcohol is beneficial for hormonal health, and in fact alcohol consumption increases the risk for breast cancer in women.  In men, higher alcohol consumption can result in increased estrogen levels, which are associated with erectile dysfunction, obesity, gynecomastia (“man boobs”), and prostate cancer.  

When the liver has to process alcohol, it is not always able to properly metabolize estrogen.  Alcohol is a common trigger for hot flashes and night sweats.

I do not recommend starting to drink alcohol (including wine) to improve your health.  But if you would like to be able to continue to enjoy some wine, limit it to no more than four, 4oz glasses per week for women, and seven 4oz glasses for men (and not all on the same night!)

5.  Stabilize your blood sugar

One of the most common triggers for hormonal symptoms in men and women (after stress) is blood sugar fluctuations.  In our typical american diet we tend to eat foods that spike our blood sugar quickly, and then it crashes down again in a few hours resulting in sugar cravings and a repetition of the cycle.  Smoothing out blood sugar can make a big difference with hot flashes, energy, quality of sleep and mood.  

• Avoid sugar - save it for special occasions and get your “sweet” from fruit.   
• Avoid processed carbs  and the white stuff - white potatoes, white flour, white rice, white bread.  These spike your blood sugar quickly.  If you are going to eat potatoes, eating them with the peel helps, because the fiber in the peel helps to slow the blood sugar spike. 
• Eat healthier carbs in moderation.  Even when you are choosing the better carbs (sweet potatoes and brown rice, for example), limit your serving size as they still affect blood sugar (although not as much as processed carbs)
• Fill half your plate with non-starchy veggies - they are full of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fiber and phytonutrients that help to stabilize blood sugar.  Avoid corn as this is very high in starch. 
• Get adequate protein - lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, legumes - these help stabilize blood sugar levels
• Eat healthy fats - did you know that eating the bad fats (found in processed meats like bologna, deep fried foods, margarine, and vegetable shortening) actually make blood sugar problems worse!  And eating healthy fats (see above) helps to improve blood sugar metabolism.

It is possible to have significant improvements in how you feel by making some important changes in your nutrition.   Don't be satisfied with less than optimal quality of life!  Feel better today (and increase the chances of staying healthy for years into the future!).   You deserve nothing less. 

Sometimes making changes can be hard.  If you need some help with learning how to eat a healthy diet, (or making it actually happen in your busy, stressful life!),  we are here to help. Call us at 704-752-9346  or contact us at questions@signaturewellness.org, or click here for more information.  

Deborah Matthew, MD

P.S.   For more information about how hormones may be affecting you, click here to read my book This is NOT normal!  A Busy Woman's Guide to Hormone Imbalance

Imagine life without belly fat!

Top 5 hidden causes of weight gain 

Did you enjoy the holidays a little too much?  Is your New Year's resolution to lose some weight?  Here is what you need to know....

For many years you have been told that weight loss is straight forward - eat less and exercise more.  Unfortunately for many people it is just not that easy!

Whether you are a woman with perimenopausal or menopausal hormone problems, or a man with low testosterone, weight gain is typical (in fact the average woman gains about 20 pounds as she goes through menopause!).

Thyroid hormones and stress hormones including cortisol and DHEA closely regulate whether you burn or store calories.  Insulin is a fat storing hormone, so if you are creeping towards pre-diabetes (or if you are already there) your body will tend to store fat even if you are not over-indulging.

Obviously hormonal balance is important for successful weight loss.  But sometimes it is just not enough.

Apart from balanced hormones and good lifestyle habits, did you know that there are often many other underlying factors that are affecting your weight?

Here is a list of the top 5 hidden (fixable!) causes of weight gain.  

1.  Food sensitivities.   It is very common to develop sensitivities to common foods.  A sensitivity causes low grade inflammation which promotes weight gain.  Changing nutrition to avoid the foods you are sensitive to can help with mood, energy, memory, joint pains, digestive symptoms, menstrual problems as well as weight gain.

2.  Toxins.  There are tens of thousands of chemicals that we are exposed to on a regular basis.  Many of these are “hormone disrupters” - meaning that they interfere with metabolic processes and hormonal  balance.  We know that people with higher levels of toxins tend to be more overweight and more likely to have diabetes, as well as many other hormonally related problems.  Avoidance of toxins and learning how to help optimize your natural detoxification pathways can be a very important step in weight loss.

3.  Dysbiosis.  This is a word that means there is an imbalance in your “microbiome” - the trillions of micro-organisms that live in your digestive tract.  If you have too many of the wrong bacteria and not enough of the good health-promoting "probiotic" bacteria, this is associated with weight gain.  In some cases the bacteria literally cause us to extract more calories from the same amount of food.

4. Candida.  Overgrowth of digestive yeast (candida) is another common problem.  Candida causes sugar cravings that can be quite severe, making it much more difficult to avoid the sugary junk.  Candida also causes bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances

5.  Inflammation.  If there are too many inflammatory chemicals circulating in your blood stream, these directly cause problems with insulin and cortisol, resulting in weight gain.  Insulin and cortisol can contribute to more inflammation - so a cycle is created where your body wants to store more fat... 

Solutions are available!

As you can see, the "calories in vs calories out" equation is not the whole story.

If you have hormonal issues, these must be addressed.

In addition to balanced hormones, a medical weight loss program that addresses ALL of these underlying issues simultaneously is much more likely to result in successful longterm weight loss.



As the above issues are corrected, you won't just lose weight, but you can expect to FEEL better!  Symptoms that commonly resolve include fatigue, brain fog, bloating, joint aches, mood problems, and quality of sleep.

If you are ready to lose weight now,  please know that there are options and that we can help!  Call today to get started!  704-752-9346

The most important nutritional factor in healthy aging

Fat used to be the bad guy, but recently carbs have become the dietary villain.  Low carb diets have convincingly shown more benefit than low fat diets for weight loss . But WHAT KIND of carbs we are talking about matters a lot.  A doughnut is a carb, but so is broccoli! 

In an effort to reduce the starchy carbs in our diet (which is a a good thing to do!) we need to be careful that we don't end up eating less fiber.  

A recent Australian study looked at 1,600 adults aged 50 years and older and evaluated their dietary risks for long-term sensory loss and systemic diseases, related to their carbohydrate consumption. Out of all the factors they evaluated,  including total carbohydrate intake, total fiber intake, glycemic index, glycemic load, and sugar intake - fiber intake resulted in the biggest difference in "successful aging.  

"Essentially, we found that those who had the highest intake of fiber or total fiber actually had an almost 80 percent greater likelihood of living a long and healthy life over a 10-year follow-up. That is, they were less likely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes, dementia, depression, and functional disability."

Here are a few possible reasons behind these important findings.   

1. Bowel regularity.    Insoluble fiber helps to keep you regular by "sweeping out" your colon.  Having regular bowel movements is an important part of detoxification.  We are all exposed to environmental chemicals and natural waste compounds from our own bodies that we need to eliminate.  Many of these compounds are excreted into the digestive tract.  If you aren't moving your bowels regularly, there is a greater opportunity for these compounds to be reabsorbed and result in increase health risks.

2.  Stable blood sugar levels.  Fiber in your meal also helps to slow the rate that your blood sugar rises as you digest your meal.  A slower rise in blood sugar is healthier - it allows the body to make an appropriate amount of insulin to handle the sugar load.  A meal high in sugar or refined carbohydrates (like white bread) and low in fiber results in a rapid spike in blood sugar and the body has to scramble to gain control over the metabolic situation.  Over time, this can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.

3.  Prebiotics.  You have probably heard that the healthy bacteria in your digestive tract is very important to your health and disease prevention.  Probiotics are the healthy bacteria (for example found in yogurt) that you need to stay well.  Have you heard of Prebiotics?  This is the food source for the probiotics!  It is not enough to simply take a probiotic supplement - you need to nourish your gut bacteria by feeding them plenty of prebiotics.  And can you guess what your probiotic bacteria eat?  Fiber, of course!  So a diet rich in fiber is a diet rich in prebiotics, which help to nourish your healthy gut bacteria.

4.  Healthy cholesterol levels.  Soluble fiber does not dissolve in water (think about how oatmeal becomes gelatinous when you mix it with water).  Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol and helps you to clear it from your system.  We know that the actual AMOUNT of cholesterol is not really what is important - it matters much more whether or not the cholesterol is inflamed or oxidized.  But eating enough soluble fiber helps to maintain cholesterol levels in the normal range.  

5.  Estrogen metabolism.  Another factor to consider is the very important role that fiber plays in hormonal balance, and this is important in women AND men.  Each day you excrete estrogen into your digestive tract to clear it from your system (whether you made the estrogen in your own body or whether you are on estrogen replacement or birth control pills).  The insoluble fiber in your diet helps to keep you regular so you can excrete estrogen.  Soluble fiber helps carry estrogen out in your stool, and helps prevent it from being reabsorbed into the blood stream.  This makes sense when you remember that many of your hormones (including estrogen) are made from cholesterol!  So just as fiber is important for lowering your cholesterol, it is also important for clearing estrogen.  

This is especially important in women who have "estrogen dominance" with symptoms like heavy periods, PMS symptoms, breast tenderness, weight gain, insomnia, anxiety, fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease, or ovarian cysts.  Estrogen dominance is a risk factor for breast cancer, and a high fiber diet can help reduce the risks (we have lots of research to support this).  Too much estrogen is also a risk factor for prostate cancer.  As men age, they often convert more of their testosterone into estrogen, and an increase in fiber can help minimize the amount of estrogen that accumulates.

How much fiber do you need?  Many studies have looked at a goal of 30gram of fiber per day.  One challenge in trying to achieve this goal is that I typically recommend eating "whole" foods that do not come in a package (and therefore don't have a label to tell you how many grams of fiber per serving).   But here are some foods that are good sources of fiber, especially soluble fiber which is the best for balancing hormones.  

Fruits including citrus fruit, berries, apples, apricots, dates, prunes, and pears.  
Vegetables including asparagus, brussels sprouts, squash, zucchini, broccoli and root veggies like carrots, turnips and sweet potatoes.  
Legumes including lentils, chickpeas and pinto beans
Nuts such as almonds and walnuts
Seeds like ground flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, raw pumpkin seeds

While you are eating these terrific foods to make sure you get enough fiber, you will also be benefitting from the antioxidant vitamins, trace minerals and abundant "phytonutrients" (plant compounds) that will help keep you heathy.  Perhaps higher fiber intake was not the only reason the people in the study had reduced rates of disease - it may have been because fiber tends to come packaged by nature along with the other important nutrients you need to stay well!  So eat more fiber today to help maximize your chances for a healthy tomorrow.  

For more information on healthy hormone balance and healthy aging, please see our website www.signaturewellness.org or contact the office at 704-752-9346 or questions@signaturewellness.org

Yours in health,

DrM


1.  Association Between Carbohydrate Nutrition and Successful Aging Over 10 Years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2016

2.  High fiber diet reduces serum estrogen concentrations in premenopausal women.  American Society of Clinical Nutrition.  1991

P.S.:  New testing allows us to measure your estrogen metabolites.  Would you like to know whether you are metabolizing estrogen in a way that increases your breast cancer risk (and then do something to correct the problem?)  Please contact the office for more information.  The test is $200 and is not covered by health insurance.  

How to reduce your risk for breast (or prostate) cancer

Are you worried about breast cancer?  (Or prostate cancer?) You certainly, aren’t alone!  This is the number one concern I hear about when I am talking to patients about hormone balance.  Many men are not aware that their estrogen level can affect their risk for prostate cancer (high estrogen levels may increase the risk).   

Estrogens are essential for health and well being in both women and men. Estrogen plays a role in mood, energy, memory, sleep and sexual function.   Estrogen is important for bone health, brain health, heart health, breast health and prostate health.  

Every day, the body has to clear today’s estrogen to make way for tomorrow’s estrogen.  This is true whether you are making your own estrogen or whether you are taking estrogen replacement (synthetic or bio-identical).  If you are not clearing the estrogen properly, levels can climb and lead to symptoms.  Another factor to consider is HOW your body is clearing the estrogen.

Some estrogen metabolites (or “breakdown” products) have been shown to be harmful and increase risk for breast cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men.  On the other hand, some estrogen metabolites are protective, and associated with a REDUCED risk of breast cancer.  Wouldn’t you like to know which ones you are making?

The levels of the various metabolites can be measured, and we can use this information to help assess breast cancer (and prostate cancer) risks.  The good news is that armed with this information, there are many steps we can take to CHANGE the risks.  

How does it work?

There are 2 main estrogens we need to consider here.  Estrone,  also called E1, is the predominant postmenopausal estrogen.  Estradiol, also called E2, is the predominant pre-menopausal estrogen and the one that we replace in estrogen replacement therapy.   Men also have these estrogens, and estrogen levels tend to increase in men with age.

In “Phase One” of detoxication of estrogen, the liver metabolizes these estrogens into 3 different possible metabolites:

2-hydroxyestrogen (2-OH) is breast protective, so we want the most of your estrogen to go down this pathway.

16-hydroxyestrogen (16-OH) is bone protective (reduces the risk of osteoporosis) but is not breast protective.  We used to think that the ratio of 2 to 16 hydroxyestrogen (or the “2 to 16 ratio”) was a good predictor of breast cancer risk, but the current research does not support this.

4-hydroxyestrogen (4-OH) is the metabolite that you really don’t want.  This one has been associated with an increase in the risk for breast cancer.   This is also the one that breast cancer cells release into the bloodstream, so an increased level of 4-OH is concerning.  This is a newer test, and was not available in the past.   If the level of 4-OH is too high, we can help correct this with cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower,  kale, brussels sprouts), ground flax seed and fish oil.  We can also use a nutritional supplement called DIM.

In “Phase Two” of estrogen detoxification, the metabolites are altered further:

2-methoxyestrogen (2-Me) and 4-methoxyestrogen (4-Me) are made when 2-OH and 4-OH estrogens are “methylated” into methoxyestrogens.  This is a biochemical event where a “methyl” molecule is attached to the estrogen.  Even if estrogen has been converted into the “bad”  4-OH, once it is “methylated”  into 4-Me,  it becomes harmless.  Some people have a genetic variation resulting in reduced ability to methylate, and this leaves more 4-OH.  If the level of 4-OH is too high, we can help reduce it with supplements such as folate, B12 and SAMe which help methylation.

If the 4-OH is not methylated, it can be “oxidized” to a quinone-estrogen which can damage DNA and cause cancer.  But here too, we can intervene to prevent this!  Anti-oxidants, including glutathione (an important anti-oxidant produced in your liver), protect the 4-OH from being oxidized into a quinone-estrogen.  We can help clear the 4-OH safely by increasing your levels of glutathione.  This can be done by eating foods such as garlic, onions and beets, and with a supplement called N-acetylcysteine (NAC).  

Where should you start?

Previously we could only test for 2 and 16 estrogen metabolites, which didn’t give us the whole picture.  Now we can also measure for the 4 estrogen metabolites, which allows us to map out your personal estrogen metabolism  pattern.  We can also test for genetic variations that may be pushing your estrogen metabolism in the undesirable direction, as well as test for levels of anti-oxidants such as glutathione which help to clear the “bad” estrogen metabolites.   With this information we are able to make recommendations to alter your pattern so you make more of the protective estrogen 

metabolites and less of the harmful ones.  Then we can repeat the test to make sure we got it right! 

There are many other factors that are important for reducing cancer risk, including maintaining a healthy weight, eating a whole foods diet rich in fruits and vegetables of many colors, getting regular exercise, coping with stress in a healthy way, avoiding environmental toxins and making sure your estrogen is balanced with progesterone.  

Knowing your estrogen metabolism pattern, and optimizing it, is an example of how emerging medical science can help guide our nutritional recommendations to help you reduce your risk for hormone sensitive cancers.  The test is not covered by health insurance, and the cost is $200 or less, depending on the lab.  I recommend this test be done at least once in all patients.  If it is abnormal, we can talk about further testing for the gene variants, so we can compensate for any genetic weaknesses.  

If you are interested in being evaluated for your estrogen metabolism pattern, please contact the office for more information, 704-752-9346 or email us at questions@signaturewellness.org.   You can find more information at www.signaturewellness.org

Yours in health,

DrM