EVE HAD IT RIGHT - Managing Your Estrogen Load

EVE HAD IT RIGHT - Managing Your Estrogen Load

Some scholars contend that it was a pomegranate, not an apple, that tempted Eve
in the biblical Garden of Eden. While we’ll never know for sure, we do know that
eating pomegranates or drinking pomegranate juice may help prevent and slow the
growth of ER+ breast cancer. A group of phytochemicals called ellagitannins, found
plentifully in pomegranates, was shown to inhibit the growth of estrogen-responsive
breast cancer in laboratory tests. The researchers (Adams et al. 2010) believe that it’s
the ellagitannins in pomegranates that work as natural aromatase inhibitors; aromatase
is a key enzyme the body uses to make estrogen, particularly after menopause. Further
studies will be needed to confirm this effect; meanwhile, we know that eating
pomegranates and pomegranate products can help keep breast cancer at bay via
several other possible mechanisms.

NUTRIENTS

High-quality, targeted supplements can also go a long way in helping you achieve
the goal of maintaining a health-enhancing balance of estrogens in your body. The
following are some of our favorites, although it is always best to work with a qualified
nutrition professional or other holistic health care practitioner to create just the right
balance for you.

Calcium d-glucarate. Calcium d-glucarate, a natural substance found in apples,
oranges, broccoli, spinach, and Brussels sprouts, helps the liver with its job of
detoxifying estrogens via a process known as glucuronidation. Calcium d-glucarate
also helps inhibit the glucuronidase enzyme mentioned earlier, which in turn
facilitates the elimination of estrogens. A typical dosage is 500 milligrams per day.

Note that the mineral magnesium is the cofactor that helps this whole process run
smoothly. Green, leafy vegetables; legumes; nuts; seeds; and whole grains are good
sources of magnesium. Remember that when flour is refined and processed, the
magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed.

I3C or DIM. Indole-3-carbinol, known by its close friends as I3C, is one of the key
phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables that gives them their estrogen-modulating
effect. Eating broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, and other crucifers releases I3C, but you
can also take it as a supplement for preventive therapy. Diindolylmethane, or DIM, a
metabolite of I3C created when I3C mixes with juices in the stomach, is also used as a
supplement for prevention. Both compounds are believed to work by promoting the
formation of the healthful estrogen 2-hydroxyestrone.