Managing Estrogen Naturally

Estrogen…it’s a matter of balance.

There are many factors that influence the body’s production and metabolism of estrogen. Environmental estrogens (such as BPA, pesticides, cleaning products and cosmetics) as well as the natural estrogen compounds we encounter on a daily basis need to be addressed. We can’t avoid all the triggers, but it’s important to consider lifestyle changes that reduce exposure and can help balance our estrogen.

Obesity increases estrogen (and limits the effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors).  If you are overweight, lose it as fat cells increase estrogen production. Over-consumption of calories also leads to increased metabolic activity in the body.  This in turn leads to excessive free radical formation.  Free radicals damage cells and cause genetic mutations, which ultimately can lead to cancer.  Studies have also shown that calorie restriction inhibits tumor growth.

Exercise can help balance hormones through the pre-menopausal years and beyond, and can help maintain a healthy weight.  Those who exercise regularly are usually happier, less depressed, and have a more optimistic outlook on life.  This results in increased life expectancy; statistically, life expectancy increases by two hours for every hour spent exercising. Exercise with a friend; double the pleasure!

Alcohol consumption increases estrogen levels, especially if taken along with estrogen replacement therapy.  Also, alcohol and drugs can damage the liver which will lead to an increase in estrogen due to the lack of estrogen breakdown; alcohol cconverts into DNA-destroying acetaldehyde, a carcinogen.  Dr Keith Block likes to say he is a vegan with a heart…I guess I am an educator with compassion; for suggestions to mitigate the risks of alcohol, please read: http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/wine-cheese-and-chocolate-anti-cancer-party/

Caffeine intake from all sources is linked with higher estrogen levels regardless of age, body mass index, smoking, and caloric and alcohol intake.  Green tea has some caffeine (decaf is not recommended as the process compromises the activity and can be carcinogenic), but its redeeming qualities make it well worth consuming a few cups a day. If you drink coffee…know that it too has some redeeming qualities (not nearly that of green tea), so enjoy a cup, but don’t overdo it. Those who consumed a t least 500mg of caffeine daily, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee had nearly 70% more estrogen than women who consumed less than 100mg of caffeine daily.

What about that magic pill….

And no, I am not talking about Tamoxifen.

About twenty years ago, scientists discovered that when broccoli was added to the diets of animals, it could prevent certain forms of cancer.  Since then, numerous studies have shown the efficacy of crucifers as a cancer-crusher. Cruciferous vegetables (and their ability to produce sulforaphane) slow the development of cancer by detoxifying carcinogenic substances, preventing pre-cancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors, promoting the suicide of cancer cells (apoptosis), and starving tumors of their blood supply (angiogenesis.) And, you guessed it, they also help balance our estrogens, the good and the bad.

Yes, there’s “bad” and “good” estrogen! And, they’ve got to be balanced, just like good and bad cholesterol because estrogen can be metabolized in two different pathways in the liver, which results in two different kinds of estrogen, “good” and “bad”.  “Good” estrogen metabolites are released into the bloodstream where they provide benefits, such as prevention of heart disease, and the creation of strong, healthy bones. “Bad” estrogen, in large quantities, can result in many health problems including breast, ovarian, prostate, and uterine cancer.  It’s a big reason why some women are more prone to cancer than others. It’s the type of estrogen in your body that makes the difference.

13C—no, it’s not my apartment number.  13C is a natural compound the body produces when you eat cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  It is the 13C that blocks the pathways of cancer and stops cancer cells from proliferating—and it helps metabolize and breakdown estrogen in the body balancing hormone levels.  Yes, we can get this nutrient in crucifers, but we would need to eat a lot–and I mean a lot, to influence the ratio of good to bad estrogen; you would have to eat about two pounds of raw or lightly cooked crucifers almost daily.  Here is when a good supplement becomes ideal.  13C is the natural precursor to DIM (diindolylmethane); if considering a supplement, DIM would be preferable over 13C as it is more readily available to the body, and 13C is more irritating to the stomach; I3C has also been shown to be a tumor promoter in chronic use studies of thyroid, colon, and liver health, something not found with DIM.  However, since crucifers contain a whole family of protective phytochemicals in addition to DIM, the best approach is to eat plenty of crucifers and take a supplement.  And, as always, brands matter when it comes to supplements; please do your research or consult with a trusted pharmacist, doctor or advocate.

The supplemental use of phytonutrients from cruciferous vegetables has great potential for the prevention of cancer; specifically the discovery that cruciferous indole — diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) – may just be the magic pill to promote the healthy metabolism of estrogen.

Is DIM the only story in town; is it really the magic pill?  No, while it is big, there are a few other notable mentions.  Key players are Vitamins E and C,  B vitamins, such as B6, B12 and folate (B9), NAC, selenium, curcumin, green tea, D-Limonene, magnesium, flaxseed, pomegranate, probiotics, sufficient protein intake, complex carbs instead of simple sugars, and consuming only healthy fats.

Food matters; the concept of how what we eat strongly effects how our genes behave is firmly established; but, although it was discovered more than ten years ago, the connection between dietary ingredients and metabolism of estrogen is only recently recognized as important.  The consumption of specific phytochemicals can improve the adaptive responses that regulate hormonal metabolism.

I talk about DIM and foods supportive of estrogen balance in following posts:

http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/natural-alternatives-to-tamoxifen/

http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/natural-alternatives-to-aromatase-inhibitors/

http://elynjacobs.blogspot.com/2012/09/food-natural-alternative-for-tamoxifen.html

http://elynjacobs.blogspot.com/2010/12/eating-to-cheat-cancer.html

Give some DIM to your man too…. Estrogen metabolism slows as men age, especially when coupled with obesity and regular alcohol use. Too much estrogen plays havoc with a man’s sex life.  Avoiding overactive testosterone metabolism and reducing the conversion of testosterone into estrogen are goals of nutritional support in middle-aged and older men.

Elyn

www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com

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Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn is on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs.  She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys.

 

 

 

 

Light at Night and Breast Cancer

About 18 months ago, I attended a lecture at Gildas Club on the prevention of cancer.  Dr Marisa Weiss, Founder and President of BreastCancer.org, gave a great talk, and one thing that struck me was light at night. This was the first I had heard of the perils of light at night and I must say, she was so convincing I went right home and ordered eye covers….and have been using them ever since.  Dr Keith Block talked a bit about this at the Annie Appleseed Project CAM conference a few weeks ago, and while I will blog more on his lecture, I was reminded of this important subject.

 I am sensitive to light. I remember when I first moved from the suburbs to the city.  My bedroom was so bright, I could not sleep.  My mother made black-out drapes for me and all was well.  15 years later, when I met my husband and moved in with him, I had long forgotten about the issue and found myself sleeping (or sleepless) in a very bright room…natural light from the moon and stars, as well as city lights lighting the night.  Then came the nite-lites and long nights when our children were babies.  While I certainly felt the misery of lack of sleep, I did not realize the effects on my long-term health; that I might be at higher risk of getting cancer.  Habitual light at night during sleep increases breast cancer incidence by 22% (Keith Block, Annie Appleseed CAM Conference, Feb, 2012).

Dr Richard Stevens, Cancer Epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center, has done a number of studies on light at night (LAN).  In 1987 he was featured in American Journal of Epidemiology proposing a radical new theory that “the use of electric lighting, resulting in lighted nights, may produce circadian disruption,” which causes changes in the hormones, one hormone in particular is melatonin, known as the hormone of darkness because it is secreted in the dark.  In 2009 he studied women who work the night shift and found that these women appear to be at higher risk for breast cancer.   Melatonin reduces the production of estrogen in the body, so with light interrupting the release of melatonin, estrogen levels rise, and too much estrogen heightens the growth of breast cancer. The WHO actually lists the shift work (graveyard shift) as a “probable carcinogen”.  

 Dr. David Spiegel, a psychiatrist and professor of Stanford University supports the LAN theory as well.  “There is evidence that women who do night time shift work are in increased risk of getting breast cancer.  Melatonin is an antioxidant. There is some thought that disruptive melatonin levels which happens when you don’t sleep well, may reduce the ability of the body to scavenge free radicals that can cause cancer,” said Dr. Spiegel.   Spiegel goes further, saying cortisol levels may also be connected to sleep and cancer.  Cortisol is a circadian hormone produced by the adrenal gland that is released in response to stress. Cortisol also helps to regulate the immune system and releases cells that fight off cancer cells. Cortisol increases in the late hours of sleep, and Spiegel believes Cortisol, like melatonin, lowers the production of estrogen.

Many others have studied and reported on this as well:

 http://www.skykeepers.org/lan-health/lan-health.html; http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-glossary/light-at-night-and-melatonin.html

So how do we lower our risk for getting cancer?  Eat well, exercise daily, turn off the computer and the cell phone and get some sleep.  Try to be in bed by 10pm, black shade your room or wear eye covers.  Melatonin release is at its strongest from about 10pm to 2am, although I have heard 10-1 as well as critical from 2-4am.  So, the best advice is likely to simply work on getting a good night’s sleep.

What can you do to improve sleep? The first step to easing insomnia and poor sleep quality is by recognizing it is a problem and then finding ways to resolve the problem.

1.  Establish a regular bedtime and wake time.
2. Reserve the bedroom for intimacy and sleep only; do not watch television, eat, talk on the phone, or work in your bedroom. Try reading something more technical than fictional to avoid staying up late ‘to see what happens next in the book’.
3. Make your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol within six hours of bedtime; drink calming teas instead, such as roobios, chamomile and lemon balm, but not too close to bedtime as this may disrupt your sleep if you have to get up to use the bathroom.  It’s a good idea to limit alcohol usage in general as it is linked to cancer and is dehydrating, which may leave you thirsty during the night.
5. Drink liquids daily to avoid dehydration, but again, not close to bedtime.
6. Exercise daily, but preferably not right before bedtime.
7. Avoid foods with additives and preservatives; some of these ingredients can act as stimulants and aren’t good for you anyway.
8. To avoid nighttime awakening due to drops in blood sugar, eat 1-2 oz of a complex carbohydrate snack, such as oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, or whole-grain bread, one hour before bedtime, perhaps adding a bit of protein such as almond butter or nuts to further slow the glucose factor.

 While proper sleep is the preferred source of melatonin, there is strong research suggesting that that low levels of melatonin stimulate the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells. So if levels are low, and cannot be corrected with sleep, supplementation may be the way to go. Melatonin may enhance the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs and may also help prevent the lowering of platelets in the blood during chemotherapy, a common complication that can lead to bleeding.  It is always advisable to discuss the use of supplements with a naturopath, integrative or functional medical doctor before use, as often supplements may interact positively or negatively with other drugs.

 There are many natural substances that can be taken to enhance sleep, and in my coaching, I highly recommend the use of them.  Ashwaganda, for example, reduces stress and anxiety.  Rhodiola helps with anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and insomnia. (Caution, Rhodiola is not advised for those with Bipolar or mania).  L-Theanine reduces stress and improves sleep quality.  Schisandra has a calming effect and may also help manage stress-induced insomnia. (Schisandra should not be taken with Tamoxifen). Magnolia can help calm nerves and alleviate anxiety; it is thought of as the herbal substitute for valium, and is actually better as it does not cause that embarrassing and debilitating muscle relaxation (sounds good until you can’t function).  By the way, several studies have tested magnolia extract on human cancer cells and found that it may inhibit the growth of cancer tumors.  For more information on these and other herbal remedies, please email me or comment to this blog-post.

For more information on LAN:

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/light_exp.jsp

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-glossary/light-at-night-and-melatonin.html

http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20111011/7369/cancer-sleep-cancer-epidemiologist-steve-jobs-antioxidant-melatonin-cortisol-hydrocortisone.htm

http://www.skykeepers.org/lan-health/lan-health.html

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep

http://www.betternutrition.com/sleep/features/featurearticles/714

 

Elyn Jacobs

elyn@elynjacobs.com

elynjacobs.blogspot.com

elynjacobs.wordpress.com

 

Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation, a certified cancer coach and a breast cancer survivor.  Elyn helps women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and educates to prevent recurrence and new cancers.  She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life. To learn more about Elyn’s coaching services, please visit:  http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com