Estrogen, Women’s Health and Grapefruit

Estrogen is one of the most important feminine hormones that affects life in general.  It is responsible for women’s sexual characteristics, like the development of breasts and the menstrual cycle, and it is the hormone that determines when adolescence begins, by increasing in a female’s eggs.

Estrogen production

Estrogen production in the woman’s body stays within a certain range for up to 30 years, and when these levels start to decrease, the hypophysis starts to help produce hormones that stimulate the ovaries, like luteinizant or the FSH hormone.  As these hormones are activated, and estrogen levels decrease, certain symptoms arise, like hot flashes or night sweats.  Men also use FSH and LH hormones to create sperm, as well as to stimulate testosterone production, which means that they too can experience these same symptoms.

Estrogen also influences and participates in other bodily functions, like the tightness of skin, they help keep bones strong and stable, they protect against arteriosclerosis, and they influence blood vessel health.  That’s why whenever estrogen levels are low, there is a greater risk of suffering from osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis.

When levels are low, however, one options that a lot of doctors and women suggest is to start hormone treatments to avoid certain consequences, but it’s very important that you contemplate the effects this may have before starting certain treatments with estrogen.  The body could start experiencing undesirable side effects, as this in some ways distorts the body’s natural process, which is that of regulating estrogen levels.  Uncontrolled or imbalanced increases in estrogen levels could cause side effects like cancer, tumors, myomas, endometrium problems, headaches, unusual bleeding, etc.

High estrogen levels at a certain age could cause symptoms like sudden and severe vomiting, dizziness or weakness, sudden complete or partial vision loss or double vision, numbness or weakness in a leg or arm, pain or pressure in the chest, bloody cough, difficulty thinking clearly, remembering or learning, lumps or other changes in the breasts, nipple secretions, as well as pain, sensitivity or redness in the legs.

Low Estrogen levels

Estrogen levels are considered to be low according to age, but are generally between 10 to 20 pg/ml, which could be caused by anorexia, menopause, or other conditions.  High resistance training could also reduce estrogen levels.  Symptoms of low estrogen levels include fatigue, extreme exhaustion, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and difficulty concentrating.

High Estrogen Levels

Estrogen levels are considered to by high according to age as well, but the approximate range is somewhere around 200 pg/ml.  Estrogen levels increase and throw the body off balance when the individual is obese, has cardiovascular and digestive problems, as well as stress, anxiety, etc.  Symptoms could include fatigue, depression, constant mood changes, insomnia, and any of the aforementioned symptoms as well.

Treatment

If you truly want to cure your body and put it in permanently optimal conditions, you need to respect its natural processes.  Most of all, do not try to avoid the problem with chemical treatments, but rather work with your body using certain foods and natural alternatives like foods rich in isoflavones, including soy isoflavones, raw vegetables, foods rich in enzymes, drinking juices ,etc.  You also should consider the medicinal effect that re-evaluating your life has.  Focusing on new ways of seeing women’s experiences, as well as having a fluid, joyful attitude that comes with learning to understand your emotions.

Grapefruit and estrogen

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit that looks similar to an orange, but has a different color, taste, and properties.  It has amazing weight-loss properties, and also helps cleanse the body, sweeping out fats and harmful cholesterol.  For a lot of women, this makes grapefruit a perfect friend.  The pulp in grapefruit also contains certain acids that should be reconsidered by women older than 40 years of age.

Grapefruit pulp increases estrogen levels, and considering everything previously mentioned, this could be undesirable because of the risk the poses for contracting certain cancers and bodily imbalances in women.  We should point out, however, that just the pulp is what causes these effects.  Grapefruit seeds, on the other hand, have very positive health effects.

So it’s best to substitute grapefruit with other foods that help maintain good women’s health, like pineapple, which is a wonderful cleanser and helps to balance the body’s organs and systems.  It’s also a good idea to include sprouts, avocado, and primrose oil in your diet, the latter of which is great for helping stabilize women’s hormones naturally.

Important note: If you have very high estrogen levels, it is important that you practice meditation and relax.  The body is greatly weakened under stress, when you don’t accept how you are, or if you don’t like your body.

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