Concept Wellness acupuncturist Lisa Pugliese is a breast cancer survivor. Having been in remission for more than 17 years, Pugliese says that her bout with cancer informs her practice — and her passion for preventing estrogen dominance. “That’s why I spend so much time talking with patients about their diets and environmental factors that expose us to estrogen dominance.”
Estrogen dominance can cause a host of problems including PMS, short cycles and heavy periods, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, allergies, decreased libido, fatigue, fibrocystic breasts, headaches, infertility, irritability, and fat gain around the abdomen and thighs. It can also cause breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, cervical dysplasia, and may contribute to menopausal symptoms. But it can also affect men, causing infertility, low libido, enlarged prostate, breast swelling, and erectile dysfunction.
What are the symptoms?
- Hair loss and thinning of hair and eyebrows
- Depression and anxiety, mood swings, and irritability
- Trouble falling sleeping and frequent waking
- Increased PMS
- Breast tenderness and/or fibrocystic breasts.
- PCOS- polycystic ovarian syndrome and ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and fibroids, among others.
How do you avoid developing an excess of this hormone in your body? “We are exposed to estrogen constantly, with it in our food supply and present in so many household cleaners and cosmetics,” Pugliese says. Ask for the hand-out at Concept Wellness to help you limit your exposure to “xenoestrogens” — which are commonly found in plastics, skincare products, sunscreeen, chlorine products and insecticides.
Think you have a hormone imbalance? Call Concept Wellness to book an appointment with one of our practitioners who can help guide you through a detox program.