Estrogen Dominance: What It Is and How to Reset Your Hormones Naturally
Estrogen Dominance: What It Is and How to Reset Your Hormones Naturally
Feeling off lately? Bloated, moody, anxious, or foggy—even though you’re doing all the right things? You might be dealing with a common but often overlooked hormonal imbalance: estrogen dominance.
And no, this isn’t just a “menopause thing.” Estrogen dominance can affect women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond. It’s tied into your stress levels, gut health, liver function, sleep, and even the chemicals in your personal care products. The good news? You can absolutely rebalance with the right support.
Let’s dive in.
What is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance means that estrogen is elevated relative to progesterone, its hormonal counterpart. These two hormones work in harmony during your cycle, but when estrogen outweighs progesterone, you can start feeling physically and emotionally off-kilter—even if your labs technically fall “within range.”
Estrogen dominance can result from:
- High levels of estrogen
- Normal levels of estrogen with low progesterone
- Poor estrogen metabolism or detoxification
Common Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
This imbalance doesn’t look the same for everyone, but some telltale signs include:
- Heavy, painful, or irregular periods
- Swollen or tender breasts
- PMS mood swings and irritability
- Anxiety or panic episodes, especially before your period
- Water retention or bloating (especially in the belly and thighs)
- Fatigue despite decent sleep
- Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
- Brain fog and trouble concentrating
- Weight gain, especially around hips and abdomen
- Headaches or migraines (especially cyclical)
These symptoms aren’t just annoying—they’re your body’s way of signaling that it needs hormonal support.
Root Causes of Estrogen Dominance
In functional medicine, we don’t just chase symptoms—we ask why they’re happening. Estrogen dominance is often caused or worsened by a combination of the following:
1. Impaired Liver Detoxification
Your liver processes excess estrogen through two key phases of detox. If these pathways are sluggish, estrogen can recirculate in your body, amplifying its effects. Some reasons for Impaired liver detoxification are:
- Low antioxidant status
- Alcohol overconsumption
- Toxin exposure
- Lack of supportive nutrients (like B vitamins, sulforaphane, glutathione)
2. Gut Dysbiosis
The estrobolome, a specific group of bacteria in your gut, helps metabolize estrogen. If your microbiome is off, you might reabsorb estrogen instead of excreting it. Your gut microbiome can be thrown off by:
- Low fiber intake
- Constipation
- Antibiotic overuse
- Poor diet or low diversity in gut flora
3. Chronic Stress
High cortisol (your stress hormone) reduces progesterone levels. Over time, this hormonal “steal” can make estrogen appear dominant even if levels are unchanged. Some reasons for high cortisol in the body:
- Overtraining
- Under-eating
- High-pressure lifestyle
- Poor sleep hygiene
4. Environmental Estrogens
Known as xenoestrogens, these synthetic chemicals mimic estrogen and can disrupt your endocrine system. There are hormone disrupters everywhere in our environement these days, but these are the most common sources:
- BPA from plastics
- Phthalates in fragrances
- Parabens in skincare
- Pesticides and herbicides
How to Reset Your Hormones Naturally
Hormonal healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about giving your body the tools it needs to process, clear, and rebalance—across body, mind, and spirit.
1. Nourish: Food as Functional Medicine
Start with the foundations. Your liver and gut need the right nutrients to detox estrogen efficiently.
Eat more:
- Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts (contain DIM and sulforaphane)
- Ground flaxseed: rich in lignans that help balance estrogen
- Leafy greens and beets: support liver methylation pathways
- Fiber-rich foods: aim for at least 25g/day to bind and eliminate excess hormones
- Filtered water: stay hydrated to keep detox pathways moving
Reduce or avoid:
- Alcohol (which slows estrogen metabolism)
- Processed carbs and sugars (which increase inflammation)
- Dairy or conventional meat (which may contain added hormones)
Winged’s Balanced Babe is designed to support this exact process—blending DIM, Calcium D-Glucarate, Milk Thistle, and Burdock Root to help your liver and gut process excess estrogen and restore hormonal harmony.
2. Restore: Reset Your Stress & Sleep Rhythms
Stress is one of the fastest ways to disrupt hormonal balance—especially by lowering progesterone, which leads to a relative excess of estrogen.
Simple but powerful strategies:
- Create a 30-minute wind-down ritual before bed (think magnesium spray, chamomile tea, or reading)
- Ditch screens 1 hour before sleep
- Take relaxing adaptogens like ashwagandha or L-theanine to help your body shift into parasympathetic (rest and repair) mode
- Try low-intensity movement like walking or yin yoga to reduce cortisol
Struggle with racing thoughts at bedtime? Sleepyhead is our favorite evening support. It pairs a microdose of melatonin with Passionflower, L-Theanine, and 5-HTP for deep, restorative sleep without the hangover.
3. Thrive: Detox Your Life + Reconnect to Self
Hormone balance doesn’t just come from food or supplements—it comes from creating an environment (internal and external) that feels safe, steady, and supportive.
Try:
- Swapping out plastic for glass containers
- Using fragrance-free or natural skincare
- Practicing breathwork or EFT tapping
- Journaling to process emotions and reconnect with your needs
- Setting boundaries and saying no without guilt (emotional detox is real too)
Hormone imbalance is often a symptom of disconnection—from your body, your needs, your joy. The most powerful medicine is learning to hear your own cues again.
Final Thoughts
Estrogen dominance isn’t a life sentence—it’s a signal. With the right support, your body is fully capable of restoring balance and helping you feel like yourself again: clear, calm, energized, and emotionally steady.
You don’t need to do it alone. Winged Wellness was created for this chapter of life—whether you’re 29, 42, or 61. From nutritional support to stress resilience and sleep solutions, we’re here for your whole-body wellness journey.