Estrogen can sometimes get a bad reputation, but this hormone is essential for women's health, and not just reproductive health! Estrogen is a key component of a healthy heart and immune system, and it plays a role in energy and mood as well. This is one area where we can easily support our bodies to give them what they need!

ESTROGEN AT A GLANCE

• Estrogen is responsible for maturing the reproductive system.
• Estrogen levels fluctuate during the month for cycling women.
• During and after menopause, estrogen levels decline.
• Estrogen helps keep your heart, cholesterol levels, and bones healthy.
• Estrogen boosts your mood and helps against osteoporosis.

Each month your body does a lot of work to prepare the uterine lining for fertilization. When estrogen levels drop, menstruation begins. Estrogen levels are at their lowest during week 1 of your monthly cycle (during your period). It then rises up until the six days before your period occurs again, when estrogen levels start to decline.

As you age, your estrogen levels begin decreasing, leading to menopause, which marks the end of the reproductive years.

THE ESTROGEN-PROGESTERONE BALANCE Most often when we're discussing hormones, we start talking about estrogen and progesterone. Almost all women are high in estrogen and deficient in progesterone (with a few exceptions). Our diets, environmental factors, skin products, and much more quickly lead to the excess estrogen in the body.

The balance of these hormones is important for ALL WOMEN. No matter the age. Even those who've had a hysterectomy!

Progesterone is produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands (and the placenta when pregnant) and is stored in fat. Progesterone is not just needed for our reproductive system but also for our NERVOUS system.

THIS is why we feel so out of sync (and out of control!!). This isn't just about having babies or our monthly cycle. This is about so much more. It is the way that our bodies function and communicate at a cellular level.

Progesterone is NOT JUST NEEDED by women during childbearing years. It is a part of female health until death, a part of our female nature.

Ok but what about estrogen? Where does she come into the picture? I'm glad you asked…

Estrogen has to first attach to a cell, then it grabs hands with the progesterone. If the progesterone is not there, the estrogen begins to inhibit the chemical process that is supposed to happen and it can begin a process of mutation.

We still need estrogen. She is very much the other half of this puzzle, but we get so much from foods, plastics, chemicals in home and self care products, medications, and more. Many of these are xenoestrogens - artificial estrogens. But our bodies don't care. They process it the same way.

In today's society, women's bodies at all ages are FULL of estrogen going into our cell receptors, then reaching out a hand for progesterone only to be left hanging. Nothing. Chemical imbalance CHAOS.

Bottom line? Both estrogen and progesterone are important. Both are needed. BUT they are needed in a balance of each other.

ESTROGEN SUPPORTING OILS & SUPPLEMENTS Estrogen and progesterone are needed in some amount every day of the month. Depending on your situation, you may find that support for both hormones works best for you!

SUPPLEMENTS:

• FemiGen: FemiGen is a twice-daily supplement that combines whole-food herbs including wild yam, damiana, and dong quai with synergistic amino acids, and clary sage, fennel, ylang ylang, and sage essential oils. FemiGen specifically supports the female reproductive system through estrogen balance and helps maintain and nourish the reproductive system from development through menopause.
• EndoGize: EndoGize is a daily women's hormone support supplement powered by essential oils, minerals, and herbs, including ashwagandha root – a well known herb for hormone balance and stress reduction. EndoGize also contains DHEA, a hormone precursor for estrogen and testosterone, DHEA is naturally made in the body, but levels decline as we age. These ingredients work synergistically to create a formula that supports a healthy endocrine system for women.
• PD 80/20: PD 80/20 is a daily supplement that contains pregnenolone and DHEA, two substances produced naturally by the body that decline with age. Pregnenolone is the key precursor for the body's production of estrogen, DHEA, and progesterone, and it has an impact on mental acuity and memory. DHEA is involved in maintaining the health of the cardiovascular and immune systems. These ingredients combine to help support the endocrine system and balance overall hormone levels.

CREAMS:

• Regenolone Moisturizing Cream: This is a natural estrogen support cream with plant-based phytoestrogens that soothe the skin and can provide an alternative to conventional estrogen creams. This rich, nourishing cream of plant extracts such as wild yam (phyto-progesterone!) and black and blue cohosh (phyto-estrogens) supports female hormone health – especially estrogen levels. This cream also contains St. John's Wort and adaptogenic herbs to help soothe the adrenal glands and emotions!
• Prenolone Plus Body Cream: This cream is very similar to Regenolone, except it has one more ingredient – DHEA. This body cream smells incredible and provides so many wonderful hormone supporting herbs such as St. John's wort, wild yam extract, ginkgo biloba leaf extract and green tea leaf extract. These herbs and essential oils work synergistically to promote a healthy balance of hormones while also nourishing the skin. The DHEA in Prenolone Plus can be really helpful to some women. DHEA is a hormone precursor for estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, meaning you would further increase the hormone levels that you need.

ESSENTIAL OILS:

• Sclaressence: Sclaressence is an essential oil blend containing Clary Sage, Peppermint, Spanish Sage, and Fennel. This blend is rich in phytoestrogen oils. Phytoestrogens are simply plant-based compounds that are similar enough to human estrogen that they are easily recognized as estrogen in our bodies. There is also thought that they help our body create its own estrogen!
• Clary Sage: Clary sage is a natural phytoestrogen and can help the body balance estrogen levels.

For more on hormone support, see the related resources linked below! Also check out one of our favorite supplement books, the Supplement Field Guide by Dr. Ashley H. Cribb!