Can Your Microbiome Impact Your Hormones?

In Naturopathy we often say that hormone conditions are just a symptom of a gut health issue. This certainly makes sense in autoimmune hormone conditions, like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, given that all autoimmune conditions start with a leaky gut.

However, what about things like endometriosis? Absolutely gut health plays a role! 

And, side note, endometriosis and PCOS are beginning to be looked at as having an autoimmune component. Fascinating, right?!

Now, today I want to focus on your microbiome specifically. If you don't know, your microbiome is, essentially it is the ecological community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic organisms that quite literally share our body space. It begins to develop when we are a foetus in the womb and continues to develop and change throughout our lifetime.

And guess what? There are 100 TRILLION bacteria in our gut and over 500 different species! 

Within those bacteria, you have a set of gut bacteria called estrobolome, which influences oestrogen levels. 

In fact, estrobolome’s main role is to metabolise oestrogen! It modulates the enterohepatic circulation of oestrogens, impacts both the circulating and the excreted oestrogen and produces something called beta-glucuronidase.

Beta-glucuronidase is an enzyme that breaks the bond between oestrogen and glutathione. Now remember, glutathione is the master detoxifier -- it is the big guns. It binds with oestrogen to eliminate oestrogen that isn’t needed. 

You need oestrogen and glutathione to stay bound. But, if your beta-glucuronidase levels are elevated, then this bond is going to be broken, leaving oestrogen unbound...which means it can then bind with oestrogen receptors and get reabsorbed rather than eliminated as it should. Not good is it?!

Ensuring you support a healthy microbiome full of good bacteria is vital because the type of bacteria in your gut will determine how much beta-glucuronidase the estrobolome produces.

If you start making too much beta-glucuronidase, then you are likely to experience oestrogen dominance. Some of the signs and symptoms of oestrogen dominance include:

Irregular periods
Painful periods
Heavy periods
PMS
Breast tenderness or fibrocystic breasts
Bloating
Premenstrual headaches
Weight or fat gain
Low libido
Insomnia
Fatigue
Brain fog...And more!

Oestrogen dominance puts you more at risk for things like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and oestrogen dependent cancers, like breast, cervical and ovarian cancers.

There are many things you can do to rebalance your hormone levels, but for today, look at supporting your microbiome! 

If you are curious to know where your estrobolome levels are at, then you can look at doing a CDSA (comprehensive diagnostic stool analysis). If you are in Australia or NZ I can help organise that for you. Just pop me an email at jen@happyandhealthywithjen.com

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MEET JEN

 
Hello! Thank you popping by! I’m Jen. I'm a wife, a furmama to two gorgeous dogs, a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and an advocate for natural ways to support physical and emotional wellbeing. Oh, and I’m a CEO! 

My journey originally started in Psychology. You see, when I was 16 my father took his own life after suffering years of a debilitating gambling addiction. I did a Bachelor’s in Psych as I wanted to understand why he made the choices that he did. I also wanted to ensure that I never went down that path and also help those suffering as he did. I loved it so much I went on to do a Masters.

It was during that time I got sick. I’m talking woke up one morning and couldn’t get out of bed, sick. For many years I felt helpless and frustrated!

Let me back up for a second. Prior to this life consisted of pain and fatigue. I had digestive issues and IBS from childhood. Through my teens and early 20's I was getting 2-3 migraines a month around my cycle and headaches more than half the month. My periods we very painful – I had to miss work or school the first 1-2 days. I would literally lie on the floor or the bed curled in the foetal position and cry from the pain. I could easily talk a full packet of Ibuprofen and still not get much relief.

Then, at 26, my period stopped altogether and things went downhill fast! For the first time in my life I was feeling apathetic and overwhelmed. Over the course of the next two years I was diagnosed with a host of conditions – are you ready for the laundry list? The first diagnosis was PCOS. I was told that I was infertile, that I would never have children, and that IVF wasn’t an option for me. I was also told that I was pre-diabetic, that my liver was worse than an alcoholic’s (and I don’t drink), that I had migraine disorder, vertigo, and adrenal fatigue. The cherry on the cake was a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s at 28.

I was in complete and utter shock. I couldn’t fathom that a 28-year-old Personal Trainer, who looked fit and healthy on the outside, could be in such disarray on the inside.  

Over the two years I saw five doctors and a Naturopath and nothing improved.

And then one day a friend and I got in touch. She told me to change my diet and take specific supplements. I figured I had nothing to lose, and so I did! I went onto a low-carb diet and was taking upward of 30-40 pills a day…and guess what?! Three months later my period started!! How incredible is that?!

Over the next two years all of my health ailments rectified! Well, all except my Hashi’s – more on that in a minute. My cycles became clockwork, they were manageable, the migraines and vertigo disappeared and my liver and blood sugar levels returned to the normal range! How exciting is that?! The best part, I can now have children should I choose! Having that option is incredible!

Of course I was so excited and inspired that I had to go to school and study Nutritional Medicine and Naturopathy.

Now, let’s talk about my Hashi’s. That only went into remission when my toxic load was decreased. That was a lightbulb moment for me and the moment I got fired up to share with others the importance of leading a low-tox life. I love educating people where toxins are found, what impact they have on physical and emotional wellbeing, and what products to replace them with to support your wellbeing. 

I sincerely believe that many of my health issues would not have presented if I were living a low-tox life. My Hashi’s has been in remission since I was 31 and I am so proud to say that! Praise God!

Life is so different to what it was 10 years ago. I have the energy and the mental capacity to engage in life! I am present and am thriving. Oh, and I laugh! I actually laugh out loud, something that eluded me for many years.

I am happy and healthy and it is my mission to help YOU be the happy, healthy person you are meant to be!
I would love for you to join our exclusive community and learn how you too can find freedom from physical and emotional barriers. I look forward to seeing you there!
 

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