Hormonal Imbalances: Endometriosis, Acne

Addressing Hormone Imbalances – Acne, Estrogen Dominance & Endometriosis

Hormone imbalances can be tricky, but the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle helps many clients rebalance their hormones.

This statement is true whether they have thyroid issues, polycystic ovary syndrome, perimenopausal symptoms, hormonal imbalance post-IVF, acne, or other hormonal problems. You should keep a few things in mind if your goal is to rebalance your hormones on top of following the lifestyle.

It can take time to see results.

Be patient with it, and keep at it! As with most of the people that Yalda has helped one-on-one, having a long-term horizon was the best way to approach it. Give yourself three to six months to focus on the process rather than the results and not be frustrated. You will see results, but it takes time for your inflammation levels to go down and your liver to perform hormone homeostasis (hormone balancing). Then you will see results such as losing weight, improved skin, improved mood, etc.

Please be sure to note your symptoms at the start of the Six Week Reset and compare them to those after six weeks, 12 weeks, and six months.

Many people do not realize how far they have come, and while it is good to focus on what’s left to fix, it is also important to acknowledge how well you have done!

Eat your greens

The liver is the main organ for hormone balancing, so it is imperative to focus on liver health to achieve hormonal health. Eating enough vegetables from the green lists will ensure your liver is detoxified and can perform hormone homeostasis.

Drink water

You must ensure that you consume adequate amounts of water daily for liver support and lymphatic system support. The advice in the water section is appropriate to support hormones, which means it is essential to drink enough water but equally important not to drink too much.

Moderate soy-based products

Fermented soy foods such as soy sauce and miso are permitted. The EBS lifestyle is about moderation, so do not over-obsess. You can have a little bit of soy sauce with your sashimi or a miso soup. Fermented foods present several health benefits for the microbiota.

Limit your intake of sweet foods.

Sugar and fructose (the naturally occurring sugars in fruit) trigger insulin to rise, destabilizing hormonal balance. Eating moderate amounts of low-sugar fruit is fine, but try to avoid paleo treats, including the light banana bread, until you start seeing results.

Limit your fat intake.

Watch your intake of fat. The liver processes fat, so being mindful of your fat intake will support the liver’s hormonal homeostasis function. Nuts and paleo bread, although healthy, contain fats. You can have these as per the Six Week Reset guidelines when you start seeing results. Sticking to the eating guidelines will help you consume adequate amounts of good fats and detoxify your liver for better hormonal function. Using a couple of tablespoons of olive oil daily is absolutely fine and recommended. However, do not overdo fats!

Limit your alcohol intake.

Alcohol is processed by the liver, too, so limit your intake of alcohol and support your system.

Get some good quality sleep.

Sleep is a critical factor in hormonal and mental health, weight loss, inflammation, and more. Make sure to stick to the advice in the Better Sleep section linked here, as sleep is truly the foundation for health and hormonal health!

Acne

Dietary advice

You should follow the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle and incorporate the dietary advice below for optimal results.

Foods to avoid

• Cut out dairy completely, as dairy consumption has been linked to acne due to the insulinotropic properties of all dairy products (cow, sheep, goat, camel milk), as shown in this study by Melnik (2011).
• Soy sauce is acceptable, but do not have soy milk or soy yogurt in bulk. Follow the advice of the orange list for other soy products. In moderation, soy can help manage acne and other hormonally influenced conditions, as shown by Rao et al, (2021).

Foods to include

• Increase your intake of cruciferous vegetables to 2 cups per day to induce phase I, support phase II liver detoxification pathways, and promote hormonal homeostasis, as shown by Nho & Jeffery (2001).
  • Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, bok choi, cavolo nero, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
• Increase your water intake to 2 liters daily to support your liver detoxification pathways and hormonal balancing as the liver performs hormone homeostasis.
• Increase your intake of vitamin C-rich foods to support skin health. Vitamin C is essential in normal keratinization and combating infections (Morris, 1954).
  • Vitamin C-rich foods: all berries, red peppers, lemon, lime, citrus fruits, broccoli.
• Increase your intake of Zinc-rich foods. Zinc has anti-inflammatory properties, and lower serum zinc levels have been associated with the severity and type of acne, as seen in this study by Mogaddam et al. (2014).
  • Zinc-rich foods: nuts, seeds, oysters.
• You can also boost your system several times a year by following the liver detox specialized advice for one to three weeks. The liver is the main organ responsible for hormonal balance. Following the liver detox several times yearly will help you get on track and lock in your results.

Supplements advice

• Avoid taking collagen hydrolysate as it can exacerbate keratin production and worsen acne.
• Vitamin C: I like liposomal vitamin C or Esther C for better delivery and absorption.
• Zinc: supplement with Zinc picolinate for better nutrient bioavailability.
• Liver detox support: check the supplements shared in the liver detox section.

Skin products advice

• Use fragrance-free natural skin products (Jason is a good brand)
• Apply colloidal silver on your skin when you have a flare. Colloidal silver is a natural antiseptic.

You may enjoy the podcast with Kim Walls about skincare and how it changes during hormonal changes.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial mucosa outside the uterine cavity. This condition affects around 10 to 15% of menstruating women between the ages of 24 and 40. A 2011 study by Buck Louis et al. shows that 11% of women have undiagnosed endometriosis.

Risk factors

The main risk factors for endometriosis are:

• Genetics – women with a mother or sister with endometriosis show an increased risk of developing the condition
• Heavy menstrual flow (Vigano et al. 2004)
• Shorter menstrual cycle (Melmet, 2020)

Diagnosis:

A pelvic ultrasound is the primary imaging modality that identifies the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. It is generally found in the ovaries (endometriomas) and the bladder wall, as shown in this 2005 article by Kinkel et al. 

Symptoms:

• Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
• Heavy or irregular bleeding
• Pelvic pain
• Lower abdominal or back pain
• Dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse)
• Gastrointestinal disturbances:
• Dyschezia (pain on defecation): women with endometriosis can often experience cycles of diarrhea and constipation
• Bloating, nausea, and vomiting
• Inguinal pain (groin plain)
• Discomfort in urination and urinary frequency

Mechanisms:

• Endometriomas are endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity that respond to cyclic hormonal fluctuations, like intrauterine endometrium.
• This metabolic activity leads to a concentrated and cyclic release of cytokines and prostaglandins. The inflammatory activity causes fibrosis and neovascularisation in extrauterine tissue, triggering pain and discomfort.
• The pain and discomfort associated with endometriosis result from inflammatory processes and follow the menstrual cycles.
• Immune dysfunction: Some investigators have demonstrated abnormal T- and B-cell function, abnormal complement deposition, and altered interleukin (IL)-6 production in women with this disease.
• IL-6 are inflammatory cells. Immune dysfunction is a result of chronic inflammation.

Complications

Infertility:

Evans and Decherney (2017) show that 30 to 50% of women with endometriosis struggle with infertility. They discuss how endometriosis decreases fecundity and the potential outcomes of fertility treatments for people with endometriosis.

Cancer:

Research has shown that hyperestrogenism increases cancer risk for women with endometriosis. Zanetta and Keeney demonstrated the relationship between hyperestrogenism, cancer, and endometriosis in Gynecologic Oncology (2000).

You can find Cancer Protection and Recovery advice here.

Foods to avoid:

Following the food lists traffic system will help avoid foods that disrupt hormonal balance, such as excess sugar, grains, and starchy carbohydrates. Indeed, a spike in blood sugar levels leads to a spike in insulin followed by higher cortisol levels. This mechanism, in turn, leads to the hormone cascade and hormonal imbalances.

It can also contribute to liver toxicity and impair a vital liver function: hormone homeostasis (hormonal balance).

Some studies show that phytoestrogens can benefit endometriosis, as they effectively “can regulate the expression of key endometriosis-related genes and modify the pathological processes and can lessen symptoms,” as shown in this study by Cai et al. (2021). Cai et al. conducted their study on mice. They have concluded that studies on humans over a more extended time should be done before concluding that phytoestrogen consumption over the long run can benefit endometriosis without side effects. They say “long-term” observation is required to better evaluate the therapeutic effects of phytoestrogens.”

Indeed, phytoestrogens are hormonal disruptors, and all endocrine disruptors should be consumed in moderation. Below is a list of foods with high phytoestrogen levels:

• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Beans
• Unfermented soy products (soya milk and yogurt)
• Flaxseeds or linseeds
• Rice
• Oats

The fermented form of soy (tofu, tempeh, miso, tamari, soy sauce) activates the isoflavones compounds in the soya and, therefore more beneficial to health.

Foods to include:

Adopting the Eat Burn Sleep anti-inflammatory lifestyle can help reduce chronic inflammation and, consequently, the symptoms associated with endometriosis.

Also, excess estrogen – which worsens endometriosis symptoms and complications- sits in the gastrointestinal tract, and the best way to reduce it is to support healthy digestive health. With a healthy gut, regular bowel movements help excrete excess estrogen.

Please follow the meal planning advice on the platform and include vegetables and fiber as suggested.

In conjunction with limiting the intake of the foods listed above and in the red list, it is essential to favor certain foods and follow the advice set below to keep lower estrogen levels in the body.

• Increase your intake of cruciferous vegetables to 2 cups per day to induce phase I, support phase II liver detoxification pathways, and promote hormonal homeostasis, as shown by Nho & Jeffery (2001).
  • Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, bok choi, cavolo nero, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
• Increase your water intake to 2 liters daily to support your liver detoxification pathways and hormonal balancing as the liver performs hormone homeostasis.
• Consume 2-4 cups of spearmint or peppermint tea daily. To increase FSH, decrease free testosterone, and lower prolactin—fresh mint to grow at home or a good quality tea.
• Increase your intake of Zinc-rich foods. Zinc has anti-inflammatory properties, and lower serum zinc levels have been associated with the severity and type of acne, as seen in this study by Mogaddam et al. (2014).
  • Zinc-rich foods: nuts, seeds, oysters.
• You can also boost your system several times a year by following the liver detox specialized advice for one to three weeks. The liver is the main organ responsible for hormonal balance. Following the liver detox several times yearly will help you get on track and lock in your results.

Supplements:

The supplements below are optional. Food, movement, and mental wellness are the three pillars of the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle and should always be the first line of action.

These supplements can help in your anti-inflammatory journey if you have endometriosis.

Check the Yalda Loves section to find the products Yalda uses.

• Magnesium citrate: magnesium helps reduce PMS and constipation and improves sleep.
• Omega-3 fatty Acids help reduce inflammation.
• Vitamin B complex supports the liver detoxification pathways.
• Liver detox support: check the supplements shared in the liver detox section.

Magnesium, Vitamin B complex Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown by this 2013 study by Mirabi to help manage the symptoms of endometriosis, alongside dietary changes,