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Phytonutrients – And Their Importance For Hormone Health

sources of phytonutrients like grapes, blueberries, kidney beans and broccoli

Phytoestrogens (phyto meaning ‘plant’) are substances that occur naturally in foods and they have a very interesting effect on our hormones.

Calling them phytoestrogens would imply that we are adding yet more oestrogen into our bodies, but these plant oestrogens work in a special way. They have been shown to have a balancing effect on hormones.
A study recently showed that eating soya increased oestrogen levels when they were low and reduced them when they were high. This could explain why soya beans can reduce hot flushes for women going through the menopause (when it is believed that we have an oestrogen deficiency) and reduce the incidence of breast cancer (which is often due to an excess of oestrogen).

Because these foods have a controlling effect on oestrogen, it is important to include them in your diet – particularly when you are suffering from a condition that is sensitive to excess oestrogen; such as fibroids and endometriosis.
Research has also shown that phytoestrogens can help to produce lighter periods, and to lengthen women’s cycles that are too short.

soy beans which are strong phytonutrients

Phytoestrogens also have other positive benefits. Soya beans have been found to contain at least 5 compounds believed to inhibit cancer. The major research has focused on breast cancer because Japanese women only have one-sixth the rate of breast cancer that we have.
It also appears that when Japanese women move to the West, their rate rises to that of the Western woman.

As well as these benefits on the hormones, phytoestrogens also have a positive effect on your cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that soya can lower the level of cholesterol and specially the ‘bad’ cholesterol called LDL.

Finally, these phytoestrogens are found in almost all fruit, vegetables and cereals but they are most beneficial in the form of something called ‘isoflavones’, which are found in legumes such as soya, lentils and chickpeas.

Beans are easy to use and they are great added to salads, soups and casseroles. Most beans (although not lentils) need to be soaked, sometimes over-night, before cooking.

There is still a great deal of confusion surrounding phytoestrogens, primarily in relation to soya, but there is no doubt that it can be a useful addition to your diet – especially if you are interested in, or have, a hormone condition.

If you would like to find out more, or are interested in finding out how you can help balance your hormones/hormone condition, speak to one our expert nutritionists who have been trained to the protocols of Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD – the leading women’s health nutritionist in the UK specialising in hormone health.

Why Xenoestrogens Are Affecting Your Health

Xenoestrogens or ‘foreign oestrogens’ are oestrogen-like chemicals from pesticides or plastics that have been linked to health problems.
In some parts of the world, some of these problems have been dramatic. For example, some fish are growing both male and female sex organs and male alligators are becoming feminised, with hormonal levels altered to the extent that it is making reproduction difficult!

woman holding cleaning chemicals which contain xenoestrogens

What Do Xenoestrogens Mean For Our Health?

Xenoestrogens are stored in body fat and can affect men and women differently. Overweight people tend to have higher concentrations because xenoestrogens are lipophilic (meaning they love fat). They are also appearing everywhere, currently there are over 3900 brands of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides which are approved for use in the UK. Some fruit and vegetables are sprayed up to 10 times before they reach the supermarkets.

The increasing levels of xenoestrogens in our environment has coincided with an earlier onset of puberty. At the turn of the century, the average age of puberty to begin was 15. Now some girls as young as 8 are growing breasts and pubic hair!
It has been found that girls can enter puberty almost a year earlier if their pregnant mother has higher levels of 2 synthetic chemicals – PCB’s and DDT – while they were pregnant.

Women with higher concentrations of certain pesticides in their bodies also run a greater risk of developing breast cancer than women with lower levels.

plastic free packaging to reduce xenoestrogens in food and food shopping

What Can We Do About Xenoestrogens?

  • Avoid Plastic Containers and Wrap

The first piece of advice would be to avoid (as much as possible) food and drinks in plastic containers or wrapped in plastic as well as trying to buy organic where possible.

  • Don’t Store Fatty Foods In Plastic

This will allow the xenoestrogens to migrate into the foods with the high fat content from the plastic wrap. Try to remove any food packaging as soon as possible and store in beeswax or glass containers.

  • Reduce Your Intake Of Saturated Fats

These are two reasons for this. First of all, you will lay down fat stores that will present a welcome home for xenoestrogens and secondly, the fat you take in is likely to contain xenoestrogens from the animal’s environment.

  • Don’t Heat Food In Plastic

Especially avoid using the microwave. Try to put your food in a bowl, onto a plate or use a glass container to heat instead.

  • Increase Your Fibre Intake

This will help prevent the absorption of oestrogenic chemicals into your blood stream.

  • Eat More Cruciferous Vegetables And Phytonutrients

These help reduce toxic forms of oestrogen as well as cruciferous vegetables being high in a substance called ‘indole-3’carbinol’ which encourages elimination.

There’s no doubt that all of us are affected by xenoestrogens, and they may be at the root of more health problems than we know – and they are far more common than we would have first thought!

However, if you follow the advice above, you will dramatically decrease your exposure and be supporting your body to eliminate these as effectively as possible.


If you are interested in finding out more about your exposure to xenoestrogens, or how you can reduce your intake of these ‘foreign oestrogens’ then click here to speak to one of our expert nutritionists.

The 5 Stages of Natural Endometriosis Treatment

Treating endometriosis naturally involves taking a dramatically different approach to the condition, and it will be aimed at supporting the underlying problems that trigger the endometriosis to grow.
At the same time, symptoms will be controlled.

Your goal will be to return to optimum health by alleviating or even eliminating your endometriosis in the process.

A multi-factorial approach is the quickest way to achieve this aim, as endometriosis can be triggered by a combination of factors including hormone imbalance, stress, and nutritional deficiencies.

There are five main stages to the treatment programme involving:

  1. Improving Your Diet
  2. Utilising Supplementation
  3. Controlling Your Levels of Excess Oestrogen
  4. Improving Your Liver Function
  5. Boosting Your Immune System

All of these are covered in more detail below:

lentils, seeds and nuts that contain endometriosis supporting nutrients

Your Diet

The first and most important step is to adopt a hormone balancing diet – which can be found in our FREE Foundations of Health E-Book when you click here. However, in the case of endometriosis, you will need to take things a step further.
Your main aim will be to keep your diet low on any foods that encourage the production of oestrogen, focusing instead on those foods that can help your body rid itself of excess oestrogen.

Other Factors To Consider Include:

Your Alcohol Intake – you will need to avoid it completely for a couple of months and then limit your intake to only 1-2 units per week. Your liver helps control the excretion of your hormones and if you want it to work effectively it is better not to have alcohol, which causes your liver to work overtime

Saturated Fats – including dairy and red meat should be avoided for a few months because they contain a substance called ‘Arachidonic Acid’ which encourages the production of hormone-like substances called Prostaglandins. These are highly inflammatory and can cause swelling and pain and, in some cases, thicken the blood itself. They can also trigger muscle contraction/constriction in the blood vessels.

supplements on a wooden spoon surrounded by natural ingredients

Utilising Supplementation

There are a number of supplements that not only strengthen your immune system but also have the unique ability to address certain health conditions, such as hormone imbalance. The idea is to address all possible known causes of endometriosis, whilst at the same time, ensuring that you reach optimum health, where your body can start to fight its own battles. These include:

B Vitamins. Particularly important for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they are needed by the liver to convert excess oestrogen into weaker and less dangerous forms. B6 has also been shown to significantly reduce the intensity and duration of period pains.

Vitamin E. This vitamin has been shown to relieve menstrual cramps in 70% of women within 2 menstrual cycles.

Vitamin C & Bioflavonoids. Crucial for immunity, vitamin C helps your body to recognise and destroy endometrial patches as they occur. Bioflavonoids are helpful with pain occurring around the time of your period because they help to relax and soothe muscles and to prevent inflammation.

Magnesium. Acts as a muscle relaxant and has been shown to have a beneficial effect on painful periods and lower back pain.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s). Your body produces beneficial prostaglandins from EFA’s, which help to reduce period pains. They also have an anti-inflammatory response, which is particularly beneficial to endometriosis sufferers.

immune fighting ingredients like broccoli, lemon, ginger and cinnamon

Boosting Your Immune System

When you suffer from endometriosis, it is important to ensure that your immune system is functioning at optimum levels. It is believed that women who do not suffer from the condition have immune systems with an ability to mop up the endometrial debris after each period. This cleaning process should take place naturally every month.
Women with endometriosis do not seem to have the ability to mop up, and the debris lies around, which gives it an opportunity to take hold. 

It is best to avoid foods that compromise your immune function, such as sugar.


Endometriosis is extremely common, affecting up to 15% of all women, but hopefully you will see from the above that there are natural approaches which can help redefine your condition and help you live your best healthy life!

If you would like further advice – or to continue reading about Endometriosis – click here to download your copy of the ‘Understanding Endometriosis’ E-Book.

Alternatively, if you would like to speak to one of our expert and highly-trained nutritionists about how we can help you with your endometriosis – or other health concerns – get in touch by clicking here.

5 Key Questions Before Following A Weight Loss Plan

Best Weight Loss Program

Choosing the right diet plan can be a daunting task. With numerous plans promising to be the best weight loss program ever and offering amazing results, it can be difficult to choose the right one. That being said, it’s important to be fully prepared when starting a diet plan. There’s a number of things that need to be considered to ensure that the plan will not only provide great results, but will also improve your health.

  1. Is The Diet Plan Safe?

Here at Glenville Nutrition here advise that while it may be important to lose weight, it’s never appropriate to do so at the expense of one’s health. There are some pretty drastic weight loss programs on the market today. From eating nothing but baby food, to very strict detox plans, these types of diets can lead to complications within your immune system and potentially put a strain on your organs. It is important therefore you ensure you will receive adequate nutrition throughout the plan to achieve natural weight loss and avoid complications.

Furthermore, when it comes to supplements, it is  important to do your research and avoid any harmful ingredients or side-effects.

  1. Can I Keep Up With It?

One of the biggest reasons women fail to complete a diet is that they find it difficult to keep up with. Diet plans with ridiculous rules and restrictions are notorious for being difficult to finish. When it comes to questioning whether you will be able to finish a plan, you  need to think rationally about the diet and your lifestyle before making a commitment.

Diets, by their very nature, require a lifestyle change, but some changes are easier to make than others. You need to find a plan you can work with. While compromises must be made, if a plan consists of something that’s difficult to do or give up, you are already setting yourself up for failure.

  1. Will It Affect My Daily Life?

Another huge deterrent to diets is that it changes a person’s way of life. Obviously, diets require some sort of change in lifestyle and you must be able to make the required changes to see the results. However, diets are not meant to completely control a person’s life. Instead, diets should be manageable within your normal life. For example, it should teach good habits that can be implemented into normal activities, such as dining out. It shouldn’t control your life, but rather help to modify (and improve) it.

  1. Will It Provide Long Term Results?

It’s not uncommon for women to gain back the weight after they lose it with a diet. This is because often the chosen diet plan was a quick fix rather than a change in lifestyle. Diets shouldn’t be short periods to get healthy. Instead, diets should teach you how to modify your habits to stay healthy and manage your weight long term. It should be something that lasts a lifetime, not just a few months out of the year.

  1. Is It Personalised?

There’s no “one size fits all” diet plan. Every woman’s body is different. We all react differently to exercise and food, making it difficult to see success in generic plans. Most of these plans are formulated for women who are of moderate height and activity level. If you don’t fit in that parameter, you will likely see lackluster results. It is better therefore to choose a diet plan that is personalised for your body and lifestyle. With a custom plan, you will see much better results and find it easier to follow.

Starting a diet plan is big first step in getting healthy. The choice of diet plan is something that should not be taken lightly. And you need to ask the right questions to get the knowledge you need to succeed. The right plan can make all the difference. Instead of failing and starting over with something new, do your research, choose the right plan and see results that will last a lifetime.

If you would like to know more about losing weight and learning to manage it, why not book an appointment with one of our qualified nutritionists? Fill out the form or give us a call on 01892 515905

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