The incredible influence of oestrogen on your self-love

Your cycle and the various sex hormones involved not only control the processes in your body, they can also have a great influence on your psyche. Your mood and psychological well-being can vary due to the influence of hormones during your cycle. Your self-confidence and self-image can also change during your cycle. Oestrogens have a big influence on this.

What self-love and oestrogen have to do with each other

Oestrogens are sex hormones that have a significant influence on the menstrual cycle. They are responsible for a variety of processes in the female body. Oestrogens also have a significant influence on the psyche. They can influence how you feel during the different phases of your cycle. In this article we will explain what oestrogens do in your body and why your oestrogen level can also have an influence on your self-love and self-confidence.

The influence of oestrogen on your body

Oestrogens are the dominant hormones in the first half of the cycle, while they only play a subordinate role in the second half. Oestrogen is the generic term for a group of hormones. The most important oestrogens are oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol. They are responsible for the maturation of the egg cell and are produced in the follicle. At the beginning of the cycle, the amount of oestrogen in the body is still low. As the egg matures, the level of oestrogen in the body increases and reaches its highest level at the time of ovulation. The oestrogen is also responsible for building up the lining of the uterus and for transporting the egg into the uterus.

The influence of oestrogen on your mental well-being

Oestrogen has an influence on the metabolic activity of our brain. When the level of oestrogen in the body is high, the dopamine and serotonin activity in the brain is increased. A lack of oestrogen in the body in turn causes a lack of serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin and dopamine are also called happiness hormones and make you feel good, in a positive mood and content.
You are likely to feel more comfortable in your own body, more energetic, more confident during the time when your oestrogen levels are higher. Your libido can also be stimulated by higher levels of oestrogen.

What this has to do with your self-love

As you are psychologically better and feel more self-confident, more self-accepting and have a more positive self-image during the phases when your oestrogen levels are higher, your sense of self-love can be particularly high during the first half of your cycle and the time around ovulation.
If your oestrogen levels drop after ovulation, this can also lead to mental changes and you may struggle with PMS symptoms and self-doubt during your luteal phase. For tips on how to love yourself and feel better during this time of your cycle, read our article “7 self-care tips for stressful times”. You can also find valuable advice on how to relieve PMS symptoms in our article “PMS treatment: How to relieve symptoms”.
Have you ever thought about creating a cycle calendar to track your mood and symptoms? A cycle calendar can help you find patterns in how you feel during your cycle phases, and recognise which phases naturally boost your self-confidence and self-love.

Natural ways to increase your oestrogen levels

There are several ways you can support your oestrogen levels naturally. Here are a few selected ones that we use in our recipes.

Linseed

Linseeds contain large amounts of phytoestrogens. The most important phytoestrogens in flaxseed are the so-called lignans, which have a positive effect on the oestrogen metabolism.

A 2017 study showed that a diet rich in flax seeds could reduce the severity and incidence of ovarian cancer in chickens. Further research in humans is still needed.

That is why we use flaxseed oil in all our formulations for oral intake. It is included in our Cycle Elixir, Menstru Elixir and Pre-Menstru Elixir.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D acts like a hormone in the body. One study shows that both vitamin D and oestrogen work together to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The link between these hormones is due to the role that vitamin D plays in the synthesis of oestrogen in the body. The interplay between vitamin D and oestrogen suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be useful when oestrogen levels are low.

For this reason, our Pre-Menstru Elixir and Cycle Elixir contain a daily dose of vitamin D to support oestrogen synthesis during the phases when oestrogen levels are at their lowest (luteal and menstrual phases).

Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil (EPO) is a traditional herbal remedy that is high in omega-6 fatty acids. This property makes it a popular dietary supplement for PMS or menopausal symptoms.
Unfortunately, there is little research on the benefits of evening primrose oil for oestrogen problems.

However, one study has shown that evening primrose oil could be helpful in combating menopausal symptoms triggered by an oestrogen deficiency. Of over 2200 women who took evening primrose oil after stopping hormone replacement therapy, 889 said it helped them combat the symptoms of oestrogen deficiency.

Evening primrose oil is therefore a main ingredient of our Pre-Menstru Elixir and also contained in our Cycle Elixir.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the three most important omega-3 fatty acids, along with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA is essential for maintaining normal brain function in adults. It is also associated with better heart health and a lower inflammatory response in the body. Interestingly, the production of oestrogen in the brain has also been directly linked to the presence of DHA. In a recent study, it was found that mice fed cottonseed and a DHA supplement had significantly higher levels of oestrogen than those fed cottonseed oil alone.

We use omega 3 oils containing DHA in our Menstru Elixir to support oestrogen production naturally.