Ive recently started training for a triathlon. Its an Olympic distance and will be the fourth or fifth time Ive done one. Every time I begin to train for one of these events, I am struck by how great I feel about three weeks into it. My mood improves, I have more energy, I think more clearly, and my overall self-esteem is higher.
I used to think it was because it was simply due to the inevitable weight loss that occurs with exercising six days a week, but after working with Dr. Lark on Hormone Revolution, I came to realize that intense exercise fits perfectly with my particular hormone profile.
As a woman with estrogen dominance, I need to keep my hormones properly balanced with high-intensity activities such as running and triathlons. In other words, I am more hare than tortoise. (Okay, not when biking but that another issue.)
As Dr. Lark has explained, women with estrogen dominance tend to be instinctively drawn to strenuous types of exercise that are more contractive, more acidifying, and more yangizing to counter our natural tendency towards alkalinity and expansiveness. These types of exercises are more likely to deplete both the oxygen content and the natural buffering agents contained within the muscles, as well as to generate lactic acid.
Thats why physical activities such as jogging, weight lifting, competing in triathlons, competitive cycling, and mountain climbing are best for us ladies with estrogen dominance. The key for these women is to generate more yang energy by heating up their bodies, sweating, and ridding themselves of excess yin (as edema, bloating, or excess weight).
So, next time I dont feel like training or tell myself I have too much to do that day, Ill stop and remember that this type of exercise comes naturally, and benefits my mind and soul, as well as my body.
For more information on estrogen dominance or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Larks Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Larks FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.