What Are Those Red Spots on My Body?

This information is important for both women and men!!

Do you have red dots on your skin?  These are known "cherry hemangiomas." You can see pictures and read on the Internet that these are common and nothing to worry about, that they are not really sure why they occur, and that they are common as we age.  A lot of the usual mumbo-jumbo we get from the main stream press.  Perhaps there is more to the story.

Now let’s enter the complementary medicine world.  I recently attended a two day seminar called The Seven Pillars of Health presented by Dr. Stuart White.  His take is quite different.  They are a sign.  Something is happening in the body that is causing this to occur.  His answer – estrogen dominance. 

You may or may not be familiar with the term yet it is something you should be aware of and know that it impacts both females and males (yes, this is where man boobs come from).  In both men and women estrogen and progesterone work in relationship to one another and there is a specific ratio of the two hormones that is most optimal. Estrogen dominance occurs when there are deficient, normal, or excessive levels of estrogen with too little progesterone to balance the estrogen.  It is common in both cycling and menopausal women and in andropausal men (better known as the “grumpy old man”).

There are a variety of contributing factors including high stress, the use of birth control pills, adrenal fatigue, low thyroid function, high sugar/carbohydrate diet, trans-fats, xenoestrogens (chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body and impact cell receptors), and obesity (as excess estrogen is made in fat cells).

Symptoms may include: anxiety, anger, agitation, mood swings, depression, water retention, breast tenderness, migraines, sugar or other food cravings, acne, mid-body fat gain, cold hands and feet, loss of sex drive, infertility, insomnia, PCOS, and uterine fibroids.  

Estrogen dominance has been linked to increased rates of breast cancer, uterine cancer, and prostate cancer.

For your information another sign of estrogen dominance in women is facial “peach fuzz.”  And also note that red spots on the tongue may be similar to cherry hemangiomas. 

It just so happens that one of the best ways to work with estrogen dominance is to start with the 21 day purification program or a liver cleanse.  This helps to remove excess estrogens out of the body and to bring the ratio back to balance.  As this occurs you can watch the red dots fade away.

If you’d like more information please contact me.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.