Although men and women are both susceptible to
many of the same diseases, those areas of women's health that
pertain to the sex hormones and female sex organs can vary greatly
from those of a man. Maintaining the correct balance of female sex
hormones is one of the unique and most important aspect of women's
health.
Maintaining Hormone Balance
Normal weight is crucial to hormone balance. Fat
cells manufacture estrogen. This can lead to an excess of estrogen
in both men and women. Maintaining normal weight is important for
balanced hormones. This is believed to be the reason that
hormone-related cancers (breast, uterine, endometrial) are seen
more frequently in overweight and obese women.
Although synthetic and horse-urine derived
hormones have been the standard in conventional medicine for
years, such forms of hormone replacement therapy are unsafe.
Higher risk of heart disease and hormones-related cancers are the
most worrisome side effects of conventional hormone replacement
therapy (HRT). Most holistic physicians prefer to use natural
HRT (nHRT), an alternative that actually reduces the
risk of heart disease, hormone related cancers, osteoporosis and
premature aging.
Natural hormone replacement therapy is conducted
by first performing a female hormone profile. Such testing of the
entire complement of female hormones including estriol, estrone,
estradiol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA is almost NEVER
done in conventional medicine. Instead of using a "generic"
prescription, the holistic physician can instead use the results
of the female hormone profile to write a custom-tailored Rx. for
each patient. These customized hormone prescriptions can be filled
by a "compounding pharmacist," meaning a pharmacist who
specializes in making custom formulas.
Unlike convnetional HRT which uses high doses of
estradiol and synthetic progesterone almost exclusively, nHRT
typically encompasses all the sex hormones and in doses
that attempt to duplicate the hormone pattern that a woman had in
her younger years. This is a very different and much safer
approach to hormone replacement therapy.
Short of consulting a physician, having a female
hormone profile performed and getting a custom-tailored natural
hormone prescription written, there are self-help measures that a
woman can take to improve female hormone balance without hormone
replacement.
Certain hormone-containing herbs have a
balancing effect on the system. (See the following
recommendations). It is HIGHLY INADVISABLE to take actual hormone
supplements, even if they are sold without a prescription, without
the advice and laboratory testing that a doctor can offer. Such
hormones, available without prescription, include DHEA and
progesterone. [NOTE: Many health food store brands of progesterone
creams do not contain any hormone, and the body cannot
convert wild yam (dioscorea) into progesterone, no matter how much
the lady at the health food store argues otherwise! In natural
medical circles, we call this "The Yam Scam"!]
Also remember that other non-hormone factors can
create imbalances in the sex hormones. An excess or deficiency of
thyroid hormone will change sex hormone levels, and no amount of
sex hormone replacement will correct the problem until the thyroid
function has been compensated for. Sluggish liver function has a
major impact on hormone balance because the liver "processes" and
converts sex hormones to forms that can be eliminated from the
body.
Those seeking self-help measures should try the
following approach to hormone balance. If symptoms persist (hot
flashes, depression, loss of libido, skin aging, bone loss,
elevated cholesterol or heart disease), then consultation with an
holistic physician and determination of a customized natural
hormone Rx. should be considered.
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information about Menopause
DIET AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS
