About her mid-thirties, or so, a woman’s Progesterone levels begin to decline, creating an imbalance which will manifest later on into mature adult life. Progesterone is the opposing hormone to oestrogen. Not all women will suffer the same indignities of the hot flashes, hair loss and the various other signs of an hormonal imbalance. Some women will just cruise through the time of her menopause, not even realising it’s happening. However, some others will not be as fortunate. Here are some of the signs of menopause. When an imbalance becomes obvious, they may include irregular periods with varying degrees of irregularity.
? Menopausal, hot flashes.
? Insomnia.
? Vaginal dryness.
? Reduced sex drive.
? Heart palpitations.
? Mood swings/depression and anxiety, to name a few.
Here are some contributing factors to consider:
? Hysterectomies & those performed early for whatever reason.
? Under functioning adrenal glands.
? Intense and/or overzealous exercise programmes, particularly in female athletes.
? Eating disorder and possibly ovarian issues.
Here are some recommendations to consider for re-balancing the hormones:
? Consume a plant-based diet with phytosterols. This is a plant compound found in Non-GMO soy and other non-GMO soy products.
? Cold-water fatty fishes e.g. salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel – also flax seeds & unprocessed oils.
? Natural progesterone creams and the American ginseng are quite good for re-balancing the hormones.
If you were to change your diet at the first signs of an hormonal imbalance, there is a very good chance you will experience far fewer problems when menopause does set in. Here are some recommendations for a better menopause coping diet:
? Consume more whole grains, legumes, fresh fruit & vegetables with phytosterols & phyto-oestrogens plant compounds. These are naturally occurring plant compounds/nutrients that help in re-balancing hormones.
? Increase your intake of fibre. Fibre promotes a healthy heart, supports and strengthens the heart.
? Consume more soybean products, tofu, tempeh and miso & flax/linseed. These foods contain phyto-oestrogens that lowers cholesterol levels. The omegas essential oils from fatty or oily fishes and evening primrose oils.
? Consume more foods rich in vitamin E, such as unprocessed/unrefined nut & seed oils & green salads. These regulate the production of oestrogen.
? For every two hours you are awake drink at least 1, 8 oz glass of water which also helps.
Here are some foods to definitely avoid:
? To protect your heart avoid all meats & other sources of heavy saturated animal fat…
? Avoid hormone & antibiotic-filled animal products which cause imbalances…
? Avoid fizzy carbonated beverages that leach the body of calcium.
? Caffeine & alcoholic beverages aggravate hot flashes.
In the 5000 year old/Ancient Chinese text, “The Yellow Emperor of Internal Medicine”, there is a description of Natural Hormones being administered to the elderly to revive their sex lives. There are a variety of specific Natural Hormones used in the prevention and treatment of many conditions, including the non-disease condition of Menopause.
Holistic practitioners have been using Natural hormones to treat many conditions for decades. Natural Hormones are substances identical to the ones produced in & used by the body. According to the Fee Dictionary’s definition Natural Hormones are:
? Chemical transmitters produced by the cells of the body & transported via the bloodstream to the cells and organs with a specific purpose or function…
? A second definition describes Natural Hormones as substances that act as chemical messengers to the organs, activating certain life processes, at the same time inhibiting others.
? Yet a third definition describes Natural Hormones as substances produced in the body, used by the body for growth, reproduction, proper mental & emotional functioning, the control of metabolic processes and sexual attributes. Even our personality traits depend on our hormones.
Natural Hormones are produced by a variety of organs in the body. Some cells also produce hormones. Organs producing hormones are referred to as glands which include the thyroids, the adrenals, testes and ovaries – to name a few
In 2002 a study involving 16,000 healthy women and the use of hormone replacement therapy was undertaken. The study should have run for three years. However, the study was prematurely stopped because investigators realised there was a significant increase in the risk for heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer among the participants. The harm caused by synthetic hormone replacements e.g. Premarin and the Provera combination of Prempro, far outweighed the benefits. Women using synthetic hormone replacements were advised to stop using synthetic hormone replacement treatments. The only one positive note resulting from this short-lived study was that the rate of colorectal cancers and fractures in the participants was significantly reduced.
To contact Dr. Stan Horne:
1-264-582-7045
1-784-531-1150
Email: naturopathyplus@yahoo.co.uk
