Our Hormones:
Hormones which are released from the glands of the endocrine system influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. Hormone activity influences the regulation of mood, growth and development, tissue function, and metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes.
Reproductive Years: The subject of hormonal health during the reproductive years requires an individualized approach for both women and men to meet a variety of complex needs. The quality of health that is attended to during this earlier phase of life has a strong influence on the quality of the aging process in later years. Since healthy aging is the main focus of The Ageless Code, this section will address the concerns of the majority of those reading this website: women and men who are facing the menopausal and andropausal years in all of its phases.
Menopause in Women:
Although a woman's hormones are miraculous stewards
of the body that help make her the unique and dynamic
creature that she is, hormonal imbalance can undermine
self-esteem, creativity, mental acuity and healthy sex
drive, among other things.
Considering this, it's no surprise that estrogen replacement therapy continues to
receive increased attention in our society as women of the Baby Boom generation come of menopausal age. Unfortunately, controversy comes along with that attention and popularity, and many hormone placement programs of yesterday are receiving great scrutiny today.
Bio-identical hormones which mimic natural
hormone production in both men and women have shown
to provide a long list of benefits. There have been
reports of increased risk of breast and endometrial
cancer in some depending upon the type of hormone replacement
received, although to date there is minimal evidence
as such because their haven't been enough long-term
controlled studies to verify these reports. A woman's
hormones are constantly in flux, and therefore the accuracy
of blood tests for determining a woman's hormone replacement
needs require continued follow through and considerable
expense.
While estrogen dominance can be of concern to women in the perimenopausal phase, decreasing levels of estrogen are, in fact, associated with menopause and post menopause. It is not known if all menopausal symptoms are caused by this hormonal change. In addition, although estrogen levels fall 50-70% during menopause, progesterone levels may fall close to 100%.
Stress and chronic exhaustion, prevalent
in women who struggle to maintain a career, family and
marriage are contributors to major hormonal imbalances.
"Fight or flight" cortisol hormones, for example,
are constantly being pumped out by the adrenal glands
during stress, while progesterone-estrogen balance is
being challenged.
Natural Progesterone & Plant Estrogens
One apparently safe and effective treatment for hormone imbalance is natural progesterone. Its benefits include increased libido; protection against breast and uterine cancer; skin hydration; reversal of facial hair growth and thinning of the hair. In addition, natural progesterone can act as an anti-depressant and diuretic, while helping thyroid function and protecting the thymus gland which regulates the immune system.
A good diet high in natural plant or phyto-estrogens
has been used effectively for hundreds of years to alleviate
some menopausal symptoms. In the case of excessive systemic
estrogen, these substances can help block estrogen receptor
sites, while they can fill the gap in cases of insufficient
estrogen.
Another important step for achieving hormone
balance is to eliminate the absorption of synthetic
environmental toxins and pesticides that convert into
"xenoestrogens" in the body. Xenoestrogens
create an extreme estrogen response that can accumulate
in the fat cells of the body and become cancerous.
By eating organic and wild foods free from pesticides along with meat and dairy free of synthetic hormones; drinking purified water and eliminating harmful pesticides on our lawns and in our gardens, one can greatly minimize this response within the body. Another important step is to avoid consuming or microwaving foods that are housed in plastic containers. Black plastic is known to be the most carcinogenic, especially when used in a microwave. It is also important to avoid using cookware that includes aluminum or toxic non stick coatings on the inside.
Additionally important is to eliminate
foods that contain man made "excito-toxins".
Excito-toxins are found in food additives such as aspartame.
They infest the bloodstream and over-stimulate the neurons
in the brain, creating an extreme state of exhaustion.
This stress can cause destruction of brain neurons,
the retina of the eye, the hypothalamus and other organs
that control hormones, growth, and other important endocrine
functions. The damage can be cumulative in its effect.
Andropause in
Men: It is estimated that over 40 million men
in our country are experiencing the male version of
menopause called andropause and don't even know it.
The tremendous popularity of Viagra indicates that many
men experience sexual dysfunction.
More subtle symptoms of andropause are
fatigue, depression, diabetes, insomnia and even obesity-which
is an indicator of low testosterone that is commonly
overlooked by doctors and is relegated to the category
of "aging" or "stress". This possibly
explains why the current medical model is missing the
mark when it comes to diagnosing the hormonal needs
of men.
Just as it is with women, hormonal balance is a key to male hormonal health. As men ages, their production of testosterone decreases. Men synthesize progesterone in their testes (there are progesterone receptor sites in the prostate) to produce testosterone, and in their adrenals to produce corticosteroids. Testosterone not only maintains a man's libido and sexual function, but also prevents estradiol from causing prostate cancer, by destroying the cancer cells stimulated by estrogen.
Some men therefore, find great benefit by using a topical testosterone cream to increase sexual and hormonal function, while others find benefit in applying progesterone cream. Men would benefit from seeking the guidance of an experienced hormone health specialist to discuss dosages and location of its application.
Men should also consider eating fruits
and vegetables that are high in Lycopene a rich nutrient
high in anti-cancer properties that seem to benefit
the prostate. Tomatoes and red fruits are high in Lycopene.
Avoidance of toxic foods and environmental conditions
that produce "xenoestrogens" are equally important
for men as with women.
Do Your Homework: In light of mounting evidence that allopathic cures may actually have been complicating and exacerbating hormonal imbalances rather than relieving them, it is vital that both women and men pursue the available information from various sources to allow for making educated choices about personal hormone health. Reading, questioning, trusting instincts and honoring natural cycles are all important tools in this process.
First Things First: An important step prior to any hormone therapy is to nourish and balance the entire endocrine system. The endocrine system is a vast network of hormones that symbiotically work together to create optimal performance of the entire human body. When the body is attended to with proper nutrition, dynamic movement, rest and stress management--along with gentle and natural plant progesterones and pytoestrogens, the hormone and sexual functions will naturally balance and regenerate. Once this goal is achieved, it will become clearer as to the level of added hormone therapy, if any, is needed.
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