HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy - Hormone Treatment

vals.beach asked:


Hormone Replacement Therapy. I have been on quite a few years now (about and am 51. But still the hot flashes are awful if I go off the HRT. I have been told by my Dr. that any “natural” remedies will do the same harm. I am on the lowest dose possible already. Thanks for any info.

Warren

Ralph Quinlan Forde asked:


After the recent scares in the media about the risks associated with HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) there is a strong case for using alternative medicine to balance the body, especially when you get to supply your body with plant hormones rather than ones derived from horse’s urine. Recent research has highlighted the side effects of taking HRT to include breast cancer and heart disease. HRT has also been linked to gallbladder diseases.

Menopause is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility. Many years before the menopause, levels of estrogen production slow down. This can start fifteen years before the menopause and is called the ‘circadian’. Apart from being a sex or reproductive hormone, estrogen acts on many organs and systems in the body. Cells in the vagina, bladder, breasts, skin, bones, arteries, heart, liver, and brain all contain estrogen receptors and require this hormone to stimulate these receptors for normal cell function. Estrogen is required to keep the skin healthy and contributes in the bone formation process.

Many women experience few if any symptoms during this time but others may suffer from some or all of the following; anxiety, hot flushes, dry skin, fatigue, feelings of bloating, headaches, heart palpitations, insomnia, irritability, decreased interest in sex, loss of concentration, vaginal dryness and weight gain.

Twenty five per cent of women go through the change without as much as a night sweat so not all menopause experience has the commonly known symptoms so it is possible to just sail through if you are in that lucky quarter.

Supplementation with vitamin E has been known to be effective since 1954 and reports from several authors say vitamin E eradicates most of the menopausal symptoms. Gamma-oryzanol, a nutrient derived from rice bran has been shown to be effective in treating symptoms of menopause. A daily dose of 20 milligrams reduced symptoms by 50% in 67% of the women studied.

When the menstruation stops altogether most of the acute problems a woman will face are over and a new balance between hormones is established. This is the stage when she may be vulnerable to potentially serious health problems such as cardio vascular disease, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy.

Osteoporosis in particular is a major problem for women with an estimated 80% of all the 250,000 hip fractures that occur in the US being due to osteoporosis.

Many GPs have recommended hormone replacement therapy HRT to control sever symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency in menopausal and post menopausal women. Basically a molecularly similar estrogen is taken by the woman but this estrogen is synthetic and only close to the natural estrogens produced in the body.

Japanese women generally experience far fewer symptoms of menopause than western women. An article in The Lancet reported that the reason may be that Japanese women consume more phytoestrogens or plant estrogens. Plant hormones are very similar in chemical design to human hormones and may provide a safe alternative to the HRT that is being offered to women up to now. These estrogen like compounds are found in foods such as soybeans, tofu, miso, flaxseeds, pomegranates and dates. When these plant estrogens are eaten they act like the estrogens produced in the body. Plant hormones can be used in childbirth to start the contractions of labour!

Half of all postmenopausal women between the ages of forty five and seventy five show signs of some degree of osteoporosis. There is a connection being drawn to the possible cause of such high levels of the condition in these women. Forty per cent of all post menopausal women have a change in their stomach pH balance. In these women their stomachs become alkaline as opposed to being acidic. This cause’s poor absorption of calcium as it needs to be converted from the form we ingest, which is calcium carbonate, through the acidity in our stomachs to calcium citrate. This is the form of calcium the body finds most absorbable.

This may go some way to explaining why there is such and increase of osteoporosis in post menopausal women and perhaps that we should readdress the need for HRT to combat osteoporosis and instead focus on bringing the stomach back to acidity or giving these women calcium carbonate supplements. You can make calcium citrate by crushing up a calcium carbonate and mixing it cider vinegar.

In Chinese medicine menopause is looked at as a period in which the energy of the kidney is declining. For the Chinese doctor the kidney has a corresponding emotion, tissue, sensory organ and element. These are respectively, fear, bone, ear and water. The adrenal glands on the top of the kidney are responsible for producing the hormones that the ovaries used to produce. Chinese herbal medicine is one of the best ways of treating the menopause as the approach is holistic and this appeals to the condition as it very much a mind body spirit imbalance. The herbal formulas that the Chinese doctor will give will replace the estrogens that you are now not producing with plant estrogens. One of the formulas in Chinese medicine acclaimed for its beneficial effects for the menopause is called four things soup.

StarGate Nutrition is really helpful for the menopause as your system changes. Packed with all the vitamins and minerals you need in a safe form, you are guaranteed not just quality but also peace of mind because you are safeguarding your health.

Copyright Ralph Quinlan Forde 2007

www.stargatenutrition.com

www.fireheartbliss.com



Miguel

Jon Benson asked:


One of the more common questions I get relates to hormones. How do you handle the onset and aftermath of menopause? What about “male menopause”, or andropause? Are there products out there that will help boost hormones naturally? What about products to help with the physical symptoms of these hormonal declines? More over, can I avoid this process?

The sooner you accept it, the better your post-40 life will become:

You have more control over your hormones than you believe.

I can quote you endless studies that prove that regular exercise (the more intense the better) stimulates and keeps hormone levels naturally elevated. Exercise also delays the process of menopause in many women – and, without a doubt, lessens the symptoms. Growth hormone is practically dependent upon a proper nutrition plan and exercise routine.

Follow the routine you feel best suited for and you’re well on the way to taking back your life.

We will cover a few of the natural remedies for menopause and andropause. Do they work? How does this compare with HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), and is there a “safe blend” of the two?

Hormones are the absolute KEY to long-term health and fat loss.

First of all, as just about every post-menopausal woman will tell anyone who’ll listen, menopause is no fun. I have to take their word for it, of course, but I’ve had my own hormonal demons to overcome. I can relate…perhaps not specifically, but definitely to the inconvenience, the slowing down, and the physical “junk” that comes with whacky hormones.

Are any of you out there moody? Lack the ability to concentrate? How’s your sleep? Hot flashes?

Yep…it can be a rough ride. Let’s see if these natural suggestions will help. We’ll cover HRT in passing. As always, pass all this information by your doctor. I cannot stress that enough.

Let’s take it from the top: one of the biggest problems with menopause is the issues with testosterone. In case you’re wondering why certain herbs that elevate testosterone are recommended, it’s because of how the body reacts to a sudden drop in both estrogen and testosterone. Testosterone decreases are really what I’d like to focus on, as it is a subject I’m very well-read on, as I myself am (or rather was) testosterone-deficient.

Low test (we’ll just call it “test” from here on out to save my fingers) is fortunately something you can do many things about on the natural side. First, simple weight training and increasing your dietary protein intake can elevate serum test levels significantly. The body responds to the added stress by adapting…however, such adaptation is not an overnight process. So patience must be exercised along with the body.

Speaking of exercises, the best ones are the ones most women, especially over 45, are ‘afraid’ to do! If you ever take anything I say to heart, this would be it – baby weights and cardio is NOT the way to increase your hormone levels. You need to train with “compound movements”, like squats and dumbbell bench presses. If you think you’ll turn into the Hulk, think again.

It is the greatest gift I can give a woman – the freedom to train the way her body is craving her to train. Free of society’s “norms”, or what you’ve been led to believe in the magazines.

Now, other than weights you have supplements. Most of the stuff you see is junk, and it’s hard to tell the difference between what may work and what is just tossing cash down the drain.

The only place we part ways is with the herb tribulus…at least slightly. If you combine quality tribulus with potassium-rich foods and, believe it or not, fish oil, you may see substantial results in the area of test increase. Many of my clients have…granted, not to the levels of HRT, but enough to alleviate some or all of the menopause symptoms related to low test. The best product I’ve found for this is called Tribustol.

MACA is another herb worth looking into, and it has the added benefit of aiding thyroid production – a very important part of keeping lean.

Okay, what about the mood swings? Ask your doctor about Ginkgo Biloba. I’m a huge fan of this herb now, as it really did a good number on my vascular health. I also noted an incredible increase in mental focus. I’ve never been that moody, but many people report that moodiness is decreased on Ginkgo. I take 240mg/day and feel great on it, but I’ve been cleared by my doctor to do so.

Now, as odd as this may sound, I’ve seen it work just about every time I recommended it. A friend of mine told me about it, and ever since I’ve been passing it on to my clients…and they love it! It’s a simple way of increasing the “mood elevators” dopamine and serotonin…and it’s dirt cheap. In fact, it comes from the dirt! I’m talking about a spud. Mr. Potato, just without the “head”. The book this information comes from is “Potatoes Not Prozac” by Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons.

Consume a baked potato about 1 hour prior to bed. Be sure to put some olive oil on the potato, or perhaps a small amount of real butter. That’s it. Now, there’s a trade-off here. First, you may notice a small increase in body fat…but I bet you won’t, especially if you keep your carbs clean and moderate during the day. Also, this is the only time I break the “always consume protein at every meal and snack” rule, but this is for health purposes, and it can work wonders. Now, for my little tip: take a few grams of Evening Primrose Oil (just follow the directions on the bottle…I like Carlson Brand) with the spud. This does more than slow down the insulin spike – it can really help with those hot flashes. The herb Dong Quai is supposedly also good for hot flashes, but I’ve never personally had any experience with using it with my clients.

For other symptoms, try a cold or cool shower before sleep. Also, increase your calcium and magnesium intake. I like to see people take between 750mg and 1,500mg of magnesium per day for a variety of reasons. Simply multiply that number by 2 for your calcium intake. This may be the ‘best for last’. Almost everyone is magnesium deficient. I’m convinced of that! Just about everything in our lives and our environment drains magnesium. Watch what happens to your sugar cravings, too.

Lastly, there’s soy. Soy is a ‘hot topic’, no pun intended, in the menopause world. Many people are high on soy. It’s the isoflavones in soy that have the most benefit to menopausal women…at least according to some studies. However, soy is a double-edged sword. Read Jill Langham’s experience with soy in her free bonus report for more information.

If you do decide to take soy, and many doctors recommend it for various reasons, check out CardioSoy by Pax Beale’s Body For The Ages product line. It’s the best soy formulation I’ve seen. Also, if you do try soy, my recommendations are to take it only during the day and, if you’re on thyroid medication, no more than 30 grams per day.



Alfonse

vals.beach asked:


Hormone Replacement Therapy. I have been on quite a few years now (about and am 51. But still the hot flashes are awful if I go off the HRT. I have been told by my Dr. that any “natural” remedies will do the same harm. I am on the lowest dose possible already. Thanks for any info.

Albert