Synthetic hormones linked to lung cancer in women

(NaturalNews) According to researchers, women using synthetic hormones may have an increased chance of dying from lung cancer. Findings from the Women`s Health Initiative indicate that the use of Prempro, a synthetic estrogen coupled with a synthetic form of progesterone, can lead to a 59 percent increased risk of death if a woman develops non small-cell lung cancer. This was revealed by Dr. Rowan Chlebowski of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

A study showed that for non small-cell lung cancer, there was a significant risk of dying if the women taking these synthetic hormones developed cancer.

There were 67 lung cancer deaths in the women taking Prempro and 39 among those in the placebo group, according to Chlebowski. The women taking the synthetic hormones had a median survival rate of 9.4 months while the survival rate of the women who took the placebo and got the disease was 16.1 months.

This recent analysis regarding Prempro and lung cancer deaths was taken from data stemming from the Woman`s Health Initiative study in which Chlebowski was lead author. This study enrolled 16,608 postmenopausal women ages 50 through 79 and randomly assigned these women either a placebo or Prempro. In 2002, researchers stopped this study short of its completion because they noted a significant increased incidence of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease among the women who took the synthetic hormones.

Acording to Chlebowski, 15 percent of postmenopausal women still take synthetic hormones.

A hormone is classified as synthetic if it does not have the identical structure as is found in the human body. When a synthetic hormone is taken into the body, the body metabolizes it differently than it would a natural hormone. This difference may account for the many grave side effects women who take synthetic hormones encounter.

Fortunately, natural hormones do exist and have been used by holistic physicians for many years. Natural hormones have an identical structure as those found in the human body and are used to effectively treat menopause symptoms. Natural hormones are available in creams, capsules, patches, and other system delivery methods. Before prescribing natural hormones, the holistic practitioner will test a woman's present hormone level through blood, urine, and saliva testing. The holistic physician will prescribe bioidentical hormones based on these findings. Bioidentical hormones are those identical in molecular structure to the hormones made by the woman's body.

Traditional doctors are trained by the big drug companies to prescribe medicine manufactured by them. These drug companies are against natural remedies as natural remedies cannot be patented. Since these traditional doctors are in allegiance with the pharmaceutical companies, the physicians too, often turn their minds off to the notion of natural hormones. In light of the negative press about synthetic hormones as reported in the study conducted by the Women's Health Initiative, more traditional doctors are now willing to look at the use of natural hormones. These doctors, however, represent a growing, but still woefully small number.

Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing significant amounts of estrogen and progesterone. This leads to a cessation of the menstrual cycle, and in many women begins with symptoms such as hot flashes. The average woman will experience the onset of menopause at age 52. A woman is considered to be in menopause if she has had no periods for a year. Menopause is not a disease even though some women suffer, often for years, from some of the following symptoms:
Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
Mood swings
Night sweats
Insomnia
Reduced libido
Weight gain
Urinary incontinence

Treatment for menopausal symptoms includes eating a diet rich in plant foods, especially whole grains, legumes, fresh vegetables and fruits. These foods contain phytosterols that have a hormone-balancing effect. Eating these foods also increases fiber that helps a heart stay healthy.

In addition, eating hormone-free animal products helps guard against a hormone imbalance in the body. Reduce red meat consumption and other sources of saturated fat. Caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and sugar aggravate hot flashes while carbonated drinks deplete calcium from the body.

The following remedies may help to safely minimize symptoms:
St. John's wort may be used to treat mild to moderate depression. This should not be used in conjunction with prescription antidepressants.

Soy and Isoflavones are plant estrogens that may be helpful in relieving hot flashes and night sweats.

Black cohosh has been used to relieve hot flashes and night sweats.

American ginseng has been found to improve a woman's sense of well being.

www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/health/r...
www.abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPre...
www.womenshealth.about.com
www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/meno...

Adrenal fatigue, the root of many illnesses

(NaturalNews) The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and produce a number of hormones such as adrenalin, noradrenalin, cortisol and DHEA. These hormones make us feel motivated and alive, and they enable us to do the things we want to do and to deal with any stress we have in our lives. Unfortunately, modern day living often puts the adrenal glands under constant stress that must be regularly counteracted.

When we are put into a stressful position, the body releases adrenalin and nor-adrenalin to deal with the physical danger. This is also called the `fight or flight` response. Once the danger is over, the body should naturally go back to a relaxed state and the adrenal gland returns hormone levels back to normal.

Unfortunately in modern life we are continuously experiencing all sorts of stress for extended periods of time. This in turn causes the adrenal glands to continually pump out stress hormones. In the initial stages they will produce abnormally high levels of adrenaline, nor-adrenalin, cortisol and DHEA. Eventually, the adrenals will become fatigued if they are continually stimulated. This is the exhaustion stage of stress where eventually the adrenals will produce abnormally low levels of stress hormones; in this state, the body fails to adapt to a particular stress and we are tired, anxious and exhausted.

The Adrenals and Blood Sugar Balance

The adrenal glands and blood sugar levels go hand in hand. Our body must maintain blood sugar levels within a fairly narrow band. When we are stressed, our adrenalin causes stored glucose in our liver and muscles to be released, raising blood sugar levels, in order to feed cells, so they can respond with either `flight or fight.` If the glucose is not used up by cells, the body will have to release insulin to reduce blood sugar levels again. This in turn can cause them to fall too low. Low blood sugar can then stress the adrenals again, forcing them to release adrenalin which raises blood sugar levels back to normal again.

Blood sugar imbalances cause energy dips during the day, low energy, dizziness and irritability when not eating frequently, afternoon drowsiness, excess thirst and sugar cravings. More importantly, it stresses the adrenals and can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Common symptoms of low cortisol:
*Symptoms associated with Blood sugar imbalances (hungry all the time, the need to snack, light-headed and jittery without food and so on)
*Digestive problems
*Poor immune system leading to frequent infections, and inflammatory symptoms.
*Hormonal problems such as PMS, lack of sex drive, prostate problems.
*Mental and physical fatigue
*Depression
*Sleep problems and insomnia
*Headaches
*Low blood pressure
*Waking too early in the morning

Specific symptoms of DHEA deficiency include:
*Persisting fatigue
*Depression
*Anxiety
*Hypersensitivity to noise
*Loss of libido
*Dry eyes
*Dry skin and hair
*Loss of head hair, axial (armpit) hair, and pubic hair.

Cut out the following foods:
*Sugar and all refined carbohydrates in food and drinks, as they create blood
sugar imbalances which contribute to adrenal stress
*Processed and refined foods as they can contain chemicals, which can deplete the body of nutrients, which are vital for health and wellbeing.
*Cut down or cut out alcohol and caffeine as both can stimulate
and stress the adrenals.

Increase the following foods:
*Plenty of vegetables, beans and pulses for fibre, as this can help balance blood sugar. They are full of nutrients.
*Protein to balance blood sugar levels and produce adrenalin. Health protein can include nuts, seeds, and quinoa.
*Plenty of fruit and vegetables that contain bioflavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory and boost the immune system, which can become compromised by stress. They also contain vitamin C - vital for adrenal health.
*Large amounts of the essential fatty acids as they support blood sugar balance and are anti-inflammatory. These foods include oily fish, linseeds, chia seeds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, and green lipped mussels.

Lifestyle Suggestions Include:
*Deal with stress. Reduce it as much as possible and find ways to work with it. These
stresses could be mental, physical, emotional or environmental.
*Sufficient rest is also very important, not only sleep but relaxation and
enjoyment of life.
* It is important to sit down to eat and view this as a relaxation time; eat food you enjoy and chew well.
*Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, tai chi, massage and walking
in the fresh air are very important
*More vigorous exercise may be useful to release tension, but when adrenals are fatigued you are better doing low and moderately low intensity exercise, which is enjoyable and does not stress the adrenals. Massage can bring the body into a more relaxed state.
*Learn to have a good laugh!

www.adrenalfatigue.org

www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/adren...

selfadjustingtechnique.com/adrenals/30-symptoms-of-adrenal-fatigue/

Aging and hormone replacement therapy

(NaturalNews) Proactive is a great way to describe Lori Steiner. When other women were lining up to get hormone substitution drugs in the late 1990s, Lori realized their dangers and began researching aging and bioidentical hormones. Having worked all her life as a teacher and administrator in the Los Angeles public schools, educating herself came naturally, and she ended up creating her own anti-aging program. Because bioidentical hormones are exact copies of the hormones made naturally in the body, they cannot be patented by the drug companies, and there is no media hype to sell women and doctors on how great they are. Much of what is known about them comes from the actual experiences of pioneering women like Lori, who has used bioidenticals for the past ten years. She has agreed to share her journey and conclusions about aging and bioidentical hormones with NaturalNews readers.

Barbara: Lori, I am thrilled that you have agreed to this interview. Tell us about the time period in your life when you made the decision to attend to your health in a big way. What were the motivating factors?

Lori: My interest was initially motivated when I watched helplessly as my own parents eroded from the ravages of diabetes and Alzheimer's. Their reliance on allopathic medicine and their lack of knowledge in the areas of natural healing and nutrition were contributing factors to their suffering. I was determined to carve out a totally different path for myself and my family. It was a gradual transformation. The cumulative effect is that I have developed a life long commitment to safeguard my health and the health of my family. I began voraciously researching all the available data on vitamins, nutrition, bioidentical hormones, and supplementation. My philosophy is that mind, zest for life, spirituality, health, and lifestyle are all so inextricably intertwined that one aspect cannot function independently of the others. All areas must be addressed, and all components must be ready for acceptance before a person is able to begin the journey.

In this journey I have found that the first line of defense against aging and disease is nutrition, wholesome food, and the elimination of harmful substances that are lurking in so much of the food consumed on a daily basis by an unsuspecting public. My parents suffered so much from health issues brought on by a lack of knowledge about the impact of nutrition on well being. My father died at the age of 62 from complications of diabetes. He became blind from the disease. My mother survived on coffee and something sweet to accompany it. Her focus was never food, and that was a negative. She had colon cancer before developing Alzheimer's, and Western medicine did not have the answers to help either of them. I started to distrust doctors as I lived through the trauma with my family.

Gradually I began learning about the impact vitamins and minerals, from food primarily but also from supplements, have on health. As I began to raise my own family, nutrition became a major consideration. I believe, however, that it was when I began the transition to menopause that I escalated by efforts to protect my health in order to avoid ending up like all the horror stories I was hearing and reading about. I researched everything I could get my hands on. The message resounding loud and clear with me was "Let food be thy medicine." I watched my weight, ate balanced meals, and prayed I wouldn't suffer through menopause. Yet I knew I was changing in some strange way. I felt nervous and anxious every so often. It was then that I began to research the impact of declining hormones on emotional and physical well-being. I was also very concerned about the aging process, both the obvious outward manifestations as well as its effect on health and wellness. Being an educator and avid reader, I began to read all I could about the pros and cons of hormone replacement. At that point, I was on my way to taking full charge of my health, an action which ultimately has affected my appearance, the way I perceive myself, and the way others perceive me.

Barbara: At the time you decided on hormone replacement, hormone substitution drugs were extremely popular, and their detrimental effect on women was not yet known. What made you turn your back on this traditional form of hormone replacement and seek out someone who would prescribe bioidentical hormones?

Lori: My research convinced me, beyond a shadow of doubt, that bioidentical hormones were the way to ease the transition and that progesterone in particular helped maintain and build bone mass. I read the books of Dr. John Lee, then Harvard Medical School professor. His convincing arguments against synthetic hormones and in support of bioidenticals made tremendous sense to me. Yet with all my research, my gynecologist was of the conventional mind-set that upheld the drugs Premarin and Provera as the ultimate solution to the woes of menopause. This was ten years ago when mainstream medicine refused to recognize the efficacy of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT). I was scolded for my thinking, and chastised that I was being foolish and irrational to refuse hormone drugs. I was warned that my heart, bones, and brain would suffer the consequences of my ill-conceived ideas.

Just as I was finding it difficult to counter the wisdom of traditional medicine, I had the opportunity to hear the wife of television celebrity Judge Wopner speak. She had suffered a coronary while on synthetic hormones, and attributed this near-death experience to the very hormones her doctor had told her would protect her heart. She warned the audience, over a decade ago, not to take synthetic hormones. This was the impetus I needed to stand my ground. I felt empowered once again and certain I had made the correct decision despite the opposition of many medical professionals. This was three years before the 2002 Women's Health Initiative that rocked traditional wisdom with evidence supporting the possibility that synthetic hormones increased the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and stroke in menopausal women.

Barbara: You are one of the true pioneers that have so much information to offer women who are contemplating these decisions today. What have you learned about bHRT along the way?

Lori: I have learned that bHRT must never be equated with hormone drug replacement (HRT), the first being a natural alternative, and the latter being a foreign element that the body rejects. If a doctor lumps these two vastly different approaches into the same category, it is time to fine a different doctor. I believe that declining hormones make a person more susceptible to the ravages of the aging process across the board, from skin elasticity to disease resistance. If hormones are replaced utilizing bioidenticals so that they approach youthful, pre-menopausal levels, the results can only assist in the journey to remain as vibrant as possible through the latter stages of life. Bioidenticals coupled with a healthy attitude toward nutrition, exercise, and sleep, will make each passing year something to look forward to. With each passing year I feel mature, but I am keeping aging at bay. Aging is not something I fear and dread. A sense of control is empowering in and of itself. Confidence in one's well-researched conclusions and knowing that what feels right is right makes all the difference.

Barbara: What have you learned about the medical profession?

Lori: I have lost confidence in the vast majority of medical practitioners because their philosophy doesn't match my own. It is unfortunate that we as Americans have medical insurance coverage that that benefits us only when we see doctors who promote pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical industry is propelled by greed and deception. Being that I hold firm to my beliefs in the powers of nature to prevent and cure disease, I approach any appointment with a doctor of Western or allopathic medicine in a way different from the average person. I am armed with knowledge and no longer intimidated if my belief is in opposition to the doctor's. I have been able to utilize conventional physicians to get the blood tests that I want, and I keep my own records. Knowledge is so very powerful. I refuse to blindly accept the decisions of the medical community as the ultimate truth. The proponents of conventional medicine are dragging their feet when it comes to prevention of disease. My metamorphosis, though, did not happen overnight. It is a process that proves that experience is the best teacher. I hope to empower others to take responsibility so their later years can be as rewarding and fulfilling as they should be.

Barbara: How would you describe your current health status, including your looks and weight?

Lori: I am above all an extremely spiritual individual. Balance is the key to wellness, and this balance involves a synergy that radiates from a healthy mind, body, and spirit. I am in excellent health at the age of 61. My weight is optimal, and I look several years younger than my age. I'm not on an ago trip, but just stating a fact for which I am very grateful. My family is all important to me. If I forsake my health, I will not be able to reap the benefit of what my husband and I have created. I plan to enjoy life as long as I can. I believe it is imperative to pursue everything in as positive a light as possible. If you enjoy whatever you do, you will never work a day in your life. That is my philosophy. I love everything I do.

Barbara: Tell us about your health regimen

Lori: My health regimen is focused on prevention, so I live to protect and preserve by life and the lives of my family members. Because my first line of defense is nutrition, I focus on that. Raw, fresh, organic produce, free-range poultry, wild fish, and whole grains are the foods I purchase. I drink water as my primary beverage, and believe in a balanced diet. I eat super foods high in anti-oxidants, like blueberries and kale, and foods high in fiber, like kidney and black beans. I remember to include the good fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts, while excluding hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated products. I read labels and can identify ingredients that may be detrimental but have been renamed to appear innocuous. No artificial sweeteners. Safeguards include supplements which I research regularly. Exercise, adequate sleep, social interaction. I have periodic blood tests for monitoring purposes. And of course, my bioidentical hormones. I believe the merits of bHRT should be explored by both men and women who want to remain youthful in mind, body, and spirit. As of now, I believe bioidenticals will remain a lifelong commitment for me, and I will continue to be an advocate for bHRT.

Barbara: Sleep and sex seem to be the areas of greatest interest for women contemplating bioidenticals. When hormones are declining or out of balance, sleep becomes almost impossible. Sex becomes impossible too because of lack of interest and lack of physical response.

Lori: Yes, I can attest to the fact that hormones that are out of balance can make trying to sleep a nightmare. However, this was an issue for me only once in my life after the birth of my second child, when my hormones could not handle additional stress in my life. At that time, I was not aware that bioidenticals could help remedy such a situation, so I resorted to medicines that me doctor prescribed. In retrospect, how much quicker and easier a process this would have been had I known what I know today. Being that I have kept my hormones at pre-menopausal levels through menopause, I have not experienced any sleep issues since that time some 29 years ago.

As to sex, I remember when I was younger feeling bloated and sexually irritable one week out of every month. Therefore, I was not as cavalier in experimenting with hormones for the sake of reviving a rip-roaring sexual upheaval. I am pleased that I still have an interest in being sexy, looking attractive, and maintaining an interest in sex. I attribute this to not allowing testosterone to wane to the point where none of this mattered anymore. The wonderful part of bioidenticals is that they are natural and match as nearly as possible the hormones I once naturally produced. Symptomatically, one can tell if one's hormones are too low. It shows up in mood, temperament, and appearance. Although bioidenticals may not be a panacea, they most assuredly should be a part of the equation for the woman looking to age slowly and gracefully, and to hold on to feelings of peace and tranquility while still maintaining a sexual side.

Barbara What advice can you give to women thinking about bHRT?

Lori My advice to any woman contemplating bioidenticals would be to find a knowledgeable anti-aging specialist and go for it, because there is everything to gain and nothing to lose. Ignore the rantings of traditional doctors who, like a broken record, repeat that they cannot condone bioidentical hormones for lack of adequate studies to prove they are safe. There should be no fear. If we wait for more research, it may very well be too late. The time to take charge of your future is now.

For more information see:

http://www.naturalnews.com/025340.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025485.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025301.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025399.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025407.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/025293.html

Four major hormones needed for LIFE !

(NaturalNews) When hormones are in optimal amounts and balanced, the body is ready to play the music of life. Like an orchestra when some of the players have taken the day off, the body can't make beautiful music without all of its hormones being present and working together. Achieving hormonal balance takes some time, dedication and work. It is best done with the help of a physician who specializes in anti-aging medicine or hormonal balance. It is often achieved only after a period of trial and error, but it is work that has a big payoff. Full hormonal orchestration not only makes you feel great, act great and look great, it provides the best protection there is against the horrors of aging and degenerative disease. In addition to the sex hormones, optimal levels and balance of four other minor hormones can keep you dancing to the music of the cosmos.

Melatonin puts us to sleep and keeps our immune systems strong

Melatonin is the timekeeper of the body, allowing for sound and deep sleep. It is secreted by the light sensitive pineal gland that regulates the biological clock and synchronizes the hormone-immune network. It is also produced by the retina and in the gastrointestinal system. Melatonin keeps the body in tune with the circadian rhythm, rising with darkness and falling with light. It is melatonin that makes you yawn and feel compelled to sleep when it gets dark, even if you do not want to. Melatonin keeps the rhythm for the body to maintain its balance with the rest of nature and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Declining level of melatonin is central in the aging process of the body. Typically, somewhere in the mid thirties the pineal gland begins to become calcified and melatonin production starts to diminish, setting in motion a shift in the way the cells of the body operate. The body moves from a mode of repair and rejuvenation to one of aging and degeneration. This is why maintaining an optimal level of melatonin is so important. Degeneration and aging-related diseases such as arteriosclerosis, autoimmunity, depressed immune system, cancer, and metabolic conditions are promoted by the de-synchronization of the hormonal system, and its loss of cyclicality and rhythm.

The connection between melatonin and aging was dramatically demonstrated in a study where melatonin was added to the drinking water of laboratory animals resulting in an increase in their life spans of 30 percent. Older animals drinking water containing melatonin became more vigorous and healthy. In another experiment, pineal glands from younger mice were transplanted into older mice that then lived much longer than expected. Their pineal glands were transplanted into younger mice who then died much sooner than expected.

The invention of the electric light bulb has played havoc with the rhythms orchestrated by melatonin. Production of melatonin is cued by the coming darkness of night. When we stay up late with the lights on, night never comes and the whole melatonin-prolactin cycle is thrown off. It is at night that the body recuperates and regenerates tissues and organs, and restores glycogen reserves. When melatonin levels stay low, this body maintenance can not take place. This is why it is so important to go to bed close to the time darkness settles in, and to sleep in a room that is completely dark. We have learned to fight the signal from melatonin that it is bedtime, especially in the fall when darkness descends so early. We yawn and stretch and turn on even more lights to keep ourselves awake, ignoring the signals of our bodies. The result of such actions is a body in a state of melatonin deprivation long before we reach the age of thirty-five.

When the body is able to produce the needed amount of melatonin it can directly kill many different types of cancer cells. Melatonin is a naturally produced cytotoxin that easily induces death in tumor cells. It can also retard tumor metabolism and development by lowering the body temperature, as it is a natural inducer of hypothermia. It has also been shown to inhibit the spread of the AIDS virus. And it is protective of all the organs in the body, particularly the pancreas.

Supplemental melatonin is available at health food stores and online. It is very inexpensive. According to hormone balancing specialist, Dr. Uzzi Reiss, a healthy pineal gland produces 2.5 milligrams of melatonin every twenty-four hours. For him the ideal supplemental level for anti-aging is 1 to 5 milligrams. He prescribes supplementation up to 20 milligrams a day for cancer protection.

Human growth hormone is the quintessential anti-aging hormone

Human growth hormone (HGH) has a bad reputation because of its frequent abuse by athletes. Now people think that if they supplement with it they will turn into Andre the Giant. This is too bad since it is HGH that keeps us looking and feeling young, trim and fit well into what people consider to be the years of old age.

Children are loaded with HGH. It is the hormone that promotes growth during childhood. By the time the age of thirty is reached, the levels of HGH have declined to about 20 percent of their childhood peak. At this stage the body is no longer able to repair all the damage that is occurring and the aging process continues to accelerate.

HGH is released by the pituitary gland and is beneficial for the brain, cardiovascular system, immune system, aerobic capacity of blood and tissue, and body and bone composition. It enters the blood stream in bursts during sleep, especially the deep sleep that occurs after midnight. It's also produced during exercise provided the exercise is done on an empty stomach. It is transported to the liver where it is converted to insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a messenger molecule that travels to all parts of the body to stimulate cell production and growth. HGH is responsible for cellular rejuvenation, and low levels lead to aging.

Symptoms of HGH deficiency are wrinkled or sagging skin, thinning bones, loss of muscle strength, accumulation of body fat, decreased heart function, lowered immunity, thinning hair, decreased stamina and vigor, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. It is great for weight control and re-contouring the body with loss of belly fat, the area associated with increased risk of heart attack and diabetes. A study of overweight women on HGH found a loss of more than 4.6 pounds of fat, mostly in the abdomen while lean body mass increased. More than twenty-eight thousand studies on the hormone have shown that supplementation with HGH is the closest we have to a fountain of youth.

Typically, HGH replacement should begin around age 30. In older people, HGH replacement can reverse signs of aging by 5 to 15 percent per year or more. There is no other single therapy that can have the impact on the aging body that HGH does. In addition to reducing excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, and increasing muscle mass, HGH can reduce wrinkling, restore internal organs that have atrophied with age, increase bone density, reverse cognitive deterioration, strengthen the immune system, stimulate bone marrow cell production resulting in more red blood cells, and reduce the chances of a nursing home as your end destination.

Supplemental HGH is available in injectable form. It is sold by prescription, and prescriptions are difficult to get since the FDA does not seem to want fit and healthy old people around. It is usually only physicians who specialize in anti-aging medicine or hormone replacement that will prescribe HGH. Anyone able to obtain a prescription for HGH will find it readily available at most pharmacies but at a high price. Most people supplementing with HGH spend about $300 a month on the hormone and inject it themselves twice a day. They find it to be a very worthwhile investment in their health.

There have been no reports of anyone, anywhere, at any age getting cancer after using HGH for a year or more. Although there are theoretical reasons why HGH might promote cell division, HGH also stimulates the immune system to a level where cancer is does not occur.

IGF-1 is produced in response to growth hormone, and as a result it is a marker for HGH. Since natural HGH is released in surges and has a very short life span in the body, it is not practical to measure HGH levels directly. Because much of HGH is used by the body to produce IGF-1, which has a fairly long lifetime in the body, tests for HGH levels rely on the amount of IGF-1 present.

Supplements of IGF-1 are readily available from online nutritional outlets. Significant amounts of IGF-1 are found in colostrum, the liquid from the first two milkings of a cow after calving. Colostrum is a tremendous immune system booster and conveys a wealth of health benefits. Another way to provide the body with growth factor is by taking chlorella which contains a substance called Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF). Chlorella is also rich in chlorophyll and nucleic acid.

Pregnenolone fights fatigue, boosts memory and more

Pregnenolone is made in the adrenal glands as well as in the liver, ovaries and testicles. It can also be made in the brain and is involved in a variety of brain functions such as memory, concentration and mood.

The body can change pregnenolone into the hormones DHEA or progesterone depending on its needs at a given time. Either of these hormones can be then produce androstenedione, the direct precursor to the other sex hormones including testosterone and the other androgens, and estradiol and the other estrogens. Progesterone can also make cortisol, the stress hormone, and aldosterone, the regulator of blood pressure. This process by which other hormones are made from pregnenolone which is made directly from cholesterol is often referred to as the hormonal cascade.

Clearly, prenenolone is an essential hormone. In the young, prenenolone production averages about 14 mg per day. As the body ages, production declines until at age 75 the body produces about 40% of the amount produced at age 35. As this supply declines, the amount available to make other hormones also decreases.

Although several studies have found that oral pregnenolone reduces fatigue and increases endurance, its claim to fame is its memory enhancement. It accomplishes this by preventing the brain's neurotransmission system from deteriorating and promoting the release of the neurotransmitter acetycholine. Pregnenolone promotes greater growth of brain cells. The greater the number of brain cells, the greater the ability to retain memories.

Pregnenolone is available without a prescription in creams, capsules and sublingual drops. The usual dosage is 50 to 100 mg. Absorption is best if it is taken with fat.

DHEA is the mother hormone

DHEA is made in the brain and in the adrenal cortex , and is one of the most plentiful hormones in the body. Levels of DHEA decline with age, and a 70 year old has only about 10% of the DHEA produced by a 20 year old.

Diminishing levels of DHEA are linked to a wide range of degenerative diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and many types of cancer. Current research shows that low DHEA levels are a cause of many age related disorders and that oral supplementation with DHEA can slow the ravages of aging.

Adequate levels of DHEA can increase testosterone levels, restore muscle mass, improve the body fat ratio, improve memory, and boost the immune system. It is useful in combating auto-immune disorders, obesity, senile dementia, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression. DHEA promotes flexibility in the body and raises endurance levels.

DHEA is the hormone that helps you reach and keep you ideal weight. It is the basis of the hormone that tells the brain when you have had enough to eat, and inhibits the conversion of glucose to fat. When the body is low on DHEA fat piles on quickly whenever carbohydrates are eaten since there is nothing to inhibit the conversion of glucose to fat.

DHEA protects against arteriosclerosis by lowering cholesterol and insulin levels. This mechanism keeps you safe from diabetes if you eat a healthy diet. It is another hormone that keeps the immune system strong, preventing cancer. It protects the brain from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's by protecting neurons.

DHEA is available without a prescription almost anywhere supplements are sold. The average dose for women is 10 to 12 mg. a day. For men it is 25 mg. a day. DHEA peaks in the body in the morning, so supplements should also be taken in the morning to maintain the circadian rhythm. If you suspect you have a DHEA deficiency, it is best to confirm it with a blood test before beginning supplementation. As with all the hormones, the goal is to attain a physiological level, meaning that you want to restore the level your body made naturally when it was at its peak.

Sources:

Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B. GYN., Natural Hormone Balance for Women.

Melatonin, Mayo Clinic.

John Lee, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer.

Eric Braverman, M.D. interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.

Howard Liebowitz, M.D. interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.

Hormone replacing therapies can damage women's brain

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

HRT 'can shrink women's brains'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7825116.stm


Some forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can slightly shrink the brains of post-menopausal women, a US study has suggested.

The findings may help explain previous work linking HRT to an increased risk of memory loss and dementia.

A team led by researchers at Wake Forest University carried out brain scans on 1,400 women aged 71 to 89 who took part in an earlier HRT trial.

But UK experts said the study, published in Neurology, had flaws.

Significant numbers of women take hormones to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes, mood changes, and thinning of the bones.

However, research has linked HRT to a raised risk of some forms of cancer.

The latest study found two key areas of the brain involved in thinking and memory were smaller in women who had taken HRT than in those who had been given a "dummy" placebo pill.

Brain volume was 2.37 cubic centimetres lower in the frontal lobe and 0.10 cubic centimetres lower in the hippocampus.

Limitations

However, the researchers admit they were unable to carry out brain scans before the women began taking HRT.

And the results suggest shrinkage was most pronounced in women who may already have started to develop memory problems before they started taking hormones.

Lead researcher Dr Susan Resnick, from the US National Institute on Ageing, said: "Our findings suggest that hormone therapy in older post-menopausal women has a negative effect on brain structures important in maintaining normal memory functioning.

"However, this negative effect was most pronounced in women who already may have had some memory problems before using hormone therapy, suggesting that the therapy may have accelerated a neurodegenerative disease process that had already begun."

Older women

Dr David Sturdee, president of the International Menopause Society, said 49% of the women in the study were over 70.

In contrast, women in the UK are typically offered HRT between the ages of 45 and 60.

He said brain shrinkage among women of a relatively advanced age was not a surprising finding.

"The benefits (of HRT) are still way in excess of the risks."

HRT is known to increase the risk of a stroke, and it had been assumed that women's memory might be affected by the build up of damage caused by "silent" strokes.

However, researchers found no evidence of an increase in the volume of such damage among women taking HRT.

The forms of HRT examined in the latest study contain a variety of oestrogens referred to as conjugated equine oestrogens.

Testosterone in men , risks, welbeing

(NaturalNews) There really is a male version of menopause, often called andropause. It is not as pronounced as the menopause experienced by women, but it is none the less real. Men do not like to think about it or talk about it because it makes them seem less manly. They are reluctant to do anything about it, and when they do, it is to ask for a prescription for Viagra rather than attempting to address the underlying causes of their declining energy, weight gain, irritability and failing sexual performance. A recent study may jar them into action. Researchers have found that low testosterone levels in men are associated with high risk of death from all causes.

From about the age of 30 on, men experience a decrease in their sex hormone levels of approximately 1.5 percent per year. The declining testosterone level is responsible for decreased muscle mass and bone density, insulin resistance, and feelings of depression. Prescriptions for Viagra merely redirect blood flow for a short period of time. They do nothing to address the real issues men face during this time period. Yet, this is a critical time period in their lives, a time period during which the seeds for early death are sown.

Large study documents the association between lower testosterone and higher mortality

As reported in the Archieves of Internal Medicine, researchers at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington at Seattle, evaluated whether low testosterone levels are a risk factor for mortality in male veterans. They studied the relationship between hormone levels and death in a total of 858 males over the age of 40. All participants received care in the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and had their testosterone levels checked at least twice between 1994 and 1999, with no more than two years elapsing between testing. These men were followed for average period of 4.3 years, with some followed for the full eight years of the study. None of the men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

19% of the men were classified as having low testosterone levels. 28% were classified as equivocal, meaning they had an equal number of test results in the low and normal ranges. 52.7% were classified as having testosterone levels in the normal range. Men who died during the first year of the study were excluded from the data. Results were adjusted for such co-variates as age, and medical morbidity.

Men in the low testosterone group had an 88 percent increased risk of death compared to the group who had normal testosterone levels. This is a highly statistically significant, jaw dropping result that persisted after the other variables that may have influenced risk of death, such as age, other illnesses and body mass index were considered.

Testosterone levels are known to decrease following a traumatic or highly stressful event, and this may increase the risk of death during such periods. However, in a follow up analysis of the data, this factor was also adjusted for. Men with low testosterone levels were sill found to be 68 percent more likely to have died. This finding points to the conclusion that the association between low testosterone and mortality is not simply due to acute illness, and cannot be easily justified or ignored by men in denial.

Andropause is like puberty in reverse

The changes brought by andropause are so gradual they usually go unnoticed for several years. It is as though the life just very slowly drains away. Men who used to come home from work and have active lives with their families, take care of household problems, deal with financial issues, or maybe work a second job, gradually end up spending most of their evenings in front of the TV set or asleep on the couch. When asked why they are not getting their usual responsibilities taken care of, they have no answer except irritability. Since andropause is rarely discussed and often denied, these men have no idea what is happening to them.

There is a cognitive aspect involved with declining hormones in men just like in women. Women are often amazed when their men fail to see the obvious and appear oblivious to much of what is going on. And men and women are equally amazed at his frequent need to urinate.

Men in andropause exercise but see little to no improvement in muscle development or definition. If they can detect any improvement immediately after exercise, it is gone by the next day. Without discernable payback, men in andropause gradually give up their exercise along with other aspects of their lives.

A man in andropause will not have the strong morning erections that characterized his youth. He may have the mental desire for sexual activity, but the physical response is not there or it is there but muted. Andropause has a broad affect, impacting hormonal levels, psychology, interpersonal relationships, social activity, sexual activity, and spiritual connectedness.

The traditional medical establishment can only mask the symptoms of andropause

The rare man who is willing to discuss his problems with a physician finds that he is given a drug to mask each individual symptom. In addition to the prescription for Viagra, he will most likely be given an antidepressant, another drug to deal with frequent urination, maybe something for the prostate, and even a statin drug to bring down the numbers on his cholesterol test. These drugs do nothing to deal with the real issue, which is declining hormone levels. While a man takes these drugs, the loss of testosterone continues to work behind the scenes. When hormones levels are sagging, the body is under constant stress. This results in rising cortisol and insulin levels, weight gain, and cardiovascular issues. Declining testosterone is the basis of the heart attacks men so frequently have in middle age.

Declining hormone level is the hallmark during this period of premature death. The death certificate may say the man has died from heart attack or other degenerative disease, but the real cause is hormonal decline and the havoc it creates in the body. As men hit their late thirties and early forties they are approaching the peak of their careers, a time when stress is at its highest. It is also a time period for them when responsibility for family and even aging parents is also at its highest. It is a time that requires optimal and balanced hormone levels.

It does not have to be this way

Hormonal loss in men is so gradual that they do not realize what is happening to them. They attribute their symptoms to aging and try to forget about them. But hormonal decline will only continue and lead to the almost inevitable result of declining health and disease. It is only bioidentical testosterone replacement that can address this condition successfully and eliminate the root cause of the problems.

Testosterone is an anabolic steroid. It builds bone and muscle. The heart is the largest muscle in the body, so testosterone is critical to keep it strong and able to do its job. Testosterone keeps the heart healthy by keeping cholesterol and blood pressure low. It increases blood flow to the heart. It restores and stimulates testosterone receptor sites in the nerves, blood vessels and genitals. It makes it possible to again build and keep muscle mass when exercising, and it keeps bones strong.

Testosterone is what sends the signal to nature saying this man is still young and virile, the kind of guy that needs to be kept around.

The link between testosterone decline and prostate problems is well established. The prostate is the male equivalent of the breast in females. It has ducts in which testosterone makes food for the sperm. When testosterone levels are declining, prostate problems begin. There is no food for the sperm, and no semen. Younger men with their full complement of hormones rarely get prostate cancer or other signs of prostate problems. Their ration of testosterone to estrogen is in balance. They do not run out of semen and they are fully functioning sexually.

Prostate disease is not inevitable. Many studies have shown that testosterone replacement keeps prostate disease away. It can restore in men the sexual vigor they had when much younger.

The disease establishment is in the grip of the pharmaceutical companies who promote the idea that prostate problems are caused by testosterone. By taking this approach they can be assured that men will stay in a declining state of health as they age, and they will need a constantly increasing supply of drugs. Natural testosterone is not able to be patented because it is a naturally occurring substance. There is little or no money to be made from keeping men health by supplementing their declining testosterone levels. The money is to be made by selling patented drugs, and keeping men in a state of decline until they need by-pass surgery. Although it is an extremely disillusioning realization, the pharmaceutical companies are in it for the money. They do not seem to care at all about what happens to people.

One aspect of testosterone decline is the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Excessive estrogen conversion is what gives men enlarged breasts. The latest research suggests that it is too much estrogen that causes excessive proliferation of prostate cells. It is only when testosterone levels decline and conversion of testosterone to estrogen increases that prostate problems appear. In Europe, where medicine is not so heavily influenced by pharmaceutical companies, testosterone is being used to treat prostate cancer with glowing results.

The flabby stomach and enlarged breasts of middle aged men are a signal that their estrogen levels are too high. Many men over fifty have estrogen levels that are even higher than those of women over fifty. This elevated estrogen level along with declining testosterone can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke and lead to inflammation of the prostate and the rest of the body. Too much estrogen can also depress testosterone production. A man can become estrogen dominate just as a woman can. Other symptoms of excess estrogen that will sound very familiar to women are hair loss, headaches, irritability, bloating and puffiness. Men also experience these symptoms.

Males produce a small amount of progesterone that is essential to their health. Progesterone along with testosterone helps balance the build up of estrogen. Progesterone is a precursor for cortisol, testosterone, and other hormones. Levels of progesterone fall off too as men age, and this drop causes a drop in other hormone levels.

Achieving hormonal balance for men

The art of bioidentical hormonal replacement is to replace hormones to the level they were when a man was in his prime, in his early twenties. Testosterone levels can be established by blood and saliva tests. The optimal range for men is between 6,000 and 9,000 pg.mL. This is the level at which men can reach their prime again. To achieve this level will require the help of a physician who specializes in anti-aging medicine or hormone replacement.

Tradition doctors just do not get it. You might be able to talk one of them into prescribing some hormones but the prescription will probably be for a hormone drug, not bioidentical hormones that are exact replicas of what the body makes naturally. Hormone drugs are substitutions for hormones; they are not replacements. And if your traditional doctor agrees to prescribe hormones at all, he will probably only want to you take enough to bring you up to the level that is considered normal for your age, not the level that would take you to your prime. It is only when hormones are replace to that prime level that vibrant health can be achieved again.

Other sources:

Kathy Maupin, M.D., O.B./GYN, Founder of BioBalance for Women.

Uzzi Reiss, M.S., O.B./GYN, Natural Hormone Balance for Women.

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Hormones health for integral health

(NaturalNews) People of today are seeking quality of life, in the midst of a polluted world, an onslaught of chemicals, and a medical establishment educated to reflect corporate interests rather than the interests of patients. They live in a country where the number one gross national product is stress. On top of that, they are the generation whose future is being diminished by the implementation globalism and the move toward one world government. Now more than ever, it is imperative for people to keep themselves at the peak of health, a peak that is based on a foundation of optimal and balanced hormone levels. It is this hormonal foundation that is the bedrock of support for people trying to live the life they want in today's world.

All the stress and chemicals in the environment along with poor diet choices have caused people to experience hormonal decline at an earlier and earlier age. Hormonal imbalance is showing up in men and women as early as the late twenties. Many people in their thirties are in unrecognized hormonal decline that saps their energy, causes weight gain, and makes their thinking foggy, rendering them into a state where they are unable to act in their own best interests. They are experiencing record levels of depression and sleeplessness. Their traditional physicians answer their symptoms with the prescription pad, adding even more chemicals to the pile without addressing the causes of these symptoms. This failure to address hormonal imbalance by the traditional medical establishment means that people who want to live a long, happy, disease-free life will need to intervene on their own.

Each of the hormones oversees an area of bodily processes, and each person is only as healthy as his or her weakest hormone. The hormonal orchestra requires optimal levels of each player. When one hormone is in decline, the imbalance means the rest will soon follow, causing a downward cascade of all bodily processes. Low levels of estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone lead to erratic production of thyroid, insulin, and cortisol. High cortisol levels and low thyroid levels cause weight gain even when you are eating less and exercising. When cortisol levels are high, sleep is impossible, but heart attack is a real possibililty. Knowing what the major hormones do in the body and what happens when you start to lose them will make you aware of how critical they are to your overall health and well being. These hormones are called major because you cannot live without them. When they fall out of balance, the risk of death is increased.

Cortisol is the body's stress hormone

Everybody has seen people with high cortisol levels. They are the ones who run around like maniacs trying to achieve. The super woman and the power executive are stereotypes of the high cortisol person. Cortisol is also the hormone of road rage.

Cortisol production increases in response to any stress in the body. It is the body's survival mechanism, pouring hormone when the fight or flight mechanism is engaged. Cortisol is what allows a mother to lift up a car to save her child. Or what powers a person running away from an attacker. It’s cortisol that gives us the clarity of mind, swiftness and co-ordination of movement, enhanced strength and courage we need to see our way out of threatening situations. These threats can be physical, or psychological.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands. It regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. When cortisol is secreted, it causes a breakdown of muscle protein, leading to release of amino acids into the blood stream. These amino acids are used by the liver to synthesize glucose for energy. Cortisol leads to the release of energy from fat cells to be used by the muscles. These actions ensure that the brain and body have the energy resources they need for defense.

The problem comes when stress becomes chronic, causing the adrenal glands to continuously produce cortisol. This can lead to overtaxed adrenals that eventually become unable to function. High cortisol levels prevent sleep. When you don not sleep, more hormonal imbalance will follow and the stage becomes set for the onset of degenerative disease. One of the primary causes of continuous physiological stress in women is declining hormone levels. Low estrogen level in the body puts it under a tremendous and continuous stress load. When female hormones are replaced, the ability to sleep returns even in the face of continuing exogenous stress.

There are people who seem to seek out stressful situations and like living on the edge. The continuous flow of cortisol becomes addictive when it translates into feelings of power and euphoria. These people are on their way to adrenal exhaustion. If adrenal exhaustion gets to be severe, it can result in death. Signs of overtaxed adrenal glands are exhaustion, hair falling out, weight gain, irritability, and probably the most telltale sign of all, skin rashes and acne.

When cortisol is doing its job, life seems easy. Stress does not get you down or keep you awake. If cortisol levels are too low, the mood becomes affected. Anxiety begins its downward pull, and you are upset by things you normally would just ignore. Feeling paralyzed between confrontation and escape is a sign of low cortisol as is inability to think clearly in a stressful situation.

Cortisol levels decline with age making it easier for older people to end up with adrenal fatigue. It becomes particularly important at this stage to be able to manage stress effectively. People who are unable to manage their stress for long periods of time are subject to heart attack, stroke and cancer. When stress levels are continuously high as they are in modern life, there is little extra cortisol left to use in your defense when you really need it. If you are unable to bounce back after a particularly stressful physical or psychological encounter, a time out period or a vacation is needed.

Lupus, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, sugar or salt cravings, digestive problems and allergies may indicate high cortisol. Other symptoms are feeling overly stressed, confusion, skin problems, respiratory difficulties, difficulty concentrating, and indifference toward sex.

Weight gain is a problem of low cortisol. People with fatigued adrenal glands from excessive production of cortisol tend to overeat as a way to bolster sagging energy levels. They frequently crave high calorie processed foods because those will prompt a quick energy release. Unfortunately, that quick energy boost is then followed by an even greater energy sag.

Cortisol secretion is promoted by the presence of even the tiniest bit of light. This is why it is so important to sleep in a room that is completely dark with no alarm clock glowing in the dark. Researchers did a study of one hundred subjects who were placed in a completely dark room with the exception of a pin point of light on the back of their knees. Cortisol levels rose in each subject as a result.

Bio-identical cortisol is available by prescription as a last resort for adrenal exhaustion. It needs to be taken religiously four times every day to be effective.

Insulin has a profound effect on aging

Everybody has heard about insulin as it relates to diabetes. Even so, many Americans continue to push their bodies closer to the brink of this disease by overeating processed carbohydrates. They are so addicted to these foods that they refused to admit to themselves that these foods cause diabetes. They prefer to see it as a disease that just happened to single them out for no reason.

Insulin and low blood sugar problems are often the cause of fatigue, irritability, depression, mood swings, poor memory, poor co-ordination, dizziness, and the craving for sweets. Extremely low blood sugar makes you feel like a wet noodle, as though your legs are about to collapse and hurl you to the floor. If blood sugar gets low enough, you will pass and be at risk of death.

Blood sugar (glucose) is the fuel for the body. Balanced blood sugar levels generate mental clarity and ease of physical activity. Excessive intake of grains and other carbohydrates, particularly processed carbohydrates, can create havoc with this balance. All carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body and cause a roller-coaster reaction, destabilizing blood sugar levels.

Insulin is secreted by the pancreas to control the sugar level in the blood. It moves sugar into the cells for use in energy production. When the body is flooded with sugar, the pancreas responds with high insulin production, driving so much sugar into the cells that the levels in the blood become too low, resulting in plummeting energy levels and mood swings. In time, this constant overproduction of insulin creates serious metabolic disturbances throughout the body, including insulin resistance and diabetes.

Elevated insulin levels cause the body to have difficulty breaking down fat, promoting weight gain. Increased blood pressure and free radical activity follow, accelerating aging and the development of disease. Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes have finally been linked to the onset of menopause in journals such as the Journal of Metabolism and Endocrinology, and the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

The bedrock of protection against the high tide of insulin in the body is hormonal balance. After hormones have become balanced, diet becomes another important part of the health regimen with its emphasis on eating whole foods rather than foods that are processed. Carbohydrates should never be eaten alone, but always in conjunction with protein foods. A good rule of thumb is that grams of carbohydrates in any form should not exceed grams of protein at any meal. This makes a chocolate bar with nuts a much better choice than a plain chocolate bar. It seems to go against common sense that a cookie eaten alone will cause greater weight gain than a cookie eaten with a chicken leg, but the chicken leg slows the insulin response to a more normal level. Five minutes of moderate exercise following a meal will also significantly reduce the insulin response.

Foods in their raw state do not product the high level of insulin response that is produced from cooked foods. Anyone who eats carbohydrates unbalanced by protein will probably not achieve the best results from their hormone balancing efforts. Keeping the body well mineralized with supplements such as alfalfa also helps to slow the insulin response.

The thyroid is the master gland of metabolism

Thyroid is the most important hormone since it stimulates cellular energy production. The production of the all other hormones will be impacted when thyroid hormone declines. Every aspect of health will be affected by a poorly functioning thyroid including weight, mental outlook, body temperature, energy level, and the quality of hair and skin. Symptoms of low thyroid hormone are unexplained weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, irregular heartbeat, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, chronic pain, constipation, frequent infections, brittle nails, muscle weakness, low blood pressure, head congestion and sinus problems, joint or muscle pain, hoarseness, and more. Low thyroid levels slow metabolism and energy production. This is why people with low thyroid hormone are always cold, constipated and gain weight without increasing the amount of food they eat.

Selenium is needed for the proper conversion of thyroid hormone. Unbalanced estrogen suppresses thyroid function. Mercury is a thyroid gland contaminate. Stress causes decreased adrenal gland function and prevents the thyroid from functioning optimally.

At the center of each cell is the mitochondria, often referred to as the cellular furnace. It is in this furnace that cellular energy is produced, and it is thyroid hormone that stokes the furnace. Without enough thyroid hormone, the fire begins to go out. This is why old people seem so listless and their simplest movement seems like such a chore. It is as though they have run out of energy and come to a standstill. Younger people also frequently show symptoms of low cellular energy. These are the people who fall asleep in meeting and while reading a book. When cellular energy gets low enough, you literally cannot stay awake and will eventually die.

Thyroid problems develop at any age and usually go so slowly as to remain unnoticed in the beginning. At least 27 million Americans are estimated to have an undiagnosed thyroid problem, and most of them are females. Depression and panic attacks are additional symptoms of thyroid problems that seem to plague only women. If you are tired when you get up after a good night's sleep or need a nap or two to get through the day, you may have a thyroid problem. Hair falls out and beauty suffers when thyroid hormone is low. The wisdom of the body redirects the hormone away from hair, nails and skin for use in more critical processes.

Most traditional physicians are reluctant to consider thyroid functioning at all. When they do, the standard of care for people with symptoms is to be administered a thyroid hormone stimulating test (TSH). The thinking is that a low score on the TSH usually means the body is is not trying to stimulate thyroid production so therefore thyroid production must be OK. A high score on the TSH usually means the thyroid is not functioning well and that iss why the body is trying to stimulate it. Needless to say, this approach misses a lot. They best way to see what your thyroid is up to is to insist on blood testing of TSH, and T3 and T4, the thyroid hormones.

Low thyroid can easily be corrected by adding natural, bio-identical thyroid hormone to the amount being produced by the body. Armour Thyroid is available by prescription. It is thyroid from pigs which is the exact bio-equivalent of thyroid produced by humans. It will be recognized by the body as a natural substance and no side effects will be produced. Most traditional physicians try to convince their patients to use synthetic thyroid replacements, so be prepared to be assertive if you want to use only natural substances.

Sources:

Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B.-GYN, Natural Hormone Balance for Women.

T. S. Wiley, Lights Out.

Sabre Sciences, About Hormones.

Herb Slavin, M.D., Phillip Lee Miller, M.D., and Gordon Reynolds, M.D., interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Ageless.

Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.