Natural Remedies for Menapause, Vera Tweed, Hormone Testing

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HORMONES

4 Ways to Try Now

Women's health handbook take charge of your hormones: are your hormones wreaking havoc with your health? Here are 4
ways to bring everything back into balance.
Better Nutrition, Oct, 2006 by Vera Tweed

Any woman who experiences hot flashes, menstrual cramps

or PMS

knows that something is awry

with her hormones, but

many other

symptoms may be less obvious. Allergies, aches

and pains,

fatigue,

poor sleep, memory lapses, low libido,

sugar cravings and stubborn fat

that won't budge

despite

your best diet and exercise efforts are among

these.

Simply put, all or most of what ails you has a hormonal

connection.

Addressing the situation may

seem

overwhelming because the interplay

of hormones is

complex, but the basics are simple:

Problems arise when hormones are out of balance, where levels of some are too high and others are too low.
Rather than trying to manipulate individual hormones, you can establish and maintain a balance with the right nutrition and
exercise. If that doesn't do the trick, you can try some specific natural remedies and, for a customized program, see a
health professional and get your hormone levels tested.
1.        Identify Your Hormonal Triggers
Estrogen and progesterone typically come to mind as the "female" hormones, but insulin and cortisol are just as important.
"It really has to be a symphony of hormones, and these four are the major players," says Alicia Stanton, MD, a gynecologist
who takes an integrative approach in her Hartford, CT, practice.
In the typical American lifestyle, diets full of sugar and refined carbohydrates combined with stress trigger a cycle that
begins with either insulin or cortisol malfunctioning and results in an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. This is
how Stanton explains these hormone-disrupting scenarios:
The sugar-shock trigger: After we eat, food is turned into blood sugar. Insulin is the hormone with the job of transporting
this blood sugar to cells, where it is used as energy. If we eat too many starchy, sugary, refined foods, these turn to blood
sugar very rapidly, creating an overload. In response, insulin levels spike abnormally high, which drives the sugar out of the
blood and into the cells so blood sugar levels nosedive.
"If blood sugar levels are too low, it is a great stress on the brain. This causes cortisol to kick in," says Stanton. The brain
needs blood sugar as food, and ultra-low levels of that fuel trigger cortisol as a backup system.
The "fight or flight" hormone, cortisol, produces blood sugar from muscle and bone (which leads to breakdown). But there's
another problem: Our bodies use progesterone as a building block to make cortisol, thereby depleting progesterone and
disrupting its balance with estrogen.
The stress trigger: "High stress creates a need for higher levels of cortisol," says Stanton. Again, progesterone is depleted
and an estrogen-progesterone imbalance Occurs.
"As a society," says Stanton, "women are progesterone deficient." However, in a small percentage of cases, low estrogen
levels are the culprit.
2.         Learn Why Sleep Is Vital
Stanton recommends getting at least eight hours' sleep each night for several reasons. Sleep enables insulin to function
better. Also while sleeping, our bodies produce growth hormone, which we need for sustaining energy levels and lean
muscle tissue, and for avoiding unnecessary fat gain as we age. Further, our adrenal glands are replenished during sleep.
Adrenal glands produce cortisol, and if our bodies are producing elevated levels of the hormone over prolonged periods of
time, the glands may become exhausted. This leads to fatigue-related cravings, bloating, low libido, sluggish metabolism,
dry, brittle hair, constipation and PMS. DHEA helps in some situations but in others can worsen adrenal fatigue. Adequate
sleep is always beneficial.
3.         Look at Foods and Supplements
To prevent hormone imbalance triggers, Stanton recommends eating lean proteins, unrefined high-fiber carbohydrates
such as vegetables, and healthy fats. Skip sugar and refined foods, and eat small meals or snacks every two to three hours
to keep blood sugar stable. In times of stress, increase lean protein, B complex and vitamin C, and try progesterone cream
and DHEA.
If you're introducing soy foods into your diet, she advises starting with small amounts per day, such as an 8-ounce glass of
soy milk, 2 ounces of tofu or one serving of a soy protein powder or nutrition bar. "The American way is to megadose, but
it's not the way to go," she cautions. "Japanese women eat small amounts of soy each day throughout their lives."
Stanton also recommends a basic list of supplements and others for specific situations. When adding soy foods or using
remedies for individual conditions, if symptoms worsen or fail to improve within two weeks, realize that the remedy is not
addressing your situation. Try an alternative one or get tested to determine your personal needs.
4.         Discover the Best Types of Exercise
At every age, women need regular exercise. "Consistency helps maintain balanced hormone levels," says Adam Cox,
fitness training director at the Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley, CA. One of the benefits of exercise is improved
insulin function, which helps pre-empt the whole cycle of hormone imbalance.
Cox stresses the need for strength training and that it's not going to make you bulky. For maximum benefits he
recommends working your upper and lower body simultaneously. For example, do lunges or squats while holding a light-
weight bar or small weights on the back of your shoulders, or lift the bar or weights above your head as you squat. Push-
ups work your whole body (beginners can do them against a bar or wall instead of the floor). Pull-ups work the arms and
back, which is critical for good posture.
Do strength training two to three times a week, and 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least three times weekly at an
intensity level that elevates your heart rate. Classes or videos that target flexibility are a good way to learn some moves.

If you have hot flashes while exercising, Cox suggests

working out

in front of a fan, as some of his

clients do.

"Exercise improves

body composition and energy

level, as well as hormonal control,"

Cox says. It can

also prevent you from losing 10 pounds of muscle

per

decade--the average

among people who don't