Woman's Health Special Article

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 maintain a
well-rounded exercise program.

.
Testing Hormone Levels

Hormones work together like an
orchestra, and each woman's situation
is unique, depending on her stage of
life and personal circumstances. If
eating well, exercising regularly and
taking supplements don't leave you
feeling the way you want to, or if you
prefer to take the fast track to optimal
hormone balance, Alicia Stanton, MD,
suggests saliva tests.

A test kit is sent to your home; you
literally spit into a container at
designated times of day and send in
your samples for lab analysis. Based on
the results, a health practitioner can
recommend a program tailored to your
individual situation.

For women of all ages, Stanton advises
testing for estradiol (one of several
forms of estrogen), progesterone,
cortisol (taking saliva samples at four
different times during the day),
testosterone and DHEA. If you're
postmenopausal, have a family history
of breast cancer, or don't resolve your
difficulties with the first set of tests,
Stanton recommends testing for two
additional forms of estrogen: estriol
and estrone.

The complete battery of tests costs
around $300, and health plans don't
usually provide coverage. To find
health professionals in your area who
are familiar with saliva tests and learn
more about testing, visit saliva.com.
Many practitioners listed at
naturopathic.org also provide
individualized programs based on
saliva test results
DR. STANTON'S BASIC SUPPLEMENT LIST
FOR WOMEN

Multivitamin: Choose a good quality product.
B complex or specific B vitamins: 50-100mg of
main B vitamins daily.
Vitamin C: 1000-2000mg daily, divided into
several doses; up to 5000mg during times of
stress. Choose a product that also has
bioflavonoids to enhance the action of vitamin
C.
Calcium: 1000mg; 1200mg after age 50.
Magnesium glycinate: 400mg twice daily, or
Magnesium oxide: 600mg twice daily. If
diarrhea occurs, reduce dosage to once daily.
For other forms, follow product directions.
Fish oil: 3000mg or more; 5000mg when PMS
symptoms begin.
Zinc: 25-50mg.
Check out "What Your Doctor Won't Tell
You About Menopause"
Dr. John R. Lee
 
 
Maca - An herb from
Peru assists body in
producing it's own
hormones. Read
Article - click image
Calcium - Read Article
-click image