Top 10 Hormone Rebalancing Tips: YOU could be walking around with a hormone imbalance and Not Even Know It! Oprah said that but what did she mean? Hormone imbalance defined.

Return to Balance

No one likes being out of balance, especially when the hot flashes, foggy thinking, and mood swings of menopause leave us feeling like a pale reflection of our former selves. During this hormonally challenged time its important to realize that the extent to which we suffer from troublesome symptoms has much do with the extent to which our lives – and our hormones – are out of balance.

Picture if you will synchronized swimmers all pointing their toes in perfect petal formation at the exact same moment. Suddenly, one of the swimmers takes off in a different direction, let’s call her progesterone, another dives to the bottom of the pool (call her testosterone), a few more decide to make waves (call them cortisols) while the last but not least of swimmers (call her estrogen) takes over the whole routine. All that beautiful synchrony, gone.

Key hormone players achieve balance through synchrony

And so it goes with us. When our hormones are out of sync, we are out of sync – physically, mentally, emotionally. And because hormones are so mutually dependant (a deficiency of one creates a surplus of another), there are countless opportunities for imbalance. As Oprah put it at the opening of her show on women and hormones, “You could be walking around with a hormone imbalance and not even know it!” Knowing the signs and symptoms of a hidden hormone imbalance is your first big clue, testing and exploring your options is next  …. But before we go any further, let me explain what a hormonal imbalance is…. It’s what happens when one or more of the key hormone players (see Kyle’s most recent blog): estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and/or Cortisol, fall out of proportion to each other, (or like our synchronized swimmers above, swim off in different directions) that we are left with excesses of one hormone and deficiencies of another, a working definition of hormone imbalance. These unwelcome but inevitable shifts in hormonal milieu can be handled but until we learn how, they can seriously disrupt our  moods, memory, mojo, and zest for living. It can happen to the best of us …I would describe myself during my early experience of imbalance as feeling addled, exhausted and unloving…in a word or two: basket case.  Here now are some of the more common (preventable – seize on that word ladies) doozies:

Estrogen Dominance (flabby, crabby and fed-up) – this mother of all hormone imbalances results from high estrogen levels relative to low progesterone as a result of erratic ovulation, normal aging, hysterectomy (particularly if estrogen therapy is prescribed post-surgery in the absence of its balancing partner, progesterone), and exposure to environmental chemicals known as “xenoestrogens” (see my Feb 1st post: the Cruciferous Connection). Too much estrogen triggers multiple symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, heavy periods/no periods, lost libido, lost pzazz, lost YOU…. It typically begins at Perimenopause (early to mid-40s) when hormones wax and wane, and ends with Menopause (early 50s) when cycles cease and the ovaries stop making hormones for good. Younger women who don’t ovulate regularly (note that lack of ovulation = lack of progesterone) can also be estrogen dominant, plagued by PMS, monthly migraines, tender breasts, water retention and painful periods. So when it comes to hormone imbalance, too much estrogen is just as much an issue as too little. Having said that….

Estrogen deficiency (hot, sweaty, weepy) – low levels of estrogen can trigger that hot flash in the middle of an important meeting, or night sweats in the middle of the night, as well as other bedevilments like vaginal dryness, thinning skin, brittle nails, bones, heart palpitations, fragile emotions, muddled mind….

Imbalances of Testosterone/DHEA and Cortisol (no longer lean, just mean) are a bad combination that deplete energy, metabolism, mental clarity, stamina, and the strength of our bones, muscles, and libido. When for instance, the stress hormone cortisol goes up or stays up, testosterone goes down along with our enthusiasm, drive, and zest for living.

Adrenal Imbalances (tired, wired, and bummed-out): Lows and/or highs of cortisol resulting from unresolved stress, junk food, lack of sleep and exercise, can cause rapid aging and belly fat bigtime – not to mention allergies, insomnia, and chronic fatigue.  This under-recognized imbalance generally makes an appearance in mid-life when the adrenal glands have to pick up the slack in hormone production. The once and future energizer bunny no longer hops but plops, her sunny mood submerged under a black cloud. This is the time when the flack hits the fan if we don’t take better care of ourselves; tired, overworked adrenals eventually burnout and so do we…

Fluctuating hormones at perimenopause when hormone production becomes erratic are usually behind the hair-raising symptoms known to everywoman as the “emotional roller coaster.” That’s when all hell breaks loose and we’ll do anything for relief!

Fortunately we have a lot more control over these ups and downs than we might think. Consider these Top 10 Tips  to empower yourself and return to balance:

1.   Determine your symptoms of hormone imbalance http://www.hormonesynergy.com/women.asp  or http://www.theseventhwoman.org

2.   Test your hormones to detect hidden imbalances http://www.canaryclub.org or http://www.zrtlab.com

3.   If you have an imbalance and need to supplement insist on bioidentical hormones – they are better and safer!

4.   Learn how and when to use natural progesterone, the “great balancer.” http://www.theseventhwoman.org

5.   Support adrenal health with optimal C and B-complex, D3, and herbal tonics such as Dong Quai, Astragalus, Maca, Rhodiola, etc.

6.   Avoid xenoestrogens – eat “hormone free” foods, go GREEN with home, garden, bodycare; microwave in ceramic/glass; reject synthetic hormone replacement (HRT) and any products with unpronounceable ingredients, exercise in the open air whenever possible.

7.    Counteract stress by releasing tension: stretching, deep breathing, yoga, pilates, zumba, walking. Strength train to boost hormones naturally.

8.   Take your vitamin Zzzs – power nap!

9.   Make more ME time

10.  Act the way you want to feel! ( The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin, order at http://menopausibilities.com/womens-health-shop.html)

How do YOU rebalance? Have you got a top 10, or 5, or a Numero UNO all-time best tip you can share? We’d love to pass it on!

Rebalancing amongst the Rhododendrens

Hormones 101

What is a hormone exactly? 

How do I know if I have a hormone imbalance?

And if I do, what can I do about it anyway?

These are common questions that Candace and I hear as we work with women everyday.  Sometimes we forget how many of us don’t know the basics about our own bodies so don’t feel embarrassed if you are among those who don’t. I rely on my car mechanic to sort through the ins and outs of my vehicle when IT is out of balance. But I always feel a little sheepish because I don’t even know the right questions to ask. In many ways, I think women feel the same way about their bodies when they begin to show signs of imbalance. So here is a brief overview to answer these questions and help you understand when it is time to do something about how you feel.
A hormone is a chemical that is produced in a gland(such as the ovary or the thyroid) which is released and has far-reaching effects on other parts of the body. These hormones have many functions, including regulating metabolism, fertility, fluid balance, mood, blood sugar regulation, to name a few. Hormones act on organs, tissues and cells throughout the body and are essential for optimal functioning.
Hormones work best when they work together and are balanced with one another.

Think of a symphony which consists of various musical instrument sections  coordinated in such a way  that each section comes in at just the right moment, volume and tempo to complement the other sections. When the conductor and the musicians work well together, the music is melodic and lovely. When they don’t, it is difficult  to hear the music at all(it sounds more like a bunch of noise!).
There are days when all of us wake up and we just feel ‘in balance’ and have energy to spare. Then there are those days that we know our balance is definitely off; everything seems off-kilter. This brings me to some of the symptoms of hormone imbalance. We have mentioned a few in previous blogposts but here are some you may(or may not ) be aware of: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, belly fat, irritability , depressed mood, anxiety, foggy thinking, feeling cold, hair loss, hair in new places, weak or peeling nails, insomnia, low libido, menstrual changes, dry skin, vaginal dryness, inability to concentrate, fatigue, memory changes…… I could go on but I think you get the picture.

If any of these sound familiar,  there is a good chance that something has caused your hormones to be out of balance.  Common causes include pregnancy, stressful life events, over scheduled and busy lives(sound like anyone you know???), lack of exercise, poor diet, toxins in our environment, toxic relationships, job stresses, and the simple act of moving into ‘midlife’ .We all have so many demands on us and often don’t have enough time in the day to get it all done, leaving us feeling depleted and ‘not like ourselves’.

Hmmm…got you thinking hopefully, so now what? Stay tuned and we will be posting a ‘checklist of symptoms of hormone imbalance’ in the near future so that you can do an inventory of your individual symptoms.  Once you have those identified, the next step will be to get your hormone levels tested.  Let us know if you would like to   get this done as we are working on putting together an offer for our readers and would like to get an idea of how many people are interested.  Just list your first name and first letter of your last name in the comments section.

As always, give us YOUR suggestions for future blogposts and feel free to ask us questions….there is no such thing as a silly question!

Wishing you balance

From One-size-fits-all to Individualized Hormone Therapy: North American Menopause Society in a long-awaited position shift finally drops their old school stance!

From One-size-fits-all to Individualized Hormone Therapy: North American Menopause Society in a long-awaited position shift finally drops their old school stance!.

From One-size-fits-all to Individualized Hormone Therapy: North American Menopause Society in a long-awaited position shift finally drops their old school stance!

The earth has moved under our feet!! Last month the North American Menopause Society, aka “NAMS” that august body of expert clinicians and researchers in the medical mainstream who (in lock step with the pharmaceutical industry) have steadfastly supported synthetic, ‘one-size-fits all’ hormone replacement therapy, finally, amazingly, have modified their position on HRT .

In the 2012 Hormone Therapy Position statement

(www.menopause.org/aboutmeno/consensus.aspx), the NAMS-sayers now say that individualizing of hormone therapy (HT) may in fact be the best way to go: “Tailoring the dose to a woman’s individual needs represents an appropriate strategy in HT management” – not only, they say, in respect to quality of life but especially for women concerned about personal risks for heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer risks. Time out: aren’t all women concerned about their personal risks for blood clots, breast cancer and all the above? These are the very same diseases that HRT was found in the Womens Health Initiative  (WHI) to be causing, rather than protecting us against, as we had been led to believe by NAMS and big-Pharma for far too long.

It was the WHI in 2003 that finally delivered the slam-dunk truth many researchers had been pointing to for decades – that HRT, specifically the synthetic combination of estrogen and progestin, is dangerous – period. When the bad news hit the headlines, an estimated half of the 15 million women who were on the stuff flushed their poison pills down the loo and started looking for more natural alternatives. In the face of the evidence (followup data from WHI has revealed more invasive breast cancers than previously thought) and women’s continuing rejection of old school tactics,  NAMS has had no choice but to drop their outdated stance on what’s best for women and get real. Their new position reflects a grudging acceptance that this train has left the station and its time to get on board with the new normal: hormone balance vs. replacement with bioidenticals not synthetic hormone therapies. But we are not there yet. NAMS still supports synthetic HT and refuses to recognize compounding pharmacy practices, but nevertheless they have heard that whistle blowing ….

Another breath of cobweb clearing air in the 2012 statement was that transdermal hormone therapy (the method by which most bioidentical hormones are delivered through the skin and directly into the bloodstream, thus mimicking mother nature) could conceivably be an improvement over taking hormones orally: “With transdermal therapy, there is no significant increase in triglycerides, C-reactive protein … little effect on blood pressure…and … growing observational evidence that transdermal ET may be associated with a lower risk of deep vein thrombosis.”

Two steps forward. YAY! And in a nod toward the benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT), the position paper does make mention of micronized progesterone and low dose bioidentical estradiol patch therapies. Yet at the same time the NAMS-sayers cannot resist the urge to invalidate: “In the absence of efficacy and safety data for BHT….” Wrong! There is plenty of substantiated evidence in the scientific literature pointing to the superiority of bioidenticals (www.womeninbalance.org), much of it from the European Union (EU) where they have been way ahead of us on the bioidentical front for decades…and oh, by the way, the EU does not allow synthetic growth hormones to be injected into their cows chicken or pork proteins either…but I digress (please see my March 3rd blog post on that subject: www.menopausibilities.wordpress.com

To sum up, it’s a good day for women when the immovable, moves. The NAMS shift spells real progress for women’s hormonal health and research.  Millions of women who have switched from HT to BHT are already finding safer solutions and symptom relief by testing for hormone imbalances (www.salivatesting.com) and rebalancing with bioidenticals and optimal aging approaches. Recently, Dr. Oz the omnipotent, stuck his neck out to proclaim the “BS or bad science” behind synthetic HT . “Hormones are better now,” he said, “and women should insist on the bioidentical versions especially estrogen and natural progesterone,” which in the right amounts and unlike their synthetic imposters can effectively protect us against heart disease and breast cancer (www.theseventhwoman.org) and the madness of menopause.

Join in the conversation and tell us your experience of  getting off HRT and on to bioidenticals…how you felt then and now.  How you forgot how good you could be feeling until NOW!

Now you can share!

Blogmother Anne here to let you know that if you enjoy reading Candace’s and Kyle’s posts, you can share them with your own friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and PressThis!

Live discussion on hormone balance, testing and treatment options

Last year I did a televised interview at our local radio station, KINK.fm. The moderator asked me questions about hormone imbalance, hormone testing and possible treatments. I have had quite a few patients comment on how helpful it was to hear this interview so I would like to share it with all of you. Just click on the link and then scroll down to my photo and hit the play button I hope you enjoy it and would love to answer any questions you might have. Let me know what you think!

Eat more chocolate and weigh less????

A recent study published at the University of CA at San Diego noted that people who ate chocolate 5 times a week had a BMI(body mass index) that was one point lower than individuals who did not regularly consume chocolate. A one point change in BMI is actually significant: for someone who stands 5’7″, that represents a 5 pound weight difference.
This was an observational study that looked at 1018 healthy individuals aged 20-85 and included both men and women. This cohort ate a nutritious, balanced diet and exercised regularly. The study gathered its data via a questionnaire which asked the participants “How many times/week do you eat chocolate?”(no distinction was made as to the particular type of chocolate consumed). In general it was noted that the individuals who ate chocolate actually consumed more calories than the group who did not.

So many different choices of chocolate to choose from: here is just one section of an aisle at the Whole Foods Market In Austin, TX

So what is going on here??? Several theories have emerged to explain why this occurred. First, chocolate contains compounds called polyphenols. The ones that are in chocolate in particular can inhibit pancreatic lipase, which is an enzyme that is responsible for digesting fat. This action has been observed in test tubes and in mice only so far and showed that after consumption, chocolate exits the body before its calories can be absorbed. This explains one possible mechanism of action. Another explanation is that chocolate contains compounds that actually increase the energy that cells produce, resulting in an increase in metabolic rate.
An additional health benefit of eating chocolate is that is contains anti-oxidants called flavenoids. These flavenoids are anti-inflammatory, lower blood pressure, improve vascular functioning, affect metabolism and increase insulin sensitivity.
Of course, chocolate consumption should not be unlimited, as there is clearly a point where some of these health benefits will be negated by consuming too many calories and in some cases, too much sugar. Recommendations for optimal health are to eat one ounce of dark chocolate a day or add cocoa powder to a beverage.
Of note, this study was NOT funded by the chocolate industry, but rather by the NIH(National Institute of Health), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the UCSD Clinical Research Center. And although this particular study didn’t differentiate between the types of chocolate consumed, dark chocolate contains higher levels of anti-oxidants and it is always healthier to choose organically produced chocolate. I have to admit I still love a high quality milk chocolate(Lindt is my personal favorite) but I have grown to appreciate rich, full-bodied and dense dark chocolates.

An example of a delicious rich organic dark chocolate

So enjoy some chocolate, in moderation of course, and feel just a little less guilty when you do. And please share some of YOUR personal favorite brands, as well as any wonderful chocolate recipes.
Bon appétit!