| It is challenging
to maintain a healthy hormone balance in today’s world. We live in a
sea of synthetic chemicals, our food is laced with hormones and
pesticides (many of which are converted in the body into powerful
estrogen-like compounds called xenoestrogens), and we often take
synthetic estrogens and progesterones for a variety of “medical”
reasons. We are consuming more and more soy products, which are
loaded with plant estrogens and progesterones. Plus, we are under a
great deal of stress in our everyday lives. These factors all can
have a significant impact on hormone levels. Conditions such as PMS,
menopause, fibrocystic breast conditions, osteoporosis, heart
disease, and even some cancers, such as those from the breast,
ovary, and uterus, are strongly related to estrogen levels. The FDA
has recently categorized estrogen as an official carcinogen.
It is possible to
measure hormone levels and determine if they are appropriate for
you. At the Health Medicine Center (HMC) we measure levels of estrogen, progesterone,
testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol in saliva (to measure the active
free form of these hormones), as well as thyroid function tests,
when there are problems related to women’s health issues. Based on
the results of these tests it is generally possible to treat these
conditions quite effectively. We pay attention to how your body
detoxifies hormones, and to nutritional approaches that can
manipulate their levels. Lifestyle strategies play an important role
in regulating hormone levels. This includes getting enough exercise,
eating healthy foods, getting adequate sleep, and reducing stress.
| Chris
had PMS most all her life. Month after month she was
plagued with bloating, fluid retention, severe pain in
her back and low abdomen, and she was irritable. Nobody
wanted to be around her just before her period. One
morning Chris came to work at the HMI and was doubled
over with pain, was sweating, and hadn’t slept the
entire night—her PMS was out of control. She stopped by
my office to see if the photonic stimulator was
available to treat her pain. Within five minutes of
treating her with infrared light, her symptoms had
totally cleared and she began to feel her normal self.
Chris worked that day!
Chris was
then worked up with salivary hormone testing for levels
of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and
cortisol. She was found to have low progesterone levels,
which suggested that she was likely having anovulatory
cycles. By adjusting her hormonal balance with small
doses of topical natural progesterone during the last
half of her cycle Chris’ recurring PMS finally cleared.
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