Female Hormones

• CoQ10 enhances mitochondrial energy for high-demand heart tissues, helps maintain normal blood pressure, and fights free-radical damage. Some studies show that individuals with heart disease have low levels of CoQ10. Take 30 mg twice daily with food. 
• L-carnitine works with CoQ10 by carrying fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are converted to energy and help your heart work more efficiently. Take 1,000-2,000 mg daily between meals.
• Natookinase is a powerful enzyme that can help lower blood pressure and support normal blood clotting. Take 100-200 mg per day.

Declines in muscle mass and physical strength are common effects of menopause. The drop in female hormones at menopause, particularly estrogen, doesn’t just increase body fat; it also diminishes the strength and size of muscles. This muscle loss boosts the risk for a separate set of conditions, including insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and traumatic injuries caused by loss of strength and athleticism. So, it’s incredibly important that menopausal women hold on to the muscle they have and, ideally, gain back the muscle they've already lost.

To build muscle in your postmenopausal years, you must add weight training and/or resistance exercises to your natural weight loss plan and workout routine. But lifting weights is not your only option. Studies show that aquatic resistance training and using a whole-body vibration device are both excellent options. I wrote about these suggestions in great detail in the December 2009 issue of my newsletter, Women's Wellness Today. For more information on this topic, you can subscribe and gain access to years of back issues, including this one.



 

The bottom line is you shouldn’t have to put up with adult acne. These natural skin care solutions can help you enjoy clear, blemish-free skin every day.

In traditional Asian medicine, health and well-being are believed to be a balance of two equally important, but opposing, principles—yin and yang. Yin is associated with attributes such as femininity, receptivity, calmness, coolness, and moisture. Yin also regulates the fluids, blood, and tissues of your body, as well as its structural components, including flesh, tendons, and bones. Yang, on the other hand, is associated with masculinity, aggression, heat, and dryness. It also regulates your body’s energy, which acts as the spark plug to your structural elements.

In younger women, this balance seems to be maintained almost effortlessly. But maintaining an optimal yin-yang balance becomes much more difficult once you reach middle age and menopause, when it’s common to experience symptoms such as menopause hot flashes, night sweats, tissue dryness, insomnia, and mood swings. In Asian medicine, these menopause symptoms occur, in part, because yin becomes deficient. But in Western medicine, these bodily changes are explained by the decline in estrogen—which, coincidentally, is a yin-like element.

To restore your yin--and, as a result, balance your estrogen levels--you can take a variety of yin-supporive herbs. One such supplement is royal jelly, which has been used for centuries to balance female hormones, promote reproductive health, and ease menopause symptoms. Take 1/4 teaspoon of the liquid form of organic royal jelly twice a day.

In more recent black cohosh news, according to a study in the March 2003 issue of the journal Maturitas, specific formulation of black cohosh, known among researchers as “CR BNO 1055,” has been found to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors—completely eliminating the hot flashes in nearly half of the women.

Black cohosh also builds bone strength as effectively as estrogen, and it decreases vaginal dryness. In conventional review studies, black cohosh is the one therapy that is universally named as the most effective for hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings--and overall balancing of estrogen levels.

I suggest taking taking 80–160 mg of a standardized extract of black cohosh twice a day. This dose should contain 2 to 4 mg of the active components (triterpenes, calculated as 27-deoxyacteine). One good brand to try is Bionorica’s Menopret.

#5: Soy isoflavones

Soy is a hormone substitute that provides a safe, estrogen-like effect in your body to balance your female hormones.

Soybeans contain active compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen produced in your body. Soy contains two phytoestrogens--genistein and daidzein, which belong to the class of chemicals called isoflavones. Asian women eat much more soy products than most American women, whose isoflavone intake is very low. This was confirmed in a study published in the Lancet, which found that Japanese women who regularly ate a range of soy products had 100 to 1,000 times more isoflavone breakdown products in their urine than Western women. Additionally, menopausal women in Japan are rarely troubled by symptoms such as hot flashes.

In the meantime, for menopause relief and balanced estroten levels, take 50–100 mg of soy isoflavones each day, either through foods or isoflavone capsules, or a combination of both. If you are allergic to soy, or if it causes you digestive upset, then avoid consuming it entirely.

Premenopause is the first stage of menopause. Thanks to the imbalance of progesterone and estrogen levels in your body, it's common to experience irregular periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, and less frequent ovulation. Fortunately, you can take certain supplements to regulate your female hormones and your periods. 

Soy isoflavones provide estrogen-like support to balance out fluctuating hormones, without the risks of conventional hormone replacement therapy. Take 50–100 mg daily.

Bioflavonoids also have estrogen-like effects in the body. When taken with vitamin C, they strengthen blood vessels, thereby reducing heavy menstrual bleeding. They also modulate estrogen levels. Take 1,500–3000 mg daily, along with 1,000–3,000 mg of vitamin C.

Vitex (Chaste tree berry) normalizes the secretion of female hormones and helps to bring estrogen levels and progesterone levels into balance. Take 40 mg daily. 

• L-dopa is the natural precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine--which is a powerful physical arouser. I recommend using an extract of the herb Mucuna pruriens—a concentrated natural L-dopa source. Try Herbal Herbal Powers Mucuna Pruriens. Take 300 mg per day in capsule form, standardized to 60 mg L-dopa.
• L-arginine is an amino acid shown to be effective in sending blood to the clitoris, which boosts physical sensitivity and arousal. Take 500 mg one to three times a day, or try a product called ArginMax for Women. 
• Maca is a root vegetable with aphrodisiac qualities. The traditional dose is between 2 to 10 grams, but start low and work up to the dose that gives you the desired effects. 

While this may seem like the title of a bad B-movie, it is actually a pretty accurate description of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). If you are like me and suffer from PCOS, you know how frustrating and difficult this condition can be. On one hand, you suffer with the effects of too much testosterone, including acne and increased growth of hair on the face, abdomen, upper thighs, chest, and back. Plus, you must contend with estrogen dominance issues, such as infertility and menstrual irregularities.

As if that weren’t bad enough, us PCOS women are also at risk for insulin resistance, which can cause many sufferers to become severely overweight, putting us at risk for diabetes and diabetic complications.

Part of the difficulty with PCOS is that it has multiple underlying causes, namely a number of different hormonal imbalances. Specifically, the production of the pituitary’s luteinizing hormone is significantly elevated in women with PCOS, while the production of the pituitary’s follicle-stimulating hormone is normal or slightly diminished. The imbalances in these female hormones upset the normal production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone by the ovaries and adrenal glands, disrupting the healthy balance between all three of these female sex hormones.

Fortunately, by following a particular diet (namely one geared toward women with estrogen dominance), and taking some targeted nutrients, you can find relief from PCOS. I know, because I have. And I’ll share the diet and nutrients with you in future postings.

If you tend to eat out frequently, then you know that it is tough enough to make healthy choices, let alone having those choices reflect your particular hormonal makeup. To help you out, Dr. Lark and I created several tools in Hormone Revolution to make your food selections much easier when you are dining out.

Whether you tend to be overall acidic woman dealing with menopause problems or a more alkaline, woman with estrogen dominance or someone with low estrogen levels but excess yin, eating out can prove to be tricky since you are not the one preparing the food.

Traditionally, people have chosen mostly highly acidic dishes and entrées when eating in restaurants. Luckily, all-American, overly acidic fare such as the 16-ounce porterhouse steak, French fries, and rich, sugary deserts, and French cuisine with its heavy butter- and cream-based sauces have been replaced or supplemented in many restaurants by lighter, healthier, and less acidic, more alkaline dishes. This is true both in American restaurants and in those serving ethnic cuisines. The important thing is to know which dishes on the menu represent the less acidic, more alkaline options and to select a variety of these types of dishes when dining out.

International Cuisine

The following list can help you make healthy choices, particularly if you are working hard to balance your female hormones. In general, you will want to order salads, non-dairy soups, vegetable or bean appetizers and side dishes, and vegetarian or fish entrées. Remember, most restaurants are willing to make up vegetarian entrées and platters at your request, even if they are not on the menu.

• American cuisine: salad or salad bars, bean or vegetable soups, baked potatoes, rice, vegetable side dishes or platters, fish or shellfish entrées.
• Italian cuisine: escarole soup, bean or minestrone soup, white bean salad, Caesar salad, risotto, polenta (cornmeal) with a mushroom sauce, grilled eggplant entrée, fish or shellfish entrées.
• French cuisine: vegetable or seafood salads, nondairy soups, vegetable side dishes, stewed beans, fish or shellfish entrées.
• Indian cuisine: lentils, rice pilafs, cucumber salad, curried vegetable or shellfish dishes.
• Chinese cuisine: stir-fried vegetables, sizzling rice soup, tofu or bean curd dishes, steamed rice, shrimp and mixed vegetable entrées.
• Japanese cuisine: Japanese salads, miso soup, sticky rice, sushi, side dishes and soups made with vegetables and tofu.
• Mexican cuisine: mixed vegetable salads, tostada salad, bean and rice side dishes, bean or shrimp burritos, chicken or shrimp fajitas, bean or seafood tacos (skip the cheese and sour cream).

The month of October is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. As you likely know, celiac (also known as sprue) is an intolerance to the protein (gluten) found in wheat, rye, and barley. Current statistics show that about one in every 100 people is affected with celiac disease.

Symptoms range from mild to severe bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, fatigue, aches, flu-like symptoms, and/or mood swings. Any of these sound familiar? They should…they are similar symptoms to conditions as varied as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, and even fibromyalgia. No wonder so many people are either misdiagnosed or never even seen.

While celiac disease represents the extreme end of a gluten disorder, women with even a mild to moderate case of wheat or gluten intolerance (like me) can put their health at risk if they keep wheat on the menu. Some of the conditions that can be trigger by even a slight wheat intolerance include digestive inflammation, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, estrogen level imbalances, false fat-related weight issues, and migraine headaches.

In the case of digestive inflammation, wheat and other food allergies or intolerances can cause bloating and fluid retention in the abdomen. In addition to swelling and bloat (the “false fat”), wheat intolerance can cause intestinal gas and bowel changes.

Additionally, allergens such as wheat stress your adrenals, thereby triggering the release of anti-inflammatory hormones. Over time, these repeated allergic reactions can weaken your adrenals, greatly increasing your susceptibility to stress of all types and can lead to fatigue and low energy. Plus, recent studies indicate that an astounding 80 to 93 percent of women suffering from migraines also suffer from food allergies that trigger their headaches, and wheat is one of the most common allergens that triggers these incredibly painful headaches.

Finally, wheat can wreak havoc on your hormones. For women suffering from menopause problems, wheat can trigger mood shifts, due in part to your growing inability to produce enough enzymes that are needed to digest wheat properly and easily.  And for women like me who tend toward estrogen dominance, wheat can throw your estrogen levels even more out-of-whack, due in part to the high carb content, as well as the inflammation factor.

Clearly, wheat is one ingredient to keep off your plate. On Friday, I’ll give you a few tips and brands that make going wheat-free an easy and delicious choice for your health.

Interestingly, with age, the human immune system undergoes something called immunosenescence—a decline in the number and function of immune cells in the bone marrow, blood, and tissues; and a decline in the ability of immune cells to communicate with each other and find the infection, and fight effectively once they get there.

Before menopause, when your female hormones are abundant, your immune system is stronger than a man’s at any age because estrogen is a natural immunostimulant. But as hormonal imbalances and premenopause/menopause occur, another change occurs in your body--your defenses take a hit that’s harder than an older man’s body ever has to deal with. So, along with menopause symptoms like night sweats and menopause hot flashes, another effect of menopause is your immune system's weakening.

These are just a few tips to help oost your immunity and protect yourself against illness this year:

Take zinc. Zinc levels, which are a critical competent for immune response, commonly decline with age, which accelerates immunosenescence. Take10–25 mg of zinc daily, plus 2 mg of copper (because zinc depletes copper). 

Take Propolis, a sticky compound bees produce to seal and protect honey-filled compartments, is rich in immune-modulating polyphenolic compounds. I recommend green Brazilian propolis from Uniflora Health Foods (http://store.uniflora.us).

 Vitamin D3, (the “sunshine” vitamin) is also critically important for immunity. It is critical for healthy mucosal barriers lining your respiratory tract, reproductive tract, eyes, and digestive system. Those barriers are your immune system’s first line of defense, keeping pathogens from getting past their guard. Take at least 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.  

Wishing you the best of health this fall and winter!