Hormones Part I: Hormonal Balance is the Key to Vibrant Health for Women

Hormones fill us with the music of life. With proper levels of hormones, there is no end to how good life can feel and what can be accomplished. When hormones are abundant and balanced, we have the full backing of Mother Nature. She is on our side, wanting to keep us alive and healthy enough for reproduction. When hormones decline and reproductive ability ceases, we are no longer useful in the scheme of life, and we are taken out just like a quarterback who can no longer perform. In the past several years there has been a tremendous effort in America to convince women that their hormones are their enemies. But the truth is that no matter how much organic food you eat, how many supplements you take, and how much exercise you get, vibrant health will elude you unless your hormones are at optimal levels and balanced.

Why the medical establishment ignores bioidentical hormones

For several decades women were given synthetic hormone substitution referred to as HRT. The products used were laboratory created or conjugated compounds that in no way replicated what is naturally produced in the female body. Then many studies showed in a big way that some of these patented compounds were dangerous to health, just like many other products made by pharmaceutical companies to treat a variety of diseases. When the results of this test became public, women were frightened, and well meaning physicians who knew no other alternative to HRT stopped prescribing these hormone drugs. That was the end of hormone replacement for women in America.

In Europe, bioidentical hormones have been used by women for decades. Bioidenticals are plant-derived molecularly identical replicas of the hormones naturally produced by the human body. Prescriptions for bioidentical hormones can be tailored to the specific treatment needs of each patient, allowing for flexibility in administration and dosage. Numerous studies published in highly respected international journals have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. If this information became mainstream knowledge in America, it would eliminate women’s fears and spark a stampede to get prescriptions for bioidentical hormones. Unfortunately, medicine in the U.S. continues to be held in the grip of pharmaceutical companies.

Medical students are taught to administer pharmaceuticals, and it is the pharmaceutical companies that provide the on-the-job-training for physicians. It is not in the best interests of these companies to mention bioidentical hormones since they are natural substances and therefore cannot be patented. There is little or no money to be made by the pharmaceutical companies from bioidentical hormones. Women and also men who do not receive bioidentical hormone replacement when their hormone levels decline are almost guaranteed to develop degenerative disease and misery, conditions most beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry.

Hormonal loss begins long before menopause

There is a tendency to think that reproductive hormone levels are fine until menopause sets in sometime around age 55. In reality, hormone levels in women start to fall off as early as age 30 and accelerate from there, with testosterone levels being the first to fall. Periods become irregular and unpredictable, mood changes, signs of PMS develop, hair begins to thin, and weight gain starts to be a problem. One of the surest signs that testosterone levels are declining is a loss of libido. Sexual activity that used to seem so beautiful, satisfying and sharing can become almost a nuisance. With declining testosterone levels, the vibrant woman that was you begins to disappear.

As the hormonal imbalance accelerates, these symptoms are joined by night sweats, anxiety, depression, fatigue, loss of energy, headaches, loss of focus and attention, poor muscle tone, decreased exercise tolerance, osteoporosis, rising cholesterol levels, cardiac dysfunction, inability to tolerate stress, memory loss and cognitive decline. At this point that person who used to be you is effectively gone and nothing but hormone replacement will bring her back.

Nursing homes are full of women. Forty percent of them are there as the result of breaking one of their brittle bones. Most of the other 60 are there because their brains have deteriorated to the point where they can no longer be trusted to care for themselves. Hormone deficiency is responsible for this situation. It these women had received bioidentical hormone replacement earlier in life, the risks of fracture, osteoporosis and dementia would have been greatly reduced. Most of these women would be living out their golden years leading active, satisfying and happy lives.

Reproductive hormones are minor hormones with major consequences in the body

Reproductive hormones are called minor hormones because a person can continue to live (sort of) without them. Familiarity with the functions of these hormones will make it easy to tell when symptoms are reflecting hormonal decline or imbalance.

Estrogen is the hormone that produces the essence of femininity. It is powerful stuff that shapes the uniqueness of a woman`s mind, emotion and body. Estrogen powers the transformation from childhood to womanhood and sets the stage for implantation and nourishment of the early embryo. It makes a woman feel sensual, bringing fullness to the breasts, clarity to the mind, and moisture to the vagina. Estrogen is the foundation of female pride, vitality and sensuality. It is this essence that is lost when hormonal levels decline.

There are more than 300 bodily systems on which estrogen has a major effect, including many tissues and organs such as brain, liver, bones, skin, urinary tract and circulatory system.

Estrogen deficiency is usually the cause of those awful migraines women suffer during their late 20’s and on from there. Estrogen directly decreases inflammation by blocking a molecule called NFkB (nuclear factor kappa beta). NFkB is in large part responsible for inflammation throughout the body. When estrogen levels are low there is nothing to block this molecule and women become vulnerable to migraines.

Symptoms are signals that there is something going on that needs attention and should not be ignored. Memory loss and dropped thoughts are symptoms of hormonal decline and imbalance. Estrogen decreases beta-amyloid plaquing and helps prevent Alzheimer`s disease and dementia. It also helps neurons connect to each other in the brain, making replacement of declining levels absolutely critical to brain health in women.

Although traditional doctors and the pharmaceutical industry would like women to believe otherwise, several recent studies have shown that estrogen is the factor behind the decreasing rates of breast cancer in menopausal women who are supplementing their declining estrogen levels. When ovaries are removed or become atrophied during menopause, the breasts start to produce more estrogen, because there is an aromatase enzyme that turns on. A study reported by Dr. Khalid Mahmud involved removal of the ovaries in baboons, a species quite similar to humans. The baboons were then given estrogen. This supplemental estrogen turned off the aromatase production in the breasts of the baboons. This is the classical negative feedback loop. Baboons got supplemental estrogen and it acted as an aromatase inhibitor. The study suggests that giving bioidentical estrogen to females who are no longer producing adequate amounts of it because they are in menopause reduces the production of estrogen in the breasts.

Women who are perceived to be at high risk of breast cancer by the medical establishment or who have already had breast tumors removed are typically placed on Tamoxifin or other aromatase inhibitors such as arimidex, femara and aromasin, drugs that often produce debilitating side effects. If these women were given bioidentical estrogen along with progesterone and testosterone, they would be giving their bodies what they sorely need instead of depleting them of their last bit of this critical hormone.

Estrogen is a broad category with three main members, estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is produced in the ovaries by the aromatization process during which the androgen hormone androstenedione is converted to estrone, which is then converted to estradiol. Smaller amounts of estradiol are produced by the adrenal cortex, brain and arterial walls. Testosterone can also be converted to estradiol in the body.

Estradiol is the growth hormone responsible for breast enlargement as well as changes in the body shape affecting bones, joints and fat deposition. It modifies fat structure and skin composition, and plays a significant role in a woman`s mental health. Sudden withdrawal, fluctuating levels, and periods of sustained low levels correlate with mood depression and anxiety.

Estradiol has been shown repeatedly in studies to be protective of breast tissue when balanced with progesterone and testosterone. It restrains bone loss, and improves memory and sleep. Estradiol is what gives a woman soft supple skin, a full head of shiny hair, and the radiance associated with the term beauty.

Estrone is secreted by the ovaries and the adrenal cortex. It is the only form of estrogen that is naturally present in any quantity in post-menopausal women, hence its nickname old lady estrogen. Estrone should exist in an ideal ratio of 1 to 2 with estradiol. As women age and estradiol production declines this ratio becomes unbalanced, a condition that is strongly associated with breast cancer development. This is the primary reason that breast cancer does not usually develop until women have reached menopause and estradiol levels have declined enough to create a serious imbalance in this ratio. In pre-menopausal testosterone can also be converted into excessive estrone, a condition that can be easily prevented by taking supplements of DIM an extract from broccoli. For more information about DIM see http://www.naturalnews.com/023364.html.

Estriol is a metabolite of estradiol and estrone, that`s made in the placenta during pregnancy. During this very critical time in life when the developing embryo is differentiating into hands, feet, eyeballs, brain and myriad other functional organs, it is bathed in estriol. Dr. John Lee, pioneer researcher of women`s hormones, believed that this feature of estriol means it is highly protective of the DNA blueprint, otherwise our species would not have been successful.

As long ago as 1987, estriol was unequivocally shown to be protective against cancer of the breast and uterus in a five-year clinical trial. This protective effect was attributed to ability of estriol to induce a more mature state of the breast glandular cells, rendering them less susceptible to damage by radiation and chemicals. It is this mechanism by which early pregnancy results in as much as a 50 to 70 percent reduction in breast cancer risk later in life: pregnancy raises estriol levels dramatically.

In pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS), estriol noticeably reduces disease symptoms according to researchers at UCLA Medical School. MS is a disease that strikes women at the time of hormonal decline.

Progesterone has a calming effect in the body. It builds bone, and is a natural diuretic and fat burner. It restores proper cellular oxygen levels, improves vascular tone, normalizes blood clotting, and prevents cyclical migraines and arterial plaque. Progesterone helps balance the actions of estrogen and acts with estrogen and testosterone to prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases. A low level of progesterone results in irritability, anxiety, obsessive behaviors, weight gain, itching, bloating, sweating, digestive problems, flatulence, and loss of memory.

Progesterone is naturally present in the body only during the second half of the monthly cycle. The declining level of progesterone is what causes breasts to swell and be painful during this time. While synthetic progestin drugs administered continuously rather than cyclically have been implicated in breast cancer, natural bioidentical progesterone administered during the second half of the menstrual cycle acts to prevent all hormone related cancers. Since progesterone is present in the body naturally for about 15 days a month, replacement bioidentical progesterone should follow this pattern. It is only during pregnancy that progesterone is continuously present in the body for a sustained period of time.

Many women experience estrogen dominance, a term that does not mean an excess of estrogen. It means there is not enough progesterone. This condition is characterized by heavy bleeding that may include clots, unexplained weight gain, bloating, and an intestinal tract that feels like it is filled with concrete. Pre-menopausal women who are still producing an adequate amount of estrogen can often regain hormonal balance simply by buying a tube of progesterone cream at a health food store or online health retailer, and applying it as directed for the second 15 days of the monthly cycle. All the progesterone creams sold at such places are bioidentical.

Progesterone deficiency following pregnancy is the culprit during post-partum depression. Instead of taking a synthetic anti-depressant that would provide a host of unpleasant side effects and would appear in breast milk, progesterone cream can be safely used after giving birth until a feeling of normalcy returns.

Testosterone is the hormone of personality. It provides motivation, assertiveness, a sense of power and control, feelings of well being, and enhanced drive. With adequate testosterone women are able to take risks, act assertively and live their lives with zest. Without testosterone women exist as if in black and white. It is testosterone that brings them into full living color.

Testosterone conveys powerful anti-aging effects for women. It works with estrogen to keep skin supple, increase bone mineral density, boost mood, and increase the ability to handle stress. It turns fat into muscle and makes exercise workouts worthwhile. Low levels of testosterone are associated with heart attack, Alzheimer`s disease, osteoporosis, and depression. Testosterone improves looks, figure, energy, outlook, enjoyment of living, sex appeal and sexual fulfillment.

Females produce increased amounts of testosterone during puberty. Levels peak in their early twenties, and as they decline sex drive declines too. By the time she reaches menopause, a woman will have only about half of the testosterone she once had.

Women have a high estrogen to testosterone ratio. It is this ratio that keeps them looking and feeling good. Testosterone is produced in the ovaries and improves clitoral and nipple sensitivity, libido, and the ease and quality of orgasms. Loss of testosterone leads to fatigue, memory loss, abdominal fat, weight gain, panic attacks and lack of motivation.

It is testosterone along with progesterone that balances the effects of estrogen allowing women the full benefits of estrogen without the danger of breast cancer. It reduces inflammation, protects the heart, lowers LDL and raises HDL cholesterol, and normalizes blood glucose levels.

As with the other hormones, balance is the key when using testosterone. Signs of too much testosterone are facial hair, coarsening body hair, acne, and aggression. Testosterone can be converted to DHT resulting in hair loss on the head. This is remedied with the herb saw palmetto. Testosterone promotes muscle development. Without it, a woman can exercise all day and never gain muscle mass. This feature allows testosterone to support better functioning of two critical organs, the brain and heart. Without testosterone the brain loses the ability to function well and the heart loses its strength.

Sources:

Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B. GYN., Natural Hormone Balance.

Kathy Maupin, M.D./O.B. Gyn., Founder of BioBalance for Women.

John Lee M.D., What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer.

Khalid Mahmud, M.D. interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Chapter 22, Breakthrough.

Hormones Part II: Four Minor Hormones have Major Consequences in the Body

When hormones are in optimal amounts and balanced, the body is ready to play the music of life. Like an orchestra when some of the players have taken the day off, the body can’t make beautiful music without all of its hormones being present and working together. Achieving hormonal balance takes some time, dedication and work. It is best done with the help of a physician who specializes in anti-aging medicine or hormonal balance. It is often achieved only after a period of trial and error, but it is work that has a big payoff. Full hormonal orchestration not only makes you feel great, act great and look great, it provides the best protection there is against the horrors of aging and degenerative disease. In addition to the sex hormones, optimal levels and balance of four other minor hormones can keep you dancing to the music of the cosmos.

Melatonin puts us to sleep and keeps our immune systems strong

Melatonin is the timekeeper of the body, allowing for sound and deep sleep. It is secreted by the light sensitive pineal gland that regulates the biological clock and synchronizes the hormone-immune network. It is also produced by the retina and in the gastrointestinal system. Melatonin keeps the body in tune with the circadian rhythm, rising with darkness and falling with light. It is melatonin that makes you yawn and feel compelled to sleep when it gets dark, even if you do not want to. Melatonin keeps the rhythm for the body to maintain its balance with the rest of nature and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Declining level of melatonin is central in the aging process of the body. Typically, somewhere in the mid thirties the pineal gland begins to become calcified and melatonin production starts to diminish, setting in motion a shift in the way the cells of the body operate. The body moves from a mode of repair and rejuvenation to one of aging and degeneration. This is why maintaining an optimal level of melatonin is so important. Degeneration and aging-related diseases such as arteriosclerosis, autoimmunity, depressed immune system, cancer, and metabolic conditions are promoted by the de-synchronization of the hormonal system, and its loss of cyclicality and rhythm.

The connection between melatonin and aging was dramatically demonstrated in a study where melatonin was added to the drinking water of laboratory animals resulting in an increase in their life spans of 30 percent. Older animals drinking water containing melatonin became more vigorous and healthy. In another experiment, pineal glands from younger mice were transplanted into older mice that then lived much longer than expected. Their pineal glands were transplanted into younger mice who then died much sooner than expected.

The invention of the electric light bulb has played havoc with the rhythms orchestrated by melatonin. Production of melatonin is cued by the coming darkness of night. When we stay up late with the lights on, night never comes and the whole melatonin-prolactin cycle is thrown off. It is at night that the body recuperates and regenerates tissues and organs, and restores glycogen reserves. When melatonin levels stay low, this body maintenance can not take place. This is why it is so important to go to bed close to the time darkness settles in, and to sleep in a room that is completely dark. We have learned to fight the signal from melatonin that it is bedtime, especially in the fall when darkness descends so early. We yawn and stretch and turn on even more lights to keep ourselves awake, ignoring the signals of our bodies. The result of such actions is a body in a state of melatonin deprivation long before we reach the age of thirty-five.

When the body is able to produce the needed amount of melatonin it can directly kill many different types of cancer cells. Melatonin is a naturally produced cytotoxin that easily induces death in tumor cells. It can also retard tumor metabolism and development by lowering the body temperature, as it is a natural inducer of hypothermia. It has also been shown to inhibit the spread of the AIDS virus. And it is protective of all the organs in the body, particularly the pancreas.

Supplemental melatonin is available at health food stores and online. It is very inexpensive. According to hormone balancing specialist, Dr. Uzzi Reiss, a healthy pineal gland produces 2.5 milligrams of melatonin every twenty-four hours. For him the ideal supplemental level for anti-aging is 1 to 5 milligrams. He prescribes supplementation up to 20 milligrams a day for cancer protection.

Human growth hormone is the quintessential anti-aging hormone

Human growth hormone (HGH) has a bad reputation because of its frequent abuse by athletes. Now people think that if they supplement with it they will turn into Andre the Giant. This is too bad since it is HGH that keeps us looking and feeling young, trim and fit well into what people consider to be the years of old age.

Children are loaded with HGH. It is the hormone that promotes growth during childhood. By the time the age of thirty is reached, the levels of HGH have declined to about 20 percent of their childhood peak. At this stage the body is no longer able to repair all the damage that is occurring and the aging process continues to accelerate.

HGH is released by the pituitary gland and is beneficial for the brain, cardiovascular system, immune system, aerobic capacity of blood and tissue, and body and bone composition. It enters the blood stream in bursts during sleep, especially the deep sleep that occurs after midnight. It’s also produced during exercise provided the exercise is done on an empty stomach. It is transported to the liver where it is converted to insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a messenger molecule that travels to all parts of the body to stimulate cell production and growth. HGH is responsible for cellular rejuvenation, and low levels lead to aging.

Symptoms of HGH deficiency are wrinkled or sagging skin, thinning bones, loss of muscle strength, accumulation of body fat, decreased heart function, lowered immunity, thinning hair, decreased stamina and vigor, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. It is great for weight control and re-contouring the body with loss of belly fat, the area associated with increased risk of heart attack and diabetes. A study of overweight women on HGH found a loss of more than 4.6 pounds of fat, mostly in the abdomen while lean body mass increased. More than twenty-eight thousand studies on the hormone have shown that supplementation with HGH is the closest we have to a fountain of youth.

Typically, HGH replacement should begin around age 30. In older people, HGH replacement can reverse signs of aging by 5 to 15 percent per year or more. There is no other single therapy that can have the impact on the aging body that HGH does. In addition to reducing excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, and increasing muscle mass, HGH can reduce wrinkling, restore internal organs that have atrophied with age, increase bone density, reverse cognitive deterioration, strengthen the immune system, stimulate bone marrow cell production resulting in more red blood cells, and reduce the chances of a nursing home as your end destination.

Supplemental HGH is available in injectable form. It is sold by prescription, and prescriptions are difficult to get since the FDA does not seem to want fit and healthy old people around. It is usually only physicians who specialize in anti-aging medicine or hormone replacement that will prescribe HGH. Anyone able to obtain a prescription for HGH will find it readily available at most pharmacies but at a high price. Most people supplementing with HGH spend about $300 a month on the hormone and inject it themselves twice a day. They find it to be a very worthwhile investment in their health.

There have been no reports of anyone, anywhere, at any age getting cancer after using HGH for a year or more. Although there are theoretical reasons why HGH might promote cell division, HGH also stimulates the immune system to a level where cancer is does not occur.

IGF-1 is produced in response to growth hormone, and as a result it is a marker for HGH. Since natural HGH is released in surges and has a very short life span in the body, it is not practical to measure HGH levels directly. Because much of HGH is used by the body to produce IGF-1, which has a fairly long lifetime in the body, tests for HGH levels rely on the amount of IGF-1 present.

Supplements of IGF-1 are readily available from online nutritional outlets. Significant amounts of IGF-1 are found in colostrum, the liquid from the first two milkings of a cow after calving. Colostrum is a tremendous immune system booster and conveys a wealth of health benefits. Another way to provide the body with growth factor is by taking chlorella which contains a substance called Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF). Chlorella is also rich in chlorophyll and nucleic acid.

Pregnenolone fights fatigue, boosts memory and more

Pregnenolone is made in the adrenal glands as well as in the liver, ovaries and testicles. It can also be made in the brain and is involved in a variety of brain functions such as memory, concentration and mood.

The body can change pregnenolone into the hormones DHEA or progesterone depending on its needs at a given time. Either of these hormones can be then produce androstenedione, the direct precursor to the other sex hormones including testosterone and the other androgens, and estradiol and the other estrogens. Progesterone can also make cortisol, the stress hormone, and aldosterone, the regulator of blood pressure. This process by which other hormones are made from pregnenolone which is made directly from cholesterol is often referred to as the hormonal cascade.

Clearly, prenenolone is an essential hormone. In the young, prenenolone production averages about 14 mg per day. As the body ages, production declines until at age 75 the body produces about 40% of the amount produced at age 35. As this supply declines, the amount available to make other hormones also decreases.

Although several studies have found that oral pregnenolone reduces fatigue and increases endurance, its claim to fame is its memory enhancement. It accomplishes this by preventing the brain’s neurotransmission system from deteriorating and promoting the release of the neurotransmitter acetycholine. Pregnenolone promotes greater growth of brain cells. The greater the number of brain cells, the greater the ability to retain memories.

Pregnenolone is available without a prescription in creams, capsules and sublingual drops. The usual dosage is 50 to 100 mg. Absorption is best if it is taken with fat.

DHEA is the mother hormone

DHEA is made in the brain and in the adrenal cortex , and is one of the most plentiful hormones in the body. Levels of DHEA decline with age, and a 70 year old has only about 10% of the DHEA produced by a 20 year old.

Diminishing levels of DHEA are linked to a wide range of degenerative diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and many types of cancer. Current research shows that low DHEA levels are a cause of many age related disorders and that oral supplementation with DHEA can slow the ravages of aging.

Adequate levels of DHEA can increase testosterone levels, restore muscle mass, improve the body fat ratio, improve memory, and boost the immune system. It is useful in combating auto-immune disorders, obesity, senile dementia, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression. DHEA promotes flexibility in the body and raises endurance levels.

DHEA is the hormone that helps you reach and keep you ideal weight. It is the basis of the hormone that tells the brain when you have had enough to eat, and inhibits the conversion of glucose to fat. When the body is low on DHEA fat piles on quickly whenever carbohydrates are eaten since there is nothing to inhibit the conversion of glucose to fat.

DHEA protects against arteriosclerosis by lowering cholesterol and insulin levels. This mechanism keeps you safe from diabetes if you eat a healthy diet. It is another hormone that keeps the immune system strong, preventing cancer. It protects the brain from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s by protecting neurons.

DHEA is available without a prescription almost anywhere supplements are sold. The average dose for women is 10 to 12 mg. a day. For men it is 25 mg. a day. DHEA peaks in the body in the morning, so supplements should also be taken in the morning to maintain the circadian rhythm. If you suspect you have a DHEA deficiency, it is best to confirm it with a blood test before beginning supplementation. As with all the hormones, the goal is to attain a physiological level, meaning that you want to restore the level your body made naturally when it was at its peak.

Sources:

Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B. GYN., Natural Hormone Balance for Women.

Melatonin, Mayo Clinic.

John Lee, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer.

Eric Braverman, M.D. interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.

Howard Liebowitz, M.D. interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.

Hormones Part III: Optimal Levels of Cortisol, Insulin and Thyroid are Essential to Vibrant Health

People of today are seeking quality of life, in the midst of a polluted world, an onslaught of chemicals, and a medical establishment educated to reflect corporate interests rather than the interests of patients. They live in a country where the number one gross national product is stress. On top of that, they are the generation whose future is being diminished by the implementation globalism and the move toward one world government. Now more than ever, it is imperative for people to keep themselves at the peak of health, a peak that is based on a foundation of optimal and balanced hormone levels. It is this hormonal foundation that is the bedrock of support for people trying to live the life they want in today’s world.

All the stress and chemicals in the environment along with poor diet choices have caused people to experience hormonal decline at an earlier and earlier age. Hormonal imbalance is showing up in men and women as early as the late twenties. Many people in their thirties are in unrecognized hormonal decline that saps their energy, causes weight gain, and makes their thinking foggy, rendering them into a state where they are unable to act in their own best interests. They are experiencing record levels of depression and sleeplessness. Their traditional physicians answer their symptoms with the prescription pad, adding even more chemicals to the pile without addressing the causes of these symptoms. This failure to address hormonal imbalance by the traditional medical establishment means that people who want to live a long, happy, disease-free life will need to intervene on their own.

Each of the hormones oversees an area of bodily processes, and each person is only as healthy as his or her weakest hormone. The hormonal orchestra requires optimal levels of each player. When one hormone is in decline, the imbalance means the rest will soon follow, causing a downward cascade of all bodily processes. Low levels of estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone lead to erratic production of thyroid, insulin, and cortisol. High cortisol levels and low thyroid levels cause weight gain even when you are eating less and exercising. When cortisol levels are high, sleep is impossible, but heart attack is a real possibility. Knowing what the major hormones do in the body and what happens when you start to lose them will make you aware of how critical they are to your overall health and well being. These hormones are called major because you cannot live without them. When they fall out of balance, the risk of death is increased.

Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone

Everybody has seen people with high cortisol levels. They are the ones who run around like maniacs trying to achieve. The super woman and the power executive are stereotypes of the high cortisol person. Cortisol is also the hormone of road rage.

Cortisol production increases in response to any stress in the body. It is the body’s survival mechanism, pouring hormone when the fight or flight mechanism is engaged. Cortisol is what allows a mother to lift up a car to save her child. Or what powers a person running away from an attacker. It’s cortisol that gives us the clarity of mind, swiftness and co-ordination of movement, enhanced strength and courage we need to see our way out of threatening situations. These threats can be physical, or psychological.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands. It regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as the body’s use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. When cortisol is secreted, it causes a breakdown of muscle protein, leading to release of amino acids into the blood stream. These amino acids are used by the liver to synthesize glucose for energy. Cortisol leads to the release of energy from fat cells to be used by the muscles. These actions ensure that the brain and body have the energy resources they need for defense.

The problem comes when stress becomes chronic, causing the adrenal glands to continuously produce cortisol. This can lead to overtaxed adrenals that eventually become unable to function. High cortisol levels prevent sleep. When you don not sleep, more hormonal imbalance will follow and the stage becomes set for the onset of degenerative disease. One of the primary causes of continuous physiological stress in women is declining hormone levels. Low estrogen level in the body puts it under a tremendous and continuous stress load. When female hormones are replaced, the ability to sleep returns even in the face of continuing exogenous stress.

There are people who seem to seek out stressful situations and like living on the edge. The continuous flow of cortisol becomes addictive when it translates into feelings of power and euphoria. These people are on their way to adrenal exhaustion. If adrenal exhaustion gets to be severe, it can result in death. Signs of overtaxed adrenal glands are exhaustion, hair falling out, weight gain, irritability, and probably the most telltale sign of all, skin rashes and acne.

When cortisol is doing its job, life seems easy. Stress does not get you down or keep you awake. If cortisol levels are too low, the mood becomes affected. Anxiety begins its downward pull, and you are upset by things you normally would just ignore. Feeling paralyzed between confrontation and escape is a sign of low cortisol as is inability to think clearly in a stressful situation.

Cortisol levels decline with age making it easier for older people to end up with adrenal fatigue. It becomes particularly important at this stage to be able to manage stress effectively. People who are unable to manage their stress for long periods of time are subject to heart attack, stroke and cancer. When stress levels are continuously high as they are in modern life, there is little extra cortisol left to use in your defense when you really need it. If you are unable to bounce back after a particularly stressful physical or psychological encounter, a time out period or a vacation is needed.

Lupus, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, sugar or salt cravings, digestive problems and allergies may indicate high cortisol. Other symptoms are feeling overly stressed, confusion, skin problems, respiratory difficulties, difficulty concentrating, and indifference toward sex.

Weight gain is a problem of low cortisol. People with fatigued adrenal glands from excessive production of cortisol tend to overeat as a way to bolster sagging energy levels. They frequently crave high calorie processed foods because those will prompt a quick energy release. Unfortunately, that quick energy boost is then followed by an even greater energy sag.

Cortisol secretion is promoted by the presence of even the tiniest bit of light. This is why it is so important to sleep in a room that is completely dark with no alarm clock glowing in the dark. Researchers did a study of one hundred subjects who were placed in a completely dark room with the exception of a pin point of light on the back of their knees. Cortisol levels rose in each subject as a result.

Bio-identical cortisol is available by prescription as a last resort for adrenal exhaustion. It needs to be taken religiously four times every day to be effective.

Insulin has a profound effect on aging
Everybody has heard about insulin as it relates to diabetes. Even so, many Americans continue to push their bodies closer to the brink of this disease by overeating processed carbohydrates. They are so addicted to these foods that they refused to admit to themselves that these foods cause diabetes. They prefer to see it as a disease that just happened to single them out for no reason.

Insulin and low blood sugar problems are often the cause of fatigue, irritability, depression, mood swings, poor memory, poor co-ordination, dizziness, and the craving for sweets. Extremely low blood sugar makes you feel like a wet noodle, as though your legs are about to collapse and hurl you to the floor. If blood sugar gets low enough, you will pass and be at risk of death.

Blood sugar (glucose) is the fuel for the body. Balanced blood sugar levels generate mental clarity and ease of physical activity. Excessive intake of grains and other carbohydrates, particularly processed carbohydrates, can create havoc with this balance. All carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body and cause a roller-coaster reaction, destabilizing blood sugar levels.

Insulin is secreted by the pancreas to control the sugar level in the blood. It moves sugar into the cells for use in energy production. When the body is flooded with sugar, the pancreas responds with high insulin production, driving so much sugar into the cells that the levels in the blood become too low, resulting in plummeting energy levels and mood swings. In time, this constant overproduction of insulin creates serious metabolic disturbances throughout the body, including insulin resistance and diabetes.

Elevated insulin levels cause the body to have difficulty breaking down fat, promoting weight gain. Increased blood pressure and free radical activity follow, accelerating aging and the development of disease. Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes have finally been linked to the onset of menopause in journals such as the Journal of Metabolism and Endocrinology, and the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

The bedrock of protection against the high tide of insulin in the body is hormonal balance. After hormones have become balanced, diet becomes another important part of the health regimen with its emphasis on eating whole foods rather than foods that are processed. Carbohydrates should never be eaten alone, but always in conjunction with protein foods. A good rule of thumb is that grams of carbohydrates in any form should not exceed grams of protein at any meal. This makes a chocolate bar with nuts a much better choice than a plain chocolate bar. It seems to go against common sense that a cookie eaten alone will cause greater weight gain than a cookie eaten with a chicken leg, but the chicken leg slows the insulin response to a more normal level. Five minutes of moderate exercise following a meal will also significantly reduce the insulin response.

Foods in their raw state do not product the high level of insulin response that is produced from cooked foods. Anyone who eats carbohydrates unbalanced by protein will probably not achieve the best results from their hormone balancing efforts. Keeping the body well mineralized with supplements such as alfalfa also helps to slow the insulin response.

The thyroid is the master gland of metabolism

Thyroid is the most important hormone since it stimulates cellular energy production. The production of the all other hormones will be impacted when thyroid hormone declines. Every aspect of health will be affected by a poorly functioning thyroid including weight, mental outlook, body temperature, energy level, and the quality of hair and skin. Symptoms of low thyroid hormone are unexplained weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, irregular heartbeat, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, chronic pain, constipation, frequent infections, brittle nails, muscle weakness, low blood pressure, head congestion and sinus problems, joint or muscle pain, hoarseness, and more. Low thyroid levels slow metabolism and energy production. This is why people with low thyroid hormone are always cold, constipated and gain weight without increasing the amount of food they eat.

Selenium is needed for the proper conversion of thyroid hormone. Unbalanced estrogen suppresses thyroid function. Mercury is a thyroid gland contaminate. Stress causes decreased adrenal gland function and prevents the thyroid from functioning optimally.

At the center of each cell is the mitochondria, often referred to as the cellular furnace. It is in this furnace that cellular energy is produced, and it is thyroid hormone that stokes the furnace. Without enough thyroid hormone, the fire begins to go out. This is why old people seem so listless and their simplest movement seems like such a chore. It is as though they have run out of energy and come to a standstill. Younger people also frequently show symptoms of low cellular energy. These are the people who fall asleep in meeting and while reading a book. When cellular energy gets low enough, you literally cannot stay awake and will eventually die.

Thyroid problems develop at any age and usually go so slowly as to remain unnoticed in the beginning. At least 27 million Americans are estimated to have an undiagnosed thyroid problem, and most of them are females. Depression and panic attacks are additional symptoms of thyroid problems that seem to plague only women. If you are tired when you get up after a good night’s sleep or need a nap or two to get through the day, you may have a thyroid problem. Hair falls out and beauty suffers when thyroid hormone is low. The wisdom of the body redirects the hormone away from hair, nails and skin for use in more critical processes.

Most traditional physicians are reluctant to consider thyroid functioning at all. When they do, the standard of care for people with symptoms is to be administered a thyroid hormone stimulating test (TSH). The thinking is that a low score on the TSH usually means the body is is not trying to stimulate thyroid production so therefore thyroid production must be OK. A high score on the TSH usually means the thyroid is not functioning well and that iss why the body is trying to stimulate it. Needless to say, this approach misses a lot. They best way to see what your thyroid is up to is to insist on blood testing of TSH, and T3 and T4, the thyroid hormones.

Low thyroid can easily be corrected by adding natural, bio-identical thyroid hormone to the amount being produced by the body. Armour Thyroid is available by prescription. It is thyroid from pigs which is the exact bio-equivalent of thyroid produced by humans. It will be recognized by the body as a natural substance and no side effects will be produced. Most traditional physicians try to convince their patients to use synthetic thyroid replacements, so be prepared to be assertive if you want to use only natural substances.

Sources:

Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B.-GYN, Natural Hormone Balance for Women.

T. S. Wiley, Lights Out.

Sabre Sciences, About Hormones.

Herb Slavin, M.D., Phillip Lee Miller, M.D., and Gordon Reynolds, M.D., interviewed by Suzanne Summers, Ageless.

Suzanne Summers, Breakthrough.