What the Heck is Wrong with Me!?
Part 3- Hormone Balancing
This testimony is in no way medical direction or advice. I am not a trained medical professional. It is simply what I have done to improve my health. I would not recommend to anyone to self-medicate without the direction of a health professional. I have had many health professionals give me direction along the way, and this lifestyle is a result of their combined advice and efforts. In essence, I have taken the good and left the bad, in my opinion. You must do the same.
Natural Progesterone
and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PremenopauseI have used natural progesterone off and on since I was 35, and I will continue through menopause and beyond! I am convinced of the health benefits. Here is that document for you:
Hormone Balancing Deanna Osborn, MD
Board Certified Family Practitioner
Arbonne International
Independent Consultant
Executive Regional Vice President
Naples, Florida
Natural Progesterone Cream
1. Should not contain Mineral Oil. Mineral Oil coats skin and works as a barrier not allowing any other ingredients to penetrate.
2. Should be in airtight container to prevent oxidation. If air is allowed to enter container, the cream will become less and less effective.
3. Should not be compounded hormones as compound hormones are hand mixed. All ingredients should be mixed thoroughly by machine. Machine mixing creates an even consistency throughout.
4. Apply correct dosage. Using a metered container ensures the right dosage every time.
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
There are about 80 known symptoms. The following are only the most common complaints of women Dr. Osborn has found in her practice.
- PMS
- Mood Swings
- Irritability
- Fibroid Tumors – Does not turn to cancer but may cause extra bleeding and pain. One third of all hysterectomies done in the U.S. are because of Fibroid Tumors. Most are not aware that these tumors shrink and may go away after menopause.
- Breast Cancer – Too much estrogen in the body contributes to Breast Cancer and can lead to breast cancer according to research Women’s Health Initiative published in July 2002. This study found that continual exposure to estrogen had a huge increase risk for Breast Cancer, Heart Attacks, Strokes, Blood Clots in the Leg and Blood Clots in the Lung as well as Dementia.
- Breast Cancer at one time was known as a disease that general happened to women over the age of 50. This is no longer true. Today women as young as 28 have contracted Breast Cancer.
- Fibrocystic Breast Disease – A condition where the breast is tender, painful during certain times of the month. Breast may feel lumpy as well.
- Weight gain – Weight gain of 5 to 10 pounds yearly in the middle area of body due to no change in diet or lack of activity.
- Depression
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- Auto-immune Thyroid Disorders
- Arthritis — Certain types of
- Decrease Sex Drive
- Vaginal Dryness
- Thin, Wrinkly Skin
- Postpartum Depression – Known years ago as the “Baby Blues.”
- Osteoporosis
- Infertility – Becoming an epidemic with women in their 30’s. Women who use hormone-balancing cream are finding wonderful results.
- Abnormal Periods – Excess bleeding, inconsistent cycles
How Hormones are Suppose to Work in our Bodies
There are 2 hormones in our bodies: Estrogen and Progesterone.
A.Estrogen – 3 types: Estrone, Estrodiol and Estriol
- Estrone and Estrodiol are in lower or lesser concentration. Both are stronger estrogens and are more likely to cause cancer.
- Estriol is in higher concentration and is the safer estrogen. Dr. John Lee has coined this estrogen as the “designer estrogen”.
Estrogen’s Job in our Bodies – As a reproductive hormone, its job is to grow the lining of the uterus. It tells cells to multiply and divide so that if an egg were fertilized, it would have an appropriate place to implant itself. Estrogen does this job during the first part of a woman’s cycle.
Estrogen is a reproductive and growth hormone.
B. Progesterone
- Comes during the middle of cycle when the woman ovulates. Progesterone is responsible for increased sex drive at mid-cycle.
- Its job is to oppose the estrogen. It tells estrogen that the lining in the uterus is good and stops estrogen’s process of multiplying and dividing
- Gets its name from “progestation” meaning pregnancy. It is the pregnancy hormone.
- In the last trimester, a woman produces up to 400 mg of Progesterone per day.
- Progesterone is necessary for woman’s body to maintain pregnancy. Frequent trimester miscarriages are often due to low progesterone level
- Progesterone plays in the development of the nervous system.
Ways Hormones Become Imbalance
1. Prescription Synthetic Hormones
- Birth Control Pills – Over time women may notice inability to handle stress, not able to sleep well, depression or hot flashes. Doctors may diagnose PeriMenopausal and prescribed HRT
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – According to the American Heart Assoc. HRT is very dangerous to the heart.
2. Diet – Chicken, beef and pork are often fed with estrogen to promote growth to get livestock quickly to the market.
- Dairy Farmers also feed estrogen to cows to increase production.
** Twenty years ago the average age for a woman to begin menstruating was 14. Today the average is 10.7 years. This is the result of consumption of hormone-induced diets.
3. Environment
A. Petrochemicals
- Dr. John Lee refers to these as “false” estrogen
- Toxic to humans
- Have ability to bind to estrogen receptors and mess up the body.
a. pesticides, fungicide, dry cleaning solutions, chemical household products, plastics, mineral oil/baby oil,
** When plastic is heated in the microwave, dioxins are released into the air and into the food. Dioxin is considered the most toxic man-made substance.
** The World Health Organization list Mineral Oil as a carcinogen (a cancer causing substance).
** The U.S. government did a study on 3,000 chemicals found in everyday cosmetics and personal care products such as body lotions, moisturizers, makeup, etc.
- Findings showed that 1 out 3 of the chemicals were toxic enough to kill if in the right concentration.
- 1 out of 10 could cause cancer or a birth defect
- 1 out of 11 could cause reproductive problems
- 98% of personal care products contain mineral oil
** The medical field has known for years that the skin is an excellent vehicle to penetrate the body.
** According to the EPA, it takes 26 seconds from the time you put a toxic substance on your skin for it to be absorbed into the body and reach all major organs.
** Estrogen is “fat-loving”. It stores itself in fat tissues in the body such as the breast.
- After a mastectomy, if the breast tissues are examined, traces of all the carcinogenic substances are found
4. Stress
- When stress occurs, our adrenal glands produces cortisol to beat stress. The building block for cortisol is progesterone. The body uses cortisol to fight stress. If all the progesterone is used to produce cortisol, no progesterone is left to fight Osteoporosis.
- Low levels of progesterone cause osteoporosis.
Ways to Bring Hormone Balance Back
1. Eat organic meats, produce and dairy products as much as possible.
2. Never use plastic products in the microwave.
3. Learn to recognize when you are under stress and find ways to balance yourself.
4. Use organic products for the home and garden.
5. Air out dry cleaning 1-2 days prior to bringing into the home.
6. Supplement with natural hormone balancing cream.
How to Use and Evaluate Natural Progesterone
1. Absolutely must say USP Progesterone – Standard Pharmacopeia assures real Progesterone.
2. Read label to make sure it does not contain Mineral Oil.
3. Air-tight container to preserve integrity
4. Dosage of 20mg per ¼ of teaspoon.
Who Should Use Plain Progesterone
1. Women who have cycles. – Count from 1st day of period to day 12. Start the cream on day 12. Use 1 pump per night on one side of inner arm. Rotating sites of left arm, right arm, chest, etc. Use for 2 weeks. Period should begin after 3 days of stopping use.
2. Women who’ve completed menopause, not taking any hormones and not having hot flashes. – If having symptoms described earlier, use one pump of cream nightly 25 days per month. Take 5-day break.
- If no symptoms, women who want to prevent breast cancer may use hormone balancing cream
- May be used to prevent or reverse Osteoporosis (use ½ pump daily for 25 days with 5 days off)
** Natural Hormone Cream will not interact with any medications.
Who Should Use Progesterone with Phytoestrogens
1. Women who have hot flashes. – Use 1 pump per day, 25 days and 5 days off. If hot flashes continue after 2 weeks of use, increase to 2 pumps per day.
2. Women who are trying to wean off HRT – Check with doctor prior to coming off HRT. During first month, cut HRT to ½ dosage and use daily. In the 2nd month, decrease HRT to every other day. In the 3rd month, use HRT only every 3rd day.
All the while decreasing HRT, use hormone cream from day 1. Use 1 pump a day for 25 days and 5-day break.
90% of women get desired results. If not, check with your doctor. Especial mixture of estrogen and progesterone may be needed. However mixed, the cream should always contain both hormones.
When compounding mixture, Estriol is the desired estrogen type. It is the safer estrogen.
** Those with uncontrolled high-blood pressure should begin with Progesterone without Phytoestrogens until blood pressure is under control. Phytoprolief contains Licorice and a study shows that Licorice may increase blood pressure. Although Phytoprolief has a low level of Licorice, use caution and begin with Prolief first.
