Natural Help for Hormones Gone Wild
Terri talks with Dr. Steven Hotze about being misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s, when she really was simply suffering from hormonal imbalance. Dr. Hotze tells you about a natural solution with bioidentical hormones!
Duration : 0:6:37
Hormones , how do you create hormonal balance? Margaret Christensen, M.D. explains. For more information on hormones, menopause or PMS go to http://www.EmpowHer.com and share you story now.
Duration : 0:1:54
It would neither be wrong nor an overstatement when we say that the hormonal interplay within our body practically controls our life including the way we eat, live, think and sleep. In other words, a slight hormonal imbalance can not only throw our mind and body completely off gear but can open up doors for a vast number of diseases to enter our system.
For instance, have you ever wondered which of the many hormones, which are produced in the body, is responsible for our sleep, or for that matter our energy and level of alertness?
Why is our sleep disturbed when the lights are on?
If we got more information in these matters, then it would be possible not only to correct the hormonal balance in the body, but also promote the production of hormones, which are responsible for keeping us awake, energetic and alert.
Since endocrinology or the study of hormones is a very complex matter, we would try to understand the whole interplay of hormones using as simple terminologies as possible. Different hormones have different functions in the body and are produced consequently by different organs. The pineal gland located in the center of the brain, is responsible for producing the sleep hormone melatonin. The reason behind talking about this particular sleep hormone first is because unless you have a good sound sleep at night, you can never feel energetic and alert the next day, even if you have the best foods and do the best exercises.
The important point to note here is that the pineal gland can produce melatonin only when it is dark! So, when there is poor melatonin production, the result is disturbed sleep and there is hormonal imbalance. There are cells placed on our skin called chromocytes, which carry the light wave information to the pineal gland, and at daybreak, blue light waves stimulate the chromocytes to switch off the pineal gland. Again in the evening, the sunset blocks the blue rays and the pineal gland start to produce melatonin. This sleep hormone peaks at about 3 to 4 hours after dark and lasts 8 to 9 hours for adults and more in children. At dawn, the reduction in melatonin, stimulates the grand master of all glands, the hypothalamus to get into action.
The hypothalamus is located deep inside the brain and is responsible for all the critical body functions including temperature, weight, libido, stress response, immune system and more. The hypothalamus needs glucose on waking up and triggers the adrenal glands to generate cortisol, which then produces blood sugar. Cortisol in turn triggers the production of another hormone called dopamine, which is the transmitter of alertness and memory. Dopamine is at its peak in the afternoon. Another important hormone, which is the result from melatonin production in the morning, is called serotonin, which calms the nerves and controls our reflex actions. The more serotonin is produced during the day the more of melatonin in the night.
Having said so far, what are the ways we can make the situation optimal for the production of these hormones so that we not get good sound sleep but also remain alert and energetic during the day? Here are some tips:
Reduce television watching as the blue light from the screen shuts down melatonin production. If you have to watch television or work at the computer, wear pink-tinted glasses to help in the production of melatonin. Eat trytophan-rich foods in the evening which serotonin into melatonin. These include whole grains, nut butters, bananas, grapefruit, dates, figs, yogurt, turkey and tuna. Sleep in complete darkness as it helps in the production of melatonin. As it dawns, eat complex carbohydrates so that Melatonin is assisted in cascading into serotonin. Get at least 20 minutes of exposure to the sun in the morning. 30-minutes of moderate exercise is needed early in the day.
Thus if you can control adequate production of these critical hormones and balance it with the right diet and exercise, you are not only assured of good sleep but also a feeling of energy and positivism would envelop you through out the day.
Samuel A. Baron is a great fan of natural therapy, weight loss and dieting expert, motivational health speaker and lifestyle coach.
FREE INFORMATION FOR WOMEN: Should you use Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy versus conventional synthetic HRT? For more information on hormones, HRT, menopause or PMS go to http://www.EmpowHer.com and share you story now.
Duration : 0:1:11
By Sandy Halliday
There have been alarming new reports that there has been an unexpected drop in male births. In fact a quarter of a million fewer boys have been born in the in the last 30 years in the USA and Japan. Whilst this may may not seem particularly significant to your interest in detoxification scientists are linking the phenomenon to exposure to and body accumulation of hormone mimicking pollutants.
Hormone mimicking toxins or gender benders, as they are often known, appear not to be easily eliminated naturally through the body’s detox pathways. They build up and interfere with the way your glandular system functions. This may contribute to painful and distressing conditions such as endometriosis, dysfunction of ovaries, infertility, miscarriages, excessive menstrual bleeding as well as estrogen driven cancers.
These pollutants which include pesticides, dioxin and methylmercury from many industrial sources as well as seafood are thought to be related to the fall in sperm counts and increasing testicular cancer especially in young males. Unborn male babies may more sensitive to the effects of these hormone mimicking pollutants than females and may result in more deaths around the time of birth. The ratios of male to female births are particularly skewed in areas that are close to petrochemical plants.
Bisphenol A is a common estrogen mimic and is ingested by practically everyone who eats canned foods or drinks from a can or hard plastic water bottles. The substance is used in the linings of food and drink cans as well as dental cements. Plastics have revolutionised our lives but scientists are beginning recognise that we may now be paying the price of convenience. Bisphenol A levels were found to be 3 times higher in women who had miscarriages and dysfunction of their ovaries than other women.
Recently blood samples taken from cord blood after babies were found to contain 287 industrial pollutants many of which were found to be toxic to the brain and nervous system. 180 are known to cause cancer. 208 were found to cause birth defects in animals. As usual the plastics industry is disputing the research findings in spite of a lawsuit being brought against 5 manufacturers of plastic babies bottles.
The facts surrounding this story only go to heighten the fact that we have to be careful what we put into our bodies and the bodies of our young children and how important it is to ensure that we try to detox them from our bodies. Couples thinking of having a baby should be particularly concerned with detoxing their bodies prior to even trying to conceive. The best pre-conceptual care programs insist on at least 6 months preparation for both parents or a minimum of 3 months. Men often wonder why they should be included but the quality of the sperm as well as the quantity is influenced by chemicals in the body as well as the nutritional status.
Mercury is not the only toxin lurking in oily fish. Scientists have just discovered that diabetes may be linked to the toxic chemicals DDT and PCB’s that pollute the seas and accumulate in oily fish. Studies have shown that the people with the highest levels of chemicals in their bodies are more likely to develop this disease.
Here my 10 top tips for avoiding these gender benders and the havoc they bring to your hormone health.
1) Examine the recycling symbol on the bottom of plastic water bottled if you reuse them. The colourful hard bottles with a #7 favored by many may leach Bisophenol A into the liquid. A #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), #4 or #5 should be fine. #1 is for one time use only as the plastic breaks down with further use. Use glass bottles where possible.
2) Check all your plastic food containers as well and store food, especially oily food, in glass or ceramic dishes.
3) Eat an organic diet where possible but always a balanced wholefood one.
4) Avoid the 7 fruits and 5 vegetables that according to recent research from the Environmental Working Group in Washington consistantly have the highest level of pesticide residues - peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, and grapes that are imported from outside the United States and Canada, sweet bell peppers, celery, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes..
5) Concentrate your diet on the 6 fruits and 6 vegetables with the lowest pesticide residue - pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, bananas, papaya, onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, and broccoli.
6) Avoid oily fish and replace your omega 3 essential fats with supplements that are guaranteed pure and free from chemicals and toxic metals.
7) Avoid toluene in some nail polishes and perfumes, DEHP in many perfumed products, the preservative parabens in personal products and use only organic or products using natural ingredients.
Only use plastic babies bottles that are designated Bisphenol A free or use glass ones. Avoid plastic teething rings and prevent babies from chewing on other plastic toys.
9) Avoid bleaches and other chemical based household cleaners. Use environmentally friendly ones instead.
10) Follow regular detox programs and include foods that support the liver sulfation pathways - broccoli sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts onions and garlic. Also include a good liver detoxification support supplement and consider DIM (Diindolylmethane) or Cacium -D-Glucarate to help balance estrogen and detoxify the estrogen mimics. Get the advice of a nutritional doctor, naturopath or nutritionist if you have serious problems with your hormones.
It is recognised that some people have a better capacity for the detoxification of chemicals than others but by avoiding chemicals as much as possible and following regular detox programs many hormonal conditions can be prevented or considerably improved.
To learn a lot more about detoxification get my brand new Free Report at http://www.thedetoxspecialist.com
Sandy Halliday, a former nurse, is a nutritionist and health researcher with 20 years experience of many different types of detoxification programs. she is passionate about detoxification for the prevention of disease and aging as well as the improvement of many health conditions.
