Natural Hormone Balance 101

Hormone balance is essential to healthy living. There is so much to understand about balancing hormones that it is difficult to know where to begin. Hormones are messengers in the body that travel through the bloodstream into the organs, lymph and tissues of our bodies.  The endocrine glands secrete certain hormones in the body which includes to the pineal gland, pituitary, pancreas, thyroid, ovaries or testes, parathyroid, hypothalamus, adrenals and gastrointestinal tract. Just small hormonal changes can cause significant physiological changes in the body, including weight gain and forgetfulness.

Smart health may be to have your hormone levels tested annually, just like a mammogram or Pap smear.  Imbalances have serious consequences and if not kept in check, chances of cancer increase as well as other diseases like diabetes. Many cancers are hormone related. Estrogen dominance may be accountable for breast, prostate, cervix, endometrial, uterine, and ovarian cancer as well as fibroids. A healthy liver is extremely important as well to managing uterine fibroids because it is responsible for eliminating toxins from the body.  A healthy liver converts the strongest estrogen to “safe estrogen.” Estrogen deficiency can also cause bladder and urinary tract infections, especially in menopausal women.

Progesterone deficiency can cause cancer as well, including uterine cancer and fibroids. The thicker the lining of the uterus, the higher the chances of cancer are.  Natural progesterone creams can help to reduce the lining of the uterine wall and eliminate fibroids in as little as two months; so the cream is not something that needs to be taken forever.  It is important to know that progesterone, since it is a type of steroid, can cause temporary weight gain and forgetfulness in some.  [Please also see my post on Natural Cancer Cures…You Decide.]

Castor oil packs are said to be an effective way to promote healing of fibroids, tissues and organs as well. Certain medications including birth control pills, fertility drugs, GMOs and hormone replacement therapy can also create a state of estrogen dominance.  Excess estrogen can be promoted by liver congestion, bowel toxicity, stress, hypothyroidism, inflammation, and many of the estrogens below. It has been reported that DIM or di-indolylmethane can reduce estrogen buildup.  Supplementing with DIM can help reduce the steady climb of estrogen.  It does this by converting bad estrogen into good estrogen by-products.  It is also said to help reduce a swollen prostate.

Many researchers attribute the high incidence of cancers to the presence of environmental estrogens in our food and products today. Phytoestrogens are plant-derived xenoestrogens and are consumed by eating phytoestrogenic plants.  They imitate estrogen, but are not generated within the endocrine system; Phytoestrogens can be either synthetic (man made) or natural chemical compounds.

Here are some examples of hormones, food or toxins that may alter balance:

1. Xenoestrogens: artificial scents, air fresheners, food additives, preservatives, commercially raised poultry and cattle, household cleaners, detergents, car exhaust and indoor toxins, personal care products (shampoos, lotions, perfumes, make up, deodorants), oral contraceptives, prescription drugs, paints, lacquers and solvents, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, Styrofoam products, plant estrogens (soy, flaxseed), plastics, canned foods, GMOs and plastic food wrap.
2. Naturally Estrogenic:  alcohol, alfalfa, anise seed, apples, barley, beets, black-eyed peas, blue/black cohosh, cherries, chickpeas, clover, cucumbers, dairy, dates, dong quai, eggs, eggplant, fennel, flaxseed**, flour, garlic, hops, lavender, licorice, meat, oats, olive oil, olives, papaya, parsley, peas, peppers, plums, pomegranates, poppy seed, potatoes, pumpkin, red beans, red clover, rhodiola, rose root, rhubarb, rice, sage, saw palmetto, sesame seeds, soybean, sprouts, sugar, sunflower seeds, tea tree oil, tomatoes, wheat, white rice., soy, canola, safflower and corn oil. 
3. Foods That Inhibit Estrogen:  artichoke, asparagus, avocados, berries, brazil nuts, broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, celery, citrus fruits (except apples, cherries, dates, pomegranates), figs, garlic, grapes, green beans, green tea, melons, nuts, onions, pears, pineapples, seaweed, squash, tapioca, white flour, white rice. 
4. Balancing Hormones: Moringa, carrots, chia seeds, coconut oil, cod liver oil (for hot flashes), Diindolylmethane (DIM), false unicorn, gelatin, kelp, maca root, magnesium, olive leaf extract, parsley, quinoa, red raspberry, Vitamin D, flaxseed oil.
5. Increases Progesterone: beta carotene, chaste berry, dill, legumes, oregano, seeds, sweet potato, thyme, turmeric, vegetables, Vitamin B6, C & E, L-arginine, wild yam.  There are also natural progesterone creams.

A note about flaxseed oil … According to Dr. Sears he says, “Research shows that adding flax oil to foods rich in sulfated amino acids, such as cultured dairy products (i.e., cottage cheese), vegetables of the cabbage family… helps the essential fatty acids become incorporated into cell membranes.”  In fact The Budwig Center has a flaxseed oil and cottage cheese protocol that has been reported by their patients to cure tumors, degenerative diseases, balance hormones, cure Arthritis, Asthma, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Multiple sclerosis, Heart Disease, Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne and more.   Here is the link to their testimonials.  Flax has been know to lower blood pressure.

Also available through The Budwig Center, there is also something called Trican which is an ultra nutritional supplement (powder) that “literally shocks the body’s autonomous nervous system with high doses of natural minerals, hormones, botanicals, collagen, natural occurring chemicals (there are some 60 chemicals that occur in the human body), amino acids and Vitamin E and D, etc.  Upon nutritional correction, the body resumes correct DNA instructions leading to healthy normal cell production. When the body’s environmental factors are correct, the body no longer manufactures the diseased cells, and the existing diseased cells die in a natural manner and are eventually replaced by normal cells.”  It is said to help balance hormones naturally just as effectively as BHRT*. 

 **Another option is EstroG-100 which is a “broad spectrum menopausal support” supplement. PubMed had this to say about it: “EstroG-100 significantly improved the menopausal symptoms of pre-, peri- and post-menopausal women without weight gain or any serious side effects.”

 What about Menopause?

The average age that women go through menopause is about 51.  Menopause can really cause havoc on one’s body and it’s not always the easiest thing to go through.  It is best to get your levels tested to know if you are deficient or have too many of any one hormone.  I would include a pap smear as they can often tell if you are producing too much of a certain hormone. 

Here are some symptoms of menopause:

1. Hot flashes, night sweats (consider:  Cod Liver Oil, Red Clover Tea)
2. Loss of libido (Maca root)
3. Allergic Reactions
4. Food sensitivities such as gluten (Use only organic wheat)
5. Fatigue
6. Hair loss (Castor Oil)
7. Weight gain (Moringa) [Balance estrogen, progesterone and testosterone and weight may come off without dieting]
8. Bloating, indigestion
9. Anxiety, depression (Brewer’s Yeast)
10. Mood swings
11. Sleep disorders  (Moringa)
12. Memory lapses (Possible remedy:  Cod Liver Oil)
13. Dizziness
14. Osteoporosis  (Possible remedy:  Cod Liver Oil)
15. Uterine lining thickening, fibroids (Natural progesterone)

An interesting study from 2011 entitled:  Estrogenic botanical supplements, health-related quality of life, fatigue, and hormone-related symptoms in breast cancer survivors:  a HEAL study reported the following conclusions: 

• Flaxseed oil users were more likely to have a better mental health summary score
• Ginseng users were more likely to report severe fatigue and several hormone-related symptoms
• Red clover users were less likely to report weight gain, night sweats, and difficulty concentrating
• Alfalfa users were less likely to experience sleep interruption
• Dehydroepiandrosterone users were less likely to have hot flashes

For more information on menopause, Dr John R. Lee MD has a book entitled, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural Hormone Balance.”  He also has other books available on balancing hormones.

Lastly, it is smart to have your thyroid checked as well, especially after you reach menopause.  A thorough panel of tests is suggested.  Here is a comprehensive list:

• Estradiol
• Estrone
• Progesterone
• Testosterone
• DHEA-S
• SHBG
• Vitamin D3 25-OH
• Ferritin
• Free T4
• Free T3
• Total T3
• Reverse T3
• TSH
• Anti Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies
• Anti Thyroglobulin Antibodies
• CBC w/Diff

**It is strongly recommended that you be evaluated by your physician before self-prescribing for hormone-related problems. If you are looking for a physician who practices using bio-identical hormones or natural hormone replacement therapy, click here.

Read more about health screenings and no-referral tests here.