There are systems of the body and interactions that occur between these systems, in order for the body to function at what is considered “normal”. These systems undergo physiological changes throughout life, breaking up these functions into specific stages. Variations in hormonal concentrations can manifest changes in physiological characteristics. If you are at an age where you think it is possible that estrogen and progesterone production from the ovaries is becoming erratic, because of symptoms you may be experiencing that you haven’t before, you may want to consider supplementation. The common symptoms and discomforts that would be associated with the surge and plummet of estrogen levels would be hot flashes, sleep disturbances, emotional struggles and redistribution of fat. For most women, menopause occurs between the ages of 48 to 55, the average age being 51, although early menopause, before the age of 40, does occur in a small percentage of women. I suggest you discuss your concerns of estrogen loss with your health care provider, as there could be risks associated with it, which include osteoporosis , cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s. That being said, I feel that as long as your quality of life is not being affected, you may benefit from not trying Hormone Replacement Therapy as there are risks associated with that as well.
My goal with this blog post is to give you the all important knowledge to make the wisest and best decision for yourself. HRT has been prescribed to help alleviate symptoms of menopause, enhance bone mineral density, have a desired effect on cardiovascular disease by increasing HDL cholesterol and reducing LDL cholesterol, and has been shown to aid in controlling diabetes. Many women believe that it also improves the health and appearance of their skin. However, a great risk of HRT is cancer of the lining of the uterus, breast cancer, gallstones and deep vein blood clots. In my studies, I have learned that the best HRT mix is a combination of estrogen and a synthetic form of progesterone. The progesterone reduces some of the aforementioned risks and reduces other symptoms associated with just supplementing estrogen alone, such as breast pain, bloating or headaches.
I always feel we should do our best with a natural approach to things but want to caution you about some “natural” products on the market. The term natural is open for interpretation. Any product that is made primarily from animal, plant or mineral origin fits the legal definition of natural, even though it may no longer resemble the product in its naturally occurring state. Herbs for example, can go through extensive washing by treatments of alcohol or acetone before being compressed into tablets. We do have other tissues in the body that produce small amounts of estrogen and there are foods we can consume and measures we can take to help us increase this production natually. If you are a member of the Fit Well Girl Gang, you have access to the Program ‘Hormone Fix’ which is a tremendous tool you should take advantage of. It is also my opinion that still, nothing beats good nutrition and regular exercise! Nothing increases bone density better than weight bearing exercise and nothing beats exercising the heart to stave off cardiovascular disease, both of these forms of exercise help regulate sleep patterns, release all the right mood enhancers in the brain to combat depression and anxiety and both of these forms of exercise regulate hormones!
Again, I reiterate that you should consult your physician about the different interventions and what course is right for you, but now you have more of an education to even know what and how to ask for help.
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