The consequences of elevated cortisol and reduced DHEA levels are devastating: The immune system is compromised with increased risk to infections, certain cancers, allergies and autoimmune diseases. Glucose utilization and insulin function are altered with resultant higher blood sugar levels. Salt and water are retained, producing tendency toward high blood pressure. Blood cholesterol and triglycerides increase and predispose to heart disease. Thyroid function becomes impaired, resulting in decreased metabolism, lowered body temperature, and reduced vitality. The body stores fat, especially around the midsection. Depression, insomnia, hunger, and PMS result. Reproductive function falters with resultant infertility and cessation of the menstrual cycle. The body becomes more susceptible to toxins and heavy metals. Stomach ulcers form. Memory and learning become impaired. The combination of reduced R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep and lowered growth hormone release at night diminish mental and physical regeneration, which results in acceleration of the aging process. Protein synthesis is reduced and protein breakdown is increased, leading to bone loss, skin wrinkles, arthritis, muscle loss and weakness, and all the protein supplements in the world won't make a difference. However, resistive exercise (like bodybuilding) can maintain muscle mass under these conditions by "stealing" protein from the internal organs. Obviously, this is not healthy. An additional strike against endurance athletes is the fact that insulin-sensitive, slow oxidative type 1 muscle fibers become replaced by fast glycolytic type II-B muscle fibers, resulting in poor performance. The bad news is that maladaptation to stress with elevated cortisol and diminished DHEA is extremely common, epidemic actually. And until the body undergoes a certain degree of breakdown, there are no symptoms. The good news is that the altered cortisol and DHEA levels, and the conditions that result, can be normalized with the appropriate intervention. DHEA supplementation is only part of the solution. To fully reverse this condition, the stress that produced it must be removed - but first it must be identified.
Most people equate the word "stress" with mental/emotional strain. This is only one type of stress. The other major types of stress are body tissue inflammation and injury, and fluctuation in blood sugar levels. No matter which of these types of stress are present, the body's response is always the same: initially both cortisol and DHEA increase, and with prolonged stress, the DHEA plummets.
To truly correct the underlying cause, we need to reduce the precipitating stress. Meditation, tai chi, and aerobic exercise can minimize mental/emotional stress. All of these methods have been proven to reduce cortisol levels. When cortisol levels are lowered, DHEA levels begin to increase toward normal. Inflammation in the body may be obvious, as in arthritis, or it may be hidden. It must be identified and dealt with appropriately, which usually includes specific diet and nutritional supplement strategies. The most common cause of hidden inflammation is a bacterial infection of the stomach. By killing these bacteria with the appropriate medication, cortisol and DHEA are normalized. The second most common cause of hidden inflammation is an inherited intestinal toxicity to a protein found in certain grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, quinoa, soy, and amaranth. To reduce this source of stress to the body, these foods must be avoided or at least minimized. When blood sugar fluctuations are stressing the body, 5 or 6 meals should be eaten daily and they should have a carbohydrate to protein ratio of roughly 2 to 1 with a moderate glycemic index. All of these strategies help to correct the underlying cause of low DHEA and high cortisol.
The popular notion that DHEA levels decline primarily because of age is false. As described above, DHEA levels diminish because of prolonged stress. Many people in their twenties have low DHEA levels and some people in their eighties have been shown to have normal DHEA production.
A study performed at the China Medical College in Taiwan, The primary active ingredients in magnolia bark extract are magnolol and honokiol, biphenol compounds, which are thought to reduce stress and stress-related symptoms and inhibit cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone associated with stress and flight or fight responses, as well as weight gain, diabetes, and immuno suppression. Magnolia bark extract also contains eudesmol, an essential oil with possible antioxidant advantages. Honokiol and magnolol (found in magnolia bark) can exert an increase in acetylcholine.
When the body has become maladapted to stress, with reduced DHEA and elevated cortisol, in addition to dealing with the precipitating stress, it is a good idea to take DHEA supplements. It should be noted that this use of DHEA supplementation is short term (usually less than a year) and its purpose is to allow the adrenal glands to rest so they can regenerate and begin producing normal DHEA levels again on their own. In my opinion, this is the only physiologic, safe and logical use of DHEA supplements. It just so happens that a huge number of people fall into this category. However, don't assume you are one of these people. When the maladapted stress response proceeds long enough, eventually the adrenal glands become exhausted and we get a reduction of cortisol below normal levels with DHEA rising into the normal range. To take DHEA in this state does more harm than good by further suppressing cortisol levels! To determine your body's levels of DHEA and cortisol with greatest accuracy, you need to have them measured from saliva samples.
When DHEA levels are low, supplements should be taken for several months. When another saliva test has shown that DHEA is back in normal range, the supplements are gradually tapered off and followed by another test about a week after stopping supplementation. This is done to assure that the body has recovered and is again making DHEA on its own.
For those who are not concerned with health but take DHEA for reasons other than restoring levels to normal, beware of excessive and/or prolonged use causing or contributing to: nausea, headaches, acne, liver tumors, atherosclerosis, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, male breast growth, uterine fibroids and polyps, endometriosis, cystic breasts and ovaries, male pattern hair growth in women, spotting, and breast tenderness. The adrenal glands may atrophy and some people on thyroid replacement therapy will become hyperthyroid as the DHEA makes the medication more active. One study showed that after just 28 days of continuous stress, cortisol levels had climbed to 240 percent of starting values and DHEA had dropped to 15 percent of initial levels! What's even worse is that even after the stress is removed, the body sometimes does not recover and bring these hormones back to normal levels, but instead, remains in the stress response mode with high cortisol and low DHEA output.
Some real DHEA supplements are available in a liquid form to be taken under the tongue. The peak dose used to restore normal levels is 5 to 7 milligrams twice per day. The drops are held under the tongue before swallowing. Eating, drinking, brushing teeth, and smoking should be avoided for 30-45 minutes afterward. DHEA administered sublingually is the preferred method in cases of autoimmune disease.
In order to get greater conversion of DHEA to testosterone and estrogen, it should be taken in capsule form. It should be taken in two daily doses at the beginning of meals. The meal must contain some fat for the DHEA to be properly absorbed. The peak dose of DHEA to restore normal levels is 25 milligrams twice daily. Micronized DHEA is 3 to 4 times better absorbed than non-micronized. Micronization means that the individual particles of DHEA have been reduced to very small size.
Depressed patients show pathological low to totally deficient DHEA. About 50 percent of them are truly deficient, below what is considered the lower limit of normal, which in a man is 180 and in a woman is 130 nanograms per deciliter. The upper range you'll see in just a moment of what I consider optimally healthy, but the vast majority of people, I don't see people with DHEA above this level actually, except volunteers who may be healthy. And they all have a deficient magnesium and they have a deficiency in one to seven of the essential amino acids. You know, the essential amino acids means that if you don't have them, you can't make serotonin or even adrenaline, you've got to have tyrosine, for instance, to make adrenaline, or to make thyroid hormone, and we'll come back to that one.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
vitamin k2 menaquinone is hands down , light years more useful than any anti-osteoporosis medication
Vitamin k is 77% more effective than the best osteoporosis medication on the market. It is proven to increase bone mineral density, reduces fracture
This post was inspired by Dr. Kim who was featured on the underground wellness broadcast by Sean Croxton.
This post was inspired by Dr. Kim who was featured on the underground wellness broadcast by Sean Croxton.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
eggplant cures skin cancer
(NaturalNews) When it comes to skin cancer, Big Pharma offers only topical chemo creams and surgery. The chemo creams often don't work but often do cause ugly, painful side effects. Removing skin cancer tumors surgically usually results with tumors resurfacing sooner or later. Surgeries often leave ugly scars.
However, there are inexpensive, effective, safe cures for curing skin cancer that are banned by the mainstream medical monopoly, which are not publicized by the mainstream media.
A relatively new remedy, BEC5, is a spin off from an Australian folk remedy for farm animals. It is available to anyone online. It uses the phyotonutrients extracted from eggplants. Clinical trials and anecdotal testimonies confirmed BEC5's efficacy and safety on basal cell and squamous cell cancers.
Melanoma is the least common but most dangerous skin cancer with the highest morbidity rate. It can metastasize into internal organs. The maker and distributors for BEC5 make no claims for curing melanoma so far. But at least one person who made a homemade version that anyone can make claimed it cured his melanoma.
The homemade remedy involves a solution of vinegar and eggplant that extracts the same phyotonutrient glycocides and glycoalkaloids contained in BEC5 directly from the eggplant. The glycoalkaloids penetrate cancer cells selectively and destroy them. Normal cells are left alone.
Some have used white vinegar, while others recommend raw organic apple cider vinegar. Get a medium sized eggplant and grind it up. Put that into a glass jar and fill it up with the vinegar. Place the jar into the refrigerator. After around three days with the white vinegar, the liquid should turn to a brownish gold color. That indicates it's ready to use.
Apple cider vinegar is already a similar color, but three days seasoning in a refrigerator should be enough.
Apply it directly to tumors often with a cotton ball, or secure the soaked cotton onto the tumor with tape. Treatment may take a couple of weeks or more. Both commercial BEC5 cream and the homemade version also work on warts and other unhealthy skin conditions.
One user mentioned that according to his doctor (naturopath?), if the homemade procedure is painful, then it is melanoma that's under attack. Many of these homemade remedy users were in Australia, where Dr. Bill Cham, MD, PhD, found out about the Devil's Apple plant used by veterinarians and farmers to cure skin cancers on farm animals.
Dr. Cham claims a high, safe cure rate with non-melanoma skin cancers from his own clinical testing. Detractors claim there are no published reports in medical journals. That could be due to the fact that Dr. Cham had to go it alone testing his cream on skin cancer patients in the UK hospital system. Dr. Cham demonstrates and explains his BEC5 cream in a video (2).
Mainstream medicine always attacks natural non-pharmaceutical cures and their sponsors. However, a well known physician, Dr. Jonathan Wright MD, founder of the holistic Tahoma Clinic in the Seattle Washington area, backs up Dr. Cham. Dr. Wright sells BEC5 creams and explains how it works and how it was tested within the UK system (3 - 4).
Dr. Cham determined that the same curative glycoalkaloids were available in eggplant. From there he went on and pioneered the development of BEC5 in London.
Sources for this article include:
Original source for this article http://www.naturalnews.com/027506_eggplant_skin_cancer.html
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035471_skin_cancer_cure_eggplant.html#ixzz2ZcFAH4xh
However, there are inexpensive, effective, safe cures for curing skin cancer that are banned by the mainstream medical monopoly, which are not publicized by the mainstream media.
A relatively new remedy, BEC5, is a spin off from an Australian folk remedy for farm animals. It is available to anyone online. It uses the phyotonutrients extracted from eggplants. Clinical trials and anecdotal testimonies confirmed BEC5's efficacy and safety on basal cell and squamous cell cancers.
Melanoma is the least common but most dangerous skin cancer with the highest morbidity rate. It can metastasize into internal organs. The maker and distributors for BEC5 make no claims for curing melanoma so far. But at least one person who made a homemade version that anyone can make claimed it cured his melanoma.
The homemade remedy involves a solution of vinegar and eggplant that extracts the same phyotonutrient glycocides and glycoalkaloids contained in BEC5 directly from the eggplant. The glycoalkaloids penetrate cancer cells selectively and destroy them. Normal cells are left alone.
How to make and use the homemade eggplant remedy
This is an attempt at disclosing what others report cured their skin cancers. It's purely educational and not meant as medical advice. Some of the anecdotal reports had their skin cancer diagnosed by MDs, with subsequent cures confirmed by MDs (1).Some have used white vinegar, while others recommend raw organic apple cider vinegar. Get a medium sized eggplant and grind it up. Put that into a glass jar and fill it up with the vinegar. Place the jar into the refrigerator. After around three days with the white vinegar, the liquid should turn to a brownish gold color. That indicates it's ready to use.
Apple cider vinegar is already a similar color, but three days seasoning in a refrigerator should be enough.
Apply it directly to tumors often with a cotton ball, or secure the soaked cotton onto the tumor with tape. Treatment may take a couple of weeks or more. Both commercial BEC5 cream and the homemade version also work on warts and other unhealthy skin conditions.
One user mentioned that according to his doctor (naturopath?), if the homemade procedure is painful, then it is melanoma that's under attack. Many of these homemade remedy users were in Australia, where Dr. Bill Cham, MD, PhD, found out about the Devil's Apple plant used by veterinarians and farmers to cure skin cancers on farm animals.
Dr. Cham claims a high, safe cure rate with non-melanoma skin cancers from his own clinical testing. Detractors claim there are no published reports in medical journals. That could be due to the fact that Dr. Cham had to go it alone testing his cream on skin cancer patients in the UK hospital system. Dr. Cham demonstrates and explains his BEC5 cream in a video (2).
Mainstream medicine always attacks natural non-pharmaceutical cures and their sponsors. However, a well known physician, Dr. Jonathan Wright MD, founder of the holistic Tahoma Clinic in the Seattle Washington area, backs up Dr. Cham. Dr. Wright sells BEC5 creams and explains how it works and how it was tested within the UK system (3 - 4).
Dr. Cham determined that the same curative glycoalkaloids were available in eggplant. From there he went on and pioneered the development of BEC5 in London.
Sources for this article include:
Original source for this article http://www.naturalnews.com/027506_eggplant_skin_cancer.html
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035471_skin_cancer_cure_eggplant.html#ixzz2ZcFAH4xh
Saturday, July 13, 2013
progesterone for domination over estrogen
The three human estrogen hormones have numerous effects on the body which are believed to require progesterone to balance excessive estrogen and prevent the hyper effects of estrogen dominance which can lead to a host of health problems. It is not the absolute deficiency of estrogen or progesterone rather it's believed to be the relative dominance of estrogen and relative deficiency of progesterone that is the main cause of health problems when they are off balance.
Estrogen dominance is the term used to describe what happens when the ratio of estrogen to progesterone is changed, either by excess estrogen, or insufficient progesterone. The symptoms of estrogen dominance differ from woman to woman, but can range from uncomfortable symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, to extreme changes in mood, bloating, weight gain, muscle pain, joint pain, and urinary incontinence. Other possible symptoms of low progesterone may include frequent urinary tract infections, interstitial cystitis, changes in appetite, hot flashes, cold chills, night sweats, and vaginal dryness and any of these:
Allergies and Asthma
Missed or irregular periods
Swollen or Fibrocystic Breasts
Fatigue
PMS
Infertility
PCOS
Fibroids
Magnesium deficiency
Thyroid dysfunction
Progesterone is believed to have the following counterbalancing effects on the estrogen hormones:
matures the uterine lining preventing excess buildup of tissue
inhibits breast tissue overgrowth, preventing fibrocystic breast disease
has a diuretic effect which mobilizes fluid, decreasing swelling
enhances the action of thyroid hormones, increasing metabolism
stimulates the production of new bone, protecting against osteoporosis
increases the sex drive • protects against breast cancer and uterine cancer
thins the blood, preventing blood clots
supports the function of the adrenal glands
elevates mood
promotes pregnancy
From age 35 to 50, there is a 75% reduction in production of progesterone in the body. Estrogen, during the same period, only declines about 35%. By menopause, the total amount of progesterone made is extremely low, while estrogen is still present in the body at about half its pre-menopausal level. With the gradual drop in estrogen but severe drop in progesterone, there is insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen in our body. Many women in their mid-thirties, most women during peri-menopause (mid-forties), and essentially all women during menopause (age 50 and beyond) are overloaded with estrogen and at the same time suffering from progesterone deficiency because of the severe drop in physiological production of this hormone during this period. The end result is excessive estrogen relative to progesterone, a condition we call estrogen dominance.
According to Dr. John Lee, the world's authority on natural hormone therapy, the key to hormonal balance is the modulation of progesterone to estrogen ratio. For optimum health, the progesterone to estrogen ratio should be between 200 and 300 to 1.
Progesterone functions in many capacities. It is often taken to counter the effects of estrogen, normally used by women who are postmenopausal. It also goes by the prescription. Natural progesterone is available as well and is known to have far fewer side effects. Progesterone has many functions. First, it is both a precursor to other adrenal hormones and is a GH stimulant as well. It likewise promotes lipolysis (breakdown of fat) and protects against endometrial cancer. It is known to eliminate the risk of endometrial cancer when given with estrogen for 10 or more days per cycle. Lastly, progesterone normalizes levels of blood sugar, zinc, and copper. Progesterone stimulates the walls of the uterus to prepare it for implantation of the fertilized ovum. If pregnancy occurs, progesterone inhibits ovulation (by suppressing FSH & LH) and promotes uterine development until the placenta becomes more mature. (Progesterone is so-named because it promotes gestation, i.e., the growth of offspring in the womb).
USP Progesterone
The title "USP Progesterone" or (USP) differentiates natural progesterone from synthetic progesterone. This means the progesterone which is formulated is identical (bio-identical) to that what is secreted from the female ovaries. Although it is done in a laboratory, no chemicals are added to it, they are simply chemically modified in a special conversion process. USP stands for United States Pharmacopoeia and indicates that the Progesterone meets the standards set in the U.S. "Micronized" USP Progesterone, is the natural form of progesterone broken down into very tiny particles. The process of micronization allows for steady, even absorption of the USP Progesterone.
Symptoms of Low Progesterone
Symptoms related to low Progesterone hormone levels:Tender Breasts Weepiness - Tearfulness Cyclical Headaches-Migraines
Mood Swings - PMS Anxiety & Moodiness Low Libido Irritability & Quick to Anger
Water Retention Fibrocystic or Lumpy Breasts Leg Cramps when Walking
Weight Gain - Hip Area Uterine Fibroids Short Term Memory Loss
Breast Enlargement Puffiness and Bloating Heavy Menses
Rapid Unexplained Weight Gain Thyroid problems Sleep Disturbances - Insomnia
Fungal or Candida Infections Vaginitis and Vaginal Infections Sugar Cravings - Hypoglycemia
Weight Gain-mid body-Waist Infertility Elevated Triglycerides
Not ovulating Anxiety Type Depression Early Pregnancy Miscarriage
Rapid Mood Swings Adrenal Problems-Fatigue Cystic Ovaries-Polycystic Ovary
Bleeding Changes Cold Body Temperature Irregular Periods
Painful Menstrual Cramps Gallbladder Problems Early life Hysterectomy
Early Miscarriages Anxious Irritability Red Palms - Red Fingertips
Feeling Crazy Anxious Red flush on face or sides of neck
Depression Cervix Problems Stress related symptoms
Men & Progesterone
Why some men use progesterone:
Men need it to make testosterone and for the adrenal glands to make cortisone
Men with BPH (swelling of the prostate) and other male related problems report that they experience some relief with progesterone cream
Progesterone has NO feminizing characteristics
Men report that it helps them with complexion and increases energy
It is believed to help balance the estrogens that build in a man's body
because progesterone levels drop, estradiol levels rise, and testosterone changes in form in older men
Adding progesterone back into the body helps restore normal inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase, thus preventing testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates proliferation of prostate cells
If men have low progesterone levels their estradiol levels can increase. This increase can lead to cancer of the prostate, just as it leads to breast and uterine cancer in women
Low Progesterone Risk Factors
Estrogen
Sometimes the body will produce too much estrogen in certain cases such as in cases of obesity and with hormone medication. Fat cells hold and produce estrogen, so essentially the more body fat you have, the more estrogen is being produced in your body, this will, in turn, lower the levels of progesterone that is produced naturally.
Insulin
When a person's body has a tolerance to insulin production, this can cause the hormones to become imbalanced, lowering the progesterone production in the body. Resistance of insulin all-together is a leading factor as well.
Stress
A high stress lifestyle will also effect the body's ability to create and produce progesterone. Strenuous physical stress as well as mental trauma and anxiety severely alters the body's hormones and their productivity.
Diet
Malnutrition will not only affect your internal vital organs, but your hormone production as well. In order for your body to pump hormones like progesterone through the body, proper nutrition should be followed.
Inactivity
Refraining from regular exercise causes hormones to sometimes go dormant or decrease production. This causes trauma to the hormone producing glands in the body, therefore hindering the ability to release needed progesterone.
Medications
Depending on the medication you're on, it can affect the amount of progesterone your body produces and absorbs. Certain hormone treatments alter the body's ability to absorb naturally produced hormones, such as progesterone, and even estrogen or testosterone.
Mysteries
Sometimes, doctor's can't figure out the particular cause of low progesterone, in each woman, that is why it's best to exercise proper nutrition paired with an active and healthy lifestyle. Avoid drinking and eating from plastic containers, and especially avoid reheating food in plastic containers. Doctors have found a link in many progesterone related symptoms with the consumption of materials in plastic containers and receptacles.
Common Questions
Why do women need progesterone?
Progesterone is important in balancing and counteracting the effects of estrogen. But progesterone levels may drop to near zero in some women while their estrogen levels drop only 40-60% at menopause, which is just enough to stop the menstrual cycle. Using progesterone therapy can greatly enhance overall hormone balance because it is the precursor to so many other hormones. It can also stimulates bone-building helping to protect against osteoporosis.
Why do men need progesterone?
Men naturally need progesterone to make testosterone and for the adrenal glands to make cortisone. It balances the estrogens that build in a man's body, it helps men with complexion and it increases energy. Men with BPH (swelling of the prostate) and other male related problems will experience a relief with progesterone cream. Adding progesterone back into the body also can help restore normal inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase, thus preventing testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates proliferation of prostate cells.
What is progesterone made from?
The USP progesterone used for hormone replacement comes from plant fats and oils. Wild yams from Mexico, soybeans, and yellow ginger provide a substance called diosgenin. Diosgenin is chemically synthesized into real human progesterone in the laboratory. The other human hormones, including estrogen, testosterone and the cortisones are also synthesized from diosgenin.
Does increasing progesterone levels help me if I have estrogen dominance?
When you have inadequate levels of progesterone, it causes your estrogen levels to go up.
Will increased progesterone cause feminine characteristics in men?
No, progesterone has no feminizing characteristics.
most doctors don’t realize progesterone antagonizes and inhibits the enzyme (called 5-alpha reductase) that is needed to make testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is the powerful male hormone that talks hair follicles into making coarse hair and too much oil that causes acne.”
lack of progesterone in women with PCOS leads to an imbalance in the ovaries, causes the stimulation of higher male hormones
progesterone signals hypothalamus and pituitary to stop the
ovary from making too much testosterone
Estrogen dominance is the term used to describe what happens when the ratio of estrogen to progesterone is changed, either by excess estrogen, or insufficient progesterone. The symptoms of estrogen dominance differ from woman to woman, but can range from uncomfortable symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, to extreme changes in mood, bloating, weight gain, muscle pain, joint pain, and urinary incontinence. Other possible symptoms of low progesterone may include frequent urinary tract infections, interstitial cystitis, changes in appetite, hot flashes, cold chills, night sweats, and vaginal dryness and any of these:
Allergies and Asthma
Missed or irregular periods
Swollen or Fibrocystic Breasts
Fatigue
PMS
Infertility
PCOS
Fibroids
Magnesium deficiency
Thyroid dysfunction
Progesterone is believed to have the following counterbalancing effects on the estrogen hormones:
matures the uterine lining preventing excess buildup of tissue
inhibits breast tissue overgrowth, preventing fibrocystic breast disease
has a diuretic effect which mobilizes fluid, decreasing swelling
enhances the action of thyroid hormones, increasing metabolism
stimulates the production of new bone, protecting against osteoporosis
increases the sex drive • protects against breast cancer and uterine cancer
thins the blood, preventing blood clots
supports the function of the adrenal glands
elevates mood
promotes pregnancy
From age 35 to 50, there is a 75% reduction in production of progesterone in the body. Estrogen, during the same period, only declines about 35%. By menopause, the total amount of progesterone made is extremely low, while estrogen is still present in the body at about half its pre-menopausal level. With the gradual drop in estrogen but severe drop in progesterone, there is insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen in our body. Many women in their mid-thirties, most women during peri-menopause (mid-forties), and essentially all women during menopause (age 50 and beyond) are overloaded with estrogen and at the same time suffering from progesterone deficiency because of the severe drop in physiological production of this hormone during this period. The end result is excessive estrogen relative to progesterone, a condition we call estrogen dominance.
According to Dr. John Lee, the world's authority on natural hormone therapy, the key to hormonal balance is the modulation of progesterone to estrogen ratio. For optimum health, the progesterone to estrogen ratio should be between 200 and 300 to 1.
Progesterone functions in many capacities. It is often taken to counter the effects of estrogen, normally used by women who are postmenopausal. It also goes by the prescription. Natural progesterone is available as well and is known to have far fewer side effects. Progesterone has many functions. First, it is both a precursor to other adrenal hormones and is a GH stimulant as well. It likewise promotes lipolysis (breakdown of fat) and protects against endometrial cancer. It is known to eliminate the risk of endometrial cancer when given with estrogen for 10 or more days per cycle. Lastly, progesterone normalizes levels of blood sugar, zinc, and copper. Progesterone stimulates the walls of the uterus to prepare it for implantation of the fertilized ovum. If pregnancy occurs, progesterone inhibits ovulation (by suppressing FSH & LH) and promotes uterine development until the placenta becomes more mature. (Progesterone is so-named because it promotes gestation, i.e., the growth of offspring in the womb).
USP Progesterone
The title "USP Progesterone" or (USP) differentiates natural progesterone from synthetic progesterone. This means the progesterone which is formulated is identical (bio-identical) to that what is secreted from the female ovaries. Although it is done in a laboratory, no chemicals are added to it, they are simply chemically modified in a special conversion process. USP stands for United States Pharmacopoeia and indicates that the Progesterone meets the standards set in the U.S. "Micronized" USP Progesterone, is the natural form of progesterone broken down into very tiny particles. The process of micronization allows for steady, even absorption of the USP Progesterone.
Symptoms of Low Progesterone
Symptoms related to low Progesterone hormone levels:Tender Breasts Weepiness - Tearfulness Cyclical Headaches-Migraines
Mood Swings - PMS Anxiety & Moodiness Low Libido Irritability & Quick to Anger
Water Retention Fibrocystic or Lumpy Breasts Leg Cramps when Walking
Weight Gain - Hip Area Uterine Fibroids Short Term Memory Loss
Breast Enlargement Puffiness and Bloating Heavy Menses
Rapid Unexplained Weight Gain Thyroid problems Sleep Disturbances - Insomnia
Fungal or Candida Infections Vaginitis and Vaginal Infections Sugar Cravings - Hypoglycemia
Weight Gain-mid body-Waist Infertility Elevated Triglycerides
Not ovulating Anxiety Type Depression Early Pregnancy Miscarriage
Rapid Mood Swings Adrenal Problems-Fatigue Cystic Ovaries-Polycystic Ovary
Bleeding Changes Cold Body Temperature Irregular Periods
Painful Menstrual Cramps Gallbladder Problems Early life Hysterectomy
Early Miscarriages Anxious Irritability Red Palms - Red Fingertips
Feeling Crazy Anxious Red flush on face or sides of neck
Depression Cervix Problems Stress related symptoms
Men & Progesterone
Why some men use progesterone:
Men need it to make testosterone and for the adrenal glands to make cortisone
Men with BPH (swelling of the prostate) and other male related problems report that they experience some relief with progesterone cream
Progesterone has NO feminizing characteristics
Men report that it helps them with complexion and increases energy
It is believed to help balance the estrogens that build in a man's body
because progesterone levels drop, estradiol levels rise, and testosterone changes in form in older men
Adding progesterone back into the body helps restore normal inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase, thus preventing testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates proliferation of prostate cells
If men have low progesterone levels their estradiol levels can increase. This increase can lead to cancer of the prostate, just as it leads to breast and uterine cancer in women
Low Progesterone Risk Factors
Estrogen
Sometimes the body will produce too much estrogen in certain cases such as in cases of obesity and with hormone medication. Fat cells hold and produce estrogen, so essentially the more body fat you have, the more estrogen is being produced in your body, this will, in turn, lower the levels of progesterone that is produced naturally.
Insulin
When a person's body has a tolerance to insulin production, this can cause the hormones to become imbalanced, lowering the progesterone production in the body. Resistance of insulin all-together is a leading factor as well.
Stress
A high stress lifestyle will also effect the body's ability to create and produce progesterone. Strenuous physical stress as well as mental trauma and anxiety severely alters the body's hormones and their productivity.
Diet
Malnutrition will not only affect your internal vital organs, but your hormone production as well. In order for your body to pump hormones like progesterone through the body, proper nutrition should be followed.
Inactivity
Refraining from regular exercise causes hormones to sometimes go dormant or decrease production. This causes trauma to the hormone producing glands in the body, therefore hindering the ability to release needed progesterone.
Medications
Depending on the medication you're on, it can affect the amount of progesterone your body produces and absorbs. Certain hormone treatments alter the body's ability to absorb naturally produced hormones, such as progesterone, and even estrogen or testosterone.
Mysteries
Sometimes, doctor's can't figure out the particular cause of low progesterone, in each woman, that is why it's best to exercise proper nutrition paired with an active and healthy lifestyle. Avoid drinking and eating from plastic containers, and especially avoid reheating food in plastic containers. Doctors have found a link in many progesterone related symptoms with the consumption of materials in plastic containers and receptacles.
Common Questions
Why do women need progesterone?
Progesterone is important in balancing and counteracting the effects of estrogen. But progesterone levels may drop to near zero in some women while their estrogen levels drop only 40-60% at menopause, which is just enough to stop the menstrual cycle. Using progesterone therapy can greatly enhance overall hormone balance because it is the precursor to so many other hormones. It can also stimulates bone-building helping to protect against osteoporosis.
Why do men need progesterone?
Men naturally need progesterone to make testosterone and for the adrenal glands to make cortisone. It balances the estrogens that build in a man's body, it helps men with complexion and it increases energy. Men with BPH (swelling of the prostate) and other male related problems will experience a relief with progesterone cream. Adding progesterone back into the body also can help restore normal inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase, thus preventing testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates proliferation of prostate cells.
What is progesterone made from?
The USP progesterone used for hormone replacement comes from plant fats and oils. Wild yams from Mexico, soybeans, and yellow ginger provide a substance called diosgenin. Diosgenin is chemically synthesized into real human progesterone in the laboratory. The other human hormones, including estrogen, testosterone and the cortisones are also synthesized from diosgenin.
Does increasing progesterone levels help me if I have estrogen dominance?
When you have inadequate levels of progesterone, it causes your estrogen levels to go up.
Will increased progesterone cause feminine characteristics in men?
No, progesterone has no feminizing characteristics.
most doctors don’t realize progesterone antagonizes and inhibits the enzyme (called 5-alpha reductase) that is needed to make testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is the powerful male hormone that talks hair follicles into making coarse hair and too much oil that causes acne.”
lack of progesterone in women with PCOS leads to an imbalance in the ovaries, causes the stimulation of higher male hormones
progesterone signals hypothalamus and pituitary to stop the
ovary from making too much testosterone
oysters are powerhouse of nutrition, Mat Lalonde Harvard Organic Chemist
oysters are powerhouse of nutrition
collagen does help joints
native collagen had no stimulatory effect on chondrocytes, but cells fed the hydrolyzed collagen increased their production of type II collagen 250 percent.
It is very plausible that collagen hydrolysate, when taken as a supplement to our normal diet, may help activate the synthesis of collagen in cartilage. Particularly in situations in which cartilage is under massive stress [e.g., arthritis, obesity, sports injury, etc.], the intake of collagen hydrolysate could be highly significant and reduce degenerative changes.”
It is very plausible that collagen hydrolysate, when taken as a supplement to our normal diet, may help activate the synthesis of collagen in cartilage. Particularly in situations in which cartilage is under massive stress [e.g., arthritis, obesity, sports injury, etc.], the intake of collagen hydrolysate could be highly significant and reduce degenerative changes.”
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