Menopause

Menopause Overview

Menopause literally means the end of monthly cycles from the Greek word pausis (cessation) and the root men (month) and normally occurs at age 50-51.

In the islands, as well as in most simple cultures, menopause is a time of liberation, a time of celebration, a time of joyful accomplishment, a time of renewed energy.

The unpleasant symptoms of we have only recently learned to associate with menopause are the bane of only a small group of women in history: American & Northern European women in the past 75 years. Outside that group, menopause is not so traumatic and is no more than a natural & welcome phase in a woman’s life. The more simple the lifestyle, the more simple the diet – the better quality of life & well-being at menopause.

Contrary to popular belief, a decrease of hormone levels is a symptom of menopause, not a cause.  Menopause occurs naturally when the last egg is released by the ovaries.

After menopause or a hysterectomy, estrogen production decreases by about 40% to 60%. Therefore, your adrenals & fat cells still produce estrogen at approximately 40% to 60% of pre-menopause levels.  There are a number of treatments for menopause, the most common being estrogen replacement therapy.

In cases where Estrogen Replacement Therapy is elected to control hot flashes, vaginal dryness or night sweats, natural phyto-estrogen cream is recommended usually for several months or, in some cases a year.

Risks of HRT

By default hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is prescribed, the drug of choice being Premarin, which stands for Pregnant Mare’s Urine.  Many take issue with this method of harvesting conjugated estrogens. Significant side-effects have been associated with the use of HRT. The evidence became clear 5-6 years ago, and it is now well accepted in the medical community that estrogen replacement therapy is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.  As if that is not incriminating enough, estrogens have also been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and also tend to raise your insulin levels.

Risks of HRT

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Studies have shown that women taking replacement estrogen have a 2 to 8 times higher risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer than women who do not take estrogen. The risk increases after 2 to 4 years of estrogen use and seems to be greatest when large doses (>1 mg./day) are taken or when the estrogens are used for long periods of time (>4 years). This risk factor increases sharply in women who smoke cigarettes.

Issues with Oral Administration

Nature did not intend for humans to put hormones in their stomachs.  When this basic principle is ignored the liver will intercept approximately 80% of the given hormone and convert it to a hormone metabolite.  This is even true with orally administered bio-identical hormones.  So, in order to achieve a net dose of 20 mg., the prescription for an oral hormone has to be 200 mg.  The result: your body is flooded with hormone metabolites which encourage an imbalance of natural hormones.

Hormone in a Cream?

When steroid hormones are applied to the skin, the liver never knows!  As a result, a proper bio-identical progesterone cream free of petro chemicals, will offer a 97-100% delivery to the appropriate hormone receptors.

Because the hormone progesterone is the biological precursor for the production of natural estrogen, it is the natural choice for menopausal women as well as for pre-menopausal women to enjoy optimal health.  Additionally, natural progesterone is vitally important for the health of every organ of the body.

Persistent Symptoms

Women who wrestle with persistent hot flashes, night sweats and/or vaginal dryness have found that 400 i.u. of natural vitamin E three times per day (1200 i.u./day), essential oil supplementation (primrose oil, omega III) and two to three  tablespoons of whole psyllium seed husks in juice daily has been effective in ameliorating these persistent symptoms.

In most cases, however, phyto-estrogen is not needed when a sufficient amount of bio-identical Progesterone is available, as it is the precursor (raw material) for other adrenal hormones, including natural estrogen, testosterone and cortisone.

Bio-identical Progesterone has been found to be the choice for informed women when applied topically, in a cream formula free from petrochemicals and animal by-products.

By establishing a balance of these hormones through proper diet, exercise, stress management, quality phase IV sleep and Biologically Identical Progesterone supplementation, fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone, the resultant hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause are normally alleviated.

Happy Menopause!

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