New Study on the Influenza Vaccine

http://www.mndaily.com/2011/10/26/u-study-flu-shots-protect-less-60-percent-adults

Upcoming Lecture on Female Hormones and Naturopathic Therapeutics

Check out the event description on facebook at the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Veritae-Wellness/108073716726#!/event.php?eid=159748114079342

The Hormone Debate

Here is an article written for AGELESS SUCCESS - a new online magazine. You can subscribe to the magazine at www.agelesssuccess.com

A New(ish) Direction For Hormone Balance

· What are some of the effects of hormones out of balance?

During our youth, most of us have robust hormonal health (to say the least). As we go through life, environmental toxicity, stress, poor eating choices, and a sedentary lifestyle can each contribute to a loss in balance. Both men and women can experience hormonal imbalances. Symptoms can be very vague, such as; fatigue, body pain, difficulty losing weight, insomnia, anxiety, and moodiness. Around the time of menopause, women may additionally feel hot flashes, memory issues, vaginal dryness, and loss of libido.

· Environmental toxicity affects our hormones?

Yes. The industrial/chemical age has resulted in the prevalence of xenoestrogens -
chemicals that act like estrogen in our bodies. The sources of these include byproducts from detergents, plastics, pesticides, solvents, prescribed hormone replacement, and birth control pills. Xenoestrogens have become prevalent in our environment. Recent studies are even showing the presence of birth control pills in remote lakes with no public access. These foreign estrogens act on our estrogen receptors in our bodies, but in a different manner from our own estrogen.

· What can I do to reduce my exposure to environmental factors?

Fortunately, there are many tools for avoiding exposure to environmental estrogens. Dispose of pesticides and herbicide. Use clean cosmetic ingredients – and avoid those containing parabens (methyl/ethyl parabens) or phthalates. Use green detergents and other cleaners that do not result in estrogenic by-products. You can also seek out the advice of a health care provider who can counsel you on how to safely detoxify your body, and how to target estrogen toxicity specifically.

· How do hormonal imbalances get treated by Doctors?

That depends on which Doctors you see! Traditionally, many Doctors prescribe synthetic hormones to replace, suppress, or supplement hormones in our bodies. Synthetic hormones are molecularly different from our own hormones. They can be used for birth control, to treat certain medical conditions, or to treat menopausal symptoms.

However, a recent study in menopausal women using synthetic hormones (The Women’s Health Initiative, 2003) was cut short due to the side-effects caused by these drugs. Side-effects included breast pain, bloating, mood swings, uterine cancer, breast cancer, and elevated incidence of cardiovascular disease.

One of the results of this study has been the shift toward the use of bio-identical hormone therapies (BHRT). There are now many Doctors, Nurse Practitioners and Naturopathic Doctors that prefer the use of BHRT, and that number is growing.

· What are bio-identical hormones?

BHRT utilizes hormones molecularly identical to our own hormones, which therefore possess identical actions. BHRT is becoming more commonly used as women become more educated and request it. BHRT is actually not new at all. Prior to the introduction of synthetic hormones, bio-identical progesterone was used routinely, and has been used extensively in Europe for decades.

European studies performed with menopausal women show very promising results with BHRT. In these studies, women taking BHRT had symptomatic relief equivalent to those on synthetic hormones, but with none of the side-effects. In these studies, the use of natural progesterone (as opposed to synthetic) offset the symptoms associated the use both bio-identical estrogen and synthetic estrogens.

Although these studies have all focused on menopausal women, bio-identical hormones can be used for women and men of any age, in place of synthetic hormones.

· What are some other options for treating hormonal imbalances?

When it comes to treating hormones, gratefully, the power is largely in your hands.

Stress reduction is a powerful tool for hormonal – and total – wellbeing. One of our stress hormones – cortisol – draws from our pool of progesterone and other hormones. Therefore, when our lives are relaxed, our bodies are more balanced.

Eating whole, organic foods can reduce exposure to xenoestrogens, as well as giving your body nutrients it needs to process your hormones in a healthy manner. The cruciferous, or broccoli family veggies contain molecules that assist the liver in detoxifying estrogens.

Regular exercise is another important lifestyle choice that contributes to hormonal balance. Besides reducing stress, exercise burns cortisol, reduces inflammation, and supports a healthy liver for efficient hormone processing.

Naturopathic care would include counseling on all of these lifestyle choices, and may also include directed nutritional supplementation, herbs to support hormones and stress, homeopathy or bio-identical hormones.

Remember that you are the consumer of health care, and that you have choices. Ask your Doctor about BHRT as a safer therapeutic for hormone balance. And if he or she is unfamiliar, ask him/her to learn about it, or seek out a practitioner well versed in the subject. You may also consider talking to a compounding pharmacist who makes BHRT to order. You deserve to have the knowledge and care that will result in the best you possible!