Introduction and question about progestrone remedies

March 26, 2005

I joined this group in hopes to share my story so that I can learn

from the group and possibly help others like me. I will introduce

myself and ask some questions. I hope this won't be too long.

I'm 38 and had a total hysterectomy when I was 30 due to

endometreosis and rampant scar tissue. Since then I was with a dr

that gave me Premarin for many years. I was on 2.5mg a day with no

results at all but he won't consider anything else. When I decided

to quit taking it and use natural suppliments he had an absolute

fit. So I changed. I love my new dr because she is more into the

natural stuff but still perscribes synthetic hormones. I am now on

Cenestin. I really want to go natural if possible.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid about 9 months ago. I am on

natural Armour for that. Part of the problem is how much of my

symptoms are from thyroid hormones being out of wack or my

estrogen/progestrone hormones. I think they go hand in hand.

Some of my symptoms are extreme hot flashes(hotter than everyone

else all the time), night sweats, memory loss, dry itchy skin, hair

loss, irritable bowel syndrom, chronic yeast infections & bacterial

infections, excessive tiredness, brain fog, low body temperature,

low sex drive, high weight gain, sleeplessness, numbness of

tongue/chin area, blurred vision, just feeling like I'm always

coming down with something but rarely do(if that makes sense).

I have been reading through your posts about progestrone. I don't

know much about it yet but from what I read, I think that may be

part of my problem. So I went to the health food store and picked

up Emerita Pro-gest Body Cream. Does anyone know about this brand?

Is it the right product to use? Also it states to use it for 21 days

and then to discontinue for 7 days. Is this how you use it? I

thought I would need it everyday. If this is not a suggested

product what do you suggest?

Also what can I use to replace my estrogen? I would love to find a

natural replacement for my Cenestin.

Thank you for listening and thanks in advance for the advice.

Nancy

P.S. I think my husband my have low testosterone levels. Is this

something that can be discussed here? He (and I)really needs help

with that. Thanks.

March 26, 2005

Hi Nancy,

Check out the Female Formula in the files of our website: this is for women to balance the female hormones. Wonderful stuff!! For your husband there is the Male Formula.

As for the rest, it totally sounds like you both need to do a Total Body Cleanse!! Check out the data on this in the files.

And not to forget, contact Doc privately for his FREE cassette lecture about natural healing. This will give you the basics you need both to heal and to prevent problems.

love

Lisa

-

Nancy

herbal remedies

Saturday, March 26, 2005 3:16 AM

Herbal Remedies - Introduction and question about progestrone remedies

I joined this group in hopes to share my story so that I can learn from the group and possibly help others like me. I will introduce myself and ask some questions. I hope this won't be too long.I'm 38 and had a total hysterectomy when I was 30 due to endometreosis and rampant scar tissue. Since then I was with a dr that gave me Premarin for many years. I was on 2.5mg a day with no results at all but he won't consider anything else. When I decided to quit taking it and use natural suppliments he had an absolute fit. So I changed. I love my new dr because she is more into the natural stuff but still perscribes synthetic hormones. I am now on Cenestin. I really want to go natural if possible.I was diagnosed with hypothyroid about 9 months ago. I am on natural Armour for that. Part of the problem is how much of my symptoms are from thyroid hormones being out of wack or my estrogen/progestrone hormones. I think they go hand in hand.Some of my symptoms are extreme hot flashes(hotter than everyone else all the time), night sweats, memory loss, dry itchy skin, hair loss, irritable bowel syndrom, chronic yeast infections & bacterial infections, excessive tiredness, brain fog, low body temperature, low sex drive, high weight gain, sleeplessness, numbness of tongue/chin area, blurred vision, just feeling like I'm always coming down with something but rarely do(if that makes sense).I have been reading through your posts about progestrone. I don't know much about it yet but from what I read, I think that may be part of my problem. So I went to the health food store and picked up Emerita Pro-gest Body Cream. Does anyone know about this brand? Is it the right product to use? Also it states to use it for 21 days and then to discontinue for 7 days. Is this how you use it? I thought I would need it everyday. If this is not a suggested product what do you suggest?Also what can I use to replace my estrogen? I would love to find a natural replacement for my Cenestin.Thank you for listening and thanks in advance for the advice.NancyP.S. I think my husband my have low testosterone levels. Is this something that can be discussed here? He (and I)really needs help with that. Thanks.

March 27, 2005

You are right that many of your estrogen and thyroid problems go hand

in hand. Estrogen dominance interferes with thyroid function.

Symptoms of low thyroid can include dry hair, dry skin, mental

fogginess, low body temperature, slow heart rate, constipation, hair

loss, low energy, and weight gain.

Your earlier problem of endometriosis is also associated with

estrogen dominance. Though I do not recommend progesterone creams for

the long term treatment of estrogen dominance. The benefits of

progesterone have been pushed for years, especially by Dr. Lee.

Though I have yet to see him discuss the opposite end of the

spectrum. This is known as progesterone dominance. Contrary to some

claims, progesterone DOES build up in the fat tissues, as estrogen

will. If estrogen levels exceed the balancing estrogen by too much,

progesterone dominance can occur. Symptoms of progesterone dominance

are often the same as estrogen dominance such as weight gain, fluid

retention, depression due to increased monoamine oxidase activity and

decreased dopamine, and decreased sex drive due to lowered

testosterone. Elevated progesterone also diminishes sex drive through

several other mechanisms. It decreases pheromone perception,

decreases the sense of touch including in the genitals, and decreases

orgasm by relaxing the uterus and by inhibiting oxytocin. There is a

good reason that the hormones are normally kept in a balance in the

body. An imbalance of any of the hormones including the estrogens,

progesterone, oxytocin, prolactin, and testosterone can create

problems. This also makes we wonder how many women taking

progesterone have developed progesterone dominance then increased

their application of progesterone creams thinking that they are still

suffering from estrogen dominance.

A secondary problem with the use of substitute hormones is that

substitute hormones can cause the body to shut down its own

production of those hormones. This may also occur with the use of

glandulars, such as Armour. I have heard women tell me time and time

again that they are no longer producing hormones because either they

are in menopause or because they have had a total hysterectomy.

Though the fact is they are still producing hormones. The adrenal

glands become the primary source of estrogen, progesterone, and

testosterone after menopause or hysterectomy, followed by the fat

cells. If the production of these hormones are substituted for

though, the body shuts down its own production of these hormones as

the glands normally producing these hormones atrophy. I have seen a

lot of examples of this occurring. Primarily in women who were on

birth control pills for years then suddenly went off of them, or

after it was finally admitted that Premarin can increase the risk of

cancer and women were going off their Premarin cold turkey. In both

cases the long term use of these substitute hormones shut down their

own hormone production leading to adverse effects when they went off

suddenly because there were not enough hormones present to support

their systems. Substitute hormones and glandulars need to weaned off

slowly if someone has been on them for a while.

Back to progesterone. I never recommend progesterone creams for

longer than 14 days a month, and for no more than 2 months without

taking a long break to allow the fat tissue to dump some of the

stored progesterone. For long term progesterone production I prefer

chaste tree berry (vitex), which stimulates the pituitary to increase

the body's production of progesterone. Keep in mind though that it

does take at least 2 months to kick in. So it can be taken in

conjunction with progesterone creams while weaning off of the cream.

Parsley leaf and alfalfa herb are also great since they are both rich

phytoestrogen sources and both support the pituitary.

Phytoestrogens are plant based estrogenic substances. On average

phytoestrogens are about 200 to 400 times weaker than the body's own

estrogen. So they have a duel effect by both acting as very weak

estrogens and by locking up estrogen receptors to block the action of

stronger and more dangerous estrogens. For instance Premarin

(PREgnant MARes urINe), which is 3,000 times stronger than human

estrogen, and xenoestrogens, such as dioxin and PCBs, which can be as

high as 30,000 times stronger than human estrogens. Many

phytoestrogens can be derived from diet. Dietary sources include soy,

sage, yams, parsley, peas, kudzu, and seaweeds. Other sources include

red clover, licorice root, and numerous other herbs. In fact

phytoestrogens have been isolated from over 350 different plants.

Flavonoids, found in various foods, especially berries also function

in the same manner as phytoestrogens.

A couple of herbs that work well for hot flashes are sage leaf,

motherwort, and black cohosh.

A few other suggestions to help with balancing the hormones.

Digestive bitters help the liver to work more efficiently to break

down excess hormones. They must come in to contact with the tongue to

work properly. They are sold in health food stores under names like

Grape Bitters, Swedish Bitters, and Ginger Bitters. Drink plenty of

water throughout the day when using bitters since they do detox the

body.

A B complex is also recommended, or eat foods high in B vitamins

since B6 is essential for detoxification of estrogens by the liver

and they are best taken together in a complex.

In addition it is important to keep the intestinal flora healthy

since among their other roles they detoxify estrogen metabolites.

Making sure you stay hydrated and get fiber in your diet is the best

way to help maintain the flora.

And finally keep your adrenal glands healthy since they are the

primary source of hormones after a hysterectomy. Vitamin C and

pantothenic acid are the primary nutrients needed for the adrenals.

Herbs that support the adrenals include astragalus, Siberian ginseng,

ashwagandha, jiaogulan, licorice root, Arctic root, and nettle leaf.

Avoid stimulants, steroidal medications, and watch your stress levels

since these all weaken adrenal function.

For your husband, the most effective herb to raise testosterone is

tribulus terrestris. It is a good idea to take it in conjunction with

saw palmetto or jiaogulan to prevent the testosterone from converting

in to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High DHT levels can lead to prostate

problems and male pattern baldness.

I prefer to take herbs on an empty stomach at least 20 minutes

before meals since fats and proteins can interfere with or slow

absorption.

herbal remedies , " Nancy " <nll320@g...> wrote:

>

> I joined this group in hopes to share my story so that I can learn

> from the group and possibly help others like me. I will introduce

> myself and ask some questions. I hope this won't be too long.

> I'm 38 and had a total hysterectomy when I was 30 due to

> endometreosis and rampant scar tissue. Since then I was with a dr

> that gave me Premarin for many years. I was on 2.5mg a day with no

> results at all but he won't consider anything else. When I decided

> to quit taking it and use natural suppliments he had an absolute

> fit. So I changed. I love my new dr because she is more into the

> natural stuff but still perscribes synthetic hormones. I am now on

> Cenestin. I really want to go natural if possible.

> I was diagnosed with hypothyroid about 9 months ago. I am on

> natural Armour for that. Part of the problem is how much of my

> symptoms are from thyroid hormones being out of wack or my

> estrogen/progestrone hormones. I think they go hand in hand.

> Some of my symptoms are extreme hot flashes(hotter than everyone

> else all the time), night sweats, memory loss, dry itchy skin, hair

> loss, irritable bowel syndrom, chronic yeast infections & bacterial

> infections, excessive tiredness, brain fog, low body temperature,

> low sex drive, high weight gain, sleeplessness, numbness of

> tongue/chin area, blurred vision, just feeling like I'm always

> coming down with something but rarely do(if that makes sense).

> I have been reading through your posts about progestrone. I don't

> know much about it yet but from what I read, I think that may be

> part of my problem. So I went to the health food store and picked

> up Emerita Pro-gest Body Cream. Does anyone know about this

brand?

> Is it the right product to use? Also it states to use it for 21

days

> and then to discontinue for 7 days. Is this how you use it? I

> thought I would need it everyday. If this is not a suggested

> product what do you suggest?

> Also what can I use to replace my estrogen? I would love to find a

> natural replacement for my Cenestin.

> Thank you for listening and thanks in advance for the advice.

> Nancy

> P.S. I think my husband my have low testosterone levels. Is this

> something that can be discussed here? He (and I)really needs help

> with that. Thanks.

March 27, 2005

So much of this sounds like your opinion –

do you have any links to research that will back this up?

Also, what is your name?

Wendy

hveragerthi

[hveragerthi]

Sunday, March 27, 2005 6:39

AM

To:

herbal remedies

Herbal Remedies - Re:

Introduction and question about progestrone remedies

·

You are right that many of your estrogen and

thyroid problems go hand

in hand. Estrogen dominance interferes with

thyroid function.

Symptoms of low thyroid can include dry hair, dry

skin, mental

fogginess, low body temperature, slow heart rate,

constipation, hair

loss, low energy, and weight gain.

Your earlier problem of endometriosis is also

associated with

estrogen dominance. Though I do not recommend

progesterone creams for

the long term treatment of estrogen dominance. The

benefits of

progesterone have been pushed for years,

especially by Dr. Lee.

Though I have yet to see him discuss the opposite

end of the

spectrum. This is known as progesterone dominance.

Contrary to some

claims, progesterone DOES build up in the fat

tissues, as estrogen

will. If estrogen levels exceed the balancing

estrogen by too much,

progesterone dominance can occur. Symptoms of

progesterone dominance

are often the same as estrogen dominance such as

weight gain, fluid

retention, depression due to increased monoamine

oxidase activity and

decreased dopamine, and decreased sex drive due to

lowered

testosterone. Elevated progesterone also

diminishes sex drive through

several other mechanisms. It decreases pheromone

perception,

decreases the sense of touch including in the

genitals, and decreases

orgasm by relaxing the uterus and by inhibiting

oxytocin. There is a

good reason that the hormones are normally kept in

a balance in the

body. An imbalance of any of the hormones

including the estrogens,

progesterone, oxytocin, prolactin, and

testosterone can create

problems. This also makes we wonder how many women

taking

progesterone have developed progesterone dominance

then increased

their application of progesterone creams thinking

that they are still

suffering from estrogen dominance.

A secondary problem with the use of substitute

hormones is that

substitute hormones can cause the body to shut

down its own

production of those hormones. This may also occur

with the use of

glandulars, such as Armour. I have heard women

tell me time and time

again that they are no longer producing hormones

because either they

are in menopause or because they have had a total

hysterectomy.

Though the fact is they are still producing

hormones. The adrenal

glands become the primary source of estrogen,

progesterone, and

testosterone after menopause or hysterectomy,

followed by the fat

cells. If the production of these hormones are

substituted for

though, the body shuts down its own production of

these hormones as

the glands normally producing these hormones

atrophy. I have seen a

lot of examples of this occurring. Primarily in

women who were on

birth control pills for years then suddenly went

off of them, or

after it was finally admitted that Premarin can

increase the risk of

cancer and women were going off their Premarin

cold turkey. In both

cases the long term use of these substitute

hormones shut down their

own hormone production leading to adverse effects

when they went off

suddenly because there were not enough hormones

present to support

their systems. Substitute hormones and glandulars

need to weaned off

slowly if someone has been on them for a while.

Back to progesterone. I never recommend

progesterone creams for

longer than 14 days a month, and for no more than

2 months without

taking a long break to allow the fat tissue to

dump some of the

stored progesterone. For long term progesterone

production I prefer

chaste tree berry (vitex), which stimulates the

pituitary to increase

the body's production of progesterone. Keep in

mind though that it

does take at least 2 months to kick in. So it can

be taken in

conjunction with progesterone creams while weaning

off of the cream.

Parsley leaf and alfalfa herb are also great since

they are both rich

phytoestrogen sources and both support the

pituitary.

Phytoestrogens are plant based estrogenic

substances. On average

phytoestrogens are about 200 to 400 times weaker

than the body's own

estrogen. So they have a duel effect by both

acting as very weak

estrogens and by locking up estrogen receptors to

block the action of

stronger and more dangerous estrogens. For

instance Premarin

(PREgnant MARes urINe), which is 3,000 times

stronger than human

estrogen, and xenoestrogens, such as dioxin and

PCBs, which can be as

high as 30,000 times stronger than human

estrogens. Many

phytoestrogens can be derived from diet. Dietary

sources include soy,

sage, yams, parsley, peas, kudzu, and seaweeds.

Other sources include

red clover, licorice root, and numerous other

herbs. In fact

phytoestrogens have been isolated from over 350

different plants.

Flavonoids, found in various foods, especially

berries also function

in the same manner as phytoestrogens.

A couple of herbs that work well for hot flashes

are sage leaf,

motherwort, and black cohosh.

A few other suggestions to help with balancing the

hormones.

Digestive bitters help the liver to work more

efficiently to break

down excess hormones. They must come in to contact

with the tongue to

work properly. They are sold in health food stores

under names like

Grape Bitters, Swedish Bitters, and Ginger

Bitters. Drink plenty of

water throughout the day when using bitters since

they do detox the

body.

A B complex is also recommended, or eat foods high

in B vitamins

since B6 is essential for detoxification of

estrogens by the liver

and they are best taken together in a complex.

In addition it is important to keep the intestinal

flora healthy

since among their other roles they detoxify

estrogen metabolites.

Making sure you stay hydrated and get fiber in

your diet is the best

way to help maintain the flora.

And finally keep your adrenal glands healthy since

they are the

primary source of hormones after a hysterectomy.

Vitamin C and

pantothenic acid are the primary nutrients needed

for the adrenals.

Herbs that support the adrenals include

astragalus, Siberian ginseng,

ashwagandha, jiaogulan, licorice root, Arctic root,

and nettle leaf.

Avoid stimulants, steroidal medications, and watch

your stress levels

since these all weaken adrenal function.

For your husband, the most effective herb to raise

testosterone is

tribulus terrestris. It is a good idea to take it

in conjunction with

saw palmetto or jiaogulan to prevent the

testosterone from converting

in to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High DHT levels

can lead to prostate

problems and male pattern baldness.

I prefer to take herbs on an empty stomach

at least 20 minutes

before meals since fats and proteins can interfere

with or slow

absorption.

March 28, 2005

Hi Nancy,

First of all I hope that both you and your husband find what you

need to keep you healthy and happy for a long time.

Are you familiar with something called Bio-Energetic testing or

Electro-dermal Screening? I was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. After

having half of my neck removed I chose to try alternative therapies

instead of chemo and radiation. I was trying all kinds of things,

spending between $500 -$700 per month. I met a woman that is a

naturopathic doctor. She told me about Bio-Energetic testing.

Basically what it does is to show how well any given nutrient,

medicine or anything that goes in the body is going to be utilized

by the body. It can show how well things will work with each other.

In other words it can show you if your body is actually using

whatever is it that you taking. She took me off about 80% of what I

was taking telling me that my body didn't need those particular

things. I was quite hesitant at first since I knew that cancer

doesn't just stop growing for no reason, and if I quit taking what

was keeping the cancer at bay I was going to be in real trouble. So

I called up a doctor that was selling me about $150/month worth of

products and asked him if he was familiar with Bio-Energetic

testing. He told me that he was and that the technology was valid.

He said that the most important thing was that the person doing the

testing had to be competent. I told him that the ND that was testing

me had been doing it for about 15 years and furthermore that she

told me to quit taking what I was getting from him. His response

was, " If she says don't take it, don't take it. " ... That meant a

lot to me. It's one thing to say, " This is what you need. And by the

way, I sell it. " But to have someone that was getting quite a bit of

money from me tell me not to buy from him if she said I didn't need

it, gave me a lot more confidence in it...That was in August 2001

and I'm still here so I can vouch that it works. I see her once a

month and she adjusts whatever it is that my body needs at that

time.

So Nancy, in your case if you were to take the Emerita Pro-gest Body

Cream and use Bio-Energetic testing you could immediately tell if it

is what you need, without having to actually use it. This could save

you a lot of time, money and suffering. Here is a site that explains

more how Bio-Energetic testing works:

http://reenie.org/site/electro/basic.html

This applies to everyone in this group that wants to make sure that

whatever they take, whether it be herb, medicine, supplement or

food, is what their body really needs to maximize their health.

Sorry about the long post but I thought this information could

really help. Be Well,

Kendall