Testing hormones is vital in order to know exactly if an imbalance exists and where it may lie. Saliva testing is preferred because it tests for the active available hormone versus blood testing for the protein-bound inactive form. Also, for women who are still cycling, it is imperative to get multiple samples throughout the cycle as hormones rise and fall. It is much easier and less expensive to use saliva over blood tests. The ranges given to blood tests also reflect a very wide, and often unhealthy, range; whereas saliva has ranges more in the healthy range for women. Hormones should never be given without the proper testing and follow up.

Synthetic hormones are given routinely with traditional medical intervention. All HRT research has been done on women who have taken synthetic hormones. It is accepted and assumed that synthetic hormones act the same as natural hormones, and this simply is not true. Tell me, just how many horse hormones does a woman need??? Synthetic estrogen made from a pregnant mare’s urine and synthetic progesterone have been linked to breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, heart disease and blood clotting. Natural progesterone is protective of cancer, heart disease and the formation of blood clots.

Typically, as female hormones become imbalanced, progesterone is much lower in ratio to estrogen causing Estrogen Dominance. As a woman gets older, the ovaries slow down production of progesterone and the adrenal glands become the backup system by producing more progesterone. Despite conventional medical thinking, progesterone is a very necessary hormone after menopause. Estrogen is typically in abundant supply as it is produced in the fat cells and consumed in non-organic dairy products and meat. A woman in Estrogen Dominance will produce a multitude of symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty getting to or staying asleep, mood swings, depression, anxiety, sweet/carb cravings, salt cravings, weight gain, body aches and pains (which when left uncontrolled may become Fibromyalgia), fatigue (which may become Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and many more. Estrogen Dominance is, most often, the cause of heavy bleeding which is the more common reason for hysterectomy. After which, a woman is put on more estrogen!! Obviously, the bleeding is halted but the Estrogen Dominance is enhanced.

There is a better way!! By testing the hormones accurately, understanding where the imbalance lies, we can rebalance the system using whole food supplements and herbs. Remember, hormones are very powerful substances found in very small amounts in our bloodstream. Hormones are part of a family, and they function and dysfunction together. Any hormones, even bioidentical hormones, should be used only as a temporary crutch or as a last resort and never slathered on in a more-is-better approach. And if hormones are used, testing and monitoring is vital. Otherwise, easily the wrong hormone could be given – once again upsetting the delicate balance. The use of supplements and herbs can frequently bring the body back into balance. The body was designed to regenerate for well over 100 years, and is internally driven to homeostasis – balance and health. We do not need to make the body healthy; we only need to allow the body to be healthy.

Restorative Endocrinology™ looks at the design of the body and how it should work.  When our body is not working properly, ie: not becoming or staying pregnant, then something is imbalanced or lacking.  And it certainly isn’t drugs!!  Our bodies were designed to function normally for well over 100 years.  By restoring the body back to normal function and design, and restoring proper hormone balance, our body will respond with proper function and health.  We test the body’s levels of hormones and minerals, give the body what is lacking, stand back and watch the body heal and restore itself.

Reproducing life is an amazing and wonderfully beautiful process.  It makes more sense to become pregnant in a healthy responsive body than to force a pregnancy using very powerful drugs that imbalance and dysregulate the design even more.  Hope is still alive.  Our bodies have an extremely strong drive to be healthy and function properly.  We just need to provide the nutrients necessary to make that happen!  Proper testing and a proper nutritional protocol will achieve just that!

Learn to take some time for yourself by locking yourself in the bathroom to take a bath, find a corner and a good book, go for a walk, have a weekly Girl’s Night, etc.  Before you go to bed each night, de-stress with breathing exercises, meditation or yoga.  Know what you can change and what you can’t!!  Worry is wasted energy and will exhaust your adrenals.  95% of what you worry about you have no control over so “Let Go and Let God”.

Eat enough protein.  Start your day with 30-40 grams of protein in a shake.  Eat protein with every meal, and if you have a blood sugar issue, also eat a protein snack between meals.  Good fats are also important and keep blood sugar level.

Exercise.  Need I say more?  It is also a great stress reducer!!

Test your hormone balance and mineral levels regularly to be sure your body stays in balance.  A balanced body is a healthy body.  You will feel great, look great and live a longer, healthier life!!

These symptoms are now fully understood by those few who understand how hormones work within the endocrine system.  Restorative Endocrinology™ is the study of the endocrine system’s normal function and applying a natural nutritional program, including bioidentical hormones, to reinstate that normal function.  Hormones affect so many valuable life-sustaining aspects of our bodies that symptoms are just as varied.  Everything from thyroid issues, adrenal dysfunction, blood sugar issues, fatigue, and auto immune disease such as Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are related to hormone imbalance and are correctable with proper supplements, oftentimes including bioidenical hormones.

Bioidentical hormones are made from plants – soy and wild yam – to be identical to our own human hormones.  Therefore, there are no serious side effects as there are with synthetic hormones found in The Pill and traditional HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).  Bioidentical hormones come in different forms;  cream, sublingual and tablet.  We have found the sublingual form is the easiest to monitor and control.

Bioidentical hormones must be tested on a regular basis to be sure there is proper hormone balance.  Bioidentical hormones do not show up on blood tests; therefore we use saliva testing to monitor hormone levels.  We are also sure to support the gland that is responsible for producing the hormones, such as the ovaries, uterus, and adrenal glands.  This support will also, then, support the thyroid gland.

It is easy to see how each component of the Endocrine System interacts with the others.  You cannot give one hormone without affecting all the others.  At Natural Body in Balance, we assess your whole body and support that internal, innate drive that is in each of us and wants so desperately to stay balanced and healthy.

Because hormones affect every cell, there are multitudes of symptoms that can be expressed when hormonal imbalance takes place.  Everything from mood issues to weight issues to thyroid issues to blood sugar issues or cardiovascular issues.  The list of hormone imbalance symptoms goes on and on.  That’s why it is so important to know if your hormones are balanced.  Blood tests indicate only the inactive, protein bound hormone, while saliva tests indicate the active, unbound, ready-to-make-something-happen form of the hormone, which is by far much more diagnostically significant.

I hope Mr. Jobs finds himself a Restorative Endocrinologist to help him in balancing his hormones.

I read a book she highly recommended called “The Pill” by Jane Bennett & Alexandra Pope.  It is available only in Australia but you can purchase it through www.allenandunwin.com.  It is a must read for anyone on The Pill or contemplating it.  It talks about several women’s experiences on The Pill and the effects of The Pill after stopping.

She provides a wealth of information and research. The Pill works by interfering with the HP Axis, the communication pathway between the brain and the sex glands.  It tricks the body into thinking it’s pregnant, and remember, You Can’t Fool Mother Nature!!!  There are so many side effects such as depression, nausea, headaches/migraines and loss of libido along with severe, permanent and dangerous side effects such as infertility, cancer, and heart disease.

She also discusses all the other methods of birth control including some natural methods that do not interfere with the body’s normal cycle.  If you have teenage children, remember – they don’t need your permission to take The Pill – so educate them on the long-term effects and dangers.  We need to help girls and young women realize that cycling is good – not bad.  It’s what makes us unique and gives us the ability to create another human life within us.  Our bodies were designed to cycle.  Interfering with that design by forcing the body to do otherwise always results in unhealthy consequences at some point of our life.  The least we interfere, the healthier we will be!

If The Pill is your only option at the present time, I have a nutritional protocol using whole food supplements and bioidentical hormones to support your body and minimize the risks.  If you are contemplating getting off The Pill, you can stop the standard Pill at any time.  If you are on the Mini-Pill, you should complete your cycle.

It is a really good idea to have your hormones tested on your second cycle being off The Pill to see where your body is and correct any hormone imbalance.  We offer saliva testing and hair analysis to get a complete picture of hormone levels, adrenal and thyroid function, blood sugar handling, and other factors.

But, we do.  We can control how we react to this situation.

It’s a spiritual law that we reap what we sow; we attract what we project.  Since we have no control of the economy, living in hope and gratitude sure does beat living in fear and desperation.  And, things always work out.  What do they say about worry:  95% of what you worry about never happens and the other 5% you don’t have control over anyway – so, as the song says so eloquently – Don’t Worry, Be Happy!!

Happiness and Graditude trigger the positive endorphins which help your body to be healthy, and attracts positive outcomes in your life.  Negative thinking increases stress on the adrenal gland which increases Cortisol which imbalances your hormones causing poor health, and attracts negative outcomes in your life.

When your mind drifts to negative thoughts, make a conscious effort to switch your thinking and feelings to something positive.  Think about the blessings in your life and where you want to be next year or in 5 years.  Write it down, visualize it and feel it.  Be thankful every day, find somebody to bless, smile, keep a positive and exciting vision in front of you, and trust that everything cycles and good times will return.

I hear that statement so many times.  Loss of libido impacts so many women, and their partners.

Women are caretakers by nature.  A woman’s life has so many demands – from kids, to husband, to parents, to home management, to career, and on and on.  Oftentimes, there is just nothing left to give at the end of the day.  Plus, just the stress of daily living alone puts stress on the body, especially the adrenal glands, and that can cause a hormone imbalance.  Female hormone imbalance is most frequently is caused by stress, which means correcting the source of stress through lifestyle change is very important.

Sexual drive and sexual response happen amongst a very delicate and sensitive dance between several hormones and emotional well-being.  A woman builds slowly into sexual desire and response.  A simple fix does not apply here.  Simply taking testosterone, for example, is a common solution, but rarely do women ever need additional testosterone.  Also, taking a hormone without testing and knowing that hormone is indeed low will cause an imbalance among the rest of the hormones.  Hormones act together.  You cannot affect one without affecting the rest.  By accurately testing hormone levels, assessing the adrenal and thyroid function, and then correcting those imbalances, the body will once again function as it was designed.

There are many things to consider with loss of libido.  There may need to be a change in lifestyle to lower the stress level and there may need to be nutritional support for female hormone imbalance.  The good news is that it is fixable and enjoying a satisfying sex life can once again be a very fulfilling part of your life.

Radiation Dangers
Scientists agree that there is no safe dose of radiation. Cellular DNA in the breast is more easily damaged by very small doses of radiation than thyroid tissue or bone marrow; in fact, breast cells are second only to fetal tissues in sensitivity to radiation. And the younger the breast cells, the more easily their DNA is damaged by radiation. As an added risk, one percent of American women carry a hard-to-detect oncogene which is triggered by radiation; a single mammogram increases their risk of breast cancer by a factor of 4-6 times.12

There are several other articles, books and research references found on the internet that claim Mammogram’s radiation is far too damaging to breast tissue, the compression of the breast causes trauma to the delicate tissue which can trigger cancer growth, and it’s really not all that reliable.  So, what’s a woman to do?

Thermal Breast Imaging or Breast Thermography yields the most conservative and accurate results.  Thermal Breast Imaging is 100% safe.  There is no x-ray radiation.  It is painless.  There is no contact with the breast.  Thermal Breast Imaging is a physiological test that assesses signs of cancer develoment at the cellular stage, supporting early detection.  Since cancer cells alter breast temperature and blood supply, they produce distinct signs on a thermogram before a tumor forms.  An image of these heat patterns are created using high-resolution, high-sensitivity digital infrared cameras and sophisticated computer software.  Thermal Breast Imaging uses no radiation and no compression,   It involves no pain or discomfort.  Research has shown that an abnormal thermogram is the highest known risk marker for breast cancer – 10x more significant than a family history.

Check around your area for a Thermal Imaging Center and get more information on this valuable, safe and critical method of healthy breast check-ups.

Hormones are measured in nanograms (parts per billion) and picograms (parts per trillion) – that’s tiny!!  One part per billion is like putting a pinch of salt on ten tons of potato chips!  One part per trillion is like putting one drop of water in a six mile long 660 tank car train!  Wow, that’s really tiny!!

Because these hormones are so powerful, our bodies have a very strict check and balance system to maintain a hormone balance.  Receptors located on our cells are like gates that open to allow hormones in or shut to keep hormones out.  A hormone overdose happens whenever a hormone level exceeds its normal physiologic reference range.

The body is obsessively driven to keep us in a state of homeostasis or balance.  Hormones can be thrown out of balance due to stress, use of birth control pill or injections, synthetic HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), poor diet, or exposure to external hormones – even the misuse of bioidentical hormones.

Hormone imbalance results in the disconnection of the HP Axis (the communication pathway between the Pituitary and Hypothalamus glands in the brain) and the downstream glands, such as the thyroid, adrenals, and gonads.  This disconnection results in further hormone imbalance.  Because of the HP Axis involvement in the brain, symptoms of hormone imbalance range from physical to emotional.

Because hormones play such a vital and varied role in our well-being and health, symptoms of imbalance also vary from emotional issues such as depression to anxiety to panic attacks; to physical issues such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, hot flashes/night sweats, migraines, heavy bleeding/clotting, and to body issues such as weight gain, bloating, acne, and facial hair.

The correction we choose at Natural Body in Balance is to test for the specific imbalances.  These tests can be done in the comfort of your home.  We use whole food supplements, herbs, and bioidentical hormones, when needed, to give the body what it needs to rebalance itself, heal itself, and once again function as we were designed.

Our bodies are self healing and self regulating.  We are designed to regenerate for well over 100 years.  Once the body has the nutrients required, we stand back and allow the body heal itself.