This is the follow-up to a post from a few days ago on bioidentical hormones. As I stated in the conclusion to that post, in the long run, I believe that it is better (whenever possible) to bring the hormone that is too high down to a normal range rather than to artificially increase a hormone that is at a normal level into an abnormal range to compensate for the hormone that is too high. Now I’m going to explain how that can be achieved
There are actually a variety of steps we can take to get the body to balance its own hormones to levels that are normal and natural for the individual’s “physical age” (I use the term “physical age” to refer to one’s general youthfulness and vitality, which has little to do with his or her chronological age). The basic first step is to eat a reasonably good diet, high in fresh vegetables and fruits, and with moderate amounts of healthy fats and lean protein. It is a good idea to stick to natural (hormone-free) meats and organic produce as much as possible, in order to avoid “exogenous estrogens” which are chemicals that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and come from pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones given to livestock, etc..
In addition, getting regular exercise, including at least some relatively high intensity interval training is a big help in stimulating your body to produce the hormones you need to maintain your youthfulness and avoid many of the symptoms of menopause and andropause (the male equivalent of menopause that results from declining levels of testosterone and growth hormone). Likewise, getting adequate good quality sleep enhances the body’s ability to produce youth-maintaining hormones, especially growth hormone.
Beyond these basic steps, I have found that there are natural remedies for hormone imbalance that are not themselves hormones. There are supplements that contain hormone precursors (substances that the body converts into hormones as it needs them), herbs that either mimic the action of certain hormones or stimulate the production of certain hormones, and there are homeopathic remedies that energetically stimulate the body to re-balance its hormone production.
One of the more popular of the hormone precursors for female hormones is a substance called pregnenolone. Pregnenolone is converted by the body into both estrogen and progesterone, but because it is preferentially converted to progesterone, supplementing with pregnenolone by itself is sometimes enough to correct mild cases of estrogen dominance (excess estrogen relative to progesterone) without driving the levels of either hormone into an abnormally high range.
There are several popular herbal remedies that are popular in the treatment of hormone-related symptoms. For example, dong quai and black cohosh are often used by menopausal women to control hot flashes and other symptoms. Yohimbe is sometimes used to increase sex drive and potency in men because of it’s androgen-like effects (androgens are hormones that accentuate masculine characteristics and are found in men and in smaller amounts in women). While herbal remedies can be quite effective, they may produce undesirable effects when used improperly. Herbal treatments should be used with caution, partiularly in women who are estrogen dominant, because many of the popular herbs have estrogenic activity. In my opinion, herbal products should generally be avoided in pregnancy, unless prescribed and monitored by a licensed healthcare provider who is experienced with their use.
Finally, homeopathic remedies can be remarkably effective in correcting hormone balance and can often alleviate symptoms of hormone imbalance very quickly (within a few days to a few weeks). Homeopathic remedies (of any kind, not just those used for hormone balancing) are extremely dilute substances that are specially prepared to carry the “energetic signature” of a substance. The underlying principles of homeopathy are very different from those of conventional medicine and they can be difficult for people to understand at first. In fact, many dismiss homeopathy because the remedies are so dilute that it is difficult for many people to understand how they could be effective at all, and the notion that one can imprint an “energetic signature or pattern” on some inert liquid or solid seems pretty far-fetched. Yet we all deal with energetic patterns imprinted on inert materials all the time in the form of computer discs, DVDs, etc.. Homeopathic remedies are simply the same concept applied in a different manner. In a similar manner to how a computer disc can transmit information to a computer, a homeopathic remedy can transmit information to the body. In my experience, homeopathics can be used to tell (perhaps “ask” is a better term) the body to change its hormone balance. Because they work so well in most cases, and because they are non-toxic and relatively inexpensive, such as Total Fem-Bal (for women – usually) or Total Andro-Bal ( for men -usually) by NutriWest, I prefer starting with homeopathics to try to correct hormone imbalances. In those cases where homeopathics are ineffective, then stronger interventions can be considered.
If you would like suggestions for balancing your hormones and/or need information on how to find out if you have hormone imbalance(s), feel free to contact me.