1     Hot flashes.

These typically begin to occur when women start to have irregular periods, and usually end one or two years after menstruation has ceased. Hot flashes can be experienced as flushing or warmth in the face and upper body, or as sweating and chills. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is a traditional herb that may help alleviate hot flashes. Natural therapies such as yoga, visualization and Traditional Chinese Medicine may also help.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/the-three-main-reasons-why-women-get-hot-flashes

2   Depression.

Perhaps due to hormone changes, depression is a side effect of menopause that some women experience. Following an anti-inflammatory diet and getting regular exercise can help address mild depression. Understanding and accepting that menopause is a transitional phase that is a natural part of life can help as well.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/12/08/bioidentical-hormones-for-anxiety-and-depression/

3  Insomnia.

If you experience insomnia, consider valerian and melatonin. Valerian is a sedative herb – take one to two capsules a half hour before bedtime. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the wake/sleep cycle and other daily biorhythms. Sublingual tablets placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve are a good choice – take 2.5 mg at bedtime as an occasional dose, making sure that your bedroom is completely dark. (A much lower dose, 0.25 to 0.3 mg, is more effective for regular use.) Paying attention to sleep hygiene may also help: set a regular bedtime, make sure your bed and bedroom are comfortable, and prepare for sleep with a warm bath.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/07/04/how-natural-progesterone-can-help-your-sleep-at-menopause/

4   Irritability and mood swings.

If you find yourself becoming irritable and moody, try some breath work, such as Breath Counting. It’s simple: close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary. To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale. The next time you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to “five.” Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation. Never count higher than “five,” and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to “eight,” “12,” even “19.”

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/07/16/help-for-menopausal-mood-swings-and-depression/

Headaches and vaginal dryness are other symptoms of menopause – your doctor can talk with you about the best way to address these concerns. Tests can determine if you are indeed in menopause, so don’t hesitate to see your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

Extra help:

If you want to read more about natural help for menopause, or perimenopause, these articles by Doctors and health professionals experienced in bioidentical hormone usage will be helpful in addressing the progesterone imbalance  and oestrogen dominance that is common in women at this time:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2013/02/01/don’t-underestimate-the-effect-of-stress-on-your-hormonal-symptoms/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/07/01/what-is-preperimenopause-all-about/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/11/04/when-will-your-menopause-start/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/10/18/a-personal-view-of-menopause-–-leslie-kenton/

Fibroids can be painful and the cause of heavy bleeding which can in turn lead to anaemia and are a major reason for hysterectomy being performed. Supplementing with bioidentical natural progesterone helps shrink fibroids, but a new study indicates that lack of vitamin D can also be a factor in them forming.  In a study of  study of 1,036 women, aged 35-49, living in the Washington, D.C., area from 1996 to 1999 it was discovered that women who had sufficient amounts of vitamin D were 32 percent less likely to develop fibroids than women with insufficient vitamin D.

The study was carried out by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and those from  George Washington University and the Medical University of South Carolina.

How to increase vitamin D levels

Tackling oestrogen dominance is the first place to start if  you already have fibroids, or believe you have oestrogen dominance symptoms, then supplementing with bioidentical natural progesterone can help prevent and shrink small fibroids as they develop.  Ensuring good vitamin D levels is good for health in many ways and the body can make it from the sun as it forms under the skin in reaction to light. So the best way is regular sunlight, something not always available in the northern hemisphere, even in summer! Many use supplements, but there are small amounts from these foods:

*   oily fish

*   milk

*   cereals

*   eggs

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/08/29/how-to-identify-and-deal-with-fibroids/

http://anna.blog.wellsprings-health.com/2010/02/05/facing-up-to-fibroids/

tp://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/11/21/identifying-the-causes-of-heavy-menstrual-bleeding/

Phytoestrogens – friend or foe?

Oestrogen-like plant compounds are often called phytoestrogens (phyto=plant). At first glance, given the health problems associated with oestrogen dominance, one might think that eating foods rich in phytoestrogens might be bad news. If anything, however, the reverse seems to be true if taken in small quantities.

Caution:  not for pregnant women or those suffering from endometriosis.

Good sources of phytoestrogens include:small amounts of soya, tofu, chickpeas, rye bread, beansprouts, lentils nuts and seeds, green tea, green vegetables, cabbage and peas plus a good variety of fruits and vegetables.

Phytonutrient herbal remedies

Many herbal remedies are now available as supplements on the basis of their beneficial effects on balancing hormones. These include:

Agnus castus. The plant (also known as chasteberry) has a long history as a herb for women’s problems. Traditionally used to relieve premenstrual and menopausal problems. It has an action on the pituitary gland mimicking the action of the corpus luteum which produces progesterone. By stimulating the release of LH (luteinising hormone) and inhibiting the release of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), progesterone levels would tend to be increased in relation to oestrogen.

Its therapeutic powers were also proven in a series of double-blind gtrials, attributed to its indirect effects on decreasing oestrogn levels and prolactin. Raised prolactin is known to lower oestrogen levels. In most trials 4mg a day of a standardised extract (containing 6% agnusides – one of the active ingredients) was used.

Black cohosh, dong quai and wild yam. These all have progesterone favourable effects on the body. Yams are especially rich in diosgenin, from which progesterone can be made in the laboratory.  We cannot however turn these phytonutrients into progesterone itself, so while these plants may help to balance the hormones, they do not replace the need for progesterone in a person who is progesterone deficient.  Fennel also has a progesterone-favourable effect on hormone balance.

The most promising of the herbs used to treat the symptoms of menopause is black cohosh, which can help to reduce hot flushes, sweating, insomnia and anxiety. Three douible blind trials have been published. One showed no effect, the other was beneficial and the third showed reduced sweating but no reduction in the number of hot flushes.  It also helps relieve depression by raising serotonin levels. Even so, I’d recommend that you take black cohosh three months on, one month off. Take 50mp twice a day.

Caution: avoid black cohosh if you are taking liver-toxic drugs or have a damaged liver or if you suffer from endometriosis or polycystic ovaries unless otherwise advised by your nutritional therapist.

Dong quai may thin the blood and is therefore contraindicated if on warfarin.

The other ‘hot’ herb for flushes is dong quai, and in one placebo-controlled study, 55 post-menopausal women who were given dong quai and chamomile instead of HRT had an 80 percent reduction in hot flushes. These results became apparent after 1 month. An earlier study didn’t find this effect however. If you want to try it I recommend 600mg a day for relief from hot flushes.

DIM. Broccoli is especially rich in diindolylmethane (DIM), which assists the healthy metabolism of oestrogen, mopping up excess oestrogens and helping to metabolise it into a form that has little activity. It also helps DNA repair and this is associated with lower risk for certain cancers and positive effects on a wide variety of  hormonal health problems. All the cruciferous vegetables – including kale, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts – are good sources and help to protect against oestrogen dominance. Also available as a supplement I recommend 100-3–mg a day for anyone with suspected oestrogen dominance.

Ginseng and liquorice. Considered to contain quite powerful adaptogens – substances that help restore hormonal balance; for example liquorice appears to potentiate oestrogen when levels are too low and inhibit it when levels are too high. Both liquorice and ginseng influence adrenal hormones, responsible for stress. Ginseng is a classic herbal remedy for increasing ability to deal with stress. Both have widespread uses for a number of hormone-related conditions probably because adrenal hormones and sex hormones are very closely related, with the adrenal glands producing small amounts of sex hormones.

St John’s Wort. A herb renowned for its antidepressant effects, has been demonstrated to relieve other menopausal symptoms, including headaches, palpitations, lack of concentration and decreased libido. The combination of black cohosh and St John’s Wort (300mg a day) can be particularly effective for women who are experiencing menopause-related depression, irritability and fatigue.

Caution: no known serious adverse effects but be advised it is best to consult your doctor if you are on an antidepressant.

Summary:

The inclusion of the correct phytonutrient foods and herbs may help your b ody to adapt, thus restoring and maintaining its hormonal balance. Many supplements that are designed to support female health contain combinations of these herbs and are likely to be beneficial; however, I advise that if you are considering taking large amounts of the herbs individually you do so under the guidance of a qualified herbal practitioner.

This is extracted with permission from Patrick Holford’s book ‘Balance Your Hormones’ which is obtained from his website, together with information on his work, at www.patrickholford.com

Further information:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2013/04/05/adaptogens-and-their-effect-on-hormones/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2013/02/01/don’t-underestimate-the-effect-of-stress-on-your-hormonal-symptoms/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/09/29/7-natural-ways-of-coping-with-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/

The role of hormones in bone development

Throughout our lives, unseen by us, our bones are being constantly broken down as they become old and built up with replacement new bone. To do this we need both our sex hormones to have strong healthy bones at any age. Oestrogen slows bone breakdown and retains old bone and progesterone helps speeds the build up of bone and can improve your bone density long-term.

It seems that oestrogen continues to provide us with protection from breaking a bone as we switch production in menopause to that extra layer of fat on our stomach and hips. New research reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology from Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, has found women with an extra layer of fat are less likely to break bones than those with perfectly toned tums – a very good reason to give up those killing abs crunches.

This is based on more than 1,000 men and women aged 50-plus whose health was followed for an average of five years. In that time only 19 of the men and 107 of the women broke a bone which led researchers to conclude that if you take into account the amount of abdominal fat each person has then there is a  link between big bellies and breaks in the women. However, it seems not to offer the same help to men, so no excuse for the beer belly and their findings only apply to women who are overweight, not obese.

From the study, the 25 per cent of women with fattest middles were 40 per cent less likely to have broken a bone than those with the flattest midriffs. This led the researchers to conclude that the benefit to the women could be due to the extra force placed on bones strengthening them and the valuable padding the extra fat provides if you do have a fall.

How to have healthy bones at menopause

It seems that worldwide the rate of bone breakage has gone down as obesity levels have risen, but putting on weight is simply not the answer to protect your bones. That ‘extra force’ from the additional weight is not as  healthy as undertaking regular weight bearing exercise and that ‘valuable padding’ on the stomach carries real health risks.

Excess stomach fat is associated with higher risks for diabetes and cancer, so it is more important to ensure a healthy weight that is evenly distributed and to ensure good hormone balance.

The role of progesterone in bone building is often overlooked as women are given only oestrogen and synthetic progestogens at menopause. Unless oestrogen is regulated by progesterone there is the danger of oestrogen dominance symptoms and with no balancing progesterone the oestrogen simply retains the old bone for longer, but it is also getting weaker. The protection from oestrogen in HRT only lasts as long as the HRT is taken .

Women at risk through family history or health factors such as long term dieting, anorexia, early menopause may also want to look at supplementing with bioidentical natural progesterone to not only protect their bones but also to offer additional support for other menopausal health risks.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-osteoporosis/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/10/20/don’t-ignore-the-4-main-myths-about-osteoporosis/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/01/16/what-your-doctor-may-not-tell-you-about-osteoporosis-and-bioidentical-natural-progesterone/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/11/23/how-much-progesterone-do-i-need-for-osteoporosis/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/10/08/losing-weight-after-menopause/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/11/01/menopause-rearranges-womens-fat/

Today the number of newly diagnosed Americans with cancer has tripled since 1971 up to 1.6 million people per year. Over 600,000 people die from cancer each year which is 50% higher than 1971.  The media has us believe that we just need to raise more money for more research into the cure. But could it be that we are looking in the wrong direction. Shouldn’t we rather be educating people on how to create a robustly healthy body that kills cancer on the spot?

Your Body is a Cancer Killing Machine:

Your body is a cancer killing machine. Equipped with a high powered immune system and intracellular anti-oxidant defense system…you have the ability to prevent and reverse cancer. As a clinician, I have worked with many individuals with all different types and phases of cancer. I have found certain factors that must be addressed for these individuals to get well. Faster growing cancers will need additional recommendations to slow their growth and help the body take the offensive.

1. Cut Out the Sugar:  Sugar feeds cancer cells and stimulates tumor growth. Cancer cells have 10x more insulin receptors than normal cells. Insulin is the storage hormone that acts to bring sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells. The more sugar you consume the faster the cancer will grow.

Vital Info: Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in the 1930’s for his discovery of the main biochemical cause of cancer. He found the major biomechanical difference between healthy cells and cancer cells. He said “it is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body’s cells by an anaerobic (oxygen deficient) cell respiration.

Expert Analysis: Sugar consumption creates a metabolic shift to anaerobic metabolism within our bodies. Cancer cells depend upon sugar to survive and cannot live without it. A highly nutritious diet that is free of sugars anything that turns into sugar (grains, starches, and fruit) is an important key to starve cancer to death.

2. Boost Anti-Oxidant & Reduce Free Radicals: Free radicals are highly reactive particles that damage cells, tissues and organs. We produce free radicals every time we breath, eat & move. Healthy eating, breathing & moving patterns produce less free radicals in the body. Anti-oxidants help to neutralize these free radicals and protect the DNA.

Vital Info: Clean energy sources are foods that produce little free radicals but provide mega doses of key nutrients including anti-oxidants. Superfoods such as cacao, maca, turmeric, ginger, goji, kale, spinach, amasai, seuroviv, spirulina, chlorella, etc.

Expert Analysis: Intermittent Fasting for periods of 16-24 hrs daily or longer is a remarkable way to minimize free radical formation and boost intracellular anti-oxidant defense systems. It is a powerful way to de-inflame the body, starve cancer cells and boost your bodies self healing capabilities.

3. Maximize Healing Potential: Your body was created to heal from the inside-out. The brain sends the electrical signals and specific healing frequencies down through the spinal cord, out the nerves and into the organs, tissues & cells. The spine protects this neurological circuitry.

Vital Info: Bad posture and trauma’s lead to spinal subluxations that damage healing potential. Poor sleeping habits & sedentary lifestyle lead to chronic stress in the body that inhibit healing potential.

Expert Analysis: See a wellness chiropractor to reduce spinal subluxations and optimize your posture, respiration patterns, and neurological flow throughout the body. Do specific, customized spinal home exercises to work on your unique posture patterns. Be sure to sleep 7 ½ – 8 ½ hours each night. Every hour of sleep before midnight is equivalent to 3 hrs of sleep afterward.  Get moving on a regular basis to boost lympathic drainage, cellular oxygenation and improve detoxification processes.

Further information:

Breast cancer is associated with excess oestrogen (oestrogen dominance) and women who have had breast cancer can supplement with bioidentical natural progesterone to give them future protection after surgery and chemotherapy and as a key proactive measure to protect themselves. These articles give more help on the subject:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/05/18/natural-progesterone-as-a-preventive-for-breast-cancer-by-dr-david-zava/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/04/17/hrt-or-bioidentical-hormones-heres-why/

Oestrogen is not a villain, though you may think so based on its bad press in relation to being a risk factor for breast cancer and heart disease.  The ‘villain’ is actually the excess oestrogen women have been exposed to over the last 50 years since the advent of synthetic hormones in the Pill/Coil and HRT and the xenoestrogens in our environment and food chain.

This was the situation that led the late Dr Lee to describe what he saw in his female patients as oestrogen dominance.  A situation that occurs where progesterone levels are lower than oestrogen and so not able to balance out the effects of their excess. What is less commonly realised is that women can have low oestrogen levels and still be oestrogen dominant if their progesterone levels are even lower.

Who needs progesterone?

Women need both hormones from puberty to post menopause and there are many conditions identified where progesterone may need to be supplemented. Again what is not often realised is that a woman can be menstruating regularly but not ovulating, in which case she is not producing progesterone to balance her oestrogen. These are the most commonly seen conditions where progesterone supplementation is helpful:

*   PMS                                      *     PCOS

*   Infertility/Miscarriage    *     Baby Blues/Post natal depression

*   Heavy bleeding                 *     Endometriosis/Fibroids

*   Menopause;  hot flushes, sweats, anxiety, mood swings, weight gain

Who needs oestrogen?

Women with vaginal dryness and discomfort and vaginal atrophy all benefit from additional oestrogen as do women who have found that progesterone alone does not fully control severe menopausal symptoms. Dr Jeffrey Dach in the USA has also found that menopausal women with depression and anxiety benefit from additional oestrogen, but balanced by progesterone.

How to decide what you need

The key role of progesterone is to protect from the excess oestrogen that can lead to breast cancer, heart disease and more. Essentially its role is to balance out oestrogen so that it:

• Protects the breast and endometrium
  Helps break down fat, stabilises blood sugar and is a natural diuretic
  Anti-depressant and increases libido
  Helps fertility and women with history of miscarriage
  Facilitates thyroid function
  Builds up bone

Women from puberty to pre or peri menopause generally only need progesterone to deal with their symptoms as they relate to excess oestrogen and oestrogen dominance.

Menopausal women, and those who have had a hysterectomy (which is a surgical early menopause), also need progesterone but may also need a small amount of oestrogen in a balanced formula so they get the protection from oestrogen excess. They are usually women who show signs of low oestrogen as above and and those on long term HRT usually do better on a combined cream when they switch to bioidentical hormones.

Post menopausal women still may have hot flushes and generally need progesterone to protect their bones from osteoporosis.

As a general rule, most women find that progesterone alone is sufficient to control their symptoms and only switch to 20-1 if they have a specific need for oestrogen related symptoms or their symptoms are severe and not sufficiently controlled by progesterone alone.

Further reading:

You will find articles on all the topics above by Doctors and health professionals experienced in bioidentical hormone usage at this link: www.bio-hormone-health.com and some of the featured subjects are given below:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/12/08/bioidentical-hormones-for-anxiety-and-depression/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/07/01/what-is-preperimenopause-all-about/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/29/what-is-premature-menopause

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/04/17/hrt-or-bioidentical-hormones-heres-why/

The women wore sleep monitors when they went to bed, kept diaries and completed questionnaires on their daily activities including household chores and the amount of physical effort each required – light, moderate or vigorous. They also reported on the amount of exercise they performed and their participation in sports. The results showed that more activity meant better sleep, despite the hot flashes.

The exercise the women reported was mainly related to household chores, not sports or exercise. Improved sleep occurred most often in white women who were not obese. The investigators said that more research is needed to see why African-American women and obese women didn’t seem to get the benefits of physical activity connected with housekeeping and caregiving. The study was published online March 25, 2013 by the journal Menopause.

Additional help

Many women do get relief from flushes and sweats when they rebalance their hormones. Normally bioidentical progesterone is sufficient to do this and many women do get relief by applying a dab to the thin skin on the inside of the wrists during a hot flush. When flushes and sweats persist, or are very severe, then it can help to use a combination cream that gives the protection of progesterone with a small amount of oestrogen in a balanced formula.  This dual hormone cream seems also to be helpful for women who have come off long term HRT, or had a hysterectomy, as their bodies adjust to the rapid change in hormone balance.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2013/02/01/don’t-underestimate-the-effect-of-stress-on-your-hormonal-symptoms/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/the-three-main-reasons-why-women-get-hot-flashes/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/12/17/progesterone-helps-flushes-in-post-menopausal-women/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/08/17/herbal-help-for-stress-anti-aging-and-hot-flushes/

Strangely it is around 40 when some women see signs of perimenopause that actually may be PMS once again responding to your changing hormones.  The signs may an increased heavy menstrual bleeding, greater irritability, headaches and often food cravings as well.  Sadly it seems that if you are suffering it can be a sign that your actual menopause may be difficult too.

Why the change?

This is certainly a distressing and painful condition and related to hormone imbalance because once a women reaches 35 her hormonal pattern starts to shift and hormones can plunge and rise dramatically, with all the accompanying symptoms. This can go on throughout menopause and during this time, the ratio of progesterone to oestrogen is usually very much lower than when you were younger and this can result in severe PMS symptoms.

However casual you may have been about nutrition and diet when you were in your twenties, these deficiencies really begin to hit home once you reach 40.  Having significantly inadequate levels of calcium, magnesium and B vitamins long-term can make symptoms like poor sleep, irritability, fatigue, muscle cramps, achiness, and food cravings even worse.

Key PMS symptoms and solutions after 35

Hormone balance is key at this age as it around now that the hormonal rollercoaster gets into gear so check for any signs of oestrogen dominance and low progesterone levels.  These are the symptoms you want to look out for: W

1. If you are becoming much more anxious and irritable then that can mean low progesterone.This is the hormone that keeps ou calm and helps lift our mood so you stay more cetnred and less pulled by each annoying incident, or person!

You can naturally boost your progesterone levels by supplementing with bioidentical natural progesterone and there are also herbs like black cohosh, lemon balm and maca that boost progesterone-like effects in your body to support  you.

2. Food cravings are also likely to increase, particularly for sugar and chocolate – two staple food groups for hormonally challenged women.  Try to keep your  blood sugar levels stable by including some form of protein at every meal and snack, and limiting sugar. It is no substitute, but sometimes chocolate cravings are connected to magnesium deficiency. Ward them off with a good multivitamin that has magnesium plus snack on almonds and pumpkin seeds as they are naturally high in magnesium.

3. Bloating and stomach cramps are classic PMS symptoms and again relate to  having low levels of progesterone to oestrogen. Regular, gentle exercise is the answer and the herbs  can cause increased cramping, among other things. Exercise and some herbs can help so try burdock and chasteberry and fennel, peppermint, and ginger all help with digestive upset and nausea.

4. PMS symptoms naturally lower your libido, who feels sexy when bloated and in pain? However progesterone is associated with increased sex drive in women so that could be another bonus for ensuring you have good levels throughout the month.

5   There can also be an emotional component to PMS so dealign with that alongside good hormonal and nutritional support could be the last key to finally overcoming your symptoms.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

Dr Tony Coope has written a series of articles on PMS of which this is the first

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/06/22/premenstrual-syndrome-pms/

Endometriosis is sadly not uncommon and is generally agreed to be stimulated by oestrogen dominance which can cause both irregular cycles and retention of old blood.  Endometriosis occurs where the endometrium, tissue from the lining of the uterus, forms and grows in places outside the uterus. These growths may lead to pain and infertility.

Normally, the endometrium within the uterus thickens each  month to prepare for a possible pregnancy and when this doesn’t occur, the extra lining breaks down and is shed during menstruation.  However, with endometriosis, the endometrial tissue that is outside the uterus also thickens, breaks down, and bleeds, except it can’t be expelled vaginally like normal endometrial tissue. Instead, it builds up over time and forms patches, scar tissue, cysts, and adhesions.

Usually, these endometrial growths form in the pelvic region, including on or near the ovaries, but they can also appear less commonly near the rectum, vagina, fallopian tubes, or even in the urinary or gastrointestinal tracts.

Although some women experience no symptoms and discover the endometriosis only after an infertility evaluation, others experience painful periods and painful sexual intercourse.

How endometriosis may affect fertility:

Between 30 to 50% of women with endometriosis experience infertility although of course not every woman with endometriosis will have trouble conceiving. There are several ways a woman’s fertility can be impacted by endometriosis and these are some of them:

• Endometrial growths, scar tissue, adhesions, or cysts that are around the ovaries may prevent an egg from entering the fallopian tubes.

• Endometrial tissue, if in the ovary, may actually prevent ovulation from occurring.

• Endometriosis may form inside the fallopian tubes, blocking passage inside the tubes and preventing the egg and sperm from meeting.

Endometriosis can make sexual intercourse painful and this pain may be more acute around the time of ovulation. Not having sex at that time would certainly reduce your ability to get pregnant.

How Is Endometriosis Treated?

Treatment of endometriosis will depend on the severity of the disease, if you’re experiencing pain, your age, and on whether you want to get pregnant. Some treatments for endometriosis would lead to decreased fertility, which would not be an option if you’re trying to conceive.

The conventional medical treatment may include laparascopic surgery to remove endometrial growths, scar tissue, and adhesions caused by the endometriosis. Although not a cure, as the endometriosis may return later, it can temporarily increase fertility for up to 9 months after surgery.

Ohter options women are offered can be IVF treatment, Intra uterine devices such as the Coil, fertility drugs, painkillers and surgery which can include hysterectomy.

What Can You Do?

Because endometriosis does have a strong inflammatory component, and is strongly influenced by oestrogen, simply rebalancing with bioidentical natural progesterone can be sufficient to bring the condition under control as it deals with both these conditions.

Many women with endometriosis have found relief by using bioidentical natural progesterone, and if these are also combined with changes in dietary habits then this can help relieve symptoms by reducing inflammation and addressing the oestrogen dominance that underlies it.

An anti-inflammatory diet includes a wide variety of fresh food, fruit and vegetables and looks to reduce consumption of dairy, processed and fast foods. To reduce oestrogen exposure eat organic hormone-free meat, limit alcohiol and eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables. The suggested dietary intake for women is 1500-2000 calories a day with 40 to 50 percent from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat, and 20 to 30 percent from protein.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-oestrogen-dominance/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/11/21/identifying-the-causes-of-heavy-menstrual-bleeding/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/03/26/the-key-role-of-progesterone-in-fertility-conception-and-maintaining-a-pregnancy/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/12/21/giving-fertility-a-helping-hand/

Sources:

The news of this additional risk was published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute in March 2013 and came as a result of information from the  Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in the USA.  They found that in a randomized trial, estrogen plus progestin was associated with an increase in both breast cancer incidence and mortality.

Women At Risk

However this was a different result from previous studies, so researchers at  Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute looked at postmenopausal women with no prior hysterectomy, who had negative mammograms within two years and who were either users or non-users of estrogen and progestin combined therapy.

The results were clear:  breast cancer incidence was higher in estrogen plus progestin users (combined HRT) than in nonusers.This also led the study authors to conclude that the higher breast cancer incidence of those using estrogen plus progestin may lead to increased breast cancer mortality and not just increased risk.

The National Cancer Institute, wrote that questions remain about whether the data analyzed from the WHI observational study resolves the differences in tumor prognosis and tumor characteristics when compared to the WHI randomized trial. They write that, “In general, tumors in estrogen plus progestin users in the WHI Observational Study were not significantly different from those in non-hormone users with regard to number of positive lymph nodes or tumor size, but were more likely to be well differentiated and positive for hormone receptors, findings which are similar to other observational studies.” This, however, did not translate into a survival benefit. They recommend further analyses in this and other datasets of currency and duration of hormone use in relationship to tumor development to fully resolve the issue of tumor characteristics associated with estrogen plus progestin therapy.

Decreasing the Risk

There are so many  health risks associated with HRT, and also so many women find the side effects unmanageable, it is not surprising that so many abandon HRT within a year of starting it. Bioidentical HRT is available where natural progesterone and oestrogens are combined and knowing that progesterone (not the synthetic progestins) are actually protective of breast cancer and heart disease that  it would seem to make sense that women are offered that option.

Further reading:

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/04/17/hrt-or-bioidentical-hormones-heres-why/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2011/05/18/natural-progesterone-as-a-preventive-for-breast-cancer-by-dr-david-zava/

http://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/01/26/progesterone-and-protection-from-menopausal-heart-problems/