What are hormones?

The medical dictionary describes hormones as a chemical substance produced in the body which has a specific effect on the activity of a certain organ or organs. In other words, hormones can effect change in organs.

There are three major hormones that are produced by the ovaries. They are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Each of these hormones feeds back to the brain in a feedback loop and can affect the emotions as well as the organs.

Testosterone is considered a male hormone but is still present in smaller amounts in women. It helps maintain sexual desire. It also helps reduce fat and builds and maintains muscle mass. Symptoms of low or deficient testosterone are: Weight gain, an increase in belly fat, muscle loss, fatigue, depression, loss of sexual desire, loss of shine in the hair, dryness of the skin and hair, lack of mental clarity and urinary incontinence.

Progesterone is mostly associated with PMS symptoms. It's mostly responsible for muscle relaxation and emotional control.

Estrogen deficiency comes with menopause. The symptoms include: weight gain, belly fat, hot flashes or flushes, dry skin, depression, dryness of the vagina and skin, insomnia, fatigue, irritability, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Please note that I have not yet covered the symtoms for the excess of these hormones. The symptoms for excess and deficiency are so similar that diagnosis can be tricky - please see your health care practitioner for an accurate diagnosis. This is NOT the time to self-diagnose or self-prescribe based on a list of symtoms. We have several ways of determining which supplements are appropriate for you to take. Most often a lab test is needed. Balancing these three hormones is a great place to start on the path to feeling better.

Do I NEED Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Should I Take Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Most doctors will tell you yes. The school of thought is by taking a synthetic hormone you protect your body against heart disease and osteoporosis. It will also make their job easier because the belief is HRT will manage the symptoms associated with menopause.

But do you really NEED to take HRT? How did our fore mothers get through menopause before HRT? After all HRT has only been around for about 50 years. They did it why can't we?

I believe you can do it. You may change your ideas about health and learn some new things about how your body works, but you can do it. Don't be afraid because you do have choices. Do remember that as you go through this journey you are in motion and so are your hormones so symptoms may change month to month and even week to week. Still, these can be managed with knowledge and patience.

What should you do before going on HRT?

• If you are someone who wants a more natural approach to balancing your hormones, there are many options available. The key is working with a practitioner or ND (naturpathic doctor) to find what makes sense for you. This is not the time to get a recommendation from the supplement advisor at Whole Foods. There are just too many elements that need to be factored in before going on supplements or HRT. Your practitioner may even recommend hormonal testing (not the kind your MD does) to get a baseline mark for you.
• Ask your doctor the reasons why she wants you on HRT. Make sure it makes sense to you and that your doctor has a full picture of your family history and risk factors. There may be an interim step such as compounded HRT, which is generally prescribed by an ND.

In the weeks to come I will be covering more on HRT and the female body in relation to the hormones involved in the "change" known as menopause. I will be addressing many of the more common symptoms women experience as they progress through peri-menopause and menopause and how to handle them with grace.

Do I NEED Hormone Replacement Therapy?

This is a question most women ask at least once while going through menopause.

Most doctors will tell you yes. The school of thought is by taking a synthetic hormone you protect your body against heart disease and osteoporosis. It will also make their job easier because the belief is HRT will manage the symptoms associated with menopause.

But do you really NEED to take HRT? How did our foremothers get through menopause before HRT? After all HRT has only been around for about 50 years. They did it why can't we?

I believe you can do it. You may change your ideas about health and learn some new things about how your body works, but you can do it. Don't be afraid because you do have choices. Do remember that as you go through this journey you are in motion and so are your hormones so symptoms may change month to month and even week to week. Still, these can be managed with knowledge and patience.

In the weeks to come I will be covering the female body in relation to the hormones involved in the "change" known as menopause. I will be addressing many of the more common symptoms women experience as they progress through peri-menopause and menopause and how to handle them with grace.