It seems you cannot turn on a news show without hearing about the latest research about hormones. There is research on how a woman’s hormone levels change during her life time. There is research on hormone replacement therapy. There is research in bio-identical hormone replacement. This is just the tip of the hormone research being done.
Women want to know how to deal with hormones or the lack of hormones because it affects their daily lives and impacts others also. Hormones, and the nasty symptoms they can produce like pms and during menopause, can make a woman feel like she is going crazy and how about the people in their lives. We have all heard stories of people having to put up with us when our hormones are on attack.
There are many hormones in our bodies, not just estrogen. They help with body functions by carrying messages to the cells. There are two types of hormones, steroids and peptides. Peptides are the hormones that take care of tasks such as growth and insulin. Steroids are the hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. These hormones regulate sexual maturity and fertility.
During a woman’s lifetime her hormone levels change. There is time in her early teens where she goes through puberty. Estrogen and progesterone are released and there are obvious changes. Breast development as well as the start of the monthly cycle is part of this change brought about by these hormones.
When a woman gets old enough to consider birth control one of her options is birth control pills. These are a form or estrogen and progesterone. There are benefits and risks to this method of birth control, but they are still the leading birth control.
An older woman going through what is commonly called “the change”, or menopause, may consider hormone replacement therapy. When a woman gets older, her body changes again. Less estrogen and progesterone are produced. This change can cause various signs and symptoms. She will no longer have a menstrual cycle. She may suffer from hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, fatigue and weight gain. All this is caused by the fluctuation of female hormones.
Many women suffer through menopause without any drugs. Others look for hormone replacement therapy or HRT. Taking low dose estrogen and progesterone can help elevate the symptoms. It has also been shown HRT can help a woman maintain bone density. A link between low female hormones and osteoporosis has been in many studies.
Another group of women which suffer through hormone deficiencies are those who have had hysterectomies. When the ovaries are removed the body no longer produces the needed amounts of estrogen. Women in their 20s and 30s which have had a hysterectomy or an oophorectomy, which is ovary removal, are often given ERT, Estrogen Replacement Therapy. At this early of an age the benefits outweigh the risk. Women who have these procedures later in life may be given the option of ERT or HRT, since they would be closer to menopause.
Women have to consider the benefits and risk of taking hormones at any stage of their lives. There are risks as well as benefits which have to be considered. HRT has been linked to breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer and blood clots. It has also been linked to potential cardiovascular and gallbladder disease.
HRT or ERT may not be for you. The risks mentioned above, along with other negative things you may have heard other women experience or you read about yourself, may discourage you from choosing this course. There are other solutions.
Natural health offers an abundance of help in regulating hormones. Consistent daily use of targeted natural nutrition products can make a significant impact on symptoms and challenges of hormones throughout a female’s life. When we are able to give the body what it needs to balance the hormones, we feel that difference in our moods, our energy level, and our lack of all the nasty symptoms we might have otherwise had.
We all have hormones and at some point in our lives will have to deal with the issues hormones create. How we choose to deal with them is a personal decision and we need to make an informed decision. Do your research. Speak with your health care provider. Always keep in mind it is your decision and make the one that fits you and your lifestyle.
For more information about natural solutions for hormone challenges, visit www.yourhealthwebsite.net or contact me directly for in-depth information on natural health for women.
