Hormones, Health, and Happiness

You’ll hear me talk a LOT about hormones, especially when it comes to aging, weight control, and looking and FEELING your best. I guess that menopause had gotten the best of me for quite a long time, so when I discovered that there were more natural ways that I could get back a lot of what I felt like I LOST when I went through the change (like a good night’s sleep, shiny hair, young looking skin, etc.) I became an advocate….not a Suzanne Somers over the top advocate – but when asked how I seem to act so young at almost 60 I don’t hold back my answer

HORMONES!

I also read EVERYTHING I can get my hands on when it comes to the subject, because like all therapies there seem to be new findings all the time. This week I had the opportunity to dig into Dr. Steven F. Hotze’s book; Hormones, Health, and Happiness. For those of you who are curious about bioidentical hormone replacement I’ve got a few answers to the obvious questions.

“Is hormone replacement therapy dangerous?”

We hear plenty in the media about how the therapy is linked to breast and prostate cancer, but what is not mentioned is the distinction between synthetic and bioidentical hormones. The latter have the same molecular structure as the hormones that are found naturally in the body, which means bioidentical hormone treatments cannot hurt patients. Counterfeit hormones – those that do not perfectly match the molecular structure of hormones in one’s body – can be dangerous.

“I’ve had many tests and tried many treatments for my problems. If they were hormone-related, wouldn’t have that been discovered before now?”

Physicians can’t and shouldn’t rely solely on lab tests for diagnoses and pharmaceutical drugs for treatment. A very thorough patient history and evaluation of symptoms, in addition to standard diagnostic tests, can reveal an underlying hormonal problem.

“My blood test indicated nothing irregular, but I suffer symptoms including fatigue, anxiety and weight gain; what’s going on?”

Blood tests can lie – patients do not. If you have symptoms, but your physician tells you your blood work came back “normal,” specifically regarding your thyroid, you should realize that 95 percent of people tested fall within a range considered normal. However, that doesn’t mean it is normal for you! Also, remember, you can send the same blood to two different labs and get two different results.
“Are women more prone to hypochondria? My physician cannot link my symptoms to a cause … No, it’s not “all in your head.”

Women tend to be more attentive to their body for good reason – the menstrual cycle causes women to experience different hormonal states almost on a daily basis. Women can also experience dramatic physical effects during menopause, when hormones drop significantly. The dramatic physical changes can occur at multiple points. After childbirth is increasingly common, as well.

“A lot of the symptoms we normally associate with aging – muddied thinking, weight gain, tiring easily – are actually occurring because of diminished hormone production,” Hotze says.

“Hormone replacement therapy using bioidentical hormones can actually make some patients feel young again!”  

I can’t vouch for what they do for anyone else, but I’m with Dr. Hotze on this one….I certainly don’t feel like 60.

If you’re curious about what bioidentical hormones can and can’t do for you, Hormone’s Health, and Happiness will arm you with plenty of background information, as well as his wonderful eight-point wellness program to help you to balance your hormones, make you more energetic, and strengthen your immune system. Included in this great guide to feeling yourself again are questionaires to get to the root of YOUR problem, solutions, an ideal diet, and recipes.

WORTH READING!

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review, however I have been on bioidentical hormones for about three years now. I see a specialist who takes regular blood tests and monitors my hormone levels.

Hormones, Health, and Happiness: A Natural Medical Formula for Rediscovering Youth with Bioidentical Hormones can be ordered from Amazon.com or purchased at other online booksellers as well as in bookstores.