As many women get older, they start to realise just how much of an impact their hormones play in their day to day life. An imbalance, or a lack of hormones can dramatically affect a women's out look on life, creating symptoms such as moodiness, depression, fluid retention, lack of sex drive & blood sugar problems - to name a few.
So what exactly are hormones? Hormones are chemicals that are manufactured and released by glands in the body. They carry messages from one part of the body to another and can be likened to chemical keys that turn vitally important locks in our cells. The turning of these locks stimulates activity within the cells of our brain, intestines, muscles, genital organs and skin.
So what causes PMS? The pituitary gland, found at the base of the brain, is the gland that "speaks" to the ovaries by sending chemical messages called Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and Lutenising hormone (LH) via the blood stream to the ovaries. FSH & LH stimulate the ovaries to manufacture both oestrogen and progesterone. Ovulation occurs when the ovary releases a mature egg and the cells left behind in the ovary then form a small yellow gland called the corpus luteum, which sets to work and pumps out progesterone. It is after ovulation in PMS sufferers that their symptoms start. In a women without PMS, her levels of oestrogen and progesterone remain in adequate and balanced amounts between ovulation and her period. In a women with PMS, the levels of oestrogen and progesterone are out of balance between ovulation and her period. Researches believe it is the ratio between these hormones that is important, rather than the actual amounts of these.
So what is menopause? The word menopause means the cessation of menstrual bleeding, showing that oestrogen production has fallen to very low levels. The ovaries simply "run out" of follicles (eggs) at around 50 years of age and it is these follicles within our ovaries that produce the majority of oestrogen and all of the progesterone. They do continue to produce a very small amount of oestrogen, as well as significant amounts of testosterone for approximately 12 more years. However, after menopause, it is our adrenal glands that take over the majority of the hormonal production, which are then converted into oestrogen in a women's adipose or fat tissue. This adrenal gland production of oestrogen may continue for up to 20 years after menopause, but is dependent on the amount of body fat the women has and also the overall condition of her adrenal glands. Testosterone continues to be produced by the ovaries and is the hormone which contributes to sexual desire and enjoyment in the postmenopausal years. However too much of this hormone in a women can cause an increase in facial hair, thinning of the hair and shrinkage of the breasts.
It is important to note that after menopause it is the adrenal glands that take over the role of hormone regulation. If you have been a driven person in your life, who has used stimulants (caffeine, cocoa, nicotine, alcohol etc) and who doesn't eat properly - by the time you get to menopause, these poor glands may already be so over worked they may not be able to respond properly!
So what is HRT (Hormone replacement therapy)? The basic element in any programme of HRT is oestrogen. This is available in different forms - synthetic and natural. Natural oestrogen is mostly developed in laboratories, where an exact chemical replica of the oestrogen released by your ovaries is cleverly synthesised. Even though it is developed in a lab, the end product is a hormone identical to the one produced by your own ovaries. Our body treats this exactly the same as it would if it had been produced by the ovaries. Synthetic oestrogen's are also manufactured in laboratories, however they are chemically foreign to the body's metabolic systems and are not easily broken down by the body's natural enzymes. Because of this, they can accumulate in the body, where they build up causing an even stronger effect than the natural oestrogen's.
In addition to oestrogen, the ovaries also make the female sex hormone Progesterone. Progesterone balances the effects of oestrogen on the uterus. If taking HRT, progesterone will usually be given for 10-12 days every calendar month.
A very important factor to remember, is that all naturally produced steroid hormones including cortisone, oestrogen, progesterone and androgens are made in the ovaries and adrenal glands from cholesterol. Women who eliminate fats from their diet, especially if under weight also, will not produce sufficient sex hormones and may suffer with a large range of hormonal disorders. Beneficial fats are those that come from nuts and seeds and fish.
Nature to the rescue! Over 300 different plants contain oestrogenic substances. Although these are weak in comparison to what our ovaries make and present only in small amounts, if consumed in strong preparations and consumed regularly, they can exert an effect in humans. Herbs such as Black cohosh, Dong Quai and Red Clover are all high in natural plant oestrogen's and are found in many over the counter Menopause & PMS formulas such as Menopause formula & Dong Quai 1500 complex. Remember that these herbs are for helping to increase oestrogen levels, so if this is not your problem, you may want to consider a herb such as Vitex agnus castus or Maca. Vitex or Chaste is a hormonal regulator, which works on the pituitary gland to regulate its function. This could be taken in conjunction with oestrogenic herbs. Maca works similarly to Vitex.
Essential fatty acids are vital for the production and release of many hormones, including sex and adrenal hormones. They are essential for every day functioning of the body and deficiencies can contribute to problems such as glandular imbalances, dry skin, inflammatory disorders and premature aging. Flax seed oil contains a perfect balance of omega 3, 6 & 9 & makes a delicious dressing on salad.
Completing a regular liver cleanse is essential for proper hormonal balance, as your liver has to process the hormones, so if it is sluggish, it will be less efficiently in doing this job properly. Herbs such as dandelion or burdock are both excellent liver cleansers, with dandelion also offering an excellent diuretic effect too. Otherwise you can get combinations such as Liverite or Livatone. Always start with a small amount and slowly increase to the recommended amount.
Laughter, fresh air and regular exercise are essential for all aspects of good health. As well as this, it is essential we all drink no less than 2 litres of water a day. This should be sipped throughout the whole day, rather than consumed in large amounts all at once. A sipper bottle is ideal, which could have a squeeze of lemon or lime juice (not cordial) in.
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