Do Omega 3 and Hormones Have a Connection?

Omega 3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA have many benefits to offer in the context of overall health and well-being. Omega 3 and hormones are also related to each other by the fact that these fats control sex hormones and many others in the body for proper functioning.

Pregnant women are often told by their doctors to add omega 3 or fish oil supplements to their everyday diet. This is because the fats found in fish oil are important for proper growth of the baby's brain. They are also helpful in the nourishment of retina cells and therefore women should increase omega 3 fatty acids consumption. This can be done either through diet or through good quality nutritional supplements.

In order to find the most suitable omega 3 fish oil supplements for your health, you need to have enough information about the benefits and some side effects of these supplements. Although good quality supplements can be consumed without hesitation, there are some low quality products available out there which might not be suitable for long-term health.

Low quality fish oils are known to contain impurities and heavy metals from the oceans. They also taste and smell bad and are difficult to consume and digest. Pregnant and lactating women should avoid these supplements at all costs. Instead they should try to find excellent quality pharmaceutical grade fish oil which is free from all impurities and perfect for people of all ages.

Doctors have recognized the connection between omega 3 and hormones. They recommend these fatty acids to people who suffer from hormonal disorders. It has also been discovered that omega 3 fats help in the prevention of depression, anxiety, and other psychological illnesses including stress in which hormones play a vital role.

Other than fish oil, flax seed oil, hemp oil, olive oil and corn oil can also be consumed to obtain adequate amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids on a regular basis. Flax seeds contain around 55% of essential omega 3 content in the form of ALA.

You also need to know that some vegetable oils are not good for long-term health because of the presence of some saturated fat content. These oils include cottonseed, peanut and coconut. Furthermore, some vegetable oils are known to lower blood pressure significantly. However, if you want to put on some weight you can add peanut, walnut and safflower oil to your everyday diet.

5 Belly Fat Burning Veggies!

How about some awesome belly fat, want some? Anybody want some jelly-looking fat to store around their gut region? Belly fat going once...belly fat going twice...belly fat gone!

I wonder why I didn't have any takers. A few rolls of belly fat can be so attractive and sexy. What? No? Well, maybe for some. But most of us want to lose it and exchange it for that nice six pack.

Believe it or not, there are hormonal situations that can result in unwanted fat being stored "specifically" around the waist and abdominal area.

For instance, a rise in cortisol can lead to this. That's precisely why all DreamBodies clients are taking anti-catabolic measures to insure the regulation and needed downgrade of the cortisol hormone--especially after workouts. In fact, I'm in the process of formulating a Pre/Post workout shake that will be UNLIKE anything on the market and only available to our clients. More about that much later on.

But for now, let me say that there is something you can do today to help break down some of the fat storage taking place in your belly region. The direct metabolic implications of these foods are due to the hormonal regulation and optimization that these foods have on your body.

Are you ready to know what these foods are?

Okay, well, they're vegetables. Specifically, the following five are the ones that I have been touting for years as genuine "leaning-out" types of foods. I use them with my Figure models and Bodybuilders in certain proportions to help initiate and achieve that ripped look.

1. Brussels Sprouts

2. Kale

3. Broccoli

4. Cabbage

5. Cauliflower

Without getting into all of the science, let me just say that these cruciferous vegetables have a potent two-prong impact on your body's hormones. For one, they have anti-estrogenic properties. Estrogen can cause fat to be stored in very unwanted places. Eating these veggies will help to lower your estrogen levels naturally.

Next, they have some anabolic affects on your body's muscle-building hormones--testosterone for one. Therefore, you can take a strong synergistic approach to burning that belly fat by eating moderate portions of these vegetables.

One last little golden tidbit:) Be sure to add some healthy fats since studies show that this will help with the assimilation and utilization of these veggies. Drizzle them with a tablespoon of Flaxseed oil or Udo's choice blend.

Eat up those greens and lean down and out those ABS!

Healthy Hormones Part 1 - Have You Got the Balance Right?

It is now over one hundred years since the word hormone was first used and it can seem as if they are to blame for everything from bad temper and spots to mood swings that make the big dipper look tame. You may not see them, but you certainly feel their effects as hormones rule many of the functions in your body. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the fact that they are natural means they are relatively harmless. In fact they are very powerful substances that need treating with respect.

Getting the balance right

Although we think of women as being controlled by only two main hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, they are only a part of the story. The body produces around 50 hormones altogether, and more are being discovered all the time. For women, it is the reproductive cycle from puberty to menopause that tends to dominate our hormonal life and problems seem to arise from the fact that in order to be healthy our hormones need to be in balance with each other.

Fact: Hormones function at their most effective when they are in balance.

If you disturb that balance then you can get symptoms that range from mildly irritating to life threatening. The problem of excess oestrogen has been recognised by some doctors since the 1930's, but it was not until the pioneering work of John R. Lee, M.D (1929-2003) who showed that the real importance lay in the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone, not just their actual levels. Lee was an American doctor in general practice who coined the phrase 'oestrogen dominance' to explain the many symptoms that could occur when the body had too much oestrogen and not enough progesterone that he had observed in his patients who were on the Pill and HRT.

Fact: Hormones are designed by nature to balance each other out

This means that, for example:

繚 Oestrogen stimulates breast tissue but progesterone protects against fibrocystic breasts

繚 Oestrogen is lined to increased risk of breast cancer while progesterone helps prevent it

繚 Oestrogen increases body fat while progesterone helps use fat for energy

繚 Oestrogen encourages salt and fluid retention while progesterone is a natural diuretic

繚 Oestrogen is linked to depression and headaches but progesterone is a natural anti-depressant

繚 Oestrogen decreases libido/sex drive while progesterone increases it

The effects of too much oestrogen were established in clinical trials in the USA by the Women's Health Initiative. These were halted early because of the established risks of combined HRT, and the continuation of the oestrogen only trial was also halted early in March, 2004 well before its planned completion in 2005. This was due to the increasing evidence that oestrogen can in fact increase the risk of strokes.

What can go wrong?

Whether suffering from PMS or symptoms of the menopause, there are a number of reasons why this important balance can be upset. The most common is when oestrogen production and intake is dominant over the progesterone produced by the body. This may be the result of interference from artificial hormones such as the Pill or HRT, some medications and drugs, alcohol, stress, poor nutrition, diet, excess exercising and environmental pollution can all play their part.

These have become known as symptoms of oestrogen dominance, and these are some of the effects that are constantly seen:

繚 Breast tenderness

繚 Decreased sex drive

繚 Depression with anxiety or agitation

繚 Fat gain, especially abdomen, hips and thighs

繚 Fibrocystic breasts

繚 Increased blood clotting

繚 Increased risk of strokes

繚 Miscarriage

繚 Mood swings

繚 Osteoporosis

繚 PMS

繚 Uterine fibroids

繚 Water retention, bloating

One of the least-recognised causes of oestrogen dominance is the environmental effect of pollution, most of which consists of substances that are - or can become - xeno-oestrogens. These are chemicals which behave like oestrogen and have similar, but stronger, effects in the body. They are widespread in the environment because they are the breakdown products of many process involved in the petrochemical and plastics industries. They are found in furniture, carpets, underlay, some paints and plastic water bottles.

The environment is further polluted by the passing of oestrogens into the water supply. In recent years there has been much concern about the rising oestrogen levels in men as well, which has resulted in sperm counts dropping alarmingly. A study by the Medical Research Council found that Scottish men born since 1970 are 25 per cent less fertile than those born 20 years earlier - and that fertility is continuing to drop by two per cent a year.

In order to keep your hormones healthy there are some simple measures you can take, and I will be outlining those in part two of this article.

Fat Burning Hormones For Rapid Weight Loss

Did you realize that there are actually particular foods that when used in combination make you give off fat burning hormones for rapid weight loss? Well, it's true. And the interesting thing is that these foods are most effective when eaten at certain key times of the day.

Hormones are like the chemical messengers of your body. They enter your bloodstream and deliver powerful signals to your organs and tissue. While they affect many of the body's functions such as growth and development, what is important for you in your quest for rapid weight loss is the fact that they help control your metabolism.

In that you want to be able to control these fat burning hormones you will be eating more than three meals a day. Not more food, just simply spreading your calories throughout the day.

I don't want to bore you with a science lesson so I'll just list a few of the hormones you've probably heard of:
o Testosterone and Estrogen
o Natural steroid and
o Glucocorticoids such as cortisol

One thing I should mention (and something many of the world's ancient culture already know) is that food is, for lack of a better word, medicine. That's why it is so important to have a specific and well-balanced diet that gives you the exact method of using these hormones in your effort for rapid weight loss.

By well-balanced I mean a proper combination of all three food types: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. High Protein/Low Carbohydrate diets are all the rage now because proteins have such a great "thermic effect." In other words they have the ability to heat up your metabolism in order to help you burn calories. But the problem with diets such as the Atkin's diet is that they put you in serious risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Ovarian Fibroids - Should You Worry About Fibroids in Ovaries?

When a woman is informed that she has ovarian fibroids, she may not know what this condition entails, thinking it means cancer or a need for major surgery. Actually fibroids on the ovaries, twin reproductive organs that produce eggs and female hormones, are generally benign and only need to be treated if they are causing other complications.

These growths of fibrous tissue often are confused with uterine fibroids, which grow inside the uterus, on its surface, or within its lining tissue. Fibroid tumors of great size can sometimes grow in the uterus, weighing ten pounds or more. Ovarian growths are much smaller, being measured in milligrams and centimeters.

These benign growths may cause no symptoms at all and may never require treatment. They generally occur in women of middle age, when the hormones are still being produced but the levels may fluctuate. Although cysts may occur in adolescents, fibroids are rare in early age groups.

However, some growths are actually precancerous or cancerous tumors, which should be removed. The removal of the growths does not have to mean removal of the affected ovary, and can be done on an outpatient basis. Tissue biopsy will reveal if the growth has any malignant possibilities.

Fibroids on the ovaries can cause pain and contribute to infertility, heavy bleeding, and menstrual irregularities. They are also implicated in the rare torsion or twisting of ovarian tubes. The growths often shrink or disappear on their own, and many nutritional supplements have been found to be beneficial in getting rid of them. Green tea has been proved to help, if four or more cups a day are drunk, and sufferers have been shown to have abnormally low levels of Vitamin A.

Vitamin A, the B vitamins, hormone balancing herbs such as vitex and black cohosh, foods such as antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables and garlic, and other health regimes have been shown to help resolve this condition and keep it from recurring. Keeping the lymph system healthy with a balanced diet of whole foods and regular exercise is important, since this cleansing system carries away dead tissue that may otherwise be stored in lumps such as fibroids.

What Triggers Fat Burning Hormones? Set Them Free Now

In a perfect world our bodies would be in tune with nature, our weight would be ideal and we would all live in harmony. But alas we don't live in a perfect world and our bodies sometimes fight against us. This can be especially true in the war on weight. If your hormones aren't functioning properly your weight loss can hit a wall. Finding what triggers fat burning hormones is the key to knocking the wall down.

Keeping your fat burning hormones working means you are keeping your metabolism high and the fat is burning off. There are many things you can do to get your metabolism revved up. Intense cardio exercise such as fast walking or jogging triggers hormones in your body that increase your metabolism and in turn burn fat.

In addition to making your cardio workouts intense, you should rev them up every two to three weeks to re-trigger those fat burning homes. Once the body reaches a plateau it levels off, increasing your workout starts the hormone flow again.

Eating proteins trigger fat burning hormones, while eating a carbohydrate laden bagel does not. Eating proteins trigger growth hormones which burn fat. This is because your body has to work harder to process proteins which in turn amps up your body's metabolism.

Other foods that stimulate growth hormone production are walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, oranges, blueberries and more. These should be soaked overnight then dried before eating to rinse out the enzyme inhibitors.

Don't starve your body. Starving your body makes it go into survival mode and instead of burning fat it will start storing it. It is your body's way of surviving starvation. Instead, eat small, frequent meals that include protein.

Eat more vegetables that are in the cabbage family, such as cabbage, radish, kale, broccoli, watercress, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. These aid the liver in functioning and repair. This in turn helps to trigger growth hormone production which burns fat.

Using some simple tricks to trigger fat burning hormones, you can reach your ideal weight and body physique. Mother Nature does not have to have the last word.

Growth and Sex Hormones

To put it simply, the hormones in your body are your body's messengers to each other. The organs and glands in the endocrine system are the ones that are responsible for creating them. There are many processes that are affected by the flow of hormones, and the creation of these hormones is important in the proper growth and development of a human from birth. There are two main kinds of hormones, which are peptides and steroids. They affect many process of the body, including two general processes which are growth and sexual health.

Growth hormones

Growth hormones are hormones of the peptide variety and are vital in the growth of children into adults. This is because it stimulates the growth and cell production of a human; hence, the normal production of the growth hormone is essential to the normal growth of a person from childhood to adolescence to adulthood.

There are two kinds of the growth hormone; mainly, the Somatotropin and the Somatropin. The Somatotropin are the kinds of growth hormones that are created naturally in animals, whereas the Somatropin is the kind that is created via a recombinant DNA technology that is used for children with growth disorders and deficiencies. Its general functions are to increase calcium retention, increase muscle mass, promote lipolysis, and stimulate the growth of all internal organs, even the brain. There is also such a thing as an excess of the growth hormone, which will result in abnormal growth in the body as well.

Sex hormones

The sex hormones are of the steroid variety. While there has been a lot of research done to this area of hormonal development in the past years, there are still a lot of things that scientists and the general public do not understand about it. Men and women produce different kinds of hormones from each other. The male sex hormone is called testosterone, whereas the female sex hormone is called estrogen. The difference of sex hormones is essential because it affects how the man or the woman is developed according to their sex. Meaning, the more testosterone a man has, the more he will develop "manly" traits in the physical, emotional and mental aspect, and vice versa. The same goes for women and the estrogen that they produce. While each sex has a little bit of the sex hormone of the opposite gender, men or women who posses more of the traits of the opposite sex may suffer from hormonal imbalance.

There is such a thing as hormone supplements for both men and women. Women take an estrogen supplement for vanity reasons, such as wanting for a softer and suppler body and less body hair. Men have been known to take testosterone supplements for bodybuilding or if they need more energy to be able to sustain a certain workout regimen.

There are still a lot of things that are not understood about hormones, such as how exactly it affects women and their emotions. While hormones have been blamed for decades as to the general moodiness of women, it is still not fully understood how it exactly does this.

Effective Natural Treatment Of Ovarian Cysts

Dealing with ovarian cysts can be made easier by employing natural cures, the most effective natural treatment being natural progesterone. This is a natural hormone that is identical to the hormone that your body creates in the second half of your menstrual cycle. Your body also produces the same hormone throughout the period when you are expecting.

When you take natural progesterone, your body will behave as if it is with child. A sign will be sent to the ovaries to stop them from making an egg. The ovaries will in turn signal the cysts to stop rising. The advantage of working with this hormone to treat cysts is that it is compatible with your body and its side effects are minimal if any.

You should take sufficient amounts of natural progesterone, preferably from the tenth day to the twenty sixth day of your menstrual cycle. This will inhibit the production of the luteinizing hormone. When this happens both of your ovaries will receive a phony signal that the other one has already ovulated and will not therefore release an egg. This implies that the cyst will not receive any stimulation and will shrink away after one or two months.

Another natural treatment for cyst is the use of herbs. Most herbal remedies that are used to treat cysts are known to boost the immune system to fight the growth of cysts. Echinacea will improve your immunity and improve the count of your white blood cells as well as their activity. The white blood cells will then engulf any abnormal cells in your body including the ovarian cyst cells. Echinacea performs well if you take breaks in between its use; for example you can take it every day for ten days and take a break for 3 days. You can then resume taking it for the next ten days.

To totally cure cysts, your liver needs a detox in order to excrete excess hormones. A detox also destroys abnormal cells from your body. Milk thistle is a good herbal liver tonic that efficiently performs these functions.

You can use black cohosh or red clover to control your menstrual cycle and balances your hormones. Red clover also has the results of estrogen on your body. Dandelion is another good herbal treatment for cysts as it assists in cleaning your liver.

You may use supplements as natural treatment for ovarian cyst. Both supplements of vitamin C and zinc will boost your immunity. In addition, vitamin C will destroy the abnormal cells in the cyst. On the other hand, zinc will boost your reproductive system. It is also crucial for protecting your DNA cells from being damaged by free radicals. This will help to prevent the occurrence of cysts.

You should make some nutritional modifications in order to prevent suffering from ovarian cysts. Avoid meat and dairy products. Instead, eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables ands legumes. Sticking with natural treatment for ovarian cyst should cure your cysts without leaving you with serious side effects.

Hormonal Anxiety - Are Hormones the Cause of Your Suffering?

Have you been feeling moody lately? Perhaps you might be a little run down? Have you caught yourself feeling a great deal more anxious than usual? You may be suffering from hormonal anxiety, a condition experienced by many women across the globe.

When talking about hormonal anxiety, we are referring to what is actually known as Hormonal Imbalance Anxiety, the name for the hormonal fluctuations experienced during different times in your life, which can increase the effects of anxiety greatly.

Hormonal Imbalance Anxiety is a condition where, as the name states, there is an imbalance in the levels of hormones within the body. There is usually a dominant level of estrogen, which means a shortage of progesterone, leading to heightened sensory reception and a general overall feeling of anxiety.

The times when stress and anxiety are at its highest include puberty, the usual monthly PMS, pregnancy and menopause.

Many women will simply rationalize the high levels of discomfort and hormonal anxiety they feel at this point as a simple trial of life that they have to deal with. Unfortunately, some can go their entire lives without realizing that their hormones could actually just be aggravating an underlying problem.

It can be dangerous to assume that a monthly cycle is the only reason for anxiety. Your long-term mental health is a precious belonging, so why should you risk this? Due to hormonal anxiety, many women experience their first panic attack - an overwhelming feeling of fear and having no control whatsoever. Lethargy, depression and anger are also other symptoms.

Many women concentrate on these symptoms alone, and neglect what else that could be going on regularly. If you sometimes feel uncomfortable in social situations, feel stressed out, and tend to worry a fair amount, it's a safe bet that hormonal anxiety is an increased reaction to the underlying issue.

Hormonal anxiety can be very distressing, and is a problem many have had to deal with. Unfortunately, a great number of these women never realize that there is a root cause to their problems. If you find yourself suffering from the symptoms mentioned above, it would be a? good idea to find yourself a treatment or cure.

Natural Gender Selection: Do Hormones Hold a Key?

There are a lot of theories about natural gender selection. You've probably heard conflicting opinions on different ways to choose your baby's sex. Timing intercourse during your cycle is a theory that was once widely believed to be true, but has now fallen out of favor. Why has it fallen out of favor, and could there be any validity to it? This article will cover some possibilities.

What Dr. Shettles Thought

Dr. Shettles is an important name because of his book, Choose the Gender of Your Baby. Dr. Shettles has passed away now, but he did a lot of work involving gender selection and developed strong theories. Many of those theories are thought to be incorrect now... or at least what he thought made them correct is thought to be incorrect at this point.

For example, he thought that Y sperm (which are the sperm that create boys) could swim faster than X sperm (which are the sperm that create girls). He advised his patients to use timing to give those (what he thought were faster boy sperm) the best chance of reaching the egg quickly. Or if you wanted a girl, then you would make sure that there was a delay in when you timed your baby-making sex so that by the time the egg was released, the slower egg sperm were able to catch up and the Y sperm had already gotten there and had been exhausted and were gone.

That was Dr. Shettles' theory. We know now (or scientists think now) that that's probably not true. The speed of swimming theory is not true and the X and Y sperm probably swim at about the same speed. They're probably about the same size even though X sperm were thought to be bigger.

The concept of timing intercourse and a lot of the things that Dr. Shettles taught fell out of favor and are still out of favor in the gender selection world. Many think that hormones have a big influence... and hormones could explain the timing issues that Dr. Shettles observed, however.

Hormones and How They Line Up

Remember, what Dr. Shettles observed was: when you have baby-making sex closer to the time of ovulation, you're more likely to get a boy. And if you have intercourse farther away from the time of ovulation, you're more likely to get a girl. Dr. Shettles thought this was true because of the speed of the different sperm. But now, researchers think it might be because of the mother's hormonal profile at those different times in the cycle.

For instance, right around ovulation is when a woman's testosterone is the highest and her FSH hormone and her LH hormones are a little bit lower. It's thought that higher testosterone and higher estrogen levels favor the conception of sons. Those hormones being lower and the FSH and the LH hormones being higher favors girls.

How does this work in the menstrual cycle? When a woman's body gets close to ovulation, her estrogen levels begin to go up. They reach a peak and then her estrogen levels start to fall. When the estrogen levels start to fall, the LH and FSH surge and peak. This happens just a couple of days, even hours (36-48 hours or so) before ovulation.

Then those levels start to fall again and again estrogen is the more dominant hormone. Testosterone also rises at this point (which also helps explain why a woman who is right at ovulation is more interested in lovemaking). This means that at the time of ovulation the testosterone and estrogen levels are higher.

If you look at the timing that Dr. Shettles observed (which, remember, was if you have baby-making sex a few days before ovulation, you're more likely to get a girl and if you have baby-making sex right at ovulation, you're more likely to get a boy), it lines up somewhat with current hormonal theories.

This may explain some of the things that Dr. Shettles and other doctors saw in the past, even though they didn't understand exactly why it was happening or they had a false theory on why it happened. It means that timing intercourse to choose your baby's gender is still a valid thing to consider.

5 Ways To Make Your Penis Strong

Increasing the size, strength and stamina of the penis is a huge task to most men. Though there are endless ointments, pills, devices that claim to be of help. The question is how many of them are really reliable.

To make your penis strong is not a futile task that cannot be achieved. If you are a young man, it is believed that your penis should be strong and hard naturally, but if on the contrary, don't worry this article will help you. On the other hand, as a man grows older the sex hormone gradually decline and become less active. In order to make his penis strong, a constant production of sex hormones need to be taken seriously.

To produce more of these sex hormones, you will have to do the following:

1. Eat Right: Raising a massive penis is an expensive proposition for your body. The penis needs constant supply of nutrients and blood to keep it healthy. When you eat right the nutrients necessary for the production of more sex hormones will be released giving rise to a strong healthy penis. Examples of food recommended are high fiber and low saturated fat diets. You also need to ingest zinc every day. Zinc is vital for the production of testosterone, seminal fluid and sperm. You can find this mineral in liver, seafood, peas, and beans.

2. Vitamin Supplements: Vitamins are also known to boost sex hormones. Vitamin A, B, C, E, Chromium, Zinc and L-arginine are known to be good in maintaining penis health but be sure to consult your doctor first before taking any drug.
Apart from hormone production, other ways to make your penis strong include:

3. Exercise: Being in shape and having a good physique will make you feel good about yourself and up your confidence. You can do exercise like swimming, cycling, jogging or brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

4. Jelqing: When you perform jelqing (penis enlargement exercise) it makes blood to flow to the penis and also aid in penis enlargement. Jelqing involves milking your penis with your hands from the base to the tip. The advantage of this method is that it causes the penis chamber to expand and hold more blood resulting in a massive strong penis.

5. Traction Device: This is also known as a penis extender. It is a small light weight medically tested device that can be worn on the penis when not erect. The device exerts a little tension on the penis when strapped on it leading to tissue multiplication. The more tissue produced the stronger and bigger your penis will be. The beauty of the device is that it can be worn underneath your shorts without anyone noticing.

Below are steps to wear the device:

i. Insert your penis through the base ring of the device

ii. Strap the soft comfort pad into the device and pull the loop down carefully until the head is secure

iii. Adjust the tension level of the device. Two bars run the length of the penis shaft, which can be adjusted to suit the desired tension i.e. you can increase the tension on the extender by turning the knurled knobs toward your penis.

iv. Basically, you need to attach the penis extender to the end of your penis. Once placed, you can then adjust the brace to PULL or stretch out the penis.

It should be noted that the device work best under loose fitting shorts or sweat pants. No tight pants should be worn when wearing a traction device.

Apart from making your penis strong and big, a traction device can also help you control your ejaculation, increase your stamina in bed, harder erection and increase your sexual urge due to the increase of blood flow to the penis.

Statistics shows that about 100,000 men are using this little device daily to enhance their sexual life.

Health, Hormones and Hypothyroidism

Are you tired? Frustrated by the lack of vim and vigor that you "used" to have? Your problem may not be what you are doing on the outside, but what your hormones are doing on the inside. Take the next few moments to think about your health and wellness. Take a quick look at this checklist: Have you noticed any of the following signs or symptoms?

• Hard stools / constipation


• Sensitivity to cold


• Fatigue or feel slow


• Heavy menstrual periods


• Joint or muscle pain


• Paleness / dry skin


• Sadness / depression


• Thin, brittle hair or fingernails


• Weakness


• Weight gain without trying


• Decreased sweating

If a few, or many, of these symptoms are familiar to you, you might have a low-functioning thyroid gland. Underactive thyroid or Hypothyroidism is more common in women and people over the age of 50. There are lots of reasons your thyroid gland may not be functioning properly. I had thyroid surgery in my 20's and they removed one of my two glands. So with only one functioning gland, it is easy to see why, almost thirty years later, I am dealing with a low thyroid hormone issue.

The thyroid gland is a vitally important butterfly shaped hormonal gland located in the front of the neck below the voice box. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone for the body's systems to function properly. One of the most important functions of our thyroid gland is to help control metabolism.

How can you tell if hypothyroidism might be an issue for you? Well if you're like me, first I noticed changes in my mood, energy level and physical health that lasted more than a few weeks. I was dragging my butt around and feeling like crap. I was gaining weight, had extremely low blood pressure, a serious bout of depression, lack of enthusiasm for life, and was struggling to do low intensity exercise because anything vigorous was just not an option - my energy level was zapped! Thankfully, I found a health-care provider who took my concerns seriously and began looking for the root of the problem.

The best way to determine if your thyroid hormone levels are up to par is through lab work. That means they draw all sorts of blood. If you think your thyroid might be an issue for you, get in for a consultation with your doctor. Talk with your physician to find out if testing your thyroid levels is an appropriate next step for improving your health.

It was a relief to know that my mood swings and symptoms were not "all in my head," but there was an actual medical reason why I felt so out of whack! Lab work clearly showed that my thyroid gland was not producing anywhere close to a healthy range of hormones to keep all systems functioning properly.

While I am not a fan of taking medication, sometimes it IS necessary for the maintenance of good health. Thyroid levels can return to normal with treatment, (FYI - treatment is medication that needs to be taken for the rest of your natural life!) There are no preventative measures to keep your body producing a healthy amount of hormones. Your body and thyroid gland can produce the right amount of hormones, it can overproduce - which is another issue, Hyperthyroidism, or it doesn't produce enough hormones, Hypothyroidism. Whether your thyroid levels are high or low it's a condition that is easily treatable with proper medication.

At first I was frustrated my body was not functioning the way I thought it should. It is helps to know that there was nothing I "could have" or "should have" done to avoid hypothyroidism. My thyroid issues did not occur because I did not "eat right" or needed to "exercise more." But, I have to admit, that I was not as pro-active as I should have been to advocate for myself that something was wrong and seek medical attention to help get things fixed.

Left untreated, low thyroid levels can lead to more serious health concerns: decreased taste & smell, hoarseness, puffy face/hands/feet, slow speech, thickening of the skin, thinning of the eyebrows (and not in the freshly plucked way), lack of libido, stress and mood swings. A few simple blood tests and proper treatment can reverse all symptoms and get you back to one-hundred percent healthy.

If you are like me, and have been dragging around thinking that you "just have the mid-winter blues" but don't seem to be able to shake them, consider a check-up. With your doctor's expert help, whether it is a thyroid problem, or there is some other medical reason for you to be feeling off-balance, there may be a quick and easy "fix" to help your body function better and get back to feeling like your normal, healthy and happy self. If anything is out of balance, sooner or later everything will be out of balance! Don't wait or procrastinate. Take charge of your health and be sure all systems are in good working order to keep you 100% healthy. Keeping our hormone levels in balance is a very important part of a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

Using Human Growth Hormones for Bodybuilding

It is no longer a secret how bodybuilders have relied to HGH in the enhancement of their muscle mass. HGH or human growth hormone is responsible for the growth of muscles and bone cells. So if you want to build a more muscular body with stronger bones, the HGH is the best to have.

These growth hormones are actually natural products from our pituitary gland. It produces a good amount of growth hormones during our childhood years. However, this will decline as we enter adolescence years. It will create a lot of drastic changes into our body. Keeping ourselves healthy enough will be a challenge as well as maintaining a fit body.

Good thing there are supplements that contains HGH for bodybuilding. These are mostly used by athletes who need to have more muscles and stronger physique. Other people can also use this for their own benefits not only for gaining muscles.

According to researches, the use of HGH for bodybuilding has long term effects to certain people only. A healthy person taking it would gain short term results. However, healthy people can still use it. That will all depend on the dosage and how long you use the products. It has proven that the longer we take HGH boosters, the longer its effect will be.

Because the growth hormones promote the development of new cells and tissues in our body, it will sure to give us more body mass. The hormone is actually better than exercising alone. Perform that while taking HGH supplement and you will sure to have enough body muscles in no time.

Also, because the hormonal level of our body will be regulated by the time we take these boosters, it will not cause gaining of excess weight. All the added muscles are of good use and not just fatty weights. So you can take these without worrying if ever you are going to be chubby in the end. Of course, you also need to exercise a lot. That will help shape the muscles up.

There is a clear evidence of how HGH affects bodybuilding. Because it is a growth supplement, it will likely to promote only the proper tissues and cells. One doesn't need to eat a lot in order to gain more weight for bodybuilding. All they need to do is eat healthy foods together with the supplement and a proper exercise.

In some cases, taking a supplement like this has side effects to people. It can be due to the improper dosage of the product or maybe the sudden change in your hormonal level. Younger people can use this safely. Taking this should be before reaching the age of 35 because by that time, you will no longer get effects of the supplement.

The use of HGH for bodybuilding is always reliable. With just the proper use and exercise, you will sure to build that ideal physique that you want.

Weight Loss, Belly Fat And Hormones

There are two hormones that are very important to know about when you want to lose belly fat. Cortisol and Leptin. Cortisol is a nasty hormone that causes you to store more fat in your belly. Leptin is a hormone that regulates energy and controls metabolism and hunger. If you have enough Leptin your hunger will be more in control.

We all probably already know the dangers of having belly fat, such as a higher chance of heart attack, diabetes, and other illnesses. Studies show that hormone balance directly affects belly fat. It's not just a normal overweight issue this is a serious problem that can cause many women frustration when it comes to fertility issues, losing weight, especially belly fat.

According to most studies into Leptin Resistance, it is probable that the introduction of high fructose corn syrup, and lectins which are found in high concentrations in beans, cereal grains and nuts and are now added to the food supply (and used in chemical warfare) may be part of the issue of the rise in Leptin Resistance. This isn't to say not to eat legumes, or nuts, but do avoid foods with additives especially lectins and high fructose corn syrup.

It is clear that hormones play a large part in the addition of belly fat for many women and fortunately you can often control many of these issues with a good diet that is void of additives and chemicals, and full of organic produce, seeds, fish and healthy proteins. The food industry will tell you that lectins and fructose are natural too, and that the body doesn't know the difference between fructose from an apple or high fructose corn syrup, but if this was true, why have people become more obese than ever? Is it a just a coincidence or is there a reason that adding concentrated versions of natural ingredients is causing serious health issues?

If you have weight gain concentrated in the belly, allergies, fatigue and mood swings it is also possible that you're suffering from an overdose of estrogenic chemicals. These are present in many things from foods, to drugs, to plastics that line vegetable cans, and they can affect men as well as women. It is important to avoid added chemical estrogens if possible, especially if you're obese or suffering from excess belly fat. You can accomplish this by avoiding using plastics that are not PBC free, and eating whole, natural organic foods.

Eat foods that are high in Omega 3's, flavonoids and indoles. Omegas can be found in fatty fish, flaxseeds and hempseeds while flavonoids and indoles are found in bee products, citrus, onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage. Avoid herbicides, pesticides, added hormones, soy products and isoflavones as well as all plastic derivatives found in food packaging. Additionally, canola, corn, soy and safflower oils are not good for you and contain too many GMOs so avoid them. A good general rule of thumb is to avoid processed foods in favor of whole foods as often as possible.

What Is Post-Partum Depression?

Post-partum Depression is a mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that happen in a woman after giving birth or miscarriage. This kind of depression occurs about four weeks after delivery. The "baby blues" occurs the first few weeks after childbirth. Baby blues usually goes away in a couple of week, but post-partum depression can last for months.

The signs of baby blues:

• Trouble sleeping


• Feeling moody


• Teary


• Feeling overwhelmed


• Trouble sleeping


• Mixed feelings with being happy about your baby

Any woman can get post-partum depression in the months after childbirth, stillbirth or miscarriage.

Treatment for depression after giving birth:

1. Bio-identical progesterone


2. Drug medications with side effects

The sooner you get treated, the sooner you'll feel better and enjoy your baby. You can make an informed choice.

Are you at risk?

Post-partum depression risk factors are:

• Your age at time of pregnancy -- the younger you are, the higher the risk


• If you have ambivalent feelings about the pregnancy


• You have poor support from your partner, friends, family or living alone. You have had depression before


• The number of children -- the more you have, it is likely you had prior depressions

What are the signs of post-partum depression?

Common signs of depression are:

• Feeling very sad, worthless, hopeless, anxious and empty.


• Loss pleasure in everyday things.


• Not feel hungry and may lose weight or opposite and gain weight


• Have trouble sleeping.


• Not be able to concentrate.


• Thoughts of death


• Lose of energy or feeling fatigue


• Mood changes

What causes it?

Post-partum depression is linked the hormone changes after birth. The changes involve a rapid drop in hormones estrogen and progesterone after delivery. The issue with these symptoms is that the production of estrogen occurs much faster while progesterone remains at a very low level.

Hormones estrogen and progesterone for health pregnancy

The hormones estrogen and progesterone are the two most important hormones during pregnancy. They help the breasts produce milk uterus enlarge for the fetus, the placenta support the baby, and the immune system would not be slightly suppressed to prevent it from attacking the baby. During pregnancy, only progesterone is made until the baby is born. The term pro-gestation came from the progesterone hormone.

After delivery, the new mother has to adjust to the new levels of progesterone and estrogen, which falls to nearly zero after birth. Natural progesterone is an antidepressant and improves thyroid function.

Estrogen and progesterone regulate vital body functions, are suppose to counterbalance each other, to keep you balanced, healthy and without post-partum depression symptoms. When progesterone no longer balances and opposes estrogen in your body... then estrogen dominates the hormonal environment. Unbalanced estrogen can be TOXIC! You will experience estrogen dominance symptoms, post-partum anxiety, post-partum psychosis and post-partum depression symptoms.

Bio-identical Progesterone natural choice for depression experienced after childbirth

Post-partum depression symptoms can be effectively treated by naturally with bio-identical progesterone cream according to the late Dr. John R. Lee. " It could make post-partum depression a lot easier to deal with."

Natural progesterone cream contains bio-identical molecules that mimic a women's natural progesterone. It is effectively the same as the progesterone that your body produces. Many patients who use natural progesterone cream have seen immediate results. It is important for a woman to understand that her symptoms can be eased with natural choices. By knowing and understanding her hormonal fluctuations, a woman can start with natural progesterone cream. Progesterone balances the ratio of low estrogen or high or low progesterone. Natural progesterone cream is the only bioidentical hormone that may efficiently achieve relief for your symptoms.

Natural Progesterone Cream with Wild Yam and Chaste Tree Berry is a natural choice. It is very popular with health care professionals and women who desire to get natural support to conceive.

Natural progesterone cream treats post-partum depression at its own source. It is the only natural remedy that addresses the cause of hormone imbalance. The cause of hormone imbalance is the ratio of estrogen to progesterone and decline of all hormones

This is for education only. It is not intended to treat, prevent or cure a medical disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult a health care professional.

What Are the Benefits of BHRT?

For most women, hormone imbalances in the body can be a distressing time. Fortunately, research and innovations in medical technology have resulted in methods of harmonizing the hormone imbalance. One such method is Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy (BHRT.) Natural or Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy, (BHRT), is the restoration of hormone imbalance in the body to alleviate the symptoms of a hormone imbalance. This hormone treatment has had proven therapeutic results for millions of women.

The following is a list of the benefits of BHRT:

1. BHRT is a safe treatment for women. There are minimal side effects which often require hormone treatment adjustment of the dosage. The hormones in BHRT are natural so that the body metabolizes bioidentical hormones way it is supposed to, naturally. Traditional synthetic hormone treatment has more side effects. One should notice improvement within 3 to 4 days

2. BHRT does not increase the risk of such conditions as blood clots, heart attacks, and breast cancer. Traditional Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy has been shown to actually increase these risks.

3. The method of taking BHRT treatment is non invasive such as tablets, creams, capsules, or troches, lozenges, sub dermal implants, and Pellet Therapy. In Pellet Therapy, the small pellet is placed under the skin and provides steady reprieve of symptoms for about 4-6 months. Pellet Therapy will require replacement of the pellet 2-3 times a year.

4. BHRT treatment plans are individualized to meet the needs of each individual patient. Compounding pharmacies create a customized formula for each individual

5. Reduces insomnia

6. Better concentration and alertness: improve memory lapses and foggy thinking

7. Reduces anxiety and depression. As well, it increases energy.

8. Improves sex drive. BHRT increases the libido.

9. Decreases bloating, headaches, and irritability.

10. Increases weight loss: accelerates fat burning

11. Regulates menstruation: reduces menstrual bleeding and painful periods.

12. Preventing heart disease. BHRT improves blood circulation.

13. Preventing osteoporosis. BHRT promotes bone growth.

14. Preventing some hard-to-detect female cancers. It also protects against fibrocystic breasts

15. Reduces symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, irritability, vaginal dryness, excess hair growth, skin problems, sleep problems, and mood swings. BHRT improves the skin's elasticity.

For years, women had to take a synthetic hormone treatment for correcting a hormone imbalance. Fortunately, BHRT is a healthy and safe treatment more women are now receiving. As well, Bio-identical hormones are approved by the FDA. BHRT uses hormones that are the same as the molecular structure of the hormones produced in the body. They are made from a plant where a substance called diosgenin is removed and then modified to bio-identical hormones like the hormones in the body. The most common reason that women choose to engage in BHRT is for the relief of symptoms related to menopause, perimenopause, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS.) BHRT can be prescribed by a physician after the proper assessment and laboratory tests.

When considering Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy, it is important to consult with your physical learn about this natural, effective and safe hormone replacement treatment.

Backed by Science, Rhythmic Bioidentical Hormones Reverse Osteoporosis

A condition in which bones become thin and porous as a result of calcium loss, osteoporosis affects women eight times more than men. A bone scan can determine if one has this condition. Statistics say that one in two women over age fifty, or a woman in menopause, will suffer at least one lifetime fracture from osteoporosis. There is recent evidence that biomimetic rhythmic bioidentical hormone therapy can prevent osteoporosis.

Research studies have also shown that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) lowers the risk of osteoporosis-related hip fractures and other fractures in postmenopausal women. When we run out of estrogen and progesterone hormones, our bones begin to die very quickly. Bones have their own life cycle or metabolism, a rhythm of growth and death governed by estrogen and progesterone. The fall off of estrogen during perimenopause means no peak of estrogen activity to make progesterone receptors which would build bone. This is the beginning of osteoporosis.

Estrogen controls osteoclast activity. Osteoclasts are bone cells that "eat up" old bone for disposal. Progesterone controls osteoblastic activity. Osteoblasts are bone cells that build fresh new bone. In this case progesterone grows bone, and estrogen takes it away so that new bone can grow again next month. Without this balanced interplay, one of two things can happen: Without estrogen, bone would overgrow into a cancer- like state, or without progesterone, unopposed estrogen would make bones thin, fragile, and porous - osteoporotic.

Women in menopause who take rhythmic hormones are seeing reversal of bone loss, and the end of osteoporosis. Why? Because it is rhythmic biomimetic bioidentical hormone replacement that helps slow bone thinning or loss and causes an increase in bone thickness. Estrogen replacement alone, because it takes away bone, should be bad for osteoporosis and seems to be so in conventional low doses. Estrogen replacement helps for a little while because it does prevent apoptosis in the bone-building cells, the osteoblasts; but, unless progesterone comes in to stimulate osteoblasts, not much bone grows from estrogen replacement alone.

Newer drugs on the market act to stimulate osteoblasts in an artificial way. But it can't be good. Living on drugs that exacerbates bone growth is the epitome of "moving a marble." Increasing supplemental calcium is really pretty useless. No claims have ever been made by the medical establishment that increasing calcium can really prevent or cure osteoporosis.

Natural transdermal, bioidentical hormone replacement prescribed in a normal rhythmic cycle can do what none of those approaches can do: revive your bones. Biomimetic hormone restoration therapy is accurate, it's biomimetic and mimics the up and down rhythms of hormone blood levels in a normal menstrual cycle.

Patients on rhythmic bioidentical hormones and their doctors are raving about the turnaround in bone density scans, saying that it is a remarkable benefits from taking rhythmic bioidentical hormones. A Santa Fe medical practitioner, Doctor Deb Werenko said in a YouTube interview, "Some of my patients have anxiety and depression, bone loss, hot flashes, or low libido, and all those things seem to improve dramatically when I start them on the rhythmic biomimetic hormone replacement therapy. Osteoporosis - I'm seeing reversal; libido and relationship issues seem to improve, and I have exciting, exciting results."

Growing Taller Naturally: Understanding Your Growth Hormones

If you are like me and not completely happy with your current body height, then chances are you are looking for ways to grow taller naturally. Of course, the term tall is relative and depending on the culture or country, someone might be seen as tall or short. In the end, if you are not happy with your height, then it doesn't really matter what others say, though. See, your height and growing in general are based on your body's growth hormones. Growth hormones are not just responsible for your bone size and structure; they can also determine your muscle mass. Hormones are produced by your body's glands, whereas the hormones itself are chemical components. The glands are responsible for producing them and releasing them into your blood streams, so that they can consequently be delivered to the right places in your body. Once arrived, the hormones then trigger the according growth process and body development.

Growing and developing your body is just one of two functions that your hormones have. Sometimes, hormones are responsible for triggering a new process that has the purpose of mass producing other hormones. As you can see, your body's hormonal balance can quickly become very complicated through these chain reactions. However, since people know how important these growth hormones are if you want to grow taller naturally, many started to look for other streams to tap into for more of these hormones. Most of these streams are external sources in the forms of injections, supplements or pills. See, there are certain amino acids that can be used to produce growth hormones. By consuming such amino acids - whether it's in the form of an injection, pill or supplement - the body starts to produce more of the according growth hormones. It is something that bodybuilders commonly use for their purposes, too. However, this is also where it gets quite dangerous.

It is definitely not recommended for anyone to take in such products with these hormone stimulating amino acids without proper instructions from a supervising doctor. There are so many side effects to these products that it is questionable whether it's ever a good idea. These side effects can be quite detrimental to your health in the form of hair loss, high blood pressure, nervousness, drowsiness and more. As I have already mentioned above, your body's hormonal balance is extremely complicated. Moreover, everyone's body is different, thus making it even harder to be able to know how many amino acids would be healthy for any certain individual. Whereas it would be nice to be able to successfully tap into such external sources, it's just too risky in my opinion.

How To Look Younger With HGH

Do you know how you can look younger with HGH? The pituitary gland of the brain produces human growth hormones or HGH. These hormones are responsible for many of the "building up" processes in the body. It stimulates cell growth and reproduction, replacing unhealthy and dead cells with newer and younger ones. HGH production is most active during puberty, hence the growth spurt during the teenage years. The body does not stop producing HGH, even during sleep. However, the production slows down after the age of 30 and the effects are more obvious and prevalent at the start of the 40's.

We look younger with HGH because of the effects they have on the body. HGH increases the muscle growth, blood vessel elasticity and bone density. It also helps thicken the skin, eliminating wrinkles in the process. For these reasons, some people opt to undergo hormone therapy to give a boost to their HGH. This is advisable for those who suffer from hormone imbalance. However, very few adults are recommended to take HGH supplements because of the dangerous side effect of the pituitary gland stopping its production completely.

If you want to look younger with HGH, you have to consult with your physician first. You may have existing health conditions that will make you unqualified for the hormone therapy. This is an invasive procedure that is mostly administered through injections so there is no telling what other effects it can have on the body. If you want your brain to release more HGH naturally, adapt a lifestyle change. Exercise daily for 30 to 60 minutes. Intense activities help increase HGH production. Don't overdo this because more than 90 minutes of exercise actually decreases its production. Change your diet as well and include more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and poultry. Eliminate all unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking and you will be able to see a change in your skin tone, hair gloss and weight.

Our body is filled with natural hormones that help us look younger. Unhealthy habits drag us down, filling our bodies with unhealthy substances that destroy our cells. Although there are hormone therapies that we can use, it is still better to take the natural course in keeping us younger. We do not have to resort to expensive treatments and medicines in order to keep our healthy bodies. With proper diet and exercise, we can look younger with HGH without resorting to artificial methods.

Does Metabolism Slow Down After Pregnancy? - Get the Details!

Does your metabolism slow down after pregnancy? Most women know that their body experience hormonal surges that affect the body's processes, including nutrient delivery, storage of fat, and energy processing. Typically, the metabolism also increases which is why most pregnant women always feel hungry almost all of the time.

After giving birth, these hormones fall drastically and would continue to do so in 4 to 5 months after childbirth. Different women have various reactions to the decline of hormone. Some enter a state of depression or postnatal depression while some adapt to their hormonal changes easily. Mood swings are linked to the decline of thyroid hormones, which also regulate the body's metabolism.

Reduced thyroid hormones affect how the body regulates energy from food. As it takes several months before the normal production of hormone returns, burning of calories while at rest will most probably slow down during this time. Symptoms of depression, onset by the decreased thyroid hormones, also have a huge effect on weight gain. Your body is also drained of stored nutrients after childbirth, which slows down the metabolism and prevents mothers from losing weight.

Losing weight after pregnancy

With hormonal changes, lost nutrients, and other physical changes that occur after pregnancy, it is not recommended to try to shed pounds immediately after pregnancy. At least not in the way to go on some extreme diet! The most important thing is to get sufficient nutrition and gain more healthy calories needed for breastfeeding. On a lighter note, breastfeeding can help you lose a little weight. You can start with light exercise and increase it as you go further. Take out the junk food out of your snacking and all these little steps will help you lose the weight. However, as mentioned above, women respond to changes differently so be observant of your body's reaction to such changes.

If you do not want to gain more pounds, it is best to consult a dietician for a weight loss program after childbirth. Reduce intake of empty calories but do not cut off healthy calories as it would only slow down your metabolism more. As much as possible, increase your daily activity. Start by taking your baby for morning walks, dancing him carefully to music, or stroll him or her to the park. You may always be worried and ask does your metabolism slow down after pregnancy. Whether it does or not, the main concern is to keep you and your baby healthy before, during, and after childbirth.

The Adrenal Glands and Your Mental Health

Hormones are major links in the mind body connection. They are chemical the chemical messengers that can turn on and off a variety of genes in every cell in your body-including your brain! All known hormonal imbalances may manifest as psychiatric disorders, such as depression, mania, anxiety, ADD, memory disturbances, dementia and even psychosis. On the other hand, bearing the burden of any of these disorders, over time, will affect your hormonal function as well. Hormonal imbalances also mimic the side effects of anti-depressants by causing weight gain, brain fog, sexual problems, and depleted energy levels. It is clear then, that hormonal problems go hand-in-hand with depression, and sorting out "hormone triggered" depression from clinical depression is not always easy. Most patients have a mixture of the two. For this reason, in the practice of Whole Psychiatry, a detailed assessment of the hormonal systems should be a routine part of every psychiatric evaluation.

A hormone called cortisol (made by your adrenal gland) is part of the body's shock absorber system. We all drive down the road of life. and we hit real or imagined pot holes. If our shock absorbers are functioning well, its like we are driving a Cadillac. We feel the pothole, but only briefly and then we make a quick recovery. If we have poor shock absorbers, we feel like we are driving an old pick-up truck over a dirt road. We hit a pot hole, are stunned by it, and may even veer off the road.

What determines how our shock absorbers work? Some of it is genetic, and some of it is set by the time we are 11 or 12 weeks of age! In addition, chronic stress, nutritional and chemical factors, social environments, attitudes, perceived sense of control, spiritual orientation, and interpretation of the meaning of events play an important role.

Your body's glands take their cues from your brain. When an event is perceived, a meaning is assigned to the event, and a hormonal response appropriate to the assigned meaning occurs. Thus your brain determines the exact timing and amount of cortisol that is released into your blood stream: too much cortisol at night, and you can't fall sleep, too little cortisol in the morning, and you can barely peel yourself out of bed!

By the same token, your brain then gets a message from your adrenal glands via the cortisol in your blood stream, which provides a status update on hormone production and release. The constant relay of information between your brain and your adrenal glands keeps your brain, immune system and stress response functioning normally.

But this system's equilibrium can be upset when you take a blow from, say, depression, manic depression, anxiety, chronic stress (such as a divorce or chronic illness), chronic pain, or recurrent bouts of low blood sugar. In fact any of a number of hormonal imbalances (e.g., adrenal, thyroid, reproductive hormones) are one of the major reasons that many anti-depressant treatments don't work, or why patients with bipolar disorder are not stabilized.

In summary, if you have a mood disorder, check into your hormonal status, looking at adrenal function, thyroid function (check a TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, body temperature), blood sugar regulation, reproductive hormones, and melatonin.

Give the wide variety and effect of pesticides and hormone interrupters in our world, I strongly advocate for organically grown foods. Aside from the superior nutritional content, and health benefits seen in experimental animals, there is growing concern that the chemicals we accept in our environment cause significant hormonal problems in the population at large, by mimicking or blocking the functions of our own hormonal systems.

How Human Growth Hormones Supplements Changed My Life!

At long last after reading all the exciting benefits about them, I finally made the move and bought 3 months supply of human growth hormones supplements. I was excited that finally I would experience all the exciting benefits that they say comes with increasing my HGH levels. In a few moments you will know how these human growth hormones supplements improved the quality of my life.

By the end of this write up, you will be able to decide whether you want to begin taking human growth hormones supplements or not. These supplements do NOT require you to obtain a doctor's prescription, there are commonly known as HGH releasers. And they are totally different from artificial HGH injections that must be administered by a qualified medical person. These injections are only for folks that have an extra $10,000 to spend each year.

When I first heard about these supplements, I rushed and bought a couple of supplements that were useless - these pills were just a waste of my money! You need to be very careful when buying human growth hormones supplements, do NOT make the same silly mistakes that I made before I finally found the brand of human growth hormones supplements that my wife and I are currently using.

Before I made the move to start taking human growth hormone supplements, I was always tired. The moment I get back home from work, I sleep for at least 2 hours. I was always too tired to have sexual intercourse with my wife. And when I wake up in the morning, I still feel like I had not slept enough. I was on prescription drugs to keep my blood pressure normal. One day my wife pointed it out to me that I had added weight - she felt maybe that was the reason my energy levels were so low and I was always too tired to have sex.

At that point I felt I like an 80 year old man, and I was just 42 years. I wasn't supposed to start feeling like this at such an early age. I blamed it on the French fries and ham burger that I eat almost every day and the fact that I had cancelled my gym membership 2 years ago (I stopped exercising). Anytime my kids wanted me to play basketball with them, I always told them that I was too tired to play.

I was beginning to get depressed about my constant fatigue. I visited my doctor but he did not give me any medication to reduce the tiredness that I always felt. I was getting sad that I could not enjoy my wife and play with my kids. I really wanted to go back to the way things used to be when I had sex 4 - 5 times a week and I was always playing basket ball & table tennis with my kids. Anytime my family wanted to have fun with me, I always gave them the same old excuse that I was tired.

How Things Improved For Me!

Later I decided to check on the Internet to find out if there is a way for me to get my energy levels back to the way it was so I could enjoy life. I made a few blunders buying different so called human growth hormones supplements that claimed would help me regain my youthful vigor back. But they all disappointed me!

At the end of the day, I took all these pills and still there was no improvement in my energy levels. I was still as tired as ever. Until I tried human growth hormone supplements. The first 2 brands that I used did not give me any benefit until I tried the current brand that I am still using which has given me a big boost in my energy level. The results did not come overnight; the manufacturers stated that it will take 2 - 3 months for me to begin enjoying the benefits that come with increased human growth hormone level. After 3 - 4 weeks my physical stamina increased and tiredness is no longer an issue. My wife also joined me in taking human growth hormones supplements since they are recommended for adults above the age of 35 years old. I cannot remember the last time I felt ill, my immunity system has become stronger since I started taking human growth hormone supplements.

I feel great now, my mood has improved tremendously. My physical strength and stamina is a lot higher than it used to be. I am more focused when I am at work now. I feel like I am 25 years old now. It is amazing how these human growth hormones supplements have increased my energy levels. Once it is 7.00 am, I literally jump out of bed feeling refreshed and ready for the day's tasks. The days of dragging my body around are all gone!

I never thought that human growth hormones supplements would have this amazing effect on me. Now I take these supplements regularly. I tried so many so called anti aging supplements that have disappointed me till I found one particular brand that works very effectively. I have recommended this brand to all my close friends and they are amazed at the anti aging benefits that it gives.

Why Bio-Identical Hormones and Hormone Creams Can Be Dangerous

When we hear the word "hormones", often we think of "female" hormones, and female "issues",and cranky, emotional women at "certain times of the month". It's not exactly a compliment to be referred to as "hormonal", now is it?

In reality, hormones are serious business. They are critical components of our body's master communication systems, transmitting messages from various glands to the appropriate receptor sites on cells in order to create the desired outcome. Each hormone has a very specific receptor site on the cell membrane made just for it. It's like a little garage made especially for one kind of car.

It's an incredibly intricate and brilliant design.

Hormones are involved in every physical, mental, and emotional function, not just the feisty female ones. Boys and men wouldn't exist without hormones. (Some say the same is true of boys and men without women,but I digress.)

Anyhow, the point of this little article IS actually related to "female" hormones and hormonal imbalances. It's estimated that close to 90% of the women in this country experience some type of hormonal imbalance or dis-regulation. Wow! You'd think, with that many of us afflicted, that medicine would have come up with some solid solutions by now.

Conventional medical treatment often involves hormone replacement therapy, or giving birth control pills, or removing parts of the female reproductive system, or some other way of altering hormone production. For some, this might be the solution.

Some women opt to forgo these treatment approaches and, instead, choose seemingly safer options like bio-identical hormone replacement or over-the-counter progesterone creams or various self-medicating options. Most are still attempting to alter or balance the hormones themselves (estrogen and progesterone being the two biggies).

Here's a twist to the plot: What if our hormonal issues weren't actually "hormonal" at all? What if the cause of the hormone imbalance was actually deeper,or "higher upstream", so to speak? What if the vast majority of them were actually related to toxicity?

In that case, how would artificially tweaking our hormone levels have any real, or lasting success? Right. It wouldn't for an overwhelming number of women. In fact, if you're not addressing the cause of the hormonal dis-regulation in the first place, you could be creating even more trouble for yourself.

Here's a brief physiology lesson that will help explain why toxicity must be considered as a potential cause of hormone issues (and countless additional health issues):

Your endocrine system is the system responsible for secreting various hormones throughout the body. This system is under the control of the pituitary, which is under the control of the hypothalamus - both in your brain. Your pituitary also regulates other major endocrine glands such as your thyroid and adrenal glands. Your hypothalamus/pituitary is like the "Houston Control Center"!

There are some toxins that are capable of crossing your "blood brain barrier" and can wreak havoc on this control center. One prevalent example is mercury. In case you didn't know, mercury has no business being in our bodies, let alone our brains! Unfortunately, anyone who has silver dental fillings/amalgams (or if your mother had them while you were in the womb), who has been vaccinated, who has received the flu shot, who has worked in a dental office for a long period of time, etc. most likely has mercury in their system. Studies demonstrate that this mercury has an affinity for the hypothalamus/pituitary area of the brain. When mercury tweaks the integrity of your "control center", the output from that control center is altered. i.e. hormone production and balance.

Additional research has shown that biotoxins from mold or Lyme's, for example, cause a decrease in certain hormones that are essentially at the top of the hormone cascade, thus affecting the production of every other hormone down the road.

Toxins don't just 'swim upstream' and negatively affect the brain. They affect various tissues and glands throughout the body, as well. For example, mercury can bind to the specific receptor site for selenium on your thyroid. Remember I mentioned that those receptor sites are supposed to be reserved for the specific hormone it was made for in order for the desired outcome to happen? The garage is made for only one kind of car.

Well, toxins sneak in and take over the garages, so the intended car (hormone) has nowhere to go. Can you imagine how these freely circulating hormones might throw off your laboratory results?

Worse yet, your immune system may begin to (accurately) see this new bond that has been created as something foreign and unwelcome,and therefore begin to attack your body's own thyroid tissue. When the immune system does this, it's known as an "autoimmune" condition.

When it comes to "female" hormones, estrogen balance is of critical importance, particularly in our modern day lifestyle. Several environmental toxins alter our estrogen balance and negatively effect the ratio of "good" to "bad" estrogens. One example,is plastics. The BPA and phthalates found in plastics both mimic estrogen and can lead to estrogen dominance. Does this sound all-too-common when it comes to breast cancer?

Other common environmental triggers for estrogen and other hormonal imbalances are: pesticides, steroids, and antibiotics, to name just a few. We are exposed to more toxins now than at any other time in our known history.

Estrogen dominant cancers are growing in number. Yet, are we properly addressing the underlying causes of hormonal imbalance in the first place?

Although I've only scratched the surface here, I believe any approach to hormonal issues, whether it's a conventional medical approach, or a more holistic/natural approach, is woefully incomplete if it's not addressing toxicity. This, of course, is true of any health condition or challenge.

(I haven't even addressed the chronic toxicity from physical, mental & emotional, and other chemical sources, such as nutrition!

In addition to addressing toxicity (starting at the level of the cell), we can also be more accurate with testing. For example, leading researchers now know that it's the balance of estrogens in the body that is key to better understanding these hormonally-driven cancers, not just isolated hormonal levels. For example, one valuable test is an estrogen metabolism test that looks at the ratio of "good to bad" estrogens and which toxins are potentially causing the imbalance.

Of course, nothing in the body works in isolation. Therefore, you can't just look at estrogen and think you've got a complete picture of what's going on. It's important to know the functional levels of your thyroid, adrenals, and pituitary for starters.

Are you beginning to see why adding hormones to the mix or applying a hormonal cream may not be your wisest choice? When you alter your hormones, whether it's synthetically or "naturally", you end up creating a cascade of events in the body in response. Plus, you may be barking up the wrong tree,in the wrong park,quite possibly in a completely different city!

I understand that there's a "time and a place" for some intervention,especially if it's just intended to be temporary until you really get down to the business of addressing and correcting the cause. I hear you. However, just adding hormones, especially without identifying the cause of imbalance, can essentially be like throwing gasoline on an already raging fire! You know what they say about playing with fire, right?

Want To Know What The Normal Thyroid Range Is?

So what exactly is a normal thyroid range? Predicting a range can be tricky. A thyroid level can differ from one geographical region to another. The type of test conducted must also be taken into account.

The thyroid gland secretes two types of hormones, namely T3 and T4. These hormones are responsible for the regulating of the metabolism in the body. When these hormones are under active it results in hypothyroidism and when they are over active the outcome is hyperthyroidism. When these hormones are in harmony the normal thyroid range is obtained.

The levels of the hormones are determined by another hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) it is secreted by the pituitary gland. It stimulates the thyroid to secrete the T3 and T4 hormones. When the level of TSH increases it is an indication that the thyroid gland is not working properly resulting in hypothyroidism. The adverse also applies, when the level falls below the normal level it is an indication of hyperthyroidism.

Normal TSH Level

To understand what a normal TSH level is, is tricky. The reason being is that different countries use different scales. In the UK the normal level is 0.5 to 5.5. The US used to use the same scale up until 2003. From 2003 the scale was revised to specify normal levels between 0.3 to 3.3. There is no uniformity in treatment as some labs still use the old scale. The TSH level also fluctuates throughout the day. Between 6am and 6pm the levels remain constant. However in the evening the level continues to increase up to midnight. This is when the highest level is recorded. The difference in TSH levels throughout the day can be as much as 2-3 points.

Normal T3 Level

There are very small amounts of T3 present in the body. It is a very important hormone when it comes to the regulation of the metabolism. In a 'Total T3' test a normal range would be between 80 and 220. Below 80 indicates an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and above 220 is indication of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)

Normal T4 Level

T4 is transported in the bloodstream by proteins, where it is converted into T3 inside the liver. With a 'Total T4' a normal range is between 4.5 and 12.5. If your levels are outside the normal range your doctor will more than likely diagnose you for hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

If you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism or you suspect you suffer from it. Do not be despondent. There is a thyroid cure for you. More often than not the problem can be cured with natural treatments. There are many nutrients which are advantageous to the thyroid. There are too many of them to mention here.

Bioidentical Hormones Dosage

Bioidentical hormones come in six dosage forms. They are Capsules, Creams, Troches, Pellets and Vaginal Suppositories.

The value of hormone replacement therapy is that it can be adapted to fit your own individual hormone levels.

You are your own unique individual and you need an individualized hormone replacement therapy customized to meet your individual needs.

The big advantage of bioidentical hormones is that a compounding pharmacist can work closely with physicians so that a woman can start and maintain a bioidentical hormones regimen that closely mimics what her body has been doing naturally for years.

Because no two women are alike, bioidentical hormones can be made in a variety of strengths and combinations of hormones.

What dosage form is right for you?

I will explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method of taking bioidentical hormones. Many customers will try one form and switch to another form for several reasons. They may be more comfortable using one type over another. Or the medication may absorb better in one dosage form verse the other dosage form. Some customers are more compliant with one form. Also, some dosage forms are more expensive than others.

Capsules come in all different sizes and colors. The powder is measured then mixed then packed evenly into the right number of capsules your prescription calls for. The advantage of a capsule is you just swallow it at the regular time of day your doctor tells you to and you are done. Capsules can be prepared with a special ingredient to make the medication last longer. This type is called extended release capsules. A disadvantage of a capsule is the customer is not able to adjust their dose after it has been made. You are stuck with this dosage until the pharmacy makes you another round of medication.

Cream is typically white or light yellow and supplied in either a jar or syringe. Most women will apply a specific amount to the inner arms or legs once or twice a day. The base of the cream is typically some form of vanishing cream and will rub into the skin very well. Some doctors will prescribe vaginal cream especially for vaginal menopausal symptoms and dryness. The advantage of cream is once you apply it the medication is stored and slowly released in the layers of your skin over a longer period of time. You can also change your dose very easily; just apply a little more or a little less. Once the correct dose is achieved, then ask the doctor to change the cream to the dose that works best for you. The disadvantage is the inconvenience of placing the cream application in your body whether it be arms, legs or vaginal.

Troches are similar to a lozenge or candy that you place in between your cheek and gum and let dissolve. We recommend alternating the sites used in your mouth because if used in the same place over and over it can cause tooth and gum decay. We have about 30 different flavors and they dissolve over 25 to 45 minutes depending on the size and quantity of medication in them. Like cream, the troches can be altered in dose very easily. They are typically in a square shape and can be cut with a razor blade or sharp knife. If you needed to alter your dose, especially if you are a new patient to bioidentical hormones, you could easily cut them into as small as eighths. The troche is convenient because no water is needed but the disadvantage is you have to taste your medication and they are not available in extended release forms. The troches on set of action is the very quickest of all dosage forms, some women even say they notice a difference in as little as 15 minutes. However they only last in the system for 4 to 6 hours.

Pellets are a dosage form that I have had little to no experience with. They are tiny pellets inserted under the skin. Bioidentical hormones are secreted in minute amounts into the blood stream daily. When more hormones are needed due to stress or exercise the body will respond and deliver more. Advantages to the pellets are they release medication over a 1 to 6 month supply without daily dosing and provide constant medication release without the ups and downs that other dosage forms can make. Disadvantages are the cost and having to go to the doctor's office to have them inserted.

Vaginal suppositories are made by heating the ingredients into a liquid and then poured into a mold to form suppositories. The advantage of a suppository is they increase the hormone levels quickly and it works at the appropriate site of action. The disadvantage of using vaginal suppositories is it can be an inconvenience to deal with a vaginal dosage form and vaginal applicators.

The Truth About Human Growth Hormones

Human growth hormones have faced a lot of bad publicity over the years. Truthfully however, human growth hormones can be a good thing, in fact for some people they can be a great thing.

Human growth hormones are hormones that stimulate growth and cell reproduction in the body. They are used to help treat a variety of deficiencies in the body including growth hormone deficiency which causes a person to stop growing at a young age. This deficiency can also cause sexual immaturity if left untreated. This can have varying effects on a person's life and possibly even fatal effects. Without human growth hormones these people would have no where to turn to but because there are human growth hormones they can be treated. With human growth hormones they can grow again gaining the height of a normal person and live a normal life and not have to put up with the effects of having such a deficiency.

Growth deficiencies are not the only things that human growth hormones can tackle however. There are other illnesses not caused by growth deficiencies such as Turner Syndrome, and chronic renal failure that can also be treated by human growth hormones. In these ways human growth hormones are very beneficial to people. The only time at which they become unbeneficial is when people use them for the wrong purposes.

While they can be very beneficial even life changing, human growth hormones can also be very dangerous if abused. When used for the wrong purposes, such as gaining muscle mass in order to look good or to be able to perform better, you are abusing the growth hormones and could end up in jail or worse if you continue. In most sports the use of any kind of drug is prohibited and if you are found to be using drugs to increase your performance you could potentially be suspended or even kicked out of the sport. In some even more extreme cases you could potentially be put in jail if you were to be tried and state you did not take growth hormones but you did. This is what happened to Barry Bonds and it eventually caught up to him. For those who just want to look better however and do not play any sports for a living there are not any consequences that heavy.

What are the Causes of Headache?

Tired of this pain in your head? Read the following article to discover what causes headache.

Everyone at on point or another has suffered from a headache, after it is probably one of the most common illnesses. But what exactly are the causes of headache? There are multiple causes responsible for this condition. For example a simple irritation to the neck can be the start point of a headache or the simple sensation of pain transmitting through your body can release one.

Stress

There a many various causes of headaches and there is a wide range of headache types, and this is one of the most common reason why headaches occurs so frequently. Probably the most common cause of headache today is stress. Stress often generate a feeling of "fight or flight" and is accompanied by other symptoms such as:

- Shallow breathing

- Raised heart rate

- High blood pressure

In some cases even adrenaline can be the cause of headaches.

Nutrition

Another important cause of headache is your nutrition. Many people are unaware of that but your diet as well as your sensitivity to food is one major cause of headache, especially migraines. Headaches are related to nutrition in cases like:

- Variation of blood sugar levels

- Withdrawal of caffeine or too much caffeine

- Food additives

Dental Abscess

This is one kind of headache i really hope you never have. Dental abscess can trigger major headaches, especially if you suffer from an infection. Not only will you suffer from a severe headache but you will have to endure the pain associated to the infection. In this particular case you will need to consult your dentist for the proper treatment.

Hormones

Hormones are another factor that can cause headaches. Hormones are what allow an individual to fell pain. In this case sexual hormones can be associated with headaches especially for women. Whether it is before or after their menstrual period if the hormones level are to low, women may have some severe migraines.

Vision

People with impaired vision are probably very familiar with this condition as it is a very common cause of headache. The headache can be targeted when they strain their eyes muscle to try to focus or when they try to squint. Another condition related to the eyes is Glaucoma which is an eye disease that can cause headaches.

Other causes of headaches can be due to a disorder in the following area:

- The ear

- The nose

- The throat

The following are some of the most common causes of headache:

- sinus headache

- labyrinthitis

- infections

- traumas

Some research point to the fact that even damage to a person's nerves can be a cause of headaches.

In conclusion I'd like to say thank you to you for reading this article about "what causes headache" I truly hope the information was helpful to you and good luck with any issues related to your condition.

Are Bioidentical Hormones Right For You?

It is a fact that all women will reach a point in their life when they will go through menopause. It is something every woman can expect, but the way it is experienced can be different for everyone. While some women go through a less uncomfortable period, there are others who need help for relief from their symptoms. Difficult symptoms include night sweats, dizziness, headaches, bloating, fatigue, mood swings, insomnia and a range of other discomforts that can affect an individual's quality of life.

For those experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, there is a solution. Because menopause is caused by the imbalance of hormones which change as the body grows with age, the treatment is to return the balance. In the past, hormone replacement therapy, which refers to the use of commercial drugs made with synthetic hormones, was used but with more research and innovative solutions, hormone therapy became an alternative. Bioidentical hormone therapy is often called "natural hormone therapy" because it acts in the body just like the hormones we produce. But here again, that tricky word natural muddies the waters. Pregnant mares' urine is natural, but Premarin is not bioidentical, at least not to human estrogen. The same goes for Cenestin, which is made from plants but is not bioidentical. With biodentical hormone replacement, the dosage is made matching the very make-up of a patient and prepared in doses specifically for her. Since the bioidentical hormones are identical in molecular structure to a patient's own hormones, her body responds better and can relieve discomfort.

Technically, the body can't distinguish bioidentical hormones from the ones your ovaries produce. On a blood test, your total estradiol reflects the bioidentical estradiol you've taken as well as the estradiol your body makes. On the other hand, Premarin is metabolized into various forms of estrogen that aren't measured by standard laboratory tests. Proponents of the hormones say that one advantage of bioidentical estrogen over Premarin is that estrogen levels can be monitored more precisely and treatment individualized accordingly. Skeptics counter that it hardly matters, because no one knows exactly what hormone levels to aim for, and symptoms, not levels, should be treated and monitored.

If you are suffering from a difficult menopausal stage, bioidentical hormone therapy can be a treatment option for you. A doctor that practices, and is educated in, hormone replacement therapy can help determine if this is the best option. Also, these bioidentical hormone products are specifically tailored for every patient and may not be readily available in conventional pharmacies; therefore they require a doctor's referral for it to be made at a compounding pharmacy for you. Today there are many compounding pharmacies available for this service but you can be more confident with one that is PCAB-accredited. That means your hormones are made with the highest standards.

Find out more about bioidentical hormones from a reliable compounding pharmacy. Get the right treatment to get your life back.

Love, Sex, and The Teenage Brain

Teen romance and the possibility of sex...It is one of the trickiest and difficult topics that we, as parents, talk to our kids about. Making sure your teenager has good information and a healthy attitude about opposite sex relationships is a challenging parental responsibility. We know that our teenagers are going to parties, hanging out together, sometimes drinking and some are having sex.

According to a 2005 Statistics Canada report:

o About 12% of teens have had sexual intercourse by age 15 and by the time they reach the age of 17, 28% teens have. By age 24, 80% of young adults have had sexual intercourse.
o Of the sexually active youth between age 15 and 24, over one third of them had more than one partner in a year and 30% did not use a condom the last time they had intercourse.
o Teen pregnancy has been steadily decreasing over the past 25 years. However the number of teens who have contracted sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as Chlamydia remains on the rise. This points to reduced use of condoms or the prevalence of oral sex which many teens mistakenly believe eliminates the transmission of STDs.

So, as parents, what sort of influence do we have? According to a 2005 University of Regina in Saskatchewan study, teachers emerged as the most important source for information about pregnancy and STD prevention. The study also found that peer influence was more important than parental disapproval in predicting whether a student would have intercourse. The findings suggest that, teachers and peers are more important in providing good information and instilling attitudes to our teenagers than parents. Parental disapproval has little impact. In fact parental disapproval often has the opposite effect one is trying to accomplish.

Romance and the Teenage Brain

The conflict between young love and parental disapproval is not a new one. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette, his "star crossed lovers" showed what havoc teen romance can have on families. Today, perhaps it is understandable and acceptable for school to be a more important source of information than parents on certain information about sex. However, most of us hope our values are important to our children and help guide their sexual behaviour choices.

When your son or daughter has fallen in love the personality change may seem extreme. It like they have been invaded by an alien body snatcher. The power of teen love and sex is very strong. Many parents feel responsible for their teenager's risky behavior and become overwhelmed with feelings of guilt. Parents and especially mothers often feel the judgment of other parents whose teen's behaviour is less extreme This can lead to additional feelings of isolation and ineffectiveness. Some parents and especially fathers may get authoritative out of frustration and eventually give up or "wash their hands" of the problem out of feelings of ineptitude.

To be more influential it helps to equipped with the knowledge of what forces are at work when a teenager falls in love. It is important to understand how the teen brain works. Recent brain scientific research sheds much more light on how much hormonal activity is influencing our teenager's thoughts and actions.

Brain structures and brain chemicals both affect the way an adolescent first dives into romance. In his book Why Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen, David Walsh describes it this way. At around age ten, the body produces androgen hormones. This is when the first crush can occur. It is at puberty when the real awakening of sexual interest and sex drive occurs. This is when "falling in love" can happen. The hypothalamus drives surges of testosterone in both boys and girls and raises the levels of dopamine - the hormone that is responsible for feelings of pleasure. Because of developmental differences, boys and girls have different attitudes toward sex and romance. The testosterone surges in boys lead them to see girls as sexual objects. Adolescent girls tend to be more drawn to boys for the relational aspects of spending time together and talking.

Although sexual interest is always part of falling in love, falling in love is not always part of sex drive. The prefrontal cortex (the place of reason and judgment in the brain) is inactive and in teenagers not yet fully developed. When falling in love, we aren't using our rational brain and impulse control. A "pleasure" high comes from the hormonal interplay of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. It is a powerful mix of natural neurological "chemistry". All this high level of hormonal fireworks cannot be sustained for a long time by the brain. The intense feelings of "falling in love" are even shorter for teenagers than adults. Infatuation lasts only about three months on average. Following this they will move on to another relationship for the intoxication and excitement or will stay as the relationship transitions into a calmer more comfortable stable state, which has been called "standing in love".

During the "standing in love" phase cooling down occurs and the prefrontal cortex engages. The teen is in a better position to assess the suitability of the relationship. The adolescent may wonder, "Why am I in this relationship?" A different set of hormones are released now. For girls it is oxytocin sometimes referred to as the "cuddling" hormone, also involved at childbirth, which promotes attachment. In boys, the hormone vasopressin makes them more protective, faithful and attentive to their partner's needs.

Romantic Pitfalls

Often parents worry about their child falling in love with a "bad apple". Concern about a teenager's judgment is warranted. The prefrontal cortex is not completing formed in the brain until age 21. In this stupor of love, the bad influence of the boyfriend or girlfriend leads the "good" child to do things quite out of character. For example they may engage in some risky behavior out of loyalty and love such as destroy property for the "rush" of it.

Sometimes the darker side of love of jealousy and possessiveness takes hold. It is confusing for many teenagers. After the glorious "falling in love" feelings and then attachment hormones can cloud the judgement. He can become controlling, or physically or sexually abusive. When the "why am I in this relationship? question comes to mind, her memories of the "falling in love" times and the current cuddling hormone and lack of experience make it more difficult to see the wisdom of getting out.

Tips for Talking to Teens about Sex

Countries with low rates of teen pregnancy and STDs deal with sex more openly. If trusted adults, teachers and parents don't talk openly, the adolescents will get their information from peers or the media. It is important to distinguish sex from sexuality. Sex is about biology whereas sexuality is about biology, psychology, values and spirituality. It is important for you to see your role as supplementing the logic, wisdom and judgement that the teen's under developed prefrontal cortex requires. Actively listening, validating feelings and show respect will help open up discussions and reduce power struggles.

David Walsh in his book Why Do They Act That Way?, suggests the following tips and do's and don'ts.
1. Get motivated. If you do not talk to them someone else will.
2. Get educated. Being informed overcomes nervousness and builds confidence
3. Get comfortable. It is OK to admit some discomfort. It will help everyone relax.
4. Make it an ongoing conversation.
5. Don't try to cover too much in one discussion.
6. Choose appropriate times when there is an opportunity for calm, private uninterrupted conversation
7. Discuss sexuality, not just sex. They need to know about the place of sex in a healthy relationship.
8. Discuss dating as a time to have fun and get to know each other.
9. Don't preach or lecture.
10. Make it a dialogue
11. Share your values

Do

o Emphasize the importance of respect and honesty in all relationships
o Have regular conversations with your sons and daughters about sex and sexuality
o Communicate the values you consider important in romantic relationships
o Provide accurate information about birth control and STDs
o Get to know your adolescent's friends so you know who they are influenced by
o Really listen to your teen: their fears, and worries and validate their feelings showing acceptance and love
o Talk to other parents, join a parents group, see a counselor for ideas and support

Don't

o Don't get angry or use put-downs about a boyfriend or girlfriend you have concerns about
o Don't ridicule or make fun of crushes or romantic attachments
o Don't assume that your son or daughter won't engage in sexual behavior
o Don't keep quiet and let the "instant sex" that happens on TV and in movies become the only examples your kids

have about sex and sexuality