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by Sherrill Sellman
Up in the Air on Hormonal Balance?
 Women and hormones equal big business these days. Like animals lured into a snare by a trail of crumbs, women have been
cajoled with scientific studies, media advertising,
patient handbooks and drug samples to
accept Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
as a magic potion. HRT is praised as the cure
for hot flashes and all the other symptoms
assigned to the menopause pantheon. In addition,
it is considered an anti-aging medicine
acting as a talisman to ward off osteoporosis,
heart disease and even Alzheimer’s.
Millions of menopausal women flock to
their doctors’ offices each year seeking relief
from such complaints as hot flashes, night
sweats, bloating, indigestion, allergies,
headaches, insomnia, fatigue, depression, high
blood pressure, weight gain, head hair loss,
facial hair growth, mood swings, aging
skin, irritability, foggy thinking, lack of concentration,
anxiety attacks, heart palpitations,
bone loss and heavy bleeding. The common
panacea prescribed for all these symptoms is
usually HRT. All these presenting symptoms
are lumped together into the menopausal
pigeon hole, estrogen deficiency is the diagnosis
and synthetic estrogen replacement
becomes the cure. An obvious and simple
solution for hormonal imbalance, or so we are
led to believe.
But what if these symptoms that most
plague 40 and 50-year-old women are not at all
about menopause? What if it’s not estrogen
deficiency but rather estrogen excess that is the
cause of these discomforts? What if the real
physiological problems are in fact, being
ignored, misdiagnosed or misunderstood?
And what if the pathological condition of
“menopause,” the supposed cause of a midlife
woman’s lament doesn’t even exist?
Unfortunately women have been intentionally
led on a merry hormone goose chase.
While medicalizing and pathologizing of
menopausal women with potent, carcinogenic
and dangerous steroid drugs has filled the
coffers of the drug companies and doctors
alike, the real cause of these health problems
has been ignored . . . and so have safe and
effective solutions. Menopause, far from being
a stage in a woman’s life that leads her into a
dark dungeon of discomfort and decline, is
actually a time when the abuses of lifestyle,
poor diet, environmental toxicities and stress
finally take their toll. Hormonal imbalances
are, in fact, symptoms of poor health. If the
symptoms are addressed only with various HRT
formulations, the real underlying problems
are not just ignored but in all likelihood,
worsened. When you add in the possible 120
side effects from HRT, you have a frightening
recipe for disaster.
Digestion, Malabsorption and Candida
A healthy digestive and gastrointestinal system
are the keys to good health. It begins with the
first bite. Proper digestion depends on the
proper secretion of digestive enzymes and the
digestive system’s ability to assimilate and
absorb foods. Most health problems begin
here. No matter what foods are eaten, everything
in our diet is composed of proteins,
carbohydrates and fat, sugars and fiber. The
essential digestive enzymes (protease, amylase,
lipase, disaccharidase and cellulase) are necessary
to break them down during digestion.
Without adequate enzymes people become
intolerant to certain foods, which leads to a
whole host of food allergies. When the enzyme
deficiency is left untreated, serious health
problems inevitably result.
Enzyme deficiencies include a compromised
immune system, chronic infections, fluid
retention, chronic constipation, hypoglycemia,
moodiness, depression, irritability, anxiety,
impaired bone metabolism leading to osteoporosis,
blood clots, allergic reactions, diabetes,
high cholesterol, high blood pressure and
varicose veins.
Our modern-day life style has contributed
to the depletion of digestive enzymes.
Enzymes are destroyed by poisonous pesticides
and chemicals, genetic engineering, food
irradiation, hydrogenated oils, microwaves,
radiation, fluoridation, heavy metals and
mercury amalgams. Supplementing one’s diet
with plant-based digestive enzymes, available
from the health food store, is becoming a
necessity for people of all ages.
Another serious digestive problem leading
to many health problems is a condition called
candidiasis. Approximately one in three American women suffer from this toxic yeast
overgrowth which is caused by eating large
amounts of sugar, prolonged or repeated use of
antibiotics, birth control pills, estrogen therapy
and cortisone. Candida has been found to produce
79 different toxins which are known to
wreak havoc with the immune system.
There is a long list of symptoms associated
with a candida overgrowth. They include
depression, anxiety attacks, mood swings, lack
of concentration, drowsiness, poor memory,
headaches, insomnia, fatigue, bloating, constipation,
bladder infections, menstrual cramps,
vaginal itching, muscle and joint swelling and
pain, hypothyroidism and skin problems.
To rid the body of pathological yeast and
improve the immune system it is important to
eliminate sugar in all its forms, eliminate foods
that are difficult to digest, eat organic foods, use
natural anti-fungal remedies such as
grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil, probiotics
(friendly bacteria), cultured foods (such as
organic yogurt, kefir, miso and sauerkraut) and
digestive enzymes.
It is obvious from the long list of above
symptoms that so-called menopause affliction
could be due to chronic digestive problems. It is
interesting to note that both “the Pill” and HRT
cause impaired digestion and candida overgrowth.
In fact, candida feeds on estrogens. And
so the vicious cycle continues.
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid gland is an important component
of the immune system. It is a small butterflyshaped
endocrine organ at the base of the neck.
The thyroid is the body’s thermostat controlling
body temperature, energy use, the rate which
organs function and the speed with which the
body uses food. The thyroid is implicated in the
functioning of all body process and organs.
Thyroid problems are also of epidemic proportion
in women, 15–20 times more prevalent
than in men. It is estimated that between 50–80
percent of Western women suffer from
hypothyroidism, an underachieving thyroid.
Hypothyroidism has a direct effect on
women’s hormonal health. Seventy percent of
women with infertility and miscarriages have
hypothyroidism. In addition, fibrocystic breast
disease, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis,
PMS, menopausal symptoms and multiple sclerosis
are caused or worsened by an underactive
thyroid. Other symptoms include fatigue,
depression, weight gain, cold hands and feet,
skin problems (itching, eczema, acne, dry and
scaly), loss of memory, lack of concentration,
migraines, muscle aches, swelling of eyelids,
constipation, brittle nails and poor vision.
A deficiency of thyroid hormone can also
lead to elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels,
putting older women at greater risk of heart
disease. Hypothyroidism weakens the immune
system and makes women more susceptible to
recurring infections.
While hypothyroidism is also one of the least
understood health conditions by the medical
profession, the causes are readily known by
alternative medicine. Radiation is probably the
greatest environmental cause. This includes
both ionizing radiation such as emitted by
nuclear reactors and non-ionizing radiation from the electromagnetic fields of common
electrical appliances and geopathic stress zones.
Another significant cause is estrogen dominance
(an excess of estrogen in relation to progesterone).
Estrogen dominance interfere with the
uptake of thyroid hormones and can result from
taking birth control pills, estrogen replacement
therapy or exposure to pesticides, powerful
estrogen mimics and other environmental toxins.
Stress and nutritional deficiencies such as
selenium, glutathione, iodine and zinc also
have a key role. Once again an imbalance in
microflora of the gut decreases the body’s ability
to uptake thyroid hormone.
Other thyroid inhibitors include excess
intake of unsaturated fats (liquid oils at room
temperature), fluoride, heavy metal poisoning,
mercury amalgam fillings, low protein diet, soy
products, raw cruciferous vegetables (cabbage,
cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) and endurance exercise.
The most popular thyroid medication,
Synthroid, which is an inactive form of the thyroid
hormone, actually shrinks the thyroid
gland, suppresses the pituitary and suppresses
cellular respiration. Another side effect of
Synthroid is osteoporosis.
We live in a thyroid toxic culture and environment.
No wonder it is such a common
disorder. However, there are very effective natural
approaches to help in regulating the thyroid.
Natural progesterone balances the thyroid
inhibiting effect of estrogen dominance as does
supplementation with thyroid glandular
extracts, the amino acid tyrosine and herbal
remedies such as licorice, maca, coleus, forskolin and the Ayurvedic herb, gulgulipid.
Dietary recommendations to support thyroid
function include getting adequate protein
i.e., organic beef, poultry, eggs, fish and cultured
milk products such as kefir and yogurt.
Thyroid healing foods include those high in
the B vitamins such as wheat germ, whole grains,
nuts, seeds, dark greens, legumes and Brewer’s
yeast. Other foods include seaweeds, wheat
germ oil and natural vitamin E. It is also wise to
include foods rich in selenium such as fresh tuna
and brazil nuts and the zinc-rich foods, pumpkin
seeds, sunflower seeds and fish.
Another great thyroid promoting food is
organic, non-hydrogenated coconut oil.
Contrary to negative publicity, current research
shows that it is incorrect to think that all
saturated fatty acids raise cholesterol levels.
There are two groups of saturated fats, medium
and long-chain. Medium-chain saturates found
in non-hydrogenated coconut oil do not clog
arteries nor do they cause heart disease. Instead,
medium-chain saturated fats convert into
energy, do not store as fat and enable the body
to metabolize fat efficiently—all vital thyroid
functions. In addition, coconut oil acts as an
anti-histamine, an anti-diabetic, an anti-infective
and even an anti-cancer agent.
Unfortunately most of the standard thyroid
tests often fail to pinpoint an underactive
thyroid, leading physicians to make erroneous
diagnoses. Subclinical conditions abound.
However, there are effective self-diagnosis tests:
taking an underarm temperature reading with
an oral thermometer first thing in the morning
for five consecutive days, leaving it under the
arm for 5–10 minutes. It is even more effective if
you keep your eyes open and have exposure to
bright lights for half an hour before taking the
test. But remember to stay in bed and remain
inactive. A low-functioning thyroid will show
an average temperature of under 97.5 F. Also
check the resting pulse: less than 85 beats per
minute plus a low basal temperature may indicate
hypothyroidism.
Another simple test is to paint an area on
your thigh or belly with a 2-inch diameter with
a 2 percent tincture of iodine. If the yellowish stain disappears in less than 24 hours, it indicates
your body has an iodine deficiency, a cause of
hypothyroidism. Continuing to paint different
areas of your body every 24 hours until the stain
remains a full 24 hours will increase your iodine
levels. Seaweeds and Celtic sea salt are rich
sources of iodine.
Exercise is also an important thyroid health
strategy. Sustained aerobic exercise raises the
body temperature, which allows proper binding
to the hormone tissues.
The Adrenal Glands
The glands which work hand in glove with
the thyroid are the adrenal glands, two small
prune-shaped glands that sit on top of the
kidneys. Although small in size, they are very
big in function. They are involved in manufacturing
28 different hormones, the digestion
of food (especially carbohydrates and sugar),
the regulation of the body’s minerals, producing
and maintaining the body’s energy levels
in conjunction with the thyroid, producing
hormones that monitor stress. Progesterone is
the primary raw material for producing
adrenal gland hormones.
Prolonged stress, whether as a result of
emotional, environmental or physical causes, is
disastrous for the adrenals. Initially it increases
the output of the adrenal hormone, cortisol.
Cortisol helps regulate blood sugar, the movement
of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in and
out of the cells, inflammation and muscle
function. Chronic stress causes chronically elevated
levels of cortisol, resulting in weight gain
(especially around the midsection), blood sugar
imbalances, thinning skin, muscle wasting,
memory loss, high blood pressure, dizziness, hot
flashes, excessive facial hair and other masculinizing
tendencies.
Overworked adrenals will eventually crash,
leading to adrenal exhaustion and inability to
maintain adequate production of adrenal hormones.
Symptoms of overtaxed adrenals include
extreme fatigue such as in chronic fatigue
syndrome, irritability, inability to concentrate,
frustration, insomnia, addictions to either sweet
or salty foods, allergies, nervousness, depression,
PMS, sensitivity to cold, diabetes and headaches.
Chronic low blood pressure is a key symptom of
adrenal exhaustion.
Adrenal exhaustion creates havoc with the
endocrine system. Many hormonal imbalances
in women of all ages are caused by overworked
adrenal glands. Nutrients that have special
importance to the adrenal glands are the
B vitamins (especially B5), vitamin C, vitamin E,
proteins, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium,
plant enzymes, adrenal extracts and the
amino acids, tyrosine and phenylanoline.
Adrenal restoring herbs include licorice, maca
and rhodiola rosea.
Rest is absolutely vital when it comes to
rebuilding the adrenals and so is stress reduction.
Shedding one’s life of those stressful events,
people, demands, high pressure jobs as well as
addressing unresolved emotional wounds is vital
for healing the adrenal glands.
As more and more women awaken from the
spell that has been cast upon them, it becomes
apparent that menopause is not the enemy of
their quality of life. Popping a hormone pill is
certainly not the solution. Regaining the
knowledge of their female physiology, reducing
their hectic lives, honoring the needs of their
bodies and returning to the healing power of
natural foods and natural medicines is indeed
the greatest challenge for women in this new
millennium.
Sherrill Sellman, author of the best-selling
book, Hormone Heresy: What Women MUST
Know About Their Hormones, international lecturer
and psychotherapist, can be contacted at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
and you can subscribe to
her free, monthly HormoneWise Digest by
visiting her Web site www.ssellman.com
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