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A Natural Approach to Menopause…. It's An Individual Choice
Today in the United States, nearly 30 million women are experiencing menopause. This number will grow to approximately 60 million by the year 2010. Many women today are seeking natural support for menopause since natural treatment strategies focus on both symptom relief and disease prevention.
Menopause is defined as the loss of ovarian function, characterized by the actual cessation of menses. Symptoms may include hot flashes, or night sweats, decreased vaginal lubrication, thinned vaginal lining, mood swings, insomnia, depression, urinary problems and incontinence, vaginal irritation, painful intercourse, diminished sexual function, including loss of libido and loss of sexual response, forgetfulness and impaired concentration ability. Menopausal women therefore are faced with the challenge of managing a barrage of symptoms, both physiological and psychological, as well as the increased risk of age-related disease, particularly heart disease and osteoporosis.
At Harmony Natural Health, I offer a multitude of treatment options for my menopausal women. The extensive researches done on Hormone Replacement Therapy in the last 3 decades have now allowed women to have more choices when it comes to choosing whether or not HRT is the best option for them and if so, which form of HRT. Due to the recent studies showing the adverse health effects of conventional synthetic HRT and their links to increased cancer risk, more and more women are now turning to a more natural and safer approach - using nutritional supplements, herbs, making healthful dietary and lifestyle choices or using bio-identical hormones. Ultimately, the choice is yours to make.
In treating menopausal conditions, my primary roles are:
I understand that many menopausal or peri-menopausal women now are highly educated and they seek what's best for them knowing there are many treatment options available to address the menopausal symptoms. I also recognize that no woman goes through menopause the same so treatment needs to be individualized and customized to meet each of my patient's needs. I also am aware based on my experiences that not all women need natural / bio-identical HRT for their menopausal issues; a lot do ride through this hormonal storm successfully using only nutritional support, some herbs, and/or making some lifestyle and dietary changes without any use of hormones. Once I have got to know you, your body, and your family history well, I am certain that together we can come up with the best and well-educated option for you. My job is to do whatever it takes to support your body through this transitional time and prepare your body for the next productive and purposeful phase of your life - the post-menopausal life!
Some men do go through some physiological and biochemical changes as they age, a process now called ANDROPAUSE. It is important that these men maintain optimal hormonal and biochemical balance to ensure high quality of life. Dr. Shiva can test for your current hormone levels (thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones) and then provide customized treatments to fit your individual needs. Treatments at Harmony Natural Health can be clinical nutrients or nutrition, diet and lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine, or bio-identical hormone therapies, etc..Once again, it's important to remember that the clinic focuses on Prevention rather than Diseases, and treating the Whole Body, rather than just the symptoms. If you are interested in obtaining optimal health and improving the quality of your health, give us a call at (408) 836-9568.
Testing - The most commonly requested test by our male patients is the Male Hormone Panel. It's a salivary test measuring all male sex hormones (DHEA, androstenedione, testosterone, dehydrotestosterone, and female sex hormones such as progesterone and estrone). It gives us a comprehensive look at the hormone metabolism pathway and helps us design a more specific and customized hormone treatment plan for our patients. You can read more about this test under /Saliva Testing', and 'Tests and Panels' at www.diagnostechs.com.
What are Natural Hormones?
Natural or bio-identical hormones are hormones which are chemically exactly identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Specifically, they are synthesized in the laboratories from the sterols (fat) of wild yam and soy plants. For those of you who are sensitive to soy and soy products, the sterols have been highly purified so that no residue from the plant is left in the finished product and it is the protein portion of soy that triggers allergic reactions, not the sterols; so there's no need to worry about allergies to natural hormones.
Why Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone Assessment
Because hormones have powerful effects on the body, special care should be followed when you are taking any hormone prescription. In order for Dr. Shiva to fully assess whether or not you have a hormonal imbalance issue, you will be asked to:
Routes of Bio-Identical Hormone Administration
Oral - Any hormone administered orally is exposed to the gastrointestinal tract. There is evidence that absorption can be adversely affected by local disease and also by disruption of the bowel flora. Concurrent antibiotic administration is a common cause of break-through bleeding in women on combined estrogen-progesterone regimens. Improper bowel flora may also reduce estrogen bioavailability by interfering with enterohepatic (gut-liver) recycling of estrogens. The oral route of hormone administration has long been considered impractical because of poor absorption and short biological half life. However, contrary to traditional teachings, recent researches confirm that significant serum hormone levels can be achieved with new modification in the preparation of hormones for oral administration, including micronization and dissolution in oils consisting of principally long-chain fatty acids. The oil-base hormones can be compounded from Dr. Shiva's prescription by a licensed pharmacist using FDA approved ingredients. Further more, Dr. Shiva always works with her patients to support her patient's gastrointestinal tract and liver functions to maximize the proper utilization and metabolism of all hormones given.
Transdermal - In the case of the estrogen patch, the estradiol is carried across the plastic membrane by the ethanol gel that the estradiol is dissolved in. It then diffuses along a gradient through the layers of the skin to be absorbed by the dermal capillaries in the skin. Creams work essentially by the same mechanism, but the alcohol is mixed with the cream. Transdermal hormone blood levels are lower than oral hormone blood levels.
Subcutaneous implants - These were developed because it was determined that some women require higher plasma levels of hormones. A main problem with implants is that the plasma levels of hormones rise rapidly, remain constant for around 4 months, then decline gradually. Menopausal symptoms return and women report that the implant has "run out". If re-implantation occurs, some women then rebound with supra-physiological levels of hormones. Symptom-free intervals become shorter and shorter and new implants become less and less effective.
Vaginal - vaginal hormones are prescribed mainly to relieve symptoms of the lower genital tract (for example, vaginal estrogens). They are available as either creams, gels, or pessaries. Systemic absorption occurs through the vaginal lining.
Sublingual - The hormones are absorbed by the capillaries (tiny blood vessels) under the tongue, thereby they avoid this first pass via the portal vein to the liver.
There are still much to know about the effects of long term uses of natural hormones. This is why I monitor doses and hormone levels closely when I prescribe hormone therapy to my clients. Once the patient has been evaluated thoroughly, I can team up with her to customize a treatment regimen for her and her unique biochemistry. All options should be considered and discussed in great details. The reasons to be on hormones should be identified clearly. The length of treatment and how frequently the patient's hormone levels should be evaluated will be determined; all based on the individual patient's case history.
By utilizing the most comprehensive hormone questionnaires, hormone testing (blood and/or saliva), and extensive case history taking, I can properly diagnose, assess and treat various hormonal disorders using proper diet and lifestyle changes, nutrient supplementation, herbal therapies, homeopathic remedies, and natural hormones to restore the physiological and biochemical balances in my patients. The treatment plan is always comprehensive and individualized based on the patient's needs. The principle "First, Do No Harm" is always my guiding principle when it comes to prescribing medications to patients. Unless indicated otherwise, I prefer to use the minimal amount of hormones necessary to balance the endocrine systems. It's important to review other bodily systems like the liver and the gastrointestinal tracts to make sure all hormones, vitamins, nutrients are properly processed. It's absolutely crucial to be sure not only does my hormone and nutrient therapies are working for the patients in relieving their symptoms but also the patient's body can metabolize these hormones and nutrients effectively. The ultimate goal is to turn on the body's innate healing ability and to use only what's minimally necessary to activate this healing power in each patient.
Hormone treatment of all kinds is growing steadily more popular. Women are taking proactive approaches to finding a healthy hormone balance since hormone imbalance can contribute to such common problems such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), peri-menopausal difficulties, infertility or subfertility, miscarriage, osteoporosis, breast cancer, heart disease, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, menstrual difficulties, mood disorders, ovarian cysts, etc...
Our hormones are the most delicately balanced system of our bodies. Nobody knows for sure why this system gets out of balance so easily except for the sure fact that if our body's needs are not completely met from the food we eat, the amount of exercise we receive, the amount of rest we get, and from stressors on our lives, we may experience more hormonal difficulties. Diet, nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction are some of the basic changes women need to make in their lives in order to restore hormone balance. Some women need hormone supplementation to help bring their bodies back into balance.
Hormones and Their Life Cycle - Hormones have too much impact on our lives to ignore since they coordinate the continuous biochemical activity that occurs in all of our cells in our body and our brain. Hormones after being made in certain cells, act as the body's chemical messengers to orchestrate our metabolic processes by stimulating changes in body cells. There are many different types of hormones in our body which can be found in blood, in urine, and in saliva. Levels of hormones can be evaluated in these fluids throughout the menstrual cycle so we can observe how the hormones are fluctuating and how the fluctuations affect how you feel. Once released from the organs/tissues that make them, hormones circulate in the blood to get delivered to the target tissues to do their work. Once their work is done, hormones then are released back into the blood stream, this time taken to the liver to be "de-activated or conjugated" to become inactive. The inactive hormones are then transferred to either the gastrointestinal tract or the kidneys to be excreted out of the body. Everyday and every month, this process or cycle gets repeated and you can imagine how your body is producing, delivering, processing, metabolizing, and excreting these hormones.
Supporting The Body While on Hormone Therapy - What's unique about Hormone Balancing Therapy offered at Harmony Natural Health is that I take into consideration all the mini-steps that take place during a hormonal process. When it comes to restoring hormone balance in a woman regardless of her age or medical condition, I feel it's critical to make sure all other bodily functions work right to support the process of hormone metabolism. I don't just evaluate how much hormones you have, whether or not you have excess or deficiency in a hormone; I also examine thoroughly all your systems to make sure the hormone delivery step, hormone processing step in the liver, hormone elimination step in the guts and the kidney are all working properly to ensure success in her hormone balancing therapy and to protect the body from potential harmful side effects of hormones. Whether the hormones of interest are natural or synthetic, they are still powerful molecules and should be used with great cautions. This thoughtful and safe approach to provide whole body support helps reduce any side effect any hormone may cause and has been the key to success in my practice.
Choosing What Form of Hormones to Use - I use the same hormone life cycle illustration above to decide which form of hormones should be used in a patient based on her body's ability to process hormones. Using some of the highly advanced tests and after in-depth interviews with the patient, I can help my patients decide which forms of hormones to use. For instance, those with compromised gastrointestinal tract functions (chronic yeast infection, irritable bowel syndrome, etc…) may have a more difficult time absorbing the hormones when they are administered orally so these particular patients should consider other options such as sublingual, transdermal or topical cream. The same may apply to those patients who have compromised liver functions - having other form of hormones other than oral will lessen the burden on the liver. So deciding which form of hormones to use is not a simple task - it requires a lot of open and continual communications between the doctor and the patient so that together as a team, they can come up with the best option for that patient. Choosing a form of hormones now is a very individual choice based on the patient's lifestyle, belief system, experiences and biochemical uniqueness.
Deciding on How Much Hormones to Use - It's extremely crucial to have your levels of hormones tested on a regular basis by your doctor. The lab test can establish a baseline of where you are at before any treatment, monitor your progress throughout treatment, and help the doctor adjust doses of hormones to maximize the hormone's effectiveness. I offer both blood and salivary studies of hormones in women of all ages; which are done at reputable, licensed and professional leading laboratories in the field. Please inquire more about the available lab tests if you are interested. Besides having regular lab tests done to monitor hormone levels, I also rely on my keen listening skills to fine tune your treatment based on your on-going experiences with the hormones. Having frequent visits or communications with the doctor is very important. The patient's feedback on her progress is extremely valuable in helping the doctor assess what the hormones are doing and how the patient's body is responding to the hormones. Through thorough physical examinations and interviews from the office visits, I can closely support you and customize your doses to fit your changing needs.
Emphasizing on Total Endocrine Hormone Balancing - It's very easy to lose sight of the big picture that all your hormonal systems (the brain, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, reproductive organs such as ovaries, testes, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, etc..) work in harmony with each other to provide a state of balance "homeostasis" in our body. Dysfunction in one system can weaken other systems and further creates larger and more serious imbalances. Due to this tight relationship between the hormonal organs/tissues, I recognize the importance of restoring complete endocrine balance rather than just focusing on one system function. Restoring all hormones has been shown to have a beneficial effect on quality of life and disease prevention. Obtaining the proper hormone balance that is right for you can protect you from the problems of hormone imbalance throughout the stages of your life. When you come in for menopausal issues, I will also evaluate you to make sure other systems besides the hypothalamic-ovarian system are working properly. There are questionnaires and physical exams designed specifically to identify other hormonal imbalances. There are also cutting-edge laboratory tests that help the doctor confirm her diagnosis of your imbalance issue. The goal is to restore complete harmony and balance. Strength, energy, productivity, and glowing health should be enjoyed throughout all the stages of a woman's life, from girlhood through womanhood to old age. And anyone can achieve this with proper guidance and coaching from a well-trained and experienced physician.
Hypothyroidism - A Serious Under-diagnosed Endemic
According to Dr. Broda O. Barnes, author of Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness, one out of 3 people may be affected by this condition - a low functioning of the thyroid gland affecting cellular functions and metabolism causing symptoms such as: lethargy, constant fatigue, constipation, heavy menstrual flow, mood swings, brittle nails, sensitivity to cold, cold hands and feet, extremely dry skin, loss of hair, puffy face, weight gain without overeating, painful menstruation, acne, menstrual irregularities, etc…Furthermore, the second most commonly diagnosed endocrine disorders are those of the thyroid gland (the first is diabetes). Ultrasound studies have shown thyroid nodular disease in at least 40% of healthy adults. In addition, about 10% of the US population at large shows circulating thyroid antibodies which are important predictors of autoimmune thyroid disease.
Evaluating thyroid function
Known causes of low thyroid functioning (hypothyroidism)
Treatment of hypothyroidism at Harmony Natural Health
Not wanting to take thyroid hormones? - Not to Worry!
I have great experiences in boosting thyroid functions by only using the appropriate essential nutrients and herbs to correct the imbalances. There are a lot of researches showing how nutrition, clinical nutrients, herbal medicine can help support the thyroid gland. Nutrients and thyroid hormones interaction has been studied well and when you have a thyroid condition or when you are taking any thyroid medication, it's important to know about these nutrient-drug interactions to maximize the effectiveness of your therapy.
Today, perhaps more than ever, our bodies (and minds) are constantly bombarded with stressful situations that trigger adrenal activity. Stress is difficult to define because it is perceived differently by different people. Any change that requires us to adapt causes stress. To a degree, stress is challenging and useful. It is only when stress becomes excessive and chronic that our body becomes unable to adapt and cope. You may remember from biology class that the adrenal glands prepare the body for action when presented with a "fight or flight" situation. This response prepares the body for a physical reaction to a real threat, to either fight or flee. This state of arousal causes our metabolism heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and muscle tension all to increase. Under this state, a part of our brain activates the sympathetic nervous system to rapidly release epinephrine, norepinephrine and other related hormones to prepare the body for action. This response is necessary in times of emergency, it is inappropriate for us to react this way in response to the stresses of modern living. This is why it becomes imperative for us to find ways to control the harmful aspects of the fight-or-flight response, either through relaxation, positive attitude adjustments, exercising, and eating a healthy diet.
Optimal Stress Management Dependent on Optimal Adrenal Function
It is our adrenal glands that play a critical role in buffering stress, enabling us to exceed our normal endurance limits and then helping us to recover in a reasonable amount of time. The adrenal glands control many bodily functions. An individual with a great deal of stress may experience stress related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or chronic fatigue. The adrenals also affect your everyday energy, stamina, mood, clarity of thought, circulation, immune function, and resistance to allergies and infection.
The adrenal glands are located on top of the kidneys. Years of continual stress and long term use of corticosteroids, coffee, other stimulants can cause adrenal exhaustion. They often shrink, begin to weaken, and seriously affect our health.
Common sources of stress on our adrenal glands
Symptoms associated with and consequences of adrenal dysfunction
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Testing for Adrenal Dysfunction with Adrenal Stress Index Test
At Harmony Natural Health, we offer this most advanced adrenal function test to our patients. It's a take-home salivary test studying the circadian rhythm of the body, maps out the energy cycle throughout the day, and measures levels of cortisol (stress hormones) to see how you are coping with stress on a regular basis. DHEA level, glycemic regulation (blood sugar balancing ability), immune function indicator, and gluten sensitivity issue are also measured in this test. Please call (408) 836-9568 to inquire more about this test.
