It will come as no surprise to women around the world that time takes its toll on the human body. The natural aging process, combined with the ongoing effects of lifestyle and environment, results in a decrease in the body’s naturally occurring hormones. Understanding bioidentical hormones can help.
Women suffering the effects of perimenopause along with menopause know only too well the day to day trials and tribulations that accompany these hormonal changes. Traditional treatments for these hormonal imbalances have often relied on a regimen of prescription drugs and synthetic hormonal supplements.
While patients have found relief from these treatments, many women find that a more natural approach to hormonal therapy offers greater relief of their perimenopausal/menopausal symptoms, often with fewer unwanted side effects. Bio-identical Hormone Therapy (BHRT), or simply bioidentical hormones, offers women suffering the effects of hormonal changes, a safe and effective alternative to more traditional drug dependent treatments.
This approach works only when you balance the nervous system first, then the stress hormones of cortisol and DHEA along with balancing the digestive and detoxification systems. If you do not bring homeostasis to these systems in this priority you will end up overdosing the patient even with the safer approach of bio-identical hormone replacement.
In the past, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has relied on synthesized chemical supplements, as well as the use of mares urine, to produce an estrogen compound that acts as a supplement to a patient’s own hormone production. While these synthesized hormones are derived from naturally occurring substances, they do not accurately replicate the molecular structure of a woman’s own hormonal secretions. The treatment does provide relief for patients, but often at a considerable price.
Traditional hormone replacement therapy is typically accompanied by unpleasant side effects, and has been linked to an increase in the instances of breast cancer among patients undergoing the treatment. Many women have abandoned this form of hormone therapy, and are once again suffering the debilitating symptoms of hormonal imbalance. But a relief from night sweats, fatigue, hot flashes, headaches, weight gain, mood swings, joint pain, insomnia, bloating, hair loss, depression and the mental fuzziness so common to perimenopausal/menopausal women is now available through a combination of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and a well balanced holistic approach to women’s health issues.
This approach entails balancing the brain and neurological feedback pathways that control the brain to hormone production. After this has been achieved then comes balancing the stress hormone cortisol. If this remains high or low, it will cause female hormonal balance that cannot be resolved with bio-identical hormones. Also, DHEA must be in the normal range or else the three estrogens E1, E2 and E3 along with the testosterone levels will go low and stay low even with hormonal replacement. Next, comes the balancing of the digestive tract. If a person has a casein or gluten intolerance or they have a bacteria, fungal or parasitic infections there is no way that the female hormones will balance even with extensive bio-identical hormonal replacement therapy. Last to consider but not least is toxicity. If the liver is overburdened then the female hormones, which are processed through the liver, will not balance until the liver toxicity is resolved.
The advent of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can offer a safer alternative to traditional hormone treatments when done in the proper priority. Patients who undergo any hormonal therapy should consider the body as a whole, with an emphasis on balancing all of the body’s systems. Hormonal health is interconnected with the total health of the human body, and when all systems are functioning properly, and in tandem, it is easier to regulate a patient’s hormonal needs with smaller, and more targeted, doses of bio-identical hormone supplements. Thus the risk of side effects, including occurrences of treatment related cancers, can be greatly reduced, while the therapeutic benefits can be more easily achieved and maintained.
Bio-identical hormone therapy differs from more traditional treatments in that the hormonal supplements are bio-engineered to perfectly replicate the molecular structure of a woman’s naturally occurring estrogen and progesterone. Bio-identical hormones are indistinguishable from those produced by a woman’s body, and by matching the structure of human hormones exactly, clinicians can ensure a better absorption rate in their patients. These bio-identical hormones are also easier to monitor accurately, through regular saliva or blood tests, ensuring that women and their physicians can plan their course of therapy with greater precision. This, of course, means that fewer supplements will be necessary, reducing the risk of over-medicating which is so common to more traditional hormonal therapies.
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is only one of the components of a healthy mind and body interface. Women considering BHRT should consult their physician or clinician about organizing a holistic approach to their health needs and concerns. Taking into account all of the body’s systems and the importance of balancing these systems in the proper order, along with working to create a harmonious balance among them, will help women in need of hormone therapy to maximize the effectiveness of their therapeutic treatment while minimizing the risk of unwanted side effects.
For many women the judicious use of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can help them mitigate the symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause, and help them return to a normal healthy and joyful lifestyle. Please use the Request Information form to find out more about bioidentical hormones.
Related Article: Are Bio-Identical Hormones Safe?
