Female Hormones
WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT FEMALE HORMONES?
THE POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME AND OTHER HORMONAL HAZARDS :
Notes to accompany international BBC satellite broadcast with Noori Domingo & Sue Visser 19/7/2002
What are the symptoms of PCOS the polycystic ovarian syndrome in women?
Infertility
Ovarian cysts, many of them, thus it is called: polycystic.
Hirsutism: beard type hairs growing on the lady’s face
Aggressive behaviour (higher dopamine levels, more physical, brusque in manner )
Loss of insulin sensitivity: can develop into diabetes and can cause weight gain if not obesity.
Very uncomfortable menstruation: irregular cycles, too long, too short or skipping.
Bad skin, especially pimples and acne.
Raised levels of testosterone in her blood.
What happens when too much testosterone is active in females: how does this happen?
Masculine characteristics develop, both physically and emotionally.
Ovulation stops as each subsequent ovary becomes encased in a cyst. When many cysts cluster together because eggs are no longer being released, the condition is called: Polycystic ovarian syndrome. These can be physically felt, during a routine gynaecological examination or the show up on an ultrasound scan. The corpus luteum that catches the egg, no longer releases enough progesterone, causing a deficiency. In turn, if estrogen levels are high due to hormonal supplements, herb or food sources, the condition results in lowered thyroid activity as the estrogen is unopposed by the lack of progesterone.
Apart from hormonal imbalances, what are the other causes of cysts on the ovaries?
Some cysts are simply filled with blood and we call them chocolate cysts and they don’t seem to give any trouble. The main problem is definitely parasites in the body like flukes, giardia lambellus & gardinella organisms. The latter two are also responsible for the so-called leaky gut syndrome. The situation is compounded by pockets of bacteria and toxic residue that may collect around an ovary. The body tries to enclose the ovary to shut off the resultant invasion, thus forming a cyst. Whatever is now in the cyst can escape the watchful eye of the immune system and expand in peace. The body reacts by shutting off the production of hormones, or by overproducing them in the wrong amounts.
Modern medicine reacts by frantically trying to “balance” the hormones, but never to eliminate the underlying parasites & pathogens. We help bacteria and parasites to be released in our bodies by using chemical solvents in our cosmetics and detergents and by exposing ourselves to benzine and fluorocarbons (from air conditioning and refrigerators) The more “civilized” we become, the easier it is for parasites to hatch in our bodies as these solvents break open the egg and larval stages prematurely, inside us. Normally they would leave the body via the colon, like in the good old days. Bacteria that is always in the body at any time, can suddenly breed itself into a lethal colony, once it is exposed to various pollutants and metallic particles from our fillings or nickel from our jewellery & cutlery.
Reference: The Cure for all Diseases by Hulda Regher Clark p 91, 110, 255, 384.
If parasites can do this to an ovary, then what damage can they do to the uterus?
Endometriosis, fibroids, tumours and manifold miseries result from parasitic invasions in the uterus. They are attracted to solvents in the body and the uterus is no exception. I’m not even talking about the sexually transmitted diseases, that’s another story! Let’s take endometriosis, where bits of the uterine lining are disrupted and even travel to other parts of the body, believe it or not, causing menstrual complications! Do we cut all the pieces out? They will simply come back. Parasites like the four families of large flukes invade the lining and invite smaller parasites to come and live with them. They eat bits of the uterus and then migrate to other parts of the body and so this helps to explain why uterine tissue “travels”.
If pathogens invade the muscular tissue of the uterus, fibroids form. This area is fuelled by anabolic hormones such as estrogen. When we cut back on estrogen, the fibroids cannot grow at such a rate, but the pathogens are still there, safely inside the cyst and evading the immune system that cannot remove any precancerous cells like it usually does. These faulty cells divide rapidly when there is a lot of estrogen about (especially with the lady is taking HRT) We know the rest of the story: the connection between HRT and the increased risk of cancer.
Ecdysteroids from plants or food can convert into estrogen or testosterone: why into testosterone?
1 Too many free testosterone molecules are available in the bloodstream – not sufficiently bound by beta-sitosterol, due to insufficient supply. ( pumpkin seeds are good sources ) Also a lack of the Delta 5 reductase enzyme in the body.
2 Testosterone receptors are too active
3 Fake steroid hormones (xenestrogens from foods and plastics) give the wrong signals on testosterone receptors? ( Agnus Castus modifies testosterone receptors )
4 Estrogen precursors like pregnenelone oxidize incorrectly, due to a lack of antioxidants.
5 Insufficient or inactivated enzymes: 5-delta reductase enzyme may not be released from the liver.
We know about xenestrogens, the hormone mimics that we get from plastic and our polluted environment. An estrogen molecule can transmute between the plant, animal and “plastic” kingdom, it seems. Other sources of estrogen are from animal foods as pigs, chickens and cows that are fattened up with hormones and antibiotics to produce heavier stock for the meat market. The Frenchmen working with chickens who grew large voluptuous breasts had been eating chicken necks, where the estrogen hormones had been injected into the chickens. When they cut these out of their daily diet, they returned to normal.
Unfortunately this problem has overflowed into so-called organic vegetarian foods as well, due to the high hormonal levels in the animal manure. Zearalenone is an anabolic uterotropic metabolite, and it is excreted in animal dung and taken up by plants. We then eat it in our grains like corn, brown rice, etc. that have been affected, along with all sorts of moulds and aflatoxins. The result? Higher estrogen loads in both males and females and a lowering of the immune function.
What role does the liver play in helping us to control hormonal effects in the body?
Nobody thinks the liver is to blame when they get a hot flush, a headache or their body is sick and tired, but it is usually a liver problem. You see, the liver is actually where excess estrogen has to be broken down and eliminated. Benzene pollution inhibits this process along with a lack of liver nutrients and antioxidants. Then hormones like estrogen and even testosterone get tipped back into the bloodstream. Once the pituitary gland detects these higher levels, it shuts down hormone production. Ironically, the so-called lack of estrogen is thus self-inflicted by a faulty liver and thus too much estrogen. The liver is also vulnerable to parasites, especially the liver flukes we get from meat and milk. The liver is responsible for the production and the elimination of most of our metabolic processes and is always the first place to treat when the hot flushes set in.
What other hormonal upsets bother women the most?
Excessive estrogen type complaints, especially those on HRT and contraceptive pills: swelling, bloating, thyroid inactive or less active = fatigue, weight gain
Uterine fibroids, some very large. Most symptoms abate when estrogen levels are lowered by the use of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) like red clover & black cohosh. Estrogen can also be displaced by increasing the activity of progesterone. This is done by influencing the pituitary gland with stimulants like red sweet potato. The effect is pretty immediate if taken by direct mouth absorption. The wild yam creams directly infuse the body with progesterone and some of them are known to contain synthetic progesterone as well. Wild yam cannot be taken by mouth as it is toxic. Topical application of wild yam is a long-term treatment, taking effect after a few weeks. Some ladies tend to gain weight with extra progesterone.
How are these symptoms being treated medically ?
1 Diane (cyproterone acetate with estrogen) An anti-androgenic drug.
Side effects: emotional problems ” I feel like killing or being killed” Weight gain, sore swollen breasts, bloating. The danger of taking tricyclic antidepressants to alleviate this feeling:
Cortisone supplements or drifting corticosteroids from “adaptogens and other herbal supplements” when taken with tricyclic antidepressants like Prozac can boost levels of prolactin, causing swollen, often leaky breasts. Hirsutism may also result. Blood pressure can elevate and clotting may occur.
Too much cortisone elevates blood sugar levels, resulting in insulin insensitivity, weight gain & water retention. The thyroid activity also weakens, causing a sluggish metabolism.
2 Zoladex (goserelin ) pituitary hormone: gonadotropin . Anti – cancer drug for prostate, breast & uterus.
3 Human gonadotropal hormones: Pergonal & Clomiphene citrate (from postmenopausal womens’ urine )
4 Provera : progesterone
What proposals do you have for naturally approaching the Polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Prevent oxidation of ingested forms of phytoestrogens and anabolic steroids
Look out for estrogen mimicking compounds in foods, chemicals and environment; PCB’s, dioxins.
Block testosterone receptors ( Agnus castus: Chaste Berry)
Bind up freely circulating testosterone (betasitosterol from pumpkin seeds or sterols & sterolins)
Treat liver to help control enzyme reactions ( 5-delta reductase enzyme) and to break down & excrete the excessive hormones.
Avoid benzene and solvents.
Eliminate all parasites.
Check foods and herbs that are estrogenic, excessive consumption causes symptoms of elevated estrogen, eg: sage, fennel, lentils, wholewheat, etc.
Check excessive exposure to hormone stimulants, eg: aromatherapists who use them daily on patients.