Men don't like to talk about it. Women wish it didn't exist. The truth is that hormonal imbalance effects every one of us in some way. Whether it is our own problem or the problem of a loved one, we must all become educated on how to combat this malicious malady.

When we think of hormonal imbalance, we usually think of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women; however, many symptoms are also experienced in men. For instance, the most common signs of an imbalance include pimples, dry skin, accelerated aging, allergies, brain fog, depression, fatigue, headaches, hypoglycemia, irritability, loss of libido, memory loss, gall bladder disease, and thyroid dysfunction. All of these can occur in men as well as women.

Other symptoms that are associated with women include breast tenderness, hot flashes, night sweats, fibrocystic breasts, osteoporosis, PMS, uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, water retention, and bloating. What causes these annoying symptoms?

The presence of growth hormones, whether synthetic or natural, in meat and dairy products can contribute excessive amounts of unneeded hormones to the body. Caffeine can bring on hot flashes and mood swings. Alcohol can also lead to hot flashes.

Through my research I have found that a vegan diet is essential for hormonal health, but more than that is needed. Obviously, aerobic and weight-bearing exercise is also necessary. But I found an underlying cause for these symptoms that can be counteracted rather quickly ... estrogen dominance.

Let me explain. Dr. Terry Dorian and Dr. John R. Lee, among others, have discovered some ground breaking scientific facts that defy traditional medical teachings. As you know, doctors pay a great deal of attention to pharmaceutical salesmen and depend on their information to keep up to date on the latest prescription drugs. Doctors have our best interests in mind and this is often the only way they can stay current. Pharmaceutical companies, on the other hand, cannot patent natural hormones, so they alter the natural form in order to make a patentable and profitable drug.

Are these chemically altered hormones bio-identical or natural? Absolutely not! Are they harmful to our bodies, God's temple? Definitely! Premarin, what millions of women have been prescribed, is out of balance with the human body. This conjugated horse estrogen contains 48 to 80% estrone, while the body only contains 10 to 20%! Estrone also converts to estradiol, which is the circulating estrogen that increases the risk of cancer. It also contains equilin, equilenin (horse estrogens), and synthetic additives. (Dorian, Terry. Hormonal Imbalance: The Madness and the Message. Lafayette, Louisiana: Huntington House Publishers, 1999. 92-93.)

Because atoms have been added to natural hormones, their molecular shapes have been altered. The effects of these synthetic hormones cannot be "tuned down" or "turned off." The body's typical enzymatic functions cannot effectively excrete these synthetic compounds either. (Lee, John R. Natural Progesterone: The Multiple Roles of a Remarkable Hormone. Sebastopol, CA: BLL Publishing, 1997. 25.)

Studies show that when estrogen is taken alone (unopposed estrogen), without a progestin (synthetic) or progesterone (natural), the risk of endometrial and breast cancer increases. (Dorian. 94.) In fact, the exposure to xenoestrogens from meat, dairy, carpet off gassing, soft plastics, and the environment give most women an estrogen dominance. Even a hysterectomy can cause estrogen dominance. Despite this wide spread estrogen dominance, doctors continue to prescribe even more unnatural estrogen, giving their patients even greater imbalances and cancer risks.

Estrogen causes fibrocystic breasts, increases body fat, causes salt and fluid retention, interferes with thyroid hormone, decreases sex drive, impairs blood sugar control, etc. Progesterone protects against fibrocystic breasts, helps use fat for energy, is a natural antidepressant, facilitates thyroid hormone action, restores sex drive, normalizes blood sugar levels, aids in bone formation to protect against osteoporosis, etc. (Dorian. 75-76.)

Most of the imbalances American women are experiencing today are due to a progesterone deficiency, not an estrogen deficiency. Therefore, a natural progesterone cream is suggested to get the body back in balance. If you are currently taking a synthetic estrogen (Premarin), gradually wean off of it until the natural progesterone has balanced your hormone levels.

Be sure to get a natural progesterone cream from the health food store that has a good track record with the customers. Avoid synthetic hormones at all costs! Eliminating meat and dairy products will stop the greatest source of unnatural estrogens (pesticides, steroids, and hormones used in factory farming animals for food). Foods rich in phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) will also help balance the body's hormones. Such foods are soybeans, tofu, miso, apples, carrots, yams, green beans, peas, potatoes, red beans, brown rice, whole wheat, rye, and sesame seeds.

Read the Ask the Nutritionist column to learn more about how God intended us to eat. Also, check out the archived articles from the Article of the Month. Check out my recipe page, too!

Kenneth E. Loy, Jr., CN