Eve's Health:Hormonal Balance is the key to happiness

By Dr. Anca Martalog N.D.

From puberty to menopause, women experience changes in their levels and ratios of sex hormones, including estrogen progesterone. To complicate matters, estrogen is broken down to at least three types: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Ultimately, estradiol and estrone are metabolized and converted into 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OH) - which confers weaker estrogenic activity - or 16a- hydroxyestrone (16a -OH), a more potent estrogen metabolite. The levels and ratios of hormones and their respective metabolites have a strong impact on women's health. When observing the following statistics (both in Canada and US. Tell the same story), one can easily see that women's health is under siege: - Heart Disease: Women's rates of heart disease are now equal to men's, but more women die of heart attacks. This is the number one cause of death of women of all ages. - Breast Cancer: In 1960, one in 20 women developed breast cancer; today that figure is one eight. In fact, breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 35 and 54. - Obesity: Over 50 per cent of women are overweight, and of these, 30 percent are dangerously obese. While obesity is rarely listed on death certificates, this "un-indicated" killer leads to countless health problems: Type 2 diabetes, greater risk for breast cancer, heart disease and stroke, as well as arthritis, asthma, depression and sleep apnea. - Osteoporosis: One in four women have osteoporosis. Of those with an osteoporosis-related hip fracture, 20 percent will die; another 20 percent will never get out of long-term care facilities. - Cervical Cancer: Death rates from cervical cancer are highest in women over the age of 50 because these women often fail to have annual PAP tests once they are post-menopausal. The number of women with Human Papilloma Virus induced abnormal cervical cells (a risk factor for cervical cancer) is skyrocketing, yet fifteen percent of North American women have never had a PAP test. And over 30 percent of women have not had a PAP test in the last three years. - Stress: Stress and its negative effects on the body have surpassed the common cold as the most prevalent health problem in North America. If you are one of those women who is doing laundry at midnight and then up at 6 a.m to start another non-stop day, be aware that at some point, if the pace of your life - and the stress that accompanies it - is not reduced, your body will say "no more." It will do this by being physically overwhelmed by all the abuse it's taking, and letting disease take hold. Clinically, at the core of all these conditions are the following issues to be considered: Adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce a small but significant amount of sex hormones and control the body's energy output and ability to adapt to stress. Liver. The liver plays an important role in the hydroxylation and excretion of estrogen and works to maintain healthy estrogen levels and estrogen metabolite balance. Bone health. Estrogen, androgen, and progesterone play an important role in bone remodelling and maintaining healthy bone density. Cardiovascular health. A decline in estrogen levels is strongly correlated with cardiovascular health concerns after the onset of menopause. Reproductive health. Higher levels of progesterone are strongly associated with fertility and a libido. Breast Health. A higher ration of 2-OH to 16a-OH has been associated with enhanced breast health. Mood and memory. The brain responds to hormones produced in the reproductive system, influencing mood, cognitive function, and a sense of well-being. Body Composition. A decline is sex hormone levels can negatively impact body composition and fat distribution, causing an increase in centrally located adipose tissue. By slowly and methodically bringing each of these back to balance, you can achieve your optimal health naturally. One sure point to start is your diet especially, if you consume the standard North American diet (no breakfast, convenience foods, snacks filled with fake sugars and trans-fatty acids, few vegetables or fruits, meats and dairy products loaded with hormones and lots of coffee or sodas); you must take a good foundation supplement of multivitamins with minerals. Once the foundation is taken care of, all the rest will slowly follow into place towards your hormonal balance.