What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural Hormone Balance
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Women considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause symptoms and health benefits should read this controversial, provocative book first. "Advertising and research dollars are spent trying to convince women that estrogen will cure everything from heart disease to Alzheimer's," writes John R. Lee, M.D., "but there is scant evidence for any of these claims and reams of evidence that synthetic estrogens are highly toxic and carcinogenic." Lee has studied the research and concludes that estrogen is not the magic bullet for protection against heart disease and osteoporosis, nor does it retard aging. Natural progesterone, instead, puts postmenopausal women's hormones in balance, says Lee. He cites study after study that indicates that natural progesterone, obtained in cream form, delivers what the usual HRT only promises. "Menopause as a disease has been largely fabricated by physicians and the pharmaceutical industry," says this leader of a "quiet but powerful revolution" regarding HRT. <I>What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause</I> covers the benefits of natural progesterone, the history and politics of the medical and drug establishment, the biochemistry and dynamics of hormones and how they get out of balance, and how to prevent hormone imbalance and stay healthy. Lee empowers you to ask hard questions of your doctor.
ForewordxiIntroductionxviiPart IThe Inner Workings of Hormone Balance1Chapter 1The Crux of the Matter: Menopausal Politics and Women's Hormone Cycles3Menopausal Politics3What Is Menopause?5The Rise and Fall of Hormones During the Menstrual Cycle5Premenopause7Chapter 2The Dance of the Steroids10The Cast of Major Players11Choreographing the Dance13The Journey Along the Steroid Hormone Pathway14The Dance of the Steroids15Four Movements: The Flow of Steroids in Our Bodies16Chapter 3The History of Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Estrogen Myth19Menopause Becomes a Disease20The Truth Behind the Hoopla22Perpetuating the Estrogen Myth26The HRT Chickens Come Home to Roost30Chapter 4What Is Estrogen?35How and Where Estrogens Are Made and Used in the Body38Estrogen and Cell Division39How Estrogen Affects a Woman's Body40Estrogen Dominance41The Myth of Estrogen in Hormone Replacement Therapy43What Are "Normal" Estrogen Levels?46Chapter 5Hormone Balance, Xenobiotics, and Future Generations50Turning on the Hormone Switch51The Canary in the Coal Mine?53The Impact on Future Generations54Safe Living in a Sea of Estrogens56Pesticides and Plastics58Solvents59Xenoestrogens and Future Generations63If You Want to Know More65Chapter 6What Is Natural Progesterone?67The Discovery and Use of Progesterone68Exactly What Is Progesterone?72The Cycle of Progesterone Production75Progesterone and Procreation75How Progesterone Affects the Body77Progesterone and Steroid Synthesis77Progesterone and the Brain79Progesterone and Sex Drive81Progesterone in Men83Chapter 7The Dramatic Difference Between Progesterone and Progestins85The Difference between Synthetic Drugs and Natural Compounds87What Is a Progestin?90Progestins Gave Birth to the Sexual Revolution95Chapter 8Sex Hormones and the Brain98The Basics of Brain Communication98How the Inner and Outer Brains Regulate the Body100Estrogen and the Brain101Progesterone and the Brain103Progesterone and Fetal Brain Development103Progesterone and Brain Injuries104Progesterone and the Elderly105Progesterone and Libido105Postpartum Blues106Progesterone and Sleep Patterns107Chapter 9What Are Androgens?108DHEA111Testosterone112Androstenedione113Chapter 10Hormone Balance and the Menstrual Cycle115The Rise and Fall of Hormone Levels116Anovulatory Cycles120Part IIHormone Balance and Illness123Chapter 11Progesterone and Menopause Symptoms125The Mystery of Menopause127A Brief Look at Premenopause128Falling Estrogen and Progesterone, Rising GnRH, and Hot Flashes128Progesterone Deficiency130Menopause and Estrogen131Androgens and Menopause132What Can Be Done for Menopausal Symptoms?134Chapter 12Hormone Balance and the Adrenal and Thyroid Glands135Premenopause and Stress135Follicle Burnout138Estrogen Excess139The Adrenal Glands141The Adrenal Cortex142Progesterone and Thyroid Hormone151Chapter 13Hormone Balance, Nutrition, and Osteoporosis154Debunking the Osteoporosis Myths155What Is Osteoporosis?156A Bit About How Bones Are Built156Osteoporosis and Estrogen158Osteoporosis and Progesterone162Other Osteoporosis Treatments171Keeping Your Bones Strong174How Bones Are Depleted183What Your Doctor May Not Know About Bone Density Measurement (BMD)192Chapter 14Women and Cardiovascular Disease198Estrogen and Heart Disease199Progesterone and Heart Disease200Only Half of Heart Attack Deaths in Women Are Caused by Blocked Arteries200Insulin and Heart Disease202What About Cholesterol?207High Blood Pressure208Iron Overload209Homocysteine212C-Reactive Protein (CRP)214Nutrition and Lifestyle214What About Aspirin?216Strokes and Hormone Balance218The Bottom Line223Chapter 15Hormone Balance and Cancer224Reestablishing Cellular Communication225How Cancer Develops226Estrogen Stimulates Cell Growth228The Cancer-Protective Benefits of Progesterone234Hormone Receptors in Breast Cancer239What About Mammograms?240Tamoxifen and Aromatase Inhibitors244Endometrial Cancer245Transcultural Factors in Breast and Uterine Cancer248Chapter 16Getting Off Conventional HRT and on to Natural Hormones251Questions and Answers About Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy252Chapter 17Natural Hormone Balance and Pelvic Disorders255Vaginitis256Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)257Ovarian Cysts and Mittelschmerz258Endometriosis259Fibroids261Endometrial Cancer263Hysterectomy263Staying Naturally Healthy265Chapter 18Hormone Balance and Other Common Health Problems266Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)267Hypothyroidism (Low Thyroid)271Fibrocystic Breasts277Migraine Headaches278Skin Problems (Acne, Seborrhea, Rosacea, Psoriasis, and Keratoses)279Candida281Allergies282Arthritis283Autoimmune Disorders284Urinary Tract Problems284Gallbladder Disease and Bile Flow288Part IIICreating and Maintaining Hormone Balance293Chapter 19How to Use Progesterone Supplementation295Types of Progesterone Supplementation295Testing Hormone Levels299Not All "Wild Yam Extract" Is Progesterone301How and When to Use Natural Progesterone303Possible Side Effects of Progesterone304How to Get the Most Out of Progesterone Cream308When During the Month to Use Progesterone Cream309Where to Find Natural Progesterone320A Final Reminder321Chapter 20How to Use Estrogen, DHEA, Pregnenolone, the Corticosteroids, Testosterone, and Androstenedione323Estrogen324DHEA325Pregnenolone326The Corticosteroids327Testosterone329Androstenedione331Chapter 21Nutrition for Healthy Hormones332Refined Carbohydrates333Excess Calories, Not Just Excess Fat334Good Fats and Bad Fats335Whole Foods Are Best338Eat Organic Foods Whenever Possible341Is Vegetarianism Protective?341Opt for Free-Range Meats, Eggs, and Poultry342Are Dairy Foods Right for You?343Eat Your Phytochemicals344Eat More Fiber345Drink Plenty of Clean Water346Take Your Multivitamins347Minerals350Your Ideal Diet353Get Some Exercise354How Are Your Adrenal Glands Working?355Digestion356Herbs for Hormone Balance360Chapter 22Commonly Asked Questions About Using Natural Progesterone364Glossary373Resources377Recommended Reading389References393AppendixThe Structure of Steroid Hormones425Index431
