Hormones make the world go ’round

I get more emails about male-enhancement remedies than anything else.

And almost every time I turn on the television I’m bombarded with ads about clinics that want to solve hormonal problems like decreased libido, loss of muscle tone, hot flashes, night sweats, and other unmentionables. What are they selling? A way to force your body to make the hormones you normally would make anyway if you were healthier.

They claim to be natural.

But they only offer a bandage. It doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. But it does keep you coming back.

A few years ago the media was focused on the hazards of HRT — hormone replacement therapy. Women were suffering heart attacks, blood clots, strokes, and even an increase in breast cancer. Unfortunately, it was the same list of problems associated with birth control pills a few decades earlier before they radically decreased the dosage.

We were assured it was okay to use natural progesterone creams or wild yam extract or soy in order to remedy whatever was wrong with our hormones, and now it’s moved into medical clinics where tests are run and “bio-identical” potions prescribed to make sure you have exactly the right amounts of hormones.

“Why Suffer Needlessly?” they ask. They’ll fix your hormone problems… or they’ll prescribe anti-depressants so you won’t feel so bad about having all of those problems.

They tell you natural products are safe.

The truth is, there isn’t much research out there yet to determine if bio-identical hormones are safe or not, but they might be a bit safer. Maybe safer than the old hormones they used to offer that came from pregnant mare’s urine (PREgnant MARes’ urINe = Premarin). Note that hormones from pregnant mares are also natural.

The unfortunate facts:

When you compare the side effects from traditional HRT and the new bio-identical HRT you find that the risks are the same. (See a list of bio-identical hormone side effects here: NaturalHormones.net)

A lack of hormones can cause sarcasm, anger, loss of self-control, urinary problems, male menopause, and problematic female menopause.

A healthy liver makes sure hormones are produced when they’re needed. And your liver needs good oils.

Need to do something about low hormones? Juice a fresh lemon or lime into a small jar with a secure lid. Add an equal amount of olive oil that smells good (if it smells bad it’s either rancid or contaminated in some way). Shake, then pour liberally over your food. It’s more than just a bandage, it’ll help your liver work better.

If you want to make it fancy, try adding a bit of cayenne, garlic, oregano, or grated fresh onion.

Next — The Skinny on Oils.