Balancing hormones the natural way, Part 1

Patricia Rotsztain Frost prefers natural remedies

For many women, the words "perimenopause" and "menopause" mean one thing: suffering. Common symptoms during these natural stages of life include irregularity, insomnia, moodiness, forgetfulness, hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and even apathy.

These symptoms, which are caused by hormonal imbalances, can be eased using hormone replacement therapies prescribed by your doctor. And many patients certainly find great relief from this course of treatment.  However, the risks of such therapies (cancer, heart attacks, etc.), have led some women to seek healthy alternatives.

A group of such women gathered recently at the Get Fit! studio in Delray Beach to hear about natural remedies for hormonal imbalances.  The presenter was Patricia Rotsztain Frost, a nutritionist and expert in natural medicine and integrative health.

Rotsztain Frost spoke about the imbalances in four main pairs of hormones: estrogen/progesterone; leptin/ghrelin; insulin/glucagon; and cortisol/oxytocin. She also discussed hypothyroidism (which I'll cover in a separate article).

Here are the highlights of the first part of her presentation:

In a woman's childbearing years,  estrogen and progesterone work together during the monthly cycle to prepare the womb for pregnancy.  Estrogen, among other things, causes the body to retain fat and water for a few days; then progesterone comes and sweeps the excess away.  As we age, the levels of estrogen and progesterone can drop significantly, and get out of whack. 

(Note that there are several common drugs that can raise estrogen, including antihistamines, beta blockers, diabetes drugs, anti-inflammatories, sleeping pills and tranquilizers.) 

With estrogen dominance (an apple-shaped body is often a sign of this condition), weak progesterone levels can cause several symptoms -- such as weight gain (progesterone also serves as a fat-burning hormone), as well as a hypothyroidism. To bolster progesterone production, try taking 30 mg. a day of zinc .  Make sure you drink enough water and eat enough protein (which not only burns fat, but also helps with water retention by pulling water from your body during digestion.)

Also, the liver can become quite overworked from these hormonal imbalances, further exacerbating the symptoms.  Supplements that can support the liver include milk thistle; apple pectin (the simpler the form, the better; yes it's true -- eat an apple a day!); essential fats such as fish oils (eat sardines or salmon three times per week; or take omega-3 capsules) and GLA oils -- evening primrose oil or borage seed oil ; and certain antioxidants such as 50 mg. of alpha lipoic acid .  

Rotsztain Frost also provided some tips for quick relief from some of the peskier menopausal symptoms. To calm hot flashes, dab some peppermint oil on the pulse points (coconut and sandalwood oil also work). Aloe gel is helpful for night sweats; drink one-two tablespoons of the aloe vera gel liquid, or use the gel topically on the skin. 

Please note: It's always advisable to discuss any significant changes in diet or lifestyle with your doctor, in order to avoid allergic reactions, bad interactions with prescribed drugs, or other negative side effects.

For the rest of Rotsztain Frost's tips, please see Part II and Part III of this series.