“What do you mean hormone imbalance symptoms may happen so insidiously that women might not even know they are suffering needlessly? What kind of symptoms do they have? When does it happen?”

When I was asked these questions this morning, I took pause and really reflected on the ones that tend to sneak up on you – the ones that might leave you totally unaware. The ones that when finally addressed give you such energy and enthusiasm that many women simply become euphoric. Women who lost a part of themselves and didn’t even know when it showed up missing.

It happens oh, so slowly that you just assume it is because you are getting older. It is not until the neon light-life halting problems strike that you seek help in desperation.

What happens so subtly, so slowly over time?

One of the most subtle of symptoms is the feeling of being tired, fatigued, worn out, no energy, exhausted, just not as much enthusiasm as you once had. You feel old and flat. It takes so much more energy to trudge up those stairs. You don’t feel like playing with the kids or grandkids. You’d rather put on that comfy robe and sit in your chair.

The second is a feeling of depression. There is a feeling of sadness that invades your life. The zest for living is just not there. You shuffle through your days in the hope that things might be better tomorrow. Tomorrow comes, and it is more of the same. You know it’s not right, but you may feel too embarrassed to talk to your doctor about it. If you do, you can pretty much count on a prescription for an antidepressant. But why do you feel this way? When did this happen?

The third is the infernal inability to sleep – night after night. You are so exhausted. Surely you will sleep tonight. It has been so many nights since you last slept. In fact, how long has it been since you’ve had a good night’s rest? Can you remember? You might lay there, totally exhausted, but not able to fall asleep. You might fall asleep, but sure enough, there you are awake once again in the middle of the night. You do all the things the books say to make you sleep – and nothing works.

What if I told you that all these effects might be happening to you not because you are getting older? What if I told you there’s a very good chance you can invigorate your life, sleep at night, and feel fabulous and energized?

Well you can. It all starts with what I call the LOVE Method that can be found in my book Stop the Needless Suffering, The Complete Woman’s Guide to Balancing Your Hormones Naturally. See www.RosieBrownRN.com.

Stop the Needless Suffering tells you exactly how to:

L – Learn All You Can

O – Obtain Help (From a health care practitioner knowledgeable in bioidentical hormone balancing – which includes the sex hormones, the adrenal glands, and the thyroid)

V – Validate with Data (how and where to obtain testing to see what your lab values are)

E – Engage in an Action Plan that is Right for You

The bottom line to this discussion?

Oh, yes, you can feel better!

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer in men. Prostate enlargement is a major cause of problems in elderly men. It appears that a simple, safe inexpensive solution to prevent and treat prostate problems is the use of progesterone replacement.

Research has demonstrated that progesterone has the ability to prevent and reverse many cancers. The research also shows that estrogen, specifically estradiol, actually causes breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Men also make estrogen and estradiol, but in smaller amounts than women. Males also produce progesterone, although about half as much as females do.

The male hormone, testosterone, is antagonist to estradiol. Testosterone prevents estradiol from causing prostate cancer by destroying the prostate cancer cells it stimulates.

There appears to be some confusion about the role of testosterone. Testosterone does not cause prostate cancer. If this were the case, young males would be stricken with cancer as they have the highest testosterone levels.

Embryologically, the prostate is similar to the female uterus. When we think of “hormone imbalance, we tend to think of women. However, hormone balance in the male is just as important as in females. In the males, the prostate gland is affected by hormone imbalance.

How does hormone balance work in the male? Per Dr. Mercola’s explanation:

“As a male ages, his progesterone level decreases just like it does in women. In women this decease occurs about the age of 35 and men about ten years later. When progesterone levels decrease, the male’s 5 alpha reductase converts the testosterone to di-hydro testosterone which is useless at removing the prostate cancer cells that estradiol stimulates. Estradiol also stimulates the enlargement of the prostate. This allows the prostate gland to swell and enlarge and in many cases transform into prostate cancer.”

More simply stated, estradiol “turns on the cancer gene” and progesterone “turns on the anti-cancer gene.” In women, studies have demonstrated that breast cancer cells do not multiply when women are on progesterone.

Dr. Mercola further states, “I now believe that nearly all men should seriously consider natural progesterone replacement sometime in their 40s, or even earlier if they have a family history of prostate cancer. There is also a reasonable likelihood that this will decrease male balding. So, all the men who wish to retain what is left of their hair, I would start this immediately.”

My personal thought is that both men and women would be well served to have hormone testing prior to use of any hormones. In order to hit a target, one has to see what they are aiming for.

Progesterone can be purchased over the counter. It is important to recognize that progesterone is a hormone, and its indiscriminate use is not a wise or safe choice.

Home hormone test kits can be obtained from compounding pharmacies, some doctors’ offices, and various internet sites. The kits do not require a doctor’s order. I have found the most cost effec tive hormone test kit can be purchased from www.canaryclub.org.

For women, the usual dose of natural progesterone is about 20 mg per day from day 12 to 26. The dose of natural progesterone for men is about half that, or 10 to 12 mg per day. Unlike women, men can use progesterone without taking any days off.

Even though the above are customary doses, care needs to be individualized since people vary in the amount their body requires for effective treatment. Seek the advice of a health care practitioner knowledgeable in the field of bioidentical hormone balance.

I invite you to share the information in this article with all the men you know… and the women who love them.

Why do some females recover from brain injury much faster and more completely than males?

It seems the answer may be related to the neuroprotective effects of the hormone progesterone.

The benefits of maintaining a normal level of bioidentical progesterone (identical to what the body produces) is now well established in the care and treatment of women suffering the effects of hormone imbalance, most commonly seen around the time of menopause.

The research of neuroscientist Dr. Donald G. Stein and his colleagues provides a new dimension for the benefits of progesterone. Their research demonstrates  that neuroprotective effects of progesterone improve outcomes and reduce mortality following brain injuries.

Steins’ findings could also have far-reaching implications for the treatment of other neurological conditions such as central nervous system damage, stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis.

Per www.mercola.com in the December 26 issue:

“Progesterone provides powerful neuroprotection to the fetus, particularly in late pregnancy, when it helps suppress neuronal excitation that can damage delicate new brain tissue. Dr. Stein and his colleagues have found that in addition to protecting the fetal brain, progesterone also protects and heals injured brain tissue.”

The most significant progesterone effect appears to be the reduction in cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain.

Some additional benefits appear to be an anti-inflammatory response, the draining of excess fluid from the region of the injury, the prevention of the death of injured brain cells, protective and regenerative effects on myelin, the protective coating on nerve fibers, and decreasing the likelihood of seizures that accompany brain injury.

The bottom line of Stein’s research? Progesterone, the hormone responsible for the  neuroprotection of the fetus as well as the natural treatment for menopausal issues, has now been identified to potentially positively impact brain injury recovery. This finding opens the door to research potential benefits for other neurological conditions.

The effects of this remarkable hormone continue to get better and better.

The day I have long been awaiting is finally here. Suddenly it all seems so surreal. How did this all happen?

I know it has to be real. I mean the books were personally delivered to me yesterday, so I know it is real.  Oh, the magic of tearing that first box open, seeing the book and holding it for the very first time.

I think back to the physical despair I felt when I first found that flyer in the health food store five years ago announcing a seminar on natural hormone balancing by Dr. Celia Church Goodson on September 18, 2004.

She forever changed my life on that day.

I think back to the day I decided to write a book on the content of my hormone balancing classes. It’s a good thing I didn’t have an idea of what was ahead for me. I am not sure I would have undertaken the journey.

Today with deep gratitude I think of the people who have propped me up and encouraged me when the days seemed so overwhelming and full of despair.

I just finished writing personal notes of appreciation in the inside cover for all my story contributors who helped to make Stop the Needless Suffering a reality. I am overcome with emotion as I think about each person, their special uniqueness, and yet the identical characteristic that unites them all as one – their desire to reach out and help other people by sharing their personal stories.

Stop the Needless Suffering, The Complete Woman’s Guide to Balancing Your Hormones Naturally will soon be available on my web site that is being created at this very moment: www.RosieBrownRN.com.

Now it is time to get ready for my very first book signing/seminar this evening. It feels sorta like my wedding day. What an odd feeling. A celebration of love, that’s what it will be.

As I reflect back over this past year, the one ingredient that holds everything together is love. I do believe that love is the answer. May all who read this book be touched by the love and care that went into it by so many.

Love to you always. May we work together to stop the needless suffering.

Today I engaged my hairdresser in an interesting conversation about thyroid disease. She stopped the blow dryer and shared her very indepth knowledge about hair – healthy hair and unhealthy hair.

Every day, all day long she works on someone’s hair. It is incredible the knowledge she has. Four weeks ago when I saw her, I was so distressed about my hair. It was falling out like dead leaves from a tree on a fall day.  Previously, I was ecstatic about my hair. After starting on the Armour thyroid, my hair was becoming thicker, shiny, and full of life. What a change, and how exciting!

Then the FDA (and pharmaceutical companies?) made such restrictions on the natural thyroid supplement companies, that they had to shut down their operations. When my prescription ran out, I could no longer get my natural thyroid supplement. It was back to the synthetics. Any correlation to the changes in my hair texture?

My hairdresser told me the story of one of her clients. This client was on some sort of thyroid medication. My hairdresser kept telling her that something was not right with her thyroid. Her hair did not grow. It was dry and unhealthy appearing. At her urging, the client finally went to her doctor, and her prescription was changed. Shortly thereafter, her hair “started growing like crazy.”

Thyroid imbalance shows up in the hair, skin and nails. My ND recommended that I start applying “Biosilk” to my hair and to take “Hair, Skin, and Nails” supplement. My NP friend told me an active ingredient in “Hair, Skin, and Nails” is Biotin, which some health care providers use for hair loss.

My hair is limping along this month. My prescription has been changed to different synthetics, trying to find something that attempts to match where I was on the Armour thyroid. My prayer is that the natural supplement companies can overcome the restrictions placed upon them by the FDA. 

It is unbelievable what gets endorsed in this country. Please pray for the good to prevail in the end.

The thyroid epidemic has been the focus of this week’s articles:

9-21: FDA Taking Natural Thyroid off the Market?

9-22: How Do You Know if You Have a Thyroid Problem?

9-23: Why Are Thyroid Lab Tests Inadequate?

9-24: Why is Hypothyroidism Growing at Epidemic Proportions?

 Today I would like to focus on what to do if you suspect you may have a thyroid problem.

 The approach I teach and explain in my book that will be released in October, Stop the Needless Suffering, is the LOVE Method. What is the LOVE METHOD, and how can it help you?

L: Learn all you can.

O: Obtain help.

V: Validate with lab data.

E: Engage in a plan of action that’s right for you.

 For the “L,” Learn all you can – this week’s articles and references have been designed to assist with creating awareness of the thyroid epidemic that is upon us. If you suspect that you or someone you love may have a thyroid problem, please consult the references given in the articles so that you can become your own health care advocate.

 For the “O,” Obtain help – it is very important to locate a health care provider who is knowledgeable about the proper diagnosis, care, and treatment of thyroid disorders. Two resources I recommend are www.canaryclub.org and the ZRT Laboratory, and Dr. Whitney Gabhart, N.D., www.whitneygabhartnd.com .

For the “V,” Validate with lab data – it is important, if thyroid disorder is suspected, to have lab work done, but most importantly, to be cared for by a practitioner who understands the  proper tests to order and the proper interpretation of the results.

 For the “E,” Engage in a plan that’s right for you – next week I will share information and resources to assist you in helping to support thyroid health and wellness.

 Remember, one the best things you can do for your adrenals, and consequently your thyroid, is to decrease stress. We are just about ready to begin a weekend – find something fun and relaxing to do – just for you…because you deserve it! :  )

“Never in the history of modern medicine has there been an epidemic of such proportion that has gone unrecognized,” begins the Introduction of Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Dr. Mark Starr, M.D.

“Proper recognition and treatment of hypothyroidism would prevent much of our illness and suffering. Many millions of lives can be changed for the better and astronomical medical expenses spared if the proposals put forth in this book are accepted.”

 Two major causes seem to be at the root of this growing thyroid epidemic:

     1.       Adrenal stress

     2.       Environmental toxins

Regarding adrenal stress, Dr.  Mercola (www.mercola.com) in his September 19, 2009 newsletter article stated:

“The vast majority of people’s thyroid glands become impaired as a result of weak adrenal glands. The thyroid gland tries to compensate for this and eventually just gives up and stops working.

Adrenal impairment is frequently due to emotional stress, and unless you have these previous emotional challenges resolved, there is little likelihood of recovering your thyroid function without hormonal replacement.”

In today’s fast-paced, noise-polluted society, we are forever on the go. We pride ourselves in multi-tasking. We have more than full time careers. “Full time” used to equate to forty hours per week. Now with all the budget cuts and the need to “do more with less,” full time equates to fifty, sixty, or more hours per week. In addition, we take work home with us, and, thanks to technology, we are connected to our work at home.

The flurry of activity all around us causes us to continuously push bedtime later and later into the evening. With less and less hours of sleep, we compromise the natural restorative powers of our body. We wake up feeling exhausted, and grab a caffeinated drink or cup(s) of coffee to help us make it through the day.

It used to be that women didn’t work outside the home. Today, women have full time careers, and they rear their children. It used to be that families lived near each other so that grandparents, aunts, and uncles were available to assist with caring for the children. In our mobile society today, relatives may reside on the other side of the globe.

Today, working moms and dads transport their children to and from piano lessons, scouts, dance, cheer, ball, and play practice. After sitting on the bleachers all evening, parents go home to help with homework and bake cookies for tomorrow’s PTA classroom party. Today, parents are also caught in the sandwich generation between their children and their elderly parents. To top it off, the cost of living and financial concerns are on the increase, causing people to lie awake at night worrying about how they will survive the bills.

Mark Twain also captures a major root cause of much of our stress…

“I have been through some terrible times in my life, some of which actually happened.”

Wow, is there any reason our adrenals are tired?

The second major cause of the thyroid epidemic is our exposure to environmental toxins.

Per Dr. Shames in Thyroid Power:

“We believe the thyroid epidemic is due in large part to excess chemicals in food, air, and water, confusing and stressing our immune system.

As the number of immune-sensitizing chemicals proliferates in our environment, we are seeing an increased incidence of autoimmune illness.”

In Hypothyroidism Type 2, the chapter title, “Environmental Toxins = Hormone Havoc,” tells it all. Dr. Starr devotes thirty-nine pages to the topic of environmental toxins. He states:

“About 70,000 new synthetic chemicals were introduced into our environment during the twentieth century. Three-quarters of the 20 most toxic chemical pollutants are known to be poisonous to our nervous systems.”

Dr. Starr explains that the most disturbing aspect of chemical toxins may be their ability to disrupt the function of thyroid hormones. Thyroid metabolism is one of the most frequent targets of synthetic chemicals. Recall that the thyroid gland affects every cell in the body. 

In tomorrow’s article, I will focus on what we can do offset the hazards of  today’s environment in order to build healthy thyroid and adrenal glands.

Dr. Mark Starr’s Hypothyroidism Type 2 is quite the eye opener. This book is a “must-read” for every medical practitioner today. The following statement in his Introduction is an excellent summarization of the content, evidence, and research he so aptly provides in the ensuing pages:

“This book is a compilation of the overwhelming evidence that not only is the modern laboratory testing used to diagnose hypothyroidism completely inadequate, but the current treatment for the illness is equally lacking in efficacy.”

 Dr. Starr explains that the vast majority of patients with hypothyroidism have “normal” thyroid blood tests, because the tests do not detect Type 2 hypothyroidism. He explains the fallacy that modern medicine has adopted the TSH as the “gold standard,” that is, if the TSH is normal, the search for hypothyroidism usually ends.

As Dr. Starr explains, “Doctors currently ignore patients’ medical histories and physical findings consistent with hypothyroidism. The laboratory tests for the illness reign supreme.

 Modern doctors use the thyroid blood tests as guidelines for treatment as well as diagnosis. The end result is the health disaster that is upon us.”

 The thyroid acts as a master gland in our bodies. It acts much like the gasoline in our cars. There is not one part of our body not impacted by the thyroid. Without gas, our cars do not run. Without the thyroid, we cannot live. A poorly functioning thyroid results in all sorts of physical problems.

 Another excellent thyroid resource is Thyroid Power by Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames who state, “The standard lab tests are unable to identify the millions of borderline low thyroid sufferers. The thyroid tests used today are just not sensitive enough to identify mild thyroid failure. You could be uncomfortably low in thyroid and still show normal in tests. Individuals differ in what is ‘normal’ for them.”

 Because of today’s current testing trends, the frustration is that people often have to be really sick before they are diagnosed and treated for their low thyroid symptoms. Dr. Shames goes on to say:

  “When blood tests are read, the range defined as normal for thyroid is so wide that it includes almost everyone, disregarding the unique metabolic needs of each person. Those diagnosed as really sick are actually only the tip of a large iceberg. There are many, many more who are mildly to moderately affected. These people can feel miserable for years with a variety of minor complaints that can keep a group of specialists quite busy, each surveying and treating the problem from their own limited perspective.”

 The message is clear that it is important for practitioners to listen to the patient’s story—family history and past and present symptoms—in addition to reviewing the lab work. The experts tell us that if given a choice between the lab work and the history and symptoms, a wiser choice is to pay attention to the history and symptoms.

However, for a practitioner to obtain a good history, it requires time, something so limited to them today. You and I can help by first educating ourselves and then taking an organized, preferably typed, personal health summary with us to our doctor’s visit. 

 The following lab tests, along with my symptoms, confirmed my hypothyroidism: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and TPO (thyroid peroxidase antibodies – a test for autoimmune thyroiditis).

 Leading authorities well versed in the proper care and treatment of the thyroid are in agreement that hypothyroidism is growing at epidemic proportions. Tomorrow’s article will address why this is happening.

Chances are, you may be one of the thousands of people walking around with undiagnosed hypothyroidism, and you don’t even know it. Why? Three major reasons:

1. Since signs and symptoms may occur gradually over the years, the insidious progression may mistakenly be attributed to “normal” aging.
2. The gradual progression and insidious nature of onset, as well as the myriad of possible symptoms, makes hypothyroidism difficult for doctors to diagnose.
3. Standard laboratory tests used to diagnose hypothyroidism, as well as laboratory reference ranges, are inadequate and inaccurate.

Can any of you relate to the following story?

I thought I was doing myself a favor by having an annual physical. Oftentimes my thyroid would be “checked” – always “within normal limits.” (Look for more information on that fallacy in tomorrow’s article.)

I didn’t pay attention to which tests were done. I just saw the range and how my numbers fell within the range. Nevermind the symptoms I had been collecting over time, all just part of getting older, right? 

It wasn’t until I had the complete hormone panel (www.canaryclub.org) and I took my results to Dr. Whitney Gabhart, N.D. (www.whitneygabhartnd.com) did I realize I had a problem…not only with my thyroid, but also my adrenals.

In a frenzy, I started reading everything I could get my hands on regarding the adrenals and the thyroid. I took a pen and pad of paper and started listing my insidious signs and symptoms of “normal” aging. Do you experience any of these?

1. Elevated Cholesterol
2. Dry eyes
3. Insomnia
4. Recent onset of sleep apnea
5. Skin/arm rashes
6. Constipation
7. Dry hair
8. Dry skin
9. Nail deformities
10. Fatigue
11. Low libido
12. Vaginal dryness
13. Weight gain
14. Inability to lose weight despite proper diet and exercise
15. Hair loss/thinning – head and pubic
16. Toenail fungus
17. Sensitivity to alcohol/caffeine
18. Sweet cravings/salt cravings
19. Hypoglycemia
20. Sensitivity to cold
21. Inability to remember things

 Additional symptoms listed in the literature include:

Lethargy, erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, low testosterone, candida (yeast infections), adult acne, eczema, premature aging, miscarriage, infertility, PMS, repeated infections, headaches/migraines, high blood pressure, birth defects, irregular menses, excessive menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, fibroid tumors, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer, nervousness, anxiety, panic attacks, heart attack/stroke, intolerance to heat/cold, nutritional imbalances, muscle weakness, low immune function, arthritis/gout, arthralgia (pain in a joint), low blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis, heart palpitations, menstrual disturbances, cystic breasts, swelling of the eyes/face, hyperinsulinemia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

 See why it is so difficult to diagnose?

 If you experience symptoms, I strongly encourage you to become your own health care advocate. Some excellent thyroid books on the market include:

1)      Richard Shames, M.D. and Karilee Shames, Ph.D., R.N., Thyroid Power and Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled?

2)      Mark Starr, M.D., Hypothyroidism Type 2

3)      Janie A. Bowthorpe, M.Ed., Stop the Thyroid Madness, A Patient Revolution Against Decades of Inferior Thyroid Treatment

 Based on Dr. Mercola’s recommendation, I bet I soon add to my list Mary Shomon’s newly released book: The Menopause Thyroid Solution: Overcome Menopause by Solving Your Hidden Thyroid Problems.

 The following lab tests, along with my symptoms, confirmed hypothyroidism: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and TPO (thyroid peroxidase antibodies – a test for autoimmune thyroiditis).

 Join me tomorrow when I discuss laboratory testing and the reasons behind the inaccuracies associated with lab results.

Dr. Mercola’s article posted on 9-19-09, www.mercola.com, explains why I haven’t been able to get my Armour Thyroid for the past month! I will include snipits of the article below, but anyone with a thyroid issue must read the information he posted and take action.

The title of the article is “Is the FDA Poised to Ban a Century-Old Natural Remedy?” The article starts out with this shocking news:

“Major Pharmaceuticals has put out a press release saying that they’ve been forced to shut down production of all natural desiccated thyroid drugs, a treatment for hypothyroidism that has been in use for over a century. Major received notice from the FDA that their complete line of desiccated thyroid drugs can no longer be manufactured, and that the FDA is pulling the designation that allowed them to sell these drugs.

Major is also saying that the FDA is requiring that all manufacturers that wish to continue manufacturing submit an NDA or ANDA (New Drug Application or Abbreviated New Drug Application) for approval. Desiccated thyroid drugs were in use in the early 1900’s, and already on the market when the government regulatory groups to oversee medications were formed, so they never went through the new drug application process.

Biotech, Time Cap Labs, and Major are no longer manufacturing natural desiccated thyroid drugs. RLC and Forest are now the last makers of natural desiccated thyroid drugs in the U.S., and their products are unavailable or in short supply in throughout the nation.”

Dr. Mercola cites the work of Mary Shomon, the www.about.com thyroid expert, crediting her as one of the leaders in the field. Shomon raises the warning flag about a very important issue for many people – the potential elimination of bioidentical hormones from the market.

Based upon Dr. Mercola’s endorsement of Shomon, I immediately ordered and can’t wait to read her new book, The Menopause Thyroid Solution: Overcome Menopause by Solving Your Hidden Thyroid Problems.

Ever since I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism this spring, I have been reading everything I can about the significance of the Adrenal Glands and Thyroid Gland on hormone balancing. From all I have studied, I totally agree with her title. Hormone balancing is much bigger and much more complex than simply looking at a woman’s estrogen and progesterone levels.

What is not commonly known by the medical establishment and public is that there is an epidemic of thyroid problems, the reasons for which I will explain in subsequent articles this week.

What is so alarming is that according to Shomon’s report, “the FDA has already shut down natural desiccated thyroid drug production and distribution by three firms:

• Biotech
• Major
• Time Cap Labs

Two other major manufacturers/distributors now have long-term backorders for their bioidentical hormone products, which include Armour, Nature-Throid, and Westroid.

Dr. Mercola explains: “The uncertainty about the future of natural thyroid drug options has led patients and practitioners to form a new coalition designed to help protect your right to choose, under the banner “Save Natural Thyroid.”

They’ve also formed a Save Natural Thyroid Facebook Group to strategize and help keep thyroid patients informed. If you or anyone you love uses bioidentical hormones, you may want to join this group to keep up on the latest updates.”

It was comforting to read that Dr. Mercola and Shomon have had strategic discussions on the next step to preserve this important resource.

I personally plan to research and join the two groups Dr. Mercola has informed us about. I encourage you to do all you can to help spread the word so that we as the public can lend support to stop this travesty from occurring.

I intend to focus on the topic of the adrenals and thyroid in my upcoming articles. Their impact on our hormonal health and balance is huge!