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Naturopathy Remedy for Hormone Imbalance

Hormone imbalances can occur in men and women, especially as they age or are under stress. Traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves synthetic hormones that can cause side effects like stroke and breast cancer, according to the study done by the Women's Health Initiative from 1991 to 2002. Testosterone supplements can also cause problems, like acne, hair loss and water retention if you take too much and it turns to estrogen.

  1. Diet and Lifestyle Changes

    • The most important thing you can do for your health is to change your diet to one including at least 75 percent fruits and vegetables. Switch from white bread and pasta to whole grains, sprouted breads and wild rice. Eat two servings of high quality protein like poultry, fish and lean beef or eggs per day. Decrease or eliminate sugar, alcohol and caffeine, and drink filtered water every time you're thirsty. These dietary changes will provide your body with the vitamins, minerals, fiber and electrolytes you need for optimum efficiency. The glands that produce hormones need the best possible fuel to do their work.

      Besides improving your diet, add exercise to your daily routine. Even fifteen minutes of walking, done once or twice every day, can be of benefit if you have been mostly sedentary. Stretching exercises, such as yoga or Pilates, are helpful for relieving stress and improving your outlook. One symptom of a hormone imbalance is depression. Any activity that makes your body feel better can help your emotional state as well.

    Natural Supplements

    • If you find that diet and exercise are not enough to get you back on track, you may need supplementation. Dr. John Lee pioneered the use of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy in place of the traditional HRT. The difference is that tests are done to determine which hormones need boosting, and creams or pills are compounded to match the patient's needs. If your imbalance involves estrogen dominance, a condition that affects both women and men, try over the counter progesterone cream. Derived from plant sources, this cream is metabolized through the skin to act like your own hormones. Once in the body, progesterone helps to produce either estrogen or testosterone if you need them. This may be all you need, and is a good place to start.

      If you feel that your thyroid may be sluggish, or if you have fibrocystic breasts, take two to four drops of two percent iodine tincture in a glass of filtered water each day. Although iodine is added to table salt, chlorine in the water and bromide in most commercial baked goods render it of almost no use according to Dr. Michael Schachter of the Schachter Institute.

    Considerations

    • If you feel you have some type of hormone imbalance, see your health care provider to be tested. While the remedies above are considered safe, you should have a firm diagnosis.

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