Today’s topic is for my female friends. But I would encourage my
fellow males to also read this, as you might be able to help the women
in your lives. ESTROGEN DOMINANCE. You may have heard this phrase
before, but I would wager that most women have no clue what this means.
Well think about it like this, if you have ever had any of the issues
listed below, you are probably estrogen dominant:
1) Fibrocystic breast disease
2) PMS
3) Uterine fibroids
4) Breast cancer
5) Endometriosis
6) Infertility problems
7) Endometrial polyps
PCOS
9) Auto-immune disorders
10) Low blood sugar problems
11) Menstrual pain
12) Migraines during menstrual cycle
13) Uncontrollable weight gain
14) Sensitive breast and skin
15) Insomnia
16) Anxiety and depression
17) Gall bladder problem
18) Underactive Thyroid
19) Yeast infections
20) Osteoperosis
21) Alcohol dependence
So what exactly is estrogen and in excess, how can it cause the issues
listed above? Estrogen is a sex hormone produced by both males and
females. Women produced greater volume than males. In a perfect world,
the female body produces large amounts of estrogen during the first 14
days of her 28 day cycle. This is used to create the endometrial lining
of the uterus. After 14 days, the ovaries should release mature
follicles (eggs). This period is called ovulation, and the support
system left behind in the ovaries, is called the Corpus Luteum, which
now helps with the production of the hormone progesterone (keeps egg
fertilized when inseminated). During this time, estrogen levels should
drop dramatically, and the whole world should feel right. Progesterone
levels stays somewhat elevated, but slowly declines over the next 14 days, until the female has her
period, which means unfertilized eggs, and the endometrial lining are
excreted. At this point the process starts all over again.
When
estrogen is allowed to run opposed, the 28 day cycle, is thrown off.
This causes a drop of in progesterone production, eventually leading to
estrogen dominance. The question I am sure you might be asking is, what
can be causing an over production of estrogen. For starters, do note
that even though a female may have a period, it doesn’t always means
that she ovulated, which translates to no progesterone. What are some
reasons for a lack of ovulation? Research points the finger to stress,
nutrition (bottled water, mass produced meats. soy…), anovulatory
cycles, birth control pills, birth control shots, tubal ligation (tubes
tied), hysterectomies, obesity, and menopause. When estrogen production
remains constantly high, the liver is unable to process and process and
remove the excess causing a build up, which leads to a number of the
issues I mentioned above.
How does one now if they are
estrogen dominant, if they do not show some of the dramatic symptoms
such as fibroids or if you live a fairly healthy life? My answer would
be simply this, get to know your body. If you notice say your moods
swings are happening more frequently, consult with your doctor. Perhaps
your period cramps are more painful, consult with your doctor. If your
budget will allow it, test your estrogen levels at the beginning of the
28 day cycle, at the half way mark, and towards the end. If the levels
are elevated above reference ranges during the 28 days, then you are estrogen dominant. Also
test your progesterone levels, and if they are indeed low consult with
your doctor regarding progesterone replacement therapy. FYI studies
indicate that progesterone creams applied vaginally appear to have a
better absorption rate. Also if you believe you might be estrogen
dominant, make lifestyle changes, such as coming off birth control pills
and shots where possible, incorporate diet comprised of organic foods,
exercise more consistently, and create a more stress free life.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Plastic the evil
Anyone
who has ever spoken to me, inevitably will hear me say “stop drinking
water and eating foods in a plastic container.” Now what is the big deal
with plastic, and why should we avoid it? The answer can be found in
one word, Bisphenol-A (BPA). What exactly is BPA and how is it related
to plastic? Essentially BPA is an estrogenic plastic by-product, used in
the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, and can leach into food or drinks from the plastic containers holding them.
An often unknown fact is that BPA has been identified as an estrogen-mimicking compound since the 1930s, and is particularly dangerous to humans. Another unknown fact, is that in the early 1930s, BPA was used as an artificial estrogen to not only fatten poultry and cattle, but as a form of estrogen replacement therapy for women during that period. Bayer and General Electric in the 1940s first used BPA to harden polycarbonate plastics and make epoxy resin.
So what makes BPA dangerous? As I indicated earlier BPA mimics estrogen in the body. NO ONE, especially women, needs excess estrogen as this will put them at a greater risk for breast cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, Polycystic ovary syndrome, cyst, early puberty in girls, inability to drop bodyfat, and possibly disruption of the endocrine system (thyroid gland). In men excess estrogen can reduce testosterone levels.
Now bear mind because of our environment, we are exposed on a daily basis to other forms of man-made estrogens. However, BPA is most pervasive because of our reliance on plastics. Think about it, how much bottle water do you drink per week? How many times do you heat up foods in a microwave in a plastic container? As you can see we are flooding our bodies with BPA every week. To this date, Canada is the only country in September 2010, that declared BPA as a toxic substance. No other country has followed suit, although BPA has been banned in baby bottles in Europe and the US.
As a result of some public outcry, several companies have rolled out "BPA-free" plastic products. These range from bottles and sippy cups to reusable water bottles, meant to appeal to those health-conscious consumers looking to avoid toxins. But there is a possible catch. Some studies now show another bisphenol, bisphenol-S (BPS), in human urine concentrations at levels similar to those of BPA.i Some heath advocates are now speculating that manufacturers are simply swapping one bisphenol for another.
Now here is the messed up part. In the case of BPS, there's reason to believe it is just as dangerous to human health, and possibly more so, than BPA. Bear in mind there hasn’t been an abundant supply of studies. But writing in the journal Toxicology In Vitro, researchers stated:
"In 2011, the European Commission has restricted the use of Bisphenol A in plastic infant feeding bottles. In a response to this restriction, Bisphenol S is now often used as a component of plastic substitutes for the production of babybottles. One of the major concerns leading to the restriction of Bisphenol A was its weak estrogenic activity. By using two highly standardised transactivation assays, we could demonstrate that the estrogenic activity of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S is of a comparable potency."
Loosely translated BPS seems to be similar to BPA and has the same effect on the human body. With all that being said I encourage you to not drink bottled water unless its in a glass container or stainless steel, and do not eat foods in a plastic container, especially one that has been warmed, since heat releases the chemicals.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
An often unknown fact is that BPA has been identified as an estrogen-mimicking compound since the 1930s, and is particularly dangerous to humans. Another unknown fact, is that in the early 1930s, BPA was used as an artificial estrogen to not only fatten poultry and cattle, but as a form of estrogen replacement therapy for women during that period. Bayer and General Electric in the 1940s first used BPA to harden polycarbonate plastics and make epoxy resin.
So what makes BPA dangerous? As I indicated earlier BPA mimics estrogen in the body. NO ONE, especially women, needs excess estrogen as this will put them at a greater risk for breast cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, Polycystic ovary syndrome, cyst, early puberty in girls, inability to drop bodyfat, and possibly disruption of the endocrine system (thyroid gland). In men excess estrogen can reduce testosterone levels.
Now bear mind because of our environment, we are exposed on a daily basis to other forms of man-made estrogens. However, BPA is most pervasive because of our reliance on plastics. Think about it, how much bottle water do you drink per week? How many times do you heat up foods in a microwave in a plastic container? As you can see we are flooding our bodies with BPA every week. To this date, Canada is the only country in September 2010, that declared BPA as a toxic substance. No other country has followed suit, although BPA has been banned in baby bottles in Europe and the US.
As a result of some public outcry, several companies have rolled out "BPA-free" plastic products. These range from bottles and sippy cups to reusable water bottles, meant to appeal to those health-conscious consumers looking to avoid toxins. But there is a possible catch. Some studies now show another bisphenol, bisphenol-S (BPS), in human urine concentrations at levels similar to those of BPA.i Some heath advocates are now speculating that manufacturers are simply swapping one bisphenol for another.
Now here is the messed up part. In the case of BPS, there's reason to believe it is just as dangerous to human health, and possibly more so, than BPA. Bear in mind there hasn’t been an abundant supply of studies. But writing in the journal Toxicology In Vitro, researchers stated:
"In 2011, the European Commission has restricted the use of Bisphenol A in plastic infant feeding bottles. In a response to this restriction, Bisphenol S is now often used as a component of plastic substitutes for the production of babybottles. One of the major concerns leading to the restriction of Bisphenol A was its weak estrogenic activity. By using two highly standardised transactivation assays, we could demonstrate that the estrogenic activity of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S is of a comparable potency."
Loosely translated BPS seems to be similar to BPA and has the same effect on the human body. With all that being said I encourage you to not drink bottled water unless its in a glass container or stainless steel, and do not eat foods in a plastic container, especially one that has been warmed, since heat releases the chemicals.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Whats the big deal With Genetically Modified Foods
There has been much hoopla made about Genetically
Modified (GM) foods and the hidden dangers they pose to humans.
Ironically if you asked the average person what their thoughts were on
the matter, they would probably shrug their shoulders and say they have
no clue what GM foods are. With that being said, I would wager that over
50% of your diet is made up of GM foods. Essentially,
unless foods products in the US say USDA Organic on the label, then
that commodity probably has GM ingredients. This ranges from your basic
corn flakes, tomatoes, strawberries……
Now what exactly are GM food? GM foods are produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically, genetically modified crops. GMOs have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These crops are able to grow in most environments and are for the most part are resistant to insects, and diseases. Sounds like a good thing right? Because of this mindset, leading GM crop creators such as Monsanto and Syngenta, have been able to commercialize their products with much success over the last 17 years.
So what is the problem with GM foods? So as not bore you with too much detail, I am going to focus primarily on the human dangers, and not environmental problem posed by GM crops. Well how about this for starters. If you recall I mention GM crops are for the most part insect resistant. Essentially, when an insect eats takes a bite of out of say GM corn and cotton plants engineered to produce Bt-toxins, their stomach splits open and they die. There have also been several documented cases where pig farmers toss GM corn to the animals, but they simply sniff it and walk away. However, when non-GM corn was tossed to the same animals, they devour it. No one quite knows why the animals react in this way, but perhaps their instinct to detect to danger is more developed than ours.
This instinct is for good reason. In a study done in 2009 by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), it concluded that when lab animals do eat GM feed, the result was not pretty. "Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food," says the AAEM policy paper. Some of the issues the paper cited was “infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system, among the impacts of eating GMOs. There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects, there is causation..." The AAEM believes we should take a lesson from the animals and stay away from GM foods. Bear in mind the AAEM is a very reputable medical organization, “which first recognized such dangers as food allergies, chemical sensitivity, and Gulf War Syndrome.” The AAEM has even called on all physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets to all patients. They also called for a moratorium on GMOs, long-term independent studies, and labeling.
Now how does the human body react to GM foods? The answer to that is no one really knows, because we do not have enough independent long term studies. In fact, most of studies commissioned, have been too short, and get this, they are often paid for by the Biotech companies that produce GM crops like Monsanto. These studies of course conclude that GM foods are perfectly safe for human consumption. But here is an odd fact, soon after GM soy was introduced to the UK, soy allergies skyrocketed by 50%. Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says "I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it."
Biologist such as Dr. David Schubert of the Salk Institute have said, "If there are problems [with GMOs], we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop." In the 9 years after GM crops were introduced in 1996, Americans with three or more chronic diseases jumped from 7% to 13%. Allergies doubled in less time. The incidence of low birth weight babies, infertility, and infant mortality are all escalating. But without any human clinical trials or post marketing surveillance, we may never know if these or other disorders like autism, obesity, and diabetes, are triggered or made worse by GMOs.
I believe we should take a few lesson from the animals and avoid GM foods. To learn how to avoid GM foods, check out the Non-GMO Shopping Guide (www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com). Stores such as Trader Joes do not carry GM foods. Other stores like Wholefoods, has stated that “by 2018, all products in its U.S. and Canadian stores must be labeled to indicate if they contain GMOs.” Also as I indicated earlier, if a label says USDA Organic, then it cannot contact GMO ingredients.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Now what exactly are GM food? GM foods are produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically, genetically modified crops. GMOs have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These crops are able to grow in most environments and are for the most part are resistant to insects, and diseases. Sounds like a good thing right? Because of this mindset, leading GM crop creators such as Monsanto and Syngenta, have been able to commercialize their products with much success over the last 17 years.
So what is the problem with GM foods? So as not bore you with too much detail, I am going to focus primarily on the human dangers, and not environmental problem posed by GM crops. Well how about this for starters. If you recall I mention GM crops are for the most part insect resistant. Essentially, when an insect eats takes a bite of out of say GM corn and cotton plants engineered to produce Bt-toxins, their stomach splits open and they die. There have also been several documented cases where pig farmers toss GM corn to the animals, but they simply sniff it and walk away. However, when non-GM corn was tossed to the same animals, they devour it. No one quite knows why the animals react in this way, but perhaps their instinct to detect to danger is more developed than ours.
This instinct is for good reason. In a study done in 2009 by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), it concluded that when lab animals do eat GM feed, the result was not pretty. "Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food," says the AAEM policy paper. Some of the issues the paper cited was “infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system, among the impacts of eating GMOs. There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects, there is causation..." The AAEM believes we should take a lesson from the animals and stay away from GM foods. Bear in mind the AAEM is a very reputable medical organization, “which first recognized such dangers as food allergies, chemical sensitivity, and Gulf War Syndrome.” The AAEM has even called on all physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets to all patients. They also called for a moratorium on GMOs, long-term independent studies, and labeling.
Now how does the human body react to GM foods? The answer to that is no one really knows, because we do not have enough independent long term studies. In fact, most of studies commissioned, have been too short, and get this, they are often paid for by the Biotech companies that produce GM crops like Monsanto. These studies of course conclude that GM foods are perfectly safe for human consumption. But here is an odd fact, soon after GM soy was introduced to the UK, soy allergies skyrocketed by 50%. Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says "I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it."
Biologist such as Dr. David Schubert of the Salk Institute have said, "If there are problems [with GMOs], we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop." In the 9 years after GM crops were introduced in 1996, Americans with three or more chronic diseases jumped from 7% to 13%. Allergies doubled in less time. The incidence of low birth weight babies, infertility, and infant mortality are all escalating. But without any human clinical trials or post marketing surveillance, we may never know if these or other disorders like autism, obesity, and diabetes, are triggered or made worse by GMOs.
I believe we should take a few lesson from the animals and avoid GM foods. To learn how to avoid GM foods, check out the Non-GMO Shopping Guide (www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com). Stores such as Trader Joes do not carry GM foods. Other stores like Wholefoods, has stated that “by 2018, all products in its U.S. and Canadian stores must be labeled to indicate if they contain GMOs.” Also as I indicated earlier, if a label says USDA Organic, then it cannot contact GMO ingredients.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Coffee and Estrogen
I
have been asked on several occasions what my thoughts are on consuming
coffee. My standard answer is, no more than two cups per day,
especially if you are a female. Let us delve a little deeper into why I
give this standard answer. Well let’s face it, we all love coffee. Plus
there are several benefits of its consumption such as proper bowel
movement, increase muscle strength, may lower risk of oral cancer, and possibly reduce the development of dementia and Alzheimer's later in life.
But again what is the deal with my two cups limit, especially for women? Well in a study done in 2001, concluded that drinking more than two cups of coffee daily, appeared to boost estrogen levels in women and could worsen conditions such as endometriosis and breast pain. According to the researchers, women who drank the most coffee had higher levels of estradiol, a naturally occurring form of estrogen, during days 1 to 5 of their menstrual cycle. In fact they found that estrogen levels were 70% more.
Higher estrogen levels is really not good for anyone, but more so for women, especially with family histories of breast or ovarian cancer.
Interestingly enough, the study also found that regardless of age, body mass index (BMI), caloric intake, smoking, and alcohol and cholesterol intake, the estrogen were still elevated. This was most evident in the females that consumed at least 500 milligrams of caffeine daily, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee, compared to those that had no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily, or less than one cup of coffee.
Now please note that I am not saying to completely eliminate coffee if you enjoy it. But according to some health advocates such as Dr. Mercola, if you do drink coffee, keep it to no more than two cups per day and do the following:
• Use organic coffee - Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Check sites such as www.thenibble.com for info on organic fair trade coffee.
• "Swiss Water Process" decaf - If you are going to drink decaffeinated coffee, be sure that it is one that uses a non-chemical based method of decaffeination. The "Swiss Water Process" is a patented method and is the best choice. Most of the major brands are chemically decaffeinated, even if it says "Naturally Decaffeinated" right on the container. If you are unsure of the methods, contact the manufacturer.
• Avoid sugar and/or milk - These are actually much worse for you than the coffee itself. Don't compound the detrimental health effects by adding milk or sugar to your coffee.
• Unbleached filters - If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
But again what is the deal with my two cups limit, especially for women? Well in a study done in 2001, concluded that drinking more than two cups of coffee daily, appeared to boost estrogen levels in women and could worsen conditions such as endometriosis and breast pain. According to the researchers, women who drank the most coffee had higher levels of estradiol, a naturally occurring form of estrogen, during days 1 to 5 of their menstrual cycle. In fact they found that estrogen levels were 70% more.
Higher estrogen levels is really not good for anyone, but more so for women, especially with family histories of breast or ovarian cancer.
Interestingly enough, the study also found that regardless of age, body mass index (BMI), caloric intake, smoking, and alcohol and cholesterol intake, the estrogen were still elevated. This was most evident in the females that consumed at least 500 milligrams of caffeine daily, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee, compared to those that had no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily, or less than one cup of coffee.
Now please note that I am not saying to completely eliminate coffee if you enjoy it. But according to some health advocates such as Dr. Mercola, if you do drink coffee, keep it to no more than two cups per day and do the following:
• Use organic coffee - Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Check sites such as www.thenibble.com for info on organic fair trade coffee.
• "Swiss Water Process" decaf - If you are going to drink decaffeinated coffee, be sure that it is one that uses a non-chemical based method of decaffeination. The "Swiss Water Process" is a patented method and is the best choice. Most of the major brands are chemically decaffeinated, even if it says "Naturally Decaffeinated" right on the container. If you are unsure of the methods, contact the manufacturer.
• Avoid sugar and/or milk - These are actually much worse for you than the coffee itself. Don't compound the detrimental health effects by adding milk or sugar to your coffee.
• Unbleached filters - If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Angelina Jolie and Breast Cancer
Much kudos to Angelina Jolie for bringing more awareness to the
fight against breast cancer. Just to recap Jolie disclosed that even
though she did not have breast cancer she did a double mastectomy as a
precaution because she has a mutated BRCA1 gene known to raise a woman's
risk of breast and ovarian cancers. My own mother underwent a
mastectomy for breast cancer in 2003 and outside of the aches and pains of aging is still doing quite well.
With that being said I want to ask one question. Was Jolie’s procedure necessary? Because of her family history and mutated gene, the answer would be yes from a medical standpoint. Essentially, most inherited cases of breast cancer are associated with two abnormal genes: BRCA1 and BRCA2. Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The function of the BRCA genes is to repair cell damage and keep breast cells growing normally. But when these genes contain abnormalities or mutations that are passed from generation to generation, the genes don't function normally and breast cancer risk increases.
But here is one often overlooked statistic. Only about 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary, caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child. Therefore, up to 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer, never had a history of it in their family.
So what seems to be the cause of breast cancers? Some health advocates believe that the main cause is environmental, and if you have the mutated BRCA1 gene, then of course your risk is greater. Some of these environmental risk are
1) Excess estrogens in plastic bottles, birth control, animals treated with hormones and antibiotics, cosmetics such as lotion that contain parabens, and plants such as soy.
2) Metals such as aluminum found in anti-perspirant deodorants
3) Vitamin D Deficiency
4) Excessive mammography screening according to a study done by the Harvard School of Public Health. In a nutshell the study stated that mammograms may not only be inappropriate for breast cancer screening, but may actually contribute to significant overdiagnosis of cancer that otherwise would have remained harmless.
With this being said, I ask the question again. Did Jolie need to do this procedure? My answer would be its totally up to her. But I would say to any woman (and men) reading this article, whether or not you believe that your risk is greater, look at the various factors listed above and determine how best you can remove them from your lives. For example, if possible avoid birth control, do not drink water from plastic bottle, buy organic food, use paraben free cosmetics, avoid anti-perspirants, get plenty of vitamin D sunlight or supplement it, and finally avoid routine mammograms if you are under the age of 50.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
With that being said I want to ask one question. Was Jolie’s procedure necessary? Because of her family history and mutated gene, the answer would be yes from a medical standpoint. Essentially, most inherited cases of breast cancer are associated with two abnormal genes: BRCA1 and BRCA2. Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The function of the BRCA genes is to repair cell damage and keep breast cells growing normally. But when these genes contain abnormalities or mutations that are passed from generation to generation, the genes don't function normally and breast cancer risk increases.
But here is one often overlooked statistic. Only about 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary, caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child. Therefore, up to 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer, never had a history of it in their family.
So what seems to be the cause of breast cancers? Some health advocates believe that the main cause is environmental, and if you have the mutated BRCA1 gene, then of course your risk is greater. Some of these environmental risk are
1) Excess estrogens in plastic bottles, birth control, animals treated with hormones and antibiotics, cosmetics such as lotion that contain parabens, and plants such as soy.
2) Metals such as aluminum found in anti-perspirant deodorants
3) Vitamin D Deficiency
4) Excessive mammography screening according to a study done by the Harvard School of Public Health. In a nutshell the study stated that mammograms may not only be inappropriate for breast cancer screening, but may actually contribute to significant overdiagnosis of cancer that otherwise would have remained harmless.
With this being said, I ask the question again. Did Jolie need to do this procedure? My answer would be its totally up to her. But I would say to any woman (and men) reading this article, whether or not you believe that your risk is greater, look at the various factors listed above and determine how best you can remove them from your lives. For example, if possible avoid birth control, do not drink water from plastic bottle, buy organic food, use paraben free cosmetics, avoid anti-perspirants, get plenty of vitamin D sunlight or supplement it, and finally avoid routine mammograms if you are under the age of 50.
I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Saw Palmetto, is it worth it?
I was recently asked by a male client if I thought him taking the
supplement Saw Palmetto was good idea. My answer to him was yes, and
that pretty much any male over the age of 30, should take saw palmetto.
You see as we age, testosterone levels decline. One reason why this occurs is because of the overactivity of an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme binds with testosterone and converts it into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This process not only lowers the amount of testosterone in the body, it also contributes to both the benign (BPH) and malignant (cancer) growth of the prostate gland.
Pharmaceutical companies have already capitalized on this biological fact by producing a class of drugs which inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity, essentially blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Examples of these drugs are Proscar or Propecia, and Avodart. Unfortunately according to a number of health advocates, these drugs come with a significant set of risks, including get this, increasing your risk of developing prostate cancer.
Now how does saw palmetto factor into this equation? Unlike the pharmaceutical drugs mentioned above, saw palmetto is a natural source of blocking conversion of testosterone to DHT.
According to Dr. Rudi Moerck, drug industry insider and an expert in chemistry, the medical literature contains as many as 100 clinical studies on saw palmetto. (Incidentally one of the first prostate drugs on the US market was actually saw palmetto, released by Eli Lilly Company back in the early 1870s.)
He says:
"The mechanism of action of saw palmetto is not fully clear. We are certainly not making any drug claims, but the anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a reduction in the conversion of testosterone into the dihydrotestosterone, and therefore, men that take saw palmetto will have slightly higher levels of testosterone in their body…That's a good thing...
It turns out that if you don't have enough testosterone in your body it can cause all kinds of problems like gaining weight, breast enlargement in men, and problem with urinating. So saw palmetto alone, or with pumpkin seed or lycopene is an interesting proposition … It's something that you should definitely try."
Additionally, research done by The National Library of Medicine shows that saw palmetto may have therapeutic benefits over pharmaceutical 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, alleviating symptoms far beyond that of simply an enlarged prostate:
• Androgenic Alopecia (Hair Loss)
• Prostate Cancer
• Low Testosterone
• Chronic Prostatitis
Of course before you start taking any supplement, I encourage to check with your Doctor, and in this case be sure to have your testosterone levels tested to see if they are in fact below normal. I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
You see as we age, testosterone levels decline. One reason why this occurs is because of the overactivity of an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme binds with testosterone and converts it into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This process not only lowers the amount of testosterone in the body, it also contributes to both the benign (BPH) and malignant (cancer) growth of the prostate gland.
Pharmaceutical companies have already capitalized on this biological fact by producing a class of drugs which inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity, essentially blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Examples of these drugs are Proscar or Propecia, and Avodart. Unfortunately according to a number of health advocates, these drugs come with a significant set of risks, including get this, increasing your risk of developing prostate cancer.
Now how does saw palmetto factor into this equation? Unlike the pharmaceutical drugs mentioned above, saw palmetto is a natural source of blocking conversion of testosterone to DHT.
According to Dr. Rudi Moerck, drug industry insider and an expert in chemistry, the medical literature contains as many as 100 clinical studies on saw palmetto. (Incidentally one of the first prostate drugs on the US market was actually saw palmetto, released by Eli Lilly Company back in the early 1870s.)
He says:
"The mechanism of action of saw palmetto is not fully clear. We are certainly not making any drug claims, but the anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a reduction in the conversion of testosterone into the dihydrotestosterone, and therefore, men that take saw palmetto will have slightly higher levels of testosterone in their body…That's a good thing...
It turns out that if you don't have enough testosterone in your body it can cause all kinds of problems like gaining weight, breast enlargement in men, and problem with urinating. So saw palmetto alone, or with pumpkin seed or lycopene is an interesting proposition … It's something that you should definitely try."
Additionally, research done by The National Library of Medicine shows that saw palmetto may have therapeutic benefits over pharmaceutical 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, alleviating symptoms far beyond that of simply an enlarged prostate:
• Androgenic Alopecia (Hair Loss)
• Prostate Cancer
• Low Testosterone
• Chronic Prostatitis
Of course before you start taking any supplement, I encourage to check with your Doctor, and in this case be sure to have your testosterone levels tested to see if they are in fact below normal. I hope you found this information useful. Stay fit and well family.
Dangers of Parabens
Parabens.
It sounds like the name of a garbage collection company doesn’t it?
What you may not be aware is that parabens are more a part of your world
than realize, and its unfortunately not a good thing. What exactly are
parabens and where do you find them? Lets start with where do you find
them. Parabens can be found in personal lubricants, shampoos, commercial
moisturizers, cleansing gels, shaving gels, topical pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, and possibly used in food additives.
So with that being what exactly are parabens? Simply put parabens are chemicals used as preservative. They are used to fight bacteria and fungus, are widely available, and cost very little to manufacture and use. Nearly all of the parabens used as preservatives are man-made and not naturally occurring. Because so many products we use contain some form of parabens, it can be difficult to avoid them.
No why are parabens bad? Before I answer this question, please note that there have been studies on both sides of the argument about whether parabens are bad or safe. In my opinion, because of the number of studies done regarding its dangers, I tend to avoid products with parabens. Essentially, similar to Bisphenol A found in plastics, parabens appear to mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. For those who have read many of my past tips, you will note that I often say that no one needs excess estrogen as this leads to a host of health issues such as breast cancer, fibroids, cysts, infertility, low libido, depression, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycle, and the list goes on. Researchers have found parabens in breast tumors and believe there is a relationship between the two. In addition, in the July 2002 issue of the Archives of Toxicology, Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health reported that exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben “adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.” FYI Researchers are still not sure how and why parabens might affect development and growth of both babies and adults.
So how do we avoid parabens and other harsh chemicals? For starters I would suggest reading labels more carefully and try to avoid products with these 10 chemicals:
1) DEA (diethanolamine)
2) Parabens Of Any Kind
3) BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
4) Propylene Glycol
5) Triclosan
6) Bisphenol A
7) Polyethylene
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
9) 1,4-dioxane
10) Butyl Cellosolve
There are also some great companies that have signed an agreement called The Compact For Safe Cosmetics, which is a coalition effort to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products. Some of these companies are Suki’s Naturals, Avalon Organics, Weleda, Tom’s of Maine, Aubrey Organics, Dr. Bronner’s, Burts Bees, California Baby, Dr.Hauschka, Terressentials, Badger, Nature’s Gate, JASON, Kiss My Face, Pangea.
I hope you found this information useful. As always stay fit and well family.
So with that being what exactly are parabens? Simply put parabens are chemicals used as preservative. They are used to fight bacteria and fungus, are widely available, and cost very little to manufacture and use. Nearly all of the parabens used as preservatives are man-made and not naturally occurring. Because so many products we use contain some form of parabens, it can be difficult to avoid them.
No why are parabens bad? Before I answer this question, please note that there have been studies on both sides of the argument about whether parabens are bad or safe. In my opinion, because of the number of studies done regarding its dangers, I tend to avoid products with parabens. Essentially, similar to Bisphenol A found in plastics, parabens appear to mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. For those who have read many of my past tips, you will note that I often say that no one needs excess estrogen as this leads to a host of health issues such as breast cancer, fibroids, cysts, infertility, low libido, depression, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycle, and the list goes on. Researchers have found parabens in breast tumors and believe there is a relationship between the two. In addition, in the July 2002 issue of the Archives of Toxicology, Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health reported that exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben “adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.” FYI Researchers are still not sure how and why parabens might affect development and growth of both babies and adults.
So how do we avoid parabens and other harsh chemicals? For starters I would suggest reading labels more carefully and try to avoid products with these 10 chemicals:
1) DEA (diethanolamine)
2) Parabens Of Any Kind
3) BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
4) Propylene Glycol
5) Triclosan
6) Bisphenol A
7) Polyethylene
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
9) 1,4-dioxane
10) Butyl Cellosolve
There are also some great companies that have signed an agreement called The Compact For Safe Cosmetics, which is a coalition effort to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products. Some of these companies are Suki’s Naturals, Avalon Organics, Weleda, Tom’s of Maine, Aubrey Organics, Dr. Bronner’s, Burts Bees, California Baby, Dr.Hauschka, Terressentials, Badger, Nature’s Gate, JASON, Kiss My Face, Pangea.
I hope you found this information useful. As always stay fit and well family.
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