stress of modern lifestyles for hormone disruptions in women in their child- bearing years. “The stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine can have long-term effects on all other hor- mones,” advises Northrup. Concurrently, many women sacrifice self-nurturance in order to nurture others. The first result is often premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which Northrup calls a “lifestyle disease.” “We know that this problem seems to worsen with each subsequent child. That made the connection for me,” she adds, “that with growing families and responsibilities, women no longer take care of themselves as well; no longer get the amount of exercise they once did. The body is quite forgiving in their 20s, much less so in their 30s.” Part of the result is the attempt to reduce stress levels by eating high-fat and high-sugar comfort foods. Weight gain, blood sugar imbalances and sex hormone imbalances follow. “Excess blood sugar changes the way estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are metabolized,” Northrup explains. “PMS and other problems of the reproductive


Ways to Avoid


Manmade Estrogens d Choose organic milk and dairy products.


d Eat organic meats and wild-caught fish.


d Avoid canned foods and plastic water and soda bottles.


d Do not use lawn or garden chemical pesticides or herbicides.


d Shed outdoor shoes before entering the house.


d Avoid furniture made from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and synthetic carpeting; these materials outgas toxic chemicals.


d Use natural household-cleaning products, including baking soda and vinegar.


d Choose natural personal care products, including shampoos, lotions and cosmetics.


years often go away when you get your blood sugar balanced, but—here’s the rub—you won’t get it rebalanced unless you are addressing the very real stress- ors in your life.”


Due to the presence of xenoestro-


gens and Americans’ general fondness for processed comfort foods, women in their childbearing years are also in- creasingly afflicted by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition character- ized by overproduc- tion of testosterone and other male hormones. Insulite Laboratories, in Louisville, Colorado, reports that infertil- ity and early onset Type 2 diabetes,


To find a local compounding pharmacy for customized, bioidentical hormone blends, as prescribed by a medical practitioner, visit iacprx.org.


another hormonal imbalance problem, are closely connected to PCOS. The first priority for every woman


at any age, counsels Northrup, is to get blood sugar (glucose) under control. “Get a glucometer. You don’t need a prescription. If your blood sugar level isn’t between 80 and 90 in the morn- ing, you need to look at your diet and lifestyle. Getting this under control will create hormonal balance in the vast majority of women. It’s so simple.”


Perimenopause The next hormonal shift overlaps with a woman’s reproductive years. Symp- toms of perimenopause, or the start of menopause and the end of childbearing years, typically show up between the early and late 30s. These range from hot flashes, night


sweats and insomnia to weight gain, fuzzy thinking and redistribution of hair on the body. Again, the presence of xenoestrogens and stress contribute. Women of other cultures rarely experience the intensity of perimeno- pausal symptoms that Western women report. So does that make perimeno- pause a lifestyle disease, as well? Emphatically yes, says Holly Lucille, a doctor of naturopathy, registered nurse and past president of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. “Diet and lifestyle are absolutely essential to a healthy hormonal system,” which she explains in her book, Creating and


Maintaining Balance: A Woman’s Guide to Safe, Natural, Hormone Health. “The biochemistry of the body is based on vitamins and minerals. If we compromise food and lifestyle choices, we are not getting the nutrients necessary to have a healthy endocrine system.” Weight gain is a particular con- cern during perimenopause. In their book, From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, Dr. Randolph and Genie James, co-founders of the Natural Hormone Institute, advocate a specific eating plan to override belly fat and re- lated accumulating effects of excess estrogen. “In


perimenopause, progesterone produc- tion usually declines rapidly, more than 120 times faster than estrogen or testosterone production. That’s what aggravates the symptoms,” Randolph notes. “Because women in perimeno- pause are usually still menstruating, they think their hormones are okay.” “The more body fat you have, the more estrogen tips the hormonal imbalance,” says Lucille. “Those fat cells hold on to toxins and place more burden on the liver, making it unable to effectively metabolize those extra estrogens,” which are stored in body fat and brought into the body as xenoes- trogens. “At the end of the day, estrogen is a messenger, and its message is to tell cells to grow and proliferate. That’s what we don’t want.”


When estrogen becomes domi-


nant, several things happen, including a more rapid release of insulin from the pancreas, which triggers sugar crav- ings. “It’s not a willpower problem,” Randolph assures. “Too much estrogen causes you to pack on the pounds in the belly area, and belly fat produces more estrogen. It’s a vicious cycle.” Lucille considers perimenopause the opposite of puberty and counsels, “While we are dealing with these changes, bringing some hormones on board for a short time can be a valuable tool.” However, she cautions, replacing anything isn’t the issue. “You have to look at the big picture,” she avers. “Put-


natural awakenings May 2012 17


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