THE PAUSE BLOG
HORMONE YOUR WAY TO BEING PAUSE-AWESOME
If you are over forty and suffering from:
Weight Gain
Weight Loss Resistance
Sleep Disturbances
Anxiety
Low Moods
Loss of Interest to be Intimate
Loss of Motivation to be Social
Hot Flashes
Night Sweats
Your hormones are most likely in chaos.
In today's Pause Blog, I will introduce you to a supplement that naturally helps harmonize your hormones.
Recall there are four strands to The HOPE Protocol, a system designed to make us “Pause Awesome.”
Hormone Optimization
Organic Sustenance
Purification Protocols
Enlightenment Coaching
Today's blog, is teaching within the Hormone Optimization Strand of The HOPE Protocol.
During Phase One of The HOPE Protocol, our mission is to tame a condition called Estrogen Dominance.
ESTROGEN DOMINANCE
My definition of a woman paused–she has stopped ovulating.
My definition of a man paused–his testosterone has become too low.
"A simpler way to look at our pauses is that a woman suffers from low progesterone, and a man suffers from low testosterone."
Progesterone is indirectly a woman’s fat-burning hormone and the hormone that brings about happiness, sleep, and calmness.
Testosterone is a man’s fat-burning hormone and the hormone that brings about strength, the drive for sex, and the drive to be successful.
Estradiol is the feminine hormone. When it becomes dominant, it makes women and men feminine and overweight.
Estradiol is a very strong fat-storing hormone that stores fat in our breast, belly, and hip areas.
As estradiol augments these areas, the multiplying fat cells produce a hormone-converting enzyme called aromatase.
“Aromatase is an enzyme that converts progesterone and testosterone into estradiol.”
Estradiol begets breasts, bellies, and hips. These plumper parts beget estradiol, leading to even plumper breasts, bellies, hips, and so on and so on.
To tame estrogen dominance in a woman, we must balance progesterone and estradiol.
To tame estrogen dominance in a man, we must balance testosterone and estradiol.
The best way to do this is to raise progesterone levels in a woman and testosterone levels in a man while simultaneously losing the excess fat filled along with the aromatase enzyme that makes estradiol.
During Phase One of HOPE, the primary purpose behind taming Estrogen Dominance is…
“If we do not tame estrogen dominance, and we achieve our bottom/ideal/happy/healthy weight, we will gain our weight back.”
The next step we take to tame estrogen dominance is to test a herb called Vitex.
VITEX
Vitex is a plant that has been used in herbal medicine for centuries. It is also known as chaste tree or chasteberry.
It has been used for numerous medical conditions but is primarily known to help remedy hormonal problems caused by aging.
“Vitex has numerous uses in traditional medicine, and primary studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in decreasing menopausal complications. The fruit of this plant is administered as a treatment for menopausal complaints.”
When it comes to men in andropause, supplementing with Vitex should probably be avoided unless you are suffering from prostate problems.
Studies indicate that Vitex will reduce testosterone, and that is the last thing we want to do when andropausal.
Through the centuries, Vitex was used as a remedy for hyper-libido. The alternate name of Vitex is "chaste tree," and it is believed that its name came about because of its ability to suppress libido. Vitex was primarily used by monks.
What it really comes down to is that Vitex balances hormones.
“Vitex extract can increase the progesterone level and decrease the testosterone level…”
Vitex increases progesterone!
Wait! Isn't that the key to taming Estrogen Dominance in women?
As you may know, we misnamed Estrogen Dominance. When it comes to women, estrogen dominance should be called progesterone deficiency.
With Vitex’s ability to increase progesterone, it becomes an herb we should seriously consider.
Let’s first take a look at how Vitex increases progesterone levels.
Vitex increases luteinizing hormone (LH):
There is a hormone thermostat in your brain called the hypothalamus. When it sees that progesterone is low, it sends a messenger hormone to notify the pituitary gland, which then sends another messenger hormone called Luteinizing Hormone to the ovaries to produce more progesterone.
"Vitex stimulates the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormones, therefore causing us to produce more progesterone."
Vitex Inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH):
Follicular Stimulating Hormone is the messenger hormone that increases follicular production of estrogen. If you're in menopause, your ovaries no longer respond to FSH, and your brain will continue to release FSH in the hope estrogen is produced to the point of eliciting ovulation. Since FSH is increased when in menopause, doctors will test your FSH levels to determine if you are in menopause.
"Vitex inhibits FSH, therefore inhibiting the overproduction of estrogen."
Vitex reduces prolactin secretion.
High prolactin is known to cause hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Prolactin does several other actions, but we are looking at what it does during menopause. During menopause, if prolactin remains high for long periods of time, osteoporosis may also occur.
"Vitax has been shown to reduce menopausal increases of prolactin, therefore, decreasing hot flashes and vaginal dryness."
AGING
In earlier newsletters, I explained that oxidation causes us to age more quickly than we would like. Oxidation occurs when an imbalance occurs between oxidants and antioxidants. When there are more oxidants than antioxidants, our cells become damaged.
Oxidants are molecules missing an electron. Oxidants will steal an electron from our cell's interiors, causing cellular damage and mutation.
Antioxidants donate an electron to the oxidants, sacrificing themselves to protect our cells.
I recently ran across a great definition of aging. I would like to share it with you.
“…aging is correlated with immune system dysregulation; a deficiency in sex hormones; an increase in oxidative stress and the level of inflammatory cytokines; and the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and neurological dysfunction.”
I like this definition because it blankets all that encompasses aging. But when you get right down to it, oxidation is the main culprit of immune system dysregulation, a deficiency in sex hormones, the level of inflammatory cytokines, and the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and neurological dysfunction.
Since oxidation is what ages us, it's a great idea to flood our bodies with anti-oxidants.
“...the fruits and leaves of these Vitex plants were significantly capable of scavenging free radicals ( Rashed, 2013; Saklani et al., 2017), signifying that Vitex plants are potential sources of promising antioxidants.”
Research indicates that Vitex is a great antioxidant, and the more antioxidants there are in our bodies, the better we will age and live longer.
What I love about Vitex is that the research shows that it helps with most, if not all, the symptoms associated with being "paused" in our third act of life.
Oh, and when it comes to men, we may want to experiment with Vitex for these reasons.
“Vitex agnus-castus is also taken by mouth to increase the flow of urine in men, for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and for reducing sexual desire. Historians say that monks chewed chaste tree parts to make it easier to maintain their celibacy.”
RxList
VITEX DOSAGES
“Vitex agnus-castus dried fruit extract has most often been used by adults in doses of 3.2-40 mg by mouth daily for up to 6 months. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.”
WebMD
Always speak with your healthcare provider before taking any supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs.
When starting a new supplement, my wife and I always follow the directions on the bottle.
I have provided an Amazon Link to investigate Vitex.
Don't Forget To
DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AND FEEL GREAT WHILE "PAUSED"?
TALK TO ME!
I will tell you precisely what you need to do and prove it.
I will tell you everything you must do in one FREE coaching session. It will take about forty-five minutes, so choose a time when you will not be interrupted. And don't worry; this session is not a pitch for you to become a client because my roster is currently full.
I will tell you precisely what you need to eat to lose weight as a menopausal woman or an andropausal male. It's not a diet. You can eat one to six meals daily and still lose weight when you know what you can eat. There are no counting calories, and there are no pre-packaged meals. I will also tell you how to balance your hormones naturally.
Say, YES! To being "Pause Awesome!"
If you like this newsletter or have any questions, visit me at my Doc Mac Facebook Page and let me know that you liked it. I'd greatly appreciate it.
If you have any questions, you can ask there.
Don't Forget To Rate This Blog Post By Giving The Appropriate Amount of Stars
THIS WEEK'S US-IE
This past weekend, Vicky and I made our third act awesome by attending a crab and wine function at a local winery. You can't beat crab and wine.
And remember...
"IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR HORMONES!"
"Because when your hormones are balanced, your weight, health, and mind will follow."
❤️ Doc
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Furthermore, none of the statements within this post should be construed as dispensing medical advice or making claims regarding the cure of diseases, nor can these products prevent disease. You should consult a licensed healthcare professional before starting any supplement, dietary, or exercise program, especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing injuries or medical conditions. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases.