Rebalance Your Sex Hormones: Self-Care Plan
These two hormone-balancing foods should be included in your diet:
Whole traditional soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, miso, natto, and edamame
Ground flaxseeds, two tablespoons a day
Supplements for Sex-Hormone Balance
In addition to your basic supplement plan, this essential anti-inflammatory omega-6 fat (GLA or gamma linoleic acid) can help balance sex hormones:
Evening primrose oil, 1,000 mg twice a day
Herbs and Phytonutrients
The following herbs and phytonutrients can be particularly helpful for women coping with PMS or menopause.
For PMS
Chasteberry Fruit Extract
(Vitex Agnus-astus) can help balance the hormones released by the pituitary gland that control your overall hormone function. Studies of over five thousand women found it effective. Take 100 mg twice a day of a 10:1 extract.
DIM
(diindolylmethane) is a metabolite of indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Both are found naturally in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts and help improve the detoxification of your sex hormones. Take 100 mg twice a day with food.
For Menopause
Black cohosh (
Cimicifuga racemosa
): Black cohosh has been shown to significantly reduce hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, irritability, and related occasional sleeplessness. Take 20 mg of black cohosh extract (root and rhizome) twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
REBALANCE YOUR SEX HORMONES: MEDICAL-CARE PLAN
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TESTING YOUR SEX HORMONES
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Testing of blood, urine, or saliva can often be helpful in identifying hormonal imbalances such as too much or too little of various hormones. This can guide a doctor’s therapy.
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BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT
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Hormones interact directly with the brain and affect mood and cognition. Occasionally, despite lifestyle therapies, diet, exercise, stress reduction, nutrient supplementation, and herbs, hormone therapy can be lifesaving (as well as mood-and brain-saving).
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Only a physician knowledgeable and experienced with bioidentical hormone therapy should prescribe them. The
only
hormones that should be used are ones that are identical to those made by your body. They have very specific actions when they bind to their hormone receptors on your cells. Synthetic or animal hormones typically have unwanted side effects and dangers.
For menopause your doctor may try:
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Topical combinations of estradiol, estriol, progesterone, and testosterone, which are prepared by compounding pharmacies (see Resources for recommendations on how to find a doctor).
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My approach is to use the lowest dose possible to relieve symptoms, to use only bioidentical hormones, and to use them topically (vaginal, skin, under the tongue).
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Oral hormones should be used with as low a dose as possible and only when topical hormones are not effective.
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DHEA supplementation (see information on adrenal support in
chapter 28
).
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For severe cases of PMS not improved by diet, lifestyle, or supplements, your doctor may try:
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Topical, natural, bioidentical progesterone in the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle. The usual dose is one-half teaspoon (20 to 40 mg) applied at night to thin skin areas of your body for the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle.
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For men’s hormone balance your doctor may use:
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Testosterone—topical is ideal after measurement of your hormone levels and with ongoing monitoring of testosterone and PSA levels.
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DHEA supplementation (see adrenal support in
chapter 28
).
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