Estrogen has many wonderful qualities.
It creates our fertility, protects our health in myriad ways, and serves as a powerful anti-inflammatory. But we are very concerned about environmental estrogens. They’re another story entirely.
Awash in a sea of xenoestrogens
For the most part, our bodies are amazingly resilient. We are hard-wired to resist threats to our equilibrium. What our bodies are not designed for is exposure to the many endocrine disruptors in our environment, among them the family of chemicals known as xenoestrogens.Many of these xenoestrogens are proven carcinogens. They are also well known for their ability to damage the immune system and interrupt hormonal balance.
Our cells can’t always distinguish fully between our own estrogen and xenoestrogens. Every cell has estrogen receptors that recognize and open to the shape of an estrogen molecular chain, regardless of where it comes from.
Pesticides are perhaps the biggest source of xenoestrogens. Most bioaccumulate, meaning they are stored in fat cells of fish, poultry and other food sources in increasing concentration until they reach the top of the food chain — where you and I consume them! They are highly estrogenic, and some experts estimate that the average American ingests over a pound of pesticides a year.
A second major source of xenoestrogens is the many growth hormones given to livestock and poultry, most of which contain fat-soluble estrogens. When we consume those animals or their milk, we ingest that estrogen.
Organochlorides like dioxin (a by-product of chlorine when it is burned or processed), PCB’s, PVC’s, and some plasticizers are just a few of the many manmade chemicals that act like estrogen in our bodies. Many others have the effect of interrupting our normal endocrine function, hence the term “endocrine disruptors.”
Mainstream medicine is finally paying attention because xenoestrogens not only affect the cells of women, but those of men and children. Sperm counts have dropped by 50% in some studies, a significant factor in the epidemic of infertility. The age at which girls develop secondary sex characteristics (breasts and pubic hair) is also dropping.
It is not exactly clear what role endocrine disruptors as a whole have in the steady rise of chronic diseases in children (at earlier ages!), but studies are underway to evaluate this.
taken from www.womentowomen.com article on Estrogen Dominance
Dear readers of this blog,
I have been buying organic meat, (poultry, lamb, beef, pork), eggs and dairy products for almost ten years now, and although I also eat frozen prepared meals and at restaurants occasionally, I feel the best way to protect myself and the environment is to eat organic animal products. Being vegetarian is no longer an option for my health (did it for 8-9 years) because of my low blood sugar. A chinese acupunturist was the one to tell me my dizzy spells after eating brown rice and tofu were a sign I needed more animal protein.
Find out what is best for your body, and don't fall into 'trends'. Ayurvedic medicine has also helped me discover which foods are right for my body type (dosha), which includes mental and emotional states. Eating too much rice is not good for me either! There is no one 'cleanse' that will be healthy for everyone. I tried a grapefruit cleanse that my osteopath recommended, only to find out it was for 'kapha' dosha, not 'pitta' dosha types. Understandably, it did not agree with me.
Be your own best health advocate, do the research, find the health professionals that will give you the right advice, and do not depend on the medical establishment alone for information on menopause.
nameste,
jennifer
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Is this Menopause?
I don't know how many times I've heard that question - usually followed by a list of symptoms, physical or emotional, that make a woman wonder if, gee, at 42, I could be possibly experiencing menopause, at such a young age.
Often a trip to the doctor only confuses a woman, who has perhaps never missed a period yet, but is still wondering if the sleepless nights, or increased anxiety, or changes in her vaginal health, or lack of desire for sex, all these vague and indirect symptoms, could possibly be part of The Change. A doctor told my 42 year old friend during a pelvic examination that her uterus and vagina were young and healthy and she could still have more kids! (she already has 3, two teens and a seven year old, thank you very much!). You can't be in menopause, the doctor's say, you're too young!
But perimenopause can begin 10 years before you officially end menstruating. Some women begin in their late 30's! And at the very least, you should be aware that changes will be happening in your cycle in your early 40's - ovulation will be less regular, not 14 days after your last menstruation necessarily - my GP told me to be careful with contraception when I turned 40, because I could not count on my fertility period to be right in the middle of the cycle, it might begin the day after menstruating.
The other vague symptom that hits a lot of women in their 40's (way before they are thinking about menopause) is a desire to leave, to get away, to have more time alone to figure out where they are, who they are and what they want to do. You may call this a mid-life crisis, but it's not often a crisis - it's more likely an underlying angst, a questioning, the beginning of a quest for a self separate from all other relationships - mother, daughter, sibling, wife....
The need for a sabbatical from motherhood or marriage is never considered by most of us. We think the well of love and nurturing energy should be endless. It feels selfish to want to get away. To want to be alone. To fantasize a white room with no outside stimulation in which we could just be still, be quiet enough to hear our own voice.
And what would that voice tell us? That still, small voice so hard to hear in this busy, fast-paced world? It might shock us to think about leaving everything - but you may do as I did - and leave temporarily on retreat, then come back. Leave as often as you need to, and return. It doesn't have to be a year-long sabbatical. Maybe you just need an extended leave from being chief cook, bottlewasher and bread-winner (not to mention caring for aging parents, and in-laws).
So, yes, it could be menopause - or the beginnings of a 10-year long prep period - that is calling. It may be a call for self-care. It may be a wake-up call to prevent burn-out. It may be your body saying, whispering, cooing to you (or yelling): time for me, time for me to pay attention within, time for me to slow down and listen.
"When a woman stops doing she must learn how to simply be. Being is not a luxury; it is a discipline. The heroine must listen carefully to her true inner voice. That means silencing the other voices anxious to tell her what to do." The Heroine's Journey
Find that quiet space to do the questing in.
It is not a luxury. It is time.
take care
musemother
Often a trip to the doctor only confuses a woman, who has perhaps never missed a period yet, but is still wondering if the sleepless nights, or increased anxiety, or changes in her vaginal health, or lack of desire for sex, all these vague and indirect symptoms, could possibly be part of The Change. A doctor told my 42 year old friend during a pelvic examination that her uterus and vagina were young and healthy and she could still have more kids! (she already has 3, two teens and a seven year old, thank you very much!). You can't be in menopause, the doctor's say, you're too young!
But perimenopause can begin 10 years before you officially end menstruating. Some women begin in their late 30's! And at the very least, you should be aware that changes will be happening in your cycle in your early 40's - ovulation will be less regular, not 14 days after your last menstruation necessarily - my GP told me to be careful with contraception when I turned 40, because I could not count on my fertility period to be right in the middle of the cycle, it might begin the day after menstruating.
The other vague symptom that hits a lot of women in their 40's (way before they are thinking about menopause) is a desire to leave, to get away, to have more time alone to figure out where they are, who they are and what they want to do. You may call this a mid-life crisis, but it's not often a crisis - it's more likely an underlying angst, a questioning, the beginning of a quest for a self separate from all other relationships - mother, daughter, sibling, wife....
The need for a sabbatical from motherhood or marriage is never considered by most of us. We think the well of love and nurturing energy should be endless. It feels selfish to want to get away. To want to be alone. To fantasize a white room with no outside stimulation in which we could just be still, be quiet enough to hear our own voice.
And what would that voice tell us? That still, small voice so hard to hear in this busy, fast-paced world? It might shock us to think about leaving everything - but you may do as I did - and leave temporarily on retreat, then come back. Leave as often as you need to, and return. It doesn't have to be a year-long sabbatical. Maybe you just need an extended leave from being chief cook, bottlewasher and bread-winner (not to mention caring for aging parents, and in-laws).
So, yes, it could be menopause - or the beginnings of a 10-year long prep period - that is calling. It may be a call for self-care. It may be a wake-up call to prevent burn-out. It may be your body saying, whispering, cooing to you (or yelling): time for me, time for me to pay attention within, time for me to slow down and listen.
"When a woman stops doing she must learn how to simply be. Being is not a luxury; it is a discipline. The heroine must listen carefully to her true inner voice. That means silencing the other voices anxious to tell her what to do." The Heroine's Journey
Find that quiet space to do the questing in.
It is not a luxury. It is time.
take care
musemother
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Weight Gain and Menopause, a poem
Rose hips
In yoga class, surrounded by three walls
of mirrors, I cannot avoid my hips,
forty-nine-year-old bulging handles
wide at the wrong spot.
The truth about my hips: I find them
sturdy looking, square, front on,
but sideways they spread like sponges,
abundant woman fat, thick as butter on sliced
bread or baguettes bulging in the oven.
Bone on bone cracks as
I raise my legs, lying flat on the back.
Should soak these creaky hinges
in salt foam waves,
let my rose hips rise
like Aphrodite from the sea.
Perhaps a bath will perform some magic,
transform me into Venus
of Willendorf. Is it too much
goddess, to ask you
to bless my hips?
In yoga class, surrounded by three walls
of mirrors, I cannot avoid my hips,
forty-nine-year-old bulging handles
wide at the wrong spot.
The truth about my hips: I find them
sturdy looking, square, front on,
but sideways they spread like sponges,
abundant woman fat, thick as butter on sliced
bread or baguettes bulging in the oven.
Bone on bone cracks as
I raise my legs, lying flat on the back.
Should soak these creaky hinges
in salt foam waves,
let my rose hips rise
like Aphrodite from the sea.
Perhaps a bath will perform some magic,
transform me into Venus
of Willendorf. Is it too much
goddess, to ask you
to bless my hips?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Menopause Time to Slow Down
What is it about menopause that strikes fear into the hearts of 40 year old women, most of whom will enter peri-menopause without even noticing it?
According to ancient Indian wisdom about life and health, menopause is simply the third phase of life, after childhood and pro-creative years. Our bodies move out of productive mode for making children, and move into creativity of another sort. Often, in the transition, women are letting go of their primary role of caretakers and turning within to ask themselves questions about where they want to go from here. And how they can give back to the world with their special talents. (or discover what these talents are).
Menopause is a reflective time, a time to slow down and go within for the answers. All our lives, we've been doing what's expected of us, fulfilling our roles as spouses, mothers, workers, and relationship-keepers. Now, we feel a strong urge to reassess, re-examine, reflect on our relationships as well as our jobs and parenting roles.
Instead of fearing old age, and breaking out in cold sweats (or hot flashes) at the very mention of this Change, we can welcome the shift in focus from outer to inner, and help it along. If we've been burning the candle at both ends, short-changing our bodies and our self-care, there will be a wake-up call. If we have been ignoring our emotional needs and relegating our inner life to the back burner, there may be the smell of smoke as burn-out hits, or depression, or accumulated anger and tears.
But the closer we are to self-knowledge, to understanding and accepting what we feel and what we need, the smoother our shift or transition will be.
Now is the time to bring a sense of balance, serenity, and harmony into your life. Stop doing whatever makes you crazy, make the choices that you've been putting off. Accept the call to slow down and enjoy your life. Put yourself on your "to do list", somewhere near the top, not at the bottom.
Remember the oxygen mask on the plane - put in on yourself first, then on your children, spouse, co-workers.
Savour the wisdom of life, taste the pleasure of knowing who you are and what you want. If you're not there yet,, ask the right questions of your self, and wait for the answers - if you feel restless, and can't sleep at night, don't reach for the anti-anxiety medication until you've looked inside for the answers.
And if you need help, by all means, check out the different options available; there are so many books out there now on the pleasures of menopause,& the herbal allies for menopause. Ayurvedic medicine has a very natural approach to this stage of life, and is one way of finding balance through diet and lifestyle, without medication.
Be well,
musemother
ps check out previous entries by clicking on the labels to the left.
Highly recommend The Wisdom of Menopause, the Secret Pleasures of Menopause by CHristiane Northrup; also Susun Weed's New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.
According to ancient Indian wisdom about life and health, menopause is simply the third phase of life, after childhood and pro-creative years. Our bodies move out of productive mode for making children, and move into creativity of another sort. Often, in the transition, women are letting go of their primary role of caretakers and turning within to ask themselves questions about where they want to go from here. And how they can give back to the world with their special talents. (or discover what these talents are).
Menopause is a reflective time, a time to slow down and go within for the answers. All our lives, we've been doing what's expected of us, fulfilling our roles as spouses, mothers, workers, and relationship-keepers. Now, we feel a strong urge to reassess, re-examine, reflect on our relationships as well as our jobs and parenting roles.
Instead of fearing old age, and breaking out in cold sweats (or hot flashes) at the very mention of this Change, we can welcome the shift in focus from outer to inner, and help it along. If we've been burning the candle at both ends, short-changing our bodies and our self-care, there will be a wake-up call. If we have been ignoring our emotional needs and relegating our inner life to the back burner, there may be the smell of smoke as burn-out hits, or depression, or accumulated anger and tears.
But the closer we are to self-knowledge, to understanding and accepting what we feel and what we need, the smoother our shift or transition will be.
Now is the time to bring a sense of balance, serenity, and harmony into your life. Stop doing whatever makes you crazy, make the choices that you've been putting off. Accept the call to slow down and enjoy your life. Put yourself on your "to do list", somewhere near the top, not at the bottom.
Remember the oxygen mask on the plane - put in on yourself first, then on your children, spouse, co-workers.
Savour the wisdom of life, taste the pleasure of knowing who you are and what you want. If you're not there yet,, ask the right questions of your self, and wait for the answers - if you feel restless, and can't sleep at night, don't reach for the anti-anxiety medication until you've looked inside for the answers.
And if you need help, by all means, check out the different options available; there are so many books out there now on the pleasures of menopause,& the herbal allies for menopause. Ayurvedic medicine has a very natural approach to this stage of life, and is one way of finding balance through diet and lifestyle, without medication.
Be well,
musemother
ps check out previous entries by clicking on the labels to the left.
Highly recommend The Wisdom of Menopause, the Secret Pleasures of Menopause by CHristiane Northrup; also Susun Weed's New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.
Monday, February 9, 2009
New Menopausal Years Wise Woman Way
Review of The New Menopausal Years, the Wise Woman Way by Susun Weed:
I found this wonderful book near the end of my menopausal years, and although I know very little about herbs, have found it to be very useful. I appreciated the alphabetical formatting and listing of symptoms with their herbal and homeopathic remedies, but even more useful was the women's wisdom in these pages. Weed encourages women going through The Change to practice kindness towards themselves. The emphasis is not on denying or pushing away what you are feeling but on welcoming awareness and understanding. "Remedies here don't seek to eliminate these emotions or turn 'negative' ones into 'positive' ones but, in the Wise woman way to help you incorporate all of your feelings into your wholeness. "
The New Menopausal Years is full of inspiring pages to help women on their Journey of Menopause. Weed employs the persona of Grandmother Growth in italicized sections to give support, encouragement and advice; for example, see this exerpt on Emotional Uproar:
"Dear woman, sighs Grandmother Growth tenderly. "I see that Change has thinned the protective layers hiding your anger, your fears, your grief. yes, I see your hidden feelings and secret desires exposed a little more with each hot flash. You may think your feelings are out of proportion, too sharp, quite irrational, possibly insane. But I assure you, they are only raw from neglect.
"Receive them without judgement, nourish them, and your uncontrollable feelings during the menopausal years will lead you to the deepest heart of your own secrets. If you cannot tolerate those about you, leave. Go to the sheltering space of your cave. Claim your Crone's Year Away."
This was also one of the most comforting aspects of this book for me. Weed encourages women to take time alone, whenever possible, and to advise their friends and family that this is not a rejection of them but a 'claiming of yourself'. I found this to be very true, and once I read this I felt less like a crazy person for wanting to get away and be alone all the time. It is like I needed permission from someone to feel that way. Weed even describes a ritual one can perform to help ease into this phase of your journey. "I must take this journey alone. I ask now for your blessing on me as I begin my Change....I ask you to acknowledge my Crone's Time Away...."
How wonderful it would be if we could allow ourselves this transformation time, this busy interior growth time, without struggling and denying and repressing our needs as they arise because they don't seem to fit the pattern of 'good girl' or 'wife and mother' we have squeezed ourselves into all these years.
I also liked Weed's methodolgy, always gentle and non-invasive. In the chapters relating to symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal and bladder changes, migraines, heart palpitations, etc. the first step is always to listen in, and collect information from your body. Then, in Step 2, to engage the energy, she may suggest Bach flower remedies or massage, a ritual for claiming your boundaries or for blessing your belly; Step 3 is to find the remedy of choice to nourish and tonify, i.e. tinctures, herbs, homeopathic remedies or even yoga postures; Step 4 is Sedate or Stimulate - listing appropriate exercises, herbs and supplements; Step 5, and 6: if nothing else works, as a last resort, she will list the medical prescriptions or surgery usually recommended; and tell you if they are contra-indications.
I love the way Weed engages the energy in this book, and explodes the myth of the Crazy Crone by embracing the volcanic energy of the Kundalini rising:
"Root chakra energies - anger, sex, power - are hot subjects. And this Change called menopause fires the root chakra. Can you sit still in the midst of this rapidly vibrating energy? Can you dance with its searing touch? Oh granddaughter, what are you itching to do now that you are crowned Crone? What lights your passion? Shine, young Crone. Burn. And keep that energy moving so your inner heat doesn't dry you out."
Read this book, and weep with relief. Yes, you are going through major hormonal rebalancing. It is affecting every single part of your body, mind, heart and soul. And it is OK. Yes, you are in menopause, even if you are in your early forties. Yes, this is menopause but you are not alone, as Weed's kindly grandmotherly wise woman advice is here to calm you and help you feel better.
And remember, your authentic wise-woman self is waiting for you to grow Wise with her.
enjoy the ride, and let me know if you found this review helpful,
musemother
I found this wonderful book near the end of my menopausal years, and although I know very little about herbs, have found it to be very useful. I appreciated the alphabetical formatting and listing of symptoms with their herbal and homeopathic remedies, but even more useful was the women's wisdom in these pages. Weed encourages women going through The Change to practice kindness towards themselves. The emphasis is not on denying or pushing away what you are feeling but on welcoming awareness and understanding. "Remedies here don't seek to eliminate these emotions or turn 'negative' ones into 'positive' ones but, in the Wise woman way to help you incorporate all of your feelings into your wholeness. "
The New Menopausal Years is full of inspiring pages to help women on their Journey of Menopause. Weed employs the persona of Grandmother Growth in italicized sections to give support, encouragement and advice; for example, see this exerpt on Emotional Uproar:
"Dear woman, sighs Grandmother Growth tenderly. "I see that Change has thinned the protective layers hiding your anger, your fears, your grief. yes, I see your hidden feelings and secret desires exposed a little more with each hot flash. You may think your feelings are out of proportion, too sharp, quite irrational, possibly insane. But I assure you, they are only raw from neglect.
"Receive them without judgement, nourish them, and your uncontrollable feelings during the menopausal years will lead you to the deepest heart of your own secrets. If you cannot tolerate those about you, leave. Go to the sheltering space of your cave. Claim your Crone's Year Away."
This was also one of the most comforting aspects of this book for me. Weed encourages women to take time alone, whenever possible, and to advise their friends and family that this is not a rejection of them but a 'claiming of yourself'. I found this to be very true, and once I read this I felt less like a crazy person for wanting to get away and be alone all the time. It is like I needed permission from someone to feel that way. Weed even describes a ritual one can perform to help ease into this phase of your journey. "I must take this journey alone. I ask now for your blessing on me as I begin my Change....I ask you to acknowledge my Crone's Time Away...."
How wonderful it would be if we could allow ourselves this transformation time, this busy interior growth time, without struggling and denying and repressing our needs as they arise because they don't seem to fit the pattern of 'good girl' or 'wife and mother' we have squeezed ourselves into all these years.
I also liked Weed's methodolgy, always gentle and non-invasive. In the chapters relating to symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal and bladder changes, migraines, heart palpitations, etc. the first step is always to listen in, and collect information from your body. Then, in Step 2, to engage the energy, she may suggest Bach flower remedies or massage, a ritual for claiming your boundaries or for blessing your belly; Step 3 is to find the remedy of choice to nourish and tonify, i.e. tinctures, herbs, homeopathic remedies or even yoga postures; Step 4 is Sedate or Stimulate - listing appropriate exercises, herbs and supplements; Step 5, and 6: if nothing else works, as a last resort, she will list the medical prescriptions or surgery usually recommended; and tell you if they are contra-indications.
I love the way Weed engages the energy in this book, and explodes the myth of the Crazy Crone by embracing the volcanic energy of the Kundalini rising:
"Root chakra energies - anger, sex, power - are hot subjects. And this Change called menopause fires the root chakra. Can you sit still in the midst of this rapidly vibrating energy? Can you dance with its searing touch? Oh granddaughter, what are you itching to do now that you are crowned Crone? What lights your passion? Shine, young Crone. Burn. And keep that energy moving so your inner heat doesn't dry you out."
Read this book, and weep with relief. Yes, you are going through major hormonal rebalancing. It is affecting every single part of your body, mind, heart and soul. And it is OK. Yes, you are in menopause, even if you are in your early forties. Yes, this is menopause but you are not alone, as Weed's kindly grandmotherly wise woman advice is here to calm you and help you feel better.
And remember, your authentic wise-woman self is waiting for you to grow Wise with her.
enjoy the ride, and let me know if you found this review helpful,
musemother
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Recognizing a stroke and heart attack in women
I just read the signs of a stroke on the blog link below, from a woman who exchanges articles on her blog with me. Please check it out, it could save a life.
http://coolnewsforwomen.blogspot.com/
These are very simple things you can do. My father suffered two strokes that appeared innocuous at the time, a brief fainting spell in church, and tripping in the garden and lying there until my mother could come and get him (she was in the house and didn't hear him call). Later they did a brain scan and found out he had had these strokes. He did appear confused at the time, but it wasn't apparent just what was happening.
I think women in mid-age should be very aware of the differences in heart attack symptoms in women also.
Here's what was sent to me by email:
NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE
I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on!
Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction).
Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack ...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.
I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation---the only trouble wasthat I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.
After it seemed to subside, the next sensation wa s like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).
This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else ... but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.
I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics .... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in. I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St.Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like 'Hav e you taken any medications?') but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side-by-side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.
I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.'Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.'
1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Mallox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up ... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!
2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.
3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your sys tem to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
**Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends (male & female) you care about!**
http://coolnewsforwomen.blogspot.com/
These are very simple things you can do. My father suffered two strokes that appeared innocuous at the time, a brief fainting spell in church, and tripping in the garden and lying there until my mother could come and get him (she was in the house and didn't hear him call). Later they did a brain scan and found out he had had these strokes. He did appear confused at the time, but it wasn't apparent just what was happening.
I think women in mid-age should be very aware of the differences in heart attack symptoms in women also.
Here's what was sent to me by email:
NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE
I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on!
Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction).
Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack ...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.
I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation---the only trouble wasthat I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.
After it seemed to subside, the next sensation wa s like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).
This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else ... but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.
I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics .... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in. I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St.Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like 'Hav e you taken any medications?') but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side-by-side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.
I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.'Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.'
1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Mallox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up ... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!
2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.
3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your sys tem to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
**Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends (male & female) you care about!**
Monday, December 1, 2008
Estrogen dominance and environment
the following is an excerpt from an article written by doctors at the Women to Women web site (link below).
"Of all women experiencing symptoms of estrogen dominance, some with low levels of progesterone may do very well with progesterone supplementation, whereas others with normal progesterone levels may be better off focusing on changes that can normalize their estrogen or testosterone levels. How do you know where you fit in? The only way to really tell is to have your hormone levels checked and take action from there.
It is true that estrogen is often too high relative to progesterone. Most of us who have had PMS are familiar with this temporary form of excess estrogen. You can see by the chart above how progesterone levels gradually fall during the course of a regular menstrual cycle. In some women this drop may be more precipitous and cause symptoms of PMS.
During pre-menopause it’s common for estrogen levels to decrease slowly while progesterone levels plummet — a natural result of fewer ovulations, fewer burst follicles and less progesterone. This can cause many of our worst symptoms. (See our articles on menstrual cycles to learn more.)
Calling this state “estrogen dominance” is catchy but misleading. It implies there is one problem, which isn’t true; and not all women experience the condition anyway. And it implies there is one solution, which also isn’t true. Most of the tens of thousands of women we have treated for pre-menopause symptoms have suffered not from simple estrogen dominance but from a more fundamental disruption of the body’s ability to maintain hormonal balance. There are usually multiple causes, including stress, emotional factors, and the estrogen-like chemicals in our environment called xenoestrogens.
The truth is, healthy hormonal balance is complicated. It isn’t just a matter of not enough progesterone.
There’s no simple test for estrogen dominance. But if you have severe symptoms of PMS, pre-menopause or menopause that don’t respond to a program of increased support for your body within a month or two, you may have persistently higher than normal levels of estrogen. Let’s talk about why it’s important to pay attention to these symptoms.
What are the health consequences of estrogen dominance?
Another of Dr. Lee’s contributions was to raise women’s awareness of the profound connections between hormonal imbalance and health.
When estrogen levels are high in relation to our progesterone we experience many severe symptoms, among them anxiety, breast tenderness, cyclical headaches or migraines, irregular bleeding, water retention, weight gain and more. (Note that a number of these symptoms are also indicative of the exact opposite condition — a deficiency of estrogen — another example of why the concept of estrogen dominance is too simplistic.)
If estrogen levels stay unopposed, women may develop infertility, endometriosis, amenorrhea (skipped periods), hypermenorrhea (heavy bleeding), fibroids, uterine cancer, heart disease and stroke, and decreased cognitive ability, among other conditions.
And while we share many of the precepts set forth by Dr. Lee, we are less inclined to think of estrogen, even high levels of estrogen, as universally harmful. We believe every woman is unique, and what may cause harm in one may be fine for another. There have been studies and speculation for example about the connection between high levels of estrogen and breast cancer.
Estrogen has many wonderful qualities. It creates our fertility, protects our health in myriad ways, and serves as a powerful anti-inflammatory. But we are very concerned about environmental estrogens. They’re another story entirely.
Awash in a sea of xenoestrogens
For the most part, our bodies are amazingly resilient. We are hard-wired to resist threats to our equilibrium. What our bodies are not designed for is exposure to the many endocrine disruptors in our environment, among them the family of chemicals known as xenoestrogens.
Many of these xenoestrogens are proven carcinogens. They are also well known for their ability to damage the immune system and interrupt hormonal balance. Our cells can’t always distinguish fully between our own estrogen and xenoestrogens. Every cell has estrogen receptors that recognize and open to the shape of an estrogen molecular chain, regardless of where it comes from.
Pesticides are perhaps the biggest source of xenoestrogens. Most bioaccumulate, meaning they are stored in fat cells of fish, poultry and other food sources in increasing concentration until they reach the top of the food chain — where you and I consume them! They are highly estrogenic, and some experts estimate that the average American ingests over a pound of pesticides a year.
A second major source of xenoestrogens is the many growth hormones given to livestock and poultry, most of which contain fat-soluble estrogens. When we consume those animals or their milk, we ingest that estrogen. Organochlorides like dioxin (a by-product of chlorine when it is burned or processed), PCB’s, PVC’s, and some plasticizers are just a few of the many manmade chemicals that act like estrogen in our bodies. Many others have the effect of interrupting our normal endocrine function, hence the term “endocrine disruptors.”
Mainstream medicine is finally paying attention because xenoestrogens not only affect the cells of women, but those of men and children. Sperm counts have dropped by 50% in some studies, a significant factor in the epidemic of infertility. The age at which girls develop secondary sex characteristics (breasts and pubic hair) is also dropping. It is not exactly clear what role endocrine disruptors as a whole have in the steady rise of chronic diseases in children (at earlier ages!), but studies are underway to evaluate this.
taken from www.womentowomen.com artile on Estrogen Dominance
"Of all women experiencing symptoms of estrogen dominance, some with low levels of progesterone may do very well with progesterone supplementation, whereas others with normal progesterone levels may be better off focusing on changes that can normalize their estrogen or testosterone levels. How do you know where you fit in? The only way to really tell is to have your hormone levels checked and take action from there.
It is true that estrogen is often too high relative to progesterone. Most of us who have had PMS are familiar with this temporary form of excess estrogen. You can see by the chart above how progesterone levels gradually fall during the course of a regular menstrual cycle. In some women this drop may be more precipitous and cause symptoms of PMS.
During pre-menopause it’s common for estrogen levels to decrease slowly while progesterone levels plummet — a natural result of fewer ovulations, fewer burst follicles and less progesterone. This can cause many of our worst symptoms. (See our articles on menstrual cycles to learn more.)
Calling this state “estrogen dominance” is catchy but misleading. It implies there is one problem, which isn’t true; and not all women experience the condition anyway. And it implies there is one solution, which also isn’t true. Most of the tens of thousands of women we have treated for pre-menopause symptoms have suffered not from simple estrogen dominance but from a more fundamental disruption of the body’s ability to maintain hormonal balance. There are usually multiple causes, including stress, emotional factors, and the estrogen-like chemicals in our environment called xenoestrogens.
The truth is, healthy hormonal balance is complicated. It isn’t just a matter of not enough progesterone.
There’s no simple test for estrogen dominance. But if you have severe symptoms of PMS, pre-menopause or menopause that don’t respond to a program of increased support for your body within a month or two, you may have persistently higher than normal levels of estrogen. Let’s talk about why it’s important to pay attention to these symptoms.
What are the health consequences of estrogen dominance?
Another of Dr. Lee’s contributions was to raise women’s awareness of the profound connections between hormonal imbalance and health.
When estrogen levels are high in relation to our progesterone we experience many severe symptoms, among them anxiety, breast tenderness, cyclical headaches or migraines, irregular bleeding, water retention, weight gain and more. (Note that a number of these symptoms are also indicative of the exact opposite condition — a deficiency of estrogen — another example of why the concept of estrogen dominance is too simplistic.)
If estrogen levels stay unopposed, women may develop infertility, endometriosis, amenorrhea (skipped periods), hypermenorrhea (heavy bleeding), fibroids, uterine cancer, heart disease and stroke, and decreased cognitive ability, among other conditions.
And while we share many of the precepts set forth by Dr. Lee, we are less inclined to think of estrogen, even high levels of estrogen, as universally harmful. We believe every woman is unique, and what may cause harm in one may be fine for another. There have been studies and speculation for example about the connection between high levels of estrogen and breast cancer.
Estrogen has many wonderful qualities. It creates our fertility, protects our health in myriad ways, and serves as a powerful anti-inflammatory. But we are very concerned about environmental estrogens. They’re another story entirely.
Awash in a sea of xenoestrogens
For the most part, our bodies are amazingly resilient. We are hard-wired to resist threats to our equilibrium. What our bodies are not designed for is exposure to the many endocrine disruptors in our environment, among them the family of chemicals known as xenoestrogens.
Many of these xenoestrogens are proven carcinogens. They are also well known for their ability to damage the immune system and interrupt hormonal balance. Our cells can’t always distinguish fully between our own estrogen and xenoestrogens. Every cell has estrogen receptors that recognize and open to the shape of an estrogen molecular chain, regardless of where it comes from.
Pesticides are perhaps the biggest source of xenoestrogens. Most bioaccumulate, meaning they are stored in fat cells of fish, poultry and other food sources in increasing concentration until they reach the top of the food chain — where you and I consume them! They are highly estrogenic, and some experts estimate that the average American ingests over a pound of pesticides a year.
A second major source of xenoestrogens is the many growth hormones given to livestock and poultry, most of which contain fat-soluble estrogens. When we consume those animals or their milk, we ingest that estrogen. Organochlorides like dioxin (a by-product of chlorine when it is burned or processed), PCB’s, PVC’s, and some plasticizers are just a few of the many manmade chemicals that act like estrogen in our bodies. Many others have the effect of interrupting our normal endocrine function, hence the term “endocrine disruptors.”
Mainstream medicine is finally paying attention because xenoestrogens not only affect the cells of women, but those of men and children. Sperm counts have dropped by 50% in some studies, a significant factor in the epidemic of infertility. The age at which girls develop secondary sex characteristics (breasts and pubic hair) is also dropping. It is not exactly clear what role endocrine disruptors as a whole have in the steady rise of chronic diseases in children (at earlier ages!), but studies are underway to evaluate this.
taken from www.womentowomen.com artile on Estrogen Dominance
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