It’s hard to believe that one day you feel great emotionally and then the very next day or very next moment you can feel depressed, irritable, and often “flying off the handle” so to speak. Having these swings not only creates an incredible amount of stress to an already stressful, busy life, but it makes you feel guilty and half-crazy!  The important thing to understand is that there are several types of “mood problems” that can be easily reduced or eliminated by balancing important brain chemicals.

 

Julia Ross, author of the Mood Cure, one of my most favorite, well respected nutritional practitioners, has years of success in treating mood related problems using simple amino acid supplement replacement, according to the brain chemicals that are off balance.  At Ventana Wellness integrative medicine clinic, we have had tremendous success in treating these imbalances; once we understand where the deficit lies.

 

The mood imbalances must first be defined! Here are the four mood imbalances according to Julia Ross.

• The Dark Cloud of Depression
  If you’re high in serotonin – you’re positive, confident, flexible, and easy-going.
  If you’re sinking in serotonin – you’ll tend to become negative, obsessive, worried, irritable, and sleepless.
• The Blahs
  If you’re high in catecholamines – you’re energized, upbeat, and alert.
  If your catecholamines have crashed – you’ll sink into a flat apathetic funk.
• Anxiety and Stress
  If you’re high in GABA – you’re relaxed and stress-free.
  If there’s a gap in your GABA – you’ll be wired, stressed, and overwhelmed.
• Oversensitive Feelings
  If you’re high in endorphins – you’re full of cozy feelings of comfort, pleasure, and euphoria.
  If you’re near the end of your endorphins – you’ll be crying during commercials and overly sensitive to hurt.  Julia Ross, “The Mood Cure”

So as you can see it is vital that the brain is balanced just right to insure that you have the correct amount of each of the above to feel well emotionally.

Other very important factors in balancing the brain are to pay attention to what you are eating!  Amino acids are building blocks to brain chemicals needed for the optimal balance.  Without these foods in your diet or eating too many foods that cause your blood sugar to be unstable will leave you feeling terrible, quickly!

Here is a diet “to do list” for those who would like to control their emotions better!

1. Eat breakfast; the brain is fueled best by a steady stream of glucose, and wonderful studies have been done to show that skipping breakfast reduces your performance at work and also for kids in school.
2. Start eating a combination of good low sugar-high fiber carbs; like fruits, veggies, high fiber breads or wraps, with at low fat proteins (essential for brain chemical production) like turkey, chicken, beans,  eggs, cottage cheese, and some good healthy fats, like nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, etc. at each meal.
3. Eat every 4 hours and do not let your blood glucose drop; waiting too long will cause you to eat all of the wrong foods, make your feel tired and irritable, and most likely create more of the behaviors you are trying to get away from.
4. STOP THE SUGAR!! Cut out sugary drinks, sugary desserts, excessive packaged foods-laden with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and eat WHOLE foods instead – your brain will love it! 
5. Watch your sleep patterns. Sleep is restorative – you need to sleep to make brain chemicals. Most people need at least 8 hours of sleep to regenerate their brain and nervous system to feel emotionally balanced. If you are awake for 20 hours straight, your abilities are equivalent to someone who is legally drunk!  Even two or three late nights in a row or early mornings, can leave you suffering the effects of poor brain function. Get your sleep!!
6. Supplements that help the brain are:
   1. Amino Acids: (must be advised on these according to your personal needs) L-Tyrosine, L-Arginine, L-Glutamine, L-Lysine
   2. Fish Oil, Borage Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, or Cod Liver Oil supplements
   3. SAM-E
   4. GABA
   5. 5-HTP (should be used with direction if already on antidepressants)
   6. Vitamin B-complex (very important for brain chemical production)
7. Get your exercise; the number one antidepressant is exercise. Try to break a sweat daily!  Even more gentle exercises like Yoga, can do wonders for your brain! Researches at UCLA reported that the poses in Yoga; particularly the poses bending over backwards are the best way to get a mental/emotional “lift”
8. Stay positive with your self-talk. You will become what you tell yourself you are! Please do not feed yourself words that lead you down the wrong path! Even if you don’t believe positive words about yourself; say it anyway, eventually you will!

Good luck on your journey to a great brain and a better mood!

Best of health, Nisha

 

 

 

 

Women in ever-increasing numbers are seeking alternatives to traditional healthcare—and for good reason. Imagine a woman between thirty-five and sixty. A spare tire is developing around her middle, and bags have made unwelcome appearances beneath her eyes. Hot flashes come and go throughout the day, and night sweats interrupt her sleep. She is exhausted, can’t seem to concentrate, and alternates between depression and flying off the handle. Upset and anxious, she seeks help for the unpleasant physical and emotional changes that are crowding the good times out of her life.  After a physical exam and a few questions, to her dismay her medical provider suggests that what she’s going through is perfectly normal: –menopause—and the disagreeable symptoms she is experiencing are part and parcel of getting older, which of course is not what you want to hear.

So…How Do Hormones Tip out of Balance?

Let’s start with the basics. Hormones are essential to life. They are chemical

connectors to the brain, muscles, sex organs, and virtually every part of the

body. If you were suddenly without the intricate communication conducted

via hormones, you would quickly die. As it is, a missed message, a broken connection,

or unclear communication from one hormone to another can cause

an imbalance, upsetting the whole shebang. As early as a woman’s mid-thirties, a drop in estrogen or progesterone, or a break in the ovulation cycle, can cause the domino effect of mood instability, weight gain, skin problems, and many other changes. Despite the fact that just about every woman knows she will eventually experience menopause, these changes can come as unpleasant surprises.  In addition diet, stress, sleep patterns, environmental toxins, and genetics can create a hormone chaos that will leave you feeling terrible for years to come.

Hormonal Highs and Lows

So something happens, whether it’s stress, diet, or medications—or a genetic

predisposition—and your hormones either revert to a normal state or they

don’t. It depends on how healthy you are to begin with. The key is to take care

of yourself so you’re not as susceptible to inevitable hormone fluctuations. Even

though much of what happens in life is beyond your power, you can control

what you eat, how much you exercise, how many hours you sleep, and whether you use vitamin and herbal supplements. In menopause, (or early menopause) some women adjust to the chronically low levels and some (most) do not.  Let’s take a look at the female sex hormones and what they do.

Estrogen

There are hundreds of estrogen receptors throughout the body. This amazing hormone maintains blood-sugar levels and protects against osteoporosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer, Parkinson’s disease, incontinence, and tooth loss. Estrogen receptors are also plentiful in the brain, where they help the brain cells make connections, allowing

our mind to stay sharp, our memory to be sound, and our emotions to remain stable. 

Progesterone

One of its most important jobs is to prevent excess estrogen. Progesterone and estrogen give the best effect when they are balanced, which in turn creates fewer bleeding problems and more equilibrium going into menopause.  Progesterone, or the lack thereof, begins to wreak havoc for women when the levels in the second half of the cycle are not prominent. Progesterone is the mood hormone, a low progesterone level paves the way for PMS symptoms and emotional imbalance. In menopause, women are chronically progesterone deficient, predisposing them to mood instability and depression.

 

Testosterone

Testosterone is known as the forgotten hormone, especially in menopause, as

many medical providers do not pay attention to the signs of its decline.

Menopausal and perimenopausal women who have fatigue, muscle atrophy,

weakness, low libido, and low sexual sensation often have low testosterone

Present in both men and women, testosterone is produced in small

amounts by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. Although men naturally make

50 percent more testosterone than women, it is a vital hormone that women

rely on for energy, vitality, sex drive, and endurance.

Why Test Your Hormones?

Hormone testing is the best way to establish a baseline. Although the

“normal” values may change for each patient—and not every woman fits within

ranges that are somewhat artificial—testing still provides a guideline from which

the treatment plan is created and tested against in the future. Fortunately, information

about hormone testing is getting out, and women are asking for it. As a result,

more and more medical providers are learning how to test and interpret

hormone levels so that women can take control of their symptoms.

Each Woman Is Unique

Individuality is the name of the game with women’s hormone testing and

treatment. Even though women may have similar complaints, each has her own

hormone profile, unique responses to treatment, and a singular lifestyle to which

the program must be adapted. I have learned that the one-size-fits-

all approach definitely does not apply, and I frequently remind patients

that hormone balancing is a science and an art. Women often come to my

office with their lives broken into fragments. We work as partners to fit the

pieces back together so that the woman eventually sees her physical and

emotional sides merge as a harmonious whole. Many women who have had successful testing and hormonal intervention have been able to stop other medications prescribed to clear up problems stemming from hormonal imbalances. 

If you have obvious hormone changes and have not been able to find the right solutions, consider visiting my website for more information and details on how to get on the path for excellent hormone balance!

 

Good luck on your journey!

Nisha Jackson

So many of you faithful readers are already thinking about what you can do after Summer ends to get yourself back on track and feeling better BEFORE the Holiday’s arrive…

 

Summer has a way of getting us all off schedule; with staying up late, eating too much junk, and cramming way too much into our daily routine…

 

If you need a jump start… Consider the 12 week program to Self Balance; it works!

 

THE 12 WEEK BALANCE YOURSELF PLAN

 

Week #1

Food Food Food

If you want to immediately start feeling more energy, less cravings, less pain, better memory, improved mood and re-shaping of your body……

Then you must change your diet.

 

Start with eating the “breakfast of champions”

Include protein (about 14 – 21 grams) at breakfast; 2 – 3 eggs

High fiber carbohydrate: fruit, ½ slice of whole grain toast

Green Tea

 

Eat every four hours during the day

 

Avoid all sugar; read labels

4 grams of sugar = 1 tsp of sugar

Coke has about 11 tsp of sugar in one can

 

Stop eating 2 to 3 hours before bed

 

 

Week #Two

Start dropping excessive sugary or starchy carbohydrates;

No more than 1-2 per day

Begin drinking water 1 gallon per day with

6 oz of unsweetened cranberry juice

Start your day with fresh lemon in hot water for detox

 

                                                                                                                                   

Week # Three

Add supplements to your daily plan

Calcium Magnesium (liquid/citrate)

B-complex (high potency)

Flax Seeds or Flax Oil or Fish Oil

Add a handful of nuts to your diet daily

Begin walking/cycling/climbing/dancing for 20 min. Mon Wed Fri

 

Week # Four

Add protein to each meal at least 14 grams for women

Or 21 grams for men

 

Try to eat protein, good high fiber carbohydrate,

And good fat like nuts or olive oil or avocados at each meal.

 

Consider having a hormone evaluation for added balance;

If you are suffering from hormone related symptoms.

 

 

Week # Five

Start spending 10 min per day closing your eyes and relaxing;

 Breathing in for 6 counts holding for 3 counts and exhaling for 7-8 counts.

 

Eliminate things on your to do list that do not absolutely have to be there

 

Begin your day with three stretches to wake up your body

 

Organize your week one day during the week – have a game plan for success

 

Week # Six

 

Increase your walking to five days per week

 

Add weight resistance training – like rubber bands to build muscle

 

Week # Seven

Start changing your language to yourself

I am healthy

I am doing all of the right things to get control of my life

I am beautiful

I am strong

I am clear minded

Let go of negativity – It will set you back weeks

 

Week # Eight

Take a personal contact inventory

Who are the people that surround you and how do they influence you?

 

Energizers      Neutrals         Drainers

 

Work to reduce the drainers in your life and seek to find more energizers

 

Week # Nine

 

Concentrate on planning

 

Spend 5 min each night to get your food together for you and your family

Set out what you want to fix for dinner (2 min)

Set out your lunch bag and some of the food

 

Keep higher protein snacks in reaching distance

Cut up veggies and have in baggies in frig (do this on Sunday or once/week)

Keep nuts on the counter

 

Week # Ten

Increase weight resistance training to three days per week

 

Keep cardio at five to six days per week

 

If you like resistance training more you can flip flop them

 

Or for more fat-burning add 20 min of brisk walking to evenings

 

Week # Eleven

If cravings are an issue for you; start supplements

 

Chromium Picolinate 200-400mcg before each meal

L-glutamine 1000mg before each meal

 

Make sure you are eating every 4 hours or at least 4 times per day with enough protein

Drink water all day

 

Sugar cravings = low blood sugar

Salt cravings = low water intake

 

Week # Twelve

Putting it all together

Eating

Relaxation/Meditation/Positive Focus

Exercise

Supplements

Hormone Balance

 

Good luck on your Wellness Journey!

Nisha

Some of you out there might need to re-fill your tool chest with “symptom-relief” options for Menopausal or Perimenopausal side effects or concerns…. Consider the following “fast-track” symptom control plan!

 

Hot Flashes/ Night Sweats

• Black Cohosh 40mg daily
• Vitamin E 400- 800 IU daily
• Evening primrose oil 1000-2000mg/day
• Flax seed, meal or oil 2-3 Tablespoons or 4-8 capsules
• Reduce caffeine, stress, alcohol, hot beverages and spicy foods
• Dress in layers, use fans, drink cold beverages
• Paced respiration at onset of hot flash (slow, deep abdominal breathing)
• Exercise daily, avoid smoking

Mood/ Depression

• 5HTP 50-100 mg at bedtime B-complex orally, sublingual drops, or injection in AM
• Progesterone 20-60 mg at bedtime, topically (have levels drawn to make sure dose is right)
• St. Johns Wort
• GABA 250mg twice daily for anxiety
• Daily Exercise and balanced diet

Fatigue

• Consistently get 7-9 hours of sleep
• Go to sleep by 10 pm.
• B-complex orally, sublingual drops, or injection
• Daily exercise. You will sleep better and have more energy.
• Improve diet. Do not skip meals, eat low fat protein at each meal, and limit sugar and simple carbohydrates.

Insomnia

• Decrease alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulants
• Develop a bedtime ritual (bath, relaxing music, reading)
• Herbal teas (chamomile, passion flower, lemon balm, sleepy time)
• Daily exercise and balanced diet.
• Sleep support supplement “End Fatigue/Sleep” a great natural supplement for improving sleep.
• 5HTP 50-100mg in the evening, valerian root, or melatonin 1-3mg nightly. (can be purchased here)

Libido

• Take care of yourself and your relationship. Feeling good physically and emotionally is important for libido.
• Set aside time to be intimate.
• L-Arginine 1500mg/night improves blood flow to the genitals.
• Have hormones checked, as DHEA or Testosterone levels could be low.

Weight Gain

• Daily exercise for 30-60 minutes
• Improve diet; less bread/starches; more fruit veggies, and fiber, protein with each meal and NO sugar!
• Chromium Picolinate 200mg 2-3x/day for blood sugar balance.
• Memory loss/ mental fog

• Adequate sleep and balanced diet
• Exercise daily
• Keep your mind active: take a class, do crossword puzzles, read
• Fish Oil 3000mg daily
• L-Carnitine 750-1000mg daily on empty stomach
• B-Complex drops or capsules daily after breakfast

 

All supplements listed can be purchased on line through ventanawellness.com with FREE SHIPPING!  ( Free shipping applies to orders over $50.00)

 

Have a hormone balanced day!

Nisha

Isn’t summer wonderful? I love the sun and have loved it a bit too much over the years, not paying enough attention to what it was doing to my skin!

I have become increasingly interested in an environmental working group that takes a very close look at products on the market today with respect to their potential hazard to our bodies.

One such area that this group has researched quite intensely is sunscreens!

The topic of sun and how much sun we need to support our Vitamin D levels in our bodies, in order to stay well and help prevent a host of medical problems, including cancer is a subject becoming quite popular.

I want to make sure my patients and others have the best possible up-to-date advice they can get about this and other topics that might dispute what the medical community may have recommended in the past. I personally really try not to do the typical “knee-jerk” decision that we often do in medicine and just completely dismiss something when we find out that maybe it’s not as good for us as we originally thought; because down the road, it turns out there is more to the story???

Take sunscreens for example…

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) www.ewg.com has looked at over 500 name brands of sunscreens. They were looking at these brands to make sure that they actually contained the stated amount of sunscreen protectant and did indeed provide adequate protection, but also looked at the possibility of these sunscreens containing harmful chemical or additives that would be immediately absorbed into our system after applying them to our skin (skin being a very absorbent organ of our body.)

Here are the brands that they are recommending that will provide protection without the harmful chemicals:

California Baby - any sunscreen

Mustela - “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”

Mission Skincare - “Face Stick”

Neutrogena - “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”

Blue Lizard - “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”

Jason Natural or Earth’s Best - “Mineral Based”

Solar Sense - “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”

CVS - “Sport Sunstick”

Coppertone Water BABIES - “Pure & Simple”

I also want to leave you with a few tips they have provided on their website for consumers that I feel is excellent advice on taking care of your skin…

Avoid mid-day sun (at its peak) 10am – 4pm

Consider your own shade; bring a hat, wear clothes that can cover you up if necessary, and wear protective glasses!

Purchase sunscreen with at least SPF of 30 or higher

Purchase sunscreen with at least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection.

Avoid Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3; as these chemicals can cause hormone disruption, skin allergies and are heavily absorbed through the skin

Do not use spray or powder sunscreens as these can be inhaled and pose additional risks to your health.

Avoid sunscreen with bug repellent: this will cause you to get too much pesticide into your body; which is harmful to your system.

Avoid fragrance added to sunscreens: which can cause reproductive changes and interference.

Reapply sunscreen often!

Wear a moisturizer under the sunscreen for added protection to your skin.

Wear an SPF lip balm to protect against lip cancer

Have fun in the sun… you deserve it!

Blessings and Light,

Nisha

My memory is horrible! I sometimes walk into the bathroom and forget why I am there… What’s wrong with me?

Oh, if I had a dime for every time I heard this from a woman; or even for the times I’ve wondered it myself!

The point is… if you’ve been worrying about your memory lately, you’re NOT alone!

So many of us stress junkies, just have too much “stuff” on our plates today to even think straight anymore. I truly believe that we were NOT designed to have this much information going in and out of our brains as we do every day. It’s no wonder; we all get a bit brain-jumbled at times.

The reality is… that most of us ARE NOT willing to change our lifestyle of “busyness” or put off the zillions of things we have on our to-do lists to put a stop to this craziness… SO if that sounds like you, then listen up and learn how to best equip yourself with the “brain amour” needed to get to the top of your game mentally and quit looking like such a dork every time you forget where you laid those dang keys!

Here is your brain game plan…

B-complex –start it now and don’t stop taking it. Take a super B-complex (the one on my site used under the tongue is excellent!) The manufacturing of most brain chemical are dependent on adequate B-vitamins in your system. Folic acid also helps to reduce homocysteine levels which is a toxic amino acid linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Remove the crud in your diet that is causing brain fade… All foods that cause inflammation, will cause you to have foggy thinking… sugars, processed foods, sugary drinks, food additives, preservatives, basically you should be eating foods that are not ‘man-made’ but rather, foods that are whole, natural and from the ground; or untouched by a factory.

Take Ginkgo. This supplement has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, reduce the effects of dementia and slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s.

Consider Acetyl - L-Carnitine for the brain! This amino acid supplement works great to give you brain a re-boot! It works fast and is extremely effective for re-call and brain energy! After the age of 40, this supplement should be used regularly!

Phosphatidyl Serine or PS- this supplement is considered brain cell nourishment! Taking this supplement not only helps memory and concentration, but it has been shown to slow the negative age-related effects of the brain.

Get your hormones checked, loss of estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones can have a devastating effect on memory and concentration. Make sure you see someone that can adequately evaluate your levels and get you back on the right track.

Don’t let your brain-fog get out of control! Take action and get back into the groove… it’s never too late!

Blessings and Light!

Nish

The question came from a patient who was scheduled to see a gynecological surgeon later that week. She was due to have a hysterectomy in order to resolve years of irregular bleeding, along with the development of fibroids, and ovarian cysts. However, this particular patient had never received any hormone testing or a history of hormone balancing provided for her prior to the scheduling of this radical surgical procedure.

The question came at a unique time, and although I would not change my answer today from what I’ve told women for years about the removal of the ovaries; we now have a recent study that backs up my recommendation.

A study in the May 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, made a strong argument against the advice often given to women facing this same prognosis in favor of removing the ovaries was made.

Most physicians have taken the route that removing the ovaries at the time of hysterectomy will help to save the woman from having ovarian cancer later in life. This advice of course is typically well received by women, as ovarian cancer is one of the most feared cancers by women today. But the reality is that ovarian cancer accounts for only 3% of all cancers and only 1% of all deaths by women. It is a rare cancer.

The study recently released showed that women who had a hysterectomy with ovaries removed before the age of 50 nearly doubled their risk for heart disease and stroke. In addition, the women who choose to have a hysterectomy and ovaries removed before age 50 increased their risk of premature death by 40%!

My answer to this does not always work; but if we can help balance hormones, when problems arise, and reverse hormonally imbalanced women who are suffering from estrogen dominant problems such as fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, PCOS, irregular bleeding, endometriosis, etc, then the need to remove the ovaries at some point should be less of a concern and ultimately reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and premature death!

Women need to be tested and have options! Getting hormonally balanced before a hysterectomy can be a very positive option for women often resolving their symptoms.

Blessings and Light!

Nisha

Stress Glands…. We all have them, but not everyone has healthy ones! There are so many things you can do if you find yourself just not dealing well with stress these days. There is a cascade of events that often occur when someone has “outdone” their stress glands and you might be one of these people that need this information! Consider the following suggestions and education about Adrenal Fatigue…. Today’s Stress Syndrome!

What is Adrenal Fatigue? The adrenal glands are known as the stress glands located on top of each kidney. They produce many hormones; including the flight or fight hormones that are produced when under stress. Our bodies are not made to withstand excessive production of these hormones, adrenaline and Cortisol, but unfortunately so many people today are exposed to chronic, non-stop stress. The overproduction of these hormones over time; causes the adrenals to either begin overproducing stress hormones or under-producing them; leading to a multiple symptoms that can affect the entire body. The body can help heal itself with a specific plan aimed at down-regulating stress -especially emotional stress. Making serious diet, sleep, supplement, and lifestyle changes can significantly improve how you feel quickly. Testing is also available for this.

Common symptoms: Fatigue or exhaustion, frequent illnesses, anxiety, muscle aches, depression, reduced memory, difficulty concentrating, insomnia or wakefulness, inability to lose weight, low sex drive, skin problems, food cravings, lightheaded, dry skin, hair loss, heart palpitations, anxiety, irritability, digestive problems, over-reaction to stress, nervousness.

Causes: Chronic stress is the number one cause of adrenal fatigue. This stress can be caused by: Social stress: financial, marital, familial, loneliness, anger (the worst kind of stress,) lack of sleep or chronic insomnia, chronic illness or infection, chronic pain depression, poor diet, including excessive sugar, alcohol, or caffeine, gluten intolerance or other digestive problems, use of multiple prescription drugs including history of recreational drug use.

Treatment:

· Remove Stressors: Take the time each day to identify emotional or situational stressors that you can eliminate.

· Stress Relief: Laughter, time with supportive friends, deep breathing, rest breaks. Take 10-30 minutes once or twice daily to lie down and close your eyes, and/or practice deep breathing. Breathing helps lower stress hormones!

· Sleep: Get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. It is important to go to sleep by 10 p.m. because our adrenals do most of their work to repair the body between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. Avoid caffeine which may interrupt sleep patterns. And if you are photosensitive, avoid computers and TV after 8 p.m.

· Exercise: 20-30 minutes per day. Include aerobic (cardiovascular), anaerobic (weights and resistance), and flexibility (stretching or yoga). Do not overdo it; do not overstress your body with excessive exercise.

· Diet: Diet should consist of 20-25 percent whole grains, 30-40 percent vegetables; 10-15 percent beans, nuts and seeds, 10-20 percent meat and daily, 10-15 percent good fat and 5-10 percent whole fruits.

*Eat meals and snacks every four to five hours when you are awake.

*Do not skip breakfast, EVER! Try to eat 14-21 g protein at each breakfast.

*Use sea salt in place of traditional salt.

*Limit or eliminate sugary or empty calorie drinks such as juice, soda, and alcohol.

*Avoid sugary foods and processed foods, especially those with hydrogenated oils that produce trans fats.

*Avoid caffeine. Eat as many colorful veggies and fruits as you can regularly throughout the day.

· Supplements:

*Adrenal support supplement – excellent supplement for chronic stress (2 each AM)

*Seriphos: for restoring sleep and getting high levels under control (2 each PM)

*Pregnenalone 25-50mg taken at night for sleep and restoring memory and restfulness

*High P\potency B-complex, liquid drops or capsules; taken daily with breakfast

*Natural vitamin E, 400 mg/day; taken each AM

*Vitamin C, 2000-4000mg daily with meals

*DHEA, 10-25 mg/day (typically up to 25mg for women and up to 50mg for men)

*Phenylalanine (DLPA), 1,500-2,250 mg/day

*Pantothenic acid, 1,000-1,500 mg/day

*Licorice root. Monitor blood pressure if hypertensive. This can be very helpful in reviving energy!

*Calcium, 800-1,200 mg/day Magnesium, 400 mg/day

So… don’t stress yourself out by trying to implement all of the above suggested remedies. Think about maybe one you can add or try this week and each week tackle or incorporate another; so that you become healthier over time and not more stressed with more things piled up on your “to-do” list!

Healthy Stress Glands… here we come!

Nisha

Honestly…is there anything worse than not being able to sleep. That just throws me into a full-on panic! I have put together a list of helpful hints, for a better nights sleep!

How to Sleep Better and Prevent Insomnia

Why do we need to sleep?

c We need the repair that sleep provides for our bones and muscles.

c During sleep, important hormones are released, which are critical to vitality and overall growth development—human growth hormone in particular.

c The productivity that sleep returns is well worth the investment that you make in getting adequate sleep. c Sleep provides emotional balance.

c Sleep boosts natural energy.

c Sleep enhances brain function and memory.

c Sleep creates a more relaxed state, reduces cortisol output (stress hormone), and promotes calmer reactions to “stress events.”

Common causes of insomnia:

c Hormonal changes—ovary, thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, etc.

c Obesity or weight gain over time.

c Drug, alcohol, or tobacco abuse—alcohol disrupts the quality of sleep.

c Excess caffeine or other stimulants—sodas, coffee, tea, chocolate, metabolic or energy boosters with phenlpropanolamine, herbs with ephedra, weight-loss and herbal products that contain gotu kola, and other stimulants. Caffeine has a prolonged effect as you age.

c Medical disorders: COPD, asthma, diabetes, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, c chronic pain, and many others.

c Medications: allergy and cold medications, some antihistamines and decongestants, high blood pressure (antihypertensive), heart disease (beta blockers), as well as asthma and pain medications (containing caffeine).

c Life stress, persistent worries, bereavement, post-traumatic stress disorders.

c Poor sleep habits—making your bed a second home office doesn’t help you relax.

c Watching TV or staring at a computer screen before bed. The brightness of the screen “wakes you up”!

c Chronic stress; causing your stress hormones to go into overdrive…leading to “adrenal fatigue.”

Recommendations for restoring natural sleep:

c Try the all-natural Ventana Wellness Sleep Formula to assist in breaking poor sleeping habits.

c The supplement called 5HTP; this increases serotonin levels, which can improve mood and sleep.

c Consider a short-acting non-addictive sleeping agent such as “Sonata” or “Ambien” to enhance sleep and break the insomnia cycle. Available by prescription.

c Restore hormone balance. Reduced estrogen and progesterone levels lead to insomnia.

c Develop a bedtime ritual—bath, shower, calming music, reading.

c Use bed for sleeping and not work or prolonged reading time.

c May use melatonin. Recommend sublingual or extended release 1-5mg at night.

c Identify relaxation techniques that work for you close to bedtime. Try not to do physical exercise or do “brain” work at full tilt until the minute you drop into bed. Try to wind down rather than up.

c Bedtime snack. Try a combo of good carb/protein such as a cheese stick or leftover chicken or turkey with an apple. This will release tryptophan, which will boost serotonin production and help you relax.

c Other products to release trytophan are: St. John’s wort, SAM-E, 5HTP, or valerian root.

c Herbal Teas: such as chamomile, passion flower, lemon balm, valerian root can all provide a calming

effect.

c Take a daily B-complex supplement in the AM. Try sub-lingual preparations for enhanced absorption Studies on B-vitamins show that deficiencies can cause reduced brain function, impaired sleep patterns, and depression.

c Be clock driven. Get up at the same time each day so that you do not have to “re-set” your internal clock each morning, causing fatigue and unstable sleep patterns at night.

c Exercise: People, who work-out four times per week, fall asleep faster and sleep better.

c Try drinking chamomile tea and placing lavender drops on your pillow prior to sleeping.

Sleep tight! Have a wonderful week J Nisha

So many women that I see in my practice, tell me that they are repeatedly told by other health care docs and practitioners, that hormones cannot be tested. I am amazed at the amount of inaccuracy of information that continues to be spread in this area of women’s health. If you are suffering from symptoms that you feel are hormone related, or maybe symptoms that you have not had in the past, but now they seem to be taking over your life, consider getting to know your hormones more closely, and asking a hormone specialist to test them.

I honestly do not know how I could effectively treat women without this information. It is invaluable to me; and has allowed me to help so many women alleviate nagging, disabling symptoms, that they just do not need to deal with! Below are some of the hormones that can be tested and what their role in the body is.

ESTROGEN es•tro•gen

Primarily a female hormone, it is secreted by the ovaries, but is also present in men. In women, estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, memory disorders, vaginal atrophy and urinary incontinence. It also prevents symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats. It improves balance by improving the visual somatosensory system within the central nervous system. Estrogen deficiency also results in sagging breast tissue and skin, increased facial wrinkles, fatigue, depression, mood swings and decreased libido (sex drive). Estrogen is instrumental in orchestrating the menstrual cycle and works in harmony with progesterone, both of which are essential to normal, healthy female function.

PROGESTERONE pro•ges•ter•one

This is considered a female hormone, but is present in both men and women. The root components of the word (“pro” means “for” and “gesterone” means “gestation”) clearly point out the importance of this hormone for fetal development. It is produced in four areas of the body; the ovaries, the corpus luteum (the ruptured follicle), the adrenal glands and in pregnant women, the placenta. Progesterone is often used to treat PMS. It protects against uterine and breast cancers, osteoporosis, fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts. Optimal progesterone levels often help with alleviating depression, reducing anxiety, providing a sensation of calmness, and improve sleep at night. Synthetic progestins are often used to replace natural progesterone levels in the body. This typically produces unwanted side effects, and is not similar to natural or human derived progesterone in any way. There are numerous benefits to optimizing human bioidentical progesterone levels and keeping estrogen and progesterone in balance with each other.

TESTOSTERONE tes•tos•ter•one

Produced by the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries, it is a hormone vital to both sexes. It contributes to muscle mass, strength, endurance, decreased fat, increased exercise tolerance, enhancement of well being, and sex drive. In males, testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension and arthritis. It leads to improved lean muscle mass, increased bone density, decreases in cholesterol, improved skin tone, improved healing capacity, and increased libido and sexual performance. Testosterone prolongs the quality of life by decreasing age-related diseases—as does estrogen in females. Testosterone is also extremely important in females for body fat reduction, sense of well-being, improving memory and mental status, libido, endurance and energy, making supplementation an ideal option for both men and women.

PREGNENOLONE preg•nen•o•lone

This is another precursor hormone. It is made in the brain; it functions as a memory enhancer, and is a factor in cellular repair, particularly in the brain and nerve tissue. It protects against neuronal injury and facilitates cerebral (brain) function. This hormone is important for quality of sleep, mood, and is used in the treatment of adrenal fatigue (stress syndrome).

MELATONIN mel•a•ton•in

This is produced by the pineal gland (in the brain). It is a neurotransmitter hormone that regulates circadian rhythm (your patterns of sleep). Research has shown that the cells of the body rejuvenate and repair during the deeper stages of sleep. Deeper stages of IV sleep help produce natural “CD4” killer cells—which are important to a strong immune function and growth hormone production. Deep sleep also helps energize the body and improve mood. Melatonin has powerful antioxidant effects, which also helps disease prevention. Melatonin deficiency is linked to poor sleep, jet lag, irritability, hypersensitivity and premature aging. Studies also link it to inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation.

THYROID HORMONE thy•roid

Produced by the thyroid gland this metabolic hormone regulates temperature, metabolism and cerebral function. It contributes to energy levels and the body’s ability to maintain a constant temperature. It increases fat breakdown, improves head hair growth, reduces cholesterol levels and bodyweight. Thyroid hormone is probably the safest and most beneficial cholesterol reducing agent yet it is infrequently used for this purpose. It is also vital in the prevention of cognitive (mental) impairment.

CORTISOL cor•ti•sol

Is an important hormone in the body, secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in the following functions and more: Proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance, immune function, and proper inflammatory response. Normally, this “get-up-an-go” hormone is a its highest levels in the morning and at its lowest at night. Cortisol has been termed “the stress hormone” because its secreted in higher levels during the body’s „fight or flight‟ response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body. Higher and more prolonged levels of Cortisol in the bloodstream (like those associated with chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects on the body, such as: Impaired cognitive (mental) performance, suppressed thyroid function (weight gain), blood sugar imbalances such as hyper (high) or hypo (low) glycemia (blood sugar), decreased bone density, decline in muscle mass, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems that fat deposited in other areas of the body.

So there you have it…. Isn’t it so interesting that your hormones control just about everything you do?

I am sure that many of you reading this can relate to one or more of these hormones being out of balance. Don’t wait any longer ,if you are feeling bad –go get yourself tested and ask for the full panel. Just make sure it is someone that can interpret the results for you! Education in this area is so helpful and I trust it will help you!

Blessings and Light to you!

Nisha