Humane and Healthy and Menopause Relief
Did you ever wonder where they got the name Premarin? It is a contraction of three words, Pregnant mare's urine. Marketed as a way for women to stay young, Premarin is derived from the urine of pregnant horses. Many women would not want to consume horse urine extract if they knew that the 40,000 foals (they need to keep these mares pregnant) are slaughtered annually for pet food. It might disgust some women to know that the mares are confined to cages too small to lie down or take a step, with a cup strapped between their legs to catch the urine. They are also denied adequate water to make the urine more concentrated. If they get infections from these inhumane conditions, they are not given antibiotics because that would taint the urine.

Another interesting fact about Premarin is the active ingredients. In contrast to a women’s own hormones, which are 90% Estriol, 7% beta-Estradiol (the most active ingredient) and 3% Estrone. Premarin is 0% Estriol, 53-61% Estrone sulphate, 23-30% Equalin sulphate, 17 alpha-Estradiol (not the same as beta-estradiol), 17 a-dihydroequilenin and other horse hormones. Obviously, these hormones are not the same as the hormones naturally produced in a woman's body. As Joel Hargrave, MD, director of the Vanderbilt Menopause Center put it, "Premarin is a natural estrogen if your native food is hay".

Many women take hormones because of the supposed protective effect against heart disease. However, the reason women don't suffer from heart attacks as frequently as men until after menopause is because of the reduced blood levels of iron resulting from menstruation. Iron oxidizes (rusts) in the blood stream and forms a binding site for cholesterol. Lowered levels of iron in women (and people who consume less red meat) are associated with lowered risk of heart disease. By contrast, a 1998 study at John's Hopkins entitled "Hormone Therapy and Cardiac Risk" found that the Premarin and progesterone combination PremPro increased the risk of heart attack in the first year by 50%. The same study noted a 3-fold increase in the incidence of blood clots in the legs and lungs.

Also in 1998, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found Premarin increases the risk of breast cancer. Other side effects include depression, increased risk of uterine cancer, high blood pressure, dizziness, migraine headaches, nausea, irregular menstrual bleeding, weight gain, vaginal candida infection, loss of libido, depletion of folic acid and other B vitamins, cystitis, water retention, bloating, hair loss and growth of facial hair, jaundice, memory loss, etc. A veritable fountain of youth!

What about natural alternatives?
For starters consume more soy products like tofu and soy milk and consume less red meat. Soy contains phytoestrogens (phyto means plant). Red meat contains iron (see heart disease above) and steroid hormones. The naturally occurring plant estrogens found in soy have a chemical structure like your own. In Asian countries with high consumption of soy products, women do not suffer anywhere near as much as Europeans from the effects of menopause. That's because these women have been getting much of their estrogen from food, so their own bodies have not been producing as much all along. When their own estrogen levels start to decline, the change is less dramatic because they are continuing to get much of their estrogen from food. Estrogen deficiency is not a disease and lack of estrogen does not cause symptoms. It is the rate of change in hormone levels that causes symptoms. As an example, young girls do not suffer from hot flashes because they are deficient in estrogen.

Soy
Soy and other legumes contain phytoestrogens called isoflavones.The most significant isoflavone in soy protein is the compound called Genistein. Every gram of soy protein contains approximately 1-2 mg of genistein. Asians consume 20 to 80 mg/day of genistein. Americans and Europeans consume about 1-3 mg/day. The rate of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and hormone dependent cancers is significantly less in Asians. Interestingly, prostate cancer is also less in countries with high phytoestrogen intake. Women, share your soy foods with your man!

Flax seed
Another important source of phytoestrogens is a group of compounds called lignans. The highest dietary concentration of beneficial lignans is in flax seed though lignans are also found in whole grains, beans, vegetables and other seeds. All of these foods are also significant sources of dietary fiber. Soy and fiber consumption are associated with a decreased rate of endometrial cancer.

Wild yam
Estrogen and progesterone work together to regulate your menstrual cycle and maintain youthful function. Progesterone helps prevent bone loss and maintain skin tone and vaginal lubrication. Provera is often prescribed as part of hormone replacement therapy. Instead of Provera, ask your doctor to consider Mexican wild yam. Mexican wild yam (dioscorea) is a plant source of naturally occurring progesterone. The phytoprogesterone in wild yam has a chemical structure like your own. The structure of synthetic progesterone is not. The reason for this is not that chemists at the drug companies cannot make progesterone (or estrogen for that matter) that is exactly like your own. The reason is that, in order to patent a drug, the drug must have a chemical structure that doesn't occur in nature. How can a drug company claim to have invented a drug if a plant is already making it? A patentable drug must be different than what occurs in your body. No patent, no profit.

Broccoli
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol, which has two beneficial effects. Indole-3-carbinol act as an anti-oxidant, specifically to protect against lipid peroxidation induced by iron. This means that it prevents iron in the blood from causing fats to become rancid. This anti-oxidant activity helps protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. Moderate aerobic exercise also has this effect but to a lesser deree.

Chinese herbs
Other ways to support hormone function include Chinese herbs. Many Chinese herbal formulas increase the levels of DHEA, "the mother of all steroid hormones". Many increase other hormone levels or increase the sensitivity of receptor sites, increase blood flow to target organs, etc. Licorice for example, increases the levels of glucocorticoids and mineralcorticoids, important adrenal hormones. A note of caution though, licorice has a slight blood pressure elevating effect. Ginseng and Dang Kuei are among the best known herbs that support youthful function as we age but there are many others. Ancient Chinese herbal research was funded by the emperor’s, most of whom were seeking the fountain of youth (During the same time period, my ancestors were purging evil spirits with herbs that caused sweating and diarrhea). As a result, many Chinese herbal formulas are intended to increase vitality and well-being, extending youthful vigor into our later years.

The most popular Chinese herbal formula for menopausal symptoms is Xiao Yao San, also known as Bupleurum and Peony. This formula contains Bupeurum, Dang Gui, Peony root, Atractylodis, Poria andLicorice. Some of the symptoms addressed using this formula are hot flashes, fatigue, headache, dizziness, abdominal discomfort and night sweats.

What about cancer and heart disease?
Limit dietary fat, don't smoke, maintain your optimal weight and consume soy products, flax seed and whole foods. Smoking and obesity are risk factors for both hormone dependent tumors and also for heart disease. Diets high in cholesterol and saturated fats increase your risk of heart disease Soy isoflavones have been found to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.. Diets high in trans fatty acids such as heated vegetable oils increase your risk of cancer. The risk of breast, ovarian, endometrial and prostate cancer are all reduced by consuming phytoestrogens and fiber found in soy products, flax seed whole foods. Getting moderate aerobic exercise and consuming broccoli and cabbage can also reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease (see above).

What about osteoporosis?
My advice is to avoid caffeine, alcohol, sodas, high fat and high protein diets. All of the above cause increased bone loss. Perform weight-bearing exercise such as walking a half-hour or more every day and do light weight-training for the upper body two or three times a week. Bones grow stronger with use, weaker with rest. This is probably the single biggest factor in maintaining healthy bones. It is also important to include calcium, vitamin D and boron in your diet or in supplemental form. One of the best foods to consume is salmon. It contains calcitonin, a naturally occurring bone building hormone. If you eat canned salmon, the bones are steamed soft and can be consumed as well. Bones are not only the most concentrated food source of calcium, they also contain other co-factors important in making healthy bones.

Open a can of salmon, mash the contents with some olive oil, lemon juice, diced onion, celery and dill. Spread the mix on some nice warm sourdough bread and make yourself a sandwich. Top it off with a glass of soy milk and go for a walk. Enjoy.

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