Dr. Vincent Bellonzi Women's Health, Hormones, Sun & Postpartum Depression

Let'stalk about women Heath that has relation on HOrmones and postpartum depression
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Stress and Heart Desease Risk on Women

"Our study of female monkeys indicates that stress affects estrogen levels and can lead to the development of heart disease - even before menopause," said Jay Kaplan, Ph.D., professor of comparative medicine.

Kaplan said the women have traditionally been considered "immune" from heart disease until after menopause, when their estrogen levels dramatically drop. His research showed that stress can actually reduce estrogen levels much earlier in life and cause the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

"This research demonstrates that a deficiency of estrogen before menopause places these females on a high-risk trajectory, regardless of whether they get estrogen treatment after menopause," said Kaplan. "Our data and recent trials in humans suggest that the emphasis in this country on postmenopausal estrogen treatment may be misplaced."

In the study, female monkeys were placed in groups so they would naturally establish a pecking order from dominant to subordinate. Monkeys that were socially stressed - because they were in subordinate roles in their group - produced reduced amounts of the hormone estrogen. In women, the estrogen produced before menopause helps protect against heart disease and osteoporosis. Kaplan's results showed that the estrogen-deficient monkeys had four times more atherosclerosis than dominant monkeys that produced normal levels of estrogen. When the subordinate, or "stressed," monkeys got estrogen treatments either before or after menopause, their rates of atherosclerosis were cut in half. When they got a "double dose" of estrogen - both before and after menopause - their rates of atherosclerosis were equal to the dominant monkeys.

"Applied to women, this lifetime study suggests that having an estrogen deficiency in the pre-menopausal years predicts a higher rate of heart disease after menopause, even when treated with hormone replacement therapy after menopause," said Kaplan.

An ongoing study of human autopsy results supports Kaplan's findings. Results released last year showed that by age 35, one-third of women have substantial atherosclerosis in the vessels leading to their hearts.

In women, stress, anorexia nervosa and hormone imbalances can all reduce estrogen levels to the point that menstrual periods stop. But Kaplan and colleagues theorize that more moderate drops in estrogen - that don't produce symptoms - can also affect health.

"We know from monkey studies that stress can lower estrogen levels to the points that health is affected, even though the animals still have menstrual periods," he said.

In a study of 66 women having normal-length menstrual periods, estrogen levels were low enough in half of the participants to cause the bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis. Kaplan theorizes that if reduced estrogen levels can cause bone loss in women, they can also cause atherosclerosis.

In Kaplan's monkey study, estrogen was given in the form of oral contraceptives prior to menopause. After menopause, it was given as hormone replacement therapy. Monkeys were selected for the study because they closely resemble humans in behavioral and reproductive characteristics. The cynomolgus macaques, used in the study, have a 28-day menstrual cycle and the females (except stressed subordinates) have a natural resistance to heart disease compared to males. The research was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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The Estrogen Controversy and Causes of Breast Cancer

No one knows what causes breast cancer, and no one can clearly say why we are seeing an increase in breast cancer cases. More women develop breast cancer than men — about 100 cases in females for every one in a man. Women’s bodies make more estrogen than men’s. Therefore, the conventional wisdom has been that estrogen causes breast cancer.

Some would label this guilt by association; many direct links are missing. One of the biggest missing links is that women’s estrogen levels actually fall as they age, decreasing dramatically after menopause, but the incidence of breast cancer increases with age. The risk ratio that we all hear about — that one in eight women get breast cancer — is for women over 90 years of age. The rate for women in their 50’s is more like one in 50.

So obviously there is much more than estrogen going on in the development of breast cancer, and it is being over-simplistic to think of estrogen as a bad poison when it comes to breast health. Estrogen is a very beneficial hormone in general — it stimulates tissues to grow when we need it to, and it is also a helpful player in response to stress. Let’s explore what we know about the causes of breast cancer, what we don’t know, and what this may mean for you.

Hormones and breast cancer

What we don’t know, but researchers are studying, is how estrogen works in the breast tissue. We now realize that estrogen is probably secreted or produced directly from breast tissue — some from the fat of the breast, some from the ducts themselves. How and why this production continues throughout life is unknown. We also now realize that the body has many self-regulating or balancing mechanisms — that one hormone is usually balanced by another.

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In the uterus the estrogen that stimulates the uterus to grow is then balanced by progesterone which stops it. Unfortunately the mechanism may not be so simple in the breast. Breast and uterus are two very different tissues and the breast does not shed its lining once a month (thank heavens we do not need Tampax or Kotex for the breast each month!), but I still think the body works by self-regulating in some way.

Provera - a synthetic progestin (the natural compound was changed to make it patentable) — has been shown to increase breast cancer risk in several studies, and appears to be the bad actor in Prempro in the Women’s Health Initiative study. (Prempro is a combination of Premarin and Provera, both synthetics.) Why a small change in the synthetic compound should make this big a difference is confusing and distressing and needs more attention. However, natural progesterone has just not been studied that well.

There are definitive studies that bolster the connection between HRT with high doses of progestins and a reoccurrence of breast cancer. One trial, the HABITS (Hormonal Replacement Therapy — Is It Safe?), was stopped at the median follow-up because the risk of reoccurrence was 3.3 times higher than in women receiving no treatment or HRT with low-dose progestin.

In another study on progesterone and menopause, researchers compared the effects of topical progesterone cream to prescribed oral progesterone on a small group of 12 healthy post-menopausal women. Data revealed that the OTC progesterone cream resulted in similar progesterone blood levels as the prescribed oral form. The women also had the same rate of adverse side effects. The complete results of the study were published in the June 2005 Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

What this tells us is that we still don’t fully understand how progesterone is metabolized in our bodies or how the pathway changes as we age.

One thing we do know is that nature did not intend for women to maintain high levels of progesterone after menopause. Artificially doing so may pose additional health risks depending on your health history. Consequently, we don’t recommend using progesterone of any kind for more than 12 months if you’re post-menopausal. (For more information, see my article on progestins, progesterone, and breast cancer.)
The complexities of estrogen

Another big problem is that all estrogen is lumped together as one entity — but estrogen made by human ovaries is different from a pregnant mare’s (the type used in Premarin), as well as the estrogens from plants (phytoestrogens) or environmental estrogens from breakdown products of chemicals in pesticides or cosmetics (xenoestrogens). These xenoestrogens may play a critical role, as they boost effective estrogen levels above normal levels and interfere in unknown ways with estrogen metabolism.

The fundamental structure of estrogen, for those who remember basic biology, is a steroid ring which can have different carbon and hydrogen molecules attached. These little differences between our estrogen and synthetics or xenoestrogens can confuse the body and create havoc — like the DES story.

There were some women in the WHI study who tolerated Premarin, which is a much stronger estrogen than the body is used to, without problems — their bodies metabolized it, used it, and then excreted it without obvious difficulty. Other women didn’t like how the synthetic hormones made them feel and stopped using them. For others, something stimulated their breasts to make cancer cells. But what we don’t know is what caused that errant growth, how or why. Do certain women have a genetic error that doesn’t let them process synthetic estrogens or xenoestrogens? We just don’t know — so the NIH decided it was safer to take all women off Prempro and Premarin because of the increased risk of breast cancer and other serious diseases. They are still investigating the difference between Premarin and bioidentical estrogens. We do not know if bioidentical hormones also increase the risk. There is no evidence that they do, and we believe because they are more natural that they are safer than synthetic hormones, but frankly, more study is needed.

I have had a few patients who developed breast cancer while using “natural” hormones. However, the vast majority of women who use these bioidentical forms feel that their quality of life benefits outweigh any unknown risks.

Another missing link in the blame-estrogen theory is that estrogen is not just one natural formula. There are at least three estrogens, known as E1, E2, and E3, or by the names estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Confusing? Yes — medical students learn this in about one hour in medical school, gynecologists learn a bit more in their training, but few really understand the differences. And wait, there’s more — which is even less well understood by your doctor, unless she or he is a biochemist.

Estrogen is broken down into metabolites which are then excreted in your feces or urine. Some of these metabolites have been found to be more carcinogenic than others and their ratio may be the most important factor. Sound familiar? It reminds me of cholesterol — where we have the good type and the bad type and the ratio of the two is what matters. Estrogen metabolites can now be measured in the blood or the urine and different dietary maneuvers made to improve the ratio. These tests are just coming onto the scene in conventional doctors’ offices.

We know from cell biology that most bodily processes require simple cofactors to keep things going. These cofactors are basic vitamins and minerals, some made by the body and others required from the diet. Our diets have drastically changed from our ancestors’ and even our parents’, and that is why we and the American Medical Association recommend a high-quality multivitamin for everyone.

Estrogen metabolism is not simple and has not been well studied. (For a good review of the gender differences in science, read Eve’s Rib, by Marianne Legato, MD.) Unfortunately, women subjects were considered too difficult to use in many clinical trials of the past, primarily because their hormones just changed too much to be “standardized.” Problems with “The Pill” research and early estrogen supplementation are also well documented in Barbara Seamen’s The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women.

Hopefully, with more women in medicine — half of medical students now are women — more attention will be paid to women’s issues. And with computer technology data can be collected and tabulated with greater ease than in the past. But we need to keep asking the questions. You can ask your healthcare provider these questions and preface it with, “I don’t expect you to know the answer, but don’t you find it interesting?”

It is my personal opinion, based on nearly two decades of practice, that it cannot be just estrogen but other factors in the body, using, balancing, controlling, or feeding estrogen which are key to the development of breast cancer.

The truth is that we’re pretty early in the process of discovering the causes of breast cancer. At the moment what we know is modest compared to what we don’t know. It’s going to be complex — like women! Perhaps the answer is right in front of us and we just aren’t wearing the right colored glasses to see it. But to blame estrogen may be unfair and even dangerous because we lose sight of the real culprit or culprits.

What does this mean for you?

First, keep in mind that the best way to support healthy endocrine metabolism is with adequate nutrition, exercise and stress relief. You can get our guidance on these subjects in the Personal Program. We are often asked by women who have had breast cancer or have a family history of breast cancer if our Personal Program is for them. I give it a 100% approval. The Essential Nutrients are a high-quality multivitamin and multimineral complex — I find nothing in them that would interfere with chemotherapy treatments or hormonal therapies. If your oncologist warns you off them we suggest you provide him or her with the ingredients list and ask what it is they oppose in them and to give you documentation of it. Now if this sounds like a battle you don’t have the energy for, then follow your intuition and let it go for now.

Second, don’t be afraid of all forms of hormonal supplementation. There’s no evidence that bioidentical estrogens increase the risk of breast cancer or of recurrence. For breast cancer patients or those at high risk we recommend supplementation with caution and careful monitoring. Similarly, bioidentical progesterone can be very helpful with myriad symptoms of hormonal imbalance, especially when used in an initial restorative phase. We don’t recommend long-term use by breast cancer patients or those at high risk for breast cancer without monitoring blood hormone and metabolite levels.

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Herbal Breast Enhancement Pills New Celebrity Trends?

Since 1980 breast implants have been every flat chested girls dream, but nowadays we read about celebrities who remove their implants.

Yesterday I read about Sienna Miller in the news. She had to lose weight for her role in The Factory Girl and lost her breasts as well. With only a B-cup size she was desperate to get her C-cups back. According to Grazia magazine, she is consuming £200 a pack herbal breast enhancement pills / capsules which contain saw palmetto, fenugreek, yam root, kelp and fennel seed, that promise to increase your breast size by one-two cup sizes. and has told friends: "I don't even need a bra now. It'd be wonderful to have some womanly curves again, I dream about it."

It's a lot of money for breast enhancement pills, but why is that an option more attractive then breast implants?

1. First of all you can expect a natural result. Every person nowadays knows how to spot a pair of silicone breasts. Silicone breasts look like silicone breasts. They are hard and stiff looking and silicone breasts are not shaped like natural breasts. Natural breasts are obviously more beautiful.

2. Secondly people are more informed today about the risks with plastic surgery and implants. It wasnt long ago the singer Kanye Wests mother died after a cosmetic surgery procedure. In Sweden there was a big lawsuit against an american company and manufacturer of silicone implants. Many hundered swedish women were suffering consequenses after a couple of years after breast augmentation. Todaty we know that silicone implants lasts for 7-20 years. After 7 years it is important to consider to exchange the old implant ynto new once.

3. The ingredients in breast enhancement pills does not only make your breast larger. The ingredients is good in general for womens health. So I guess Sienna Millers breast enhancement pills might be a good alternative to cosmetic breast enlargement.
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Natura Breast Enhancement

There have been just two terms that also normally used in taking care of breasts namely; the breast enlargement and breast enhancement. So, firstly one should also know that the fundamentals and deference between them. Breast Enlargement denotes to the simply increase in the sizes of the breasts that wherein the method of breast enhancement, it actually refers to improve their overall looks that also involves workout for their shapes, sizes, textures and above all firmness. Breast enlargement is really very simpler and more immediate to get achieve; but for breast enhancements and constant caring and maintaining of the breasts is also very much needed.

If anyone is cared for enhancing searching for the breast enhancement solutions there are consistently about three choices. The most adopted breast enhancement options that get include there :

1. Plastic Surgeries

2. Breast Enhancement capsules, and

3. Natural Breast enhancement massage

But if anyone looks for the natural breast enhancement, then she has the only one and the securest option - that is breast massage.

Natural breast enhancement massage

Breast Massage is really quite simple procedure and does not take more than just a few minutes. Furthermore, it is done that by the woman, and does not, into reality, require any those other assistance or help. consequently, it can also be labeled as that one of the really cheapest methods to have natural breast enlargement and great breast enhancement.

There are so many other herbal creams or breast serums with herbal extracts or botanical ingredients are more readily available in the cornershop and in supermarkets. They can be applied that onto the breasts massaging them since it would get accelerate the entire procedure.

Steps for natural breast massage

One can really start from the nipple and for this so push downwards with the first three fingers of the hand. The movements are to be slow and then almost elegant for better results. She should not apply any kind of heavy pressures.

Once that first step is done that the breasts then should be softly massaged with the some kneading kind of massage. For this, one should hold the one breast with also both the hands in order to hold it like cup. Here too, one should not also apply heavy pressure at any cost; she should stop as it if starts to hurt. Hold the breast in this way of fashion and then go on kneading it rather for a while. Finish the procedure also for one breast and then take-on to another one.

Next step begins by holding the breast just as it had been evenly done in the preceding step. But here, instead of the compressing it out, get it a spinning kind of motion. For this have rotate the hands (and so the breasts) first in the clockwise movement and then followed by the anticlockwise motion with equal pressure and effort. Continue the entire procedure around for about ten times. Then repeat the same step onto the other breast.

At the end of the session as a final point open the palms from the breast in such a way that they also do not cover the areola and face down. Then moving the palms rather downwards in order to have the fingers also rubbing against the side surfaces of the breasts really would be ideal to give fuller and firmer look over to the breasts. However this should also not be done onto the nipples, as this might get spoil their shapes. Continue the same that for about 10 times on each breast.

Breast massages are also innocent and do not have any side-effects. Such as massaging is also considered to be a prophylactic and the diagnostic cure for cancerous growth of breasts.
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Herbal Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis

There are very good reasons why natural treatments for bacterial vaginosis are a very good option. Bacterial Vaginosis is an inflammation of the vaginal tissues which causes unpleasant symptoms. In itself though, it is not an "infection" as such, although that is how many people refer to it.

If you visit the doctor for treatment for bacterial vaginosis, you are very likely to be prescribed antibiotics. It is vital that you understand that this will only treat the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis and not the cause.

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of naturally occurring bacteria within the vagina. There are two types of bacterial vaginosis present in the vagina. One type is beneficial to overall vaginal health and is called Lactobacillus. The other, Gardnerella, is harmful if allowed to overgrow. Under normal circumstances, the bacteria live in harmony, with the beneficial bacteria naturally controlling levels of the harmful bacteria. When something happens to cause an imbalance in the vagina which is so significant that it cannot be controlled, the unpleasant symptoms of bacterial vaginosis will occur. The symptoms will include itching, burning and a bad smelling fishy vaginal discharge which will be gray or white in color and fairly thin in consistency. In addition, some women also experience symptoms similar to those of a urinary infection.

There can be various causes of the imbalance, and to prevent outbreaks of bacterial vaginosis, it is vital to treat the causes as treating the symptoms only can result in bacterial vaginosis never really going away, with women suffering from repeated outbreaks.

Antibiotics work by killing off all bacteria within the vagina, both good and bad. So although the symptoms will normally subside within a few days, as soon as bacteria is naturally replenished, the symptoms will begin all over again. This is because the good bacteria will not have built themselves up to a sufficient level to keep control.

Did you realize that over 70% of women who take antibiotics for bacterial vaginosis will have a repeat attack within a few weeks?

Natural treatments for bacterial vaginosis work in a completely different, but nonetheless more effective way. Rather than just treating the unpleasant symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, they treat the root causes, thus ensuring that there is far less likelihood of it returning at all. Indeed, many natural treatment strategies go even further than this and provide robust, comprehensive techniques which are guaranteed to prevent future outbreaks.

What you must bear in mind is that there are many self help tips which will give you natural treatments for bacterial vaginosis and there is no doubt that some of these can help to bring some relief. However, it is important to understand that because the causes of bacterial vaginosis are often subtle and multi-faceted, the correct treatment also needs to be, meaning that if a treatment is to be successful it will need to use strategies tailored to your individual needs.

Natural Treatments For Fast Relief

The following will help give some immediate relief from the symptoms:

* Take a bath into which you have added a couple of cups of cider vinegar-this can help temporarily neuralize the conditions in the vaginal, thus stopping the burning
* Soak a tampon in natural live yogurt. As this is rich in Lactobacillus it will help replenish the beneficial bacteria
* Some women find that an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) and applied directly to the area can help to calm the area down
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