Poisons to Your Hormonal Health

Poisons to Your Hormonal Health

by Theresa Dale

POISONS TO YOUR HORMONAL HEALTH

Through knowledge you can achieve excellent hormonal health.

• TOXIC SIDE EFFECTS OF HERBS
• WHAT ARE XENOESTROGENS? 

Phytoestrogens can make Endometriosis worse.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring estrogens that can make the symptoms of endometriosis worse. Below is a list of things to avoid.

Avoid Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Beer.

Avoid Sunflower Seeds, Red Clover Tea, Chamomile Tea, Alfalfa Sprouts, Queen Anne’s lace (wild carrot), Pomegranate, Fennel, Licorice, Red Clover, Yucca, Hops (Beer) and Motherwort.

Avoid Phytoestrogens, which block and interfere with the action of Natural Progesterone; Bloodroot, Ocotillo, Mandrake, Oregano, Damiana, Pennyroyal, Verbena, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Yucca, Thyme, Calamus rt., Red Clover, Goldenseal, Licorice, Mistletoe, Cumin, Fennel, Chamomile, Cloves.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where cells from the inner lining of the uterus are scattered where they do not belong. During each monthly cycle these groups of endometrial cells respond to the hormones produced by the ovaries just as they normally would, they swell with blood and bleed into the surrounding tissue. These areas (the fallopian tubes, uterine musculature, colon, bladder, and pelvic cavity) however are not meant to receive this bleeding and become inflamed and quite painful, even disabling.

Red Clover:

http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=8482e079-8512-47c2-960c-a403c77a5e4c&chunkiid=21854#P3

Also: this is very important

Estrogen increasing herbs can be harmful to breast cancer patients or those who feel they may be susceptible to breast cancer.  Whereas, Theracyl cannot affect breast cancer patients in a negative way.

Black Cohosh:

Black cohosh has few side effects if taken in the proper doses. The main side effects are: nausea, occasional mild gastrointestinal distress, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Take the herb with a meal to help reduce nausea.

A headache caused by black cohosh may be a warning you are taking too much of the herb.

Large doses (5 grams, 1 teaspoonful of the root; or 12 grams or about 2 teaspoonfuls of liquid extract) can cause vomiting, headache, flushed face, dizziness, limb pains, and low blood pressure, gastroentertis and diarrhea.

The half-life of the herb in the body is unknown, so toxic reactions may remain some time before there is relief.

As with most side effects of any drug or herb, they are related to the actual medicinal effects.

The lowering of heart rate and the blood pressure is due to that action of black cohosh on the heart and the blood vessels. Have your blood pressure regularly checked while using the herb.

Allergic Reactions -

Salicylic acid is found in black cohosh. This could cause an allergic reaction in those sensitive to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). But generally the amount is so low that it should not be a problem.

Precautions Related to the Hormonal Action of Black Cohosh -

Do not take black cohosh for longer than 6 consecutive months without supervision by your doctor. It is important to remember there have been no long term studies of black cohosh. Any possible problems or side effects from using black cohosh over a long period of time is unknown.

Important Black cohosh can cause vaginal bleeding thru endometrial (lining of the uterus) stimulation. It should not be taken during heavy menstrual flow.

If you have missed periods or have irregular periods, before using black cohosh, be checked for pregnancy.
Do continue having your regular exams, such as Pap smears, mammograms, pelvic examinations.

Black cohosh is not a substitute for hormone replacement therapy during menopause.

Extracted from: http://www.wtv-zone.com/WolfDogCircle/Herbs/blackcohosh2.html

Also:

Black cohosh should not be used for more than 6 months at a time at normal doses. Generally, when taking herbs over the long term they should be taken for 3 weeks on and one week off. For menstrual stimulating & abortifacient purposes any herb including black cohosh should not be used any longer than 10 days, since doses taken are often higher than the recommended dosages, and toxic build up or side effects could result, even with herbs generally known as being safe.

Contradictions: Black cohosh can depress heart rate, anyone with any type of heart disease should not use this herb. Other possible side effects include dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, headaches, shakes, low pulse, vomiting. Side effects occurring with prolonged use may include uterine irritation, abdominal pain (see cautions on ectopic pregnancy), abnormal blood clotting (which could cause problems when using herbs to end pregnancy, possibly hemorrhage), liver problems, it could encourage breast tumors. And should not be taken by anyone who has been advised not to take oral contraceptives.7

Black cohosh also should not be combined with anti-depressents.

Precaustions/warnings from medicinenet.

SIDE EFFECTS: Stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting and dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor promptly. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

PRECAUTIONS: If you have any of the following health problems, consult your doctor before using this product: cancer, heart conditions, high or low blood pressure. To avoid dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a seated or lying position. If you experience dizziness, caution is advised when performing tasks requiring alertness (e.g., driving). Liquid preparations of this product may contain sugar and/or alcohol. Caution is advised if you have diabetes, alcohol dependence or liver disease. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the safe use of this product. Black cohosh is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Consult your doctor before using this product. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this product is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

And the icing on the cake: from: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/75/89785.htm

Oct. 17, 2003 (BALTIMORE) — Black cohosh, an herbal remedy gaining popularity as a panacea for the hot flashes, mood swings, and other symptoms of menopause, can cause the body’s immune system to launch an attack on the liver, doctors warn.

Stanley M. Cohen, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, tells WebMD that he and colleagues have diagnosed what they believe is the first case of autoimmune hepatitishepatitis caused by the use of black cohosh.

A progressive inflammation of the liver, caused by the body’s immune system attack on liver cells –autoimmune hepatitis can cause people to become so tired that even crossing the room is a chore. Some patients complain of abdominal discomfort, others of achy joints and itching. The skin may become yellow, and the liver can become enlarged. Without proper treatment, this serious illness progresses and most people eventually die. The disease is thought to have some genetic link, with women accounting for as many as 70% of the patients.

and: FDA warning…..http://cspinet.org/new/200403081.html

Wild Yam:

BackgroundReturn to top

It has been hypothesized that wild yam ( Dioscorea villosa  and other  Dioscorea  species) possesses dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-like properties, and acts as a precursor to human sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Based on this proposed mechanism, extracts of the plant have been used to treat dysmenorrheal (painful menstruation), hot flashes, and headaches associated with menopause. However, these uses are based on a misconception that wild yam contains hormones or hormonal precursors – largely due to the historical fact that progesterone, androgens, and cortisone were chemically manufactured from Mexican wild yam in the 1960s. It is unlikely that this chemical conversion to progesterone occurs in the human body. The hormonal activity of some topical wild yam preparations has been attributed to adulteration with synthetic progesterone by manufacturers, although there is limited evidence in this area.

The effects of the wild yam saponin constituent “diosgenin” on lipid metabolism are well documented in animal models, and are possibly due to impaired intestinal cholesterol absorption. However, its purported hypocholesterolemic effect in humans and the feasibility of long-term use warrant further investigation.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-wildyam.html

MedlinePlus Herbs and Supplements: Wild yam (Dioscoreaceae)

An early study suggests that wild yam may interfere with the body’s ability to control levels of the reproductive hormone progesterone. .

Possible Interactions

If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use wild yam without first talking to your healthcare provider.

Estradiol

An animal study indicated that the active component of wild yam, diosgenin, may interact with estradiol, a hormone that occurs naturally in the body and that is also used in some birth control medications and certain hormone replacement therapies.

End….

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This is a short list of things to keep in mind when trying to remove the

estrogen in you environment.

Books:

Revitalize Your Hormones

Containers:

Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water. Heat up your food using a glass or ceramic bowl covered with dish. When plastic (including things like saran wrap) is heated, it diffuses very rapidly into food and has been found to be highly estrogenic.

Soap and laundry detergent:

Most laundry detergents and soaps use preservatives and chemicals that are estrogenic and do not fully wash out of clothes. Use a simple detergent with less chemicals; Nature Clean is a good choice for both laundry detergent and dish washing detergent. Conti Castile Soap is a safe choice for shampoo and a body soap.

You can purchase Nature Clean at:

www.livingsource.com

You can purchase Simple Soap at:

Green Co. 1-800-809-0610

 Bug Spray:

Use natural pest control not pesticides which contain chemicals.

Weed Killer:

Use a cup of salt mixed with gallon of vinegar instead of a chemical based agent.

Food:

Buy “Organic” produce, produce grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizer or hormones.

Birth Control:

Birth control pills contain a synthetic estrogen and a synthetic progestin to force the body to cycle normally even though conception may have occurred and different hormones levels are supposed to occur. Many times it takes one year or more for a woman’s period to become normal again after stopping birth control pills. This is because the synthetic estrogens and the progestin in the birth control pills are oil soluble and difficult for the body to get rid of. Use Condoms without spermicide for Birth control instead of Birth Control 

Pills. Use Natural Progesterone instead of HRT.

Lotion:

In general, the hormones taken orally are first pass metabolized by the liver 80%-90%. However, when these hormones are applied to the skin, the hormones are directly absorbed by the body. Thus, any skin dose is 10 times that of an oral dose. The vast majority of skin lotions and creams use the parabens as a preservative. Avoid them at all costs. Instead apply a vegetable oil right after a shower to hydrate the skin and lock in the moisture.