Myth #2 High Hormone And Chemical Levels In Red Meat Hurt/cause Endo:
This can be very true, but again, only for unhealthy feedlot animals being fed antibiotics, pesticide laden grains, hormones, and other chemical additives. Growth-hormones in factory farmed animals are added so the animals get fatter much faster than they would without synthetic hormones being injected. This means a faster turnover for stalls, more marbled, unhealthy meat, and extra money lining the pockets of investors. This is sad, cruel, and will indeed increase estrogen levels in animals raised this way.
However, healthy animals living and eating the way they’re supposed to will have normal hormone levels that don’t result in higher estrogen levels in humans. These guys are the ones we want to love, appreciate, care for, and, well, eat 🙂 I’m not saying they won’t have hormones at all, since all living beings have a wide variety of hormones coursing through our bodies all day long. In dispelling that myth, we find that in healthy, grazing animals, hormones will be both minimal and naturally occurring so our bodies won’t actively absorb them into our system. That’s why some indigenous groups eat majority animal products without becoming a hormone wasteland. The issue really is synthetically injected “Growth Hormones”, which our bodies will indeed absorb as if we were shot up with them as well. You need to be concerned about these hormones, not the other naturally occurring ones. Remember, not all hormones are created equal.
The Birth Control Pill
The birth control pills main use may be pregnancy prevention, but did you know endometriosis and birth control sometimes work well together? If you have severe pain, abdominal cramps or other discomfort during your period as a result of endometriosis, your healthcare provider might prescribe you an extended or continuous-cycle combined birth control pill to delay or prevent your period.
Extended-cycle birth control pills, such as Seasonique® and LoSeasonique®, allow you to control your period so that it only happens four times per year. This means youll deal with issues such as pain, cramps and other discomfort less frequently.
The continuous-cycle birth control pill goes even further, allowing you to continually stop your period. This type of pill uses a combination of levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol to prevent ovulation and prevent you from having a period.
Although these pills wont get rid of endometriosis, they can make it far easier to manage by stopping you from getting your period. Because these pills are hormonal contraceptives, they will also prevent you from becoming pregnant during treatment.
If youre planning to become pregnant or dont respond to hormonal treatments, your healthcare provider might recommend another treatment option.
Experimental Studies In Rat Models: Is Metformin Effective In Endometriotic Disease Treatment
The study of Yilmaz et al. is the first study that demonstrated that after inducing endometriotic lesions in rats, Metformin effectively causes regression of endometriotic implants and decreases the level of VEGF and MMP-9 , interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8. The inactivation of aromatase causes regression of the size and atrophy of the endometriotic implants.
The study of Oner et al. compared Letrozole to Metformin. Both groups showed a regression of endometriotic implants, but in the group treated with metformin there was an additional reduction of adhesions.
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Alternative Estrogen Dominance Treatments
Below Ive provided a list of several natural estrogen dominance treatment recommendations and home remedies for endometriosis that I use with my patients.
You may want to consider if any of these estrogen dominance supplements and other suggestions may work for you. Be sure to discuss your unique situation with your healthcare provider first.
- Liver support herbs/supplements: milk thistle, dandelion root, burdock root, methionine
- Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
- Plant-based diet
- Weight loss and exercise
Note that it is not always possible to reverse endometriosis with natural therapy, depending on the severity of your condition. But by correcting the estrogen dominance, you can halt the progression. And then if surgery is required you wont have other estrogen dominant symptoms in the future.
Being prepared by knowing the cause of your condition and correcting it gives you better odds for success.
What Estrogen Does And Doesnt Have To Do With Endometriosis
Many women, along with their doctors, are under the misconception that estrogen is the cause of endometriosis.
A lot of research youll see talks about a condition known as estrogen dominance, and states that this is even a cause of endometriosis. This, too, is a fallacy.
Lets clear things up by talking about what we do know about the possible causes of endometriosis, and about where estrogen fits into the picture.
Estrogen is NOT the causeWe need to talk about possible causes because the fact is that the true cause of endometriosis has yet to be pinned down. However, research is ongoing, and is focused on several theories about possible triggers.
One theory is that endometriosis is actually present at birth. According to this theory, a female embryo has endometrial tissue that, for some unknown reason, developed outside of the uterus when it should have developed in the uterus.
This, and the discovery that certain genes actually predispose a woman to endometriosis, could partially explain the fact that the condition often runs in families. It could also account for those girls who experience severe pelvic pain from endometriosis just as soon as they begin their period.
Another possibility is that endometriosis is an autoimmune disorder.
Endometriosis lesions have high concentrations of cytokines, inflammatory compounds which are also present in autoimmune diseases. This could be a response to the foreign presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.
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The Link Between Estrogen Dominance And Endometriosis
Hormones in both men and women have numerous responsibilities ranging from managing metabolism to body temperature to the reproductive system. Stress, environment, lifestyle changes, trauma and other health conditions can all have an impact on whether or not hormones stay balanced.
Estrogen and progesterone are the two main female sex hormones. Estrogen is primarily used in the development of female anatomy, in menstruation and in reproduction. However, some women suffer from estrogen dominance, which could contribute to a condition called endometriosis.
If you suffer from ailments related to hormonal imbalance or endometriosis, we can help. We use an array of diagnostic testing to help establish a detailed assessment of what your body requires when it comes to healing and reversing the impacts of endometriosis.
Deadly Foods For Endometriosis That You Eat Everyday
Its a frightening STATISTICS: Endometriosis is estimated to affect approximately one in ten women of reproductive age. Thats a lot of women with this problem, isnt it? obgyn.slu.edu report
And yet most women are not aware of these statistics. Another shocking study suggests a link between diet and risk of endometriosis. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov study
So the fact is that Endometriosis is a serious problem with excruciating pain and host of other issues.
Fortunately, however, women like you dont have to suffer from endometriosis if you know which foods cause it and which foods can cure the disease.
Now the question is which foods to avoid and which foods to take to get rid of endometriosis.
Thats what this article is about.
Read on
Did you remember your last pain-free period?
Endometriosis pain is so horrible. Sometimes it hurts really bad even to poop. Living with endometriosis is like living hell.
Women with endometriosis appear to be normal. But privately, they cry a lot because they suffer both physical as well as emotional pain. No one can ever understand their suffering.
Menstrual pain is one thing. More than that the biggest worry that haunts is the question of whether I get pregnant or not.
Some women even dont go for treatment fearing doctors may declare them infertile.
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What Is A Prostaglandin
Prostaglandins occur naturally, in response to injury or disease, and cause pain and inflammation. They have a number of functions including making the womb contract during a period . These contractions can cause pain and the link to endometriosis is actually quite interesting. See, the endometrium is an important endocrine gland and secretes a family of hormones called prostaglandins . PGs are lipid hormones that are directly responsible for most of the cramps and pain associated with menstruation and endometriosis.
In women with endometriosis, however, that endometrium isnt just specific to the uterine area. The endometriosis deposits throughout the body also respond to hormones the same way that the uterine endometrium does. GREAT .
This means that youre not just experiencing cramps and pain in one area it can be EVERYWHERE.
How To Get Rid Of Excess Weight Effortlessly
One of the best ways to shed extra pounds is drinking detox tea.
Just by drinking 1 glass of this tasty tea in the morning sets you up to burn more fat than 1 boring hour in the gym.
Now let us focus on food habits
There is a saying that you are what you eat. Endometriosis disease is a reflection of what you are eating every day. Endometriosis is a disease of modern food habits. You, therefore, reflect on what you are eating every day and see whether these foods are really good for endometriosis and overall health of your body.
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Metformin The Rise Of A New Medical Therapy For Endometriosis A Systematic Review Of The Literature
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cantonal Hospital, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- 2Femina Gynecology Center, Geneva, Switzerland
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Foch Hospital, University of West Paris, Suresnes, France
Medical treatments for endometriosis aim to control pain symptoms and stop progression of endometriotic lesions. However, their adverse effects and their contraceptive effect in women who desire pregnancy, limit their long terms use. Although there is only one study investigating the effects of metformin on women with endometriosis, metformin seems to have a unique therapeutic potential. It may be a helpful anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative agent in the treatment of endometriosis. As such metformin may be more beneficial thanks to the lack of serious side effects.
How The Ivf Process Can Differ For Women With Endometriosis
As The Blossom recently reported, having endometriosis and conceiving the old-fashioned way, can have its difficulties, but with a little help from in vitro fertilization, experts say endo women can have a higher success rate with conception.
However, the IVF process can differ with endometriosis present, because doctors interviewed by The Blossom say they take care to not worsen the condition with the introduction of additional hormones in the body.
Dr. Mark Surrey, co-founder and medical director of the Southern California Reproductive Center, who specializes in fertility and reproductive medicine, says that prior to beginning ovarian stimulation, which is necessary for egg retrieval, he advises women with endometriosis to undergo laparoscopic excision surgery to excise endometriomas, or endometriosis-filled cysts, “three to four centimeters or larger.
To start the IVF process in a woman without endo, Surrey says he typically gives Lupron and progesterone-based oral contraceptives to begin the follicle stimulation process. But for women with endometriosis, he instead administers Ganirelix or Cetrotide, which prevents premature ovulation ahead of egg retrieval, because, he says, it doesnt have a flare phase,” or cause an endo flair-up, and promotes adequate follicular development.
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Treatments And Innovations In Clinical Management Related To Ers
The goals of medical therapy for endometriosis are pain control, improvement of the quality of life, prevention of disease recurrence, fertility preservation and the reduction of operative intervention . Estrogen is the most hierarchically upstream and potent stimulus of survival and inflammation in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues. Thus, treatments for symptomatic endometriosis inhibiting ovarian estradiol production would give limited benefit to women with autonomous endometriotic estradiol production . In addition, the use of estrogen receptor ligands, inhibitors, and agonists also support the role of these receptors in endometriosis .
The potential of ER as a therapeutic target in endometriosis has been recognized. ER-selective compounds that act as estradiol antagonists in endometriotic tissue would be potential therapeutics. One study showed that a selective ER agonist achieved lesion size regression compared with a vehicle in athymic nude mice implanted with fragments of normal human endometrium . Another study treated surgically-induced endometriosis lesions in C57BL/6J mice with an ER-selective antagonist, such as PHTPP, to suppress ectopic lesion growth . This discrepancy between the efficacy of an ER agonist or an ER antagonist can potentially be explained by difference in ER expression between normal and ectopic endometrial lesions, respectively in each study.
Estrogen Dominance And Its Role In Endometriosis
When hormones become unbalanced, the body can develop estrogen-dominant conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic-ovary syndrome , breast cancer, uterine cancer, and fibroids. Endometriosis sufferers often have a high level of estradiol in their body, which causes the inflammation and pain associated with this condition it is also linked to weight gain, acne and loss of libido. Estrogen dominance can be caused by toxin-containing products we consume , obesity, and issues with how our bodies detox estrogen.
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Hormone Treatments For Endometriosis
As endometriosis responds and grows when exposed to the female hormone oestrogen, a number of hormone treatments attempt to block or reduce the production of oestrogen in the body. This means the endometriosis will be unable to continue growing and will help to relieve symptoms.
If you are offered the choice of hormone treatment, you may want to discuss with your doctor what the treatment involves, the pros and cons, along with the possible side effects of the treatment.
Hormone treatments for endometriosis either put the woman into an artificial pregnancy state or an artificial menopausal state. Both states are temporary and are reversed when the patient has stopped taking the hormones. Please note that these drugs have no effect on adhesions neither do they help to improve fertility.
Your doctor will be able to discuss different hormone treatment options that are available to you.
The following hormone treatment options are available to women with endometriosis:
Continuous Progestin Hormonal Therapy
Progestins, or progesterone-like hormones, are one of the components found in combined estrogen/progestin treatments, like the birth control pill . Progestins alone are also effective in treating endometriosis. When taken in a long-term continuous fashion, progestins tend to thin the lining of the uterus which stops regular periods and lessens the chance for break-through bleeding or spotting and has similar activity against endometriosis lesions themselves.
There are various forms of synthetic progesterone called, progestins that are used to treat endometriosis. When treating young women, we prefer to start with a daily pill, such as a progesterone birth control pill sometimes referred to as a mini-pill or norethindrone acetate . These medications should be taken at the same time every day to lessen the chance of unscheduled breakthrough bleeding and pain. Setting the alarm on your cell phone can be a good reminder to take your medication at the same time each day.
The mini-pill is considered a slightly less effective contraceptive and Aygestin is not considered a contraceptive and may not protect against pregnancy. There are at least two long-acting progestin-only contraceptive methods, which may be useful in treating endometriosis: injectable medroxyprogesterone and the levonorgestrel intrauterine device .
Progestin-only treatments
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Hormonal Treatment With Combined Estrogen And Progestin:
Combined oral contraceptive pills : contain the hormones estrogen and progestin. The goal of the treatment is to stop your periods and pain caused from endo. Young women with endometriosis will take these pills in a continuous fashion, meaning skipping the placebo or sugar pills at the end of the pack so that a period does not occur.
The vaginal ring: The vaginal ring is a small, thin, flexible rubber ring that fits inside the vagina. Once in place it releases a combination of estrogen and progestin. If you choose this method of hormonal treatment for your endo, you would insert the ring and leave it in place for 3 weeks. You would then take it out and replace it with a new one right away.
The patch: The patch is a small, tan piece of plastic that looks like a bandage. It also release a combination of estrogen and progestin, and you only need to change your patch once a week. The patch is made to stay in place even when you shower or go swimming or sweat.
Benefits:
- Combined estrogen and progestin hormonal therapy may decrease or stop endo pain.
- Most girls will only have 04 periods a year.
- Some young women prefer using the vaginal ring or patch because they dont need to remember to take it every day.
Possible side effects:
Continuous Estrogen/progestin Hormonal Therapy
Medications containing a combination of an estrogen and a progestin can be used to control your periods and suppress the activity of endometriosis. The most common combination of estrogen and progesterone is in the form of the birth control pill, but hormones can also be delivered by a vaginal contraceptive ring that lasts 3-4 weeks or a patch that you wear on your skin and change weekly. All hormonal medications appear to be most effective against endometriosis when used in a continuous fashion. This means that you use an active pill, ring, or patch daily, and skip the hormone-free week when you would normally have your period.
Instructions on How to take ContinuousCombined Hormonal Therapy
- Birth Control Pills – Take one active pill every day at the same time
- Vaginal Ring – Insert a new vaginal ring every 3-4 weeks
- Patch – Change your patch weekly
Continuous use is as easy as skipping the inactive pills in your pill pack or replacing your ring/patch as soon as it would normally be time to remove the old one. In doing so, you will decrease the number of bleeding days that you have and prevent pain associated with your period.
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