Excerpts of interest from the monograph Disease-a-Month:
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1. The seven years
before menopause have recently been revealed to be an extremely complex era.
During this period, some women increase their estrogen levels to new
lifetime highs; others start an unequivocal decline, and still others vary from
month to month. Coupled to this variability in estrogen is an equally
variable set of changes in progesterone secretion by the ovary as androgen
secretion patterns also change. Many women show increases in circulating
androgens while many others show deficiencies. Both the adrenal and the
ovarian sources of these hormones show age-related changes that alter a woman's
capacity to attract sexual attention through both her physical appearance (and
condition) and her pheromonal excretions.
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2. Each of the
known ovarian and adrenal steroid sex hormones plays numerous roles in
maintaining the harmonious workings of the entire self. Studies of
post-40 year old women on HRT have been reviewed to assess the benefits and
risks of various regimens. Given diverse regimens of both natural and
synthetic hormones, physicians should consider results of each study as
specific to the type and pattern of hormone use and only generalize with
caution. Nonetheless, our analysis of the literature does reaffirm the
intuitively obvious idea that HRT succeeds best, the more closely it
approximates the structurally human components and "natural" cycle.
The harmonic nature of the fertile reproductive system forms the background
against which HRT can be understood to best serve women. Not all hormonal
replacement therapies and wellness regimens serve women well. Some
regimens have the potential to produce disease, especially over-the-counter
remedies like dehypdroepiandrosterone and the formulas that contain estrogen.
Some regimens profoundly improve the quality of life for many women. Some
women do not need or want such regimens. All sex hormones affect
physiologic systems including the cardiovascular system, bone metabolism,
cognitive function, sexual response, and sexual attractiveness.
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3. The complex
contributions to the overall health of a woman may not always be understood.
Often a hysterectomy can exacerbate- rather than ameliorate- the
conditions that led to the surgery. One in 2 American women is offered a
hysterectomy, a rate 5 times higher than that of the European countries for
which data are available. Ninety percent of hysterectomies are not
related to cancer; they are elective procedures. Avoidance of elective
hysterectomy helps prevent its side effects: sexual deficits, acceleration of
cardiovascular and bone disease, and more rapid aging. No efficacy data
exist that suggest that elective hysterectomy works better than the alternative
approaches that do not induce these side effects.
When the cervix is retained, a procedure more common in Europe than the United
States, there seems to be a retention of some of the sexual sensory pleasures
that both the woman and her partner used to experience before surgery.
The health and well-being of women who have already had hysterectomies, with or
without ovariectomies, can be improved by a recognition of the cascade of
difficulties that must be addressed. Estrogen, progesterone, and
androgens all tend to be compromised by hysterectomy; all should be considered
for replacement.
The entire 120 page monograph includes 250 references and is available for
purchase through Athena Institute.
Available in paperback only. $16.00
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