Progesterone
Resource Center
Natural
Progesterone - Just the Facts, Please
by Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP
Sixty years ago, progesterone was found
to be the main hormone produced by the ovaries.
Since it was necessary for fertility, and for
maintaining a healthy pregnancy, it was called
the “pro-gestational hormone.” It’s
the most protective hormone the body produces,
and the large amounts that are produced during
pregnancy result from the developing baby's
need for protection from the stressful environment.
Normally, the brain contains a very high concentration
of progesterone, reflecting its protective
function for that most important organ. The
thymus gland, the key organ of our immune system,
is also profoundly dependent on progesterone.
Research
Results
In experiments, progesterone was found to be the basic hormone of adaptation
and of resistance to stress. The adrenal glands use it to produce anti-stress
hormones, and when there is enough progesterone, the adrenals don't have
to produce the potentially harmful steroid cortisone. During progesterone
deficiency, which occurs most frequently during long term stressful situations,
menopause, PMS and andropause, the body produces too much cortisone. Excessive
cortisone causes osteoporosis, aging of the skin, damage to brain cells,
and the accumulation of fat, especially on the back and abdomen.
To
name a few benefits outside of pregnancy that
this hormone offers the body, experiments have
shown that progesterone:
-
Relieves
anxiety
-
Improves
memory
-
Protects
brain cells
-
Prevents
epileptic seizures
-
Promotes
respiration
-
Corrects
emphysema
-
Prevents
bulging veins by increasing the tone
of blood vessels
-
Improves
the efficiency of the heart
-
Reverses
many of the signs of aging in the skin
-
Promotes
healthy bone growth
-
Relieves
many types of arthritis
-
Helps
a variety of immunological problems
-
Stimulates
bone-building and helps protect against
osteoporosis
-
Alleviates
mood swings
This
list only names a few benefits. There
are many, many more discussed in additional
articles available on this Web site.
Need
for Progesterone
Progesterone is needed in HRT for many reasons, but one of its most important
roles is to balance or oppose the effects of estrogen. Unopposed estrogen
creates a strong risk for breast cancer and reproductive cancers. Estrogen
levels drop just enough to stop the menstrual cycle while progesterone levels
may drop to near zero in some women.
Because
progesterone is the precursor to so many
other steroid hormones, its use can greatly
enhance overall hormone balance. Natural progesterone
is safe and non-toxic. It helps to balance
the effects of estrogen, and has a calming
effect on the nervous system.
Caution
Beware of products that are synthetic and make statements that they are similar
to natural or derived naturally. If they are patented, they are synthetic,
and can be harmful to the body. If you are on HRT that is not progesterone
only, you may be ingesting harmful estrogens into your system and causing
long-term health risks. You can slowly decrease this program and go onto
natural progesterone, under supervision of a health care provider. Be sure
under any condition concerning hormones, your hormones are completely tested,
not just one or two, to determine whether your hormones are imbalanced or
not, and to what degree.
Using
Progesterone
At Oasis Advanced Wellness hormonal levels can
be tested with a simple and inexpensive saliva test you can even take at
home. The use of natural progesterone in combination with lifestyle changes
often improves symptoms and general health.
I
require of my clients using natural progesterone
that they have their progesterone levels
checked yearly. Progesterone can build
up in the system. What we are working towards
is hormonal “balance,” not
just shifting from one hormonal over-load
to another. This is why it is always good
to seek out advice from a trusted healthcare
professional and to test the hormones.
Be
Proactive
You can find out more about progesterone in my eBook, Balancing
Your Hormones Without Drugs…You Can Feel Good Again and in
the articles posted on this Web site.
Take
responsibility for your health. Practice
prevention. Ultimately, YOU are
the one in charge and the only one who
can make the necessary changes.
Loretta
Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP is a Doctor of
Naturopath, Clinical Nutritionist and
Holistic Health Practitioner in the
Houston, TX area and CEO/President
of Oasis Advanced Wellness. A teacher,
educator and author, she counsels Oasis
Advanced Wellness clients on the aspects
of getting the body healthy and keeping
the body healthy. As a cancer survivor,
she is able to relate extensively,
both as a patient and a practitioner,
to clients suffering from disease.
Dr. Lanphier has been privileged to
share her cancer survival story with
hundreds of people during seminars
and lectures. Her passionate style
of truth and straight-forwardnessin
an easy-to-understand format is very
refreshing to even the most discerning
of audiences. Dr. Lanphier is the author
of two books and many articles on health
conditions written from a natural/alternative
medicine viewpoint. Dr. Lanphier is
dedicated to helping people create
lasting changes in their health and
enhancing well-being through whole
body nutritional balancing including
physician strength supplementation.
Dr. Lanphier is Editor and contributor
to the worldwide newsletter Alternative
Health & Healing.
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Disclaimer: The
statements enclosed herein have not been evaluated by the Food
and Drug Administration. The products and information mentioned on
this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent
any disease. Information and statements made are for education
purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating
doctor. Oasis Advanced Wellness does not dispense medical advice,
prescribe, or diagnose illness. We design and recommend individual
nutritional programs and supplements that allow the body to rebuild
and heal itself. The views
and nutritional advice expressed by Oasis Advanced Wellness are not
intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If
you have a severe medical condition, see your physician of choice.
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