Body & Hormone Balance & Diet with Pharmacist and Hormone Specialist Dr. Jeff Jackson
Dr. Doncheva, NP’s Creole and Kendra, and I welcomed Jeff’s expert teaching this week for 10 hours on bio-identical hormones, general health, and nutritional and functional medicine. I will write more blog articles about this, but today we will start with the basic hormones and diet. (This picture is me with Dr.’s Jeff and Angie Jackson and their 2 sons at our church, Traders Point Christian church today.)
What are the 4 legs of our body’s hormone chair?
sex hormones (balance and needed nutrients)
thyroid hormones (balance and needed nutrients)
adrenal hormones (balance and needed nutrients)
insulin levels (resulting from our diet and weight)
Jeff asks the question what leg of your chair can you do without? The obvious answer is none of them! So when you think of your general health maintenance and correction of any health problems, you must evaluate all 4 legs of your chair. Jeff from Custom Med Apothecary and I will help you do this. Below are the basics of your 4 legs. First I will list the general supplements needed for all of us.
We all require added supplements because our food does not have enough nutrients even if we eat the best diet. The basic supplements Jeff and I recommend for everyone are: a well absorbed Multi-Vitamin, Fish Oil, Magnesium, Vitamin D, Calcium for women and children and smokers, Zinc for men over 30-40. Additional supplements that would benefit most people are Iodine, CoQ10, Vitamin C, and a Probiotic. We at Excell for Life supply high quality vitamins which are very competitively priced. We appreciate your purchase of our vitamins to support your health and to support our office, teaching, and mission.
Sex Hormones
We all have our most hormones in our teens and twenties, but they begin to decrease in most men and women by age 30. Men’s testosterone begins to decline at 30, and they also go through a gradual menopause. Most men start symptoms in their 50’s and 60’s (fatigue, decreased libido, decreased muscle mass, sleep problems, foggy thinking, and more). Women first decrease progesterone and then estrogen and testosterone, with the usual onset of symptoms in their mid 40’s (same symptoms as men and much more–see list below).
Bio-identical hormones (hormones which are identical to the body’s own hormones) are very safe and effective to correct and balance your health. I have been on bio-identical hormones from Custom Med Apothecary and Jeff since age 38. I will continue these until the Lord takes me (my last menses was at age 46 and now I am 50). Many people ask me, “How long do I need to take bio-identical hormones?” I answer them, “When do you want the return of all of your lower hormone problems and symptoms?”
To help your sex hormones you need to have your Vitamin D level checked and bring it up to the 60-80 level. Everyone in Indiana is deficient and those with darker skin are more deficient (because the sun does not penetrate as well through their skin to manufacture Vitamin D). Vitamin D is a low level hormone and is the basis of all our hormones. It also helps with many other things such as bones, immune function, brain health, and more. We also recommend a high protein diet (50% protein–50% other). Men also require the addition of Zinc daily by the age of 30-40 to help keep testosterone from being changed into estrogen in their body.
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroid Hormone balance is stable in most adults until their 30’s. Many women and some men suffer from Hashimotos Thyroiditis or Hypothyroidism (low thyroid), requiring a daily thyroid hormone supplement. Common symptoms of low thyroid are fatigue, weight gain, constipation, hair loss, dry skin, and more. If you are suffering these, then make an appointment to see myself or one of our other Excell for Life medical staff. We will check your thyroid levels and do and Iodine Skin Spot Test. You can have low thyroid function but still have thyroid blood tests within normal limits. Then you usually require Iodine and the other supplements listed below.
Supplements needed for best thyroid function are: Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, and B Vitamins. Living in Indiana, our soil is very deficient in Iodine, the most vital nutrient for our thyroid. Iodized salt helps prevent goiter, but is not enough to prevent many of the low thyroid symptoms. Also, being low in Iodine is often a large factor in fibrocystic breasts, ovarian cysts, and fibromyalgia. Please see us to discuss this if you have any of these problems or symptoms.
Adrenal Hormones
Our tiny but powerful adrenal glands are on top of both of our kidneys. They make many hormones including, cortisol, sex hormones, and DHEA. Our fast paced busy lives constantly stress and deplete our Adrenal Hormones.
Decreasing your life stress is the most vital key to your Adrenal Hormone and body balance. I know this is very difficult in our society and tough economy. Major keys to helping your stress level are plenty of sleep (7-9 hours per night), actively pursuing your faith and mission work, daily mini stress breaks, healthy diet, regular exercise, and maintaining good relationships and healthy boundaries.
A Vitamin D level of 60-80 is necessary for your adrenal health. You also require our well absorbed multi-vitamin Orthomolecular Alpha-Base, B Vitamins (such as Cardio B or B Complex or sublingual B from Custom Med), and other supplements such as Licorice and adrenal builders.
An example of a bad reaction in our bodies is: increased stress leading to increased cortisol leading to increased blood sugar leading to increased insulin leading to decreased hormone function leading to decreased thyroid hormone leading to fatigue and body inflammation which leads to even more increased stress (and think of Christmas time stress with even more sugar)!
Insulin Levels
Rising insulin levels in response to carbohydrates, sugar and sweets, and obesity is a major cause of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and strokes), body inflammation (fatigue and hormone problems), arthritis, and more. This is a huge threat to our country and our health. If your insulin is out of balance so will be the rest of your body. You must get your weight to a BMI of preferably less than 25 (by exercise, lower calorie diet, and the balance of your other 3 chair legs). Also you must significantly decrease your eating /drinking of sugary beverages (juice and pop), bread/grains, pasta, potatoes/corn/peas, and sugar and sweets. Below is Jeff’s general hormone and body balanced diet rules.
The 100 Year Rule–you may eat anything that may have been on someone’s plate 100 years ago. So that means nothing wrapped or processed.
No carbohydrates without protein, and protein should be the biggest part of your meal and snack (at least 50/50).
Protein = meat, nuts (almonds are the best), cheese, eggs
Beans/Lentils = 50% carbs 50% protein
Healthy vegetables are neutral
Carbohydrates = grains, starches (potatoes, corn, peas), sweets, fruit
Jeff recommends keeping a detailed list on your refrigerator of what you like to eat so you can make the healthy balance easier. Then if you eat for example a handful quantity of carbohydrate, you must eat an equal handful of protein.
Don’t forget rules number 1 & 2!
Hormonal Symptoms: If you are having any symptoms you feel may be related to a hormone problem, check out these common hormone problems and symptoms of excess or deficiency. Then see myself or one of our other practitioners to discuss and review!
Abundance of Estrogen
Water retention
Fatigue
Breast swelling
Fibrocystic breasts
Premenstrual-like mood swings
Loss of sex drive
Breast pain
Heavy or irregular menses
Uterine fibroids
Craving for sweets
Weight gain
anxiety
headaches
hair loss
Lack of Estrogen
Hot flashes (not only symptom)
Shortness of breath
Night sweats
Sleep disorders
Vaginal dryness
Dry skin
Anxiety
Mood swings
Headache
Depression
Memory loss
Heart palpitations
Yeast infections
Vaginal shrinkage
Painful intercourse
Inability to reach orgasm
Lack of Menstruation
Abundance of Progesterone
Depression
Somnolence
Causes sleep
change in menstrual flow
acne
irritability
fluid retention
nausea
Lack of Progesterone
Swollen breasts
Headache
Low libido
Anxiety
Moodiness
Fuzzy thinking
Depression
Food cravings
Irritability
Insomnia
Cramps
Emotional swings
Painful breasts
Weight Gain
Early menstruation
Bloating
Inability to concentrate
Painful joints
Asthma
Acne
Low Testosterone
Low libido
Vaginal dryness
Foggy thinking
Fatigue & low energy
Aches/Pains
Memory lapses/Poor concentration
Incontinence
Depressed
Sleep disturbances
Fall asleep after meals
Bone loss
Decreased muscle/Reduced muscle mass & strength
Thinning skin
Increased body fat
Erectile dysfunction
High Testosterone
Excessive facial/body hair
Loss of scalp hair
Increased acne
Oily skin
irritability, increased temper
moodiness, risk taking
excessive libido
Low Cortisol
Fatigue
Sugar cravings
Allergies
Chemical sensitivity
Stress
Cold body temp
Heart palpitations
Aches/pains
Arthritis
Sleep disturbances
High Cortisol
Bone loss
Fatigue
Weight gain in waist
Loss of muscle mass
Thinning skin
Low Thyroid
Fatigue
Constipation
Decrease sweating
Slow heart rate
Muscle tightness
Cold body temp
Heart palpitations
Fibrocystic breasts
Heavy periods
Muscle cramps
Restless leg
Dry skin
Ridged nails
Loss of muscle mass
Dry brittle hair
Hair loss
Weight loss/gain
Inability to lose weight
Sleep changes
Anxiety
Loss of eyebrows
High lipids
Cold extremities
Scalloped tongue
High Thyroid
rapid heart rate
anxiety, nervousness, irritability
sudden weight loss
tremor
sudden weight loss
sweating
changes in menstrual flow
increased stool frequency
fatigue, muscle weakness
difficulty sleeping
enlarged thyroid
