Have you ever noticed how often women’s health issues are directly tied to a hormone imbalance? The list of symptoms associated with it is staggering. It can actually make diagnosis rather difficult because it’s like working with a 1,000 piece puzzle that has dozens of possible images with which to match it. Of course, there are natural hormonal fluctuations that take place throughout a woman’s life and can even vary from day-to-day. However, they aren’t supposed to be so disruptive as to cause infertility, heart disease, obesity, extreme pain, severe depression, and cancer to name just a fraction of the side effects.
Between the growth hormones added to meat and dairy products, prescribed hormone therapies like birth control pills, and environmental factors like pesticides, it’s no wonder that women’s health is such varied topic. For now, we will just cover a few of the issues associated with hormones.
Pesticides and Hormones
Tyrone Hayes, Ph.D. is a biologist and professor of Integrative Biology at University of California, Berkeley. His work led him to activism in promoting the dangers of a certain pesticide called Atrazine, which is primarily used on corn. He reports that 50% of the agriculture in the U.S. comes from California, even referring to it as the “salad bowl of America.” This is where he focused his research on chemicals used on our food, including Atrazine, especially as it pertained to frogs.
Dr. Hayes and his team tested frogs that bred in the run-off from the chemicals. Past studies have found that Atrazine can cause hermaphroditism. But Dr. Hayes found that it can actually turn male frogs into females which can successfully reproduce. You see, Atrazine interferes with the production of estrogen, which is found in both frogs and humans, not to mention a myriad of other animals as well. Here is a brief and fascinating video featuring Hayes and his work with male frogs that literally turned into females with ovaries. They mated with males and were able to reproduce. For more information, he also participated in TED Talk.
What does this mean for people, especially women? Does this mean that eating corn from California will turn your ovaries into testicles? No. In fact, there are studies that counter some of the information found by Hayes and his team. Nevertheless, there are some concerns here. Live Science explains, “Atrazine mimics a biological compound and increases the production of estrogen. It has been shown to disrupt hormone levels in other animals as well as in human cells. It has also been found to induce breast cancer in rats, Hayes said.” And here you thought the so-called “organic” movement was just a bunch of hippies pushing some unknown agenda.
Hormone Imbalance and Breast Cancer
Speaking of increased estrogen, the hormone-education group Women in Balance Institute explains, “According to the experts, almost all risk factors associated with breast cancer are directly or indirectly linked to an excess of estrogen, or estrogen that is not sufficiently balanced with progesterone, as is the body’s accustomed way. Also known as estrogen dominance, the condition was defined by John R. Lee, M.D., as an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone in which estrogen levels can become too high relative to inadequate progesterone levels…A growing number of experts believe that correcting this fundamental imbalance is at the heart of preventing and treating breast cancer.”
They add that many women have probably written off their estrogen dominance for years. Meaning that they dismiss their symptoms, such as breast tenderness, heavy bleeding, PMS, depression, or painful cramps as just part of being a woman. Often women going through menopause will get on synthetic hormones. If you are estrogen dominant, however, “being put on synthetic hormones when they reach menopause is like pouring gasoline on a fire in terms of breast cancer risk.”
The Takeaway
When I was in my youth and heard the word “hormones,” generally the first things that came to mind were sex or mood swings. But when I think about hormones as an adult, I typically associate them with all the negative physical and emotional aspects of being a female. In fact, I’d venture to say the same is true for most of you. And there’s something wrong with that. It’s not supposed to be this way just because of “the curse” or whatever euphemism you want to apply.
The most important and first step here should be to educate yourself. Then you can implement any appropriate changes. But also work with your healthcare practitioner in this process. If you’re not comfortable with a physician, then try a reputable alternative healthcare route. In any case, you have to take this seriously. Women get dismissed for one thing or another everyday, especially in the field of medicine. Don’t dismiss yourself in the process.
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