HORMONES
If you are interested in learning about your hormones and how to affect them, replacing them when necessary, here's your required reading list and great resources to help you navigate the journey.
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These three books from Suzanne Somers really brought the discussion of bio-identical hormone replacement into our society. The woman really knows how to research and she knows how to find the real experts and interview them well. Her books are well-written and she shares how she's learned to stand up for herself and get the care she wants and deserves. The books really follow each other, so it's best to start at the beginning and read the older books in order. They build on each other and, even though newer information is included in the later books, it makes a lot more sense to read them all. Valuable information is included in all of them. |
Suzanne's books do not only focus on hormones. Other good information is covered about other health issues that also affect our hormones, such as toxicity and lifestyle choices. Although these may seem to be unrelated to hormone replacement therapy, everything affects our hormones, so we can't just attempt to replace hormones without correcting any problems with our lifestyle that are negatively affecting our hormoes. |
This book is the most recent in the series, as far as directly relating to natural hormone replacement. Her later books do mention bHRT, but in a more peripheral way, as I suppose she figures you're following along and she doesn't have to start back at the beginning. Some of the experts she interviews throughout the series also have written books of their own. These and others are listed below. |
Dr. Hotze has built a great practice promoting natural hormone replacement. He really "gets it" and has lots of good resources available through his center and his website, including videos, newsletters and online questionnaires to help you determine your possible hormonal imbalances. He does cater to out-of-town patients who choose to come to his center for expert care in this area. It doesn't appear that he personally sees patients at this point, but oversees the center and continues to appear in the media explaining the importance of bHRT, particularly in the Houston area, where his center is located. I have contacted his center and was impressed with their careful and helpful process. I didn't ultimately choose to visit the center as a patient, but I came close and I would recommend it, if his style of balancing hormones is what you're looking for. Here's the link to the Hotze Health and Wellness Center.
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I just love Dr. Uzzi Reiss' manner and personality. I would have loved to have him as my OB/GYN through my pregnancies. I appreciate the way he gets indignant with the ignorance of doctors who do not honor women's hormonal needs. He also has a website with good information and some products available for sale. This book replaces and updates his earlier book, in my opinion. You can skip that one and just go to this one. Plus, he goes more into additional areas that affect hormones and gives recommendations. He also has a book for pregnancy, which I'm sure is just as information and entertaining as this one. You can tell he has deep empathy for women and that he truly cares about helping them. Click here to check out his website. |
If you have any interest in "rhythmic cycling" of bio-identical hormones, as Suzanne Somers covers in her books, you really have to read this book. The research outlined in this book is the basis for T.S. Wiley's version of rhythmic cycling, which is arguably the best option out there. It is also the only fully organized, and now patented (since the publication of the book), version available.
In practice, the Wiley Protocol has evolved beyond the scope of this book and is readily available through WP certified doctors, who are fully trained in how to administer the protocol. At the time of publication, women were still trying to use the guidelines in the book to get their doctors to work with them to put together their own programs. That is no longer the case, but the background is mandatory, in my opinion, if you're considering embarking on any program of rhythmic cycling. I believe this is important information to have before using ANY type of hormone replacement, regardless of the type. |
This book is the updated, revised edition of the classic women's reference book. If you grew up in an environment where female issues were talked about in embarassment or not at all, this will be an eye-opening and refreshing read. It's just a wonderful, overview of your body and how and why it does what it does, including hormones. It gives you a framework to place every other bit of information into, so it should probably be read before any other book on this page. Don't be put off by the small amount of information you may consider to be "new age"; skim those parts to see if there's value for you and then move on. |
This is more directly oriented to just the issues of menopause, so it has additional value to the book above. Dr. Northrup offers practical ways of dealing with many of the issues related to menopause, separately from hormone replacement. You still have to deal with things that come up while you're working out the hormone balancing, and Dr. Northrup gives lots of good information in this area -- as a woman AND a care provider.
I read this at a relatively young age and welcomed the opportunity to learn what challenges I could head off in advance of menopause, by understanding the emotional process involved. Bottom line: Clean up your emotional baggage before menopause and have a lot smoother experience. |
Life Extension Foundation -- This great organization offers blood tests you can order yourself and receive the results yourself. Even if you're working with a doctor, ordering your tests through LEF can save you lots of money. LEF purchases these test in bulk for its member from LabCorp, allowing them to offer reduced prices. Once a year, they also offer a deep-discount sale on blood tests, allowing members to purchase in advance and save hundreds or thousands, depending on how often you require blood testing. Because you purchase the tests yourself, the results are sent directly to you, unless you request a different destination. LEF also offers counseling services with highly-trained representatives to help you interpret the test results. I recently took advantage of this membership benefit and it was so easy. I just took the lab work order LEF mailed to me into the local LabCorp, where they drew my blood. There was nothing to fill out at the LabCorp, as they handle everything directly through LEF. I am consistently impressed with the knowledge and professionalism at LEF; you always get a live person and they already know who you are when they answer your call! If you're interested in joining LEF for this membership benefit, check out the special membership introductory offer on this page. LEF also offers a mail-order compounding pharmacy with competetive pricing, so they're also a great resource for bio-identical hormones.
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Stop the Thyroid Madness! -- This is THE best thyroid advocacy website with up-to-the-minute information on hypothyroid issues, including information you need to know how to talk with your doctor when you suspect thyroid deficiency. You will understand what tests are available, which ones are important and which ones are worthless, as well as how to interpret the results. Read others' stories, learn about the differences between the various synthetic thyroid medications and natural dessicated thyroid, and get information on where/how to fill your prescription. When the Armour thyroid shortage hit, this website helped me find a cheaper AND better source from Canada.