We’ve all been hearing a lot about the problems and dangers associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women approaching or experiencing menopause. An article written in the New York Times on July 10, 2002 publicized the information that taking artificial hormones may do more harm than good. In light of these findings, many people are asking, "What do we do now?"

Many of the symptoms that modern women experience during the "change of life" were unheard of in more primitive times. Diseases like osteoporosis (which is the reason many physicians prescribe HRT in menopausal women) were rare, if one looks at the skeletons found in archeological digs. In my opinion, the changes in our diets are directly responsible for the hormonal deficiencies that cause symptoms like hot flashes, depression and bone loss in women of menopausal age.

Hormones are the messengers of the body and responsible for cellular communication. Hormones signal the body to grow, to reproduce and to carry out all the functions responsible for metabolism of energy as well as cellular replacement and repair. There are two categories of hormones: those that build up cellular structures (called anabolic hormones) and those that break down cellular structures and convert them into energy (called catabolic hormones).

The various glands in our bodies are responsible for making our hormones in the amounts required for optimum health. The pancreas produces the anabolic hormone insulin and the ovaries and testes produce the anabolic sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). The adrenals produce catabolic hormones cortisone and other stress hormones (as well as the female sex hormones after menopause) and the thyroid gland produces the catabolic thyroid hormones, responsible for regulating metabolic rate.

It is important to understand that the body always strives to keep the anabolic and catabolic hormones in balance. If there is too much of one anabolic hormone (for example insulin) the body will produce fewer of the other anabolic hormones (for example sex hormones) to compensate. If the body is producing too many stress hormones, this will also influence the overall balance of the other hormones.

One of the problems many people face increasingly as they age is an overproduction of the hormone insulin. The main reason for this is the fact that carbohydrates (and especially refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour) form a much higher percentage of our diets now than they did in the past. The pancreas tries to compensate for this increased intake of carbohydrates by pumping out more insulin, but this has many devastating consequences for our health. Increased insulin usually means a decrease in the production of sex hormones, which leads to the symptoms of hormonal insufficiency we have termed symptoms of menopause (as well as PMS, but that’s another story).

Allopathic (modern) medicine, with its characteristic approach of treating symptoms rather than the underlying cause of disease, has focused on replacing the declining hormonal levels artificially. Alternative medicine has basically taken the same approach, using herbs and natural hormones to replace missing ones. These techniques may have a place in short term alleviation of symptoms, but I believe the ideal approach is to change the diet.

The dietary changes I recommend for balancing hormones are as follows: eat fewer carbohydrates and eliminate refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour products altogether. Increase your intake of protein and good fats (butter, coconut oil, meat, lard, olive oil and flax oil) and eliminate all damaged fats (vegetable oils sold in supermarkets, shortenings, baked goods containing hydrogenated oils, margarine, and all deep fried foods). A high protein, high fat diet is optimal for balancing hormones, preventing heart disease and achieving your ideal weight. It’s the diet our ancestors thrived on!

~ Tys Dammeyer