News Article:
Teen Rap: Hormone Facts Adults Don't Always Know
By Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP
Are you wondering how to handle your body’s changes, acne, mood swings,
anger, or just plain stress? Here’s the scoop—there’s a possible solution
to these symptoms of hormonal problems that is simple to determine and
inexpensive, too.
Stressing Out
Teens today experience many hormonal imbalance symptoms
as a result of the pressures of being a teen today. Too often you’re
exposed to chemicals in foods and in the environment from pesticides,
plastics, beauty products, cleaners, and lawn and garden chemicals,
just to name a few sources. Water alone can contain hormones. You’re
exposed to so much junk food, fast food, and soda. Dairy products and
farmed fish have added hormones and antibiotics. Antibiotics to control
yeast and acne also stress the body. Your body can be overloaded by
the time you enter your teen years.
Many of you are being put on birth control pills to control premenstrual
syndrome (PMS)— symptoms that occur before or at the beginning of your
period--or to prevent pregnancy. Or maybe you’re on medication for ADD
or depression.
Then there’s all the stress that a typical teenager
today is under with school work, social life, dating, sports, expectations
to “be the best,” high achievement pressure, summer school, get into
college, etc. Your home environment might be stressing you with sibling
arguments, disagreements with parents, a death in the family, alcoholism,
an unexpected divorce, or a parent running off. Or you’re helping
a friend going through some of these issues and share their pain. The
list is endless.
What Happens to the Body
Adrenal glands, which regulate the hormones in your body, do a good
job under normal circumstances. But too much stress creates hormonal
imbalances, which then creates emotional instability. Your adrenals
can get exhausted, then can cause hormone imbalances, or hormone imbalances
can cause adrenal exhaustion. Regardless of the cause, the results are
the same.
So to handle all of the stress, your adrenals produce a large amount
of a steroid called cortisol. This over production leads to a huge reduction
of the hormone progesterone. When this happens, another hormone estrogen
takes over. So now two hormones are affected. They have become unbalanced.
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
Below are symptoms of this imbalance. These can occur anytime:
• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal cramping
• Accident proneness, coordination difficulties
• Acne, hives
• Aggression, rage, anger
• Anxiety, irritability, suicidal thoughts
• Asthma
• Back pain
• Breast swelling and pain
• Bruising
• Confusion
• Depression, withdrawal from others, emotional liability
• Edema
• Exacerbation of preexisting conditions (lupus, arthritis, ulcers,
herpes, etc.)
• Excessive sleep patterns, fatigue, lethargy
• Fainting
• Food binges, salt cravings, sweet cravings
• Headache, migraine
• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia
• Joint swelling and pain
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Sinus problems
• Sore throat
• Urinary difficulties
What Can Be Done
Progesterone can greatly improve overall hormone balance. Natural progesterone
is safe and non-toxic. It’s a natural hormone to the body with no undesirable
side effects, when used as directed. It can be bought over the counter,
so no prescription is needed. Progesterone helps to balance the effects
of hormone imbalances, and has a calming effect on the nervous system.
Some teens notice a leveling off of their emotions when they get their
progesterone levels up to where they should be. Many of the symptoms
listed above disappear quickly within the first couple of weeks of use.
At Oasis Advanced Wellness we offer hormone saliva testing kits that
allow you to test yourself within the comfort of your own home. With
test results, you can determine your need for natural HRT. The use of
natural progesterone in combination with lifestyle changes often improves
symptoms and general health and well being. Be sure to work with your
healthcare professional in determining dosages. For more information
go to: www.menopause-pms-progesterone and www.oasisserene.com
It’s never too early to learn how to take care of your body. Education
allows you to understand and take control of your health. Prevention
is always the best way.
About the Author
Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP is a Doctor of Naturopath, Clinical
Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner in the Houston, TX area
and Founder / CEO of Oasis Advanced Wellness. Dr. Lanphier is Editor
of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness. www.oasisadvancedwellness.com
Be sure and visit our hormonal balancing site at www.menopause-pms-progesterone.org
and www.oasisserene.com
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