Has anyone had success with balancing lyme/hormones?
I'm 49, going through menopause, have tried bioidentical hormones/thyroid support and still feel horrible.
My diet isn't the greatest right now and am woneering if that could be a huge culprit?
Posted by lucky8711 (Member # 26221) on :
I have had no luck. I have Poly Cystic Ovaries resulting in hormone imbalance.
the only thing I really foun helpful was pregnancy. I felt great.
Progesterone cream helped minimally.
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Are you seeing a prescribing physician who is knowledgeable in bio-identical hormones? I hope so.
Chances are you will not feel better until you get a handle on the Lyme - then you can better tell what the hormones are, or are not, doing for you.
If your diet is lousy, physician heal thyself! A good place to start is by cooking more often - because restaurant and pre-packaged food is designed for profit, not health. A few basic techniques, like learning to stir-fry or to make a garlic scampi, can go a long way; especially when you simply alter ingredients with whatever is fresh and seasonal from week to week.
Stick to basics - and don't be fearful of nature's most nutritious foods, like eggs, butter, and milk. (Raw whole milk is the best - if you can find it. Try finding a local supplier at www.realmilk.com if you are interested to find a farm club that delivers.)
Your bread should be whole grain, and kept at a minimum. Sugar and white flour are best left to rare celebrations - and transfats should be relegated to the garbage bin. Unfortunately, this is what most commerical bakeries use when they bake.
At dinner plan a menu that includes lean meat (grass fed if possible), chicken or fish, a fresh cooked vegetable, and a salad. You can substitute frozen vegetables but stay away from the pre-seasoned kind. Cook with butter, olive oil, safflower oil or virgin coconut oil. Placing a little freshly chopped garlic or fresh ginger, or a couple of chinese chilis into your cooking oil, will get the same results as master chefs.
Your snacks should include whole milk yogurts (my #1 mainstay!), hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, nuts and nut butters, and real cheeses. (Avoid the processed Cheez Whiz stuff.) Your body needs some healthy fat, and eating foods with some protein and a little fat, can keep you feeling satified much longer than a whole bag of rice cakes.
If you drink coffee, try substituting green or herbal tea for some of those late-day cups. Avoid ALL SODAs! (This means "diet" brands too!) Some people report they lose some mysterious and annoying symptoms, when they avoid artificially sweetened drinks! (And when you think about it, where can you pick a bag of aspartame?) But if you are hooked on bubbly drinks, try a natural sparkling water, like Gerolsteiner or Perrier, and add a splash of orange or cranberry juice. Learn the difference between the taste of tap water, filtered water, and spring water - and you may learn to love water. For some people, simply changing the "drink snack" habit can make a noticeable difference in how they look and feel.
You have already taken the first step, in admitting that your diet "isn't the greatest." Now just plan ahead a little more, so that you are stocking for nutrition instead of just fuel.
I would love to hear that you made just a couple of changes, and found that you are feeling better. Good luck!
[ 01-30-2012, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: AuntyLynn ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- First, our food plan is the most important part of all this. I hope you can make changes that will support your body and also entice your taste buds.
Just in case you've not yet seen this: -----------
Repair Damaged Mitochondria and Reduce Fatigue Up to 45%
- by Karen Lee Richards, August 6, 2010 -
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Keebler - Thanks for the great article on hormone balancing and Lyme. Supporting the adrenals is key to overcoming any assault to the immune system.
I also liked Doctor Terry Wahl's site, which I visited earlier this afternoon. She says the paleo diet - lean meats and the equivalent of THREE PLATES a DAY of FRESH Vegetables (including those that contain sulfer, like the brassicas and onions), is key to supplying the building blocks for myelin sheath reconstruction. No doubt, this is some stellar advice!
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
For me, bioidentical hormones allow me to sleep, which took care of the brain fog and fatigue.
I take oral DHEA in the morning daily, along with Vit D at lunch.
I use topical estrogen and testosterone for 28 days on and 3 days off.
I take oral progesterone (works wonders) at night for 3 weeks and off one week.
Sorry that you did not have luck with them.
2 Dr's told me that it is important to take oral progesterone with the topical estrogen and testosterone.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Diet helps a lot. Also acupuncture.
Posted by pab (Member # 904) on :
I've been on bio-identical Estradiol and progesterone for the last 18 months.
I couldn't believe the difference in my pain level after I found the right dose.
Also, my sleep is much better and my hot flashes are basically gone.