"Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life."
Everyone needs friends--true friends. I think we use the word friend too loosely, much like the way we use the word 'love'.
More often than not, your friends might be acquaintances. True friends are those who have been on your roller coaster of life. These true friends know your skeletons and your deepest secrets. These are the ones you call when you are in trouble, and you know they will be there for you at any time of the day. Most of my Facebook friends are nothing more than acquaintances. As I get older my true friends are fewer in number. Many I might have considered true friends at one time are now merely acquaintances. When relationships end there is always a division of friends. I saw that years ago when I ended a relationship. I was not alright with it at the beginning but gradually began to understand. My one true friend was there then and is still in my life today. I try to talk to my children about this, but everyone must learn for themselves, including them.
I have many patients whom complain of health problems since menopause. These females are linking this to low estrogen. There are conditions that benefit from inhibiting estrogen and enhancing production of testosterone. Many females can experience some estrogen surges during menopause and in premenopausal times. This estrogen dominance can start early in some cases. There are diseases and some conditions related to excess estrogen and deficient progesterone in women. These are weight gain, fibrocystic diease, PMS, migraines, menstrual cycle disturbances, endometriosis and ovarian cysts. From the field of Epigenomics, we have learned that chemicals in our environment-- in food, water, and air have estrogenic effects. DDT is just one example.
I want to discuss briefly aromatase. Aromatase is an enzyme required for the conversion of androgens (like testosterone) to estrogens. Aromatase inhibitors decrease the concentration of estrogens in the body. Thus these aromatase INHIBITORS are effective in treating tumors that depend on estrogen for growth. This is way they are used in breast cancer. The example is tamoxifen.
This aromatase enzyme is found in the liver. It converts androstenedione and testosterone into the estrogens estrone and estradiol. By inhibiting aromatase (using an aromatase inhibitor) you would produce less estrogen and more testosterone. The reasons to use an aromatase inhibitor in women are to promote healthy breast tissue and muscle mass, and to inhibit fibroids.
The reasons to use an aromatase inhibitor in men is that the aromatase activity INCREASES with age so what little testosterone a man has when he gets old might be converted to estrogens. This is why there is 'male menopause" So by using an aromatase inhibitor in men you will have healthy prostate tissue, proper testosterone levels and a healthy sperm count. Some of you think that testosterone is adversely associated with prostate cancer are now learning that is not necessarily true.
Do you have to take a conventional aromatase inhibitor? The answer is NO. There are supplements and herbs that are aromatase inhibitors. Do you start taking these without consulting your physician? The answer is NO.
Chrysin is an aromatase inhibitor. It is found in the herb Passiflora incarnata
(see photograph above)Apigenin is another aromatase inhibitor found in species of the herb Chamomile
Isoflavones found in soy, especially genistein and diadzein are potent aromatase inhibitors.
I am in favor of boosting testosterone levels in men. I have no problem with giving testosterone. However, now I check LH, SBG and estrogen levels in men. If estrogen levels are high, why would I give testosterone. It means the enzyme aromatase (which gets higher when we get old) will convert the testosterone I am giving to more estrogen, defeating the purpose. I would use these natural aromatase inhibitors listed above. Not only are they safer but most have other beneficial properties such as being strong antioxidants.
Until tomorrow...
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