Healthy Hormone Balance and
Natural Treatment Options for Women and Men

An estimated 50% of women in the United States will be menopausal by the year 2015. Symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, heart palpitations, depression, anxiety, loss of memory, and loss of libido already have 50 million American women who are currently menopausal searching for relief. With the halting of the Women’s Health Initiative study in 2002 due to alarming findings regarding the risks associated with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) combined with the media’s onslaught of conflicting information, it is no wonder that women are left feeling scared, confused, and wanting safe and effective alternative therapies for menopause symptoms.

Menopause can be a time of tremendous physical, emotional and social change for women. For some women, it is a smooth transition, but for many others it can be a rocky time. During menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, and the adrenal glands and fat cells take over. The body is designed to accommodate this natural process, but can only do so if the body is in a healthy state.

Men can also experience age-related changes in their hormone levels. Referred to as andropause, this hormonal decline often coincides with symptoms of aging in males. Andropause, named after the male hormones known as androgens, is the counterpart to menopause in women when production of estrogens and progesterone by the ovaries begins to decline. For men, the drop is more gradual than the hormonal “roller coaster” often experienced by women during menopause.

Declining levels of testosterone and DHEA are commonly seen in men beginning in their 40s. These anabolic hormones are particularly important in men, as they are the major players in maintaining both physical and mental health. For example, they increase energy and decrease fatigue; they help in maintaining erectile function and normal sex drive; and they increase the strength of all structural tissues in the skin, bones, and muscles, including the heart. Proper levels of androgens also help to prevent depression and mental fatigue.

For both women and men, a major cause of hormonal imbalance is estrogen dominance. This occurs when there is too much estrogen or not enough progesterone to balance its effects. Estrogen dominance is caused by exposure to potent, environmental estrogens (xenoestrogens), found in plastics, pesticides, cleaners, detergents, body care products, meat and dairy products, stress, anovulation, poor diet, obesity, microbial imbalances, as well as synthetic hormones from birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy.

Foreign estrogens are much more potent than estrogen made by the ovaries. Artificial estrogens activate receptors to stimulate a hormonal effect or occupy the receptor and block natural estrogen from doing its job, thereby disrupting normal endocrine function.
Xenoestrogens can accumulate over time, are absorbed through the skin, are difficult to detoxify, and are stored in fat. While endogenous estrogens are biologically active only during the years of sexual maturity, have a life expectancy measured in days, and fluctuate month to month, xenoestrogen exposure starts with fetal development and can be around for decades.

Village Green Apothecary is committed to bridging the gap between conventional therapies and their alternatives. Among our highly trained staff are naturopathic doctors, clinical herbalists, nutritionists, nutrition advisors, and an excellent team of pharmacists and compounding specialists. Together, we assure a high level of safety and competency, as well as offer a vast selection of professional grade products and services to patients and consumers. When exploring both conventional and alternative options, Village Green Apothecary offers doctors and patients unparalleled knowledge and expertise to implement complementary and alternative therapies in a safe and effective manner.

Testing

We highly recommend specialized testing to measure your sex hormones, adrenal hormones, thyroid levels, micronutrient status, and neurotransmitters. We work with labs such as ZRT, Neuroscience, Genova/Metametrix, and Spectracell, to provide you with a variety of comprehensive cutting-edge testing options.

Recommended Supplements for Natural Support

(Specific product examples are given below, but there are other excellent supplements, as well.)

Natural Therapies

Additional Natural Options

Bio-Identical Hormones
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is an all-natural alternative to traditional hormone replacement. Advantages of using bio-identical hormones include the well-known benefits of traditional hormone replacement therapy without most of the unwanted side effects and risks. Ask your doctor about creating a natural hormone plan that is specific to your needs. Our team of compounding pharmacists specializes in providing individualized manually compounded prescriptions to fit each woman’s exact needs. Customized prescriptions may come in the form of oral capsules, sublingual tablets, topical gels and creams, and patches.

Conclusion

For over 45 years, Village Green Apothecary’s highly experienced and knowledgeable pharmacists and nutrition consultants have collaborated with patients and their health care practitioners to provide the most comprehensive individualized care. We are committed to assisting you in making the best choices for your health, whether they are all-natural or conventional options.

Village Green’s commitment to valuable nutrition includes our Pathway nutritional product line, which has been developed by our team of experts and is endorsed by leading physicians and nutritionists. Each product is carefully formulated for optimal purity and maximum potency and is 100% natural and hypoallergenic. We use no unnecessary binders, fillers, or exipients in any of our products. We ensure the safety and efficacy of Pathway by following strict quality guidelines and having ingredients verified. In addition, we ensure that each product contains the most absorbable mineral forms and herbs in guaranteed or standardized potencies.
Furthermore, by incorporating the latest research into our formulation, we are committed to continually enhancing our product line to best support the health of our customers.

Our team of skilled practitioners also makes it possible for Village Green to carry practitioner- brand supplements, which must be sold under the guidance of a licensed practitioner. This means you'll find a host of top brands at Village Green that you won't find at your corner drugstore or natural foods store. Practitioner brand supplements, including Thorne, Metagenics, Xymogen, Life Extension, Innate, and Pure Encapsulations, are some of the purest, most potent forms of vitamins and nutrients available. They're formulated based on the clinical experience of medical practitioners, and often use patented raw materials, ones that are most bioavailable in the body and are therefore most potent. And, they are free of common allergens, such as wheat, corn or soy.

Village Green’s Nutrition and Wellness Services

Our trained professionals include naturopathic doctors, licensed nutritionists, clinical herbalists, and holistic health counselors. We offer a wide variety of private wellness consultations. You can schedule an appointment online at www.myvillagegreen.com, where our online appointment manager allows you to look up available times and schedules, view a current appointment, or cancel an existing appointment with the option to reschedule.
For further information, please call 301-530-0800.

 Download a pdf of this article.

* * *

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your physician if you have any question regarding a medical condition.