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Practical Takeaway: When adrenal glands become fatigued – typically as a result of prolonged, repetitive stress – the output of key regulatory hormones, like 'master stress hormone' cortisol, is diminished. Following my recent re-reading of Dr. James Wilson’s 2001 pioneering book, Adrenal Fatigue: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome, I took his advice and for the first time in months slept in on a Saturday morning. That day there was such a difference in my energy I decided to go with another of his suggestions and took a short nap on Sunday. Again I felt much better; after a 15 minute doze I was energized without the usual...

As scientific researchers, practitioners and patients bear witness to the increasing evidence of hormone dysfunction in today’s society, Dr. Cobi Slater’s Ultimate Hormone Balancing Guidebook couldn’t come at a better time. Her premise throughout this illuminating book is that the real cause behind the plethora of symptoms plaguing modern adults of all ages can be linked to imbalances within the hormonal cascade. By the time the average woman has completed her morning routine, she has exposed her face, body & hair to over 126 chemicals from 12 different products.   This is a book loaded with research-based evidence pointing to a surfeit of...

When sex hormones are tested in women either in saliva or blood spot, ZRT test reports give a ratio of progesterone (Pg) to estradiol (E2). The ratio is helpful in clinical practice when both E2 and Pg are within range, yet the patient continues to have symptoms. It is not expected to be normal or used clinically when either E2 and/or Pg are outside of their expected ranges or if the patient does not have clinical symptoms. A low ratio occurs when Pg is low relative to E2. This describes the classic situation of estrogen dominance.  In general, either decreasing estrogen and/or increasing progesterone...

As January's Thyroid Awareness Month winds down, now is the time to practice all we've learned about the care and feeding of our master of metabolism. In Part I of our last blog post, we zeroed in on the enemies of a healthy thyroid. In Part II, we will help you fend them off to protect the health of your thyroid gland with the following key action steps. Reverse Estrogen Dominance - An imbalance of high estrogen / low progesterone can suppress activation of thyroid hormones that drive metabolism. Your best defense: If testing detects a problem, consider supplementing with natural (bioidentical) progesterone to re-balance estrogens...

The average person who can't lose weight - despite eating right and exercising - is generally frustrated and frankly stumped. For many, diet and exercise have always proven effective, and yet now - for some reason - they don't. Sometimes just a little. Sometimes not at all. Those who dig deeper often find that weight problems could be due to a sluggish thyroid. Feeling an inkling of hope, many ask their doctors to run a test, and lo' and behold the results often come back normal. How can that be? These results tend to stun - especially when weight gain continues...