The Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your Inner Glow

291 Pages·2008·3.105 MB·English

by  Phuli Cohan

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T h e N a t u r a l
H o r m o n e
M a k e o v e r
10 Steps to Rejuvenate
Your Health and Rediscover
Your Inner Glow
Phuli Cohan, M.D.
John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
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T h e N a t u r a l
H o r m o n e
M a k e o v e r
10 Steps to Rejuvenate
Your Health and Rediscover
Your Inner Glow
Phuli Cohan, M.D.
John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
ffirs.qxd 11/15/07 2:47 PM Page ii
Copyright © 2008 by Phuli Cohan.All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons,Inc.,Hoboken,New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
Illustrations by Robert Romano;copyright © 2008 by Phuli Cohan
No part ofthis publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted
in any form or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,scanning,or
otherwise,except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 ofthe 1976 United States Copyright
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The information contained in this book is not intended to serve as a replacement for
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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Cohan,Phuli,date.
The natural hormone makeover :10 steps to rejuvenate your health and rediscover your
inner glow / Phuli Cohan.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-471-74484-9 (cloth)
1. Hormone therapy—Popular works.2. Women—Health and hygiene.3. Endocrine
gynecology—Popular works.4. Rejuvenation. I.Title.
RM286.C64 2008
615'.36—dc22
2007044824
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To my teachers in Asia,Australasia,Europe,and the United States who
taught me to bring common sense and balance to medicine
To my patients,whose success using natural hormones compelled me
to write this book
To the healthcare professionals responsible for the Women’s Health
Initiative Study, which helped bring an end to the “one pill for all”
treatment of women. Much of the debate about the safe use of
hormones started with their efforts.
To my husband: this book could not have been written without your
unwavering support and love.You make it all possible.
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Contents
Introduction 1
1 Understanding Health and Hormones 13
2 The Ten-Step Hormone Makeover 21
3 Hormone Safety and Metabolism 29
4 Hormones and a Healthy Lifestyle 57
5 Know Your Symptoms 81
6 Recommended Tests 99
7 How to Find the Right Doctor and Support
Team 109
8 Sex Hormones Part 1:Perimenopause and
Progesterone 115
9 Sex Hormones Part 2:Using Natural
Bioidentical Estrogen and Testosterone 137
10 Adrenal and Thyroid Hormones 177
11 Sleep Hormones 219
12 Growth Hormone 233
Conclusion 241
v
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vi Contents
Appendix A:Symptoms ofLow Hormones 245
Appendix B:Symptoms ofHormone Excess 251
References 255
Suggested Readings 273
Index 274
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Introduction
I
have been described as a “naturalist”physician,and that’s probably as
close as you can get to explaining what I do. After graduating from
Brown University Medical School in 1982,I was excited but also some-
what dismayed.Despite top-notch medical training,something was miss-
ing. Medicine seemed impersonal, overly technical, and disjointed.
Systems and specialties were taught separately;pieces weren’t fully con-
nected. The cardiovascular system was never linked to moods, yet I
noticed that most people who had suffered a heart attack often had
upsetting dreams or felt depressed,more so than with other illnesses.No
one seemed to notice how the menstrual cycle affected a woman’s bowels,
yet most women, when asked, will tell you that they do often change.
Nutrition was discussed in terms of calories or “exchanges”without any
connection to hormones or neurotransmitters,which are made from pro-
teins and are carefully regulated by our vitamins and minerals.Physical
signs that people noticed about themselves,such as their tongue coating
or the quality oftheir skin,nails,and hair,were largely overlooked.
1