Hormone Optimizing Warrior M.D.

Did you know progesterone is the second most important sex hormone if you're a woman? That's just one reason it's so important to acknowledge and understand progesterone for women's health. In this episode, we're diving into part one of all things progesterone including how it's produced and what happens when it's out of balance with other hormones.

Women's bodies create progesterone alongside estrogen, and it's truly the balance between these two major hormones that promotes healthy balance. During a regular menstrual cycle, after ovulation, progesterone is generated at higher levels in the body. In fact, there is no progesterone without ovulation. This means ovulation is really crucial to balancing these hormones.

Low progesterone levels can lead to estrogen dominance—a hormone state in which symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, and more can arise. Identifying estrogen dominance and its possible cause (whether in relation to progesterone levels or not) can help you figure out the best next step towards a solution.

High cortisol can impact progesterone levels. It's been postulated that the production of cortisol may actually steal progesterone from the ovaries. Whether this is true or not, stress has been shown to inhibit ovulation by directly impacting the brain, thereby promoting an overall hormone imbalance.

Intense and strenuous exercise or competitive athletes may also notice low progesterone levels. Their bodies are under a different kind of stress, but a stress nonetheless, so the body shuts down pituitary hormones, meaning the ovaries won't make any estrogen. Without estrogen, the body won't produce any progesterone, leading to further health symptoms.

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Last time, we covered how low estrogen can impact women's health. Today, our focus is on excess estrogen, and how this can affect both women's and men's health. Having too much estrogen in the body is also referred to as estrogen dominance. Because this hormone plays such a significant role in the body, outcomes of estrogen dominance can have a serious impact on our health.

An excess of estrogen in women can lead to weight gain around the midsection, breast enlargement, period and cycle changes, severe PMS, sleeping difficulties, and more. In men, high estrogen can lead to low sex drive, gynecomastia, decrease in muscle tone (in spite of exercise), and depression.

Our bodies, when stressed, release cortisol. When cortisol release is irregularly high, the body's ability to produce progesterone, which balances estrogen, is compromised. Drinking alcohol daily can also increase estrogen levels because it directly impacts the liver, where estrogen is metabolized.

There are also chemicals in plastic products like pesticides, skincare, fragrances, food storage, and more which can influence estrogen production negatively. These substances are called estrogen disruptors (or EEDCs), and they alter the function of the hormonal system. Keeping your hands clean throughout the day, avoiding plastic, and choosing organic foods can limit your exposure to these toxic chemicals.

Poor diet and increased carbohydrate intake are linked to increased estrogen in men. High stress, poor sleep, and lack of exercise can also lead to increased estrogen levels in men. Avoiding alcohol, smoked meat, and fish, while enjoying more cruciferous vegetables, fermented foods, and flavones (found in chamomile) can help keep estrogen balanced in men.

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Estrogen influences so many diverse aspects of a woman's existence. In the last episode, we explored two of the main reasons why estrogen is awesome: first for sexuality, and second for brain health. In this episode, we continue empowering you with knowledge on this amazing hormone and discuss all the other ways estrogen is beneficial for a woman's body.

Estrogen is awesome for the role it plays in supporting heart health. Interestingly, the risk for heart disease increases after menopause. This decrease in estrogen coincides with potential issues in cardiovascular health. This may be related to its ability to decrease plaque, or its promotion of healthy cholesterol.

This hormone also plays a role in supporting a woman's musculoskeletal health. Estrogen receptors are found inside your two main bone cells, which highlights its importance in bone formation and integrity. As such, estrogen deficiency can lead to bone mineral decline. It also plays an important role in supporting a woman's joint health.

In a healthy body, the balance between anabolic hormones (like estrogen) and catabolic hormones (like cortisol) is maintained and creates homeostasis. So, when we lose estrogen as an anabolic hormone, your metabolism will slow down to a crawl. You might find you need to eat less and workout more to maintain the same weight.

Estrogen is also vision supportive and helps maintain hydration of the eyes. It even works wonders in promoting healthy skin by promoting sebum and collagen production. Estrogen has antioxidant properties and protects the skin against UV damage. By nourishing our bodies with the appropriate amount of estrogen, women can ensure robust, resilient health for years to come.

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Today's episode is all about estrogen and why it's awesome for women. It's important to know the information shared here, whether it impacts you as a woman directly or you have women in your life who could benefit from this knowledge. Estrogen is important for men too, which will be covered more in future episodes.

If you're a woman, estrogen is your body's best friend—especially for the first 40 years (and potentially later, if using hormone replacement therapy). Estrogen is the essence of femininity. It's what makes a woman a woman—her sexuality, fertility, and ability to bear children.

There are some misconceptions about estrogen, but the truth is estrogen is only negatively impactful when it's not balanced correctly. Every hormone in the body plays a part in the larger endocrine system, so balance—especially with testosterone and progesterone—is crucial.

As a woman, you're able to ovulate, be fertile, birth children, and nourish them thanks to estrogen. Your desire to have sex and be intimate is also linked to the presence of estrogen in your body. It influences your brain and psychology. If you're suffering from a very low level of estrogen, you will likely notice the effects in these areas of your life.

Your estrogen levels also influence your mental health. It's vital to a woman's stable mood. In fact, there are mood changes like PMS, PMDD, postpartum depression, and post-menopausal depression, all of which are affected by levels of estrogen. Because estrogen has such a profound impact on a woman's overall health, it's worth it for most women to explore hormone replacement therapy as estrogen declines.

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We're talking about hormones in this episode. Today's introduction to hormones will give you interesting facts about them that will leave you wowed, fascinated, and eager to learn more. Plus, it will provide insight on what you could ask your doctor when you see them.

There are ten major hormones produced by the body. Hormones regulate and control just about everything in your body including mood, metabolism, sleep, immune system, and blood sugar. They act like chemical messengers, facilitating communication between cells, tissues, and organs.

There are three major sex hormones in women: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These play a crucial role in species propagation and survival, and so much more. We also have thyroid-specific hormones that control our metabolism, temperature, and blood pressure. Adrenal hormones like cortisol, aldosterone, and more have both specific and generalized roles.

Cortisol, also known as the "stress hormone," is the most potent anti-inflammatory tool our body has. Adrenaline and noradrenaline, also produced by the adrenals, are our "fight or flight" hormones. These hormones are essential for survival, and eventually will be covered more in depth in a future episode. Insulin and glucagon are two other hormones that are also essential for survival.

These are just a few of the hormones working within your body each and every day. Our endocrine system is very complex, and they influence every function in your body. Knowing what the hormones are, the roles they play, and how to properly test them is vital for empowering yourself when it comes to your health. We'll cover many of these hormones in detail in future episodes.

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Welcome to the Wellness Optimizing Warrior M.D. podcast. When I decided to pursue becoming an OBGYN in the US after my medical studies in Romania, my friends and family thought I was crazy. However, I didn't let this deter me. The English speaking skills I had honed as a child were a valuable asset, and I became the first foreign medical graduate at Louisiana State University.

Life became about learning new things, making new friends, and adapting in a new world. I embraced it—and I still do. A few years after graduating from university, I got a job in a community healthcare clinic in California. I'm conventionally trained, but I have always been holistic in my approach to medicine.

When my father got sick with ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), I was shocked by the substandard care he received. Despite the battle we fought for him and against the healthcare system, he passed. This set me down the path to learning more about anti-aging, and I discovered a whole new world. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know.

Today, I practice medicine on my own terms with a skilled team of professionals alongside me. I lead a team of nine people, and together we support thousands of patients. I want to continue giving back, and that's what inspired me to start this podcast. A lack of information leads to fear, so filling the gap with education allows patients to make the best choice for them.

It's my hope that this podcast will give value to anyone who wants access to useful, helpful information on the latest innovative solutions in regenerative health. Healthcare has grown so much, and it's so complex. It's time to expect more from the care you get from your healthcare professionals, and that journey starts here.

Connect with Dr. Cernaianu

https://www.herabeautyandwellness.com/

https://www.instagram.com/herabeautyandwellness/

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Welcome to the Wellness Optimizing Warrior M.D. Podcast!

Connect with Dr. Cernaianu

https://www.herabeautyandwellness.com/

https://www.instagram.com/herabeautyandwellness/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Hera-Healthcare-Mirela-Cernaianu-MD/100063462643162/