Improving progesterone levels.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

This is not medical advice, I am writing this for educational purposes. If you are ill it would be wise to seek the aide of a qualified and experienced naturopath. Healing is about balance especially when it comes to hormones. We do not want to increase or decrease them we want to balance them.

Progesterone decreases lactobacillus. Estrogen increases lactobacillus. Progesterone is low until about the 14th day of the menstrual cycle then levels rise. This is the luteal phase. Levels of progesterone will stay higher until the next menstrual cycle. If progesterone levels are low a person will experience pain and cramps during the luteal phase. Progesterone is need for the egg to drop from the ovary. The small amounts of progesterone produced when levels are low are produced in the adrenal cortex from pregnolone. During the luteal phase when progesterone is increased it is produced by the corpus luteum found on the ovaries. If the thyroid health is poor it can cause low progesterone because pregnolone requires thyroid hormones. High prolactin levels can cause low progesterone. Low dopamine can cause low progesterone and high prolactine levels. It would most likely be most beneficial to improve progesterone will in the luteal phase and to stop taking supplements that increase progesterone at the beginning of the next menstrual cycle. Progesterone improves bile flow but excess estrogen can inhibit bile flow. If progesterone is low a person will gain weight. High uric acid levels can cause low progesterone. During the luteal phase of menstruation the urine PH will increase from the progesterone to around 6 or a little higher. At the beginning of menstruation the bladder PH is usually around 4.8 to 5.5. During the day bladder PH can increase.

High insulin levels can cause low progesterone. This can be caused by stress, trauma, inflammation and oxidative stress.

The corpus luteum requires lots of vitamin A. For proper hormones oil soluble vitamines A,E and D are needed. Vitamin C helps to increase progesterone. Magnesium and zinc are needed.

These are some foods that help to increase progesterone.

Chocolate, poultry, oats, beans, legumes, organ meat, banana, peppers, citrus fruit, tomato, avocado, sea food, berries, pumpkin, increase foods that contain cholesterol like coconut oil and butter. Cruciferous vegetables are needed because sulfur is needed for proper hormone function but should be consumed in moderation because in excess that can alter hormone levels. Eggs are good for increasing progesterone.

Supplements that help.

DIM

Pyridoxal 5-phosphate

Vitamin B12

NAC

Melatonin

Pine bark extract

Astaxanthin

Improve adrenal health:

Eleuthero

Maca

Ashwangha

Panax gensing

Schisandra

Rhodoiola

Licorice root but it can cause salt retention

Low dose boron can improve progesterone and estrogen levels.

Kudzu

Adrenal drink mix lemon juice or lime juice , 1/8 teaspoon of aluminum free cream of tartar, a pinch of salt and honey.

To improve thyroid health:

Sauna, or Far infrared sauna

Bouncing on a trampline

Lymphatic massage.

Avoid using cell phones escessively.

Foods for thyroid health:

Berries, raw milk, seeds especially flax seed, cinnamon, and lemon balm.

Supplements needed:

Iodine

Selenium

Tyrosine

Cleavers also known as bedstraw

Bacopa

Dandelion

grape seed extract

Excess prolactin can cause low progesterone. Low dopamine causes excess prolactin, stress and trauma causes excess prolaction, autoimmunity , hypothyroidism, renal infection or disease, spinal injury, pregnancy, toxins and some medications can cause high prolactin levels.

Increasing dopamine can help improve prolactin and progesterone levels. One of the most effective ways to increase dopamine is velvet bean. Doing puzzles of any kind increases dopamine. Getting sunlight increases dopamine. Meditating on good things increases dopamine. Laughing increases dopamine. Getting adequate sleep improves dopamine levels. Rhodiola can help balance dopamine and serotonin. Biotin improves dopamine homeostasis. Rhubarb root and aloe vera contain emodin which prevents dopamine from being broken down. Eat foods high in phenylalanine and tryptophan.

Supplements that should be avoided:

Skullcap it increases estrogen but reduces progesterone.

Stevia

Green tea

Microbes that prevent low progesterone levels:

Most lactobacillus species increases dopamine. Lactobacillus cannot get established if estrogen is low.

Akkermansia muciniphila

Bifidobacterium animalis

Bifidobacterium infantis

Commensal Staphylococcus.

Commensal Clostridium spp

E coli nissle 1917

Streptococcus thermophilus

Lactococcus species produce large amounts of dopamine.

Enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus faecium

Coproccocus Species

Bacillus cereus

Bacillus mycoides

Oscillospira spp

Psychrobacter spp

Microbacterium schleiferi is acquired through animal milk

Microbes that cause low progesterone levels:

Prevotella intermedius

Bacteroides

Pathogenic Escherichia

Benefits of saffron.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am a lousy editor.

This is not medical advice I am writing this for educational purposes. If you are ill please seek the aid of a qualified and experienced functional medicine practitioner.

Saffron (crocus sativus)

Saffron is high in natural ketones which can help the body heal and provide the brain with an alternative source of energy if the body is having metabolic issues. It contains very potent phytochemicals that are some of the most readily absorbed from any plant so the potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of saffron are very rapid. Saffron should never be taken in high dosages. It has very strong anticoagulant properties so can cause excessive bleeding. Consuming it in excess can also cause nausea, vomiting , dizziness and diarrhea .Saffron is very high in B vitamins. If you buy saffron try to get it unprocessed because when processed and ground often times fillers are added in order to increase profits.

So along with the many health benefits of potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatories saffron also helps improve mood. Saffron has been found to have anticonvulsant, antidepressant properties, it helps reduce withdrawal symptoms from substance abuse. Saffron enhances memory and memory recall. Saffron should be taken at night because it has sedative properties and induces a deeper sleep state. During chronic illness and states of stress glutamate and aspartate levels can get very high causing neurological and brain damage, saffron prevents this from occurring. If saffron is used in high dosages it will actually have the opposite effects then what I mention in this article.

As for skin saffron is one of the most effective sun screens, and works at very low concentrations.

Saffron helps to prevent mucus build up in the lungs and makes it easier to expel it. Saffron also inhibits H1 histamine receptor which could reduce asthma and allergic reactions.

Because saffron has potent anticoagulant properties it helps protect the body and organs from ischemia.

They do not fully know how saffron reduces pain because it is not through receptors like the opoiod receptors. I can tell you from experience it has reduced pain in my body when nothing else would. They believe it may be through it’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. I do not believe that because the relief I usually feel is so rapid that it has to be more then that.

Saffron is effective against E coli and Staph infections. Because it can rapidly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress saffron may be able to protect the body from the damage caused by Sars-Covid. Saffron also stimulates the immune system which may help it to fight Covid. It does so in a way that it does not throw immune balance off because it increases both TH1 and TH2 immune response. Because saffron can inhibit RNA viruses replication and entry into cell it most likely could inhibit Covid. Saffron is also an ACE inhibitor which can inhibit Covids ability to infect the body. Since saffron is a potent anticoagulant it could prevent the excess blood clotting induce by Covid if one is infected.

Saffron may help with autoimmunity and allergies because it inhibits the degranulation of mast cells which would prevent excess histamine release into the body.

Saffron has been found to improve the feeling of well being and prevent depression. It has been found to improve once resistance to the negative effects of emotional stress.

Saffron reduces appetite so be careful taking it before meals.

Saffron helps with PMDD which is a much more severe form of premenstrual syndrome. This is most likely do to the effects of saffron on stress. Excess adrenal upregulation can throw hormone levels off. Saffron has been shown to balance hormone levels out. This is most likely from it’s ability to increase the bodies ability to endure emotional stress.

Saffron improves insulin sensitivity helping to balance insulin and glucose levels.

I would not use saffron daily , I would use it in times it is needed the most or if used daily I would stop using it and only use it once in a while once the issue a person has taken it for has gotten better or has been corrected. It is so potent please never take high dose unless under the supervision of a functional medicine practitioner.

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Benefits of DIM.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am a lousy editor.

This is not medical advice, I have written this for educational purposes. If you are ill please seek the aid of a qualified and experienced functional medicine practitioner.

DIM (Diidolylmethane)

DIM is created in our guts from consuming cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. DIM helps balance estrogen levels in the body. Often times it is seen as a supplement for women but it is beneficial for mean and women. It helps the body to produce less toxic and more beneficial type of estrogen in the body. DIM also reduces the effects of the bad estrogen in the body. DIM prevents types of cancer caused by excess estrogen. In men DIM prevents testosterone being converted to estrogen. This would help prevent prostate cancer and improve prostate health. DIM helps prevent acne caused by hormonal imbalance. DIM helps reduce pain associated with PMS. It helps prevent man boobs in men by reducing estrogen levels. Because it increases good estrogen in women it would reduce oxidative stress because the good estrogen are anti-inflammatory have antioxidant properties. DIM helps to prevent estrogen dominance in women. DIM helps prevent the types of cancer caused by excess estrogen and xenobiotics. DIM also helps to prevent intestinal cancer. DIM also helps prevent liver and kidney injury. DIM helps prevent both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. DIMs positive effects on estrogen also helps improve thyroid function. DIM is an aromatase inhibitor. Many say they reacted to taking it at first but after a few days started feeling better. Also DIM requires sulfation so a person who is using DIM should support sulfation when the take DIM. Something to take note of DIM is an aromatase inhibitor. Aromatse inhibitors can cause endometrial problems, blood clotting, heart palpitation, osteoporosis, and joint pain. So just as with any nutrient if used in excess it can start having a negative impact on the body.

Low carbohydrate diets can put the body into a state of believing it is being starved. This turns off the fat burning genes because the body believes it is starving. DIM can help to turn the fat burning genes back on. DIM also enhances the positive effects of butyrate.

DIM protects the body from damage caused by hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) and ischemia. Ischemia is caused by inhibited blood flow. DIM also protects the body from excess cell death during infection. DIM also protects the brain from injury from overexpression of cyclin. Herpes viruses cause and over expression of cyclin. DIM down regulates cyclin.

Something to take note of is if you have sulfation issues and you have not addressed them you may react to DIM and have an allergic type reaction . Make sure you support sulfation if you are going to take DIM.

DIM helps to prevent endometriosis. When dealing with any type of chronic illness you still need to address the cause or DIM will be of very little use.

Side effects can be gas, darkening of urine, vomiting, skin rash, nausea and diarrhea. It should not be taken in high doses because it can reduce sodium levels in the body. DIM should be taken with food.

Xenobiotics are estrogen mimetic. They disrupt hormone levels in the body and can cause cancer. DIM reduces the effects of xenobiotics on the body. If taken in excessive amounts it can cause skin swelling, rashes and hair loss. Taking excessive amounts of DIM can also cause joint pain in hips and knees. If you experience any of these while taking DIM then you may want to stop taking it for a while.

DIM upregulates CYP1B1 enzymes. I do not know the effects of this if DIM is taken long term.

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