Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a system of medical treatment for surgically menopausal, peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. It involves the use of one or more of a group of medications designed to artificially boost hormone levels. The main types of hormones involved are estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is found naturally in the human body, produced primarily by the adrenal glands. It is an important hormone base from which testosterone, progesterone, and corticosterone, either directly or indirectly, can be derived. It is often referred to as “treatment” rather than a therapy.
Dr Kanwal offers a natural approach to hormone therapy that takes into account nutrition, exercise, supplementation, stress reduction and bioidentical hormones when necessary.
I am continually saddened by the number of patients, male and female, that are having hormonal problems. I feel the state of our environment is at the root of the cause, as well as our high-stress lifestyles. In my clinic, I understand hormone imbalance from personal experience, and from many patients. Extraordinary lifestyle, and the physical and emotional demands experienced by women and men in today’s society are causing many people to notice unsettling changes, both physically and mentally.
Stress and Hormone Therapy
The other factor is the increase of stress in modern-day society. Many people reading this may have heard the terms adrenal exhaustion, or adrenal fatigue, which is becoming increasingly common. Our adrenal glands produce our stress hormones, and are also responsible for post-menopausal female hormone production. Menopause is a natural process, I don’t believe nature has a design flaw, but our society has changed. By the time a modern-day woman is getting to the end of her cycle, she is adrenally exhausted. She’s stressed out from our fast paced society being so hectic, with everyone around her operating constantly in fight-or-flight mode.
We are the first generation of a chemically dependent society. We are full of estrogen mimickers and other toxins. Toxic chemicals and metals are everywhere; in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and the medications we take. They’re in plastics, pesticides, soaps, emulsifiers and household cleaning products. Car exhaust and pollution are fat-soluble. They can pass through our skin quite readily and accumulate over time, and this is having a huge impact on hormonal health. These chemicals, coming in from our environment mean, our livers aren’t working as effectively at a functional level. The liver is responsible for metabolizing all of these toxins and our hormones.
I hear every day from men and women who are interested in a natural approach, but they do not know where to turn. Many people have come to me, already frustrated and feeling as though no one understands or truly listens to them. They have been dismissed and/or prescribed medications that they don’t really want and, are often not as effective as they had hoped. Many people become overwhelmed with the vast amount of information and products available and just want someone to help them.
