Women's Wellness Wednesday: Phytoestrogens

It has been awhile since I've posted about some of the things I've experienced in this journey with adenomyosis.
What a journey it has been!
But I'm so pleased to report that things have improved so much for me that I'm excited and feel burdened to share what I've learned with other women who may be experiencing the same symptoms I was!!
You can read here about this condition and what led me to discovering this is what I have.
Once I learned what it was that causing such a problem, I began researching how to treat it.
The first thing I learned about was something called xenoestrogens.
But once I got THAT thing figured out, I learned about something else in our environment that I needed to be aware of:  PHYTOESTROGENS!
Not only do those of us with estrogen dominance issues need to be aware of the estrogen mimicers in our environments (xenoestrogens), but also of those in plants we may be ingesting as well.  Hence the term, "phyto" estrogens.

Of course, the most notorious is soy.
Soy has long been known to have estrogen-like chemicals in it.
We try to be careful that our children are not getting extra hormones in animal products these days,
but are we aware that we can be replacing that when we give them an alternative like soymilk?
What about tofu or those things with soybean oil in it?

I've also been careful with the essential oils of lavendar and tea tree oil as well.
These are also known to be estrogen mimicers!!

And I hate to break it to ya.......I was mad about this myself......so does COFFEE!!
Just so you know.
For a list of specific phytoestrogens that I've been avoiding, check here.
To be fair though, it's always good to have other opinions, and I appreciate the information found here.
Either way, this is another way that I've been trying to be aware of what I'm putting in this one body that I've been given!!

Women's Wellness Wednesday: Eliminating xenoestrogens

On Wednesdays, I'm journaling about this new leg of my journey to better health.
Last week, I talked about these things called "xenoestrogens" that I had NEVER heard of,
but apparently are wreaking HAVOC on my health and well-being!!
You can read about that here:  What ARE xenoestrogens?

Now that I'm more familiar with what they are and what they do {estrogen mimicers, endocrine disrupters},
I've been trying to figure out how to avoid them.

It's pretty simple to avoid them.....just don't use the products that contain them.
The tricky part is finding a good alternative....that WORKS and doesn't break the bank!!

Here's what I've found so far:

These products are AH-mazing!!

The Dessert Essence brand is dedicated to producing all-natural products and they are just fantastic!

I've ditched all my regular shampoos, conditioners, soap, and body lotion and switched to this brand.

I LOVE the Coconut body wash and lotion.

It's as good as or better than anything at Bath and Body Works, and is safer for you if you have
and estrogen dominance issue, such as myself.

I started buying them on sale at Sprout's so I could try them,

but will probably be buying them online at Vitacost.com for a way better price.

I've also ditched my store-bought antiperspirant/deodorant.
This one was tough for me.
I'm a confessed profuse sweater.
My feet and hands sweat....and the sweat RUNS down my face and back in the summers
around here!!
I was nervous about switching to something that doesn't have the aluminum and other parabens
that are normally in antiperspirants, but I knew I didn't want to keep using these potentially
harmful ingredients.
I tried this:

But didn't like that I had to apply it several times a day and I still smelled of rotten onions!

So I tried this:

But I had virtually the same problem as I did with the previous product.

Plus, I found out that tea tree oil is also an estrogen mimicer {phytoestrogen - plant based estrogen}

and that using this too much can cause issues with estrogen dominance as well!!!

SO.....I decided to try my hand at making my own!!

I found this recipe:

Homemade deodorant

Let me tell you.....I like it!!

It was super easy to make, and I was able to fill up one 4.6 oz. empty deodorant tube

that I had on hand.

When I use it....there is no odor.

I did not use any essential oil to fragrance it, but it has a gentle coconut smell from the coconut oil.

It has a super low melting point though, and melts instantly when it touches your skin.

It broke the twist up function on the deodorant container because it gets so hard when you put it in the frig initially, so I had to scoop it out into a small

covered plastic bowl and keep it in the frig.

I've just been popping it out of the bowl when I feel I need it and storing it in the frig.

The next thing to go?

Commercial laundry detergent.

Yep.

I was NOT going to do this.

I had dug in my heels and was not going to let anybody or anything drag me into 

being this "crunchy!"

But when I found out that xenoestrogens are found in laundry detergent AND fabric softener,

and that they don't come off your clothes and get into your system....

I knew I had to try this.

And what did I have to loose?

It's so. MUCH. cheaper!!

Here's the recipe:

Homemade liquid laundry detergent

It was so cheap to make.
And so easy.
Will post pictures later.
It seems to work just fine.
It doesn't have a fancy fragrance that our American culture seems to think we need for happiness
and cleanliness......
but it gets the clothes clean!!

Just a few simple changes.
With more to come.

Women's Wellness Wednesday: What are xenoestrogens?

That was exactly my question when I ran into a website that claimed that "adenomyosis is caused by estrogen dominance."

What is THAT??
I had never......ever heard that term......ever.
Basically it means your hormones are out of whack, that you have too much estrogen and not enough progeterone to counter-act it all.


This is a relatively new idea that you don't hear about in mainstream medicine, but will from alternative health-care providers...i.e. health and wellness, homeopathic doctors, etc.

One of the things I need to do is to eliminate all the EXTRA estrogen that I'm getting.
Where does all this extra estrogen come from??
Good question!!
I couldn't believe it!!

The answer lies in that term XENOESTROGENS.

"Xeno literally means foreign. So xenoestrogens means foreign estrogens. These xenoestrogens are thought to cause adenomyosis. Adenomyosis did NOT exist 150 years ago. Some of the 100,000 registered chemicals for use in the world have hormonal effects in addition to toxic and carcinogenic effects. Also the synergistic effects are known to occur but also are largely exactly unknown. The field of xenohormones is new, and only been in existence since about 1991."

So I did some research on exactly where these "xenoestrogens" come from and was overwhelmed:

A List of Xenostrogens

I was stunned and overwhelmed at what I found!!

These estrogen like chemicals are in nearly everything I've been putting on my skin, using in my laundry, heating my food in in the microwave, and drinking out of plastic bottles.

And in my COFFEE?!?!?

{Please don't mess with my coffee.....even though it IS decaf!!}

The more I've read about it, the more I'm convinced that so many women I know have issues with "estrogen dominance" but don't even know it.
I didn't!!!
Nobody I was talking to was telling me this.
I just knew that I wasn't feeling right and couldn't put my finger on it.
And the more I read about all the issues it causes, the more pieces of the puzzle came together for me.
Here's a list of other issues that too much estrogen can cause.  Check it out and consider whether or not you might recognize some of these in yourself:

Estrogen Dominance Symptoms

{You have to scroll down through this article to reach the list}

Next, week I'll be talking about some of the steps I've taken to eliminate these "xenoestrogens" from my personal environment.

Women's Wellness Wednesday: The journey continues

Over the course of the last several weeks, my journey to better health has taken yet another path.
Last year, in January 2010, I started a weight-loss journey.
It took me 10 months, but only by the grace of God I was able to loose the 45 pounds I needed to.
I learned so much during that time about myself and my relationship to the Lord and my relationship to food.
I journaled about it somewhat, and if you're interested you can look under the label "weight loss journey" for that story.
During that time, I was also {and still am} under the care of an endocrinologist for hypothyroidism.
One of the reasons I wanted to get to a healthier weight was to see if that would help relieve some of the annoying sypmtoms I was having that goes along with that issue:  hair loss, extreme fatigue, being freezing cold during the colder months of the year even when those around you are comfortable, irritability, and depression.

Well, even after I reached my goal, I still wasn't feeling myself.....even with adjustments to my medication {I'm taking levothyroxine}.
I met with my endocrinologist and he did finally agree that my medication needed to be adjusted, but I began asking myself if this is just as good as it's going to get?
I've been able to maintain my exercise routine and my weight has remained stable {ony fluctuating by 3-4 pounds during my cycles}, but something new surfaced this summer.
When my period rolled around in June, I bled a LOT.
More than I've ever experienced before.
Like two or three changes of clothing and leaving my mark on the seat of the car....a lot!
And just on day two.
Day three and beyond was pretty manageable.
I thought it was a fluke.
Same thing in July.
I started doubling up on the protection products I normally used.
Only this time I felt afraid to leave the house for fear it would be a mess.
So I called my OB and talked to the nurse and explained to her the situation.
She agreed that sounded fishy and scheduled me to see the doctor within a couple days.
After a pelvic exam and a sonogram, I had a new diagnosis.
Adenomyosis.
No fibroids or extreme pain.....just that.
His suggestion was to start birth control pills to control the bleeding and if it got worse, a possible hysterectomy.
"What?"  I thought.
For just one day of heavy bleeding a month?
There has to be a better way!!
So I began searching around online......
Here's what I found that completely changed my search for a solution: {click on the title below}

The Cause of Adenomyosis

Never before had I heard that term......estrogen dominance.

But the more I read and cross referenced, the more it made sense!!

Estrogen dominance is not only the culprit in many uterine issues like mine, but also in...get this.....thyroid issues!!

But a regular medical doctor {like my very good OB who I love} won't address that issue.  

It's a completely different science.

I had to find another doctor who was willing to talk some more natural alternatives that involve saliva testing to look for out-of-whack hormone levels.

When I did finally find one.......I couldn't afford the testing.

Regular insurance doesn't cover it {of course!!}.

I was going to have to pay $300 out-of-pocket which immediately pulled me out of the game!!

So I've been researching and reading and talking, and I'm on a new journey.

A journey to better health......more naturally!!!   

Stay tuned!!

A slight delay and a new diagnosis: Adenomyosis

Last week I had very ambitious and lofty goals laid out.
I was going to have lesson plans prepared.....some new things put out for our school room...and a new system in place for my children to work through their school day.
I was also going to have school books picked out {at the least expensive cost} and all the free printables ready to go for the first week or so as we ease our way back in to a schooling routine!!
Last of all, I was going to make out new routine and chore charts, and have fresh activities ready for the younger ones to do while older siblings and Mom are busy.
All so we could start school this last Monday {August 29}.
So much to do...but a little every day...in small bites....was doable.

Until.....

"The mind of man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

Sunday morning I needed to stay home with our oldest who was on the tail-end of some sort of virus,
and our 7-year old who had developed some sort of rash on her arms, abdomen, legs, and the lower half of her face.
It wasn't bothering her too much, though she was self-conscious about how blotchy she looked.
It had come up a little on Friday, then more pronounced and itchy by Saturday.
I gave her several doses of Benedryl Saturday, Saturday evening, and on into Sunday.
But by Monday morning, she woke up and came to me looking like this.....

I panicked internally and tried to calmly tell her that we were making a trip to our pediatrician that morning.
First little detour.
Quick trip over to the doctor confirmed my suspicions....poison ivy.
Needed some steriods....fit in a trip to the pharmacy.

The next morning {Tuesday} I had already scheduled an appointment for myself with my OB/GYN to address some issues that have started getting out-of-hand.
After a couple different tests, he concluded that I have developed adenomyosis.
His treatment options:  Birth control pills, then possibly, if they didn't help, a hysterectomy.

What?!?!
What is that?!?!
Never heard of it....and a little shell-shocked at such a dramatic, final treatment.
I went home and talked this over with my husband, and he agreed that I should research other options FIRST.
For the next 3 days, I spent hours trying to learn what this condition is, how to treat it more naturally, and where on earth to find the right course of treatment.
Second detour.

What I learned in those 72 exhausting hours is worthy of a blog post all it's own.
I intend to talk more in-depth about this as I was mystified at how difficult it was to get information!!
I finally received a little bit of resolution when I found another OB/GYN just 5 minutes from our house who can help me work with what God already gave me in an effort to achieve healing in a number of different areas.
But all that research completely wiped out my plans for the week.

Things settled down nicely until Saturday afternoon.
We were just 2 hours from Daddy getting home from work for the evening when the 2 youngest began the chase.
You know the one.....around the family dining table at top speed.
I was sitting at said table, and before I could say, "Stop running," the 5-year old boy tripped over something and smashed head-on into the corner of the piano bench.

I knew immediately that something was different about that crash, as everything hushed in the house and we all seemed to move in slow motion.
He stood up holding his forehead with both hands, open-mouth crying.
I said to myself, "If there's blood, this is not going to be good."
And there was......lots of it.
When I saw where it was coming from.....I knew......yet another trip to a doctor.

Third detour.
We sat in the waiting room of our local ER for...get this....4 HOURS before we got into a room.
After nearly an hour in the actual treatment room, he was glued and taped shut.....no stitches after all.
But I was entirely okay with that because he was NOT happy about the prospect of a shot and stitches.
I held him close in my arms as we walked to the doors of the ER, and we prayed that maybe the Lord would let it be that he wouldn't have to have a shot....and maybe even not need stitches.
So when we walked out after his bedtime with him all patched up, I didn't feel chapped at ALL.
He had been such a patient, delightful, little angel the whole time we waited and he delighted everyone else in the waiting room.
I got to read to him, and we practiced writing and spelling, and we shared some snacks and snuggled a little bit, and it was lovely to spend all that time with just him.

Sometimes the Lord takes us down a path we never dreamed we travel.
I still don't know where my new diagnosis is going to lead me.
I was frustrated at first that my plans screeched to a halt......
Because of all the detours, we are starting school next week.
But so what?

The Lord is up to something.
When He changes my direction, I know I need to just follow Him.