It has been a long and trying summer, but I am glad to report that things are a turnin' around peeps. The psychomones are stabilizing and I am feeling less postal. I have gone from wanting to cut you deep with a switch blade knife to just maybe wanting to cut you deep with a butter knife. Ask my beloved Joe and he will tell you that I have been down right pleasant. Thanks honey for hangin' with me when you should have just told me to go pound sand. Not just sand, but wet sand!
I am in month two of using the Emerita Progest cream and I will tell you this...it is the BEST! My dear friend Leigh Ann who told me of Dr. Block and got me going on this whole hormonal journey refers to her cream as CRACK! I get it Leigh Ann yes I get it! I am sleeping better, not totally great, but better. I am not wanting to kill people and my brain feels less foggy. Denny even mentioned that I looked fresh during one of my work-outs. Denny is a hard ass and you can never work hard enough in his gym and for him to say that...well...enough said as far as I am concerned. Thanks Denny! You know you feel better when you are training and you have to leave early and you miss the running part of the work-out. I was actually sad that I was not able to stay and run 6 more 80 yard runs and 6 more 60 yard runs. I guess Doug and I will be finishing up that work-out this weekend sometime. Sorry Douglas it is for the good of the peeps, especially this peep. Anyway, I can't speak more highly of this Emerita Progest cream. I find myself just wanting to order a truckload of it in case the end times come and it is no longer available.
Dr. Block also recommended that I take 15mg of DHEA every morning. DHEA has had some good press and some bad press so you have to take it or leave it. I think it is helping me come out of this funk I have been in for the last 7 months. You might read about it and talk to your doctor and then make an informed decision for yourself. All I know is I feel like a different person in just a period of 6 to 8 weeks. I feel like with both the DHEA and the Emerita Progest Cream I am feeling dramatic improvements. I have a crush on working out again when for the longest time working out just felt like a bad blind date that just would not end. One of the ladies in Keller said to me "Cindy you really love training" yes I do really love it AGAIN!
I have also noticed that my skin is like way better. I had totally given up on the whole make-up thing. I know alot of my reason for not using it was that I am constantly working out and sweaty and it just wasn't worth the effort. Well with this new skin of mine I have actually worn mascara and blush and a little lip gloss for the last two days. Go me! I am thinking that the hormone balance of the cream and the added Omega Plex has really helped my skin. I asked my beloved Joe if he had noticed a change in my skin and he readily said yes. I think he has been sick and damn tired of being married to Ms. Pizza face already. Thanks again Joe for hanging with me as my face has been more broken out than most of the high school kids I train and train with at the gym. I am trying to grow up I promise.
All in all I feel like a rock star. I feel like the Angus kind of rock star. I feel like I could go on tour with him and still be the mama, the wife, the maid, the trainer, the athlete, the pool boy, the accountant...well you get it. I know there is still room for improvement. I know that this journey is long from over, but hey you have to start at the beginning and I am so glad that I did. It has been a long 7 months. I have had to let a few training goals be put on the back burner, but I feel like the turbo Cindy I used to know is back. I say we run some sprints and do some deadlifts just to make sure!
Show up and make it count!
Showing posts with label Science Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science Project. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The battle of the psychomones continues
My journey to better hormone health continues and I wanted to share some additional information with you.
In my last blog post on the science project update I mentioned the Emerita progesterone cream that I purchased at Sprouts. I got online and found a screaming good deal on this particular cream. I paid about $30 for a 2 oz tube of this cream at Sprouts. I was surfing the web and found a wonderful online company called Vitacost.com. You can purchase the Emerita cream in a 4 oz tube for $27 bucks. This includes shipping which brings it right to your front door. I am thinking this is a great big freakin' deal. You are basically getting double the cream for less moula and it is being delivered straight to your door. I ordered it on Friday and received it today (Tuesday). I love a good deal. I love even more that it is progesterone cream that will potentially keep me from going postal on someone. See I get my cream for a great price and no one dies! Awesomeness!
Next up is a wonderful website that I came across regarding women's hormone health. It is called women in balance. The best part about this group and their website is that they are non-profit. I am thinking this is a big deal as they are working for the good of the women folk and they don't even care if they are making a killing off of us. I looked at the entire site and found it very informative. Check it out when you get a minute.
Show up and make it count!
In my last blog post on the science project update I mentioned the Emerita progesterone cream that I purchased at Sprouts. I got online and found a screaming good deal on this particular cream. I paid about $30 for a 2 oz tube of this cream at Sprouts. I was surfing the web and found a wonderful online company called Vitacost.com. You can purchase the Emerita cream in a 4 oz tube for $27 bucks. This includes shipping which brings it right to your front door. I am thinking this is a great big freakin' deal. You are basically getting double the cream for less moula and it is being delivered straight to your door. I ordered it on Friday and received it today (Tuesday). I love a good deal. I love even more that it is progesterone cream that will potentially keep me from going postal on someone. See I get my cream for a great price and no one dies! Awesomeness!
Next up is a wonderful website that I came across regarding women's hormone health. It is called women in balance. The best part about this group and their website is that they are non-profit. I am thinking this is a big deal as they are working for the good of the women folk and they don't even care if they are making a killing off of us. I looked at the entire site and found it very informative. Check it out when you get a minute.
Show up and make it count!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Science Project Update 2
I finally finished all of the spittin' on the saliva hormone panel and I received the results back from Dr. Block. I am definitely estrogen dominate which means that my estrogen and progesterone stay pretty balanced for the first 2 weeks of my cycle every month. This is when I feel pretty calm, happy, energetic and just in a better frame of mind.
What is happening during the last 2 weeks of my cycle every month is what has been tripping me up so much lately. It seems that my progesterone falls below optimum levels to balance out with my estrogen. This progesterone decline is believed to be what is making me feel so exhausted, wimpy, bitchy, chubby, irritated, cry babyish and just down right hard to get along with for those two weeks. My understanding is that your progesterone levels should be about 200 to 1 over the estrogen levels. Dr. Block explained to me that my hormones where basically just all over the board with estrogen being dominant and progesterone just trying to hang tough. I explained to her that my beloved Joe could have told her that I was estrogen dominant without any of those tests. Which might have saved me the couple thousand bucks I have spent on all of this dang testing. Trust me the boy knows estrogen dominance when he sees it and he has been a seein' it alot lately. I apologize to you my beloved Joe.
Anywho...let me get on with the treatment plan because I am all about getting me fixed and back going so that I can actually get on with my life. The first thing Dr. Block suggested is that I start using an over the counter natural progesterone cream. She suggested that I apply it once a day during the first 2 weeks of my cycle and then twice a day both morning and night for the last two weeks of my cycle. I started using Emerita Pro Gest Natural Progesterone Cream. You can find it at Sprouts. I chose this one because of some reading I had been doing on the product. Dr. Christiane Northrup who is the author of The Wisdom of Menopause suggested it in her book. Dr. Northrup has written several books on women's health issues so I have grown to trust her judgement. Dr. Block also has progesterone cream available that she knows to be a good product. I am sure I will try her type as well.
The next thing Dr. Block suggested that I do is start taking 15mg of DHEA. DHEA is dehydroepiandrosterone which is a natural steroid and precursor hormone produced by the adrenals. Go here for a great article about DHEA. Please take the time to read this article as it is very informative and goes into alot of detail. Again, I found DHEA at Sprouts in the men's health section of the store.
All in all I am pumped about all of the things that I have learned from Dr. Block. This has been an interesting journey for sure. I am optimistic that I am on the right track with the creams and the supplements. I really wanted to try and solve my hormonal problems in the most natural way possible. I think I am off to a great start. I will keep you posted on my progress. I am going to follow this regimen for 2 months and check back in with Dr. Block.
Show up and make it count!
What is happening during the last 2 weeks of my cycle every month is what has been tripping me up so much lately. It seems that my progesterone falls below optimum levels to balance out with my estrogen. This progesterone decline is believed to be what is making me feel so exhausted, wimpy, bitchy, chubby, irritated, cry babyish and just down right hard to get along with for those two weeks. My understanding is that your progesterone levels should be about 200 to 1 over the estrogen levels. Dr. Block explained to me that my hormones where basically just all over the board with estrogen being dominant and progesterone just trying to hang tough. I explained to her that my beloved Joe could have told her that I was estrogen dominant without any of those tests. Which might have saved me the couple thousand bucks I have spent on all of this dang testing. Trust me the boy knows estrogen dominance when he sees it and he has been a seein' it alot lately. I apologize to you my beloved Joe.
Anywho...let me get on with the treatment plan because I am all about getting me fixed and back going so that I can actually get on with my life. The first thing Dr. Block suggested is that I start using an over the counter natural progesterone cream. She suggested that I apply it once a day during the first 2 weeks of my cycle and then twice a day both morning and night for the last two weeks of my cycle. I started using Emerita Pro Gest Natural Progesterone Cream. You can find it at Sprouts. I chose this one because of some reading I had been doing on the product. Dr. Christiane Northrup who is the author of The Wisdom of Menopause suggested it in her book. Dr. Northrup has written several books on women's health issues so I have grown to trust her judgement. Dr. Block also has progesterone cream available that she knows to be a good product. I am sure I will try her type as well.
The next thing Dr. Block suggested that I do is start taking 15mg of DHEA. DHEA is dehydroepiandrosterone which is a natural steroid and precursor hormone produced by the adrenals. Go here for a great article about DHEA. Please take the time to read this article as it is very informative and goes into alot of detail. Again, I found DHEA at Sprouts in the men's health section of the store.
All in all I am pumped about all of the things that I have learned from Dr. Block. This has been an interesting journey for sure. I am optimistic that I am on the right track with the creams and the supplements. I really wanted to try and solve my hormonal problems in the most natural way possible. I think I am off to a great start. I will keep you posted on my progress. I am going to follow this regimen for 2 months and check back in with Dr. Block.
Show up and make it count!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Science Project Update 2
I went to see Dr. Block yesterday to look over some of the results of my tests. The most important one to me is the female hormone panel, but unfortunately I am a still a spittin' so I will update later on that one.
I do have a couple of new words that my sweet husband and the Devil have come up with to describe my hormonal state. The first is from my beloved Joe who has fondly phrased my state of going postal at any minute the last 14 days of the month as in a state of "Psychomones". Hey the guy lives with me and watches me go from sweet Cindy to I will cut you deep if only I had a knife all in a split second. He can call me "Psychomone" as much as he wants and I am good with it.
The next new word came from the Devil as we were talking of all of the injuries and obstacles that I have been through over the last few years. The Devil's new word was "hornomenal"! A spin off of the words hormones and phenomenal. We decided that this word has way too many possible open ended meanings so we haven't discussed it any further. Too funny just the same though.
First up on the lab work was my blood work. It looked good with cholesterol being 132. The good cholesterol or HDL was 66 and the not so good cholesterol being 55. Dr. B said it was so low I just might need some cholesterol. Could she not have said I need more chocolate, margaritas, chips and queso? No, no, no more cholesteral. Go figure. My triglycerides were 53.
The allergy tests came back with a few surprises. I am pretty much sensitive to all dairy and eggs as well as baker's yeast, oysters, pecans and tomatoes. My main outdoor allergy is Bermuda grass. Just my luck that I have an acre and a half of it at my house. Lucky me! Doug asked me today about the whole allergy test thing and just what it means as I have been eating eggs and drinking milk for 42 years. My beloved Joe had the same thought as well. I will admit it never once occurred to me that I might be allergic to either of these things. I am thinking that my allergies to these things may be milder than most people, but I am curious as to how I will feel once I give them up. They may be just the thing that has been dragging me down. I might JUST might give up dairy and eggs and turn in to like super turbo girl. Hey I am willing to give it a shot!
The next test was the test for all of the poop collecting I was doing. For the most part I do have great guts. There is just one little small gut bacteria (see I knew I liked that word) called proteus mirabilis that is hanging out in there. I am going after it with some natural remedies of grapefruit seed extract and Uva Ursi.
The last test result has me a little concerned as it was the estrogen metabolism assessment test. My layman's understanding of this test was to give me an idea of how my body metabolizes estrogen. It can either metabolize it towards a more cancerous future or a less cancerous future. The places that these cancers show up would be in the uterus (I don't have one), the cervix (I don't have one of those either), the ovaries (I do still have two of these, but they are not in good shape), and the breast tissue (I do have boobs you just can't see them)!
I am concerned on this test because my numbers are totally leaning towards a cancerous future. The first number of concern is an 88 and should be like 400. This test was the 2-Hydroxyestrone. The second number is a 468 and should be like 88. This test was the 16alpha-Hydroxyestrone. I am totally flipped on the numbers on this test. Dr. Block has asked me to take a couple of supplements one called DIM and the other would be more Omega Plex. When she says more Omega Plex she means more...like 6 times a day.
I feel a little overwhelmed by all of this and I am sure that as soon as I learn more about each thing I will be blogging about it.
So with that I am going to go and eat a papaya, some red snapper, a beet and some buckwheat as I sit in the rough pigweed weeds and have a picnic. Hey it is totally OK because I am not allergic to any of these things.
Show up and make it count!
I do have a couple of new words that my sweet husband and the Devil have come up with to describe my hormonal state. The first is from my beloved Joe who has fondly phrased my state of going postal at any minute the last 14 days of the month as in a state of "Psychomones". Hey the guy lives with me and watches me go from sweet Cindy to I will cut you deep if only I had a knife all in a split second. He can call me "Psychomone" as much as he wants and I am good with it.
The next new word came from the Devil as we were talking of all of the injuries and obstacles that I have been through over the last few years. The Devil's new word was "hornomenal"! A spin off of the words hormones and phenomenal. We decided that this word has way too many possible open ended meanings so we haven't discussed it any further. Too funny just the same though.
First up on the lab work was my blood work. It looked good with cholesterol being 132. The good cholesterol or HDL was 66 and the not so good cholesterol being 55. Dr. B said it was so low I just might need some cholesterol. Could she not have said I need more chocolate, margaritas, chips and queso? No, no, no more cholesteral. Go figure. My triglycerides were 53.
The allergy tests came back with a few surprises. I am pretty much sensitive to all dairy and eggs as well as baker's yeast, oysters, pecans and tomatoes. My main outdoor allergy is Bermuda grass. Just my luck that I have an acre and a half of it at my house. Lucky me! Doug asked me today about the whole allergy test thing and just what it means as I have been eating eggs and drinking milk for 42 years. My beloved Joe had the same thought as well. I will admit it never once occurred to me that I might be allergic to either of these things. I am thinking that my allergies to these things may be milder than most people, but I am curious as to how I will feel once I give them up. They may be just the thing that has been dragging me down. I might JUST might give up dairy and eggs and turn in to like super turbo girl. Hey I am willing to give it a shot!
The next test was the test for all of the poop collecting I was doing. For the most part I do have great guts. There is just one little small gut bacteria (see I knew I liked that word) called proteus mirabilis that is hanging out in there. I am going after it with some natural remedies of grapefruit seed extract and Uva Ursi.
The last test result has me a little concerned as it was the estrogen metabolism assessment test. My layman's understanding of this test was to give me an idea of how my body metabolizes estrogen. It can either metabolize it towards a more cancerous future or a less cancerous future. The places that these cancers show up would be in the uterus (I don't have one), the cervix (I don't have one of those either), the ovaries (I do still have two of these, but they are not in good shape), and the breast tissue (I do have boobs you just can't see them)!
I am concerned on this test because my numbers are totally leaning towards a cancerous future. The first number of concern is an 88 and should be like 400. This test was the 2-Hydroxyestrone. The second number is a 468 and should be like 88. This test was the 16alpha-Hydroxyestrone. I am totally flipped on the numbers on this test. Dr. Block has asked me to take a couple of supplements one called DIM and the other would be more Omega Plex. When she says more Omega Plex she means more...like 6 times a day.
I feel a little overwhelmed by all of this and I am sure that as soon as I learn more about each thing I will be blogging about it.
So with that I am going to go and eat a papaya, some red snapper, a beet and some buckwheat as I sit in the rough pigweed weeds and have a picnic. Hey it is totally OK because I am not allergic to any of these things.
Show up and make it count!
Friday, May 1, 2009
The Science Project Update 1
I thought I would send an update on the science project. I did finish the collection of the urine for the magnesium challenge test. I know one thing for sure. I was ready to be done with this part because I felt like I couldn't get 2 feet from the house without having to go to the potty. Also, it is extremely difficult to pee in a cup in the middle of the night without completely waking up. I of course had to pee alot during the night during those 48 hours. Go figure!
Anyway, I submitted my specimen and Jackie, the sweetest nurse ever, gave me two big ol' injections of Magnesium. At first I felt great. Almost as great as I felt back in 1984. Remember 1984 with big hair and parachute pants. Things were so simple then! Anyway, I managed to drive myself back home and CRASH I was asleep. I think the double dose of magnesium was a little much for me. I then proceeded to be sick at my stomach for the next 36 hours which made it impossible to eat. Again, I think the double shot did me in. I noticed on the paperwork that they usually administer one shot to those aged 12 and under. I have decided that I must be a 12 and under magnesium girl. Anyway, I made my way back to the Quest clinic on Thursday morning and turned in my jug of "Lemonade" and guess what? They wanted more blood. Lucky me! I thought for a split second that I could just make a run for it and bail on the blood givin', but then I remembered I am not that fast. As Beau says, "Cindy the only thing that changes when you go from a jog to a sprint in the expression on your face!" I am slow I know so I let them poke my arm once more and then I got the heck out of there. I am now waiting for results.
I start collecting spit on the 5th of May for the female hormone panel. I will keep you posted on that as well.
Show up and make it count!
Anyway, I submitted my specimen and Jackie, the sweetest nurse ever, gave me two big ol' injections of Magnesium. At first I felt great. Almost as great as I felt back in 1984. Remember 1984 with big hair and parachute pants. Things were so simple then! Anyway, I managed to drive myself back home and CRASH I was asleep. I think the double dose of magnesium was a little much for me. I then proceeded to be sick at my stomach for the next 36 hours which made it impossible to eat. Again, I think the double shot did me in. I noticed on the paperwork that they usually administer one shot to those aged 12 and under. I have decided that I must be a 12 and under magnesium girl. Anyway, I made my way back to the Quest clinic on Thursday morning and turned in my jug of "Lemonade" and guess what? They wanted more blood. Lucky me! I thought for a split second that I could just make a run for it and bail on the blood givin', but then I remembered I am not that fast. As Beau says, "Cindy the only thing that changes when you go from a jog to a sprint in the expression on your face!" I am slow I know so I let them poke my arm once more and then I got the heck out of there. I am now waiting for results.
I start collecting spit on the 5th of May for the female hormone panel. I will keep you posted on that as well.
Show up and make it count!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Science Project
The last 3 months have been a very trying experience for me. I have started my training for the Hotter Than You Know What bike race in August. I am now on the bike up to 5 days a week. That is a lot my peeps... a whole lot! I have also started to experience what can only be described as perimenopausal symptoms. I am not sleeping well and have managed to gain more weight. I am having some hot flashes and am sweating like a pig in the middle of the night. I am totally exhausted about 10 days out of the month and when you train as hard as I do then you can not be tired for 10 days out of the month. I have the overwhelming desire to go postal on people about 10 days out of the month. When I found myself wanting to go postal on my precious daughter Carly Jo, who by the way her only desire in life is to make her mama happy, I knew I needed to get this hormone thing checked out. Finally I have what I have fondly started calling cotton brain. I repeat myself and tell the same story over and over and over. I apologize to all of you who keep hearing the same story over and over. Did I already say that? Anyway, on Tuesday the science project began.
I visited Dr. Block at the Block Center in Hurst. She is a doctor of Osteopathic medicine and I think she is really cool. Dr. Block did an extensive overview of my health history. This included going over my current diet, exercise and vitamin and mineral supplement programs. She then proceeded to collect what felt like 1o million gallons of blood from me.
The blood will be tested for 16 different things ranging from total cholesterol to total iron and lots of stuff in between.
She sent me home with a box and asked me to collect my fecal matter for 3 days. This my peeps was not fun. I was so glad to see the Fed Ex guy come and take that box away. This test will verify up to 22 different things. And this whole time I just thought poop was poop. Anyway enough said about that project.
The next test is the magnesium challenge which entails collecting urine for 24 hours and taking that jug back to her. She will then give me 2 magnesium shots and then give me a new jug to fill with urine. Fun, Fun! This test will show me how I absorb the magnesium. Magnesium my peeps is a good thing. More on why when I learn more about it.
The final test that I must do is the saliva hormone panel. You got it right peeps. I have pooped, peeded and now I am gonna be a spittin'. My understanding is that I am gonna be a spittin' ALOT. A whole month's worth of spittin'! Yee Haw! This saliva test will verify the hormone levels in my body throughout the entire month. It seems that women like me become estrogen dominate during this perimenopausal span of time. My hope is that I can figure out when my estrogen dominates and my progesterone gets so low during the month and then supplement it with bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormones. Progesterone is the feel good hormone and I am a needin' some of that!
Anyway, I will keep you posted on the science project.
Show up and make it count!
I visited Dr. Block at the Block Center in Hurst. She is a doctor of Osteopathic medicine and I think she is really cool. Dr. Block did an extensive overview of my health history. This included going over my current diet, exercise and vitamin and mineral supplement programs. She then proceeded to collect what felt like 1o million gallons of blood from me.
The blood will be tested for 16 different things ranging from total cholesterol to total iron and lots of stuff in between.
She sent me home with a box and asked me to collect my fecal matter for 3 days. This my peeps was not fun. I was so glad to see the Fed Ex guy come and take that box away. This test will verify up to 22 different things. And this whole time I just thought poop was poop. Anyway enough said about that project.
The next test is the magnesium challenge which entails collecting urine for 24 hours and taking that jug back to her. She will then give me 2 magnesium shots and then give me a new jug to fill with urine. Fun, Fun! This test will show me how I absorb the magnesium. Magnesium my peeps is a good thing. More on why when I learn more about it.
The final test that I must do is the saliva hormone panel. You got it right peeps. I have pooped, peeded and now I am gonna be a spittin'. My understanding is that I am gonna be a spittin' ALOT. A whole month's worth of spittin'! Yee Haw! This saliva test will verify the hormone levels in my body throughout the entire month. It seems that women like me become estrogen dominate during this perimenopausal span of time. My hope is that I can figure out when my estrogen dominates and my progesterone gets so low during the month and then supplement it with bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormones. Progesterone is the feel good hormone and I am a needin' some of that!
Anyway, I will keep you posted on the science project.
Show up and make it count!
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