The Estrogen Battle Goes On

March 22, 2002
      They changed my Thyroid dosage. 0.15. Lower.
      Somehow, this upset the apple-cart.
      My Estrogen, taken by mouth, was no longer being absorbed.
      So they doubled the dosage of the pills.
      No joy.
      My arms are like hams.
      I can pull 80-100 lbs now, up from 20.
      I can leg-lift up to 300 lbs.
      I can do the treadmill, walking, at 3.4 MPH.
      I can do 54-63 lb abdominal on the machine - 32 reps.
      I can bench 10 lbs per hand simultaneously to fatigue.
      I do leg extensions at 20lbs.
      I do glute lifts at 60-70lbs.
      My waist looks like a wrestler's waist - at a high of 37".
      All the stress fat is there.
      You cannot pinch an inch on my calves.
      I pull on the Dorsi flexor, 60 lbs, three positions, two sets.
      My upper arms do not wobble.
      I can touch my toes.
      I am 60.
      And 40 lbs overweight.
      This has been useful while it was necessary to lift my son from bed to wheelchair and back.
      The boy is walking.
      His arms are back.
      His legs are coming along.
      His weight is back.
      He can arm-wrestle me and win.
      So the doctor, on discovering that I had less estrogen in my system than a man, put me on the patch.
      This is my second month on the patch.
      I just had a blood test. I will check with my doctor.
      If I do not absorb the patch, then I will be stuck going in for shots once a month.
      Ick.
      And these are not shots you can give yourself.
      With the current record I have on giving my son shots, probably not. I am supposed to be giving his GCSF shots subcutaneous, yesterday I saw blood. Don't know why.
      And the estrogen shots go into your backside - I had one a long time ago.
      My doctor says his wife has to have them.
      We are "high estrogen" women.
      Oh, but we are getting estrogen from other sources that don't show up in the blood tests.
      Or so they tell me.
      Probably why I like Tofu, walnuts and oranges.
      My sons have decided
      I need to stop increasing weights.
      I need to actually step back.
      I need to do abs.
      So I stayed out of the gym for three weeks - helped along in this by getting the flu - mild case.
      Even laid off work for the time being, I get to the gym once a week.
      I offset this by strenuous yard work - different muscles.
      The occasional bout of leg-lifts.
      And now will see about the blood test results.
      I have this idea that 40 pounds lighter I might find my waistline again.
      The hunt is on.

A note on Estrogen.
     
      "A large portion of our country's meat, chicken, and dairy products contain foreign estrogens that are used by farmers for easy profits and at the expense of our health. In addition, pesticide residues and many other petrochemical compounds with estrogenic properties are consumed in the food that is given to these animals and are subsequently concentrated in the milk and fat of the meat.
     
      These harmful estrogens are then deposited in our fatty tissues and on estrogen and progesterone receptors where they are known to interfere in the proper utilization and production of progesterone & estrogen and have been implicated in promoting other more serious health problems such as fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer."

      I can attest to the fibrocycistic part of that.

      "There are, however, "good" estrogens available in our food supply. By replacing animal proteins with saponin rich plant foods such as soy products we can introduce phytoestrogens (genistein), which have a higher affinity for estrogen receptors than "bad" estrogens and have been demonstrated to have protective influences against Endometrial & breast cancer."

• Eliminate commercially grown meat, poultry & dairy (replace with Soy Products (Tofu), Cold Water Fish, Legumes or free-range organically grown animal meats if necessary) (Range-free eggs? $$$ Salmon? Shrimp? Tuna? Black-Tip Shark?)
       
• Avoid Hydrogenated fats and oils as they convert to Trans-Fatty Acids which increase breast cancer risk (Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Salmon)
       
• Eliminate completely artificial sweeteners and tobacco products (Sweet and Low???? Egad! I don't smoke and I am doomed anyway?)
       
• Eliminate or reduce consumption of caffeine, alcohol, high fat dairy, and chocolate (Oh now - Chocolate? Decafe? And my two glasses of red wine? How about just reduce them.)
       
• Read the following information on fiber
       
• Reduce consumption of simple sugars (they promote sharp blood sugar fluctuations) (Oh yes - the old sugar high - however - I am also hypoglycemic and sometime sugar must go into my mouth. Maybe I should stir it into my decaffeinated tea.)
       
• Increase cruciferous & dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains (Organic if possible) (Whole wheat? Lettuce at $3 a head. Green beans? How about celery, carrots, corn,the occasional prunes.)
       
• Increase complex carbohydrates to 70% of daily caloric intake (No - carbs should not exceed 30% - and carb-free diets - like Medifast - have to be modified. I like oatmeal.))
       
• Consume more cold water fish and legumes for protein (or protein powder) (Medifast - I can do that. Hamburger and steak are rare treats. Fish is good.)
       
• Consume low quantities of protein in the evening (Consume low quantities of everything in the evening.)
       
• Consume smaller, more frequent meals or snacks (That appple or orange, the handful of nuts.The oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips and walnuts in it.)
       
• Never go more than 4 hours during any day or 12 hours overnight without food (Hypoglycemic people know this. We start to shake.)
       
• Drink plenty of water (preferably distilled). 8 glasses daily. Fluid restriction can be harmful. (They now say that ANY fluid counts toward to the 8 glasses. Filtered water is fine. Bottled water is fine. Decaf coffe. Diet soda with the emphasis on diet.)
       
• Supplement with a properly formulated calcium formula (2000 mg including magnesium and multi-vitamins. Myadec. Stress tabs. Centrum Silver.)
       
• Use a proper Natural Progesterone cream formulation (The patch, the pills. the hip-shot.)
       
• Exercise (30-40 minutes four or five days per week) (Oooops. Well, I am trying.)
       
• Laugh frequently! (preferably with your mate) (Ok. Where is Fabio? I can only do so much with my son.)
       
• Learn to successfully manage stress (Press tongue to roof of mouth at gumline. Breath in to the count of 4, hold 7 and exhale to the count of 8 making a whooshing noise) Stress management technique from Dr. Andrew Weil. (Asthmatics - take heed. Treadmill walking helps arthritis and asthma.)
       
• Replace Traditional Western Recipes with Soy and other Health Promoting Recipes

Source

      Of course, higher estrogen could be interesting.
      Increases your libido.
      Mine has been dormant for a long time------
      They are trying to reschedule my date with Fabio.
      Oh, this could be fun!