Functional Medicine Can Help
As a doctor of functional medicine and a functional allergist, Dr. Z takes a holistic approach to helping each patient live a healthier life. We focus on treating the underlying cause of the problem, not just the symptoms because as soon as you stop taking the medication, they come back.
At AAPRI, we use diagnostic testing to dig deeper and then work with the patient to create a treatment plan, which almost always includes healthy lifestyle choices:
- Eat a diet rich in unprocessed, whole foods. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts can help reduce a heavy estrogen load.
- Drink enough water. Dr. Z says, Divide your body weight in half and thats how many ounces of water you should be drinking every day.
- Exercise. Sweating releases toxins from the body, increases bone and muscle mass, improves brain clarity, and helps improve sleep.
- Reduce stress. When youre chronically stressed, youre in a hypercortisol state which is like being on prednisone all the time, says Dr. Z. This leads to a wide range of health problems, including asthma and allergies.
Progestogen Sensitivity In The Last Half Of Your Cycle
Women with a progestogen sensitivity are often prone to have a hives outbreak during the last half of their cycle, particularly during week three, or about a week before menstruation. This is when progestogen levels are at their highest. The outbreak should then start to diminish around the start of menstruation, as progestogen levels drop.
Poor Sleeping Patterns Or Insomnia
During both perimenopause and menopause, a womanâs ovaries stop producing as many progesterone hormones.
This is an issue because these hormones help promote sleep.
This can be highly unsettling, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, the disturbed balance in these specific hormone levels can cause difficulty in both sleeping and the ability to fall asleep.
In addition, lowered estrogen levels can make you more likely to be influenced by environmental factors, which can lead to disruptions in your sleep.
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Estrogen Affects Lung Function And Mechanics
It has been reported that FEV1 and FVC are lowest in the periovulatory time of the cycle when estradiol levels are high . In fact, a linear decrease in FEV1 as ovulation approaches during the follicular phase has been demonstrated . Additionally increased bronchial hyperreactivity has been identified in the periovulatory period and especially in the perimenstrual period . Further characterization of lung function during the luteal phase is not as clearly defined. Some have found FEV1 and FVC to be greatest during the perimenstrual period , whereas others have noted a trend toward further slight decreases in FEV1 during the luteal phase among women with asthma .
There is evidence that estrogen is able to induce smooth muscle relaxation in the airway . Expression of both and estrogen receptors has been demonstrated on human bronchial epithelial cells . Townsend et al. demonstrated that activation of these receptors by estradiol and by specific agonists of ER and ER resulted in increased production of nitric oxide in BECs. Further, estrogen receptor stimulation by agonists resulted in relaxation in bronchial rings that were previously treated with acetylcholine to induce constriction. This evidence stands in contradistinction to findings that high estrogen levels tend to coincide with worse asthma symptoms, but supports the findings of others that exacerbations are more frequent when estrogen levels are low.
How Hormones Can Affect Your Allergies
- Posted on: Sep 14 2018
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Did you begin to experience seasonal allergies later in life, especially after having children? As adults, women tend to be more vulnerable to allergies than men, and in many cases, hormones may be to blame. There are actually allergic genes that can be activated by hormonal changes and cause women to begin to experience an increased sensitivity to existing allergies, or to develop new allergies that never existed before!
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How Are Hormonal Imbalances Treated
Treatment for a hormonal imbalance will depend on whats causing it.
If you have lower-than-normal hormone levels, the main treatment is hormone replacement therapy. Depending on which hormone is deficient, you may take oral medication or injection medication.
For example, if you have low thyroid hormone levels , your provider can prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone pills. If you have growth hormone deficiency, youll likely have to take injections of synthetic growth hormone.
If you have higher-than-normal hormone levels, there are many treatment options depending on the cause. Options include medication, surgery, radiation therapy or a combination of any of these.
For example, if you have a prolactinoma, a benign tumor that causes excess prolactin , your provider may prescribe a medication to shrink the tumor or you may need surgery to remove it.
Supplements That Can Reduce Hormonal Allergies
Natural Bio Health offers a variety of natural supplements to support immune health and balance hormones. A strong immune system can help reduce all types of allergic reactions including those that occur due to excess estrogen.
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Signs And Symptoms Of A Hormonal Imbalance
Your hormones play an integral role in your overall health. As a result, theres a broad range of signs and symptoms that could signal a hormonal imbalance. Your signs or symptoms will depend on which hormones or glands are not working properly.
Common hormonal conditions affecting people of all genders could cause any of the following signs or symptoms:
- purple or pink stretch marks
Keep in mind that these symptoms are nonspecific. Having one or a few of them doesnt necessarily mean that you have a hormonal imbalance.
Some of these symptoms may also reflect other chronic conditions. So, if you find yourself dealing with any notable changes in your body or energy levels, its a good idea to talk with your doctor.
Reasons Why Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Can Reduce Hormonal Allergies
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is a natural solution to restore hormone balance. The Endocrine Society has defined bioidentical hormones as compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the human body.
Bioidentical hormones are made from plants such as soy and yams. Bioidentical estrogen derived from plant sources is available in pellets, pills, patches, sprays, creams, gels, and vaginal tablets. Micronized progesterone is available in a capsule or as a vaginal gel.
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How To Approach Food Sensitivities
The first step to approaching food sensitivities is by identifying the problematic food. Working with a nutritionist is the most effective way to work out which foods are causing problems.
Once you have removed the offending foods, identifying the underlying causes is the next step. This may involve testing, or addressing insufficiencies within the digestive process such as enzymes. or specific nutrients. Other problems could be an imbalanced microbiome , impaired detoxification or small intestine bacterial overgrowth .
Another aspect to consider when experiencing food sensitivities is hormones. Thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and cortisol all play an important role in gut health and can contribute to food sensitivities.
Estrogen Progesterone And Food Sensitivities
One of the most common hormone imbalances is excess estrogen and low progesterone. Estrogen can increase histamine levels and vice versa . Histamine even plays a role in period pain as estrogen stimulates the production of prostaglandins which cause period pain as histamine increases estrogen in turn can worsen period pain . On the other hand, progesterone reduces histamine levels.
Histamine is a chemical that is stored in certain cells within our body. Histamine is known for its role in allergies, common symptoms of excess levels of histamine can include irregular and painful periods, swelling, hives, headaches, runny nose, asthma and in serious cases anaphylaxis. While we produce histamine naturally in our bodies, it can also be found in foods such as aged cheese, tinned fish, processed meat such as salami, tomatoes and spinach.
Our body metabolises histamine through two enzymes diamine oxidase and histamine n-methyltransferase . Histamine intolerance or sensitivity occurs when the body is unable to process or break down histamine properly. A common reason for histamine intolerance is imbalanced gut bacteria and leaky gut .
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How To Reduce Histamine Naturally
Histamine is a hormone produced by immune cells throughout the body and is important for many functions – digestion, mental health and reproduction, as well as being responsible for symptoms of allergies.
Histamine is also found in many foods , such as cheese, cocoa, strawberries, wine and fermented and aged foods. Other foods can stimulate the release of histamine, – pineapple, citrus and tomatoes.
In normal circumstance the body is able to metabolise and remove histamine without it causing any harm. It does this by using two enzymes histamine N-methyltransferase and diamine oxidase . Problems arise when there is more histamine in the body than it can process, or when the level these enzymes are too low. Resulting in a .
Allergies Respond To Hormones
Scientists have known for decades that allergic reactions caused by histamines can change depending on hormone fluctuations caused by a normal menstrual cycle. In other words, the level of histamine a hormone that is triggered by allergens and binds to receptors that cause symptoms like itching and swelling in your body is directly related to the amount of estrogen your body is creating.
Of course, this is extremely relevant to menopause, as your body contains frequently fluctuating levels of estrogen that then lead to spikes in the production of histamine. This means that your body is, at times, more sensitive to allergens than usual. In turn, you might experience worsened congestion due to seasonal allergies, or you may find that foods that you were previously able to eat now cause hives.
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Surprising Signs Of Hormonal Imbalance
Most people who have a hormonal imbalance are completely unaware they have a war going on inside of them. Hormones affect almost every system in your body, which means a hormonal imbalance can display a wide variety of symptoms. When the body has too much or too little of certain hormones, it creates chaos that can impact your wellness. While many people know hormone imbalance can cause mood swings or impact libido, there are other symptoms. Here are eight signs of hormone imbalance in men and women that may surprise you.
What Is A Hormone Imbalance
Hormones are chemicals within your body that send messages so that your body can perform certain tasks. When these chemicals are not at the correct levels, a hormone imbalance occurs. When your body is experiencing a hormone imbalance, even a small one, it can wreak havoc upon your body and body systems. It is important that your hormone levels do not dip too low or rise too high. There are times throughout your life when your hormones will fluctuate naturally, and this is normal.
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Treatment For Hormone Allergy
Immunotherapy for Hormone Allergy
For hormone immunotherapy bioidentical hormones obtained from natural sources are diluted with phosphate buffered saline to get solutions of different concentrations. The route of administration may have a strong influence on the efficacy of the treatment since the distribution and concentration of the hormone at the tissue level varies considerably. The sublingual route is preferred over the subcutaneous route for convenience of the patient and better patient compliance. Sublingual administration of hormone dilutions results in rapid absorption of the hormone via the blood vessels under the tongue, and patient gets relief from the troubling symptoms of hormone allergy including asthma, rhinitis, hives, and pain. As immunotherapy with hormone dilutions acts to improve immunoregulation, on continuation of treatment over longer period of time the patient undergoes remission or a complete cure of the disease and sufferings due to hormone allergy .
Endocrine Disruptors In Water
One of the most undermined toxins resides in our very own drinking water. Could this liquid gold possibly sit in the same category as my glyphosate ridden wheat bread or GMO-process soy? Potentially, if not filtered or appropriately treated with the right tools.
According to the environmental working group, there are over 300 chemicals and pollutants in tap water, whose health implications have been widely studied. Oh, you didnt order ice water with a side of arsenic? Unfortunately, it doesnt end there, as the top endocrine disruptors in water include a variety of heavy metals.
Water-containing contaminants include:
Lead Lead throws hormones out of whack by blunting communication of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, potentially impairing menstrual cycles in women, reducing fertility, and damaging testicular function in men.
Cadmium This guy attacks thyroid function and impairs signaling to the ovaries by mimicking estrogen. As mentioned earlier, many heavy metals, such as cadmium block the binding of estrogen to the necessary receptor impeding proper signaling! No wonder the body is going absolutely rogue, symptomized by mood swings, irritability, dysregulation of hunger hormones, and weight gain just to name a few.
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Hows A Menstrual Migraine Diagnosed What Tests Are Done
Your healthcare provider will want to establish a history of your migraine-related symptoms, likely asking you to:
- Describe the severity and location of your pain. Is the pain pounding? Pulsing? Throbbing?
- Tell how often you get migraine headaches.
- Remember if anything makes your headache better or worse.
- Discuss what medications you take to relieve the pain and how often you take them.
- Talk about the activities, foods, stressors, or the situations that may have brought on the migraine.
- Remember if anyone in your family gets migraine headaches.
- Tell how you felt before, during and after the headache.
Your healthcare provider may also order blood tests and imaging tests to make sure there are no other causes for your headache. An electroencephalogram may be ordered to rule out seizures.
Its helpful to both you and your healthcare provider if you keep a migraine journal. Take note of what symptoms you get, how long your symptoms last, and what makes your menstrual migraine better or worse. You and your healthcare provider may be able to use that information to help you heal, and possibly prevent or anticipate your migraine.
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The Environment Is Messing With Our Hormones
Pesticides, herbicides, and a host of other environmental toxins are causing hormonal disruption in people. BPA, which is used in a wide range of plastic products, and other chemicals found in foods, household, and personal care products such as phthalates and parabens all have estrogen-like effects and are hormone disruptors. Avoid these chemicals by frequently washing hands, eating organic foods, and reading product labels.
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Get Treatment For Hormone Imbalance
Dr. Karen Clark of Chapel Hill Gynecology is a certified menopause practitioner, experienced in helping patients manage the symptoms of menopause, including bone loss. To schedule an appointment, call 960-2720. Chapel Hill Gynecology is open for office visits as well as telemedicine visits.
How Hormonal Changes Contribute To Post
Post-nasal drip due to allergies, which is also called allergic rhinitis, is commonplace and affects more than 60 million people in the United States. Coming close behind is chronic nonallergic rhinitis, which affects up to 30 million people, and it occurs for a number of reasons, from age to hormones.
Cecil Yeung, MD, and our team here at Houston Sinus Surgery have a singular goal when it comes to post-nasal drip help our patients find relief from this bothersome issue. As part of this effort, we believe that education is key. In better understanding where the problem stems from, it can help us find the appropriate remedy.
With that in mind, heres a look at how your hormones may influence post-nasal drip.
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Bioidentical Hormones Act Like Ovarian Hormones
There are a variety of natural hormone replacement therapies that claim to be natural because they arent made from synthetic chemicals. However, bioidentical hormones are the only natural alternative that your body cant distinguish from the ones your ovaries produce. Premarin hormone therapy is made from pregnant mares urine. It is sourced naturally, but the molecular structure is not bioidentical to human estrogen. The same goes for Cenestin, which is made from plants, but is not bioidentical.
