After three weeks of acupuncture (one session per week), I am feeling a little more energetic. My previous posts talk about adrenal fatigue and estrogen dominance. [Vitamin Research Newsletter, More on Estrogen Dominance posted 10/19/11, Adrenal Fatigue and Estrogen Dominance posted 9/6/11, Mercola Interviewed by Dr. Oz & Adrenal Fatigue/Estrogen Dominance posted 8/30/11] After being exhausted on and off for years, I was finally diagnosed by a naturopath with chronic adrenal fatigue/estrogen dominance.
For a year and a half I have taken bio-identical hormones (Christine Northrup has discussed these natural hormones on the Dr. Oz show, so the term "bio-identical" is becoming more common.) I finally found an explanation for being exhausted, sleeping 12 or more hours, and the recovery has been slow, but the acupuncturist says that I will only need a few more sessions.
After a few more acupuncture treatments, I will still be sleeping a lot for a couple of months (I'm at 10 hours now), and he says I will return to normal. At this point, after eating all organic for a year and a half, and avoiding foods that cause inflammation (by taking the MRT food sensitivity test), I am willing to try anything. Western medicine does not validate acupuncture, but this doctor has a great reputation.
Many women over the age of 35 (or younger) are estrogen dominant and don't know it, as the term is just now being accepted by Western Medicine. This means the progesterone levels are too low, and this leads to exhaustion and adrenal fatigue (which is another term only now beginning to be accepted by Western Doctors.) My acupuncturist is familiar with and commonly treats adrenal fatigue/estrogen dominance.
Estrogen dominance is caused by stress and all the chemicals/xenoestrogens (foreign estrogens) in our soaps and detergents, as well as perfumes, makeup--even natural topical ingredients like tea tree oil, rosemary and lavender are xenoestrogenic.
Right now over half the fish in American waterways are hermaphrodites due to the chemicals and detergents in the water. There is also a risk for baby boys drinking soy formula to become hermaphroditic. Americans jumped on the soy bandwagon without realizing that lowered risk of breast cancer is due to fermented soy like tempeh and soy sauce, not soy milk. In fact, in holistic health, soy milk is now being linked to breast cancer because soy milk is estrogenic.
I have several cousins who have also experienced adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues (adrenal fatigue often leads to thyroid problems), and they have each gone to natruopaths for the solution. I will continue to work with my functional nutritionist/naturopath who recommends acupuncture treatments. These treatments are $50 a session, which is inexpensive compared to all the shopping I am doing at Whole Foods and ordering special supplements. Hopefully I will be able to report back in a future post with more energy after a few more acupuncture treatments.
A Votre Sante, (Here's To Your Health), Alix
