Cyclic Progesterone Therapy for PCOS
Progesterone has anti-androgen benefits and can promote ovulation. That makes progesterone therapeutic for polycystic ovary syndrome, as described in my recent paper The central role of ovulatory disturbances in the etiology of androgenic polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—Evidence for treatment with cyclic progesterone.
The Power of Eating Enough
“Eat to feel good” is my advice to patients. Why? Because eating should be relaxing and create satiety, which is the feeling of being sated or full.
Achieving satiety with solid meals such as meat and potatoes is 1) a good way to achieve optimal nutrition and 2) the single best way to avoid overeating and just live your life without having to fight cravings or constantly exert willpower to avoid snacks and desserts.
Roadmap to Progesterone
Progesterone is beneficial because it lightens periods. It also reduces inflammation, regulates immune function, and supports healthy thyroid, brain, bones, and breasts.
Do you make enough progesterone? Are you sure?
The only way to make progesterone is to ovulate and have a healthy luteal phase.
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Basic Body Literacy
Some basic body literacy:
A proper period or menstrual bleed is a bleed at the end of a natural ovulatory cycle. Any other type of bleed is either a pill bleed (a withdrawal bleed from stopping contraceptive drugs) or an anovulatory cycle (a bleed when there has been no ovulation).
A menstrual cycle is, therefore, an “ovulatory cycle,” in which ovulation is the main event.
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Does Birth Control Cause Weight Gain?
Does hormonal birth control impair metabolic health or cause weight gain? If so, which types are the worst?
First of all, most types of hormonal birth control suppress ovulation and, therefore, switch off estradiol and progesterone. That means most types of hormonal birth control switch off the metabolism-enhancing benefits of those natural hormones. In that sense, any type of hormonal birth control could potentially impair metabolic health.
Why Zinc Is One of My Favorite Supplements for Women’s Health
Want a simple solution for period and hormone problems? Consider the humble mineral zinc.
According to the 2020 paper, The Role of Zinc in Selected Female Reproductive System Disorders, zinc can be an effective treatment for many women’s health conditions, including PCOS, period pain, endometriosis, and the vaginal dryness of menopause.