mood and sleep articles • Page 3 of 7 • Lara Briden

A Safer Type of Hormone Therapy

March 25, 2024April 6, 2022 by Lara Briden

If you’re going to take hormone therapy, it’s safer to take hormones that are identical to human hormones. In other words, hormones that are body-identical or bioidentical. The concept of bioidentical used to be controversial but is now conventional and mainstream.

In episode five of my podcast/YouTube video, I discuss hormone therapy, including why the concept of bioidentical was controversial when it didn’t need to be; oral micronized progesterone for heavy periods, mood, sleep, and perimenopausal migraines; and some quick facts about body-identical estrogen.

What Is Bioidentical or Body-Identical Hormone Therapy?

October 10, 2022March 27, 2022 by Lara Briden

Bioidentical or body-identical hormones are estradiol and progesterone that are molecularly identical to human hormones. Most (not all) modern menopause hormone therapy is bioidentical. Keep reading for a list of brands.

The difference between “bioidentical” and “body-identical” is that body-identical is the preferred conventional term and bioidentical is the term traditionally applied to customised hormone formulas dispensed by a compounding pharmacist back when compounding was the only way to obtain such hormones.

How to Improve Premenstrual Mood Symptoms (A Summary of Natural Treatments)

May 20, 2022December 11, 2021 by Lara Briden

There’s a lot more to treating premenstrual mood symptoms than just calcium, the pill, and SSRI antidepressants. Alternative strategies for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) include iodine, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitex (chaste tree), progesterone, and a natural antihistamine approach.

The Dos and Don’ts of Vitex for Period Problems

January 27, 2024May 14, 2021 by Lara Briden

Vitex or chastetree for period problems. Vitex (also called chaste tree or chasteberry) is a herbal medicine prepared from the berries of the Mediterranean tree Vitex agnus-castus. In ancient times, it was used to suppress the libido of monks, hence the name. Fortunately, it does not have that effect on women.

Vitex is effective medicine for breast pain, irregular periods, premenstrual mood symptoms, and some types of acne.