08 Jul Natural HRT
Soapbox rant (and some science nerdiness)
Utrogestan is a body identical #progesterone (made from plants including yams) and is available on the NHS. It is a form of natural HRT.
Progesterone is essential for women, it stabilises weight, keeps us calm, helps us sleep and in fertile women, helps thicken the womb for pregnancy. It’s the first hormone to drop off in Peri-menopause and the lack of progesterone in relation to oestrogen is where a stack of our symptoms come from including the “wooshy” #hotflushes, #insomnia, mood swings and weight gain (oestrogen fluctuates before dropping off but for a while this oestrogen “dominance” causes a bit of bother).
Progesterone is partially made by the adrenal glands. IF the body is under stress then it will prioritise making the stress hormone cortisol instead of progesterone meaning many women are already progesterone deficient prior to #menopause. Again this oestrogen dominance causes weight gain, fertility issues & period problems. Progesterone is ESSENTIAL for women. ESSENTIAL!!!!
The mirena coil/pill/other HRT is NOT #progesterone. It’s a synthetic called #progestin which has an almost opposite effect to progesterone and contributes to the problems women experience. To recap: this pill is available on the NHS, many women are handed it out without issue or knowledge that they’ve just been given the holy grail. Even women who have had a #hysterectomy can take it.
However… this information and behaviour is not consistent throughout our healthcare system. MANY of my clients have been denied it, told they can’t have it and even referred to consultants without any medical reason other than GPs understanding (even when I give the client the science to take to their appointment).
The fact that life changing NATURAL medication is withheld in favour of cheaper synthetics makes me so cross because paying for private #HRT is expensive and not accessible to many women.
If you are a woman that didn’t have “wow” results on this there is usually still an issue with oestrogen dominance or absorption which needs sorting out. We must ensure that women have access to safe, natural HRT and it shouldn’t feel like a battle with the GP’s at a time when life is already a struggle.
I discuss how to remedy a lot of these symptoms in an online hormones talk: