hormones Archives - Page 7 of 11

My Experience with Women’s Health, Endometriosis and Hormone Research

Published on November 10, 2012

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My journey into the fascinating world of hormone research officially commenced in 2007, when I joined together with group of psychology and anthropology students who decided to create the Hormones and Disease Group at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Our goal was to disseminate information about diseases and research via workshops, lectures and presentations to the UNLV community, as well as the greater Las Vegas community. We wanted to not only enlighten ourselves, but to help other students and community members who may suffer from health problems such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, diabetes and cancer (to name a few).

Hormone Research, Endometriosis and Misdiagnosis

I became further involved with hormonal research in the winter of 2008 after one of my professors from UNLV’s Anthropology Department introduced me to Dr. Chandler Marrs and the Maternal Health Lab. At the time, I was under the impression (thanks to a misdiagnosis) that I suffered from endometriosis, and with a desire to learn more about myself and other health issues specific to women, I became an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Marrs. I believed that women’s health research was severely under-funded (a position I maintain), so in my mind, Dr. Marrs and her students were a beacon of light in a confusing, dark world filled with many questions and not nearly enough answers. Personally, I assisted with human menstrual cycle research and the role hormone fluctuation plays in the lives of young women. I believe this type of research is incredibly necessary for understanding the connection between our bodies and minds.

As someone who lived approximately 6 years of her life believing she suffered from a disease she did not have, I understand the desire to self-educate as well as assist others in understanding their own bodies, pain management techniques and alternative treatments. Not only was I coping physically with pain, I had to psychologically deal with my diagnosis and what the possible implications of endometriosis are. I went through a number of gynecologists and it took many years for my diagnosis to be corrected (I had a hernia that was creating scar tissue around my uterus and intestines). The discovery of this was a shock; not only can a hernia be fixed rather easily, I had grown accustomed to the role of an endometriosis patient seeking answers for herself and others in the same situation. However, looking at this from a positive perspective, this misdiagnosis had opened me up to a realm of health I likely would have not been so interested in.

In tandem to my position with the Maternal Health Lab, I have also conducted independent, original research for diabetes and alternative medicine as a student of medical anthropology. For me, food is a large aspect of our lives that can either hurt or harm us; it can be poison or medicine. In my opinion, the link between diet and health is incontrovertible. The more this is part of the public discussion, the further we can raise awareness and help people make better lifestyle choices. Personally, I am curious about the connections that exist between our dietary choices and how they can interact with our hormonal pathways. I believe Lucine Biotechnology is a sorely needed resource for women who are tired of having unanswered concerns and questions and I look forward to contributing to the Lucine community.

Endometriosis and Neuropathy

by Chandler Marrs, PhD

Published on November 5, 2012

9353 views

Every now and again, I stumble upon research that I believe will absolutely shift a paradigm in a particular field. That happened this morning. Sprouted Innervation into Uterine Transplants Contributes to the Development of Hyperalgesia in a Rat Model of Endometriosis, published in PLOS One earlier this year, is groundbreaking. Results from this study suggest that endometriosis is a neuropathic pain disorder or in layman’s terms, a nerve disease. This finding will open entirely new directions for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, if it is heeded.

A Rodent Model of Endometriosis

Researchers from Florida State University, transplanted small pieces of uterine or fat tissue next to the abdominal arteries of female rodents. The uterine tissue became vascularized and formed cysts, the fat did not. More importantly, the transplanted uterine tissue sprouted nerve connections (innervation), which led to vaginal hyperalgesia or increased sensitivity to pain. Over time, as the density of nerve fibers increased, researchers speculate that signals to central nervous system become hyperactive or sensitized to pain.

Interestingly, the density of nerve fiber innervation was not regulated by the size of the cyst, some large cysts located near the ovaries or peritoneum didn’t innervate at all or only minimally. Rather, nerve innervation developed according to the cyst’s proximity to densely innervated anatomical areas such as the rectovaginal septum and the uterosacral ligaments. This may explain why pain does not always correlate with the size of cysts or stage of endometrial disease. It appears that it is the degree innervation that determines the level pain.

Squelching the Pain of Endometriosis Before It Begins

If the innervation is associated with endometrial pain, it is possible that curtailing the nerve growth could eliminate, even prevent the pain, but only if this disease process is identified early enough.

In the rat model, innervation developed in phases. Within the first two weeks of the tissue implant, a cyst developed and initial sensory and sympathetic nerves sprouted. Over the next weeks, the nerve sprouts became functional and neurogenic inflammation developed. Finally, over weeks four and five, the cysts became wholly populated by functional sympathetic and sensory nerve fibers. Pain ensued. Researchers found that removing the cysts before they reached the functional stage prevented the development of neuropathic pain- the vaginal hyperalgesia.

Although it is not clear what the time course of cyst innervation would be in human women -for rats the entire estrous cycle is 4-5 days, significantly shorter than the female menstrual cycle- it is clear that efforts should be made to identify and diagnose endometriosis significantly sooner than is currently the average.

That would require investigating the causes of dysmenorrhea and not automatically attributing the pain with menstruation to normal premenstrual or menstrual cramping, as is so often the case. Currently, the average time to diagnose endometriosis is nine years. Research suggests that 90% of adolescent girls have dysmenorrhea and 25-38% of adolescent girls with chronic pelvic pain have endometriosis.

If cyst development stages could be identified in women and if endometriosis diagnosed earlier, then removing or treating cysts before fully innervated could prevent a lifetime of what we now know to be neuropathic pain.

Endometriosis, Hormones, Nerves and Neurons

Better yet, let’s determine what is causing the extra-uterine tissue growth and subsequent innervation in the first place. Though many are loathe to admit it, hormones are likely involved. In many regions of the brain hormones elicit and modulate neurogenesis. Research also demonstrates a role for hormones in spinal and peripheral nerve functioning. As results from this study suggest, hormones may also influence somatosensory nerve growth in the uterine and extra-uterine endometrial tissue. Understanding the role of hormones in the innervation of endometrial tissue could open up entirely new therapeutic options.

Controversy, GMO Research & Women’s Health

by Chandler Marrs, PhD

Published on October 8, 2012

4512 views

If you’ve been on the internet at all over the last several weeks, you’ve likely come across these pictures- the white rats with grotesquely large mammary tumors warning of the dangers of GMO foods. A controversial and not yet even officially published study out of France on the Long term toxicity of Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize is responsible.

In this 2 year study (compared to the 90-120 days for most previous protocols) researchers purportedly demonstrated the ill-effects of glyphosate (active ingredient in Roundup herbicide) and its adjuvants (putatively inactive ingredients that enhance the absorption, distribution or metabolism of the active ingredient), but also inadvertently, and despite the rampant criticism of the study, may have identified a mechanism of action for the growth of these tumors; a disruption of the estrogen pathway perhaps linked to primary kidney and liver damage. Moreover, and again perhaps inadvertently, the research points to a possible player in the development of fibroid type tumors.

How GMO Research is Conducted

There is great debate over the safety of herbicide rendered or engineered, genetically modified organisms (GMO) within the food and water supply. Studies on the side of industry, suggest no major ill-effects, while those on the side of environmentalist indicate differently. Research design likely contributes to the disparate findings. Much research to date has been short-term (90-120 days) and/or has limited the analysis to testing or manipulating only the active ingredient in the herbicide (glyphosate) and not the variety adjuvants found in the total herbicide formulation and that would be dispersed into the natural environment (food, water) post herbicide use.

The current study sought to remedy some of those short-comings and approximate what humans might be exposed to with current regulatory standards in place and in an ‘natural environment’ where exposure rates and types would necessarily vary. (Whether lab rats can approximate human physiology or the lab can be considered a ‘natural environment’ are debates for another day).

The Seralini GMO Study

Using healthy male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, the researchers evaluated the long-term (two years), across a life-span effects, of eating Roundup treated foods (maize) and water with Roundup residue at levels below the currently parts per billion standard and consistent with what humans might be exposed to in the current environment. Control rats were fed non-GMO diets and the test rats were fed varying levels of GM maize (11%, 22% and 33% of the total diet) and water with Roundup – well below the approved levels found in the environment.

Tumors, Toxicity, Death and the GM Diet

Compared to control rats fed a non-GM diet, those fed the GM-maize and Roundup water, died five times sooner and developed huge tumors, often greater than 25% of their body weight and requiring euthanasia to reduce suffering. There were distinct differences between the male and female treated animals. The females died more quickly and developed primarily mammary tumors, followed by a lower percentage of pituitary tumors and kidney and liver toxicity. While the males, demonstrated more severe kidney and liver disease along with skin tumors. The females were more susceptible to the Roundup in the water and both groups were equally susceptible to both the lower and higher percentage (11% and 33%) exposure to GM food, suggesting a threshold effect for disease initiation rather than a cumulative or additive effect.

Endocrine Disruption

The endocrine effects were also telling and pointed to sex-dependent differences in the tumor and disease expression. The ratio of testosterone to estradiol was disrupted in both males and females. Males in the highest Roundup treatment group (33% of total feed maize), demonstrated double the levels of circulating estradiol (see Evolution or Extinction of Men for details on male endocrine disruption) when compared to the control group. Whereas the exposed females showed increased testosterone levels.

Potential Fibroid Connection

The explosive growth of tumors in the female treated rats is notable both because of the large size and location of the tumors (mammary and pituitary) but more so perhaps because of the nature and physiology of the tumors themselves. In all but two cases, the tumors were non-cancerous, non-infective or non-metastatic. The tumors were benign adenomas and fibroadenomas, those commonly found in human women as they age (also common in this strain of lab rat as it ages). Fibroadenomas are comprised of fibrous and glandular tissue located in the breast. Fibroids are similar in tissue composition, but are found in the uterus. In the present study, fibroadenomas were found in the mammary tissue and adenomas in the pituitary gland. There was no mention of uterine fibroids or adenomas in other female reproductive regions. Similarly, although, the authors make no such claim regarding the expression of fibroid type tumors, relative to hormone changes and concurrent liver dysfunction (where the enzymes and proteins involved in the hormone regulation reside), I surmise that perhaps there is a connection there as well. It is conceivable that the combined insult of aging and environmental toxins on liver function alters hormone pathways sufficiently to promote this type of tumor growth.

Controversy and Criticism

As this study was released both pro- and anti-GMO factions got their pants in a bunch. On the anti-GMO side, this study represented proof-positive that GMO foods were bad. The results of this study, and in particular, the pictures of the tumor-ridden rats went viral on the internet. On the pro-GMO side, the criticism was as swift as it was vitriolic, with claims ranging from poor methodology, to outright scientific fraud. I suspect the truth lay somewhere in between.

My Take

Releasing to press first. This merited all sorts of criticism, most of which has no bearing on the actual study but does suggest a less than forthright approach to media relations. However, given the politics surrounding this topic, one can understand this PR approach.

Sprague-Dawley rats are prone to tumors. Yes, they are and as they age, tumors become more frequent. But here we have a little pot and kettle action going on. Sprague-Dawley and other outbred strains of rats and mice, all have predilections for certain diseases and tumors, but are nevertheless what is used in all industry supported (even the studies supporting the safety of GMO) and academic research. The choice of lab rat/mice is important, but even within specific strains there is huge variability. Nullifying the study because the researchers used the same strain of lab rats that other researchers also use, is a weak criticism at best and more than a little disingenuous. Perhaps a better criticism would be the use of lab rats in general to extrapolate human physiology.

Sprague-Dawley rats are prone to tumors as they age. Well guys, so are women. By the time a woman reaches age 50, upwards of 70% of women have fibroid type tumors. And frankly, aging, whether in animals or humans, increases disease expression. Our bodies just don’t work as well when we are older. Simply measuring the effects of a toxin for a short period of time in youthful animals does not, in any way, mirror the real life of the animal or a human, where effects are cumulative over time and sometimes even multiplicative and synergistic.

The study was too long and the control rats were dying too. Life is longer than adolescence. If one wants to evaluate how a treatment or toxin affects an organism over time and as it ages, one has to evaluate across that life span. This study compared tumor progression, disease and death rates between the non-GM controls and the GM fed groups, across the rodent’s life span, which is about 2+/- years. As the rodents aged, both groups developed tumors and some died, but there were more tumors and earlier deaths in the experimental group.

Failure to observe or measure is not synonymous with non-existence. Neglecting to measure a particular toxin or analyte, a specific symptom or disease process, or failing to evaluate long term effects does not mean that the toxin, analyte, symptom or disease process in question did not happen or does not exist. It simply means that you chose not to measure it. So claiming that a 3-month study in youthful rodents nullifies results from a longer study, regardless of any other methodological issues with either study, is an utterly false, and more than a little dishonest argument.

The dose response-curve was not linear. Damn it, how dare our complex physiology not conform to the simplicity of linear statistics. A common dose-response reaction is highly linear, where a small dose elicits a similarly small response and a larger dose increase the response size. This is not case when dealing with endocrine disruptors. Hormone systems are complex and highly non-linear. Hormone reactions occur at extremely low doses and often interact synergistically with other factors and respond differently over time and with cumulative exposures. This was the case in the current study.

In spite of the flaws with this study and contrary to the criticism, the Seralini study represents one of the only, if not the only, long term evaluation of the effects of Roundup and GM feeding on health. Long term studies, even in rodents, are not common place. They should be.

The next long term study (and there should be many more) should include different strains of rodent, measure additional hormones and steroidogenic proteins altered with liver disease and if they want to be really ingenious, look at the estrogen, androgen and progesterone receptor densities in the tumors.

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Male Contraception

by Michael Rothmann, MS

Published on October 7, 2012

2090 views

How many women do you know that use birth control pills as their primary form of contraception? A recent analysis by the Guttmacher Institute reports that 18% of all women in the U.S use some form of oral contraception. Quite a few!

What would happen if there was an equivalent form of contraception for men? Would it be as popular? Would it be as reliable? Researchers are trying to develop the technology to answer these questions.

Anything but a Vasectomy!

Aside from condoms, other forms of male contraception have been around for a while. Some methods of contraception seek to physically block the vas deferens, or the path for sperm to exit the urethra. For example, the Pro-Vas clip is used as a mechanical block for sperm by clamping the vas deferens, essentially doing the same thing as a vasectomy – without physically severing the sperm duct.

Another method uses a chemical polymer to block the passage of sperm to the urethra. This polymer, known as styrene maleic anhydride, has entered phase III clinical trials in India. Lisbeth Prifogle goes into more detail about the exact mechanism used for this type of contraception in her article, Male Birth Control – Myth or Available Science.

Whether mechanical or chemical, these methods introduce drastic and potentially harmful changes to the male reproductive anatomy. Although the manufacturers claim that these treatments are completely reversible, as a male, I would be hesitant to adopt such measures as I suspect other men would be. Oral contraception is a more attractive method.

Oral Male Contraceptives

Oral contraception used by men is nothing new. Since the early 20th century, a natural product from the cotton plant known as gossypol, has been used as a male contraceptive, particularly in Asian countries. Due to concerns of toxicity and side effects, however, gossypol has never been approved as a contraceptive by the FDA.

Since the mid-1980s, research led by the World Health Organization to develop a hormone-based birth control pill for men has resulted in a better understanding of the male hormonal system, and what biological targets are most attractive for male contraceptives. Much like the female birth control pill, which works by controlling the levels of the hormones estrogen and progestin, these birth control pills also work by introducing exogenous hormones into the body. These types of pills have been called Male Hormonal Contraceptives (MHCs).

The primary form of MHC is a form of testosterone named testosterone undecanoate. Using testosterone as a contraceptive was counterintuitive for me because when I think of high testosterone I think of an increased libido. But as it turns out, an extra shot of the hormone results in a decrease of the signaling hormones responsible for spermatogenesis (sperm production). Although testosterone treatment does seem to induce azoospermia (the absence of motile/viable sperm), there is no MHC that is currently in clinical trials – it seems that this pill is quite a ways off.

A New Type of Pill

There have been a few other pills that have been proposed as male contraceptives that don’t use hormones – one of the most interesting new studies to come out was an anti-cancer drug that was accidentally discovered to have spermatogenic effects. Many of the compounds developed in these studies, including anti-cancer drug compounds, target and inactivate specific proteins that are necessary for biological function.

In this study, which was published in the journal Cell last August, the compound tested, which is called JQ1, binds and inactivates BRDT, a protein that is specific to the testes and is involved in an essential DNA-based process called chromatin remodeling. The result, as observed in mice, is that as long as the organism was administered the drug, although they mated, there was a complete and reversible contraception.

So it seems that many new technologies are being developed for men to share the responsibility of contraception. However the question still stands: Can they be trusted?

The Thyroid-Fluoride Connection

by Magdalena Wszelaki

Published on September 15, 2012

2648 views

The Thyroid Pandemic

Are you one of the 27 million Americans suffering from a thyroid condition? Have you been told that you will have to be on medication for the rest of your life or get treated with a radioactive therapy to destroy your thyroid gland?

There is an increasing amount of disturbing evidence that one of the factors that could be causing the thyroid pandemic is the presence of fluoride in our drinking water. It’s not the only one but it certainly is one of them.

This should not be surprising. According to a 2006 report by the National Research Council of the National Academies, fluoride is “an endocrine disruptor in the broad sense of altering normal endocrine function.” You might have guessed it; the thyroid is part of the endocrine system.
What The Thyroid Does

The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones, which are needed by every cell in our body. A shortage or excess of thyroid hormones throw us out of whack causing symptoms like interrupted metabolism (weight issues, fatigue), memory loss, depression, anxiety, hair loss, infertility, high blood pressure, constant joint pains and many more.

The thyroid gland binds with iodine to produce one of the thyroid hormones, called T4, also known as an inactive hormones (as it does not do much for us). T4 is then transported to the intestine and the liver where it gets converted to T3, the active hormone that our body is actually using to function properly.

Fluoride’s Interference With Iodine

We are now finding out that fluoride inhibits iodine’s ability to bind with the thyroid gland. This means if we drink water with high amounts of fluoride, our thyroid is interrupted and cannot produce enough T4. Insufficient T4 means insufficient T3. It is also believed that fluoride slows down the conversion of T4 to T3 hormone which could explain why in spite of being on medication like Synthroid many people feel far from well. Again, this could be just one reason amongst many others (such as toxic load of the person, poor diet, chronic stress, etc).

In the case of people with hyperthyroidism (excessive thyroid hormone production) you might think this is a desired outcome to see your thyroid function reduced. Well, not really. People with hyperthyroid are known to have a high level of toxicity from water, food, stress, heavy metals, as well as nutritional deficiency and imbalances. Ingestion of fluoride will make the toxicity and imbalances even worse, it’s therefore key to address the quality of drinking water too.

Even the Government Is Backing Off Fluoride Now

The fact that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced plans to lower the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water is showing us that the government is finally making the connection between our health, our thyroid and the water we are drinking.
Would I Get Tooth Decay?

Think of it this way: most countries in the world do not add fluoride to their drinking water and they don’t have tooth decay any more larger than we do. In fact, most of the European countries declared addition of fluoride to any food and liquid substances outright illegal. The United States is one of 8 countries in the world that still adds fluoride to its drinking water.
So, What Can I Do?

The truth is: removing fluoride from water is very difficult and expensive as the only commercially available filtration system is reverse osmosis. My recommendation therefore is: do what you can and get a water filter that reduces the amount of fluoride in your drinking water.

This article was contributed by: Magdalena Wszelaki, a Thyroid Diet Coach. Magdalena is a former Hashimoto’s patient, in remission now for a few years. She attributes much of her own, and her clients’ healing to detoxification of the body. She’s currently offering a series of free information about detox and thyroid health on www.ThyroidDetox.com.

Vaginal Atrophy – The Great Wall of the Vagina

by Elena Perez

Published on August 27, 2012

6264 views

Does it hurt when you have sex? What about when you pee? Maybe just riding a bike is uncomfortable. This pain or discomfort may be attributed to vaginal atrophy.

Vaginal atrophy, or atrophic vaginitis, is a medical condition that refers to the thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls. This change in the vagina is due to a loss of endogenous estrogens and may account for discomfort and pain that women feel during everyday activities, such as sex, urination, or exercise.

This condition causes the vaginal walls to become fragile, and good bacteria in the vagina are often replaced by harmful bacteria and fungi. Since the vaginal wall is more susceptible to small tears, the possibility for infection increases.

Endogenous Estrogens

Our bodies naturally make a variety of estrogens. The most common endogenous estrogen is estradiol, which is produced in a woman’s ovaries. The remaining endogenous estrogens include estriol, which is produced by the placenta during pregnancy; and estrone, which is made by the ovaries and the adipose tissue – which is just a nice term for body fat.

Turns out, thin women are more susceptible to vaginal atrophy, which makes sense. Thinner women don’t have as much adipose tissue, so they don’t produce as much estrone. Women with more meat on their hips, however, have more fat tissue, which means they have another means of producing endogenous estrogens should they ever need backup.

Where Did the Endogenous Estrogen Go?

A woman’s endogenous estrogens can be impacted a number of ways. The simple joys of womanhood can affect hormone levels: Estradiol and especially estriol, decline dramatically following childbirth. Estradiol also declines while breastfeeding, and at menopause. In fact, the Harvard School of Medicine reported that within a few years of menopause, 50% of women have symptoms of vaginal atrophy.

Cesarean. Think you’re out of the woods because you haven’t had a child? Studies show that women who have never given birth vaginally are also more likely to have vaginal atrophy, according to Mayo Clinic. This means women who have only had cesarean sections are prone to vaginal atrophy, also.

Smoking. Don’t light up in frustration just yet: Women who are smokers are also prone to vaginal atrophy, which may be due to reduced blood circulation in the vaginal walls.

Cancer. Various cancer treatments can also decrease the production of endogenous estrogens. An oophorectomy, or the surgical removal of the ovaries, is performed to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, and undoubtedly impacts the production of estradiol. Women undergoing pelvic radiation and chemotherapy can also experience lower endogenous estrogen levels.

Certain breast cancers are sensitive to endogenous estrogens, especially estrone, which encourage the growth of breast cancer tumors. In order to deter tumor growth, breast cancer patients may be given drugs that suppress endogenous estrogens. Sexuality, Reproduction and Menopause published a study that found 90% of breast cancer survivors report sexual problems and symptoms of vaginal atrophy.

Communicate Your Concerns

Although 50% of postmenopausal women and 90% of breast cancer survivors have symptoms of vaginal atrophy, Dr. Deborah Coady, who is the co-authored of Healing Painful Sex, said studies show only 10 to 20% of women discuss vaginal discomfort and pain with their doctors.

In the past, doctors linked vaginal dryness and dyspareunia, or painful intercourse, to emotional problems, discarding the possibility of a physical or hormonal change occurring. Now, however, more doctors are being educated on vaginal atrophy and are in a better position to discuss changes to the vaginal wall.

Oncosexology is developing to properly educate oncologists and patients alike, so they can prepare for the hormonal and vaginal changes that are likely to occur as a result of various cancer treatments.

If your doctor doesn’t bring it up first, though, don’t hesitate to speak up. Dr. Coady recommends talking about any vaginal discomfort, dryness, or pain right away. The longer the pain persists, the more likely it will result in nerve pain and dysfunction of the pelvic floor, so it’s best to diagnose the problem right away.

Treating Vaginal Atrophy

There are a slew of over-the-counter and prescriptions treatments available for women, such as vaginal moisturizers, lubricants, and low-dose vaginal estrogen. A list of these can be found on the Harvard School of Medicine website.

As for natural remedies, Dr. Coady found the application of natural oils, such as vitamin E, safflower, olive, or coconut oil effectively hydrates the vaginal wall when used three or four times a day for a month or two. A friend of mine uses coconut oil as a lubricant during intercourse, and says it works well.

As it turns out, the Harvard School of Medicine notes that sexual intercourse and/or masturbation is also good for your vaginal walls. This sexual activity stimulates blood flow to the vaginal walls, promotes vaginal elasticity, and, when aroused, increases lubrication. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that found women who are sexually active report less vaginal atrophy than those who are not, so feel free to get the blood flowing.

If you think you are suffering from vaginal atrophy, don’t suffer in silence. There are ways to improve this condition, and it starts by consulting your doctor and tending to your vaginal wall.

Where is My Milk From?

by Lisbeth Prifogle, MFA

Published on July 25, 2012

2016 views

With all the controversy over hormones and antibiotics in milk, whether or not organic milk is really organic, and if your milk is from cloned or genetically modified cows, it’s becoming easier to just pass on dairy. However, what about those dishes that just need cheese for that finishing touch, or creamer for coffee, or yogurt (oh I LOVE yogurt) and what childhood summer day isn’t complete without ice cream? Clearly, my Indiana roots have ingrained a love for milk/dairy in me.

There has to be a better way than putting small family dairy farms out of business by boycotting dairy altogether, right? Yes! Now, thanks to the ingenious website, Where is My Milk From? you can use the dairy code listed by the expiration date and search the online database to find exactly what farm your milk, cheese, yogurt, etc., came from. Enter the code by the expiration date, for example 06-01 (the code on my organic half and half), and the site does the rest, in my case it brings up H. P. Hood LLC in Sacramento, California.

When you enter your milk code, it will bring up the name of the dairy as well as a map. I just wrote them an email suggesting they include a link to the dairy’s website if available. On the site, you can also search for local dairy farms if you want to support local farmers or take your family on an educational farm trip. My grandparents had a dairy farm – very cool field trip idea, but always check with the farm owner to set up a time to check it out. Buying local or at least from small, family owned dairies is the best way to beat industrial farms. Check it out, sit with your kids and make a game out of seeing where your dairy products come from. Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this for all our food, not just milk?! Go ahead, ask Where is my Milk From?

For more information on antibiotics, hormones and milk from cloned cows check out the article, Milk it Does a Body Good?

Breast Milk Weirdness

by Hormone Stories

Published on July 25, 2012

2398 views

I am a 49 year old woman who has had 4 ectopic pregnancies. I have never carried a child longer than about 6 weeks. I have also had a hysterectomy and am down to one ovary. I think I have started menopause 3 or 4 times already judging by the hot flashes. Now that you know my brief medical history here is the weirdness – I have breast milk.

It is not much. I occasionally leak little drops but the fullness, heaviness and soreness is there. I have had the discharge tested and nothing out of the ordinary was there – except breast milk. I have had hormone tests and everything comes back ‘normal’. There is no ‘scientific’ reason why this is occuring.

Once the doctors thought it was a side effect of the medicine I am taking for PCS, The problem with that theory is it started occuring at least 15 years before I started the medication.

Occasionally it is bothersome but I think at this point I am just used to it. I get swollen glands sometimes and it REALLY hurts but other than that I ignore it. I dont even bring it up to the doctors anymore as they automatically blame it on the medication. Am I the only one in the world with this?

Hormones Matter

Where health, hormones, and a whole bunch of other stuff, make sense.

hormones - Page 7

My Experience with Women’s Health, Endometriosis and Hormone Research

Hormone Research, Endometriosis and Misdiagnosis

Endometriosis and Neuropathy

A Rodent Model of Endometriosis

Squelching the Pain of Endometriosis Before It Begins

Endometriosis, Hormones, Nerves and Neurons

Controversy, GMO Research & Women’s Health

How GMO Research is Conducted

The Seralini GMO Study

Tumors, Toxicity, Death and the GM Diet

Endocrine Disruption

Potential Fibroid Connection

Controversy and Criticism

My Take

We Need Your Help

Male Contraception

Anything but a Vasectomy!

Oral Male Contraceptives