It's My Ovaries, Stupid!
by Vliet, Elizabeth LeeRent Textbook
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Summary
Table of Contents
| Introduction To Revised Edition | p. 3 |
| Overview of the Problem-How I Came to Write This Book | p. 9 |
| My Medical Journey as a "Hormone Detective" | p. 9 |
| Now, What About You? | p. 11 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to the Most Common Reasons for Consults | p. 12 |
| Your Hormone Web: Effects Throughout Your Body | p. 13 |
| How Does This Relate to Me? I Am Too Young for Menopause | p. 13 |
| A Flaw in the Medical Model for Women | p. 15 |
| Taking Care of the Ovaries: Whose Job is It, Really? | p. 17 |
| It IS Possible-and Desirable-to Test Ovarian Hormones | p. 18 |
| Hormones Alone Are Not the Answer | p. 19 |
| Your Road Map to this Book | p. 21 |
| Kristi's Poem | p. 24 |
| When Ovaries Go Awry | p. 29 |
| It's Not All In Your Head-It Can Be Hormones! | p. 30 |
| Women's Lives, Women's Stories | p. 30 |
| The Hidden Epidemic | p. 33 |
| What is Premature Ovarian Decline POD? | p. 33 |
| What is Premature Ovarian Failure POP? | p. 36 |
| The Hidden Epidemic: What's Different Now? | p. 37 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Endocrine Disrupters (chart) | p. 39 |
| Your Ovaries: An Owner's Manual | p. 41 |
| Your Ovary As Hormone Factory | p. 46 |
| How Do Hormones Trigger Actions? | p. 48 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Body Changes Affected By The Menstrual Cycle | p. 50 |
| Hormone Power: Incredible Potency from Your Ovaries | p. 53 |
| Progesterone | p. 55 |
| Testosterone | p. 58 |
| The Hormone Cycle of Your Breasts | p. 61 |
| Hormone Cycles and Your Body | p. 62 |
| A Guide to Your Other Hormones | p. 63 |
| Your Ovaries and Their Life Cycle | p. 67 |
| Before Puberty | p. 67 |
| Puberty: The Awakening of Our Ovaries | p. 68 |
| Premature Puberty: When Puberty Comes Too Soon | p. 70 |
| Premature Puberty-A Myriad of Health Issues | p. 71 |
| Physical | p. 71 |
| Psychological | p. 72 |
| Sociological-cultural | p. 73 |
| Theories about Causes of Premature Puberty | p. 73 |
| Environmental Chemicals | p. 73 |
| Dietary Excess | p. 75 |
| Sociological Pressures | p. 75 |
| The Ovary Life Cycle Continues: Our Fertile Years | p. 76 |
| Premenopause: The Waning of Our Ovaries | p. 77 |
| New Insights on Stages of Ovarian Decline | p. 77 |
| Dr. Vliet's Model: Stages of Ovarian Decline | p. 78 |
| Declining Estradiol | p. 78 |
| Beginning of Anovulatory Cycles | p. 79 |
| Dr. Vliet's Model: Stages of Ovarian Decline | p. 80 |
| Perimenopause | p. 81 |
| Menopausal Stage | p. 81 |
| The Sixties and Beyond: Postmenopausal Stage | p. 84 |
| Premature Ovarian Decline | p. 85 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Overlooked Causes Of POD | p. 87 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Clues To Declining Estradiol | p. 88 |
| Ovaries At Risk-Surprising Toxins in Your Diet | p. 91 |
| The Soft Drink-Fast Food Menace | p. 92 |
| What Are Excitotoxins and Where Are They Found | p. 92 |
| Brain Basics: Your Body's CEO and COO | p. 96 |
| The Brain's Communicators | p. 96 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Major Brain Areas And What They Do | p. 98 |
| The Many Triggers Of Mood And Anxiety Problems | p. 101 |
| How Do Excitotoxins Affect the Pituitary and Ovaries? | p. 102 |
| Sensitive Sites, Hardest Hit | p. 102 |
| Dose Effects: Animals and Humans, Infants, and Adults | p. 103 |
| Other Diet Risks for Your Ovaries: Excess Fats and Sugars | p. 105 |
| Excess Fats and Your Ovaries: What's The Connection? | p. 106 |
| Sugars in Soft Drinks and Everywhere Else | p. 106 |
| Vegetarian Diets | p. 107 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Sticker Shock | p. 110 |
| Gender Benders | p. 111 |
| What Are Endocrine Disruptors and What Do They Do? | p. 112 |
| Why Is This Such a Problem Now? | p. 114 |
| Who are the Players in this Hormone-disrupting Drama? | p. 114 |
| Chronology: Development of and Human Exposure to Synthetic Endocrine Disruptors (POPs) | p. 115 |
| Where Are The-Chemical Endocrine Disruptors Found? | p. 116 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals | p. 118 |
| What Are Gender-bending Endocrine Disruptors Doing To You? | p. 121 |
| How Do They Work To Disrupt Our Own Hormones? | p. 122 |
| False Reassurances, Hidden Dangers | p. 122 |
| The Emerging Truth | p. 122 |
| Estrogenic Subverters: POPs Wicked Tricks | p. 123 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to How Endocrine Disrupters Work | p. 125 |
| Endocrine Disrupters and Breast Cancer | p. 126 |
| Synthetic Estrogenic Substances: What We Learned from DES? | p. 130 |
| Beyond the Ovary: Effects on the Thyroid | p. 133 |
| Heavy Metals and Menstrual Disturbances | p. 134 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Chemical Disruption Of Thyroid Pathways | p. 137 |
| Chronology: The DES Time Line | p. 138 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Consequences of DES Exposure | p. 139 |
| Toxic Effects | p. 141 |
| Cigarette Smoking | p. 141 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Smoking hurts! | p. 145 |
| Alcohol | p. 148 |
| Gender Matters | p. 149 |
| Marijuana | p. 152 |
| CNS stimulants: Cocaine and others | p. 154 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide Life Style Habits | p. 156 |
| Ovary Shut Down | p. 157 |
| Long Days, Short Nights, Overloaded Lives! | p. 157 |
| Stress and What it Does to Your Health | p. 160 |
| What Exactly is Stress? | p. 161 |
| The Fight-or-Flight Response | p. 162 |
| Stress, Estrogen and Coping | p. 163 |
| Prenatal Stress: Does it Set Up Problems for Life? | p. 165 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to How Stress Sabotages Your Health | p. 166 |
| Sleep Deprivation: Toxic to Your Ovaries and Your Health | p. 167 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Adverse Health Effects Of Excess Cortisol | p. 168 |
| Sleep 101 | p. 169 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Some Common Causes Of Insomnia | p. 171 |
| Your Hormones and Sleep | p. 172 |
| When Sleep Isn't Normal: Sleep Disorders and Your Health | p. 173 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Normal Sleep Architecture | p. 174 |
| Anger and Our Hormones: Toxic Effects of Negativity | p. 176 |
| Lifestyle Habits and Cultural Issues | p. 181 |
| Lessons from the Track: A Young Woman's Wake Up Call | p. 182 |
| Athletic Training and Your Ovaries | p. 184 |
| Chronic Dieting, Anorexia, and Bulimia-Risks to Your Ovaries | p. 186 |
| Another Diet Pitfall: The Low-Fat Diet and Your Ovaries | p. 189 |
| Occupational Hazards-Forewarned is Forearmed | p. 191 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Flight Attendants Risks | p. 192 |
| Negative Self-talk, Self-image | p. 192 |
| Unusual Effects | p. 195 |
| Toxins from Ticks, Spiders and Viruses | p. 195 |
| Chlamydia and Other Sexually transmitted Diseases | p. 198 |
| Thyroid Disorders and Your Ovaries | p. 200 |
| A Guide to Your Thyroid Hormones | p. 201 |
| The Role of Iodine and Iodine Deficiency | p. 204 |
| Hypothyroidism | p. 205 |
| Hypothyroidism before Puberty | p. 206 |
| Hypothyroidism occurring in adolescence | p. 207 |
| Hypothyroidism occurring in adult women or during pregnancy | p. 208 |
| Dr. Vliet's Comparison Guide | p. 209 |
| Dr. Vliet's Summary: Effects Of Thyroid Hormones On Your Ovaries And Ovarian Hormones | p. 210 |
| Hyperthyroidism | p. 211 |
| Hyperthyroidism before puberty | p. 211 |
| Hyperthyroidism occurring in adolescents and adult women | p. 212 |
| Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy | p. 212 |
| Post-partum Thyroid Disorders: Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism and Autoimmune Thyroiditis | p. 213 |
| Dr. Vliet's Summary: Effects Of Thyroid Hormones | p. 218 |
| Oophoritis and Adrenalitis: Autoimmune Disorders Affecting The Ovaries and Adrenal Glands | p. 218 |
| Overactive or Underactive Adrenals: Impact on Your Ovaries | p. 220 |
| When Cortisol is Too High: Cushing's Syndrome | p. 221 |
| When Cortisol is Too Low: Addison's or Adrenal Insufficiency (AI) | p. 222 |
| Summary | p. 223 |
| Ovaries at Risk: Unrecognized Problems | p. 225 |
| Hysterectomy-Another Cause of Premature Hormone Loss | p. 228 |
| Common Medications | p. 231 |
| The 21st Century "Tonic": Serotonin Boosters, Mood-Managers | p. 231 |
| Heart Side Effects of Common Medicines | p. 235 |
| Other Common Medication Pitfalls for Women | p. 236 |
| Antibiotics | p. 236 |
| Beta-blockers | p. 236 |
| High progestin birth control pills | p. 236 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Causes of LQTS | p. 237 |
| Soy, Supplements, Herbs and OTC Hormones: Pitfalls for Your Ovaries | p. 238 |
| Plant Estrogens (Phytoestrogens) | p. 239 |
| Lessons from Women's Experiences | p. 242 |
| Additional Herb and Supplement Cautions | p. 244 |
| Ovaries Out of Balance: PMS, Endometriosis, Bladder and Vulva Pain | p. 247 |
| Premenstrual Syndrome ("PMS") | p. 249 |
| What Are Some of the Causes of PMS? | p. 251 |
| Hormonal Fluctuations: A Key Factor | p. 251 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to PMS: Another Vicious Cycle | p. 255 |
| Endometriosis | p. 256 |
| What is Endometriosis and Why is It a Problem? | p. 257 |
| How Do I Know Whether I Might Have Endometriosis? | p. 259 |
| Red Flags: Clues to Endometriosis or Adenonyosis | p. 259 |
| What causes it? | p. 260 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Risk Factors For Endometriosis | p. 262 |
| Ovary Hormones and Your Bladder | p. 262 |
| Early Estrogen Decline and Vulvodynia | p. 264 |
| Non-hormonal Causes of Bladder or Vulvar Pain | p. 265 |
| Bladder And Vaginal Effects Of Estradiol Decline | p. 266 |
| Chronic Bladder"Infections:"Is It Really an Infection or My Hormones? | p. 267 |
| "Leaky Bladders"-Young Women Can Be Affected Too | p. 269 |
| Ovarian Hormones and the Brain | p. 273 |
| Ovarian Hormones and the Brain | p. 275 |
| Summary: Estradiol And Your Brain | p. 275 |
| Estrogen Effects | p. 276 |
| Testosterone Effects | p. 278 |
| Progesterone Effects | p. 278 |
| Post-partum Anxiety, Depression, Memory and Sleep Problems | p. 279 |
| Where Are We Now? | p. 282 |
| Hormone Crashes and Withdrawal | p. 282 |
| Other Brain Effects: Hormone Triggers of Anxiety Racing heart, flutters, and palpitations | p. 286 |
| Understanding Hormonally-triggered Migraines | p. 287 |
| Hormone Effects on Migraine Mechanisms | p. 288 |
| Estrogen and Progesterone Effects on Headache | p. 288 |
| The Role of Progesterone and Progestins | p. 289 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Mechanisms of Estrogen Effects on Headaches | p. 290 |
| Pregnancy Effects on Migraine | p. 291 |
| How Do Oral Contraceptives Affect Migraine? | p. 291 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Potential BCP Effects On Migraines | p. 293 |
| Hormones and Seizures | p. 294 |
| Hormones and Memory: "Now What Was It I Was Going to Do?" | p. 295 |
| Some Basics About How Memory Works | p. 296 |
| Advances in Neuroscience: Estrogen Effects on Memory | p. 297 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Estrogen Effects On Memory | p. 299 |
| Multiple Sclerosis: New Insights on Hormone Connections | p. 300 |
| Hormonal Decline: An Unrecognized Cause of Fatigue | p. 302 |
| Summary | p. 308 |
| The Perils of PCOS, Obesity, Syndrome X, and Diabetes | p. 309 |
| PCOS: Hormonal Havoc That Devastates Health | p. 310 |
| What are the symptoms of PCOS? | p. 311 |
| Marked weight gain | p. 311 |
| Excess facial and body hair | p. 312 |
| Thinning scalp hair, or hair loss | p. 312 |
| Severe acne | p. 312 |
| Irregular menstrual cycles | p. 313 |
| Difficulty getting pregnant, or frequent miscarriages | p. 313 |
| Hormone Havoc: Serious Imbalances | p. 313 |
| Master of Disguise | p. 314 |
| Why PCOS Is Often Missed | p. 315 |
| Causes of PCOS | p. 316 |
| Do I have PCOS? Getting Tested | p. 317 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Laboratory Studies To Check for PCOS | p. 317 |
| Taking a Look at Some Examples | p. 318 |
| Hormone Levels of 16 year-old PCOS patient | p. 318 |
| Getting Help for PCOS: What Are Some Treatments? | p. 319 |
| Medication Approaches | p. 320 |
| Oral Contraceptives, or birth control pills (BCP) | p. 320 |
| Ovarian Hormone Replacement Therapy | p. 320 |
| Insulin-sensitizing Medication | p. 320 |
| Androgen-blocking Medications | p. 321 |
| Mood-managing Medicines | p. 321 |
| Non-medication Approaches | p. 322 |
| The Poignancy of PCOS: Women's Stories | p. 323 |
| Body Fat Promoters | p. 327 |
| How Glucose is Regulated: The See-Saw of Insulin and Glucagon | p. 327 |
| Hypoglycemia and Glucose Intolerance | p. 328 |
| Insulin Resistance, or Syndrome X | p. 329 |
| Diabetes Mellitus | p. 332 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Causes of Excess Insulin | p. 334 |
| The Many Faces of Infertility: Overlooked Factors | p. 335 |
| Subclinical Thyroid Fertility Saboteurs | p. 336 |
| Undiagnosed Thyroiditis | p. 336 |
| Suboptimal Thyroid Hormone Replacement | p. 337 |
| Foods and Medicines that Diminish Thyroid Function | p. 337 |
| Dieting Disruptors of Your Thyroid | p. 338 |
| Ovarian Hormone Imbalances | p. 339 |
| Premature decline in estradiol | p. 339 |
| Overlooking PCOS and Excess Androgens | p. 340 |
| Progesterone excess, use of OTC progesterone creams | p. 340 |
| Endocrine Disruptors in Your Lifestyle and Habits | p. 341 |
| Dieting, especially extremely low fat diets, high soy diets | p. 341 |
| Excessive Thinness | p. 341 |
| Obesity | p. 342 |
| Too much exercise | p. 342 |
| Excess stress, and sleep deprivation | p. 342 |
| Herbs That Sabotage Your Fertility | p. 342 |
| Excitotoxins in soft drinks, snacks, and convenience foods | p. 343 |
| Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, excess caffeine and stimulant use | p. 344 |
| Chemical exposure at home or work | p. 344 |
| Your Ovaries-Effects on All Your Body Systems | p. 347 |
| Your Ovaries Are Connected to Your Eyes, Skin, Hair, Eyes, Voice | p. 347 |
| Estrogen and Your Eyes | p. 347 |
| Estrogen and Your Skin | p. 349 |
| Hormones and Your Hair | p. 350 |
| Estrogen and Your Sinuses | p. 350 |
| Hormones and Your Voice | p. 351 |
| Ovaries and Your Gut: A Panoply of Problems | p. 353 |
| Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | p. 353 |
| Chronic Constipation | p. 355 |
| Ovaries and Your Heart | p. 356 |
| Cardiovascular Symptoms or Disease? Tell The Difference | p. 361 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Key Estradiol Benefits On Our Heart, Blood Vessels | p. 361 |
| Ovaries and Your Lungs: Asthma and Your Menstrual Cycle | p. 362 |
| Asthma Triggers in Your Medicines and Foods | p. 365 |
| Immune System Goes Awry: Allergies, Food, Chemical Sensitivities | p. 365 |
| Ovaries and Your Bones: Osteoporosis Isn't Just for Older Women | p. 366 |
| Fredricka's Story | p. 366 |
| Other Risk Factors for Bone Loss in Young Women | p. 368 |
| Techniques For Measuring Bone Density | p. 369 |
| Testing for Bone Loss | p. 370 |
| Oh My Aching Muscles: Hormone Connections in Aches and Pains | p. 370 |
| Mechanisms of Hormone Effects on Muscles and Joints | p. 371 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Common Hormone Shifts Causing Muscle And Joint Pain Problems In Women | p. 371 |
| Balancing Ovarian Hormones for Optimal Health | p. 375 |
| Finding Your Hormone Balance | p. 375 |
| Get Tested | p. 375 |
| What is the best method of testing hormones? | p. 376 |
| What serum blood tests should I request? | p. 377 |
| What tests are important in a comprehensive hormone evaluation? | p. 379 |
| Step 2 Evaluating your risks and identifying your needs | p. 380 |
| Setting the record straight on hormones | p. 381 |
| What about the studies that show taking estrogen after menopause increases your risk of breast cancer? | p. 381 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Tests For An Overall Health Assessment | p. 382 |
| Are all estrogens the same? | p. 383 |
| Are all birth control pills the same? | p. 383 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Tests For An Overall Health Assessment | p. 383 |
| Do estrogen and/or progestin in BCP cause blood clots? | p. 384 |
| Does taking hormones make you fat? | p. 384 |
| I am concerned about taking birth control pills because of previous bad experiences. Have they changed? | p. 384 |
| My doctor prescribed PremPro | p. 385 |
| A recent study showed HRT doesn't prevent heart disease | p. 385 |
| Choosing a hormone approach | p. 386 |
| Natural vs. Synthetic | p. 387 |
| "Natural," bioidentical human estrogens | p. 388 |
| Synthetic Estrogens: not native to the human body | p. 389 |
| Phytoestrogens | p. 389 |
| At the Fork in the Road: Deciding What to Take | p. 390 |
| Using Birth Control Pills As "Hormone Stabilizers" | p. 390 |
| So how do you choose a birth control pill? | p. 392 |
| Common Side Effects with BCP | p. 393 |
| Transitioning: BCP to Menopause HRT Options | p. 394 |
| Beneficial Effects Of Oral Contraceptives | p. 395 |
| The Other Fork in the Road | p. 396 |
| Forms of Estradiol | p. 396 |
| FDA-approved Estradiol Options | p. 396 |
| Patch or Pill? | p. 397 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide: Advantages of Transdermal Estradiol Over Oral | p. 398 |
| Migraines and Estradiol and Patches | p. 398 |
| Progesterone | p. 399 |
| Testosterone or DHEA | p. 401 |
| Monitor Effectiveness and Adjust as Needed | p. 403 |
| If You Are Sensitive to Progestins-What Else is Available? | p. 404 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Testosterone And DHEA Effects | p. 406 |
| Test and Treat Strategies for Optimal | |
| Thyroid, Adrenal, and Glucose-Insulin Balance | p. 407 |
| Thyroid Tests: What to Have Checked, How To Interpret Your Results | p. 407 |
| Go for What's Optimal, Not Just What's "Normal" | p. 408 |
| The Dangers of 'Wilson's Syndrome "Protocols and Relying on Basal Body Temperature Tests | p. 410 |
| When To Consider Starting Thyroid Medication | p. 411 |
| Thyroid Medication Options | p. 412 |
| To Be Safe: Start Low, Go Slow | p. 414 |
| Cortisol: What to Have Checked, How To Interpret Your Results | p. 416 |
| Getting Tested for Insulin and Glucose | p. 417 |
| Fasting Tests | p. 417 |
| Post-prandial (after meals) Tests | p. 418 |
| Other Tests | p. 418 |
| Insulin Resistance: More Complete Sensitive Tests | p. 419 |
| Effective Treatment Strategies, Get Your Glucose, Insulin in Balance | p. 420 |
| Starting Your "Clean-Up Campaign" | p. 423 |
| Eliminating Hormone-disrupting Habits | p. 423 |
| Cigarette Smoking | p. 423 |
| Alcohol | p. 424 |
| Excess Caffeine | p. 424 |
| Stimulant "Diet" Pills | p. 425 |
| Cocaine | p. 426 |
| Cleaning Up Your Diet, Getting Rid of Excitotoxins | p. 426 |
| Hidden Sources of MSG and Excitotoxins | p. 427 |
| Cleaning Up the PVCs | p. 428 |
| Cleaning Up Your Bedroom Habits | p. 428 |
| Cleaning Up Your Workaholism | p. 429 |
| Clean Up Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Around You | p. 430 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Sleep-improving Strategies | p. 431 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Ways To Minimize Your Body Exposure To Endocrine Disrupters | p. 435 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Ways To Minimize Toxic Chemicals At Home | p. 436 |
| Dr. Vliet's Guide to Ways To Minimize Toxic Chemicals At Home | p. 437 |
| Create Your Path to Optimal Energy and Health | p. 439 |
| Kate's Successful Journey | p. 440 |
| Going forward on your journey | p. 443 |
| Dr. Vliet's Tips: Your Path to Health | p. 446 |
| Glossary Of Medical Terms | p. 447 |
| List of Medical Acronyms Used in This Book | p. 447 |
| References | p. 449 |
| 470 | |
| Dr. Vliet's Programs and How to Contact Us | p. 470 |
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