(1360,1,'2013-01-25 09:53:28','2013-01-25 14:53:28','[caption id=\"attachment_1299\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/we-miss-our-miscarried-babies/httpwww-dreamstime-com-image9682202/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1299\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1299  \" title=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies\" alt=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies -Image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Statues-for-Unborn-Children-dreamstime-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies Image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nFor some reason a lot of old memories have been surfacing for me lately.  I was on a couple of forums recently and was reading the painful and heartfelt posts of mothers who have or are currently miscarrying their babies.  Hearing their stories instantly took me back to the days when I was the woman so desperately trying to<strong><em> stay</em></strong> pregnant, worried over every single twinge and then suffering the deep anguish of losing a baby.  Twice.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about an early miscarriage - It\'s difficult to explain to someone who\'s never been through it how it feels to be pregnant one day and then not the next  BUT with empty arms.  I don\'t profess to speak for all women who have had a miscarriage - I know a couple of women who felt that their miscarriage was a blessing, some who were relieved or who took the news more matter-of-factly than I did.  I have known moms who miscarried at one point in their life and felt relieved but when it happened again were devastated.  And sadly, I know some moms who carry guilt about their miscarriages.  Here\'s the thing - even though I\'ve been through it, I don\'t pretend to know what every woman who has suffered the loss of a baby would want or how she would feel.  But I know how I felt and the one word that comes to mind - devastated.\r\n\r\nI would say a common feeling among moms who have miscarried is that not everyone understands or knows how to deal with a mom who has lost a baby through miscarriage.  Even if they want to help and be supportive some people still don\'t know what to say and often end up saying the wrong things.  You try not to take it personally but really the last thing you feel like doing is listening to comments that make you feel worse or angry or guilty.\r\n\r\nHere are some things I wish had been said differently to me:\r\n<table style=\"border-color: #543053; border-width: 4px; background-color: #e0d6df;\" border=\"4\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Instead of being told:</span></em></td>\r\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It would have been nice to hear:</span></em></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td scope=\"rowgroup\">It was for the best</td>\r\n<td>I\'m sorry</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you didn\'t feel your baby move yet</td>\r\n<td>I know you were already in love with your baby</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You\'re young - you have lots of  time</td>\r\n<td>I\'m here when you need me</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you can have fun trying again</td>\r\n<td>Nothing...just listen or give a hug</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>I know how you feel</td>\r\n<td>How are you feeling?</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You need to _________________\r\n(stop working so much, stop exercising, relax, etc)</td>\r\n<td>It\'s not your fault</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nConsider these ways to support your friend/family member who has lost a baby through miscarriage:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Ask the mom who has just lost her baby if she has named her baby or if she would like to <strong>hold a ceremony? </strong> If so,<strong> offer to help plan something</strong> even if it is informal.</li>\r\n	<li>Some hospitals or charity groups provide tiny blankets and bonnets as a keepsake - <strong>consider presenting the mom with a memory box. </strong></li>\r\n	<li> <strong>Acknowledge that she IS a mom </strong>- it\'s just that her baby is in heaven (or whatever your belief system is).<strong>   </strong>This was big one for me - it was comforting to know that someone understood that I felt like a mom.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Call your friend or give her a card or flowers on Mother\'s Day</strong> and acknowledge that she is a mom!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Write your friend a poem</strong> like <a title=\"Courtney\'s Mom\'s Poem - Poppy\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/01/19/remembering-poppy/\" target=\"_blank\">my girl Courtney\'s mom did</a> or a beautiful handwritten note.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI know many moms who would have loved someone to reach out to them in such an understanding way.  Personally, I would have appreciated such offers because I didn\'t even think of these things.\r\n\r\nMy dear friend<a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\"> Ava, whom you\'ve heard me speak so highly of</a>, planned a naming ceremony for all of the women whom she had helped get through those tough times.  We all went to a tiny chapel and it was beautiful.  We said a prayer and then one by one we all named our babies out loud and lit a candle in memory of our babies.\r\n\r\nI\'ve heard some people express that they think it\'s kind of weird but I don\'t understand that reaction. Grieving is a natural reaction to loss - my babies were part of me the moment I knew I was pregnant and I yearned deeply for a baby.  While understanding and respecting that not every woman has the same beliefs, in my situation, honoring my babies was and still is important  to this day.\r\n\r\nIn Japan many women must feel the same way.  In fact, the photo above shows a burial ground with rows of little statues formed in the image of a diety called Jizobosatusu.   When a woman loses an unborn child she can dedicate one of these little statues - and the babies will be protected by Jizobosatusu.  The mother may choose to dress the statue, place a bonnet on its little head or leave windmills and other toys.  Gifts for Jizobosatusu are often left to ensure the unborn child makes the journey to the afterlife.  If I ever get to Japan, I would love to participate in this beautiful custom.\r\n\r\nHave you named your miscarried baby? Or had a ceremony? Did someone do something special for you?  I\'d love to hear any other ideas you\'d like to share.\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Missing our Miscarried Babies','','inherit','open','open','','1143-revision-25','','','2013-01-25 09:53:28','2013-01-25 14:53:28','',1143,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1143-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(1361,1,'2013-01-25 17:34:40','2013-01-25 22:34:40','[caption id=\"attachment_1299\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/we-miss-our-miscarried-babies/httpwww-dreamstime-com-image9682202/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1299\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1299  \" title=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies\" alt=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies -Image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Statues-for-Unborn-Children-dreamstime-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies Image: Dreamstime[/caption]\n\nFor some reason a lot of old memories have been surfacing for me lately.  I was on a couple of forums recently and was reading the painful and heartfelt posts of mothers who have or are currently miscarrying their babies.  Hearing their stories instantly took me back to the days when I was the woman so desperately trying to<strong><em> stay</em></strong> pregnant, worried over every single twinge and then suffering the deep anguish of losing a baby.  Twice.\n\nHere\'s the thing about an early miscarriage - It\'s difficult to explain to someone who\'s never been through it how it feels to be pregnant one day and then not the next  BUT with empty arms.  I don\'t profess to speak for all women who have had a miscarriage - I know a couple of women who felt that their miscarriage was a blessing, some who were relieved or who took the news more matter-of-factly than I did.  I have known moms who miscarried at one point in their life and felt relieved but when it happened again were devastated.  And sadly, I know some moms who carry guilt about their miscarriages.  Here\'s the thing - even though I\'ve been through it, I don\'t pretend to know what every woman who has suffered the loss of a baby would want or how she would feel.  But I know how I felt and the one word that comes to mind - devastated.\n\nI would say a common feeling among moms who have miscarried is that not everyone understands or knows how to deal with a mom who has lost a baby through miscarriage.  Even if they want to help and be supportive some people still don\'t know what to say and often end up saying the wrong things.  You try not to take it personally but really the last thing you feel like doing is listening to comments that make you feel worse or angry or guilty.\n\nHere are some things I wish had been said differently to me:\n<table style=\"border-color: #543053; border-width: 4px; background-color: #e0d6df;\" border=\"4\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Instead of being told:</span></em></td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It would have been nice to hear:</span></em></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"rowgroup\">It was for the best</td>\n<td>I\'m sorry</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>At least you didn\'t feel your baby move yet</td>\n<td>I know you were already in love with your baby</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>You\'re young - you have lots of  time</td>\n<td>I\'m here when you need me</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>At least you can have fun trying again</td>\n<td>Nothing...just listen or give a hug</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>I know how you feel</td>\n<td>How are you feeling?</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>You need to _________________\n(stop working so much, stop exercising, relax, etc)</td>\n<td>It\'s not your fault</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nConsider these ways to support your friend/family member who has lost a baby through miscarriage:\n<ul>\n	<li>Ask the mom who has just lost her baby if she has named her baby or if she would like to <strong>hold a ceremony? </strong> If so,<strong> offer to help plan something</strong> even if it is informal.</li>\n	<li>Some hospitals or charity groups provide tiny blankets and bonnets as a keepsake - <strong>consider presenting the mom with a memory box. </strong></li>\n	<li> <strong>Acknowledge that she IS a mom </strong>- it\'s just that her baby is in heaven (or whatever your belief system is).<strong>   </strong>This was big one for me - it was comforting to know that someone understood that I felt like a mom.</li>\n	<li><strong>Call your friend or give her a card or flowers on Mother\'s Day</strong> and acknowledge that she is a mom!</li>\n	<li><strong>Write your friend a poem</strong> like <a title=\"Courtney\'s Mom\'s Poem - Poppy\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/01/19/remembering-poppy/\" target=\"_blank\">my girl Courtney\'s mom did</a> or a beautiful handwritten note.</li>\n</ul>\nI know many moms who would have loved someone to reach out to them in such an understanding way.  Personally, I would have appreciated such offers because I didn\'t even think of these things.\n\nMy dear friend<a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\"> Ava, whom you\'ve heard me speak so highly of</a>, planned a naming ceremony for all of the women whom she had helped get through those tough times.  We all went to a tiny chapel and it was beautiful.  We said a prayer and then one by one we all named our babies out loud and lit a candle in memory of our babies.\n\nI\'ve heard some people express that they think it\'s kind of weird but I don\'t understand that reaction. Grieving is a natural reaction to loss - my babies were part of me the moment I knew I was pregnant and I yearned deeply for a baby.  While understanding and respecting that not every woman has the same beliefs, in my situation, honoring my babies was and still is important  to this day.\n\nIn Japan many women must feel the same way.  In fact, the photo above shows a burial ground with rows of little statues formed in the image of a diety called Jizobosatusu.   When a woman loses an unborn child she can dedicate one of these little statues - and the babies will be protected by Jizobosatusu.  The mother may choose to dress the statue, place a bonnet on its little head or leave windmills and other toys.  Gifts for Jizobosatusu are often left to ensure the unborn child makes the journey to the afterlife.  If I ever get to Japan, I would love to participate in this beautiful custom.\n\nHave you named your miscarried baby? Or had a ceremony? Did someone do something special for you?  I\'d love to hear any other ideas you\'d like to share. [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]\n\n&nbsp;','Missing our Miscarried Babies','','inherit','open','open','','1143-autosave','','','2013-01-25 17:34:40','2013-01-25 22:34:40','',1143,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1143-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1362,1,'2013-01-25 09:58:23','2013-01-25 14:58:23','[caption id=\"attachment_1299\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/we-miss-our-miscarried-babies/httpwww-dreamstime-com-image9682202/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1299\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1299  \" title=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies\" alt=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies -Image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Statues-for-Unborn-Children-dreamstime-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies Image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nFor some reason a lot of old memories have been surfacing for me lately.  I was on a couple of forums recently and was reading the painful and heartfelt posts of mothers who have or are currently miscarrying their babies.  Hearing their stories instantly took me back to the days when I was the woman so desperately trying to<strong><em> stay</em></strong> pregnant, worried over every single twinge and then suffering the deep anguish of losing a baby.  Twice.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about an early miscarriage - It\'s difficult to explain to someone who\'s never been through it how it feels to be pregnant one day and then not the next  BUT with empty arms.  I don\'t profess to speak for all women who have had a miscarriage - I know a couple of women who felt that their miscarriage was a blessing, some who were relieved or who took the news more matter-of-factly than I did.  I have known moms who miscarried at one point in their life and felt relieved but when it happened again were devastated.  And sadly, I know some moms who carry guilt about their miscarriages.  Here\'s the thing - even though I\'ve been through it, I don\'t pretend to know what every woman who has suffered the loss of a baby would want or how she would feel.  But I know how I felt and the one word that comes to mind - devastated.\r\n\r\nI would say a common feeling among moms who have miscarried is that not everyone understands or knows how to deal with a mom who has lost a baby through miscarriage.  Even if they want to help and be supportive some people still don\'t know what to say and often end up saying the wrong things.  You try not to take it personally but really the last thing you feel like doing is listening to comments that make you feel worse or angry or guilty.\r\n\r\nHere are some things I wish had been said differently to me:\r\n<table style=\"border-color: #543053; border-width: 4px; background-color: #e0d6df;\" border=\"4\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Instead of being told:</span></em></td>\r\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It would have been nice to hear:</span></em></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td scope=\"rowgroup\">It was for the best</td>\r\n<td>I\'m sorry</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you didn\'t feel your baby move yet</td>\r\n<td>I know you were already in love with your baby</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You\'re young - you have lots of  time</td>\r\n<td>I\'m here when you need me</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you can have fun trying again</td>\r\n<td>Nothing...just listen or give a hug</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>I know how you feel</td>\r\n<td>How are you feeling?</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You need to _________________\r\n(stop working so much, stop exercising, relax, etc)</td>\r\n<td>It\'s not your fault</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nConsider these ways to support your friend/family member who has lost a baby through miscarriage:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Ask the mom who has just lost her baby if she has named her baby or if she would like to <strong>hold a ceremony? </strong> If so,<strong> offer to help plan something</strong> even if it is informal.</li>\r\n	<li>Some hospitals or charity groups provide tiny blankets and bonnets as a keepsake - <strong>consider presenting the mom with a memory box. </strong></li>\r\n	<li> <strong>Acknowledge that she IS a mom </strong>- it\'s just that her baby is in heaven (or whatever your belief system is).<strong>   </strong>This was big one for me - it was comforting to know that someone understood that I felt like a mom.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Call your friend or give her a card or flowers on Mother\'s Day</strong> and acknowledge that she is a mom!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Write your friend a poem</strong> like <a title=\"Courtney\'s Mom\'s Poem - Poppy\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/01/19/remembering-poppy/\" target=\"_blank\">my girl Courtney\'s mom did</a> or a beautiful handwritten note.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI know many moms who would have loved someone to reach out to them in such an understanding way.  Personally, I would have appreciated such offers because I didn\'t even think of these things.\r\n\r\nMy dear friend<a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\"> Ava, whom you\'ve heard me speak so highly of</a>, planned a naming ceremony for all of the women whom she had helped get through those tough times.  We all went to a tiny chapel and it was beautiful.  We said a prayer and then one by one we all named our babies out loud and lit a candle in memory of our babies.\r\n\r\nI\'ve heard some people express that they think it\'s kind of weird but I don\'t understand that reaction. Grieving is a natural reaction to loss - my babies were part of me the moment I knew I was pregnant and I yearned deeply for a baby.  While understanding and respecting that not every woman has the same beliefs, in my situation, honoring my babies was and still is important  to this day.\r\n\r\nIn Japan many women must feel the same way.  In fact, the photo above shows a burial ground with rows of little statues formed in the image of a diety called Jizobosatusu.   When a woman loses an unborn child she can dedicate one of these little statues - and the babies will be protected by Jizobosatusu.  The mother may choose to dress the statue, place a bonnet on its little head or leave windmills and other toys.  Gifts for Jizobosatusu are often left to ensure the unborn child makes the journey to the afterlife.  If I ever get to Japan, I would love to participate in this beautiful custom.\r\n\r\nHave you named your miscarried baby? Or had a ceremony? Did someone do something special for you?  I\'d love to hear any other ideas you\'d like to share. [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Missing our Miscarried Babies','','inherit','open','open','','1143-revision-26','','','2013-01-25 09:58:23','2013-01-25 14:58:23','',1143,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1143-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(1363,1,'2013-01-25 10:01:52','2013-01-25 15:01:52','[caption id=\"attachment_1299\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/we-miss-our-miscarried-babies/httpwww-dreamstime-com-image9682202/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1299\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1299  \" title=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies\" alt=\"Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies -Image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Statues-for-Unborn-Children-dreamstime-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Jizo Statues for Unborn Babies Image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nFor some reason a lot of old memories have been surfacing for me lately.  I was on a couple of forums recently and was reading the painful and heartfelt posts of mothers who have or are currently miscarrying their babies.  Hearing their stories instantly took me back to the days when I was the woman so desperately trying to<strong><em> stay</em></strong> pregnant, worried over every single twinge and then suffering the deep anguish of losing a baby.  Twice.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about an early miscarriage - It\'s difficult to explain to someone who\'s never been through it how it feels to be pregnant one day and then not the next  BUT with empty arms.  I don\'t profess to speak for all women who have had a miscarriage - I know a couple of women who felt that their miscarriage was a blessing, some who were relieved or who took the news more matter-of-factly than I did.  I have known moms who miscarried at one point in their life and felt relieved but when it happened again were devastated.  And sadly, I know some moms who carry guilt about their miscarriages.  Here\'s the thing - even though I\'ve been through it, I don\'t pretend to know what every woman who has suffered the loss of a baby would want or how she would feel.  But I know how I felt and the one word that comes to mind - devastated.\r\n\r\nI would say a common feeling among moms who have miscarried is that not everyone understands or knows how to deal with a mom who has lost a baby through miscarriage.  Even if they want to help and be supportive some people still don\'t know what to say and often end up saying the wrong things.  You try not to take it personally but really the last thing you feel like doing is listening to comments that make you feel worse or angry or guilty.\r\n\r\nHere are some things I wish had been said differently to me:\r\n<table style=\"border-color: #543053; border-width: 4px; background-color: #e0d6df;\" border=\"4\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Instead of being told:</span></em></td>\r\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It would have been nice to hear:</span></em></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td scope=\"rowgroup\">It was for the best</td>\r\n<td>I\'m sorry</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you didn\'t feel your baby move yet</td>\r\n<td>I know you were already in love with your baby</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You\'re young - you have lots of  time</td>\r\n<td>I\'m here when you need me</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>At least you can have fun trying again</td>\r\n<td>Nothing...just listen or give a hug</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>I know how you feel</td>\r\n<td>How are you feeling?</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>You need to _________________\r\n(stop working so much, stop exercising, relax, etc)</td>\r\n<td>It\'s not your fault</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nConsider these ways to support your friend/family member who has lost a baby through miscarriage:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Ask the mom who has just lost her baby if she has named her baby or if she would like to <strong>hold a ceremony? </strong> If so,<strong> offer to help plan something</strong> even if it is informal.</li>\r\n	<li>Some hospitals or charity groups provide tiny blankets and bonnets as a keepsake - <strong>consider presenting the mom with a memory box. </strong></li>\r\n	<li> <strong>Acknowledge that she IS a mom </strong>- it\'s just that her baby is in heaven (or whatever your belief system is).<strong>   </strong>This was big one for me - it was comforting to know that someone understood that I felt like a mom.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Call your friend or give her a card or flowers on Mother\'s Day</strong> and acknowledge that she is a mom!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Write your friend a poem</strong> like <a title=\"Courtney\'s Mom\'s Poem - Poppy\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/01/19/remembering-poppy/\" target=\"_blank\">my girl Courtney\'s mom did</a> or a beautiful handwritten note.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI know many moms who would have loved someone to reach out to them in such an understanding way.  Personally, I would have appreciated such offers because I didn\'t even think of these things.\r\n\r\nMy dear friend<a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\"> Ava, whom you\'ve heard me speak so highly of</a>, planned a naming ceremony for all of the women whom she had helped get through those tough times.  We all went to a tiny chapel and it was beautiful.  We said a prayer and then one by one we all named our babies out loud and lit a candle in memory of our babies.\r\n\r\nI\'ve heard some people express that they think it\'s kind of weird but I don\'t understand that reaction. Grieving is a natural reaction to loss - my babies were part of me the moment I knew I was pregnant and I yearned deeply for a baby.  While understanding and respecting that not every woman has the same beliefs, in my situation, honoring my babies was and still is important  to this day.\r\n\r\nIn Japan many women must feel the same way.  In fact, the photo above shows a burial ground with rows of little statues formed in the image of a diety called Jizobosatusu.   When a woman loses an unborn child she can dedicate one of these little statues - and the babies will be protected by Jizobosatusu.  The mother may choose to dress the statue, place a bonnet on its little head or leave windmills and other toys.  Gifts for Jizobosatusu are often left to ensure the unborn child makes the journey to the afterlife.  If I ever get to Japan, I would love to participate in this beautiful custom.\r\n\r\nHave you named your miscarried baby? Or had a ceremony? Did someone do something special for you?  I\'d love to hear any other ideas you\'d like to share. [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Missing our Miscarried Babies','','inherit','open','open','','1143-revision-27','','','2013-01-25 10:01:52','2013-01-25 15:01:52','',1143,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1143-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(1490,1,'2013-02-10 19:03:49','2013-02-11 00:03:49','If you have infertility - you may have a thyroid problem.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have been told that it could be your thyroid.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have had your thyroid levels checked before.\n\nIf you have infertility &amp; you have had your thyroid checked  - you may have been told your thyroid levels are fine BUT you still might have a thyroid condition.\n\nHow is this possible you ask?  It doesn\'t make sense does it?  I am here to tell you that It is entirely possible and in fact, probable - believe it or not.\n\nI had infertility but no tests were done - I was simply put directly onto Chlomid and voila after two cycles I got pregnant. The medication did exactly what it was supposed to do - it forced my ovaries to obey and obey they did.  The benefit of having such obedient ovaries is that you know exactly when to time intercourse to make a baby.\n\nSo it\'s all good right?  What is there to complain about?  Even if my thyroid had been a factor who cares, I got the baby I was yearning for.  And actually got a second baby two years later the exact same way.  Forcing my ovaries into obedience works - for some of us so - why question it then?\n\nThe reason it needs attention is that again, in my case the Chlomid was a band-aid solution that worked for my short term goal = getting pregnant.  In terms of my long term health, though it could be considered an epic fail...because.....\n\nDamn thyroid, damn thyroid, damn thyroid...\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The thyroid\'s connected to the oligomenorrhoea,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The oligomenorrhoea\'s connected to the infertility,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The infertility\'s connected to the miscarriages,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The miscarriages are connected to the low libido,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The libido\'s connected to the PMS,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The PMS is connected to the postpartum anxiety,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The postpartum anxiety\'s connected to the peri-menopause,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The peri-menopause is connected to the menopause,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">So test my damn thyroid please!</p>\n\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #888888;\">References:</span></h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Thyroid Disease and Female Reproduction - </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Kris Poppe, Brigitte Velkeniers, Daniel Glinoert. </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Clinical Endocrinology. 2007;66(3):309-321. </span></span></h1>\n<span style=\"font-size: small; color: #888888;\"> </span>','Infertility & Your Thyroid','','inherit','open','open','','1486-revision-4','','','2013-02-10 19:03:49','2013-02-11 00:03:49','',1486,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1486-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1488,1,'2013-02-10 18:56:33','2013-02-10 23:56:33','If you have infertility - you may have a thyroid problem.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have been told that it could be your thyroid.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have had your thyroid levels checked before.\n\nIf you have infertility &amp; you have had your thyroid checked  - you may have been told your thyroid levels are fine BUT you still might have a thyroid condition.\n\nHow is this possible you ask?  It doesn\'t make sense does it?  I am here to tell you that It is entirely possible and in fact, probable - believe it or not.\n\nI had infertility but no tests were done - I was simply put directly onto Chlomid and voila after two cycles I got pregnant. The medication did exactly what it was supposed to do - it forced my ovaries to obey and obey they did.  The benefit of having such obedient ovaries is that you know exactly when to time intercourse to make a baby.\n\nSo it\'s all good right?  What is there to complain about?  Even if my thyroid had been a factor who cares, I got the baby I was yearning for.  And actually got a second baby two years later the exact same way.  Forcing my ovaries into obedience works - for some of us so - why question it then?\n\nThe reason it needs attention is that again, in my case the Chlomid was a band-aid solution that worked for my short term goal = getting pregnant.  In terms of my long term health, though it could be considered an epic fail...because.....\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The thyroid\'s connected to the oligomenorrhoea,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The oligomenorrhoea\'s connected to the infertility,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The infertility\'s connected to the miscarriages,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The miscarriages are connected to the low libido,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The libido\'s connected to the PMS,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The PMS is connected to the postpartum anxiety,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The postpartum anxiety\'s connected to the perimenopause,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The perimenopause is connected to the menopause</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">So test my damn thyroid please!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #888888;\">References:</span></h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Thyroid Disease and Female Reproduction - </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Kris Poppe, Brigitte Velkeniers, Daniel Glinoert. </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Clinical Endocrinology. 2007;66(3):309-321. </span></span></h1>\n<span style=\"font-size: small; color: #888888;\"> </span>','Infertility & Your Thyroid','','inherit','open','open','','1486-revision-2','','','2013-02-10 18:56:33','2013-02-10 23:56:33','',1486,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1486-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1489,1,'2013-02-10 18:59:59','2013-02-10 23:59:59','If you have infertility - you may have a thyroid problem.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have been told that it could be your thyroid.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have had your thyroid levels checked before.\n\nIf you have infertility &amp; you have had your thyroid checked  - you may have been told your thyroid levels are fine BUT you still might have a thyroid condition.\n\nHow is this possible you ask?  It doesn\'t make sense does it?  I am here to tell you that It is entirely possible and in fact, probable - believe it or not.\n\nI had infertility but no tests were done - I was simply put directly onto Chlomid and voila after two cycles I got pregnant. The medication did exactly what it was supposed to do - it forced my ovaries to obey and obey they did.  The benefit of having such obedient ovaries is that you know exactly when to time intercourse to make a baby.\n\nSo it\'s all good right?  What is there to complain about?  Even if my thyroid had been a factor who cares, I got the baby I was yearning for.  And actually got a second baby two years later the exact same way.  Forcing my ovaries into obedience works - for some of us so - why question it then?\n\nThe reason it needs attention is that again, in my case the Chlomid was a band-aid solution that worked for my short term goal = getting pregnant.  In terms of my long term health, though it could be considered an epic fail...because.....\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The thyroid\'s connected to the oligomenorrhoea,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The oligomenorrhoea\'s connected to the infertility,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The infertility\'s connected to the miscarriages,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The miscarriages are connected to the low libido,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The libido\'s connected to the PMS,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The PMS is connected to the postpartum anxiety,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The postpartum anxiety\'s connected to the peri-menopause,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The peri-menopause is connected to the menopause</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">So test my damn thyroid please!</p>\n\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #888888;\">References:</span></h1>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Thyroid Disease and Female Reproduction - </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Kris Poppe, Brigitte Velkeniers, Daniel Glinoert. </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Clinical Endocrinology. 2007;66(3):309-321. </span></span></h1>\n<span style=\"font-size: small; color: #888888;\"> </span>','Infertility & Your Thyroid','','inherit','open','open','','1486-revision-3','','','2013-02-10 18:59:59','2013-02-10 23:59:59','',1486,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1486-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1482,1,'2013-02-10 10:14:15','2013-02-10 15:14:15','Since sharing with you about one of my best buddies, Magnesium, I\'ve received a number of questions.  I feel like it\'s one of the most important and simple improvements we can make to our health.\r\n\r\nIn this video, Dr. Carolyn Dean who is both a medical doctor AND a naturopathic doctor as well as the author of the book The Magnesium Miracle discusses why at least 80% of us are deficient and how to supplement with Magnesium.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/4MyiijnGZeU?list=PLC0FAD7DB2713FAF8\" height=\"250\" width=\"445\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Magnesium & Women\'s Health','','publish','open','open','','magnesium-womens-health','','','2013-02-10 10:14:15','2013-02-10 15:14:15','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1482',0,'post','',1),(1483,1,'2013-02-10 10:06:52','2013-02-10 15:06:52','Since sharing with you about one of my best buddies, Magnesium, I\'ve received a number of questions.  I feel like it\'s one of the most important and simple improvements we can make to our health.\n\nIn this video, Dr. Carolyn Dean who is both a medical doctor AND a naturopathic doctor as well as the author of the book The Magnesium Miracle discusses why at least 80% of us are deficient and how to supplement with Magnesium.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/4MyiijnGZeU?list=PLC0FAD7DB2713FAF8\" height=\"253\" width=\"450\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Magnesium & Women\'s Health','','inherit','open','open','','1482-revision','','','2013-02-10 10:06:52','2013-02-10 15:06:52','',1482,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1482-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1484,1,'2013-02-10 10:08:43','2013-02-10 15:08:43','Since sharing with you about one of my best buddies, Magnesium, I\'ve received a number of questions.  I feel like it\'s one of the most important and simple improvements we can make to our health.\n\nIn this video, Dr. Carolyn Dean who is both a medical doctor AND a naturopathic doctor as well as the author of the book The Magnesium Miracle discusses why at least 80% of us are deficient and how to supplement with Magnesium.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/4MyiijnGZeU?list=PLC0FAD7DB2713FAF8\" height=\"250\" width=\"445\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Magnesium & Women\'s Health','','inherit','open','open','','1482-revision-2','','','2013-02-10 10:08:43','2013-02-10 15:08:43','',1482,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1482-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1485,1,'2013-02-10 10:12:06','2013-02-10 15:12:06','Since sharing with you about one of my best buddies, Magnesium, I\'ve received a number of questions.  I feel like it\'s one of the most important and simple improvements we can make to our health.\n\nIn this video, Dr. Carolyn Dean who is both a medical doctor AND a naturopathic doctor as well as the author of the book The Magnesium Miracle discusses why at least 80% of us are deficient and how to supplement with Magnesium.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/4MyiijnGZeU?list=PLC0FAD7DB2713FAF8\" height=\"250\" width=\"445\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Magnesium & Women\'s Health','','inherit','open','open','','1482-revision-3','','','2013-02-10 10:12:06','2013-02-10 15:12:06','',1482,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1482-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1486,1,'2013-02-10 23:34:20','0000-00-00 00:00:00','If you have infertility - you may have a thyroid problem.\r\n\r\nIf you have infertility - you may never have been told that it could be your thyroid.\r\n\r\nIf you have infertility - you may never have had your thyroid levels checked before.\r\n\r\nIf you have infertility &amp; you have had your thyroid checked  - you may have been told your thyroid levels are fine BUT you still might have a thyroid condition.\r\n\r\nHow is this possible you ask?  It doesn\'t make sense does it?  I am here to tell you that It is entirely possible and in fact, probable - believe it or not.\r\n\r\nI had infertility but no tests were done - I was simply put directly onto Chlomid and voila after two cycles I got pregnant. The medication did exactly what it was supposed to do - it forced my ovaries to obey and obey they did.  The benefit of having such obedient ovaries is that you know exactly when to time intercourse to make a baby.\r\n\r\nSo it\'s all good right?  What is there to complain about?  Even if my thyroid had been a factor who cares, I got the baby I was yearning for.  And actually got a second baby two years later the exact same way.  Forcing my ovaries into obedience works - for some of us so - why question it then?\r\n\r\nThe reason it needs attention is that again, in my case the Chlomid was a band-aid solution that worked for my short term goal = getting pregnant.  In terms of my long term health, though it could be considered an epic fail...because.....\r\n\r\nDamn thyroid, damn thyroid, damn thyroid...\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The thyroid\'s connected to the oligomenorrhoea,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The oligomenorrhoea\'s connected to the infertility,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The infertility\'s connected to the miscarriages,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The miscarriages are connected to the low libido,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The libido\'s connected to the PMS,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The PMS is connected to the postpartum anxiety,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The postpartum anxiety\'s connected to the peri-menopause,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The peri-menopause is connected to the menopause,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">So test my damn thyroid please!</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #888888;\">References:</span></h1>\r\n<h1><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Thyroid Disease and Female Reproduction - </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Kris Poppe, Brigitte Velkeniers, Daniel Glinoert. </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Clinical Endocrinology. 2007;66(3):309-321. </span></span></h1>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small; color: #888888;\"> </span>','Infertility & Your Thyroid','','draft','open','open','','infertility-your-thyroid','','','2013-02-10 23:34:20','2013-02-11 04:34:20','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1486',0,'post','',0),(1487,1,'2013-02-10 17:38:19','2013-02-10 22:38:19','If you have infertility - you may have a thyroid problem.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have been told that before.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may never have had your thyroid levels checked before.\n\nIf you have infertility - you may have had your thyroid levels checked but you still might have a thyroid condition.\n\nHow is this possible you ask?  It doesn\'t make sense does it?\n\nIt is intirely possible and in fact, probable believe it or not.  I had infertility but no tests were done - I was simply put directly onto Chlomid and voila after two cycles I got pregnant. The medication did exactly what it was supposed to do - it forced my ovaries to obey and obey they did.  The benefit of having such obedient ovaries is that you know exactly when to time intercourse to make a baby.\n\nSo it\'s all good right?  What is there to complain about?  Even if my thyroid had been a factor who cares, I got the baby I was yearning for.  And actually got a second baby two years later the exact same way.  Forcing my ovaries into obedience works for some of us so why question it.\n\nOf course I\'m delighted that the medication worked for me - I have my beautiful, healthy daughter.','Infertility & Your Thyroid','','inherit','open','open','','1486-revision','','','2013-02-10 17:38:19','2013-02-10 22:38:19','',1486,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1486-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1367,1,'2013-01-26 19:43:36','2013-01-27 00:43:36','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\r\n\r\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually \"postpartum depression\" I\'ve been interested in how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name over time as new information emerges.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to <strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong>.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. <a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\"> I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms</a> - because there\'s a lot to a name.\r\n\r\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\r\n\r\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\r\n\r\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\r\n\r\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\r\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\r\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\r\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\r\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\r\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\r\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\r\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\r\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\r\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\r\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\r\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\r\n\r\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <a title=\"CeMCOR - AAE not PCOS\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/challenge_pcos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong></a>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\r\n\r\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\r\n\r\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\r\n\r\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\r\n\r\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','publish','open','open','','whats-in-a-name-theres-more-to-pcos-than-cysts-a-lot-more','','','2013-01-26 19:45:01','2013-01-27 00:45:01','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1367',0,'post','',0),(1368,1,'2013-01-26 10:47:58','2013-01-26 15:47:58','A panel for the National Institutes of Health is suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - you can read more about that here.\n\nhttp://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm','Whats in a Name?','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision','','','2013-01-26 10:47:58','2013-01-26 15:47:58','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1611,1,'2013-02-27 23:55:55','2013-02-28 04:55:55','When I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".    Well damn it - guess what?  <strong>My miscarriages would have been explained if doctors had bothered to try and find out why I was losing my babies</strong>.\n\nHere\'s how having a miscarriage \"works\":\n<ul>\n	<li>You miscarry in the first tri-mester and are generally told there is no explanation and that it is common and go home and try again but wait 3 months.</li>\n	<li>You try again and apparently 75% of women go on to have a full term pregnancy.</li>\n</ul>\nWhat happens to the other 25% of us you ask?  Here is what happens:\n<ul>\n	<li><span style=\"line-height: 12px;\">Your second miscarriage is again considered unexplained and you get a little pat on the back, told to go home and rest and heal and try again in 3 months. </span></li>\n	<li>You hope for the best</li>\n</ul>\nRisks:\n\nMiscarriage risk doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive. https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLets Do the Math:\n\nThis is what you\'re likely to hear:\n<ul>\n	<li>50% of all first trimester miscarriages are due to severe chromosomal defects</li>\n	<li></li>\n</ul>\nHere\'s what my research and personal experience shows:\n<ul>\n	<li>Vaginal infections were found  to be cause in 31.5% of first term miscarriages in this 2003 study! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14596343</li>\n	<li></li>\n</ul>\nThe GREAT News!\n\nResearchers in the UK are doing the FIRST randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multi-centre study to find out if bioidentical progesterone is better than a placebo at preventing further miscarriages in women who have had recurrent miscarriages.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nRecurrent miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies in the first trimester, with the same biological father. It affects 1 to 2 percent of women, in one half of whom there is no identifiable cause.  http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/1015/p977.html','Are Early Miscarriages \"Unexplained\" Because Nobody Bothers to Find Out Why? ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-2','','','2013-02-27 23:55:55','2013-02-28 04:55:55','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1370,1,'2013-01-26 12:26:48','2013-01-26 17:26:48','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well.  I wish people would start using these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to watch this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given','Whats in a Name - Changing the Name of PCOS?','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-2','','','2013-01-26 12:26:48','2013-01-26 17:26:48','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1371,1,'2013-01-26 12:28:27','2013-01-26 17:28:27','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well.  I wish people would start using these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to watch this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\n&nbsp;','Whats in a Name - Changing the Name of PCOS?','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-3','','','2013-01-26 12:28:27','2013-01-26 17:28:27','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1372,1,'2013-01-26 12:34:09','2013-01-26 17:34:09','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well.  I wish people would start using these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to watch this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\n&nbsp;','Whats in a Name - Changing the Name of PCOS?','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-4','','','2013-01-26 12:34:09','2013-01-26 17:34:09','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1373,1,'2013-01-26 19:14:14','2013-01-27 00:14:14','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period.  I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to watch this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\n&nbsp;','Whats in a Name - PCOS or AAE?','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-5','','','2013-01-26 19:14:14','2013-01-27 00:14:14','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1374,1,'2013-01-26 19:17:57','2013-01-27 00:17:57','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period.  I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-6','','','2013-01-26 19:17:57','2013-01-27 00:17:57','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1375,1,'2013-01-26 19:20:47','2013-01-27 00:20:47','Ever since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period.  I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-7','','','2013-01-26 19:20:47','2013-01-27 00:20:47','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1376,1,'2013-01-26 19:28:59','2013-01-27 00:28:59','','Normal Ovary & Polycystic Ovary','Image credit: <a href=\'http://www.123rf.com/photo_11578744_normal-ovary-and-polycystic-ovary-syndrome.html\'>alila / 123RF Stock Photo</a>','inherit','open','open','','polycystic-ovary-123rf','','','2013-01-26 19:28:59','2013-01-27 00:28:59','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1377,1,'2013-01-26 19:32:08','2013-01-27 00:32:08','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\n\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period.  I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-8','','','2013-01-26 19:32:08','2013-01-27 00:32:08','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1378,1,'2013-01-26 19:32:22','2013-01-27 00:32:22','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\r\n\r\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually postpartum depression I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorder.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period.  I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms - because there\'s a lot to a name.\r\n\r\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\r\n\r\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\r\n\r\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\r\n\r\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\r\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\r\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\r\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\r\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\r\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\r\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\r\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\r\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\r\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\r\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\r\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\r\n\r\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\r\n\r\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\r\n\r\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\r\n\r\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\r\n\r\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-9','','','2013-01-26 19:32:22','2013-01-27 00:32:22','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1379,1,'2013-01-26 19:41:11','2013-01-27 00:41:11','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\n\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually \"postpartum depression\" I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name over time as new information emerges.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to <strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong>.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. <a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\"> I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms</a> - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <a title=\"CeMCOR - AAE not PCOS\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/challenge_pcos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong></a>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-10','','','2013-01-26 19:41:11','2013-01-27 00:41:11','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1380,1,'2013-01-26 19:43:03','2013-01-27 00:43:03','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\r\n\r\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually \"postpartum depression\" I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name over time as new information emerges.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to <strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong>.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. <a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\"> I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms</a> - because there\'s a lot to a name.\r\n\r\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\r\n\r\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\r\n\r\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\r\n\r\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\r\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\r\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\r\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\r\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\r\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\r\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\r\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\r\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\r\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\r\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\r\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\r\n\r\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <a title=\"CeMCOR - AAE not PCOS\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/challenge_pcos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong></a>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\r\n\r\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\r\n\r\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\r\n\r\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\r\n\r\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-11','','','2013-01-26 19:43:03','2013-01-27 00:43:03','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1381,1,'2013-01-26 19:43:36','2013-01-27 00:43:36','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\r\n\r\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually \"postpartum depression\" I\'ve been interested in the how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name over time as new information emerges.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to <strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong>.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. <a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\"> I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms</a> - because there\'s a lot to a name.\r\n\r\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\r\n\r\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\r\n\r\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\r\n\r\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\r\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\r\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\r\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\r\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\r\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\r\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\r\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\r\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\r\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\r\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\r\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\r\n\r\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <a title=\"CeMCOR - AAE not PCOS\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/challenge_pcos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong></a>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\r\n\r\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\r\n\r\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\r\n\r\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\r\n\r\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-revision-12','','','2013-01-26 19:43:36','2013-01-27 00:43:36','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1382,1,'2013-01-26 19:46:19','2013-01-27 00:46:19','[caption id=\"attachment_1376\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1376    \" title=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary\" alt=\"Polycystic Ovary vs Normal Ovary   Image credit: alila/123RF \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Polycystic-Ovary-123RF-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> Polycystic vs Normal Ovary Image credit: alila/123RF[/caption]\n\nEver since I realized that my mood swings were actually \"postpartum depression\" I\'ve been interested in how and why medical disorders not only get their name but keep their name over time as new information emerges.  I recall discussing my medical history with a doctor and telling her that I had terrible mood swings after my second daughter\'s birth.  Although I wasn\'t diagnosed at the time, she suggested that, indeed, I probably had suffered from PPD.  I told her that the name should be changed!  I knew there must be other women suffering in silence because they don\'t even know that it\'s postpartum depression.  She told me the name had been changed to <strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong>.   Now that I do research in this area and am more aware I see that perhaps the term <strong>Perinatal Mood Disorder</strong> is even more accurate because it encompasses mood disorders during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. <a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\"> I wish people would start using either of these more encompassing terms</a> - because there\'s a lot to a name.\n\nIn fact, the ramifications can be huge and here\'s an example:\n\nThe National Institutes of Health in the USA put together a panel to make recommendations about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  The panel came forward with several recommendations the first of which was suggesting changing the name of  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  You can read more about that <a title=\"National Institutes for Health - PCOS - Changing the name?\" href=\"http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2013/od-23.htm\">here.</a>\n\nHere\'s an excerpt from the panel\'s recommendations:\n\n<em>We believe the name “PCOS” is a distraction and an impediment to progress. </em>\n<em>It causes confusion and is a barrier to effective education of clinicians and </em>\n<em>communication with the public and research funders. The name focuses on a </em>\n<em>criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor </em>\n<em>sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. We believe it is time to recognize the </em>\n<em>advances that have been made since the description of the syndrome by </em>\n<em>Irving F. Stein, Sr., and Michael L. Leventhal. It is time to expeditiously assign </em>\n<em>a name that reflects the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, </em>\n<em>and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome—and their </em>\n<em>reproductive implications. The right name will enhance recognition of this </em>\n<em>major public health issue for women, educational outreach, “branding,” and </em>\n<em>public relations and will assist in expanding research support.</em>\n\nSo I doubt that the panel realizes but there is already a more appropriate name being used:  <a title=\"CeMCOR - AAE not PCOS\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/challenge_pcos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Anovulatory Androgen Excess (AAE)</strong></a>.  This term is used by <a title=\"CeMCOR\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/\" target=\"_blank\">CeMCOR </a>- the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and the Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior who is also Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of British Columbia.  Here\'s what Dr. Prior says about AAE as opposed to PCOS:\n\n<em>\"AAE is more descriptive of the basic issues like not releasing an egg or making progesterone and on the higher than normal male hormone levels (androgen excess). PCOS usually gets treated like disease, but we consider AAE to be reversible, so that a woman with <strong>appropriate treatment</strong> can regain regular cycles, get rid of acne and unwanted hair and go on to have normal fertility and a healthy future.\"  </em>\n\nI\'m certainly not an expert on PCOS but I know that it is a complicated health concern affecting a large number of women and has further health implications besides what most people think of as just cysts on ovaries.  Infertility, miscarriage, diabetes, high cholesterol, mood disorder, male pattern baldness, obesity, acne, facial hair are all possible factors related to PCOS.\n\nI am interested to keep an eye on this medical name change because I think there is a lot to a name and it will be interesting to see over time if more attention is given to this huge health issue for women.\n\nStay tuned for more info on AAE (formerly known as PCOS)....','Whats in a Name? There\'s more to PCOS than cysts...a lot more!','','inherit','open','open','','1367-autosave','','','2013-01-26 19:46:19','2013-01-27 00:46:19','',1367,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1367-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1446,1,'2013-02-04 06:28:40','2013-02-04 11:28:40','Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But really I\'ve been cracking up for years.  My entire adult life I\'d say.  Oh so long ago when I was in my 20\'s','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision','','','2013-02-04 06:28:40','2013-02-04 11:28:40','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1390,1,'2013-01-28 23:33:42','2013-01-29 04:33:42','','Magnesium Deficiency Chart','','inherit','open','open','','magnesium-deficiency-chart','','','2013-01-28 23:33:42','2013-01-29 04:33:42','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1389,1,'2013-01-28 23:24:52','2013-01-29 04:24:52','','Magnesium Deficiency Chart 2','','inherit','open','open','','magnesium-deficiency-chart-2-2','','','2013-01-28 23:24:52','2013-01-29 04:24:52','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1391,1,'2013-01-28 23:41:22','2013-01-29 04:41:22','','Morley Robbins','','inherit','open','open','','morley-robbins','','','2013-01-28 23:41:22','2013-01-29 04:41:22','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1392,1,'2013-01-28 23:43:26','2013-01-29 04:43:26','','Morley Robbins','','inherit','open','open','','morley-robbins-2','','','2013-01-28 23:43:26','2013-01-29 04:43:26','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1577,1,'2013-02-22 13:08:39','2013-02-22 18:08:39','','Mental Health Painted with Brush','','inherit','open','open','','mental-health-painted-with-brush','','','2013-02-22 13:08:39','2013-02-22 18:08:39','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Painted-with-Brush.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1578,1,'2013-02-22 13:33:12','2013-02-22 18:33:12','','Painting with a Mental Health Brush','Painting with a Mental Health Brush','inherit','open','open','','mental-health-brush','','','2013-02-22 13:33:12','2013-02-22 18:33:12','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1579,1,'2013-02-22 13:40:48','2013-02-22 18:40:48','[caption id=\"attachment_1578\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1578\" alt=\"Painting with a Mental Health Brush\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Mental Health is more than just prescribing an anti-depressant[/caption]\n\nI recently realized that some people view me as being \"against meds\".   It\'s true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) because I knew there had to be a better solution.  Finally at my wits\' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I\'m not anti-meds.  What I am \"for\", however, is doctors providing patients all the alternatives: I am for \"treating the cause\".\n\nObviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about <strong>1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs</strong> (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing <strong>a placebo effect may be at play for some people</strong> - this suggestion is controversial.  But here\'s the thing - the number of SSRI\'s being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to IBS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren\'t just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating <strong>a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?</strong>\n\nHere\'s more stats that may surprise you:\n<ul>\n	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>\n	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>\n	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>\n	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>\n	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>\n</ul>\nI don\'t think my situation is unique -  I wasn\'t offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue my \"condition\" was never \"treated\" but rather my \"symptoms\" were just \"prescribed\" medication.  That\'s what I have trouble with.\n\nWomen\'s health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here\'s how I know this to be true:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed</strong>, many are being given anti-depressants without ever checking for thyroid.Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield, author of \"<em>Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy\" </em>, believes that up to half of all depression is due to unrecognized hypothyroidism.</li>\n	<li><strong>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</strong> - Using anxiety as an example, progesterone is considered a neurosteroid - it\'s a long story and I won\'t geek out on you but basically since it is synthesized in the central nervous system and affects the GABA receptors in the brain - similar to benzodiazepine drugs.  Its anti-anxiety affect occurs very quickly and there are no side-effects to using natural progesterone.  Spend some time on a benzodiazepine forum to listen to women who have been on these drugs for 20 years discuss either their side effects or about the withdrawal symptoms when they try to wean themselves off.  It makes me weep knowing that most of these women have never encountered a doctor that considered checking their hormones before writing the prescription.</li>\n	<li><strong>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD)</strong> - a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 showed that 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title=\"BeePea\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">she almost didn\'t survive her son\'s first year</a>.</li>\n	<li><strong>Women, like <a title=\"BeePea.com\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/\" target=\"_blank\">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title=\"HypoThyroidMom\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/\" target=\"_blank\">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto\'s Thyroid Disorder.</strong>  There\'s a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>\n</ul>\nInstead of opening the Endocrine Manual, many doctors are scouring the pages of the <i><b>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</b></i> (<b>DSM) </b>searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic and auto-immune disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants &amp; benzodiazepines or other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.\n\n<strong>Sometimes when you are the patient suffering, you will grab onto the first life preserver that is being thrown out to you.  And maybe that is the one you need but what if it\'s not?   I think we need to let women know about all the life preservers that are available for her and then let her decide.  </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDisclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication never stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  <strong>Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Women\'s Health Issues Being Painted with a Mental Health Brush','','inherit','open','open','','1521-revision-10','','','2013-02-22 13:40:48','2013-02-22 18:40:48','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1521-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1580,1,'2013-02-22 13:45:59','2013-02-22 18:45:59','[caption id=\"attachment_1578\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1578\" alt=\"Painting with a Mental Health Brush\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Mental Health is more than just prescribing an anti-depressant[/caption]\n\nI recently realized that some people view me as being \"against meds\".   It\'s true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) because I knew there had to be a better solution.  Finally at my wits\' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I\'m not anti-meds.  What I am \"for\", however, is doctors providing patients all the alternatives: I am for \"treating the cause\".\n\nObviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about <strong>1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs</strong> (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing <strong>a placebo effect may be at play for some people</strong> - this suggestion is controversial.  But here\'s the thing - the number of SSRI\'s being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to IBS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren\'t just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating <strong>a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?</strong>\n\nHere\'s more stats that may surprise you:\n<ul>\n	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>\n	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>\n	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>\n	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>\n	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>\n</ul>\nI don\'t think my situation is unique -  I wasn\'t offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue my \"condition\" was never \"treated\" but rather my \"symptoms\" were just \"prescribed\" medication.  That\'s what I have trouble with.\n\nWomen\'s health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here\'s how I know this to be true:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed</strong>, many are being given anti-depressants without ever checking for thyroid.Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield, author of \"<em>Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy\" </em>, believes that up to half of all depression is due to unrecognized hypothyroidism.</li>\n	<li><strong>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</strong> - Using anxiety as an example, progesterone is considered a neurosteroid - it\'s a long story and I won\'t geek out on you too much - but basically it is synthesized in the central nervous system and affects the GABA receptors in the brain - similar to benzodiazepine drugs.  Its anti-anxiety affect occurs very quickly and there are no side-effects to using natural progesterone, in fact if you need it perhaps you\'re deficient!  Spend some time on a benzodiazepine forum to listen to women who have been on these drugs for 20 years discuss either their side effects or about the withdrawal symptoms when they try to wean themselves off.  <strong>It makes me weep</strong> knowing that most of these women have never encountered a doctor that considered checking their hormones before writing the prescription.</li>\n	<li><strong>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD)</strong> - Here\'s just a sample of a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 that showed 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title=\"BeePea\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">she almost didn\'t survive her son\'s first year</a>.</li>\n	<li><strong>Women, like <a title=\"BeePea.com\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/\" target=\"_blank\">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title=\"HypoThyroidMom\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/\" target=\"_blank\">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto\'s Thyroid Disorder.</strong>  There\'s a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>\n</ul>\nInstead of opening the <strong>Endocrine Manual</strong>, many doctors are scouring the pages of the <i><b>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</b></i> (<b>DSM) </b>searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic and auto-immune disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants &amp; benzodiazepines or other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.\n\n<strong>Sometimes when you are the patient suffering, you will grab onto the first life preserver that is being thrown out to you.  And maybe that <em>is</em> the one you need but what if it\'s not?   I think we need to let women know about all the life preservers that are available for her and then let her decide.  </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDisclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication never stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  <strong>Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Women\'s Health Issues Being Painted with a Mental Health Brush','','inherit','open','open','','1521-revision-11','','','2013-02-22 13:45:59','2013-02-22 18:45:59','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1521-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1581,1,'2013-02-22 13:47:26','2013-02-22 18:47:26','[caption id=\"attachment_1578\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1578\" alt=\"Painting with a Mental Health Brush\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mental-Health-Brush-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Mental Health is more than just prescribing an anti-depressant[/caption]\r\n\r\nI recently realized that some people view me as being \"against meds\".   It\'s true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) because I knew there had to be a better solution.  Finally at my wits\' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I\'m not anti-meds.  What I am \"for\", however, is doctors providing patients all the alternatives: I am for \"treating the cause\".\r\n\r\nObviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about <strong>1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs</strong> (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing <strong>a placebo effect may be at play for some people</strong> - this suggestion is controversial.  But here\'s the thing - the number of SSRI\'s being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to IBS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren\'t just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating <strong>a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s more stats that may surprise you:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>\r\n	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>\r\n	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>\r\n	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>\r\n	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI don\'t think my situation is unique -  I wasn\'t offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue my \"condition\" was never \"treated\" but rather my \"symptoms\" were just \"prescribed\" medication.  That\'s what I have trouble with.\r\n\r\nWomen\'s health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here\'s how I know this to be true:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed</strong>, many are being given anti-depressants without ever checking for thyroid.Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield, author of \"<em>Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy\" </em>, believes that up to half of all depression is due to unrecognized hypothyroidism.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</strong> - Using anxiety as an example, progesterone is considered a neurosteroid - it\'s a long story and I won\'t geek out on you too much - but basically it is synthesized in the central nervous system and affects the GABA receptors in the brain - similar to benzodiazepine drugs.  Its anti-anxiety affect occurs very quickly and there are no side-effects to using natural progesterone, in fact if you need it perhaps you\'re deficient!  Spend some time on a benzodiazepine forum to listen to women who have been on these drugs for 20 years discuss either their side effects or about the withdrawal symptoms when they try to wean themselves off.  <strong>It makes me weep</strong> knowing that most of these women have never encountered a doctor that considered checking their hormones before writing the prescription.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD)</strong> - Here\'s just a sample of a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 that showed 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title=\"BeePea\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">she almost didn\'t survive her son\'s first year</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Women, like <a title=\"BeePea.com\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/\" target=\"_blank\">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title=\"HypoThyroidMom\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/\" target=\"_blank\">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto\'s Thyroid Disorder.</strong>  There\'s a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nInstead of opening the <strong>Endocrine Manual</strong>, many doctors are scouring the pages of the <i><b>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</b></i> (<b>DSM) </b>searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic and auto-immune disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants &amp; benzodiazepines or other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes when you are the patient suffering, you will grab onto the first life preserver that is being thrown out to you.  And maybe that <em>is</em> the one you need but what if it\'s not?   I think we need to let women know about all the life preservers that are available for her and then let her decide.  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDisclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication never stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  <strong>Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Women\'s Health Issues Being Painted with a Mental Health Brush','','inherit','open','open','','1521-revision-12','','','2013-02-22 13:47:26','2013-02-22 18:47:26','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1521-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1505,1,'2013-02-14 10:56:37','2013-02-14 15:56:37','[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"113\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1508\" alt=\"Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart--113x150.jpg\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Copyright (c)              <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com\">123RF Stock Photos</a></span>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhat are you getting your Beloved for Valentines Day?  Chocolate, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Yes, you read that right - and here\'s why:\r\n\r\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\r\n\r\nI\'ve experienced both sides of the libido spectrum and life is just all around better in every possible way when your libido is in a healthy state.  When I was a young woman I mentioned to my doctor that I had no sex drive and wondered if it was my hormones or the birth control pills I was taking.  She told me that it wasn\'t likely to be either but that it was much more likely to be relationship problems.  Now, <strong>24 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 children, 50 syringes of bio-identical progesterone cream, 1000 thyroid pills, 850 Magnesium pills and 1 divorce later, I can tell you that she was wrong, make that Wrong with a capital W!</strong>\r\n\r\nWhile other factors can be at play,<strong> loss of sex drive is mostly caused by hormone imbalances</strong> such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Thyroid Disorder - women are 7 times more likely to have a thyroid disorder &amp; half of us are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed</li>\r\n	<li>Estrogen Dominance</li>\r\n	<li>Excess Progesterone</li>\r\n	<li>Low testosterone (yes women produce &amp; NEED testosterone!)</li>\r\n	<li>PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome</li>\r\n	<li>Stress - yes I put this under hormonal imbalance!  Stress affects your cortisol - cortisol is considered the stress hormone.  Adrenal fatigue affects your DHEA - which is a precursor hormone that our body needs along with cholesterol to make other hormones!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nLet me say that while this may be a simplistic view considering women\'s libido is a complicated mixture of both emotional and physical aspects, the physical aspects can be the most straightforward points to address if you find yourself the right doctor.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>So what\'s the best Valentine\'s Day gift ever?  </strong></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>Make a commitment to get your libido back!</strong> </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">♥ Book yourself an appointment today with a Functional Medicine doctor or naturopath or an Anti-Aging Doctor (because they are experts in hormones) who will address your whole health including your libido. ♥</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">♥ Let your Beloved know that you\'ve booked an appointment and have made a commitment to get your libido back.  I promise it will be the Best Valentines Day Gift you\'ve ever given yourself or anyone else. ♥<span style=\"font-size: large; color: #ff0000;\">\r\n</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you don\'t care whether you get your libido back read my article <a title=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/28/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido\" target=\"_blank\">Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Libido? </a>to find out why you want to get your libido back.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you already have a great libido check out my <a title=\"My Top Ten Absolute Favorite Hormone-Friendly Gifts!\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-top-ten-absolute-favorite-hormone-friendly-gifts/\" target=\"_blank\">favorite gift list</a> that won\'t disrupt precious hormones.</p>','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','publish','open','open','','forget-the-chocolate-this-is-the-best-valentines-gift-ever','','','2013-02-14 10:56:37','2013-02-14 15:56:37','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1505',0,'post','',1),(1402,2,'2013-01-30 15:03:32','2013-01-30 20:03:32','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\r\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.   I\'m so excited to bring you today\'s article courtesy of Morley imparting his immense wisdom about Magnesium!!  It gets even better - over the next several weeks y<span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">ou are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\r\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\r\n\r\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\r\n\r\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\r\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\r\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\r\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\r\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\r\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\r\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\r\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\r\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\r\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\r\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\r\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\r\n\r\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\r\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\r\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\r\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\r\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\r\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\r\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\r\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\r\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\r\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\r\n\r\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\r\n\r\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\r\n\r\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nTell us Your Magnesium Story: [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','publish','open','open','','10-things-you-need-to-know-about-magnesium','','','2013-01-30 15:03:32','2013-01-30 20:03:32','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1402',0,'post','',0),(1401,0,'2013-01-30 07:34:20','2013-01-30 12:34:20','Its amazing that this happens today, I guess if this is all the surgeons know then they will conduct their trade.  Self advocate for yourself in all cases, the information and intelligence is out there to help you.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Gary Bartholomew\nAUTHOR EMAIL: grobertbartholomew@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Hormone Soup] Heart Surgery for Peri-menopause Heart Palpitations?\nIP: 74.198.87.53\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Gary Bartholomew\n    [Email] =&gt; grobertbartholomew@gmail.com\n    [Website] =&gt; \n    [Comment] =&gt; Its amazing that this happens today, I guess if this is all the surgeons know then they will conduct their trade.  Self advocate for yourself in all cases, the information and intelligence is out there to help you.\r\n\n)\n','Gary Bartholomew - 2013-01-30 07:34:20','','publish','open','open','','790d8bd79130fd53e3ead95ceb5ab4f6','','','2013-01-30 07:34:20','2013-01-30 12:34:20','',1271,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?post_type=feedback&p=1401',0,'feedback','',0),(1403,1,'2013-01-30 07:57:05','2013-01-30 12:57:05','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" />10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision','','','2013-01-30 07:57:05','2013-01-30 12:57:05','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1404,1,'2013-01-30 08:04:57','2013-01-30 13:04:57','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist:” <i>Magnesium</i>.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><b><i></i></b> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</p>\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-2','','','2013-01-30 08:04:57','2013-01-30 13:04:57','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1405,1,'2013-01-30 08:07:40','2013-01-30 13:07:40','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist:” <i>Magnesium</i>.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-3','','','2013-01-30 08:07:40','2013-01-30 13:07:40','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1406,1,'2013-01-30 08:09:13','2013-01-30 13:09:13','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist:” <i>Magnesium</i>.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\n\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-4','','','2013-01-30 08:09:13','2013-01-30 13:09:13','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1407,1,'2013-01-30 08:09:21','2013-01-30 13:09:21','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\r\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\r\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\r\n\r\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist:” <i>Magnesium</i>.\r\n\r\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\r\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\r\n\r\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\r\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\r\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\r\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\r\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\r\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\r\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\r\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\r\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\r\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\r\n\r\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\r\n\r\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\r\n\r\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-5','','','2013-01-30 08:09:21','2013-01-30 13:09:21','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1410,1,'2013-01-30 14:01:00','2013-01-30 19:01:00','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. \nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. \nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. \n<i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. \nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. \nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. \nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. \nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\n\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-8','','','2013-01-30 14:01:00','2013-01-30 19:01:00','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1408,1,'2013-01-30 08:10:31','2013-01-30 13:10:31','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\r\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\r\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\r\n\r\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist:” <i>Magnesium</i>.\r\n\r\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\r\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\r\n\r\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\r\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\r\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\r\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\r\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\r\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\r\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\r\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\r\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\r\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\r\n\r\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\r\n\r\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\r\n\r\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-6','','','2013-01-30 08:10:31','2013-01-30 13:10:31','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1409,1,'2013-01-30 13:36:47','2013-01-30 18:36:47','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\r\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\r\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\r\n\r\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": <i>Magnesium</i>.\r\n\r\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>. All three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>. There is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes</b>. <i>The what?</i> It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>. The macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>. Since the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\r\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>. The body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>. We derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>. You cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>. Scientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>. Numerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\r\n\r\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\r\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\r\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\r\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\r\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\r\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\r\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\r\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\r\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\r\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\r\n\r\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\r\n\r\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\r\n\r\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-7','','','2013-01-30 13:36:47','2013-01-30 18:36:47','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1411,1,'2013-01-30 14:07:30','2013-01-30 19:07:30','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>The what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\n\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-9','','','2013-01-30 14:07:30','2013-01-30 19:07:30','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1412,1,'2013-01-30 14:07:47','2013-01-30 19:07:47','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\r\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\r\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\r\n\r\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\r\n\r\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\r\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\r\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\r\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\r\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\r\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\r\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\r\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\r\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\r\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\r\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\r\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\r\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\r\n\r\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\r\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\r\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\r\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\r\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\r\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\r\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\r\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\r\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\r\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere are actually <a title=\"GotMag.org\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/&amp; symptoms\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\r\n\r\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\r\n\r\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\r\n\r\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-10','','','2013-01-30 14:07:47','2013-01-30 19:07:47','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1414,1,'2013-01-30 14:11:44','2013-01-30 19:11:44','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Healthy Vibrant Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually more than a hundred different signs, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:\n\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-11','','','2013-01-30 14:11:44','2013-01-30 19:11:44','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1415,0,'2013-01-30 14:26:05','2013-01-30 19:26:05','\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Sonya\nAUTHOR EMAIL: \nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Hormone Soup] 10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium\nIP: 74.198.87.53\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Sonya \n)\n','Sonya - 2013-01-30 14:26:05','','publish','open','open','','7671b368783e12bd5abd17552db48c50','','','2013-01-30 14:26:05','2013-01-30 19:26:05','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?post_type=feedback&p=1415',0,'feedback','',0),(1416,1,'2013-01-30 14:26:34','2013-01-30 19:26:34','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.  <span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">You are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF over the next several weeks as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story:','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-12','','','2013-01-30 14:26:34','2013-01-30 19:26:34','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1417,1,'2013-01-30 14:42:01','2013-01-30 19:42:01','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.   I\'m so excited to bring you today\'s article  you courtesy of Morley imparting his immense wisdom about Magnesium upon my readers!  Over the next several weeks y<span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">ou are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story: [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-13','','','2013-01-30 14:42:01','2013-01-30 19:42:01','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(1418,1,'2013-01-30 14:50:33','2013-01-30 19:50:33','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.   I\'m so excited to bring you today\'s article courtesy of Morley imparting his immense wisdom about Magnesium!!  It gets even better - over the next several weeks y<span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">ou are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story: [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-14','','','2013-01-30 14:50:33','2013-01-30 19:50:33','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(1419,1,'2013-01-30 14:57:42','2013-01-30 19:57:42','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.   I\'m so excited to bring you today\'s article courtesy of Morley imparting his immense wisdom about Magnesium!!  It gets even better - over the next several weeks y<span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">ou are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story: [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-15','','','2013-01-30 14:57:42','2013-01-30 19:57:42','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(1420,1,'2013-01-30 15:01:09','2013-01-30 20:01:09','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium </span></strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">to Ensure a Vibrant, Stress-free &amp; Healthy Life</span></strong></p>\nIf you follow my blog you probably know that since I was introduced to Magnesium over a year ago, she has become my BFF!  I even call her \"she\" now thanks to Magnesium Man - Morley Robbins - who is an expert on Magnesium.   I\'m so excited to bring you today\'s article courtesy of Morley imparting his immense wisdom about Magnesium!!  It gets even better - over the next several weeks y<span style=\"font-size: small; line-height: 18px;\">ou are going to have the pleasure of meeting and getting to know my BFF as Morley shares some amazing insights into the mineral he refers to as \"Maggie\".   </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">And while Magnesium isn\'t a hormone, you are going to learn a lot about why she is so crucial to your health. - Sonya</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><i>“You can trace every ailment, every sickness, and every disease to a mineral deficiency…”</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"> Linus C. Pauling, PhD (1901–1994) - Two-time (unshared) Nobel Laureate</span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1390\" alt=\"Magnesium Deficiency Chart\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Magnesium-Deficiency-Chart-150x114.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"114\" /></span></strong></p>\nAny Organic Farmer knows that it’s dangerous to create a mono-culture farm. And parallels can be drawn about advice on nutrition – it, too, can be dangerous to base them on a mono-nutrient. Sort of… Let me explain.\n\nWe’ve all been trained over the last 40 years to “up our Calcium!” --  being told by our Doctors, our Nutritionists, our Trainers, our Food Grocers, and our Public Health officials that it is essential to ensure proper health, and especially important to avoid Osteoporosis. America complied, dutifully. Despite this protocol, the rate of this dreaded bone disease has risen almost 700% during the last <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=stafford%2C%20rs%20Trends%20in%20Osteoporosis\">period studied</a>. Worse yet, the research is now showing that this dietary policy is not just <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/calcium-and-vitamin-d-ineffective-for-fractures-us-preventive-services-task-force-says.html\">doubtful</a>, it is down-right <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013\">dangerous</a>.\n\nMissing in all this discussion has been any meaningful information or focus about Calcium’s biological “antagonist\": Magnesium.\n\nMagnesium? I get that in my greens and my daily supplement, right? Possibly, but is it getting absorbed? Here are 10 important facts to know about Magnesium (Mg) that might just surprise you, and may, in fact, extend your life:\n<ol>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates Calcium</b>.\nAll three hormones (Calcitonin, PTH [Parathyroid Hormone], and Vitamin-D) are <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/gacontro.shtml\">dependent upon Mg</a> for their proper production and regulation. Yeah, I was surprised, too, when I learned that. But it turns out that excess, unregulated Calcium is a harbinger of many problems in the body, and is the prime cause of “brittle bones” in our skeletal structure, which happens when there is insufficient Mg in our body.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium activates Vitamin-D</b>.\nThere is no more misunderstood hormone on this planet than Vitamin-D. I will side-step the bulk of that confusion (for now), but will point out that our bodies <a href=\"http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/magnesium-and-vitamin-ds-co-factors/\">require Mg to convert storage Vit-D</a> (the form of the supplement you are likely taking) to active Vit-D (the form of the hormone that does so many amazing things in our body.) It’s possible that your Doctor doesn’t even know this – most don’t.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium regulates the Electrolytes.  </b>\nThe what? It turns out, we are giant batteries that run on electricity. The source of that electricity is minerals, especially the four key electrolytes: Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and of course, Magnesium. We’ve covered Calcium above, but know that the Sodium/Potassium (Na/K) pump that is in all 100 trillion cells of our body, and is central to our overall well-being, is <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/schroll.shtml\">totally dependent on Mg</a> to run properly and keep these minerals in balance.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for digestive enzymes</b>.\nThe macro-nutrients we eat daily (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) each require a different set of enzymes to ensure proper metabolism and use in our bodies. It turns out that Mg is key to the production of all three classes of <a href=\"http://nutritionalmagnesium.org/health/frequently-asked-questions.html\">enzymes</a>.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents Sudden Cardiac Death</b>.\nSince the pioneering work of Chipperfield and Chipperfield (<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lancet</span></b>, 1973), medicine has <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">known</span></b> that severe Mg deficiency was <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chipperfield%20and%20chipperfield%20heart%20muscle%20magnesium%201973\">the cause of sudden death</a> related to heart events. This fact was recently re-confirmed in a study this <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chiuve%20plasma%20and%20dietary%20magnesium%202011\">past year</a>, just to amplify the point for the latest generation. Heart disease is a <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">symptom</span></b> of Mg deficiency. Readers beware.</li>\n	<li><i></i><b>Magnesium regulates the enzyme that makes Cholesterol</b>.\nThe body makes Cholesterol for a reason. All steroid hormones that run our bodies (i.e. stress hormones, sex hormones, etc.) are made ultimately <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=seelig%20rosanoff\">from Cholesterol</a>. Hmmmm. So, high Cholesterol means I’m stressed out? Likely. So what’s a better way to deal with stress? <i>Get more Mg in your diet and take more Mg supplements.</i></li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for energy production</b>.\nWe derive our energy from the Krebs Citric Cycle (sorry to go geek on you…) Every molecule of Glucose that gets metabolized, requires 28 molecules of Mg to make it happen. In fact, every transaction in the body that <a href=\"http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/using-magnesium-to-improve-your-exercise-performance-39415\">requires energy</a> (most do, btw) requires the presence of Mg-ATP – it’s that central to our energy status, as well as our health status.</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is essential for proper Insulin levels</b>.\nYou cannot produce Insulin, you cannot secrete Insulin, and your cells cannot recognize Insulin without proper levels of Mg. Study, after study, after study, after study has proven <a href=\"http://www.mgwater.com/diabetes.shtml\">the central role of Mg</a> in controlling blood sugar levels. Your Doctor has told you that, right? And if you’re “pre-diabetic” (as 75 million Americans now are) you’ve had your Mg levels checked, right?</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium prevents depression</b>.\nScientists have <a href=\"http://george-eby-research.com/html/depression-anxiety.html\">known since 1926</a> that excess Calcium, and too little Mg, causes people to feel “depressed.” You mean it’s largely a mineral imbalance? Yup. The fact that 7 of the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/27/pfizer-merck-genentech-cx_mh_0224topsellingdrugs.html\">top 20 selling drugs</a> in America are SSRIs (aka, anti-depressants) is indicative of how imbalanced our bodies have become. (see #1, above…)</li>\n	<li><b>Magnesium is deficient in most Americans’ bodies</b>.\nNumerous studies over the <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381\">last several years</a> have confirmed what the Mg-oriented health practitioners and researchers have known all along: we are missing sufficient levels of this critical nutrient. How did that happen? Ah, a subject of a future post…</li>\n</ol>\nSpace and time prevent me from going into more detail at the present time, but rest assured, in future posts I look forward to sharing even more vital information about Mg, it’s relationship to overall nutrient status, overall hormonal balance, and health status, as well as definitive ways to restore its presence in our tissues. Yes, it is but one nutrient. But it happens to be the “Teacher in the Classroom” of the cell.\n\nSo how do we know if we’re <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9556074\">deficient in Mg</a>? Here’s a brief listing of key symptoms (in addition to the conditions noted above…) that indicate that your body is looking for more Maggie, as I like to call it:\n<ul>\n	<li>Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)</li>\n	<li>Muscle Cramps, esp. in the night</li>\n	<li>Facial ticks and twitches</li>\n	<li>Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)</li>\n	<li>Migraines (~70% are related to Mg deficiency &amp; imbalance)</li>\n	<li>High Blood Pressure</li>\n	<li>Low Blood Sugar</li>\n	<li>Indigestion</li>\n	<li>Poor sleep patterns</li>\n	<li>Raynaud’s Syndrome</li>\n</ul>\nThere are actually <a title=\"Got Mag - Magnesium Deficiency Signs\" href=\"http://gotmag.org/magnesium-deficiency-101/\" target=\"_blank\">more than a hundred different signs</a>, but these are simple definitive indications of a Mg deficiency.\n\nWhat to do? In subsequent posts I plan to indicate exactly what to do, how best to measure Mg deficiency, what foods are the best &amp; most bio-available sources, as well as what supplements offer the best recovery, etc.\n\nMy intent is to make this interactive and shed important light on the true origin of the biological dysfunction that is ravaging North America. It is epidemic, but it is also reversible.\n\nI invite your questions, your comments, but most of all, your open minds to the truth about the stealth factor in disease in America. We have been mislead. We are being misfed. I will pull back the curtain for all to see…\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"border: 3px solid #6a2e41; background-color: #d2a7c8; height: 250px; width: 450px;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://gotmag.org/about-mag/about-morley-robbins/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1392\" alt=\"Morley Robbins\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Morley-Robbins.jpg\" width=\"93\" height=\"89\" /></a>Morley Robbins has been actively serving the healthcare field for the last 32+ years, as a hospital executive, healthcare consultant, and now Wellness Coach. Following a successful career managing and consulting to hospitals and health care systems, he realized that he could no longer stand the revolving door mentality of these “sick care” centers.He is dedicating the balance of his career to “saving one starfish at a time” by coaching clients about how to eat “real food,” restore their mineral balance, especially their Magnesium status, and thereby, facilitate the process of natural healing. He has discovered the “fountain of youth” in his newfound persona of <i>“Magnesium Man!”</i> and is proud of his efforts to raise the country’s awareness about the importance of magnesium via the efforts of Magnesium Advocacy Group (<a href=\"http://www.magfor.org\">www.magfor.org</a>).He is delighted to be preaching to others what he has practiced for the last 30 years. He can be viewed on Youtube, reached online at <a href=\"mailto:morley@MagnesiumMan.com\">morley@MagnesiumMan.com</a> or contacted on his cell at 847.922.8061.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTell us Your Magnesium Story: [contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','10 Things You Need to Know About Magnesium','','inherit','open','open','','1402-revision-16','','','2013-01-30 15:01:09','2013-01-30 20:01:09','',1402,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1402-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(1422,1,'2013-01-31 18:28:46','2013-01-31 23:28:46','[caption id=\"attachment_1292\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/heart-surgery-for-peri-menopause-heart-palpitations/woman-with-glowing-heart-123rf/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1292\"><img class=\" wp-image-1292 \" alt=\"Image Courtesy of: 123RF Stock Photo/woodoo007\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Woman-with-Glowing-Heart-123RF-300x300.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></a> Image credit: <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com/photo_15563801_woman-glowing-heart-anatomy.html\">woodoo007 / 123RF Stock Photo</a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t all that shocked when I read this article but you might be.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: verdana, geneva;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\"<a title=\"Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research\" href=\"http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/print/310\" target=\"_blank\">Why Does My Heart Feel Like its Doing Hurdles</a>\"</span>\r\n</span>\r\n\r\nIt\'s a Q&amp;A from the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) in Vancouver, BC.  The article is definitely worth a read if you\'re anywhere near peri-menopause.   I\'ll spoil it for those of you who don\'t want to read the entire thing - in the article a woman mentions that two cardiologists have suggested she undergo heart surgery to cut the electrical channels in her heart.   But Dr. Jerrilynn C. Prior, endocrinologist &amp; founder of CeMCOR has another idea based on her own research.  She believes that the 46 year old woman is experiencing peri-menopausal symtoms that can be treated with....you guessed it.....progesterone!\r\n\r\nI have lived through similar, albiet less invasive, suggestions from doctors who either over-treat, mis-treat or just plain misunderstand what is going on in my body.   This is why I believe so strongly in <strong>self-advocacy</strong>.\r\n\r\nHere are some of my own personal examples:\r\n\r\n<strong>Infertility</strong>: Without ever testing my hormones or discussing <em>why</em> I didn\'t ovulate - my OB/GYN prescribes Chlomid - a fertility drug - it works - I get pregnant twice. But 5 years later I get my hormones balanced and start to ovulate (big surprise there) and <strong>get pregnant the first month I start taking progesterone.</strong>  In my view, progesterone w<em>ould</em> have been the natural choice and one of the first things attempted to enhance my ovulation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Miscarriage</strong>:  My OB/GYN suggested to try three pregnancies and if they ALL end in early miscarriage only then would he investigate.  After 2 miscarriages I do my own research and demand progesterone - I went on to have 3 children and took <strong>progesterone for approximately the first trimester</strong>.\r\n\r\n<strong>PMS:</strong> I was offered birth control pills and antidepressants which made it worse not better.  My problem was estrogen dominance - birth control pills have estrogen.  antidepressants didn\'t address my problem which was<strong> progesterone deficiency</strong> and gave me headaches for the entire 6 weeks I took them plus I gained 15 lbs in 6 weeks!\r\n\r\n<strong>Postpartum Mood Disorder</strong> - My family doctor was going to put me on antidepressants as soon as the baby was born.  I believe that this is the treatment suggestion most women are given by their doctors and it may even work for some women.  In my case, I didn\'t want to take antidepressants and I already knew that <strong>progesterone was a possible treatment solution.</strong>  I sought out an OB/GYN that prescribed bio-identical hormones.   I truly believe I would have suffered for years in a sub-sedated medicated state and my situation would have been dire had I not taken the steps to find a doctor that provided my body the appropriate treatment for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>Panic Attack</strong> -  I know that most doctors would have written me a prescription for anti-anxiety meds after my <a title=\"The Power of Hormones\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-power-of-hormones/\" target=\"_blank\">New Years Day Panic Attack Scare</a>.  In fact, my friend who is a doctor, was concerned for me - I am sure he thinks I have a Panic Disorder because he made the subtle suggestion that there is medication and treatment available.  Let me just say that the panic attack was so scary and if I hadn\'t related it to my hormone situation I would have been begging for anti-anxiety meds! I just wanted the feeling to go away not NOW but RIGHT NOW!  I didn\'t get in to see my own doctor for about a week afterward and by then I had been taking my hormones. Instead of anti-anxiety meds my doctor prescribed <strong>oral progesterone</strong> to keep on hand in case it happened again - oral progesterone acts quicker and differently than the cream I usually use (more about the difference in an upcoming post).\r\n\r\nWouldn\'t you love to know if the woman who wrote in to Dr. Prior went ahead with the cardiologists recommendation to cut the electrical channels in her heart or followed the suggestion to consider progesterone?   If you have a similar story of finding a better solution to your health problems I\'d love to hear from you.\r\n\r\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][contact-field label=\'Email\' type=\'email\' required=\'1\'/][contact-field label=\'Website\' type=\'url\'/][contact-field label=\'Comment\' type=\'textarea\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','Heart Surgery for Peri-menopause Heart Palpitations?','','inherit','open','open','','1271-revision-18','','','2013-01-31 18:28:46','2013-01-31 23:28:46','',1271,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1271-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(1423,1,'2013-01-31 23:03:40','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Damn right I\'m mad & You should be too....','','draft','open','open','','','','','2013-01-31 23:03:40','2013-02-01 04:03:40','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1423',0,'post','',0),(1424,1,'2013-02-01 09:11:39','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion.pdf\"> </a>','','','draft','open','open','','','','','2013-02-01 09:11:39','2013-02-01 14:11:39','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1424',0,'post','',0),(1425,1,'2013-02-01 09:07:57','2013-02-01 14:07:57','','hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion','','inherit','open','open','','hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion','','','2013-02-01 09:07:57','2013-02-01 14:07:57','',1424,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(1426,1,'2013-02-01 09:08:24','2013-02-01 14:08:24','<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion.pdf\">hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion</a>','','','inherit','open','open','','1424-revision','','','2013-02-01 09:08:24','2013-02-01 14:08:24','',1424,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1424-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1427,1,'2013-02-01 10:44:16','2013-02-01 15:44:16','','hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion','','inherit','open','open','','hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion-2','','','2013-02-01 10:44:16','2013-02-01 15:44:16','',1424,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hormone_therapy_-_its_time_for_a_second_opinion1.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(1542,1,'2013-02-20 23:55:48','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<table style=\"border: 3px solid #993399;\" border=\"3\" align=\"center\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr align=\"center\">\r\n<th scope=\"rowgroup\" align=\"center\">Symptom</th>\r\n<th scope=\"rowgroup\" align=\"center\">Severe</th>\r\n<th scope=\"rowgroup\" align=\"center\">Moderate</th>\r\n<th scope=\"rowgroup\" align=\"center\">Mild</th>\r\n<th scope=\"rowgroup\" align=\"center\">Absent</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n</thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<table style=\"width: 320px;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"320\" height=\"15\"><strong>Acne</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Allergies</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Anxiety (chronic and/or panic attacks)</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Broken and/or peeling fingernails</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Bumps on legs</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Candida</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Carpal Tunnel Syndrome</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Chronic Fatigue Syndrome</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Cold buttocks</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Cold intolerance/sensitivity</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Colitis</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Constipation</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Decreased or no libido</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Depression (low grade to severe)</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Difficulty sleeping</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Difficulty waking up in the morning</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong> </strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dizzy spells</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry Hair</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry mouth</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry skin</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dysphagia (nerve damage and causes the inability to swallow)</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Early puberty</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Edema/puffiness/swelling</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Estrogen dominant</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Excruciating pain during period</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Exhausted after exercise/not rejuvenated</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Extreme hunger, especially at nighttime</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyelids are swollen upon waking</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes feel gritty and dry</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes feel sensitive to light</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes get jumpy/I have tics in eyes</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Failure to ovulate</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic, exhausted</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feelings of worthlessness</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feet are sometimes swollen</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Foggy thinking</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Food cravings</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Food sensitivities</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Forgetfulness</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Frequent infections/colds/flu</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Galactorrhea</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hair loss</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Headaches or migraines</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hearing loss</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Heart disease</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>High or rising cholesterol</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hives</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hoarse or gravely voice</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>IBS</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to lose weight</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to stand on feet for long periods</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Infertility</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Internal itching of ears</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent)</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Irritable, judgmental, impatient</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Joint pain</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Lactose Intolerance</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Lightheadedness</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Low blood pressure</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Low body temperature</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Miscarriages</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Moods change easily</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in shoulders and hips</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Need to yawn to get oxygen/have feelings of air hunger</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>No eyebrows</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>No hair growth, breaks faster than it grows</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Nod off easily</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Not hungry in the morning</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Numbness in the fingers</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Osteoporosis</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Painful bladder</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Palpitations</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Poor reflexes</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Premature grey hair</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Raised temperature</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Recurrent sinus infections</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Requires naps in the afternoon</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sensitive to caffeine</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Severe menstrual cramps</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Shortness of breath and tightness in the chest</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sleep apnea</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sleepiness</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Snoring</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sore soles of feet</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sore feet (plantar fascitis)</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Suicidal thoughts</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen eyes, bags under eyes</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen legs that prevented walking</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen lymph glands</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tendonitis</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Thinning outer eyebrows</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tightness in throat; sore throat</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tinnitus</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Varicose Veins</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Vertigo</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Weight gain, despite diminished appetite</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Weight loss (a small minority experience 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td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n<td></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>','','','draft','open','open','','','','','2013-02-20 23:55:48','2013-02-21 04:55:48','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1542',0,'post','',0),(1541,1,'2013-02-20 23:49:09','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<table style=\"border-color: #993333; border-width: 3px;\" border=\"3\" align=\"left\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table style=\"width: 320px;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"320\" height=\"15\"><strong>Acne</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Allergies</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Anxiety (chronic and/or panic attacks)</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Broken/peeling fingernails</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Bumps on legs</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Candida</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Carpal Tunnel Syndrome</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Chronic Fatigue Syndrome</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Cold butt (I’m not kidding)</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Cold hands and feet</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Cold intolerance/sensitivity</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Colitis</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Constipation</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Decreased or no libido</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Depression (low grade to severe)</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Difficulty sleeping</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Difficulty waking up in the morning</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dizziness from fluid on the inner ear</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dizzy spells</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry Hair</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry mouth</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Dry skin</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Dysphagia (nerve damage and causes the inability to swallow)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Early puberty</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Edema/puffiness/swelling</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Estrogen dominant</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Excruciating pain during period</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Exhausted after exercise/not rejuvenated</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Extreme hunger, especially at nighttime</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyelids are swollen upon waking</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes feel gritty and dry</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes feel sensitive to light</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Eyes get jumpy/I have tics in eyes</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Failure to ovulate</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic, exhausted</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feelings of worthlessness</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Feet are sometimes swollen</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Foggy thinking</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Food cravings</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Food sensitivities</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Forgetfulness</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Frequent infections/colds/flu</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Galactorrhea</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Hair loss</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Headaches or migraines</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hearing loss</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Heart disease</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">High or rising cholesterol</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Hives</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Hoarse or gravely voice</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>IBS</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to lose weight</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Inability to stand on feet for long periods</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Infertility</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Internal itching of ears</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent)</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Irritable, judgmental, impatient</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Joint pain</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Lactose Intolerance</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Lightheadedness</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Low blood pressure</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Low body temperature</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Miscarriages</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Moods change easily</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in shoulders and hips</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Need to yawn to get oxygen/have feelings of air hunger</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">No eyebrows</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">No hair growth, breaks faster than it grows</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Nod off easily</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Not hungry in the morning</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Numbness in the fingers</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Osteoporosis</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Painful bladder</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Palpitations</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Poor reflexes</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Premature grey hair</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Raised temperature</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Recurrent sinus infections</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Requires naps in the afternoon</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sensitive to caffeine</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Severe menstrual cramps</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Shortness of breath and tightness in the chest</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Sleep apnea</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sleepiness</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Snoring</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Sore feet (plantar fascitis); painful soles of feet</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Suicidal Thoughts</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen eyes, bags under eyes</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen legs that prevented walking</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Swollen lymph glands</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tendonitis</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Thinning outer eyebrows</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tightness in throat; sore throat</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Tinnitus</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\">Varicose Veins</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Verdigo</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Weight gain, despite diminished appetite</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td height=\"15\"><strong>Weight loss (a small minority experience this)\n\n</strong></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','','','draft','open','open','','','','','2013-02-20 23:49:09','2013-02-21 04:49:09','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1541',0,'post','',0),(1445,1,'2013-02-04 15:05:41','2013-02-04 20:05:41','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\r\n\r\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\r\n\r\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehydrated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disruptor alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old-fashioned dry skin.\r\n\r\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing desiccated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\r\n\r\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve really paid attention to the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.  Like when I had sudden muscle weakness in my arms for a minute or less after my baby was born.  I wouldn\'t even have been able to grip a pencil when it occurred and it was likely Postpartum Thyroiditis.  Thyroid problems are often exacerbated with pregnancy and in the postpartum (more on that later).\r\n\r\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone <a title=\"Re-living My Postpartum Anxiety\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/re-living-my-postpartum-anxiety/\">when I stopped the progesterone</a>.  But many of my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed that have definitely and dramatically changed for me:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little known symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors. OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  </strong>I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  I\'ve even seriously considering getting out of my pj\'s late at night and running to the store for Chocolate!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>weight gain - </strong>certainly not the most annoying but perhaps the saddest symptom of all, I\'ve gained about 6 lbs in this short time! Ugh....</li>\r\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>swelling &amp; puffiness in face, feet &amp; hands (myxedema) -</strong> I have been waking up some mornings and my poor fingers are like little sausages and I can actually feel my face is swollen.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>vertigo! </strong>This was super unnerving and worrisome before I realized it was my thyroid.  Once I was with my daughter and got so dizzy - I had to go sit down and wait for it to pass.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>aching bones &amp; muscles &amp; joints - </strong>it\'s easy to attribute this to so many other things but when I added it to the list it becomes clear that it\'s part of the thyroid problem.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>fogginess &amp; forgetfulness</strong> - ok ok, my friends and family would be quick to point out that this is just part of my charm (or not!), but lately it has gotten much worse.   It\'s also a symptom of peri-menopause/hormone imbalance.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>eye twitching &amp; sore eyes - </strong>my eye muscles have been doing that irritating muscle twitching quite a bit.  They also sometimes just feel sore which feels like it could be the fluid retention.  I thought this was more likely to be associated with hyperthyroidism or Graves disease but will be discussing it with my doctor next week.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI\'ll leave you with these thoughts:\r\n\r\n<strong>Self Diagnosis vs Advocacy</strong> - I\'m not into self-diagnosis even though it might appear like that.  I\'m into advocating and educating.  I am getting an eye check up this week and will be discussing these symptoms and more with my doc next week.\r\n\r\n<strong>Stop the Thyroid Madness</strong> - Just like the sex hormones, there are <strong>tons</strong> of symptoms related to thyroid health, I\'ve listed only a few but<strong> </strong><a title=\"Stop the Thyroid Madness\" href=\"http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/long-and-pathetic/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>StopTheThyroidMadness.com</strong> </a> has what they call a \"long and pathetic list\" of symptoms.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thyroid Women &amp; Patient Advocates I HIGHLY Recommend:</strong>\r\n\r\nAnother great resource is Mary Sholom, a patient advocate who has written several books, has a <a title=\"Mary Sholom\" href=\"http://www.thyroid-info.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> and facebook page devoted to helping people with their thyroid problems.\r\n\r\nA fantastic blog I found and encourage you to check out is <a title=\"HypoThyroidMom.com\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/\" target=\"_blank\">HypoThyroidMom.com</a> written by another amazing patient advocate.\r\n\r\nMy friend <a title=\"BeePea - Courtney\'s Blog\" href=\"http://beepea.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Courtney\'s bipolar blog</a>.  Bipolar you ask? Well apparently it remains to be seen....BiPolar or has it actually been Hashimoto\'s Thyroid all this time?  Read her post on being <a title=\"Miss Diagnosis\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/02/miss-diagnosis/\" target=\"_blank\">Miss Diagnosed</a>.  She tells it like it is and I love her for that!','I\'m Cracking Up','','publish','open','open','','im-cracking-up','','','2013-02-04 15:05:41','2013-02-04 20:05:41','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1445',0,'post','',4),(1449,1,'2013-02-04 10:57:40','2013-02-04 15:57:40','Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically.  Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt so bad to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem and I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels.  Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water.   Once I mentioned it to a doctor and she told I never considered it a medical problem so didn\'t mention it to most of my doctors.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m just discovering now the link between this','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-2','','','2013-02-04 10:57:40','2013-02-04 15:57:40','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1450,1,'2013-02-04 11:13:54','2013-02-04 16:13:54','Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically.  Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels.  Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.   I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry there so I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\n\nI wasn\'t diagnosed with hypothyroidism until a couple of years ago.  And even then it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and that he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had the symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough.  Not worrying about not eating for an hour after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I\'ve been on thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve discovered the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-3','','','2013-02-04 11:13:54','2013-02-04 16:13:54','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1451,1,'2013-02-04 12:15:25','2013-02-04 17:15:25','Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\n\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve discovered the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-4','','','2013-02-04 12:15:25','2013-02-04 17:15:25','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1452,1,'2013-02-04 12:26:58','2013-02-04 17:26:58','','Dry Heels Image: 123rf','','inherit','open','open','','dry-heels-123rf','','','2013-02-04 12:26:58','2013-02-04 17:26:58','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1453,1,'2013-02-04 12:38:04','2013-02-04 17:38:04','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Dry Heels Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\n\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve discovered the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.\n\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone when I stopped the progesterone.  But my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed getting worse recently:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the Internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little know symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors!  OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  Even consider</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-5','','','2013-02-04 12:38:04','2013-02-04 17:38:04','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1454,1,'2013-02-04 12:38:27','2013-02-04 17:38:27','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Dry Heels Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\r\n\r\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\r\n\r\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\r\n\r\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\r\n\r\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve discovered the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone when I stopped the progesterone.  But my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed getting worse recently:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the Internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little know symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors!  OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  </strong>I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  Even considering getting out of my pj\'s late at night and running to the store for Chocolate!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-6','','','2013-02-04 12:38:27','2013-02-04 17:38:27','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1455,1,'2013-02-04 12:51:58','2013-02-04 17:51:58','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Dry Heels Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\n\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve discovered the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.\n\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone when I stopped the progesterone.  But my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the Internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little know symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors!  OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  </strong>I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  I\'ve even seriously considering getting out of my pj\'s late at night and running to the store for Chocolate!</li>\n	<li><strong>weight gain - </strong>certainly not the most annoying but perhaps the saddest symptom of all, I\'ve gained about 6 lbs in this short time! Ugh....</li>\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\n	<li><strong>swelling &amp; puffiness in face and feet and hands -</strong> I have been waking up some mornings and my poor fingers are like little sausages and I can actually feel my face is swollen.</li>\n	<li><strong>vertigo! </strong>This was super unnerving and worrisome before I realized it was my thyroid.  Once I was with my daughter and got so dizzy - I had to go sit down and wait for it to pass.</li>\n	<li><strong>aching bones &amp; muscles &amp; joints - </strong>it\'s easy to attribute this to so many other things but when I added it to the list it becomes clear that it\'s part of the thyroid problem.</li>\n	<li><strong>fogginess &amp; forgetfulness</strong> - ok ok, my friends and family would be quick to point out that this is just part of my charm (or not!).  But lately it has gotten much worse.   It\'s also a symptom of peri-menopause/hormone imbalance.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-7','','','2013-02-04 12:51:58','2013-02-04 17:51:58','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1456,1,'2013-02-04 14:45:18','2013-02-04 19:45:18','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Dry Heels Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehyrdated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disrupter alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old fashioned dry skin.\n\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing dessicated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve really paid attention to the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.  Like when I had sudden muscle weakness in my arms for a minute or less after my baby was born.  I wouldn\'t even have been able to grip a pencil when it occurred and it was likely Postpartum Thyroiditis.  Thyroid problems are often exacerbated with pregnancy and in the postpartum (more on that later).\n\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone <a title=\"Re-living My Postpartum Anxiety\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/re-living-my-postpartum-anxiety/\">when I stopped the progesterone</a>.  But many of my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed that have definitely and dramatically changed for me:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the Internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little know symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors!  OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  </strong>I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  I\'ve even seriously considering getting out of my pj\'s late at night and running to the store for Chocolate!</li>\n	<li><strong>weight gain - </strong>certainly not the most annoying but perhaps the saddest symptom of all, I\'ve gained about 6 lbs in this short time! Ugh....</li>\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\n	<li><strong>swelling &amp; puffiness in face, feet &amp; hands (myxedema) -</strong> I have been waking up some mornings and my poor fingers are like little sausages and I can actually feel my face is swollen.</li>\n	<li><strong>vertigo! </strong>This was super unnerving and worrisome before I realized it was my thyroid.  Once I was with my daughter and got so dizzy - I had to go sit down and wait for it to pass.</li>\n	<li><strong>aching bones &amp; muscles &amp; joints - </strong>it\'s easy to attribute this to so many other things but when I added it to the list it becomes clear that it\'s part of the thyroid problem.</li>\n	<li><strong>fogginess &amp; forgetfulness</strong> - ok ok, my friends and family would be quick to point out that this is just part of my charm (or not!).  But lately it has gotten much worse.   It\'s also a symptom of peri-menopause/hormone imbalance.</li>\n	<li><strong>eye twitching &amp; sore eyes - </strong>my eye muscles have been doing that irritating muscle twitching quite a bit.  They also sometimes just feel sore which feels like it could be the fluid retention.  I thought this was more likely to be associated with hyperthyroidism or Graves disease but I\'m not going to self-diagnose so will be discussing it with my doctor next week.</li>\n</ul>\nI\'ll leave you with this:\n\nJust like the sex hormones, there are tons of symptoms related to thyroid health, I\'ve listed only a few but <a title=\"Stop the Thyroid Madness\" href=\"http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/long-and-pathetic/\" target=\"_blank\">StopTheThyroidMadness.com </a> has what they call a \"long and pathetic list\" of symptoms.\n\nAnother great resource is Mary Sholom, a patient advocate who has written several books, has a <a title=\"Mary Sholom\" href=\"http://www.thyroid-info.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> and facebook page devoted to helping people with their thyroid problems.\n\nA fantastic blog I found which I encourage you to check out is <a title=\"HypoThyroidMom.com\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/\" target=\"_blank\">HypoThyroidMom.com</a> written by another patient advocate.\n\n&nbsp;','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-8','','','2013-02-04 14:45:18','2013-02-04 19:45:18','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1457,1,'2013-02-04 15:05:21','2013-02-04 20:05:21','<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1452\" alt=\"Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dry-Heels-123rf-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" />Yes, it\'s true - I\'m cracking up!  But truth be told I\'ve been cracking up for years - my entire adult life actually.  Well minus a recent few healthy years.\n\nI\'m talking about my skin - the skin on my heels and the skin on my hands specifically have been cracking again.   Long long ago, when I was in my twenties my heels would crack so bad they would bleed.  Sometimes it would hurt just to walk.  My fingers would crack open as well and bleed.  I hated putting them into water - it would sting so badly.\n\nOver the years I was told various things by various people.  Dry skin apparently was my problem so I would spend money on special creams for cracked heels. Or I\'d be told my skin was simply dehydrated and I needed to drink more water. Once, years ago, I finally mentioned it to a doctor and she told me to slather cream on my tootsies and then cover them with vaseline (endocrine disruptor alert!) and wrap my feet all up in saran wrap.  I never considered pedicures a luxury - they were a necessity!  I mean, I grew up in the Canadian prairies &amp; eventually lived North of 65º.  The Arctic is considered a desert - it gets mighty cold and <em>extremely</em> dry.  So with all of this great advice I chalked my problem up to good old-fashioned dry skin.\n\nA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but the word hypothyroidism wasn\'t even used and it didn\'t really feel like a \"diagnosis\".  My doctor mentioned that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and based on my symptom checklist he was prescribing desiccated thyroid hormone for me.  Ok I figured, no big deal.  I didn\'t think I had any severe symptoms of someone with low thyroid.  I knew that there was a connection to estrogen so I didn\'t really think too much of it.  In fact, thinking back I probably didn\'t take it seriously enough -  like not paying attention to whether I\'d waited the allotted hour before eating after taking my meds &amp; washing my morning pill down with my first cup of morning coffee!  At one point I even decided that since I had my estrogen dominance all under control that I  probably didn\'t need to worry about this silly thyroid medication.\n\nSo for these past couple of years I have been on dessicated thyroid hormone but it\'s only been recently that I\'ve really paid attention to the link between my thyroid function and the symptoms I\'ve had - most of them for my entire life.  Some are so obscure that I didn\'t even know they were related.  Like when I had sudden muscle weakness in my arms for a minute or less after my baby was born.  I wouldn\'t even have been able to grip a pencil when it occurred and it was likely Postpartum Thyroiditis.  Thyroid problems are often exacerbated with pregnancy and in the postpartum (more on that later).\n\nHere\'s the interesting part about my thyroid symptoms - I never stopped taking my thyroid hormone <a title=\"Re-living My Postpartum Anxiety\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/re-living-my-postpartum-anxiety/\">when I stopped the progesterone</a>.  But many of my thyroid symptoms got worse or re-appeared after I quit taking the progesterone.  And even though I am back on my progesterone, the thyroid symptoms linger.  Here\'s a few of the symptoms that I\'ve noticed that have definitely and dramatically changed for me:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>itching - oh my gosh the itching!!!</strong>  My scalp itches and my shins itch so bad I  finally use my cracked heels to scratch my shins but then my shins bleed!  <strong>But especially the internal itching of ears!</strong>  This is a little known symptom of hypothyroidism even among doctors. OMG....it has been driving me crazy.</li>\n	<li><strong>sugar cravings!  </strong>I can say I have never had cravings for sugar like this in my life.  I have been scrounging around the house looking for any sign of chocolate.  I\'ve even seriously considering getting out of my pj\'s late at night and running to the store for Chocolate!</li>\n	<li><strong>weight gain - </strong>certainly not the most annoying but perhaps the saddest symptom of all, I\'ve gained about 6 lbs in this short time! Ugh....</li>\n	<li><strong>varicose veins</strong> have suddenly gone crazy again.  I\'ve treated them for years but suddenly they are popping up in droves!</li>\n	<li><strong>swelling &amp; puffiness in face, feet &amp; hands (myxedema) -</strong> I have been waking up some mornings and my poor fingers are like little sausages and I can actually feel my face is swollen.</li>\n	<li><strong>vertigo! </strong>This was super unnerving and worrisome before I realized it was my thyroid.  Once I was with my daughter and got so dizzy - I had to go sit down and wait for it to pass.</li>\n	<li><strong>aching bones &amp; muscles &amp; joints - </strong>it\'s easy to attribute this to so many other things but when I added it to the list it becomes clear that it\'s part of the thyroid problem.</li>\n	<li><strong>fogginess &amp; forgetfulness</strong> - ok ok, my friends and family would be quick to point out that this is just part of my charm (or not!), but lately it has gotten much worse.   It\'s also a symptom of peri-menopause/hormone imbalance.</li>\n	<li><strong>eye twitching &amp; sore eyes - </strong>my eye muscles have been doing that irritating muscle twitching quite a bit.  They also sometimes just feel sore which feels like it could be the fluid retention.  I thought this was more likely to be associated with hyperthyroidism or Graves disease but will be discussing it with my doctor next week.</li>\n</ul>\nI\'ll leave you with these thoughts:\n\n<strong>Self Diagnosis vs Advocacy</strong> - I\'m not into self-diagnosis even though it might appear like that.  I\'m into advocating and educating.  I am getting an eye check up this week and will be discussing these symptoms and more with my doc next week.\n\n<strong>Stop the Thyroid Madness</strong> - Just like the sex hormones, there are <strong>tons</strong> of symptoms related to thyroid health, I\'ve listed only a few but<strong> </strong><a title=\"Stop the Thyroid Madness\" href=\"http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/long-and-pathetic/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>StopTheThyroidMadness.com</strong> </a> has what they call a \"long and pathetic list\" of symptoms.\n\n<strong>Thyroid Women &amp; Patient Advocates I HIGHLY Recommend:</strong>\n\nAnother great resource is Mary Sholom, a patient advocate who has written several books, has a <a title=\"Mary Sholom\" href=\"http://www.thyroid-info.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> and facebook page devoted to helping people with their thyroid problems.\n\nA fantastic blog I found and encourage you to check out is <a title=\"HypoThyroidMom.com\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/\" target=\"_blank\">HypoThyroidMom.com</a> written by another amazing patient advocate.\n\nMy friend <a title=\"BeePea - Courtney\'s Blog\" href=\"http://beepea.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Courtney\'s bipolar blog</a>.  Bipolar you ask? Well apparently it remains to be seen....BiPolar or has it actually been Hashimoto\'s Thyroid all this time?  Read her post on being <a title=\"Miss Diagnosis\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/02/miss-diagnosis/\" target=\"_blank\">Miss Diagnosed</a>.  She tells it like it is and I love her for that!','I\'m Cracking Up','','inherit','open','open','','1445-revision-9','','','2013-02-04 15:05:21','2013-02-04 20:05:21','',1445,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1445-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1550,1,'2013-02-21 12:42:15','2013-02-21 17:42:15','[caption id=\"attachment_1563\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/epatient-dave-this-is-the-year-of-the-patients-rising.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1563\" alt=\"ePatient Dave\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/epatient-dave-this-is-the-year-of-the-patients-rising-150x128.jpeg\" width=\"150\" height=\"128\" /></a> ePatient Dave[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong>Advocate, Advocate, Advocate!</strong></span>\r\n\r\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\r\n\r\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  You may not need to get a new doctor but you may have to be willing to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://embed.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html\" height=\"200\" width=\"450\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','I Have 3 Words for You...','','publish','open','open','','i-have-3-words-for-you','','','2013-02-21 13:41:34','2013-02-21 18:41:34','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1550',0,'post','',6),(1551,1,'2013-02-21 11:18:18','2013-02-21 16:18:18','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\n\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, the idea is laughable to me now.  It\'s my body and I\'m my body\'s expert.  My doctor is a medical expert.  Together WE make up part of the team of my health care.  I have other people on my team as well.  It\'s not just me and my doctor!\n\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.\n\n&nbsp;','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision','','','2013-02-21 11:18:18','2013-02-21 16:18:18','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1552,1,'2013-02-21 11:35:40','2013-02-21 16:35:40','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\n\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\n\n&nbsp;','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-2','','','2013-02-21 11:35:40','2013-02-21 16:35:40','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1553,1,'2013-02-21 11:36:57','2013-02-21 16:36:57','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\n\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-3','','','2013-02-21 11:36:57','2013-02-21 16:36:57','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1556,1,'2013-02-21 11:56:48','2013-02-21 16:56:48','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\n\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\n\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://embed.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html\" height=\"250\" width=\"500\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-6','','','2013-02-21 11:56:48','2013-02-21 16:56:48','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1554,1,'2013-02-21 11:37:50','2013-02-21 16:37:50','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\r\n\r\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\r\n\r\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://embed.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>\r\n\r\n','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-4','','','2013-02-21 11:37:50','2013-02-21 16:37:50','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1555,1,'2013-02-21 11:41:10','2013-02-21 16:41:10','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\r\n\r\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\r\n\r\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://embed.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html\" width=\"540\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>\r\n\r\n','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-5','','','2013-02-21 11:41:10','2013-02-21 16:41:10','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1557,1,'2013-02-21 11:57:01','2013-02-21 16:57:01','Advocate, Advocate Advocate!\r\n\r\nIt took me some time to get to the point in my life where I took charge of my health and by doing so I began to see the doctor-patient relationship much differently.  When I was a young(er) woman, I saw my doctor as being the expert and basically allowed the doctors that I saw to be in charge of MY health!   Looking back, if it wasn\'t so sad - the idea is almost laughable to me now.  At times, I\'d leave the doctor\'s office with more questions than answers.  It\'s only now in my 40\'s that I realize the profound effect the unanswered questions have had on my health.\r\n\r\nIf there is any question in your mind about the doctor-patient relationship you have, watch this video and ask yourself if you are going to wait until something drastic happens in your health or if you are going to choose today to stand up for YOUR health.  I assure you that your doctor stands up for his/her own health and that of his/her family.  Your doctor should respect your need to self-advocate and be willing to be part of a team.  Most people don\'t need to go get a new doctor but you may have to take your doctor by the hand and lead the way....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://embed.ted.com/talks/dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave.html\" height=\"200\" width=\"450\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','I Have 3 Words for You...','','inherit','open','open','','1550-revision-7','','','2013-02-21 11:57:01','2013-02-21 16:57:01','',1550,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1550-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1467,1,'2013-02-05 17:39:19','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I hope you don\'t mind me offering my personal and humble view because I think the more we have this conversation, the more we learn &amp; more dialogue = goodness all around!! It\'s not about pointing fingers or placing blame BUT it is about effecting change - one wonderful, beautiful, bipolar/hypo-thyroid/postpartum psychosis/endocrine advocate at a time! I want to be part of the change to the way women\'s health issues are addressed so this doesn\'t happen to anyone else.\r\n\r\nMy opinionated opinion: ;)\r\nI love what @JaneWaterman said about the mental-physical feedback being a two-way street and I completely agree! Part of the problem as I see it is as soon as you have a \"mental-health\" symptom it is too readily chalked up to something in the DSM-whatever the current version is for Mental Disorders. I see two main problems with this: 1) women are afraid to mention their mental-health symptom because of the stigma &amp; 2) not looking further to the root cause of the symptoms. It\'s why you and me and Dana and the woman who wrote to Dana went for 20 years + without proper treatment. And agree or disagree, men don\'t get the same treatment.\r\n\r\nHere\'s an excerpt from WHO\'s website about Gender Bias and mental health:\r\n\r\nGender bias\r\nGender bias occurs in the treatment of psychological disorders. Doctors are more likely to diagnose depression in women compared with men, even when they have similar scores on standardized measures of depression or present with identical symptoms.\r\n\r\nFemale gender is a significant predictor of being prescribed mood altering psychotropic drugs.\r\n\r\nGender differences exist in patterns of help seeking for psychological disorder. Women are more likely to seek help from and disclose mental health problems to their primary health care physician while men are more likely to seek specialist mental health care and are the principal users of inpatient care.\r\n\r\nMen are more likely than women to disclose problems with alcohol use to their health care provider.\r\n\r\nGender stereotypes regarding proneness to emotional problems in women and alcohol problems in men, appear to reinforce social stigma and constrain help seeking along stereotypical lines. They are a barrier to the accurate identification and treatment of psychological disorder.\r\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\r\nSo my dear Courtney, I\'m sorry to put an entire blog post on your comment thread - I didn\'t start with that intention.','Gender Differences in Mental Health','','draft','open','open','','gender-differences-in-mental-health','','','2013-02-05 17:39:19','2013-02-05 22:39:19','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1467',0,'post','',0),(1576,1,'2013-02-22 12:39:41','2013-02-22 17:39:41','I recently realized that some people view me as being \"against meds\".   It\'s true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) because I knew there had to be a better solution.  Finally at my wits\' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I\'m not anti-meds.  What I am \"for\", however, is doctors providing patients all the alternatives: I am for \"treating the cause\".\n\nObviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about <strong>1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs</strong> (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing a placebo effect may be at play for some people - this suggestion is controversial.  But here\'s the thing - the number of SSRI\'s being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to IBS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren\'t just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?\n\nHere\'s more stats that may surprise you:\n<ul>\n	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>\n	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>\n	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>\n	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>\n	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>\n</ul>\nI don\'t think my situation is unique -  I wasn\'t offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue my \"condition\" was never \"treated\" but rather my \"symptoms\" were just \"prescribed\" medication.  That\'s what I have trouble with.\n\nWomen\'s health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here\'s how I know this to be true:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed</strong>, many are being given anti-depressants without ever checking for thyroid.Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield, author of \"<em>Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy\" </em>, believes that up to half of all depression is due to unrecognized hypothyroidism.</li>\n	<li><strong>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</strong> - Using anxiety as an example, progesterone is considered a neurosteroid - it\'s a long story and I won\'t geek out on you but basically since it is synthesized in the central nervous system and affects the GABA receptors in the brain - similar to benzodiazepine drugs.  Its anti-anxiety affect occurs very quickly and there are no side-effects to using natural progesterone.  Spend some time on a benzodiazepine forum to listen to women who have been on these drugs for 20 years discuss either their side effects or about the withdrawal symptoms when they try to wean themselves off.  It makes me weep knowing that most of these women have never encountered a doctor that considered checking their hormones before writing the prescription.</li>\n	<li><strong>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD)</strong> - a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 showed that 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title=\"BeePea\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">she almost didn\'t survive her son\'s first year</a>.</li>\n	<li><strong>Women, like <a title=\"BeePea.com\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/\" target=\"_blank\">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title=\"HypoThyroidMom\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/\" target=\"_blank\">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto\'s Thyroid Disorder.</strong>  There\'s a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>\n</ul>\nInstead of opening the Endocrine Manual, many doctors are scouring the pages of the <i><b>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</b></i> (<b>DSM) </b>searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants &amp; benzodiazepines or other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDisclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication it is not advisable to stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  <strong>Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Women\'s Health Issues Being Painted with a Mental Health Brush','','inherit','open','open','','1521-revision-9','','','2013-02-22 12:39:41','2013-02-22 17:39:41','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1521-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1575,1,'2013-02-22 12:06:16','2013-02-22 17:06:16','I recently realized that some people view me as being \"against meds\".   It\'s true I  refused anti-depressants for my PMS and again for my postpartum mood disorder (PPMD).  Finally at my wits\' end with the PMS I took Zoloft for 6 weeks before throwing them out!  It may surprise you to know that I\'m not anti-meds. What I am \"for\", however, is doctors providing patients all the alternatives.  I am for treating the cause.\n\nObviously many people are helped by taking anti-depressants.  Lives are saved by such medications.  But did you know about 1 in 4 people are made worse by taking SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)? There are studies showing a placebo effect may be at play for some people - this suggestion is controversial.  But here\'s the thing - the number of SSRI\'s being prescribed for everything from acne to PMS to IBS to hot flashes has me concerned.  Anti-depressants aren\'t just being prescribed for depression.  Did you know they are even formulating a new SSRI specifically to treat low libido in women?\n\nThese stats may surprise you:\n<ul>\n	<li>Anti-depressant use in America is up 400 percent in two decades!!</li>\n	<li>11% of Americans take an anti-depressant</li>\n	<li>23% of women age 40 - 59 take antidepressants</li>\n	<li>Anti-depressants are the third most prescribed drug in America</li>\n	<li>14% of people taking an anti-depressant are taking more than one type</li>\n</ul>\nI don\'t think my situation is unique -  I wasn\'t offered alternatives and I was offered anti-depressants for PMS and later for PPMD.  So my position is that year after year, health issue after health issue I was never \"treated\" I was just \"prescribed\".  That\'s what I am against.\n\nWomen\'s health issues are being painted with a mental health brush all too often.   Here\'s how I know this to be true:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Millions of women with hypothyroidism are being undiagnosed and misdiagnosed</strong>, many are being given anti-depressants without ever checking for thyroid.Dr. Barry Durant-Peatfield, author of \"<em>Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy\" </em>, believes that up to half of all depression is due to unrecognized hypothyroidism.</li>\n	<li><strong>Hormone imbalances can be the culprit in mood disorders</strong> - Progesterone is considered a neurosteroid\nProgesterone has been found to enhance GABA\'s calming affect and suppress the \'excitatory glutamate response\'. The anti-anxiety affect has been noticed within three to ten minutes, whether injections or topical progesterone had been used as the means of administration.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>Studies show Postpartum Psychosis may be a symptom of an auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD) - a small study in the Netherlands in 2011 showed that 19% of women with postpartum psychosis had an AITD.  So are 19% of postpartum psychosis sufferers being given the wrong meds for their condition?  It appears my friend Courtney is one of those women - <a title=\"BeePea\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2012/04/16/postpartum-ocd-yes-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">she almost didn\'t survive her son\'s first year</a>.</li>\n	<li>Women, like <a title=\"BeePea.com\" href=\"http://beepea.com/2013/02/14/more-answers/\" target=\"_blank\">my friend Courtney</a> and t<a title=\"HypoThyroidMom\" href=\"http://hypothyroidmom.com/mental-disorder-or-undiagnosed-hypothyroidism/\" target=\"_blank\">his woman Jana</a>, are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when, in fact, they have Hashimoto\'s Thyroid Disorder.  There\'s a problem with that - a big one in fact - the Lithium prescribed for bipolar destroys their thyroid gland.</li>\n</ul>\nInstead of opening the Endocrine Manual, doctors are scouring the pages of the DSM-IV searching for our mental illness.   Instead of investigating for hormone imbalance or metabolic disorders, prescriptions for anti-depressants and other similar drugs are being written for women in record numbers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDisclaimer:  The information provided on this site is not intended as medical advice  - <strong>seek medical advice from a doctor</strong>.  If you take medication it is not advisable to stop taking them without the supervision of your doctor.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you or someone you know is suffering seek medical attention immediately.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Women\'s Health Issues Being Painted with a Mental Health Brush','','inherit','open','open','','1521-revision-8','','','2013-02-22 12:06:16','2013-02-22 17:06:16','',1521,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1521-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1638,1,'2013-03-11 09:43:19','2013-03-11 14:43:19','[caption id=\"attachment_1637\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Patched-Heart-Dreamstime.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1637\" alt=\"Image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Patched-Heart-Dreamstime-150x123.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"123\" /></a> Image: Dreamstime[/caption]\n\nLosing two babies when I was in my first trimester of my pregnancies was heart breaking.  The ache in my heart was particularly painful at the time but I was surprised to learn that miscarriages put you at risk for more than just a broken heart - you actually have <strong>a greater risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. </strong>\n\nIn fact, your risk goes up with each miscarriage you have.  A <a title=\"Miscarriage &amp; Heart Disease\" href=\"http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00016340903380758\" target=\"_blank\">Finnish study</a> of 3,937 women from age 30 - 99 found that the risk for heart disease later in life went up significantly with each miscarriage.  Unfortunately no causative factor was mentioned.\n\nConversely if you\'ve suffered recurrent miscarriages <strong>your parents are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease.</strong>  A <a title=\"Heart Disease - Recurrent Miscarriage \" href=\" http://www.rcog.org.uk/news/bjog-release-recurring-miscarriage-linked-family-history-ischaemic-heart-disease\" target=\"_blank\">Scottish study</a> of almost 75,000 people from 1992 - 2006 showed a 25% increase in risk among parents of women with two previous miscarriages.  Three or more miscarriages put a women\'s parents at a 56% increase in risk for coronary heart disease.\n\nThe Scottish researchers investigated a number of possible causative factors but found no direct cause-effect relationship.  Instead they are suggesting that there may be similar genetic predispositions at play.\n\nSo researchers are talking about some sort of genetic pre-disposition.  And of course who am I to say otherwise?  But hmmm....I\'m sure curious about a possible cause that wasn\'t investigated - thyroid disorders!\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Thyroid Disorders:</p>\n\n<ul>\n	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">carry an increased risk of miscarriage</li>\n	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">an increased risk of heart disease</li>\n	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">thyroid disease can be hereditary</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;','Miscarriages Put Your Heart at Risk in More Than One Way','','inherit','open','open','','1612-revision-6','','','2013-03-11 09:43:19','2013-03-11 14:43:19','',1612,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1612-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1476,1,'2013-02-08 09:19:48','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I\'ve talked about the Postpartum Mood Disorder I suffered especially after my third child was born.  What I\'ve never mentioned yet is something called Postpartum Thyroiditis.  Why haven\'t I discussed it?  Because I only learned about this condition recently.  The more I\'m learning about my thyroid the more I\'m looking back at symptoms throughout my life and realizing that I am probably one of millions of undiagnosed women living with','Postpartum Thyroiditis or Postpartum Mood Disorder','','draft','open','open','','postpartum-thyroiditis-or-postpartum-mood-disorder','','','2013-02-08 09:19:48','2013-02-08 14:19:48','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1476',0,'post','',0),(1595,1,'2013-02-24 13:56:51','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/9f66dd4bc92f874a.gif\" />\n<a href=\"http://www.logomaker.com\"><img alt=\"small business home business\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/images/logos.gif\" border=\"0\" /></a>','','','draft','open','open','','','','','2013-02-24 13:56:51','2013-02-24 18:56:51','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1595',0,'post','',0),(1596,1,'2013-02-24 15:01:27','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/d19e8a20fc65daa2.gif\" />\n<em id=\"__mceDel\"> <img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/dd6dd923b4477a42.gif\" /></em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/d2893eee01e89811.gif\" />\n<a href=\"http://www.logomaker.com\"><img alt=\"free logo design\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/images/logos.gif\" border=\"0\" /></a>','OSH Logo','','draft','open','open','','osh-logo','','','2013-02-24 15:01:27','2013-02-24 20:01:27','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1596',0,'post','',0),(1597,1,'2013-02-24 14:56:13','2013-02-24 19:56:13','<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/d19e8a20fc65daa2.gif\" />\n<a href=\"http://www.logomaker.com\"><img alt=\"logo design\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/images/logos.gif\" border=\"0\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/logo-images/dd6dd923b4477a42.gif\" />\n<a href=\"http://www.logomaker.com\"><img alt=\"free logos\" src=\"http://www.logomaker.com/images/logos.gif\" border=\"0\" /></a>','','','inherit','open','open','','1596-revision','','','2013-02-24 14:56:13','2013-02-24 19:56:13','',1596,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1596-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1598,1,'2013-02-25 12:24:56','2013-02-25 17:24:56','[caption id=\"attachment_1602\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"106\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/why-do-i-still-have-thyroid-symptoms.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1602\" alt=\"Hashimotos is an Autoimmune Disease\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/why-do-i-still-have-thyroid-symptoms-106x150.jpeg\" width=\"106\" height=\"150\" /></a> Hashimotos is an Autoimmune Disease[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou could be one of the millions of people who have undiagnosed thyroid disease. An estimated 13 million Americans and 2 million Canadians are walking around unaware they have a thyroid condition. It is 7 - 8 times more common in women! Unfortunately it can take decades to finally get diagnosed.\r\n\r\nAnd if that doesn\'t sound dismal enough - once a person gets diagnosed with hypothyroidism they most likely aren\'t aware that they could actually have an auto-immune disease called Hashimotos that created the hypothyroidism in the first place!\r\n\r\n<strong>Up to 90% of hypothyroid patients actually have Hashimotos Disease</strong> (also called autoimmune thyroiditis) - that means their body is destroying their thyroid gland.  <strong>By the time people get diagnosed often their gland is well destroyed.  </strong>Like most people diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I take thyroid hormone - problem solved right? Well not exactly.   By the time you\'re hypothyroid your gland isn\'t producing enough thyroid hormone so you have to take thyroid hormone - most likely for the rest of your life.  But taking thyroid hormone is not a cure for Hashimotos and does not change the fact that you have an <strong>auto-immune disease.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">WHAT YOU DON\'T KNOW CAN HURT YOU:</span></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>50 - 60% of Hashimotos patients have antibodies against other tissues </strong>- not just thyroid.   The point here is that if you don\'t address the autoimmune part of the disease then you may expect other eventual outcomes.\r\n\r\nWhy am I so interested in Hashimotos?  I suspect I have Hashimotos and am currently awaiting the results of my anti-body test.  I\'m discovering that interpreting the test results can prove complicated!\r\n\r\nWhile finding out I have Hashimotos may answer some questions like why I feel better when I don\'t eat gluten -  gluten intolerance is common in Hashimotos patients.  Eating gluten can trigger a further autoimmune response in a vicious cycle that can last up to 6 months after eating gluten.  So my low-gluten diet strategy that I\'ve been undertaking for quite a while isn\'t going to work!  In fact this weekend I indulged in some luscious bread and very quickly looked like I was 6 months pregnant!  2 days later I am still feeling the uncomfortable effects.  It\'s looking more and more like a 100% gluten-free diet is in my future.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime check out this video by Dr. Datis Kharrazian, who is an expert in this field and has written the book \"Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms\".\r\n\r\n<object width=\"430\" height=\"300\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\" /><param name=\"AllowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"430\" height=\"300\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" wmode=\"transparent\" AllowFullScreen=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>','What You Don\'t Know Will Hurt You','','publish','open','open','','what-you-dont-know-will-hurt-you','','','2013-02-25 12:24:56','2013-02-25 17:24:56','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1598',0,'post','',1),(1599,1,'2013-02-25 08:13:07','2013-02-25 13:13:07','Millions of people have hypothyroidism but millions more are undiagnosed.  It can take decades to finally get diagnosed with hypothyroidism.  That has been the case for me.  Like most people diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I take thyroid hormone - problem solved right?  Well not exactly.  As I\'ve been learning more about hypothyroidism I\'ve disco\n\n<object height=\"312\" width=\"470\"><param name=\"movie\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" value=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\" /><param name=\"AllowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" AllowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" height=\"312\" wmode=\"transparent\" width=\"470\"></embed></object>','What You Don\'t Know Will Hurt You','','inherit','open','open','','1598-revision','','','2013-02-25 08:13:07','2013-02-25 13:13:07','',1598,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1598-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1601,1,'2013-02-25 09:18:58','2013-02-25 14:18:58','You could be one of the millions of people who have undiagnosed thyroid disease. An estimated 13 million Americans and 2 million Canadians are walking around unaware they have a thyroid condition. It is 7 - 8 times more common in women! Unfortunately it can take decades to finally get diagnosed.\n\nAnd if that doesn\'t sound dismal enough - once a person gets diagnosed with hypothyroidism they most likely aren\'t aware that they could actually have an auto-immune disease called Hashimotos that created the hypothyroidism in the first place!\n\nUp to 90% of hypothyroid patients actually have Hashimotos Disease (also called autoimmune thyroiditis) - that means their body is destroying their thyroid gland.  <strong>By the time people get diagnosed often their gland is well destroyed.  </strong>Like most people diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I take thyroid hormone - problem solved right? Well not exactly.   By the time you\'re hypothyroid your gland isn\'t producing enough thyroid hormone so you have to take thyroid hormone - most likely for the rest of your life.\n\nTaking thyroid hormone is not a cure and does not change the fact that you have an auto-immune disease.  There are likely triggers that increase the attacks on your thyroid and getting to the bottom of these triggers is important.  It may not be just your thyroid that   Gluten is one trigger - most experts start by recommending a gluten-free diet.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<object width=\"430\" height=\"300\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\" /><param name=\"AllowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"430\" height=\"300\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.katu.com/v/?i=96156079\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" wmode=\"transparent\" AllowFullScreen=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>','What You Don\'t Know Will Hurt You','','inherit','open','open','','1598-revision-2','','','2013-02-25 09:18:58','2013-02-25 14:18:58','',1598,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1598-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1602,1,'2013-02-25 11:35:54','2013-02-25 16:35:54','','Hashimotos is an Autoimmune Disease','Hashimotos is an Autoimmune Disease','inherit','open','open','','why-do-i-still-have-thyroid-symptoms','','','2013-02-25 11:35:54','2013-02-25 16:35:54','',1598,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/why-do-i-still-have-thyroid-symptoms.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1481,1,'2013-02-10 01:51:19','0000-00-00 00:00:00','In retrospect it should have been my first clue.','Mom!?! You Have a Moustache!?! ','','draft','open','open','','mom-you-have-a-moustache','','','2013-02-10 01:51:19','2013-02-10 06:51:19','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1481',0,'post','',0),(1627,1,'2013-02-28 15:17:03','2013-02-28 20:17:03','[caption id=\"attachment_1623\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1623\" alt=\"ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Explained Miscarriages: No Crystal Ball Required (image source = dreamstime)</span>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhen I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\r\n\r\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place!  My medical history pointed to:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHere were the glaring red flags:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\r\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested.\r\n\r\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\r\n\r\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were <em><strong>“spontaneous abortions”</strong></em> (the medical term for miscarriage that feels like a punch in the stomach when you spot it written on your chart).\r\n\r\nTo me, those were <em><strong>my beautiful little babies</strong></em> that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"></p>','It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-9','','','2013-02-28 15:17:03','2013-02-28 20:17:03','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1625,1,'2013-02-28 15:16:20','2013-02-28 20:16:20','[caption id=\"attachment_1623\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1623\" alt=\"ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Explained Miscarriages: No Crystal Ball Required (image source = dreamstime)</span>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhen I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\r\n\r\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place!  My medical history pointed to:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHere were the glaring red flags:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\r\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested.\r\n\r\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\r\n\r\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were <em><strong>“spontaneous abortions”</strong></em> (the medical term for miscarriage that feels like a punch in the stomach when you spot it written on your chart).\r\n\r\nTo me, those were <em><strong>my beautiful little babies</strong></em> that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"></p>','It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-8','','','2013-02-28 15:16:20','2013-02-28 20:16:20','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1626,1,'2013-02-28 15:38:29','2013-02-28 20:38:29','<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1623\" alt=\"ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a>\n\nWhen I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\n\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place!  My medical history pointed to:\n<ul>\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\n</ul>\nHere were the glaring red flags:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\n</ul>\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested at the time.  <span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">(Progesterone suppositories worked and I have three kids as \"evidence\"!  As well, later hormone tests revealed I had almost no progesterone but really tests should have been done at the time. That being said I had all the signs of progesterone deficiency/estrogen dominance and they weren\'t picked up on.)</span>\n\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\n\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were <em><strong>“spontaneous abortions”</strong></em> (the medical term for miscarriage that feels like a punch in the stomach when you spot it written on your chart).\n\nTo me, those were <em><strong>my beautiful little babies</strong></em> that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>','It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-autosave','','','2013-02-28 15:38:29','2013-02-28 20:38:29','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1620,1,'2013-02-28 14:41:34','2013-02-28 19:41:34','When I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen researcher eventually I really stopped buying it.\n\nIt\'s not that they aren\'t explainable - it\'s that the medical system doesn\'t bother to find out because of course cost has to be the number one factor.   Also the majority of women apparently go on to have a successful second pregnancy.\n\nHere\'s the thing I don\'t buy:  As soon as you start calling something \"unexplained\" it becomes a \"catch all\".  It makes it easy to say to every woman who\'s had a miscarriage that most miscarriages are unexplained.\n\n<b>My miscarriages would have been explained if my doctors had bothered to spend a second to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place! My medical history pointed to:\n<ul>\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\n</ul>\nHere were the glaring red flags:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\n</ul>\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b> To my doctors those miscarriages were “spontaneous abortions” (the medical term for miscarriage). To me, those were <b><i>my</i></b> beautiful little babies that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear call me Mama.\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>','Are Early Miscarriages \"Unexplained\" Because Nobody Bothers to Find Out Why? ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-4','','','2013-02-28 14:41:34','2013-02-28 19:41:34','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1621,1,'2013-02-28 14:57:55','2013-02-28 19:57:55','When I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\n\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place! My medical history pointed to:\n<ul>\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\n</ul>\nHere were the glaring red flags:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\n</ul>\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\n\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were “spontaneous abortions” (the medical term for miscarriage).\n\nTo me, those were <b><i>my</i></b> beautiful little babies that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>','Are Early Miscarriages \"Unexplained\" Because Nobody Bothers to Find Out Why? ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-5','','','2013-02-28 14:57:55','2013-02-28 19:57:55','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1622,1,'2013-02-28 14:58:36','2013-02-28 19:58:36','When I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\r\n\r\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place! My medical history pointed to:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\r\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHere were the glaring red flags:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\r\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\r\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested.\r\n\r\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\r\n\r\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were “spontaneous abortions” (the medical term for miscarriage).\r\n\r\nTo me, those were <b><i>my</i></b> beautiful little babies that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>','Are Early Miscarriages \"Unexplained\" Because Nobody Bothers to Find Out Why? ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-6','','','2013-02-28 14:58:36','2013-02-28 19:58:36','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1623,1,'2013-02-28 15:09:12','2013-02-28 20:09:12','','ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required','ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required  Image Source: Dreamstime','inherit','open','open','','httpwww-dreamstime-com-image9142488','','','2013-02-28 15:09:12','2013-02-28 20:09:12','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1624,1,'2013-02-28 15:16:14','2013-02-28 20:16:14','[caption id=\"attachment_1623\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1623\" alt=\"ePatient Power: No Crystal Ball Required\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Doctor-With-a-Crystal-Ball-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Explained Miscarriages: No Crystal Ball Required (image source = dreamstime)</span>[/caption]\n\nWhen I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place and when I really became a citizen-researcher eventually my beliefs were validated.\n\n<b>My miscarriages <em>would have been explained</em> if my doctors had bothered to spend even a moment to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place!  My medical history pointed to:\n<ul>\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\n</ul>\nHere were the glaring red flags:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a></li>\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\n</ul>\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me. If I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.  Of course how would I truly know since neither my thyroid nor my estradiol/progesterone levels were tested.\n\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\n\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were <em><strong>“spontaneous abortions”</strong></em> (the medical term for miscarriage that feels like a punch in the stomach when you spot it written on your chart).\n\nTo me, those were <em><strong>my beautiful little babies</strong></em> that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear them call me Mama.\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one will care about your health as much as you do.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> about how I advocated for myself and had my beautiful baby girl on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"></p>','It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-7','','','2013-02-28 15:16:14','2013-02-28 20:16:14','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1619,1,'2013-02-28 09:30:02','2013-02-28 14:30:02','When I miscarried my first two pregnancies I was told that most early trimester miscarriages are \"unexplained\".   It never sat well with me in the first place but it was when I became a citizen researcher that’s when I finally felt validated and I really stopped buying it.\n\n<b>My miscarriages would have been explained if my doctors had bothered to spend a second to go over my health history and symptoms.  </b>In fact, if my health history had been taken into account it wouldn’t have taken a crystal ball to figure out that I was going to miscarry in the first place!\n\nMy medical history pointed to:\n<ul>\n	<li>some serious estrogen dominance symptoms</li>\n	<li>hypothyroid symptoms</li>\n	<li>trouble conceiving</li>\n</ul>\nHere were the glaring red flags:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Miscarriages Double for Women with Infertility\" href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general \" target=\"_blank\">risk of miscarriage doubles for women who need more than a year to conceive</a><a href=\"https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/miscarriage-general\">\n</a></li>\n	<li>hypothyroidism causes infertility and miscarriage</li>\n	<li>progesterone deficiency causes miscarriages</li>\n</ul>\nDoes it seem obvious to you?   It sure sends some red flags up for me.\n\nIf I had been an <b>engaged patient</b> before I started trying to conceive<b> </b>there is no doubt in my mind that I would have had a different outcome.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>The perfect example of why being an engaged patient is crucial to your health:</b>\n\nTo my doctors those miscarriages were “spontaneous abortions” (the medical term for miscarriage).\n\nTo me, those were <b><i>my</i></b> beautiful little babies that I never got to meet or hold or nurse or cherish or snuggle or laugh with or hear call me Mama.\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #800080; font-family: helvetica;\"><b>It’s not that my doctors didn’t care – they just didn’t care as much as I did.</b></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Read my article <a title=\"My Baby Taught me My ABCs\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/27/my-baby-taught-me-my-abc%E2%80%99s\" target=\"_blank\">My Baby Taught Me My ABCs</a> on Dr Greene\'s website.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"></p>\n<p align=\"center\"></p>','Are Early Miscarriages \"Unexplained\" Because Nobody Bothers to Find Out Why? ','','inherit','open','open','','1606-revision-3','','','2013-02-28 09:30:02','2013-02-28 14:30:02','',1606,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1606-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1500,1,'2013-02-13 01:39:55','2013-02-13 06:39:55','','Participatory Medicine Logo_175x70','','inherit','open','open','','participatory-medicine-logo_175x70','','','2013-02-13 01:39:55','2013-02-13 06:39:55','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Participatory-Medicine-Logo_175x70.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(1507,1,'2013-02-14 09:49:03','2013-02-14 14:49:03','What are you getting your Beloved for Valentines day?  Chocolate, golf balls, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Y\n\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\n\nI\'ve asked','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','inherit','open','open','','1505-revision','','','2013-02-14 09:49:03','2013-02-14 14:49:03','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1505-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1508,1,'2013-02-14 09:56:11','2013-02-14 14:56:11','','Best Valentines Day Gift Ever','Copyright (c) <a href=\'http://www.123rf.com\'>123RF Stock Photos</a>','inherit','open','open','','heart','','','2013-02-14 09:56:11','2013-02-14 14:56:11','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1509,1,'2013-02-14 10:27:30','2013-02-14 15:27:30','[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"113\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1508\" alt=\"Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart--113x150.jpg\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Copyright (c)              <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com\">123RF Stock Photos</a></span><span style=\"font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;\"></span>[/caption]\n\nWhat are you getting your Beloved for Valentines day?  Chocolate, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Yes, you read that right - and here\'s why:\n\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\n\nI\'ve experienced both sides of the libido spectrum and life is just all around better in every possible way when your libido is in a healthy state.  When I was a young woman I mentioned to my doctor that I had no sex drive and wondered if it was my hormones or the birth control pills I was taking.  She told me that it wasn\'t likely to be either but that it was much more likely to be relationship problems.  Now, <strong>24 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 children and 1 divorce later, I can tell you that she was wrong, make that Wrong with a capital W</strong>.\n\nWhile other factors can be at play,<strong> loss of sex drive is mostly caused by hormone imbalances</strong> like:\n<ul>\n	<li>Thyroid Disorder - women are 7 times more likely to have a thyroid disorder &amp; half of us are undiagnosed</li>\n	<li>Estrogen Dominance</li>\n	<li>Excess Progesterone</li>\n	<li>Low testosterone (yes women need testosterone!)</li>\n	<li>PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome</li>\n	<li>Stress - yes I put this under hormonal imbalance!  Stress affects your cortisol - cortisol is considered the stress hormone</li>\n</ul>\nLet me say that while this may be a simplistic view considering women\'s libido is a complicated mixture of both emotional and physical aspects, the physical aspects can be the most straightforward points to address.\n\nSo what\'s the best Valentine\'s Day gift ever?  Make a commitment to get your libido back!  Book yourself an appointment with a Functional Medicine doctor or naturopath who will address your whole health including your libido!\n\nIf you don\'t care whether you get your libido back read my article <a title=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/28/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido\" target=\"_blank\">Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Libido? </a>to find out why you want to get your libido back.','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','inherit','open','open','','1505-revision-2','','','2013-02-14 10:27:30','2013-02-14 15:27:30','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1505-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1510,1,'2013-02-14 10:41:59','2013-02-14 15:41:59','[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"113\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1508\" alt=\"Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart--113x150.jpg\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Copyright (c)              <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com\">123RF Stock Photos</a></span>[/caption]\n\nWhat are you getting your Beloved for Valentines Day?  Chocolate, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Yes, you read that right - and here\'s why:\n\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\n\nI\'ve experienced both sides of the libido spectrum and life is just all around better in every possible way when your libido is in a healthy state.  When I was a young woman I mentioned to my doctor that I had no sex drive and wondered if it was my hormones or the birth control pills I was taking.  She told me that it wasn\'t likely to be either but that it was much more likely to be relationship problems.  Now, <strong>24 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 children, 50 syringes of progesterone cream, 1000 thyroid pills and 1 divorce later, I can tell you that she was wrong, make that Wrong with a capital W!</strong>\n\nWhile other factors can be at play,<strong> loss of sex drive is mostly caused by hormone imbalances</strong> like:\n<ul>\n	<li>Thyroid Disorder - women are 7 times more likely to have a thyroid disorder &amp; half of us are undiagnosed</li>\n	<li>Estrogen Dominance</li>\n	<li>Excess Progesterone</li>\n	<li>Low testosterone (yes women produce &amp; NEED testosterone!)</li>\n	<li>PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome</li>\n	<li>Stress - yes I put this under hormonal imbalance!  Stress affects your cortisol - cortisol is considered the stress hormone.  Adrenal fatigue affects your DHEA - which is a precursor hormone that our body needs along with cholesterol to make other hormones!</li>\n</ul>\nLet me say that while this may be a simplistic view considering women\'s libido is a complicated mixture of both emotional and physical aspects, the physical aspects can be the most straightforward points to address if you find yourself the right doctor.\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>So what\'s the best Valentine\'s Day gift ever?  </strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Make a commitment to get your libido back!</strong> </span>\n\nBook yourself an appointment with a Functional Medicine doctor or naturopath who will address your whole health including your libido!\n\nIf you don\'t care whether you get your libido back read my article <a title=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/28/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido\" target=\"_blank\">Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Libido? </a>to find out why you want to get your libido back.','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','inherit','open','open','','1505-revision-3','','','2013-02-14 10:41:59','2013-02-14 15:41:59','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1505-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1511,1,'2013-02-14 10:45:35','2013-02-14 15:45:35','[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"113\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1508\" alt=\"Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart--113x150.jpg\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Copyright (c)              <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com\">123RF Stock Photos</a></span>[/caption]\n\nWhat are you getting your Beloved for Valentines Day?  Chocolate, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Yes, you read that right - and here\'s why:\n\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\n\nI\'ve experienced both sides of the libido spectrum and life is just all around better in every possible way when your libido is in a healthy state.  When I was a young woman I mentioned to my doctor that I had no sex drive and wondered if it was my hormones or the birth control pills I was taking.  She told me that it wasn\'t likely to be either but that it was much more likely to be relationship problems.  Now, <strong>24 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 children, 50 syringes of progesterone cream, 1000 thyroid pills and 1 divorce later, I can tell you that she was wrong, make that Wrong with a capital W!</strong>\n\nWhile other factors can be at play,<strong> loss of sex drive is mostly caused by hormone imbalances</strong> such as:\n<ul>\n	<li>Thyroid Disorder - women are 7 times more likely to have a thyroid disorder &amp; half of us are undiagnosed</li>\n	<li>Estrogen Dominance</li>\n	<li>Excess Progesterone</li>\n	<li>Low testosterone (yes women produce &amp; NEED testosterone!)</li>\n	<li>PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome</li>\n	<li>Stress - yes I put this under hormonal imbalance!  Stress affects your cortisol - cortisol is considered the stress hormone.  Adrenal fatigue affects your DHEA - which is a precursor hormone that our body needs along with cholesterol to make other hormones!</li>\n</ul>\nLet me say that while this may be a simplistic view considering women\'s libido is a complicated mixture of both emotional and physical aspects, the physical aspects can be the most straightforward points to address if you find yourself the right doctor.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>So what\'s the best Valentine\'s Day gift ever?  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>Make a commitment to get your libido back!</strong> </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Book yourself an appointment today with a Functional Medicine doctor or naturopath or an Anti-Aging Doctor (because they are experts in hormones) who will address your whole health including your libido!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you don\'t care whether you get your libido back read my article <a title=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/28/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido\" target=\"_blank\">Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Libido? </a>to find out why you want to get your libido back.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','inherit','open','open','','1505-revision-4','','','2013-02-14 10:45:35','2013-02-14 15:45:35','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1505-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1512,1,'2013-02-14 10:50:20','2013-02-14 15:50:20','[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"113\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1508\" alt=\"Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Heart--113x150.jpg\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" /></a> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Copyright (c)              <a href=\"http://www.123rf.com\">123RF Stock Photos</a></span>[/caption]\n\nWhat are you getting your Beloved for Valentines Day?  Chocolate, a special dinner, an expensive bottle of wine or a night away from the kids?  I say forget it - take the money you\'d spend on a night away from the kids and spend it on yourself!  Yes, you read that right - and here\'s why:\n\nIf you\'re a woman it would be a pretty safe bet to say you\'ve experienced what seems to be a universal problem in women\'s health: the ebb and flow of your libido. I\'d even guess that it\'s been more ebb than flow.\n\nI\'ve experienced both sides of the libido spectrum and life is just all around better in every possible way when your libido is in a healthy state.  When I was a young woman I mentioned to my doctor that I had no sex drive and wondered if it was my hormones or the birth control pills I was taking.  She told me that it wasn\'t likely to be either but that it was much more likely to be relationship problems.  Now, <strong>24 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 children, 50 syringes of bio-identical progesterone cream, 1000 thyroid pills, 850 Magnesium pills and 1 divorce later, I can tell you that she was wrong, make that Wrong with a capital W!</strong>\n\nWhile other factors can be at play,<strong> loss of sex drive is mostly caused by hormone imbalances</strong> such as:\n<ul>\n	<li>Thyroid Disorder - women are 7 times more likely to have a thyroid disorder &amp; half of us are undiagnosed</li>\n	<li>Estrogen Dominance</li>\n	<li>Excess Progesterone</li>\n	<li>Low testosterone (yes women produce &amp; NEED testosterone!)</li>\n	<li>PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome</li>\n	<li>Stress - yes I put this under hormonal imbalance!  Stress affects your cortisol - cortisol is considered the stress hormone.  Adrenal fatigue affects your DHEA - which is a precursor hormone that our body needs along with cholesterol to make other hormones!</li>\n</ul>\nLet me say that while this may be a simplistic view considering women\'s libido is a complicated mixture of both emotional and physical aspects, the physical aspects can be the most straightforward points to address if you find yourself the right doctor.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>So what\'s the best Valentine\'s Day gift ever?  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #993366;\"><strong>Make a commitment to get your libido back!</strong> </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">♥ Book yourself an appointment today with a Functional Medicine doctor or naturopath or an Anti-Aging Doctor (because they are experts in hormones) who will address your whole health including your libido. ♥</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> Let your Beloved know that you\'ve booked an appointment and have made a commitment to get your libido back.  I promise it will be the Best Valentines Day Gift you\'ve ever given yourself or anyone else. <span style=\"font-size: large; color: #ff0000;\">\n</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you don\'t care whether you get your libido back read my article <a title=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/perspectives/2012/08/28/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido\" target=\"_blank\">Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Libido? </a>to find out why you want to get your libido back.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>','Forget the Chocolate - This is the Best Valentines Gift Ever','','inherit','open','open','','1505-revision-5','','','2013-02-14 10:50:20','2013-02-14 15:50:20','',1505,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1505-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0);
