Yes, sex hormones. I'm talking about sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA. We all have them and they all play a very crucial role in maintaining optimal health....But only if these sex hormones are in perfect harmony and balance!

A few months ago myself and Dr. Chad Larson decided that we would make Hormone Testing available at Pure Prescriptions. I must admit, at first I was a bit skeptical...How in  the world can a simple saliva test mailed to somebody's home be of any use?

Yes, I knew the tests were FDA Approved, so that helped settled some of my doubts,  but for me it was the nagging question, "I'm a perfectly healthy 35 year old,  not a menopausal woman with estrogen imbalance...Why would I need to test my sex hormones?"

I mean, C'mon...sex hormones and me. No thanks, I said, thinking that spitting in a  small test tube to look at my testosterone levels is not only very personal but a waste of time. Dr. Larson and Dr. Mead (Our Lab Director) took one look at me after this response and challenged me to not just test my testosterone and other sex hormones, but my Cortisol as well. This was an 8 Hormone Test that upon further explanation would reveal many things about my current state of health. They continued to lecture me about not only the ease and use of the testing procedure (no uncomfortable blood draws,  messy urine or stool sample required), but the accuracy at which the test would indicate the hidden cause  of many of my little health concerns I had been experiencing for the better part of 10 years. 

My health concerns are not unlike what anyone else experiences; Sleep difficulties, anxiety, low energy and of course more belly fat than I care to look at. Given the fact that I had been through Chemotherapy and Radiation for  Hodgkin's Lymphoma  in 2000 (a type of lymph node cancer) and the fact that those who know me can attest to my Type A, Overachieving work ethic of 70-90 hours a week...It was high time to re-assess.  I looked healthy to myself and others, however, difficulty sleeping and low energy were my main gripes. I knew it was just a matter of time before those symptoms would manifest into something more serious (like cancer-again!) if I did not take appropriate steps right then and there!

So, what did I do? I took Dr.'s Mead and Larson's challenge, I took a hormone test. An 8-Hormone test to be exact. It was real easy. Basically, you spit (Yes spit!) saliva into a plastic test tube at 4 different times in one day. Then you put the test tubes back in a postage already paid box along with the required paperwork (brief history and symptoms) and mail it to the Lab. Within 3-7 business days you have results!

In this article, I want to show you what lab results look like. I was so blown away by my hormone results and the subsequent proactive steps that have literally changed my life that I want to share my personal lab results with you. Some two months later now, after modifying my lifestyle, diet and supplementation program,  I now sleep like a baby, feel more energy throughout the day and have Zero anxiety (thanks to no more coffee).

Cortisol Levels (Lower right hand graph)
Cortisol is your waking day hormone (highest in the morning and lowest at night). It is necessary for energy production, blood sugar metabolism, anti-inflammatory effects and stress response.

As you can clearly see, my Cortisol is not very high in the morning, it's flat-lined for all intensive purposes! This hormone measurement would explain many of my problems. Low Energy, Blood Sugar Metabolism (Sweet Cravings as seen on the requisition form), and an imbalance of my stress response which I'm guessing didn't do much for my feelings of anxiety. it is worth noting that my high DHEA values support the maladaptive stress response.

In a nutshell and what the lab interpretation states, "Cortisol levels and reported symptoms are consistent with established adrenal glad fatigue (hypoadrenia)"

So what does all this mean?
To me at the time, it meant that I should change my habits quick...because I know that a stressed out body and mind leads to Immune suppression and Immune suppression can lead to all sorts of serious health problems, and to me this was the very real possibility of a cancer relapse. No Thank You!

WHAT DID I DO?

DIET:
I immediately changed my dietary habits. First and foremost, I quit coffee and all forms of caffeine the day I laid eyes on my test results. Caffeine is a well known contributor to "hypoadrenia" or Adrenal burnout (see flat-lined graph). Secondly I do my very best to eat low glycemic foods, meaning that need to stay away from sugar. Sugar is the Immune systems worst enemy next to stress and one of cancers best friends. So.... I stay away from Starbucks temptation and opt for tea instead (I like Roiboos) and avoid food and beverages that contain refined and artificial sugars. 

LIFESTYLE:
I took my job less seriously. Just kidding...Not really. I think I'm down to about 50 hours from what seemed like working 24/7 or 70-90 hours/week. I now take quality time performing daily activities that absolutely decrease my stress levels. I started by walking away from my computer and fancy plasma TV and started doing both physical and mental exercises. For me I enjoy outdoor board sports like surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding. I also enjoy taking my dog Lady on walks and bike-rides with me. And when my body is tired I pick up a book or just sit down in my living room and perform a series of stretches that helps quiet my mind.

SUPPLEMENTS:
Being the founder of Pure Prescriptions, you would think I take a lot of vitamin supplements. And you would be right. I must have 200 supplements in my home, however, I take a very specific regimen that fits me personally. Before taking the hormone test, I took the following:

1) NewGreens for overall foundational nutrition and energy. 2-3 scoops/day
2) AHCC for Immune Enhancement and my history of cancer. 2 capsules 3X/day
3) Curcumin for antioxidant and cardiovascular support.  At least 6 capsules per day.
4) Protein Powder (IsoProtein Plus) for amino acid & protein supplementation. 1-2 scoops daily
5) Pure NKO for essential fatty acids and Omega-3's. 3 softgels/day

After my 8 hormone test it was very clear that I would need to rebuild my adrenals with TWO additional supplements, shown below. I kept my current supplementation program (shown above) exactly the same.

• IsoCort Adrenal Cortex extract to help re-build adrenal glands. 7 pellets/day
• B-Complex Plus or energy enhancement. 2 capsules/day beginning August 1, 2006
  

Within the first couple of weeks on the IsoCort I noticed a definite increase in my energy. I plan to work in other specific Adrenal supplements over the next couple of months in addition to all the above mentioned. Naturally, my next questions I posed to  Dr. Larson and Dr. Mead was, "After so many years of my adrenal glands taking abuse....will they ever re-build?" The answer I got was that there are no guarantees. My chances of naturally rebuilding my adrenal glands are good , but coming back from so much abuse would not happen overnight, and in some cases can take years to reverse the imbalance.

So, to you my readers, I hope to make a full adrenal comeback, even if it takes several years. Now that I have a baseline to go from, I will continue to objectively monitor my cortisol and sex hormones a couple times a year to mark my progress and to make the necessary adjustments in my diet, lifestyle, and supplementation protocol.  Whether male or female, menopausal or not,  I would encourage everyone to obtain a baseline hormone status through this very reliable testing method. 

And by the way, that slight pouch of belly fat I mentioned earlier, is finally starting to melt away.