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2120: Signs Your Hormones are Out of Balance With Dr. Jolene Brighten
Mon Jul 17 2023Women's HealthHormonesSexual HealthEndocrine DisruptorsHormonal ImbalancesMuscle HealthAdvocacyHealthcare
Description
This episode explores women's health and hormones, covering topics such as PMS, skin issues, energy problems, hormone balance, and the impact of societal factors on understanding women's bodies. It delves into the challenges of recognizing hormonal issues, the role of endocrine disruptors in hormonal health, and the importance of muscle in hormone regulation. The episode also discusses sexual desire, estrogen dominance, reducing exposure to hormone disruptors, promoting hormonal health through education and lifestyle changes, and navigating healthcare while advocating for hormonal health.
Insights
Common problems are mistakenly considered normal
Dr. Jolene Brighton emphasizes that many common problems in women's health are mistakenly considered normal when they are not.
Medical gaslighting and poor sex education
Medical gaslighting, where providers dismiss women's concerns and symptoms as normal, and poor sex education in the United States contribute to the lack of knowledge about women's health.
Hormones play a significant role in libido and sexual desire
Hormones play a significant role in libido and sexual desire, and metabolic health also affects sex life.
Common symptoms are often considered normal
Doctors often consider common symptoms as normal due to high prevalence, leading to underdiagnosis of serious conditions.
Endocrine disruptors impact hormonal health
Endocrine disruptors in the environment can cause hormone system issues, and common products used by women may increase cancer risk and early onset of menstruation.
Understanding healthy hormones and recognizing imbalances
Recognizing abnormal period symptoms can indicate hormonal imbalances, and energy levels, libido, sleep quality, and mood can be influenced by estrogen levels.
Hormones impact brain function and sexual health
Hormones can impact women's brain function, leading to sensory sensitivity and difficulty concentrating. Women with hormonal imbalances should consider the possibility of comorbid conditions like autism or ADHD. PMS and PMDD can significantly affect a woman's life.
Complexity of sexual desires and hormonal influences
Women have more complex sexual desires due to evolutionary factors like pregnancy risk and safety concerns. Hormones like dopamine and serotonin affect sexual behavior, and serotonin levels can affect orgasm difficulty during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.
Estrogen dominance and hormone regulation
Estrogen dominance is associated with symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, PMS, bloating, and heavy periods. Xenoestrogens can stimulate estrogen receptors and affect DNA function similar to too much estrogen. The liver and gut play important roles in estrogen metabolism and elimination of toxins.
Reducing exposure to hormone disruptors
Taking steps to reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as getting rid of nonstick items, removing fragrances from the house, and replacing plastics with glass containers, can help promote hormonal health.
Chapters
- Women's Health and Hormones
- Understanding Hormones and Sexual Health
- Challenges in Recognizing Hormonal Issues
- Endocrine Disruptors and Hormonal Health
- Impact of Forever Chemicals and Hormonal Imbalances
- Hormones and Menstrual Phases
- Hormones, Brain Function, and Sexual Health
- Understanding Sexual Desire and Hormonal Influences
- Estrogen Dominance and Hormone Regulation
- Reducing Exposure to Hormone Disruptors
- Promoting Hormonal Health Through Education and Lifestyle Changes
- The Role of Muscle in Hormonal Health
- The Impact of Strength Training on Hormones and Health
- Navigating Healthcare and Advocating for Hormonal Health
Summary
Transcript
Women's Health and Hormones
00:00 - 06:45
- Dr. Jolene Brighton, author of the book 'Is This Normal?', discusses women's health and hormones in this episode.
- The episode covers topics such as PMS, skin issues, energy problems, and hormone balance.
- Dr. Brighton emphasizes that many common problems are mistakenly considered normal when they are not.
- She provides insights on hormone tests and offers support for those who choose to use birth control pills.
- The motivation behind writing the book was to address the lack of understanding about what is normal in women's health.
- Medical gaslighting is a significant issue where providers dismiss women's concerns and symptoms as normal.
- Poor sex education in the United States also contributes to the lack of knowledge about women's health.
- Overall, the book aims to empower women with knowledge about their bodies and provide solutions beyond conventional medical advice.
Understanding Hormones and Sexual Health
06:22 - 13:15
- Medical problems and societal issues contribute to a lack of understanding about women's bodies and pleasure.
- Sex education in the United States is inadequate, focusing mainly on reproductive health.
- Lack of education about hormones and their impact on the body is a major problem.
- Finding trustworthy information on the internet is challenging.
- Hormones play a significant role in libido and sexual desire.
- Metabolic health also affects sex life.
- Confidence, relationship dynamics, and daily experiences can influence libido alongside hormones.
- Drug trials often do not account for gender differences or the effects of hormonal birth control.
- Research studies are often conducted on specific demographics that may not represent the general population.
Challenges in Recognizing Hormonal Issues
12:56 - 19:36
- The real drug trial starts when introduced into the general population.
- It's important to believe the patient's story and not dismiss their experiences.
- Normal distribution follows a bell curve, with deviations outside the average.
- Experiences that don't match research studies or provider claims can still be true.
- Alcohol affects individuals differently based on age, illustrating the need for personalized understanding.
- There is a difference between common and normal, especially in an unhealthy population.
- Doctors often consider common symptoms as normal due to high prevalence, leading to underdiagnosis of serious conditions.
- The mindset of common being normal is perpetuated by media and societal influences.
- Libido is complex and influenced by hormones, but societal beliefs about women's sexuality can be misleading.
- Shame may prevent individuals from addressing issues and seeking improvement in sexual health.
- Hormone issues are more common now due to lifestyle changes and increased awareness of our bodies.
Endocrine Disruptors and Hormonal Health
19:20 - 25:59
- Increased body literacy due to the internet and awareness of hormone imbalances
- Endocrine disruptors in the environment can cause hormone system issues
- Common products used by women, especially in the BIPOC community, may increase cancer risk and early onset of menstruation
- Hustle culture and stress contribute to hormonal disruption
- Food supply is a source of endocrine disruptors, affecting field workers and consumers
- Highly processed food-like items devoid of nutrients negatively impact health
- Cumulative effects of combining chemicals in personal care products are not tested or researched
- Individual factors like genetics, detox capability, and environmental exposure should be considered when assessing harm from chemicals
- The FDA's approval process is not as rigorous as that of the EU
- Forever chemicals have long-lasting impacts on human and environmental health
Impact of Forever Chemicals and Hormonal Imbalances
25:40 - 32:40
- Forever chemicals in the environment are impacting all species on the planet.
- Taking action to support detox pathways and minimize exposure is important.
- Switching out plastics for glass, reducing plastic use, and opening windows can help.
- Flame retardants have significant impacts on animals and humans.
- Cleaning up flame retardants is crucial for thyroid health and fertility.
- Chemicals like BPA and flame retardants disrupt hormones and cause oxidative stress.
- Understanding what healthy hormones should feel like is important.
- Recognizing abnormal period symptoms can indicate hormonal imbalances.
- Energy levels, libido, sleep quality, and mood can be influenced by estrogen levels.
Hormones and Menstrual Phases
32:18 - 38:43
- Significant cravings and low mood during the luteal phase are not normal
- Lifting weights is impactful for metabolic and hormone health
- Progesterone in the luteal phase can impact anxiety levels
- The ovulatory phase is classified as the sexual phase
- Hormones stimulate the brain and clitoris during the sexual phase
- Wetter during ovulation, drier in the luteal phase is normal
- Progesterone makes you calmer and less affected by stressors
- Relationships and interactions with others can be impacted by hormones
Hormones, Brain Function, and Sexual Health
38:16 - 45:20
- Hormones can impact women's brain function, leading to sensory sensitivity and difficulty concentrating.
- Women with hormonal imbalances should consider the possibility of comorbid conditions like autism or ADHD.
- PMS and PMDD can significantly affect a woman's life, and these conditions are prevalent in the ADHD and autism communities.
- Once a woman receives one diagnosis, it is easy for doctors to overlook other potential conditions.
- Hot makeup sex after a fight can be explained by the release of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine during the argument.
- For some people, sex is a stress relief that releases oxytocin and helps calm down the nervous system.
- Achieving orgasm requires mindfulness, which further reduces stress hormones.
- Makeup sex can help couples feel connected again after a fight, but it may become toxic if it becomes a repetitive pattern.
- Women have more complex sexual desires due to evolutionary factors like pregnancy risk and safety concerns.
Understanding Sexual Desire and Hormonal Influences
44:52 - 51:40
- Women are more choosy and act as gatekeepers due to the potential risk of pregnancy.
- Safety plays a big role for women in sexual desires.
- Hormones like dopamine and serotonin affect sexual behavior.
- Primates engage in sex as part of caretaking and making others feel better.
- Altruistic deceit, such as faking orgasms, is driven by women wanting their partners to feel good.
- Serotonin levels can affect orgasm difficulty during certain phases of the menstrual cycle.
- Progesterone increases during the luteal phase, leading to decreased serotonin and increased cravings.
- Lifestyle changes and supplements can help with hormone imbalances and detoxification from endocrine disruptors.
Estrogen Dominance and Hormone Regulation
51:18 - 57:59
- Estrogen dominance has been a hot topic and is associated with symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, PMS, bloating, and heavy periods.
- Xenoestrogens can stimulate estrogen receptors and affect DNA function similar to too much estrogen.
- The liver has several phases of detoxification to eliminate toxins from the body.
- Cruciferous vegetables, high-quality proteins, and fiber are important for supporting liver detoxification.
- The gut plays a role in eliminating toxins through the astroblum bacteria that interacts with estrogen.
- Dysbiosis in the gut can increase beta glucuronidase enzyme, which reactivates estrogen.
- Taking care of the gut microbiome by consuming fiber and probiotics can help regulate estrogen levels.
- Calcium d-glucarate can help keep beta glucuronidase in check.
- Gut health is crucial for vaginal health as estrogen stimulates cells in the vagina to create glycogen that feeds lactobacillus species.
- Drinking enough water is important for overall hormone balance.
- Supplements like calcium d-glucarate and DIM can support estrogen metabolism through the liver.
- Two hydroxyestrone is the best form of estrogen metabolism while four and sixteen can be problematic and lead to health issues like cancer or growths in breasts or uterus.
Reducing Exposure to Hormone Disruptors
57:32 - 1:03:55
- Get rid of anything nonstick in your house.
- Remove all fragrances from your house, including laundry detergent and personal care products.
- Take off your shoes before entering the house to reduce bringing in pollutants from outside.
- Open up your windows at least once a week to improve indoor air quality.
- Replace plastics in your kitchen with glass containers.
- Phase out makeup, skincare, and toiletries that contain harmful chemicals.
- Wash new clothes before wearing them to remove chemicals.
- Be mindful of fast fashion as cheaper clothes often contain more synthetic materials and chemicals.
Promoting Hormonal Health Through Education and Lifestyle Changes
1:03:32 - 1:10:04
- Other cultures value food differently than the US, which focuses on cheapness and quantity.
- Teaching children about food and gut health.
- Open household with discussions about sex education and consent.
- Normalizing conversations about hormones and emotions.
- Having a wide age range of children in the family.
- Educating teenagers about their bodies without shame.
- Using candy as a teaching tool for making healthy choices.
- Allowing children to experiment in a controlled fashion to learn from experiences.
- The importance of muscle on hormones like insulin, estrogen, and testosterone.
The Role of Muscle in Hormonal Health
1:09:40 - 1:16:45
- Muscle affects hormones like insulin, estrogen, and testosterone.
- Muscle loss leads to sarcopenic obesity, which increases morbidity and mortality.
- Nutrition, lifestyle, and weightlifting combat sarcopenic obesity.
- Weightlifting sensitizes the body to insulin and improves blood sugar control.
- Maintaining muscle mass is the foundation of hormone health.
- Visceral adiposity increases the risk of diabetes and cardiometabolic issues.
- Losing muscle mass starts in the 30s but can be prevented with weightlifting.
- Balancing muscle and fat helps with inflammation and hormone regulation.
- Strength training is important for women's pelvic floor health.
- Protein intake should be at least one gram per kilogram of body weight for women in their 40s.
- Creatine supplements are beneficial for muscles and brain health.
- Strength training can help prevent Alzheimer's disease by increasing mitochondria in the brain.
The Impact of Strength Training on Hormones and Health
1:16:28 - 1:23:01
- Strength training can positively impact hormone profile and metabolic health, even without significant muscle gain.
- Society's emphasis on body appearance can be detrimental to long-term health.
- Thin individuals may have poor cardiometabolic profiles, while curvier individuals may be healthy if their fat is not packed around organs.
- Consistency in strength training is key for internal changes, regardless of immediate visible results.
- How you feel (energy levels, cravings, etc.) matters more than how you look.
- It's important to question doctors and advocate for your own health.
- Doctors are humans who make mistakes, and it's crucial to challenge their assumptions and ask for appropriate tests.
- The burden of individualized care often falls on the patient due to the limitations of the healthcare system.
- Approach doctors with curiosity and kindness to encourage critical thinking about your case.