Your saliva hormone values give you an excellent picture of your Bioavailable hormone levels. This portion of your total hormones is extremely important because it is these hormones which are available to carry out critical jobs in different pars of your body. About 95-99% of your total blood hormones are bound to carrier proteins therefore not available to your tissues.  On the other hand, the remaining 1-5% is free to move into the cells and make changes.  In general, if you have blood hormones measured, these results reflect your total hormone levels and not the crucial “bioavailable” fraction. Therefore you can expect your saliva results to be much lower then blood values and a far more accurate reflection of your bioavailable fraction.

The goal of saliva hormone monitoring is to determine whether or not hormone replacement therapy or another form of intervention is appropriate for you.  If you are already taking hormones, testing will allow you and your healthcare provider to adjust dosages, both optimizing benefits and minimizing risks.  It is important to have a lab and healthcare provider familiar with bioidentical hormone supplementation.  For example estradiol level of 0.7 pg/ml falls within normal range for a postmenopausal women, but it is insufficient (in most cases) for bone protection or symptom relief. Titration to a more youthful target range is important to discuss with your chosen practitioner.

One of the areas that we assess in Saliva Testing is Adrenal Function.  During a 24 hour period, cortisol typically peaks in the early morning and drops dramatically thereafter.  This cycle is called circadian rhythm.  Ideally cortisol should drop to 10% of it’s level by evening.  A healthy adrenal gland replenishes cortisol during sleep.  An abnormal adrenal rhythm can influence functions of the body such as:

• Difficulty rising in the morning or energy slumps during the day
• Reduced tissue repair and increased tissue breakdown lending to muscle and joint pain
• Compromised bone rebuilding and an increased risk of Osteoporsis
• Suppressed immune response
• Lowered ability to enter REM sleep leading to reduced vitality and depression
• Less skin regeneration
• Hypothyroid symptoms

A morning DHEA level is also taken when testing Adrenals as long term adrenal stress can cause DHEA suppression.

As you can see and as many of you have felt too much or too little of any hormone can cause changes in metabolism and lifestyle that my affect your hormone absorption.  It is important to periodically re-test and adjust your dose if your are utilizing any hormone or homeopathic supplementation to make sure your body stays in proper balance.

With Dr. King’s Nutrition, Lifestyle & Hormone Programs you receive a complete personalized assessment not the “cookie cutter” program that many of the doctors are utilizing on the market today.  There is no one size fits most here. We utilize an extensive questionnaire and interview process, lab testing (as indicated), bioenergentic testing and computerized analysis, and customized products that fit your body and your body’s specific needs.  If you have adrenal insufficiency we don’t just put everyone on the same type of adrenal formula we have 8 different types so we can fit the best one for your body type.

I know many of you have looked at other offices and have been sent pre-made packages this is not the case with Dr. King.  She goes above and beyond to get you healthy and find the best plan specific for you body and your body’s needs.  You deserve the best and she brings you the very best in her custom, boutique office.  Call today and begin your journey to feeling amazing 626-799-0557.

The Hormone Connection: On average women tend to get by on less then 6 1/2 hours of sleep during the work week and 7 hours on weekends, often interrupted. Job stress, family stress, that “not enough hours in the day feeling” can contribute to a woman’s sleepless nights. But so can her hormonal fluctuations and changes. PMS, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause bring with them estrogen and progesterone fluctuations that can lead to increased wakefulness at night.

During the luteal phase of a women’s menstrual cycle, (days 14-24 after menses begins) as progesterone levels increase, sleep often comes easily. Then as progesterone declines, falling asleep can become more challenging. Progesterone, known as the calming hormone, is also believed to influence sleep during pregnancy. One of the most common complaints of my perimenopausal and menopausal patients is a change of sleep patterns. Studies have shown that between 50-60% of all perimenopausal and menopausal women have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night, with shortened periods of restful or deep sleep. This can be due to wildly fluctuating progesterone and estrogen levels as well as cortisol increase from overactive Adrenal Glands.

Most of us fall asleep when our body temperature is declining. As heat is lost through the skin, and the core body temperature declines, drowsiness increases. The hormonal changes that come with menopause affect the body’s temperature-regulating mechanisms, which could account for the increased sleep difficulty that comes with menopause and aging.

The Stress Zone: Chronic Insomnia increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Insomniacs with the highest degree of sleep disturbance secrete the highest amount of cortisol, particularly in the evening and nighttime hours when cortisol levels should be low. This means that insomniacs are producing stress hormone levels that actually prevent them from sleeping. They are suffering from sustained, round-the-clock activation of the body’s system for responding to stress. Continually living with stress of to little sleep can aggravate and intensify other medical conditions like high blood pressure, digestive disorders and weaken the body’s ability to fight off illness as well as cause increased weight gain. Also continually living with increased stress during the day can trigger this response as well causing Adrenal overload and cortisol overload preventing good sleep. (An important hormone we check during our Saliva Testing)

Natural Bioidentical Estrogen replacement therapy has been shown to improve sleep quality, facilitate sleep onset, and decrease nighttime restlessness and awakenings. Women taking bioidentical estrogen report feeling less tired in the morning and throughout the day. They also report that other symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, muscle aches, and mood swings are improved. Another reason to check your hormones levels and supplement is low estrogen levels are associated with increased heart rate and blood pressure in response to stress (which is why many women report anxiety and heart palpitations during perimenopause and menopause). Restoring estrogen with natural bioidentical formulas helps restore the body to a more youthful less stress state. Estrogen, Progesterone, Cortisol, DHEA, Testosterone, DHT and Melatonin all play a role with how the body balances throughout any given day and therefore all important hormones to test when the body is not feeling like yourself.

The relationship between hormones is synchronistic, and delicate. What effects one, can affect the others. When one hormone is out of balance the synchrony can be disrupted. It is important never to just supplement one hormone without a full comprehensive evaluation. At our office we offer a 2 hour one-on-one evaluation with the doctor with computerized technology to evaluate the total health and wellness of the body. To assess the hormones we offer Blood Analysis and Comprehensive Saliva Testing in combination with our 2 hour consultation or for those of you already working with me any follow up evaluation. We offer full panel testing of all hormones based on your body’s specific symptoms and needs. Many insurances cover both Blood and Saliva Testing and for those of you without insurance we have a special cash discounts for the Saliva Hormone Testing.

If you’d like further information please don’t hesitate to contact our office and stay tuned for more blog posts on hormones and balancing your body from the inside out. All my best for continued great health,
Dr. Stephanie King

Dr. King’s passion for health and wellness and helping those whose doctors have given up is astounding. She does not give up, in fact, SHE LOVES pursing a challenge. She enjoys going to work each day hoping there is a new challenge waiting for her to solve. She even endearingly calls her group of patients the 10% because they are the ones that require extra attention, more time and that TLC that she has in her heart to give because of her love for her family, which is really what her patients are to her.

Whether it is treating illness, weight issues, hormone imbalances, or joint issues, no matter what you’ve tried, you haven’t tried them ALL until you’ve worked with Dr. King!

Dr. Stephanie King is an expert in Alternative Health Care, body mechanics, nutrition, weight loss, renewed health programs, bio-identical hormones and so much more. People that have failed other programs seek her out from across the country to join her 2 Weeks 2 a New YOU program. When there is a doctor next door advertising the same services, WHY do people fly from other states to see Dr. King? Here’s why:

Estrogen:

What it does: Responsible for female characteristics and sexual functions.  Also present in men, but at much lower levels.

When UNBALANCED: Low estrogen levels are the primary culprit in hot flashes, night sweating, dryness, loss of sex drive, and mood swings associated with menopause and peri-menopause.  Low levels can also increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and bone fractures.

Progesterone:

What it does: Important for ovulation and menstruation. Relaxation.

When UNBALANCED: Low progesterone levels can lead to insomnia, foggy thinking, mood changes, joint and muscle pain, and weight gain.

Testosterone:

What it does: Responsible for male characteristics and sex drive (in both men and women).

When UNBALANCED: lower sex drive, decreased muscle mass, increased risk of heart disease.  Lethargy and weight gain.

Insulin:

What it does: Regulates blood glucose (sugar levels).

When UNBALANCED: Cells cannot absorb glucose molecules well when insulin is too low or when there is resistance to insulin.  Without treatment, effects on the body are catastrophic.

Thyroid:

What it does: A group of three hormones produced by the thyroid gland control metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy), a critical function in the human body.

When UNBALANCED: Fatigue, apathy, short-term memory problems, depression, thinning skin, cold extremities, and in extreme cases hallucinations.

Adrenaline:

What it does: Increases blood flow and heart activity, making the body ready for extra exertion and energy.

When UNBALANCED: Often caused by undue stress, high adrenaline levels results in anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight disorders, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and shortness of breath.

Cortisol:

What it does: Helps regulate blood pressure and cardiovascular function, as well as the body’s use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

When UNBALANCED: Stress can cause high cortisol levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and lowered libido.

The hormone “tetter-totter”

You have the minor sex hormones, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA, and the major hormones produced by the thyroid gland, the pancrease (insulin), and the adrenal gland (adrenaline, cortisol).  When you’re draining out of the minor hormones cortisol, insulin and thyroid go high.  So when people say, “I’m eating less, I’m exercising more and I’m fatigued all the time here’s the culprit: the minor hormones are out of balance…….You’ve got to fix the balance of estrogen/progesterone/testosterone/DHEA in order for the major hormones to balance back out and vice versa.  Here’s where we come in with balancing the right supplements (with high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements) and nutrition (with dietary recommendations specific for your body), and with Bio-identical hormones (available at our office).  For more information on our Nutrition & Hormone Analysis Session READ BELOW, or a complete list of symptoms please contact me via email and I’d be happy to send you out our comprehensive symptom list.

All my best for continued GREAT health,

Dr. Stephanie King, skingdc@earthlink.net

READ OUR TESTIMONIALS & RAVE REVIEWS ON OUR TESTIMONIAL PAGE!!!

NUTRITIONAL & BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONE CONSULTATION:

(INCLUDES HORMONE ANALYSIS USING OUR COMPUTERIZED BIOENERGENTIC TESTING)

What to expect from your First Appointment?

During your first appointment we will work together to balance your hormone levels, assess potential disease process and weakness in your body and work to optimize your health.  Your first visit will last 2 hours, inclusive of a comprehensive health and hormonal assessment and the creation of your personalized treatment plan.

For Complete Details of our Exclusive Customized Program With Expert Dr. King Consultant to Doctors, Professionals & Celebrities Nationwide,  go to our Renewed Health Programs & Click on Bio-Identical Hormones:

Many of you have asked me about the Adrenal glands and how they work, and especially how they affect our hormones specifically in regards to Peri-Menopause & Menopause. So for all of you here is some specifics as to how they work and how they affect our hormone function.  Next week I will write about our Thyroid and how it contributes to our hormone function.

Successful treatment of Peri-Menopause, Menopause, and Andropause require proper diagnosis and treatment of Adrenal Function.  Adrenals represent survival

Sex Hormones = reproduction

YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT YOUR GONADS

YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ADRENALS

When Adrenals are Stressed, Survival is the Highest Priority, and Shunting Will Occur (bascially the body will create the hormone it needs to survive and it will use up important stores of our sex hormones to get it!!!!)

• Estradiol to DHEA

• Testosterone to DHEA

• Progesterone to Cortisol

In females, the adrenal glands are the only source of DHEA as they are in males. But in menopausal and peri-menopausal females, the adrenals are also the only source of testosterone, and also have to take up the production of estrogen and progesterone.

In males, after andropause the adrenals become the only source of testosterone.

People with adrenal hyperfunction will have high cortisol at night when it should be low, which prevents them from falling asleep. Those people with tired adrenals will have depressed cortisol in the morning when it should be high.

• Adrenal hormones act as important reserves in menopausal women. Therefore if the adrenals are exhausted, menopausal symptoms will intensify.

Symptoms of DEPRESSED CORTISOL:

Cannot fall asleep

• Perspire easily

• Weight gain when under stress due to Insulin Resistance

• Clinical signs of Hypo T4 because increased cortisol causes reduced T4 to T3 (LOW THYROID function, low metabolism)

• The brain is less sensitive to estrogen, which will cause hot flashes in a post-menopausal woman who is seemingly on the right amount of estrogen. There may also be resistance to progesterone and testosterone

• Decreased liver detoxification

• Decreased levels of secretoryIgA, which promotes inflammation via leaky gut

• Suppresses the immune system by decreasing WBC’s and inducing atrophy of the thymus

• Can cause gastric and duodenal ulcers

• Decreases bone density

• Suppresses Pituitary LH resulting in no ovulation, infertility and/or progesterone

• Cravings for sugar

• Inability to lose weight

• Constant hunger

• Fatigue after meals

CHRONIC STRESS (what causes chronic stress in our lives?)

Our major fears that create chronic stress in our lives are:

• Death, Illness, Poverty, Abandonment, Abuse, Loss of Love, Criticism, Failure & Success

THREE STAGES OF ADRENAL RESPONSE TO STRESS:

FIRST stage is called the ALARM REACTION.

• This is the body’s initial response to stress. The adrenals go into a hyper-functional state (turbo-mode) to increase cortisol levels to adapt to the stressor.

The SECOND state is called the RESISTANCE STAGE.

• This stage occurs when stress is prolonged this is the stage that I normally see most patients in when they come to me with nutritional & hormone related issues.

What occurs in this stage is something called the “pregnenolone steal”. Pregnenolone is made

from cholesterol and is the precursor for cortisol and all the sex hormones. The adrenals have

only so much pregnenolone, and during times of stress, since survival is much more important

than reproduction, it will make cortisol instead of DHEA.  Many people can remain in this stage their entire lives.

The final stage of adaptation to stress is called the EXHAUSTION STAGE.

• Here the adrenals can no longer adapt to stress and are exhausted. As the adrenals become even more depleted you will see

Low Cortisol/Low DHEA.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE WITH ADRENAL FATIGUE:

(These are some of the general recommendations I make for my patients during our nutritional consultations, I make more specific recommendations based on findings during my consultation, based on detailed computer analysis, symptom analysis & response to lifestyle changes):

LIFESTYLE CHANGES:

• Avoid refined sugar

• Avoid caffeine (decaf coffee still has caffeine AND IS ACIDIC!)

• Avoid Nicotine

• Avoid Alcohol

• Avoid allergic foods we test this with our computer

Avoid hydrogenated oils

Avoid overtraining

Sleep at least 7 hours per night

NUTRITION:

• Protein at each meal for adrenal fatigue body types

• Don’t skip breakfast

• Snack with low glycemicfoods such as nuts, seeds, veggies, apple

• Avoid all fruit juices. Never eat high glycemic foods without protein.

• Eat a well balanced diet consisting of lean organic meats, chicken, fish, vegetables, and healthy grains.

EXERCISE:

1. Aerobic exercise –usually at 60% of maximum heart rate is the fat burning heart rate (between 90-110 for most people). This allows the body to burn fats instead of sugar. This puts less stress on the adrenals because it doesn’t have to normalize blood sugar levels during and after the work-out.

2. Walking, slow jogging, slow cycling.

3. Avoid circuit training, fast-paced jogging, sprinting, running on treadmill at 6 mph or greater.

4. Do any exercise that doesn’t make you feel tired 2 hours later, or the next morning.

RELAXATION

1. Deep Breathing –abdominal breathing

2. Meditation

3. Yoga

4. Vacations

5. Laughter (breaks fear)

Norman Cousins –“Anatomy of an Illness”

6. Lay down when you rest

7.     Go to bed early

SUPPLEMENTS:

• B5 –1000 mg/day

• Vitamin C –4,000 mg/day (as an ascorbate) –more C is in the adrenals than other organs

• Vitamin E –800 IU as a mixed tocopherol

• Magnesium & Calcium –at different times because

Calcium is preferentially absorbed if taken together at the same time.

• B complex & sublingual B12

• Adrenal Cortical Extract

• Licorice Root –Increases the half-life of cortisol; is also anti-viral; modulates estrogens

SUPPLEMENTS:

• Ginseng –Siberian (Panax–causes hirsutisminwomen)

• Ashwaganda(Withaniaor Indian Ginseng)

• Black Currant (RibesNigrum) Gemmotherapy

• Pregnenolone

• 7 KetoDHEA –25 mg in women, 50 mg in males

• ADR –Pure Encapsulations (Apex available at the office)

• Progesterone

• Apex Homeopathic remedies for Adrenal support, Liver drainage/detox, endocrine support

(all the above supplements are pharmaceutical grade, bio-identical and available at the office for your convenience.)

For specific supplements that your body uniquely needs a complete nutritional analysis at our office with our Bio-energetic Computerized Testing and Comprehensive Questionnaire is recommended to put together the best program to support your body, re-build your Adrenal glands and begin to normalize and stabilize your hormones.  There is help and support available during this time to bring your body through this time of stress.  Don’t hesitate to email or call with any questions you may have.   We offer our 2 hour comprehensive RENEWED HEALTH PROGRAMS.

Adrenals take awhile to heal –6 months to 1 ½ year, so be patient and know each day you take another positive step to improving your health and well-being.

For more information email me personally at skingdc@earthlink.net

All my best for continued good health, Dr. Stephanie M King