Let me start by saying that hormone replacement therapy has offered hope to many women struggling with chronic symptoms.
Solutions that offer hope and possible relief for women are something to be celebrated. However, in both cases, the pitfall is the idea that they are the only solutions.
Let’s dig deeper.
WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON WITH MENOPAUSE?
Have you ever spoken to a woman in your life who was connected to women from previous generations? The historical stigma around menopause wasn’t as dramatic as it is today.
Women used to look forward to menopause. Before the 1950s, physiological changes were welcome post-child-bearing years. Many women, especially those who may have felt restricted by society’s views toward women’s autonomy, had a chance to redefine their identity in later years.
For the last 70 years, however, a wave of chronic illness has been ravaging women worldwide. Men, too, but women often struggle with chronic symptoms more intensely for several reasons. Night sweats, fatigue, panic attacks, thinning hair, joint pain, mucus production, and even hot flashes were not commonplace for women a century ago.
The symptoms we associate with menopause may not actually be related to the transition that the female body experiences around ages 40-60. In this gynecological magazine article, an experienced OBGYN doctor states that “Many common symptoms of menopause, including sleep changes, weight gain, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse or even some chest symptoms, can also signal serious medical conditions.”
Most menopause symptoms have nothing to do with hormones or even your age. Share on XThere’s more going on.
She also states, “Menopause is an exciting time – one every woman should look forward to and embrace.”
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THE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY THEORY
When women reach the stage of their lives when their bodies are transitioning out of fertility and into the next season, hormones do adjust. Reproductive hormones like progesterone, estrogen, estrone, estradiol, and testosterone shift to create a new balance.
Each of these hormones can be thrown out of normal range due to weakened adrenal glands, which are responsible for many bodily processes like hair growth, sleep cycles, exercise, and even daily functions like urination and driving. They are the master glands of the endocrine system.
The hormone replacement therapy theory says, in general, that ALL symptoms during the later third of a woman’s life are potentially (and, depending on who you talk to, even certainly) connected to her hormones.
They believe it all comes down to hormones.
Especially estrogen, according to the initial 1960s marketing campaigns about hormone replacement therapy. Here’s a great article on the history of hormone replacement therapy if you want to do some of your own research.
So, using this theory, modern medicine has devised treatment plans to replace hormones where levels are not ideal to remedy any and all symptoms. Essentially, a pharmaceutical hormone replacement therapy product is the silver bullet for most, if not all, menopause symptoms.
What is the reason for the hormone levels being unbalanced? Is there anything else going on in the body that might contribute to symptoms?
THE BIGGER PICTURE BEYOND HORMONES
In his first book, Medical Medium: Secrets Behind Chronic Illness and How to Finally Heal, respected author Anthony William describes various groups of the Epstein-Barr Virus that present major symptoms on their own timelines.
For example, Group 2 of the Eptein-Barr Virus (a virus virtually all of us have in one or multiple forms), tends to stay relatively dormant in the body until someone reaches age 50 or so. This is when a woman is traditionally entering their menopausal phase.
So, symptoms like chronic fatigue, vaginal dryness, brain fog, muscle and joint aches, mystery pain, migraines, insomnia, and more, may be blamed on menopause when they are all symptoms of the Epstein-Barr virus.
Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy cannot halt the Epstein-Barr virus in its tracks, so the underlying cause will not go away. However, hormone replacement therapy may appear to help because reproductive hormones have a steroid-like effect on the body, suppressing the immune system and, therefore, reducing inflammation.
Without the hormone replacement therapy, though, or after the body no longer responds to the treatment, symptoms are almost certain to return.
In truth, weakened adrenal glands, in tandem with viral pathogens like the Epstein-Barr and shingles viruses, are the culprits behind nearly all symptoms connected with menopause.
TOP 29 MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS AND THEIR ROOT CAUSE
You’ll notice that “because hormones” is not a root cause for these symptoms. The real root cause is never just hormone issues, and there is no insight into why, how, or what to do to remedy the situation.
1. Hot flashes. These have nothing to do with hormones. When the liver gets full of toxins, it heats up. The body tries to cool the liver down by inciting explosions of heat that pulse through the body. Men have hot flashes, too, but we only hear about them in relation to women.
2. Night sweats. Night sweats have the same root cause as hot flashes.
3. Irregular periods. Menstrual disruption is caused by stage 2 of the Epstein-Barr virus (the symptomatic stage) in the uterus and ovaries, disruption of the adrenal glands caused by Epstein-Barr, and/or a diet too high in protein, fat, dairy, and eggs.
4. Mood changes. There are various factors that create mood disorders, including a toxic, sluggish liver, past emotional trauma, heavy metal toxicity in the brain, and pathogens that irritate multiple body systems and contribute to a “short fuse.”
5. Breast soreness. The Epstein-Barr virus can cause painful cysts to develop in breast tissue, leading to soreness and inflammation of breast tissue.
6. Decreased libido. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing the hormones behind sexual arousal. When libido decreases or disappears, it’s a sign that the adrenals are fatigued and need healing.
7. Vaginal dryness. The adrenal glands, responsible for regulating the body’s production of mucus, are also behind vaginal dryness. Healing the adrenals can resolve vaginal dryness.
8. Headaches. A primary root cause of headaches is viral inflammation of the cranial nerves. Heavy metal toxicity, dehydration, and stress can also play a role.
9. Recurring UTIs. The root cause here is streptococcus bacteria in the urinary tract.
10. Burning mouth. Burning sensations are generally caused by nerve irritation due to the shingles virus or one of the many forms of the herpes virus. An aggressive bacterial strain in the mouth
11. Changes in taste. As the recent pandemic showed us, multiple viruses affect the cranial nerves that connect to taste buds causing loss of taste and changes in taste.
12. Fatigue. Several factors contribute to fatigue, the primary cause being viral neurotoxins produced by the Epstein-Barr virus, which lead to a chronic feeling of exhaustion. A sluggish liver and weakened adrenal glands also often play a role.
13. Acne. The root cause is primarily streptococcus bacteria feeding on toxic metals such as copper and mercury. As the bacteria excrete toxic waste, it is pushed up through the derma, causing acne to appear.
14. Digestive changes. The strength of our digestion weakens over time when we eat diets that are too high in fat, protein, artificial additives, and mystery ingredients like natural flavors. As we age, our stomach acid and livers, gallbladders, and pancreas weaken—all facets of digestive issues.
15. Joint pain. The Epstein-Barr virus produces viral neurotoxins that can inflame nerves in the joints and is the primary cause of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
16. Sleep disturbance. Sleeping difficulties have multiple root causes. These include weakened adrenal glands, heavy metals in the brain, a toxic, sluggish liver, viral pathogens, MSG toxicity in the brain, emotional trauma, neurological issues, and anxiety. Read more in Thyroid Healing by Anthony William.
17. Difficulty concentrating. Concentration issues are primarily caused by heavy metal toxicity in the brain. In my blog, Losing Our Minds to Toxic Heavy Metals, I discuss the daily sources of toxic heavy metals all around us.
18. Memory lapses. Memory issues have the same root cause as concentration issues. They are just more pronounced and appear later in life as metals accumulate in our bodies.
19. Thinning hair. The adrenal glands—the master glands—regulate hormones that produce hair. Thinning and hair loss for women at any age result from adrenal fatigue. To help the adrenals heal, avoid stress, coffee, chocolate, arguments, horror and action films, and overworking. Be sure to eat regularly as well, ideally with snacks lower in fat.
20. Brittle nails. Unhealthy-looking nails are caused by a sluggish liver that can no longer properly convert nutrients like zinc. They may also indicate a zinc deficiency, which is quite common today.
21. Weight gain. Weight issues all point to the liver. When the liver can no longer perform at its best after years of stress, food, and habits that weaken it, we begin to put on weight. Edema and swelling are also related to an unhealthy liver that deposits toxins into the lymph out of desperation (commonly called “water weight”).
22. Incontinence or Overactive Bladder. Disruption in the signaling of nerves like the pudendal nerve contributes to incontinence issues. The likely culprit here is the Epstein-Barr virus yet again.
23. Dizzy spells. Dizziness and vertigo are caused by viral neurotoxins from pathogens like the Epstein-Barr virus affecting the cranial nerves responsible for balance.
24. Allergies. Most chronic allergies indicate a weakened immune system that is in need of support.
25. Osteoporosis. High acidity in the body eats away at bones and teeth over time. Coffee, black and green teas, vinegar, and high-fat foods increase the body’s acidity, leading to osteoporosis in later life.
26. Tinnitus. Ringing in the ears occurs when viral neurotoxins from the Epstein-Barr virus irritate the inner ear’s physiology.
27. Depression. Toxic heavy metals in the brain are a very common root cause of depression. Emotional trauma can play a role, but hormones are virtually not involved.
28. Anxiety. Like depression, chronic anxiety with no emotional trauma associated to it points to toxic heavy metals in the brain, creating cycles of obsessive thoughts and anxiety triggers.
29. Panic disorder. The root cause here is the same as anxiety and depression.
ALTERNATIVE PATHS EXIST
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above, know that you are not alone and that your body is not faulty. There is nothing wrong with your hormones and absolutely nothing wrong with you reaching the later stages of your life.
Rather than using hormone replacement therapy as a silver bullet for dozens of common symptoms that have little or nothing to do with hormones, you can use the root causes above to get to the bottom of your symptoms regardless of your age.
If your adrenal glands are the likely source of your struggles, seek to restore them with rest, eating every two hours, reducing your intake of dietary fats, avoiding adrenaline rushes in any form, and abstaining from substances that spike adrenaline, like coffee, matcha tea, black and green tea, chocolate, caffeine in any form (and especially energy drinks), alcohol, and recreational drugs. Avoid extreme hot or cold temperatures as well.
If you need to focus on removing heavy metals, check out the Heavy Metal Detox cleanses in the Brain Saver book by Anthony William, which have helped millions resolve conditions like chronic anxiety, depression, brain fog, and more.
If you’re dealing with a viral pathogen, check out my blog on the core 7 supplements to help you overcome those bodily invaders. This will help you rebuild your immune system and overcome your current challenges.
Seek support from an experienced holistic practitioner who can help guide you through the proper protocols to regain your health so that you can void the hamster wheel of hormone replacement therapy.
Are you sick of feeling stuck and confused and ready to start healing? I’d love to connect with you.
Learn more about my work with over 8,000 clients worldwide, and how we might work together by clicking here.
THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH ABOUT HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Have you heard about the Women’s Health Initiative study that followed over 160,000 women and concluded that hormone replacement therapy increased the likelihood of major illnesses like breast and other cancers, heart attacks, strokes, bone fractures, and more? Read more here.
Thankfully, hormone replacement therapy treatments today have been updated, but they are still widely untested in the long term. Is this really our best option?
These days, women as young as 18 are receiving hormone replacement therapy treatments, and birth control prescriptions for everything from acne to chronic fatigue have become so normal nobody questions it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of women bearing the brunt of the medical industry’s mistaken theories and largely untested treatments. Now that our daughters are the target of therapies that may harm more than help, it’s even more crucial that we examine our options.
I want answers, not more products to mask our symptoms that may have unintended consequences. Thankfully, we have answers if we can open our minds to them.
It takes some courage to step outside of the well-beaten path of modern medicine as an answer to women’s health concerns, but if we can complement the miracles of modern medicine with holistic tools that address our whole bodies, we can achieve the health we were designed to enjoy.
To your health and peace,
Muneeza
