Author: Anne-Lise Miller
Hormonal symptoms are many and hormone driven pathologies on the increase. Environmental factors, stress and an ageing population means that therapists are increasingly dealing with distressed couples unable to conceive, men suffering from erectile dysfunction and women tormented by hormonal tidal.
Without a doubt, modern life plays a significant part in hormone imbalances because of the direct impact of stress on adrenals and on the Hypothalamus (the master control of hormone production).
However to put everything down to stress and limit understanding to the ratio of one hormoneversus another can limit treatment strategies, reduce success and in the long term may cause unwanted side-effects.
To take a wholistic view means that we don’t just look at hormones, their influence and their effects we also look at how the body will regulate their levels. By supporting regulatory functions alongside hormone production we can ensure that overall health is improved rather than simply get rid of undesirable symptoms or achieve an elusive pregnancy. Typically HRT will get rid of hot flashes but may end up increasing the risk of breast cancer while IVF will often leave a woman feeling battered and increases her chances of post-partum depression.
The factors that directly influence hormonal production and are commonly addressed by hormonespecialists (medical or otherwise) include:
Stress
Sleep
Exercise
Sexual intercourse
Fat/protein ration
Insulin resistance
Diseases such as tumours, hypothyroidism etc.
However the factors that control hormonal levels and significantly influence their ratio are:
The rate of detoxification by the liver. This will depend on constitution, emotional state (typically anger and resentment will damage the liver) and an individual’s toxic load. The physical state of the liver (fatty, tight or hard) and the presence of gall stones will also impact on liver function and control overall hormonal equilibrium.
The rate of elimination through the bowel. Constipation is very common and is influenced by diet, bowel flora, bowel PH and bile salts.
The type of gut flora and potential unwanted residents in the bowel. Certain types of gut bacteria have been shown to re-conjugate the metabolites of oestrogen detoxification thus fabricating oestrogen and greatly adding to the oestrogen load. Parasites and gut pathogen contribute to gut inflammation and leaky gut which will also increase considerably the toxic load on the liver.
Often neglected, those factors if addressed can make the difference between success and failure when treating someone experiencing hormonal symptoms or unable to conceive.
Colonic hydrotherapy has a direct effect on all three factors:
It increases the detoxification rate of the liver by stimulating the Vagus nerve and because of the physical manipulation of the viscera that is part of the treatment.
It clears the bowels
It affects gut flora, flushes unwandered pathogen and can influence the type of organism that will thrive in the gut.
When combined with additional detoxification support, such as liver flushing, colonic hydrotherapy effectively treats infertility and hormonal symptoms.
Colonic is also invaluable in supporting dietary measures designed to improve gut flora and treat issues such as Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) which is a common underlying cause of infertility and oestrogen overload.
