Femi Kusa
Two girls aged 13 and 19 led me back to the world of women last week. The last time I visited that world was on MOTHER’S DAY a few years ago when I paid tribute to my mother, my wife and other women who joyfully weather many challenges peculiar to their specie for the benefit of us men. I visited this world again last week when I had to attend to the menstrual challenges of these girls. I found that both girls are novices about their bodies and told them that, at the age of 18, I had read the book titled EVERY WOMAN, by Derek Llewellyn Jones, which every mother ought to purchase for her teenage girls. In my 40’s I had read THE NEW RAW ENERGY by Leslie Kenton and Susannah Kenton in which, among other arguments, they suggested that menstruation could be a disease and humanity probably accepted it to be normal life because almost every adult woman of child bearing age is bleeding every month. These arguments takes us to the world of the Old Monkeys in the wild where the female gender does not mensturate and are, nevertheless, fertile. Their diet was rich in BETA CAROTENE which the researchers said prevented the endromentrum lining of the womb from breaking up and causing blood flow. They gave human female guinea pigs in a human experiment a lot of BETA CAROTENE in their diet. These women did not menstruate in the study period and some of them, nevertheless, got pregnant. Later, I met a woman from Benue State who was banished from her supersticious community because she did not menstruate but,nevertheless, bore three children. This was at an Alternative Medicine Seminar at the Gothe Institute in Lagos where she told her story. In my 40’s, I also read WOMAN’s BODY, WOMAN’s WISDOM by Dr Christiane Northrup a gynacologists of 35 years standing who tries to link reproductive system challenges in women, especially Uterine fibroids, Ovarian cysts, irregular menstruation etc, to the habit of wearing pairs of trousers and tights. She says these does not allow the woman “secret place” to suck animating energy from the earth and that thid deficiency accounts for some dysfunctions of the reproductive system.
The two girls reminded me of the world of women as I said. The younger girl suddenly sprouted to puberty, With all paraphernalia of a young woman…size 32-34 breasts and large buttocks. The 19-year-old, taller and of about equal body mass, wears size 32-34 bra. Both share some common lifestyle. They love sugared foods and junk diet, run at least two menstrual cycles within every 30 days, complain of period pains and are heavy bleeders who require between two and three very absorbent pads for heavy bleeders. The older girl suffers from premenstrual syndrome of which there are about four different types: bigger, painful breasts with some nipples sometimes dripping fluid or milk when exerted; mood swings and irritability; craving for simple sugars and craving for ice cubes (blocks). Her body does not bloat with fluid. But she experiences lower abdominal or pelvic pains. This girl’s period is heavier in the first three days and then pales out, stopping on the fifth day, and resuming three days after. Thereafter, she has some peace. The younger girl is heavily built, with more weight in the lower trunk, a configuration some natural medicine physicians believe testifies to ovarian insufficiency. She is a sweet tooth. Her cycle may run for two weeks at a time unless it is checked with vitamin K, Apple Cider Vinegar, red raspberry leaves or nimosa pudica etc. Her parents have not tried Videx, Square Vine, Black Cohosh or Hormonal Imbalance, a proprietary gland, Yarrow, and Ashwagandah. These are some of the herbs some women take to normalise similar conditions. She is emotionally distant from her mother and her aunt who lives with them. She did not discuss with them her first menstrual experience. Her confidant was her high school teacher, a woman, who bought her first menstruation kits. She is happier outdoor than indoor and cannot wait for weekend to be over and be back in school. Like the older girl, the younger one believes that her mother and aunt are too draconian in respect of house chores and dressing. The older girl hardly sees her father. He and her mother separated about 12 years ago. He rebuffs her telephone calls, and her mother frustrates her attempts to reach him at any cost.
When I asked her why she had not mentioned her menstrual challenges to her mother or seen a doctor, her reply was typical of those of many girls in her shoes. First, there was no money for a doctor. Next, her mother would begin to verbally harass her, alleging sexual infidelity. Both girls may help us to recognise that many mothers may be emotionally distant from their daughters in today’s woman’s world than the mothers of my boyhood days.
CAUSES
There are more possible causes of menstrual disorders than can be mentioned here. So, it is advisable for a challenged girl or woman to see a general practitioner or a gynaecologist, if hospital attention is desired, or a natural therapist. Among the commonest causes are stress, diet, endocrine gland malfunctions, infections, uterine growths and adhesion thyroid gland problems, adrenal gland weakness, hypothalamus and pituitary gland problems, over exposure to white sugar and junk foods etc.
STRESS
Stress can disorganise a menstrual cycle as a disorganised menstrual cycle can cause stress. Decades ago, my family was neighbour to a couple who lived next door to the parents of the husband. The wife wanted them to relocate, but the husband had no money to hire a new apartment. Returning home from work every day was, for his wife, like returning from a beautiful holiday to a prison yard or a cage. She lost three pregnancies in a row, due to hormonal inbalance. Only after they relocated did her hormones even out and the next pregnancies exablished without much ado.
Medicine teaches us that there are two important glands in the brain which can make or unmake a sound menstrual cycle because of the tight control they exercise over a woman’s body. These are the (a) hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.
THE HYPOTHALAMUS
The hypothalamus is well known for temperature regulation, like the temperature setting switch of an electric pressing iron. But it also controls the pituitary glands which, as a master gland, controls the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands and the ovaries, among others glands.
Working together like an orchestral band in which the pituitary gland is like the choir master, they stabilise the hormonal system. Stress unbalances the hypothalamus. Stress may be physical, emotional, environmental or even dietary in origin. It may also be impacted by negative thought and feelings or result from spiritual disequilibrium. Since the spirit built the physical body as its housing on earth and animates it, disequilibrium at spiritual level will easily unhinge the hormonal and, then, the menstrual cycles.
THYROID GLAND
If stress unbalances the hypothalamus and the hypothalamus unbalances the thyroid gland, which is in the neck region, the body’s metabolic rate is disturbed. This is the rate at which the body functions. An under active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) will slow down the body, induce lethargy, slow digestion and bowel motions, cause low blood pressure, sleepiness, sluggish menstrual system etc. A hyperactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), on the other hand, will put the body in overdrive mode, causing events such as palpitations of the heart, excessive sweating, rapid use of the body’s resources, leanness or thinness, diarrhoea, sleeplessness, elevated blood pressure etc. Whether the thyroid gland is hypoactive or hyperactive can be self detected through the personal home test technique for BASAL BODY METABOLISM developed by DR. BRODA BARNES and made available on the Internet.
Some thyroid conditions respond to L-TYROSINE, a proprietary food supplement, or others such as THYROID ARMOUR, LUGOTABS and even Ionic Magnesium.
THE ADRENALS
Enormous stress impacts the body with hurtful and destabilising stress hormones such as Cortisol and Adrenaline. The adrenal glands help the body weather the storm. But when they are over worked, and adrenal burn-out may occur which leaves the body with inadequate protection. At this point, the body begins to convert sex hormones to stress-combating hormones which wears down libido and reproductive system efficiency. Adaptogenic food supplement often help to shore up adrenal strength. They include Siberian Ginseng, Gotu Kola, Borage oil, CBD oil or CBD capsules, Re-Line or Ionic Vitamin B complex, at higher dosages, Vitamin B Co-factors, Ubiquinol etc.
In women, the ovaries are the equivalents of the testis in men. They produce all sorts of sex hormones. These hormones must be in the right ratios to one another before a woman’s body, and the reproductive system in particular, can be balanced. The principal hormones are Estrogen, Progesterone and Prolactin. Estrogen has different faces or “siblings” such as Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol. Some are harsh, others are gentle acting. Oveweight in the lower trunk, vis-a-vis the upper trunk, i.e the “pear shape” women is often associated with on coming or evident ovarian disturbances. Overweight in the upper trunk is linked to thyroid insufficiency. These two indicators help a therapist’s rule-of-the-thump diagnosis.
In such disturbances estrogen may over-run the other hormones with a bigger ratio. This condition is called Estrogenation. The two girls in reference are probably estrogenated. This means they have more estrogen than their bodies require to function normally. Sometimes, though, estrogen is within its bounds. Thus, the gap or gulf between estrogen and progesterone, the second major female hormone, may be caused by underproduction of progesterone. This, in turn, may be caused by lower dietary zinc intake. Zinc is a reproductive system mineral as shown by an Egyptian study of some boys and girls who attained puberty with under developed genetalia or sex organs. When their diet was supplemented with zinc for sometime, the girls developed bigger breasts and the boys developed bigger male sex organs. Estrogen blood level elevations are sometimes followed by rises in PROLACTINE blood levels. This is bad news because this may stop the ovaries from releasing eggs, thereby obstructing pregnancy. High estrogen blood levels may cause period pains, excessive bleeding, weight gains in the hips and waist, especially, difficulty sleeping, bloating, fatigue, irregular periods and premenstrual syndrome, anxiety and depression, cold hands and feet, uterine fibroids, benign breast lumps, sore and tender breasts, low libido, blood clots, thyroid disease etc. Estrogen levels may rise in girls and adult women who take estrogen-based contraceptives which reduce the size of the womb’s lining, the endometrium. Such drugs suppress pregnancy and may induce scanty menstrual bleeding or no menstruation (Secondary Amenohrroea). Undersized endometrium may offer a fertilised egg no residence within it and the possibility to develop placenta. Thus, it becomes unviable, is discarded, and pregnancy fails. Estrogen is sometimes prescribed to balance hormonal disequilibrium.
Drugs prescribed to treat mental or emotional disorders can also raise estrogen levels. In men, this may cause erectile dysfunction. Through the diet, estrogen may invade human bodies. For example, the cow milk industry feeds cows with estrogen in the diet to make them produce milk every day. The estrogen goes into the milk. So the estrogen in the feed of egg laying hens go into their eggs and flesh. Even soft plastic such as “pure” water sachets contain zenoestrogen. When these food wrappers are heated, zenoestrogen and petrol residues migrate into the food content. Nowadays, Nigerian women have abandoned leaf food wrappers for soft plastics.
ENDOMETRIOSIS
Every hollow tube in the body has a lining. That of the uterus or womb is the ENDOMETRIUM. Ferterlized egg buries itself in the Endometrium and pregnancy unveils itself in the growing of a baby. When there is no fertilized egg, the endometrium is discarded by the womb with blood outflow called MENSTRUATION. Irregular endometrial bleeding occurs if endometrial cells migrate to other parts of the body. Some gynecologists believe worms may drag them up the fallopian tube(s) into the abdominal cavity. Wherever they go, they multiply and respond to hormonal changes, bleeding the most when estrogen levels are high.
INFECTIONS
All sorts of infections in the cervix or vagina may cause irregular bleeding. These may include bacteria Vaginosis and Trichomoniasis. In these conditions, micro-organisms may eat up tissue and even damage underneath blood vessels. Golden Seal powder and egg white paste or in paste with propolis cream left in the vagina overnight in a seven-day therapy is likely to clear the mess. Propolis tablets or Aloe-vera juice in softgels or as cream should help. This may be followed up with CLEAN WOMAN, inserted the day after a cycle ends and left on for about five days. This therapy cleans right up to the tubes. It is good to follow it up with probiotics (friendly bacteria) inserted in the vagina to repopulate it with this immune “warriors”.
Polyps, fibroids are small growths which can occur anywhere in the body, including to the uterus. They may cause irregular bleeding under all sorts of situations, as do uterine fibroids of different configurations. The thoughts of Dr Max Gerson and his GERSON THERAPY linger on the treatment of these conditions. He said potassium depletion in the cells was the cause of growths, including even cancers. Persons who are challenged by this condition may look up to GERSON THERAPY online. Some women who try potassium rich foods such as Banana, Avocado pear and the peel of plantain, which is more nutrient dense than the fruit, have reported size reductions in their uterine fibroids. Vitex is important for normalising the hormones. As some laboratory specimens of uterine fibroids have shown evidence of bacteria, viruses and fungi and microbes within them, some physicians do not fail to prescribe antimicrobials in their therapies
PCOS
Medical opinion is still not settled about the causes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). But it is widely thought that a challenged woman over produces male hormones which suppresses the ovaries, making them to not produce enough of female hormones or to release eggs on schedule. This causes missed periods, difficulties in getting pregnant and inability, in some cases, to carry a pregnancy to term. Some doctors say there is difficulty in the egg being released from a follicle. This is like the birth of a baby too big for the birth passage which is torn when the baby forces its way through. A ruptured or injured follicle may not properly heal and, thus, become infected when it is filled with fluid. Women who exhibit this challenge often have an excessive growth of hair on their bodies, the face, the chin and above the upper lip. It is a source of body image and self-esteem questions for many sufferers. This condition is called HIRSUTISM. As it is believed likely to cause of worsen diabetes and heart disease, some doctors treat this hormonal problem with birth control pills and anti-diabetic drugs.
While birth control pills aim to improve the supply and balance of female hormones, anti-diabetic drugs try to break insulin resistance and normalise blood glucose levels. In Alternative medicine, estrogenic herbs and anti-diabetic herbs do the job as well. To control blood sugar I go for Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Orange Peel, Karela, Chanka-Piedra, Pawpaw-Leaf Powder etc. Insulin is the hormone from the Pancreas which helps to burn blood sugar in the cell. Too much blood sugar from too much carbonhydrate intake causes over supply of insulin which is irritating to the cells. Women love sweet tasting things, enemies of their bodies, and hate the bitter taste, everyone’s true friend. Accordingly the cells “resist” incoming insulin by shutting their gates (insulin receptors) against it. In the ovaries, excess insulin is said to stimulate the production of Androgens, the male hormones, which, in turn, supress production to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). FSH stimulates the egg sacs to get rid of egg production while the LH encourages release of the eggs. Where Androgens dominate other hormones in the ovary, egg can neither be well made nor released, causing missed periods, annovulation(stoppage of ovulation or release of egg).
In alternative medicine practice estrogenic plants and their extrats help the condition. They include Vitex, Black Cohosh, Yarrow, Damiana( for frigidity) Dong quai, Red Clover and Evening-prime-rose oil and others. Nowadays we confidently add CBD oil or CBD capsules to improve Endocarnabinol support for the entire reproductive system.
IRON DEFFICIENCY
Heavy periods can cause iron defficiency just as iron defficiency can cause heavy periods. Women with this trait may be anaemic or not. They often like to chew things which have no nutritional value, in their unconscious search for iron. These stuff may include paper, soil or ice-cube. The craving for ice blocks is called PICA of PAGOPHAGIA. It indicates the possibility of iron defficiency with or without anaemia. The 13 year old girl in reference had hair growths on the arms and legs, but not yet the belly, back and face. She gets tired easily and reports”turning eyes” on exertion, especially when she sweeps. Her periods are heavier than some adults and they short circuit. She and the older girl need to see a gynecologist so early in life, or a natural health-practitioner.
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