09-07-2011, 20:42
Hi Sunshine,
So sorry to read about your mother. 53. Really
I have read a lot on the subject, but I have found only one study that could double as a health guideline for the general public: the "one million women" study in the UK. The conclusion was that herbal alternatives were probably safer than HRT for postmenopausal women.
So that's for women who have already decided to use something estrogen-like. In comparison with doing nothing, there's no clear answer. In general, I have learned three limits that seem to return in many studies:
1) Phyto-estrogens seem to protect against breast cancer, because they are weaker estrogens. There are exceptions, like zearalenone. That's why I have grave reservations about hops in mixtures with grains, especially malt. I'm not sure about PM either: is it weaker than the body's own estrogens?
2) The risk is higher at high estrogen levels. In NBE, this could mean that a woman struggling to grow from AAA to AA is safer than a woman breezing from F to G. Also, ramp up until you feel tingles; stop if you stall.
3) Someone who already has breast cancer, should avoid phyto-estrogens, except for some proven regimens, that she should discuss with her specialist first.
There is a huge amount of research in this field. Learn the lingo, and try to keep up. I have a feeling that there are some very thin lines that I don't want to cross:
- supplement only for deficiencies
- avoid formulas with vague descriptions of ingredients, without contents
- trusted suppliers. I prefer 200 year old herb shops.
- use food crops, be careful with "medicinal" (=toxic) plants
- don't use the latest hot herb before any cancer research looked into it
- use a simple program, that you can explain, in case of a diagnosis
- stay on the safe side of general nutritional advice (NIH fact sheets)
- think traditional. Herbal recipes that cause cancer are not used for long
- do something many others do
I guess we just have to be the cautious ones on the forum
So sorry to read about your mother. 53. Really
I have read a lot on the subject, but I have found only one study that could double as a health guideline for the general public: the "one million women" study in the UK. The conclusion was that herbal alternatives were probably safer than HRT for postmenopausal women.
So that's for women who have already decided to use something estrogen-like. In comparison with doing nothing, there's no clear answer. In general, I have learned three limits that seem to return in many studies:
1) Phyto-estrogens seem to protect against breast cancer, because they are weaker estrogens. There are exceptions, like zearalenone. That's why I have grave reservations about hops in mixtures with grains, especially malt. I'm not sure about PM either: is it weaker than the body's own estrogens?
2) The risk is higher at high estrogen levels. In NBE, this could mean that a woman struggling to grow from AAA to AA is safer than a woman breezing from F to G. Also, ramp up until you feel tingles; stop if you stall.
3) Someone who already has breast cancer, should avoid phyto-estrogens, except for some proven regimens, that she should discuss with her specialist first.
There is a huge amount of research in this field. Learn the lingo, and try to keep up. I have a feeling that there are some very thin lines that I don't want to cross:
- supplement only for deficiencies
- avoid formulas with vague descriptions of ingredients, without contents
- trusted suppliers. I prefer 200 year old herb shops.
- use food crops, be careful with "medicinal" (=toxic) plants
- don't use the latest hot herb before any cancer research looked into it
- use a simple program, that you can explain, in case of a diagnosis
- stay on the safe side of general nutritional advice (NIH fact sheets)
- think traditional. Herbal recipes that cause cancer are not used for long
- do something many others do
I guess we just have to be the cautious ones on the forum