[Isabelle]

Well, Susan,

I'm not sure if it's growth or swelling, but I like what I see. I feel I have something to show for my efforts now. Anyway, it's been two weeks, so check out my latest measurements:

Height: 178.5 cm = 5*.3048 + 10*.0254 = 5' 10"
Weight: 82.0 kg * 2.2046 lbs/kg = 181 lbs
Body Mass Index (BMI): 82.0/1.785/1.785 = 25.7
Breast: 104 cm = 41"
Under: 94 cm = 37"
Waist: 92 cm = 36"
Hip: 99 = 39" (actually the widest part around my butt)
Waist to hip ratio (WHR): 92/99 = 0.93

Progress:
Day 11/7 26/7 08/8 22/8 05/9 19/9 3/10 2014 2016
BMI: 26.5 26.4 26.2 25.7 25.3 26.0 25.7 23.0 23.0
B-U: 8.00 5.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 10.0 10.0 15.0 20.0
WHR 0.95 .945 0.94 0.92 0.92 0.96 0.93 0.80 0.70
B-U = Breast - Under in cm

In the two weeks since my latest measurement, I didn't get my diet right. The kids have been around more often, and we have cosy dinners. Still, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) have improved.

Since starting goat's rue (galega officinalis) three weeks ago, I get more swelling. So I'm not even sure the 2 cm (3/4") are real growth. But looking back over the first three months of my program, all three measurements have improved. It works

[Isabelle]

And btw Susan,

No chin hair is great Taking it easy on the maca helps.

Turmeric is a phyto-progestin.

[lled34aa]

congrats isabelle!

[Isabelle]

Thank you lled,

I am proud of the results. Only, I don't know where to go next. The WHR seems to be the toughest target to achieve. So I definitely must be more diligent about carbs. And continue the goat's rue.

I just put the water cooker on to make some more goat's rue tea. I have almost used half of my stock (40%) since September 8th. That's 80 g in 27 days, or 3,000 mg a day. I'll update it in my profile. That's where I keep the current doses I take.

[soonenough]

Hi Isabelle,

How do you take Goat's Rue? As a tea? How do you prepare? Do you use approx. 1 tbsp and steep in hot water? Or do you take as a powder? Sorry, sooo many questions.

Thanks so much.

[Isabelle]

Hi Soonenough,

I bought a porcelain Chinese tea mug at the oriental supermarket. It has a porcelain strainer that sits in the mug, and a lid that covers it and keeps it warm. I put a little less than 1 tablespoon GR in the strainer, pour hot water, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Then I lift the strainer, let it drip, put the lid upside down on the table and put the strainer on it. Then I have a full 200 ml tea mug. I drink three of those a day now.

At three mugs a day, a good piece of equipment saves time. I hope you can find something similar. Some glass tea pots have strainers too.

[soonenough]

Thanks so much, Isabelle. You've been mentioning goat's rue a lot, and that piqued my interest. It turns out I have a whole pound of it in my pantry, so I'm going to use it to prepare tea.

I do have the teapots and the strainers. My Japanese mil gave me a couple of good size teapots.

Thanks again.

[Isabelle]

It´s three months ago today that I started hops again after a one month break. I went back to Susan´s post that talked me out of a break. She pointed out that quite a few NBE herbs are also liver cleansers, and I know fenugreek and goat´s rue are. She also pointed out that some liver cleansers are NBE herbs, and I found an article today that confirms milk thistle is a galactogogue (p. 170):
http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/JPPS/article/view/6663/7429

I still have a one month´s supply of milk thistle I was planning to use on the break. I will continue my current program for a few more months, but milk thistle is on the list to try once I have enough data to show that my current combo hops/maca/FG/GR works

[Isabelle]

Transsexuals like Beverley and Chrissie have a clear goal in mind. Beverley commented that that alone prevents excesses and accidents. I have clear goals too. Expressed in hormones and symptoms, they look like this:

What I want is:

1. Low insulin, to slim my waist to a Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) of 0.7.
2. Cortisol low too, to slim my waist, and just high enough to clear skin inflammation.
3. TSH, T3 and T4 high enough to lose weight to a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23.
4. Estrogen high enough to grow breasts and fill my wrinkles and prevent osteoporosis. I continue to work on separating these goals out for estradiol, estriol (pregnancy), and estrone (post-menopausal).
5. Progesterone just high enough to balance the estrogen (no headaches) and to make the cortisol. At times, I want it high enough to experiment with female libido.
6. Testosterone high enough to build muscles in the areas that I work out (butt, legs).
7. DHT low enough to prevent hair loss and breakouts. High enough to prevent depression and osteoporosis, and to be capable of coping with stress. At times, high enough for male libido.
8. Prolactin low enough to prevent loss of libido. At times high enough for swelling. Note that there is a contradiction here: I can't have maximum swelling and good libido together, unless the swelling lasts long enough.
9. SHBG low enough to have enough free testosterone for libido, and for making estrogens out of it.

Since all of the above limits are symptoms of hormone excess or deficiency or imbalance, I need no analytical chemical hormone determinations. I steer on the symptoms.

Check this list carefully for yourself: I'm sure your goals are different. Where you are now and where you want to go will eventually determine the program you need.

[beachbumbythesea]

Transsexuals like Beverley and Chrissie have a clear goal in mind. Beverley commented that that alone prevents excesses and accidents. I have clear goals too. Expressed in hormones and symptoms, they look like this:

What I want is:

1. Low insulin, to slim my waist to a Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) of 0.7.
2. Cortisol low too, to slim my waist, and just high enough to clear skin inflammation.
3. TSH, T3 and T4 high enough to lose weight to a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23.
4. Estrogen high enough to grow breasts and fill my wrinkles and prevent osteoporosis. I continue to work on separating these goals out for estradiol, estriol (pregnancy), and estrone (post-menopausal).
5. Progesterone just high enough to balance the estrogen (no headaches) and to make the cortisol. At times, I want it high enough to experiment with female libido.
6. Testosterone high enough to build muscles in the areas that I work out (butt, legs).
7. DHT low enough to prevent hair loss and breakouts. High enough to prevent depression and osteoporosis, and to be capable of coping with stress. At times, high enough for male libido.
8. Prolactin low enough to prevent loss of libido. At times high enough for swelling. Note that there is a contradiction here: I can't have maximum swelling and good libido together, unless the swelling lasts long enough.
9. SHBG low enough to have enough free testosterone for libido, and for making estrogens out of it.

Since all of the above limits are symptoms of hormone excess or deficiency or imbalance, I need no analytical chemical hormone determinations. I steer on the symptoms.

Check this list carefully for yourself: I'm sure your goals are different. Where you are now and where you want to go will eventually determine the program you need.

Hey Isabelle,

Bingo..yep that is what my goal is too.. so far as I take maca I have add the phytos to see what happens...cause I and many others dont really know what the levels are and IMO blood work isnt that good of telling either..to some degree..just my opinion..this is why I go by symptoms..I have seen many get blood work done but yet have crazy symptoms..so there I am done.. that list you wrote is def. me too..even home grown women what the same as you, Beverly, and Chrissie..so best to all of use on our experiments of what we want...so far for me and looks like you to Isa that we are making progress..It takes time but worth it.