4 stars for Moods, Emotions, and Aging: Hormones and the Mind-Body Connection by Phyllis J. Bronson and Rebecca Bronson.
This book reads very much like a Science textbook. It reminds me of the days where Biology was part of my school curriculum. I have always enjoy my Biology lessons but without a doubt, where exams are concerned, it takes the reading enjoyment level down a notch or two. Well, I am glad that exams are a thing of the past now and I can read this book without the anxiety of having to sit for the paper at the end of it.
This paperback is a wealth of information on the impact of hormones and nutrients on mood and emotion. It is very much based on the study that brain chemistry and hormones play a major role in mood problems. Readers get to learn about the differences between synthetic and bioidentical (natural) hormones.
The research conducted by the author herself showed that there are significant chemical differences between synthetic hormones and natural ones made by the human body or compounding pharmacies. From her research findings, it is obvious that the author is an advocate of natural hormones as she repeatedly stressed the importance of using bioidentical hormones to support women, both emotionally and physically. She also shares some case studies that illustrate how balancing hormones can help individual women deal with traumatic issues in their lives.
There are two things I like much in this book.
One is the revelation of Western's medicine dark side. I have always been skeptical of the drugs promoted by the profit-driven pharmaceutical industry, so in a way, it is reassuring to see the reproval on print. The author says that the drugs produced by the pharmaceutical companies are not the same as those hormones produced naturally in the female body. But because the hormones produced by these companies are not natural, they are patentable. So there it is. The potential for huge financial gains for these pharmaceutical companies is way too tempting to ignore. Therefore, women need to be aware that their best interests may not be the same as that of the company making the product that they are taking.
The other thing I like has less to do with hormones but more to do with the belief that calcium in milk is good for our bones. Once again, I have always challenge the belief that cow's milk is good for us. Why should humans go about drinking cow's milk? Shouldn't cow's milk be for their calf, just as breast milk is for the human baby? Well, humans are the only known species on Earth that drink the milk of another species. The way I see it, it always boils down to the same thing which is the money making business. However, it is not the pharmaceutical but the dairy industry this time. Here I will quote a passage from the book as below:
"One of the biggest myths about osteoporosis has to do with calcium. While the dairy industry would have people believe that dietary calcium is critical to bone formation and that the best way to get that calcium is milk products, there is mounting evidence that this is not so. Yes, calcium is an important component of healthy bone, but diary products may not be the best way to get that calcium. Calcium from milk is in the form of calcium lactate, which is not as easily absorbed as other forms that can be found in green, leafy vegetables."
The author proceeds to back her statement with statistics.
To quote "Milk consumption in Greece doubled from 1961 to 1977 (and was even higher in 1985), and from 1977 to 1985 the age-adjusted osteoporosis incidence almost doubled, too. In Hong Kong, twice as much dairy products were consumed in 1989 as compared to 1966, and incidence of osteoporosis tripled in the same period. Americans consume large amounts of dairy products, and thus take in extremely high levels of calcium, but they also sustain high rates of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures."
The author also states that there is not enough data currently to support claims by the dairy industry that the more milk women drink, the stronger their bone will be.
To quote "While calcium is surely an essential part of bone formation, there is currently no substantial data showing that increased consumption of dairy products prevents or slows down the development of osteoporosis. In fact, according to a 1985 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the more milk women drank, the more bone loss they experienced. Current recommendations from the Harvard School of Public Health are that women should get calcium as much as possible from green, leafy vegetables rather than from dairy products."
And then, there is also the question of profit-driven motives leading to conflict of interest.
To quote "The Osteoporosis Foundation and American Dietetic Association both receive money from the dairy industry. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), there is a lack of credible research showing a deficiency in calcium is to blame for current osteoporosis epidemic!"
Once again, the author substantiates her statement with numbers.
To quote "In fact, one study tracked eight-one girls ages twelve to eighteen for six years. Their calcium intake was controlled by supplementation (using calcium supplements rather foods), and the conclusion was that increased calcium supplementation was not associated with hip bone density at age eighteen or with total body bone mineral gain at ages twelve through eighteen."
It is stunning indeed to read about the ugly side of Western's medicine as well as the conflict of interest that so often lead to misleading information to end consumers.
Perhaps then, this book holds the secret to aging with grace, health and happiness? After all, the author believes in finding balance for women as they age and her aim is to help girls and women with orthomolecular medicine and nutrient biochemistry. From a few taps on my keyboard, Google tells me that orthomolecular medicine is a form of alternative medicine, with a purpose to maintain human health through nutritional supplementation. And nutritional biochemistry is an integrative form of science that incorporates sciences such as physiology, medicine, microbiology, endocrinology, chemistry and biology, and applies these specifically to the study of health, diet, nutrition, disease, and the connections that exist among them. All of these seem complicated to me, but from what the author shares in her book, she sounds confident and comes across as one knowing what she is doing.
Personally, I feel that a woman's health is not just about hormones. It is a whole lot more. And that includes sleep, food and nutrition, and social connection. This book may not have gone (deep) into these topics but nevertheless, it provides useful information and insight to the overall well-being of women where hormones such as estrogen (estrone, estradiol and estriol) and progesterone are concerned.
