May 8, 2008
Hirsutism simply means excessive hair growth in females where hair is normally absent or minimal. While it’s certainly troubling and can cause self-consciousness and emotional distress, hirsutism can also indicate a more serious condition, like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Excessive hair growth is a common symptom of PCOS. This is due to the relatively high levels of testosterone found in women suffering from PCOS. It is normal for all women to have some amount of testosterone, but those with PCOS have excessive levels, causing unwanted hair growth. Some of the most common areas affected are the chin, cheeks, neck, and chest. Masculine hair on the arms and legs is also possible.
In addition to hirsutism, symptoms of PCOS can vary widely from woman to woman and may include: irregular or completely absent periods, ovarian cysts, male-pattern hair loss, obesity, acne, skin tags, dark skin patches, high cholesterol levels, exhaustion or lack of mental alertness, decreased sex drive, excess male hormones and infertility. If you feel you may be suffering from PCOS try this self-test available at Insulitelabs.com.
Too much hair in the wrong places can be embarrassing and emotionally painful. While treatments like waxing, bleaching, tweezing, laser hair removal and electrolysis provide relief from symptoms, they do not treat the underlying cause of PCOS – a hormonal imbalance brought on by insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is a hormonal imbalance linked to the way the body processes insulin, ultimately affecting blood sugar levels and the way the body processes food and stores fat. Women who are insulin resistant typically carry excess weight in the abdominal area, causing an “apple” shape, rather than a “pear” shape, where excess weight is carried in the hips and buttocks. While many women who suffer from insulin resistance and PCOS are overweight, this is not always the case. Women of a normal weight may also be affected.
Typically, harsh pharmaceuticals, like Metformin (also known as glucophage), are prescribed by doctors to treat PCOS and insulin resistance. While these drugs can be effective, they also carry the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Metformin may also increase the risk of heart attack. [1]
If your unwanted hair growth is caused by PCOS, correcting insulin resistance is likely to alleviate your symptoms because you are addressing the underlying cause. Many women successfully reverse their insulin resistance and PCOS symptoms naturally with proper nutrition, exercise, nutraceuticals, and support. To learn more visit: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
1. Patent Information for Glucophage®
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Princeton, NJ 08543 USA
Revised June 2006
http://packageinserts.bms.com/pi/pi_glucophage.pdf
May 7, 2008
The Helfgott Research Institute at the National College for Natural Medicine needs women who have PCOS to volunteer for a ground-breaking study.
The study will investigate how effective the herb “Gymnema sylvestre” is for naturally treating PCOS.
Gymnema shows promise as a natural way to treat diabetes but until now there has been no research on this herb for helping PCOS.
We recommend that you enroll in this study if you live anywhere near Portland, Oregon, or the surrounding region. If you don’t live in this region, we hope you’ll pass this newsletter along to a friend in that region.
If you qualify for this study, you will be advancing research for the benefit of every woman who suffers from PCOS. You will also obtain some very useful laboratory test data for yourself.
This is a great opportunity to help yourself as well as all women who have PCOS!
Click this link to find out if you qualify for this study and to get the phone number to call.
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/gymnemastudy
Read the full article here.
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news57.html
Learn about Gymnema here:
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/gymnema.html
(copy and paste the link into your browser if link is
not clickable)
newsletter@ovarian-cysts-pcos.com
There is a simple explanation for the middle-age spread: our metabolisms slow by 5% each decade after the age of forty.Slowly but surely we pack on an extra five to ten pounds a year as our bodies become less efficient at burning calories.
And there are plenty of other factors that can affect our metabolisms: motherhood, illness, certain medications, and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. To understand what causes insulin resistance go to http://weight.insulitelabs.com/What-Causes-Insulin-Resistance.php.
But we can fight back! With proper nutrition, the right nutrients, a little exercise, and a good night’s sleep we can all become calorie burning machines at any age.
Eat Protein and Eat Often
Never eat fewer than 1,000 calories per day. Our metabolisms thrive on food. Eat three protein-packed meals and two protein snacks per day. Snacking will actually give your metabolism a boost while protein provides a thermal (fat burning) effect superior to that of carbohydrates. Eating enough protein also helps to build and maintain muscle mass, another important factor in revving up the metabolism. Eat as often as every two to three hours. Never allow more than five hours between meals. Fish, turkey, nuts, low-fat cheese, avocados and eggs are excellent choices. And don’t forget to spice it up! Many studies have shown that spicy foods, like hot peppers, can boost metabolism.
Supercharge with Supplements
The right supplements can promote fat burning and stabilize blood sugar. Stable blood sugar and insulin levels are crucial to metabolizing calories efficiently. This may be difficult for individuals suffering from insulin resistance, a hormonal imbalance linked to the way the body processes insulin. Supplements (also called nutraceuticals), along with a nutrition and exercise plan, are essential to correcting this imbalance.
Omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10 (Ubiquinone), Vitamin b12, folic acid and thiamin are just a few examples of supplements that regulate blood sugar and supercharge the metabolism. Visit http://weight.insulitelabs.com/Elements.php for more information.
Strength Training is Key
We may be better off spending less time on the treadmill and more time in the weight room. While cardio exercise benefits the heart and lungs, strength (resistance) training builds lean muscle mass and lean muscle mass is paramount to a fuel efficient body. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn – even in our sleep.
Don’t Skimp on Sleep
We need at least eight hours of sleep per night for our bodies to function properly during the day. Research shows that people who don’t get a sufficient amount of quality sleep tend to gain weight. The quality of our sleep affects the hormones leptin and grehlin, which control hunger and metabolism. Tiredness also causes us to reach for empty calories like sweets.
May 6, 2008
Insulite Laboratories’ Weekly Health Support Message
May 6, 2008
A new study claims to have cracked the mystery of why eating garlic can help keep the heart healthy.
The key ingredient is allicin, which is broken down into the foul-smelling sulfur compounds which, unfortunately, taint breath. These compounds react with red blood cells and produce hydrogen sulphide which relaxes the blood vessels and keeps blood flowing easily.
Hydrogen sulphide generates a smell of rotten eggs and is used to make stink bombs. But in low concentrations it plays a vital role in helping cells to communicate with each other.
And within the blood vessels it stimulates the cells that form the lining to relax, causing the vessels to dilate. This, in turn, reduces blood pressure, allowing the blood to carry more oxygen to essential organs and reducing pressure on the heart.
A research team from Birmingham’s University of Alabama bathed rat blood vessels in a bath containing juice from crushed garlic. They soon saw striking results, with tension within the vessels reduced by 72%.
The researchers also found that red blood cells exposed to minute amounts of juice extracted from supermarket garlic immediately began emitting hydrogen sulphide.
Lead researcher Dr David Kraus said: “Our results suggest garlic in the diet is a very good thing. Certainly in areas where garlic consumption is high, such as the Mediterranean and the Far East, there is a low incidence of cardiovascular disease.”
A balanced, nutritious diet, which includes a modicum of garlic, combined with a regular exercise regime can help reverse an underlying cause of excess weight and obesity, namely the imbalance of blood glucose and insulin called Insulin Resistance. By reversing this latter condition, you can facilitate weight loss.
If left unchecked, obesity can also lead to the cluster of increased risks for heart disease called Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X) as well as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - a leading cause of menstrual irregularity and infertility, acne and other skin conditions, excess facial hair and female hair loss. Overweight women do not have a monopoly on PCOS, however. Up to 50% of PCOS sufferers may be females who are of normal weight or even lean.
Overweight men are at greater risk of prostate cancer. Insulin Resistance-linked weight problems are also associated in both sexes with Type 2 Diabetes. Before the onset of this latter condition, however, most people develop reversible Pre-Diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are elevated beyond normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.
If ignored, Pre-Diabetes may lead to the Type 2 variety, which can only be managed for the rest of a person’s life. Many Diabetics require daily injections of insulin.
Type 2 Diabetes severely increases the risk of blindness, amputation and kidney disease, as well as a heart attack or stroke. Some 90% of people with Type 2 also suffer from excess weight or obesity.
www.insulitelabs.com
