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were treating a woman primarily because she was worried about been treated with oestradiol and natural progesterone showed very heart disease or because she had abnormal blood fats and low little coronary artery spasm. The study concluded that Provera, in HDL cholesterol, I would probably see if she wanted to take contrast to natural progesterone, increased the risk of coronary micronised (natural) progesterone. I was quite impressed with the vasospasm.” better effect."” Dr Hermsmeyer later commented on the study's relevance to Unfortunately, the major finding that natural progesterone women: "We also didn't expect to find that progesterone alone, played a most beneficial role on HDL levels never made if off the without added estrogen, is protective of the coronary arteries. But pages of the Journal of the American Medical Association. it is, and I believe that progesterone can be a very important part Instead, the first line of the editorial accompanying the PEPI of decreasing the incidence of sudden heart death and cardiovas- study read: "Estrogen is good for the heart." Once again, the cular disease in menopausal women. However, we hypothesise safer and more natural option was totally ignored. According to that this protection occurs optimally when the woman's body also the president of the American Heart Association, a woman who has subphysiological levels of estrogen, and that the two hor- followed Dr Barrett-Connor's advice about using a natural proges- mones, progesterone and estrogen, work best together."* terone might reduce her risk of heart disease by 12 per cent.”! This research was reinforced by a study conducted at Wake It is important to note that the beneficial effects of natural prog- Forest University's Bowman's School of Medicine. Their research esterone in the PEPI study occurred when it was used with an with heart disease and hormones in monkeys showed that Provera oestrogen as part of a hormone replacement therapy. While natur- can “obliterate the beneficial effect of estrogen therapy on the pro- al progesterone was never tested on its own, there is a growing gression of coronary artery atherosclerosis" (clogging of the arter- body of evidence that suggests it is just as effective as oestrogen ies). in increasing HDL levels, again raising grave concerns that Research has also been conducted on the effects of Provera oestrogen's _ therapeutic with vasospasm in women. effects have been overrated. At London's National Heart In fact, it is becoming more DIETARY HEART-SAVERS and Lung Institute, Dr Peter and more obvious that the = Supplements: vitamin E (can reduce the risk of heart attack |] Collins led a study using dif- pivotal role given to oestro- by up to 70%), vitamin C and selenium, vitamins B6, B12 and ferent combinations of HRT. gen supplementation, itself, folic acid, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, garlic, ginger, The women were monitored for women's hormonal and hawthorn, carnitine while exercising on a tread- health problems has been - Consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables mill. The study found that much overrated. + Moderate alcohol consumption the women who were using The PEPI study also raised - Reduced consumption dairy products natural progesterone could new questions about the safe- |! © Reduced sugar intake (sugar is the highest dietary risk factor |} exercise significantly longer ty of Premarin. While it for heart disease for women over the age of 35 and older than the women taking raised HDL levels, five new [Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, June 1998}) Provera, who became much cases of heart disease devel- + Increased consumption of essential fatty acids found in more fatigued due to restrict- oped during the first three flaxseed, olive, pumpkin and fish oils, and elimination ed blood-flow.” years of the study, only in the of trans fatty acids (as found in margarine) The results of these studies patients taking Premarin. + Consumption of more soy protein and less animal protein || are convincing more and This suggests at least the + Increased consumption of garlic and ginger more doctors to re-evaluate possibility that Premarin may Increased fibre in diet their use of a progestin like actually cause heart disease Provera in a hormone in some postmenopausal LIFESTYLE HEART-SAVERS replacement regime. Instead women. Also, 10 women they are now realising that receiving Premarin devel- Increased exercise natural progesterone is a oped blood clots; four of = Reduced obesity safer and more effective these cases were serious. No + Reduced stress levels choice. As a result of the women in the placebo group = No smoking PEPI study, the FDA has developed blood clots.” recently approved an oral More disturbing research about progestin's harmful effects on form of natural progesterone tablet called Prometrium. This is the the heart continues to surface. In 1997, Dr Kent Hermsmeyer, a _ first time that a natural progesterone product has been patented. professor of medicine and cell developmental biology at Oregon However, a transdermal cream is still a much more effective Health Sciences University, published a groundbreaking study in _ delivery system. It is recommended to use 200 mg of Prometrium Nature Medicine journal, showing that the synthetic progestin for 12 days of a woman's cycle, while only 20 mg is required for a Provera made the muscles of the heart and coronary arteries of natural progesterone cream. rhesus monkeys more reactive and prone to vasospasms. His study set out to investigate the effect of hormones on coronary WOMEN: A PROFITABLE MARKET artery spasms. The ovaries from 12 rhesus monkeys were Women have been made the target for an aggressive marketing removed to simulate menopause. Half were given oestrogen and —_ campaign by the pharmaceutical companies in conjunction with the synthetic progestin, Provera, and the other half were given the medical profession to get them to use hormone replacement oestrogen and natural progesterone. Four weeks later the mon- therapy. Reinforced by cultural myths of the ageing woman and keys were injected with a drug to stimulate coronary artery spasm. gross misinformation about female physiology, tens of millions of The monkeys that were on Provera and oestrogen suffered from | HRT scripts are written each year as healthy menopausal women an unrelenting spasm that would have caused death if they hadn't naively believe their doctors when they're told that HRT will pro- been injected with an antispasmodic drug. The monkeys that had tect their hearts. + Increased exercise = Reduced obesity + Reduced stress levels = No smoking WOMEN: A PROFITABLE MARKET Women have been made the target for an aggressive marketing campaign by the pharmaceutical companies in conjunction with the medical profession to get them to use hormone replacement therapy. Reinforced by cultural myths of the ageing woman and gross misinformation about female physiology, tens of millions of HRT scripts are written each year as healthy menopausal women naively believe their doctors when they're told that HRT will pro- tect their hearts. NEXUS - 23 DIETARY HEART-SAVERS LIFESTYLE HEART-SAVERS FEBRUARY — MARCH 1999