Restoring the natural hormone level in your body isn't that difficult to do. The foundation of the process begins with an understanding of human biochemistry, particularly human steroid hormones. You heard right - steroids. That word conjures up negative thoughts of illegal or dangerous drugs. In fact, steroid hormones are critical to our body's health. We cannot live without them. They are produced in the adrenal glands and ovaries or testes. As they decline, symptoms appear which are myriad and frequently mental-emotional, so much so that a woman may feel that she needs psychiatric care. The usual procedure at this point is to prescribe anti-depressant drugs, and in some cases, hospitalization if symptoms persist. The possibility of severely reduced levels of natural hormones is rarely considered, and thus, the levels of these hormones are never measured. As we have seen in the overwhelming majority of cases, an infinitely preferable natural solution exists but is lost in the haste to rubberstamp the problem as psychiatric. To restore the human hormone level in your body to previously adequate levels simply requires an understanding of our natural biochemistry and the integral role of steroid hormones to the process. "Human Steroid Hormones" (pictured below) demonstrates how the human steroid hormones are all interrelated. I have highlighted the ones used in my natural hormone replacement recipe and shown how they connect to each other. Human Steroid Hormones See testosterone in the picture? Did you really think it was only a male hormone? It is extremely valuable to a woman's biochemistry as well. I call it the forgotten female hormone. Testosterone is probably the most important hormone of all. In my recipe, if I had to give up all but one hormone in a treatment plan, testosterone would be the one I would keep. It restores vitality, energy, sense of well-being, enthusiasm for life, and libido. It is anabolic, which means it builds tissue. It re-grows bone tissue, muscle tissue, collagen tissue, and probably brain cells as well. It restores the immune system, and alleviates many of the mental-emotional symptoms that women experience as hormone production declines. Testosterone replacement in women is becoming more standard therapy. Obviously this is a positive development provided that the real human testosterone is used, not an alien substitute, such as progestin which is an alien substitute for progesterone. The real testosterone, so far, cannot be taken orally to obtain the desired results. The best way to get testosterone into your body is by injection. However, testosterone can be compounded into sublingual tablets that allow for quick absorption directly into the tiny blood vessels under the tongue. This helps to prolong the effect of the injections. Vanishing cream carries testosterone through the skin and also extends the effect of the injections. Testosterone can also be made into pellets to be placed under the skin on the low abdomen. DHEA and pregnenolone are building blocks of both the estrogens and testosterone. DHEA, pregnenolone, natural estrogens, and natural progesterone all do amazing things. Testosterone, in small dosages, does not make you male, but instead makes you more female. You become more alive. Joy is restored to your life. You deal with parenting and/or job-related stress more effectively. You become more self-confident, energetic, and patient. Interpersonal relationships are enhanced and marriages are strengthened. The typical treatment plan starts with an injection every two weeks for six weeks. Usually within just a few hours after the first injection, the woman will experience a "window of wellness" where most, if not all, of her symptoms are gone. This period of wellness may last only a few days at first. We now know that her symptoms are indeed caused by hormonal decline or they would not have gone away for even a short time. This is great! We must now expand the "window of wellness" so that it can exist all of the time. On the second injection visit, oral hormone replacements are started in order to prolong the effects of the injection and to maintain a daily balance of hormone levels. After the third injection is given, you can determine how you feel with the oral replacements in order to decide when future injections are needed. Future injections are frequently necessary every two weeks in order to continue feeling and being well. In fact, many patients report that they can tell precisely when the injection effect wears off. After two or three months, you may want to try sublingual tablets or vanishing cream to further maintain your hormone balance and extend the effect of the hormone injection. Subcutaneous pellets placed painlessly under the skin on the low abdomen is also an option. The slow release of hormone from these pellets lasts three months. I frequently use this method to prevent migraine headaches.