Hormonen allgemein Anhängsel
[Bart Maris, M.D.]
Hormonal Thinking
It is really quite unbelievable, take a little pill every day and can
have sex with each other without getting pregnant. What has to happen to make
this possible?
Nowadays, this seems simple to explain. The human body is looked upon as
a complicated system that, through various rules and coordinated mechanisms, is
organized, through the brain, the genes and through the hormones. Hormones are
substances that are produced in specific organs and then enter the bloodstream
and in this way target an organ’s specific functions either to stimulate or
stop. Through a feedback mechanism the production of hormones is regulated.
The thought model: “feedback-regulations” comes from mechanics,
electronics and chemistry and is an example of linear causal thought (this
hormone causes this effect in this organ, and if it overdoes it, this and that
causes the production of the hormones to decline). Through such a thought model
one tries to understand “life” the same way as non-organic manifestations. When
you forget that such a model is only a simplified aid, then this can lead to
the following conclusions: Premenstrual problems? Crying spells after giving birth?
Night sweats in menopause? Only the hormones! Important emotional and
biographical happenings are only the result of hormones.
This is an example of reductionist thinking. Manifestations of LIFE are
reduced to reactions that are understandable logically. Of course, hormones
play a part in menopause and menstruation. Every woman reacts differently when
her monthly menstruation appears and not every woman reacts the same during
menopause.
If you think mechanically, you’ll gain no understanding about the
relationship between reason/source, consequence and any accompanying
manifestations.
During the cycles, the relationship between the physical body, etheric body, astral body and ego affects your own rhythms.
Based on such linear thoughts about hormones regulating organ functions, the
next step seems logical: the manipulation of the human body with the aid of
hormones. The human organism is looked upon
as a feedback-regulation system and consequently treated as such a
system.
The female body is forced to react linearly when taking the pill. By
regularly taking the pill, a woman menstruates every month not according to her
own rhythms,
but through a dictated (pill-induced) time line.
Stress
The cycles of a woman have a few peculiarities. What is most noticeable
is the rhythm. Rhythm is not the same as measure. Rhythm has a little bit of
play, you could
also say chaos, in its development. Contrary to measure, it is more
irregular. There are very few women who can predict in the spring on what days
she’ll have her
period in October, for instance.
Often it is recognizable why, for instance, the menstruation comes
later. Because of stress, conflict, or heavy physical activity, menstruation
can respond to factors
of both physical or soul nature. Mechanical measure can be counted on to
be predictable - living rhythms cannot.
Every rhythm in the human body has life movement in it. When the rhythm
of the heart has too little play in rhythm and becomes monotonous, this can be a
sign of the onset of heart disease. It is interesting to know that the quality
of “not calculable” is considered as negative and “calculable” as positive.
However, when everything
is predictable, where can something new come about?
The menstruation rhythms and the rhythms of the moon correlate. This
says a lot about the connection between fertility and the cosmic influence of
the moon.
There are still groups and communities in Europe where women, at the
full moon, menstruate at the same time.
A second aspect of the menstruation cycle is the build-up in two phases,
a sort of rhythm that consists out of two mirror images, as is true of all
living rhythms.
The in-breathing and out-breathing of the lungs, the diastole and
systole, the expanding and contracting of the heart, sleeping and waking. The
first part of the menses cycle builds up: the mucus layer of the womb grows,
the skin membrane of the egg cell grows also, the soul of the woman, generally
speaking, is optimistic, unencumbered. She enjoys partaking in the affairs of
the world and seeks contact with other people. After the ovulation everything
changes. That is the second half
of the cycle. The mucus layer in the womb doesn’t grow any longer; it
transforms and is restructured. From the rest of the watery egg cell the yellow
body is made that produces hormones. The temperature of the body raises
somewhat and the soul turns to rest and introspection. Her body feels heavy and
she doesn’t like to initiate actions or absorb in actions and events of her
surroundings. When such moods and feelings become too strong, one speaks of
premenstrual syndrome.
Ego (I) Impulse
During the menstrual cycle, the relationship between the physical body, etheric body, astral body and ego changes.
During the first half (till the bursting of the egg) the relationship
between the physical body and the ether body, on one side, and the astral body
and the ego on the
other side, is not so intensive. The etheric
body is strong, and body and soul are not held back by a strong structured I or
Ego impulse.
In the second half, as is indicated by a higher body temperature, in the
restructuring of the mucus membrane of the womb and the egg, and also in the
turning in of
the soul. Looking upon it from the point of view of our four natures,
one sees an out-breathing and in-breathing, or as sleeping and waking, but then
in a rhythm of approximately four weeks, a less intensive connection between
our higher bodies and lower bodies (between astral body and the ego and the
physical-etheric body) transforms into a much
stronger connection. The changes are marked by ovulation and menstrual
bleeding. At the end of the less intensive, the more extroverted phase, one
finds the days to become pregnant a time of great acceptance and also often of
intensified sexual feelings. At the change from outside to inside, a spiritual
entity
can enter inside the body. When this doesn’t happen, two weeks later the
menstrual bleeding appears which indicates a return to the outside.
Sacrifice of Purification
This movement is the archetype of the gesture: going to the outside,
taking-in of images and taking those images inside to reflect and contemplate
them. The blood of
the menses is in itself a very curious event: a healthy woman bleeds
again and again, without trauma and for a few days.
It’s not an elimination product like urine or saliva or mother’s milk.
It is not anything that she would have otherwise too much of, or what would
have a certain function. The blood, the carrier of the I, that every month gets
released to the earth.
Overviewing the Endocrine System, Some Related
Remedies and Treatment Options
[Sue Smith]
This article attempts to provide an overview of the functions of the
human endocrine system and form a basis for some prescription choices, based
mostly on sarcodes and organ therapeutics. The
author’s overall prescribing techniques, underlying logic and other
observations are given according to individual patient profile and practitioner
choice.
Gale Encyclopaedia of Medicine: Endocrine
System is “a system of organs that produces chemicals that go into the
bloodstream to reach other organs whose functioning they affect”. This,
essentially, is our body’s chemical messenger service.
Hormones, which are these chemicals that circulate in the bloodstream
are continuously secreted, but the endocrine glands have a natural tendency to
over-secrete and so control of our endocrine secretions is via negative
feedback. It is not dependent upon the amount of hormone present, but upon
whether or not its intended function is being achieved. One gland produces a
hormone which affects a second gland. That gland then produces its own hormone,
which in turn influences the first gland’s secretion and so hormones have an
increasing effect upon their target cells and organs.
When over-function occurs, the feedback system (usually routed via the
Hypothalamus in the brain) causes the endocrine organ in question to halt its
production. In under-function, where the target cells or organ are not
responding to their hormonal messenger, the body produces an increasing amount
of that hormone to compensate for the problem.
Thus, our Endocrine System is an extremely interdependent and intricate
set-up: a dysfunction in one gland will certainly result in a disruption elsewhere
in the body. Allopathic tests for glandular function usually only address the
quantities of hormone levels present in the bloodstream and these occur in
minute amounts: 1 picogram per pint of blood. A picogram is a millionth of a millionth of a gram, and so
medical and synthetically produced hormonal treatments tend to be rather
unsubtle, to say the least: our bodies just don’t react in the same way to what
amounts to chemical sledgehammers as they do to natural prompts! Also of
course, ordinary medicine may not necessarily consider either the reason behind
any endocrine dysfunction, or its actual location/s.
The glandular hierarchy
Hypothalamus
The endocrine system works within a hierarchy driven by the
Hypothalamus. The Hypothalamus is often described as the body’s internal
eyeball, and I find it helpful
to liken its role to that of a Chief Executive of an organisation.
The Hypothalamus itself comprises a collection of cells at the base of the
forebrain that acts as the
receiver of messages via nerve cells from other parts of the brain. It
then sends out signals to the Pituitary Gland by substances termed neuro-hormones to stimulate
or inhibit glandular secretions somewhere else in the system in response
to received information in order to co-ordinate, maintain and control our
internal homeostasis.
It can be seen that the endocrine and nervous systems are also closely
intertwined: something else that conventional medical concepts tend to de-emphasise.
What actually happens is that the endocrine hormones act directly upon
our glands and body tissues whilst the autonomic nerves activate the relevant
motor nerves of
our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in order to make
changes in breathing, heart rate, galvanic skin response and so on, to activate
reflex actions
(such as blinking) and to carry out bodily processes such as digestion.
This nervous and endocrine mutuality is one reason why stress and our
coping mechanisms play such a significant role in a variety of disease. Agrawal (2004) directly links emotions and parts of the
body to the endocrine glands, based upon the inter-relationship between the
seven chakras, the endocrine glands and our emotionality that traditional Hindu
thinking holds, whilst Ambika Wauters
(1999) inter alia, has further aligned our chakras to colours
as well as emotions, illustrated in the summary table below.
Hypothalamus Homeopathics
Squire (2003): BCG vaccine nosode, Puls. and Tub. are related remedies to the Hypothalamus sarcode, Hilery Dorrian: the Hypothalamus remedy picture can present
similarly to that of Puls. with the tearfulness,
changeability and so on.
Sarcodes: extreme levels of emotional and
physical stress have caused a general hormonal imbalance. I used Rainbow (= Spectrum)
quite successfully as a support
where I have supposed that a patients’ chakras have been thrown out of
alignment and they have reported that the remedy acted as a wonderful
pick-me-up.
Aside from this, I would say that it is the constitutional remedy of the
individual concerned that is the most closely aligned to the Hypothalamus,
simply because it is their own ‘boss’.
Pituitary gland
Located in the base of the brain has two lobes, the Anterior and
Posterior. The Anterior lobe is an actual gland in itself, whilst the Posterior
lobe consists of a lump
of nervous tissue directly connected to the Hypothalamus. The Anterior
lobe is the more important influence upon the functioning of other glands, as
it produces 6 hormones to the Posterior lobe 2, but essentially the lobes act
in concert and are able to compensate for each other.
Anterior Lobe Hormones
The Anterior Lobe produces prolactin, which is
a hormone involved in the preparation of the breasts for maternal milk
production and to synthesise the following
birth. It also produces somatotropin, the
human growth hormone that primarily influences the skeletal system, growth rate
and maturational size. Under-secretion
of this hormone results in dwarfism, whilst over-secretion results in
gigantism in children and a condition known as acromegaly
in adults.
Somatotropin: general synthesis of amino acids,
assimilation of fat and blood sugar levels.
The Anterior lobe of the pituitary gland also produces a thyroid
stimulating hormone (TSH), which influences all aspects of thyroid function and
ultimately the regulation of our metabolic rate, fat breakdown and the water
content of certain tissues. The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is also
created here. FSH controls the maturation
of ovarian follicles in females and sperm production in males.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) also comes from the anterior lobe of the pituitary. LH
contributes to the formation of the corpus luteum and
therefore production and synthesis of the egg in women, as well as preparing
the breast for lactation.
The equivalent hormone to LH in men produced by the anterior pituitary
is the ICSH, or interstitial cell stimulation hormone, which acts on the testes
and affects sperm and testosterone (the major male hormone) production. ACTH or
adrenocorticotrophine, a hormone affecting various
secretions of the Adrenal Gland, also starts life in this lobe. The general
metabolic effects of ACTH include the mobilisation of
fats, blood sugar and glycogen (muscle fuel) levels as well our body’s
resistance to stress.
Posterior Lobe Hormones
The Posterior lobe of the pituitary gland secretes an anti-diuretic
hormone called ADH that, to a certain extent, is responsible for the
constriction of veins in some cases of high blood pressure, but more
importantly affects kidney function. Water is re-absorbed by the kidneys so
that less urine is excreted. ADH under-secretion causes the condition diabetes insipidus, where excessive amounts of very dilute urine are
excreted but not absorbed.
Oxytocin, which works alongside prolactin in the production and flow of milk and also acts
on the smooth muscles of the uterus in pregnancy. Both of these two hormones
are actually produced in the Hypothalamus and are only stored and released by
the Posterior lobe.
Overall then, the Pituitary Gland extensively affects our wellbeing and
lifespan development in general, including our early in utero
period. It can therefore be said to act rather like our body’s Managing
Director, and is generally known as the master gland of the body because of its
action upon the activity of the thyroid and adrenal glands and upon our organs
of reproduction: the ovaries and testes, or gonads.
Pituitary Homeopathics
The functions of both lobes of the Pituitary gland, and hence the whole
gland are fairly well defined and so choice of the three related sarcodes would mirror whatever was being addressed. As far
as my own practice is concerned, Pituitarium anteriorium (Pitu-a). has been
indicated the most, predominantly in children when maturational markers or behavioural issues have been delayed and has been
especially useful as an intercurrent in cases of
bedwetting. Bar-c.: delayed development in children and childlike presentations
in the elderly. Because of its hormonal profile, Folliculinum
has an affinity with this gland.
Thyroid gland
The Thyroid Gland, located in the front and sides of the base of the
neck just below the larynx, acts rather like our body’s General Manager. It is
a butterfly-shaped gland containing a number of closed follicles and, essentially,
it controls the pace of chemical activity and metabolism of every cell of the
body. Thus it impacts significantly upon the growth and rate of function of
many other bodily systems.
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroid cells produce two hormones, thyroxin or T4 and T3 (tri-iodothyronine). Their formation is dependent upon the amino
acid Tyrosine (hence the T) and also
upon the mineral iodine. These hormones both determine how quickly the
body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to
other hormones, and along with the growth hormone somatotropin,
ensure our brain development, urine production, protein breakdown and glucose
uptake.
Untreated hypothyroidism (or under-secretion) in children results in the
unkindly-named condition of cretinism. In adults it causes myxoedema
(non-pitting facial oedema, or swelling). Both
conditions also feature a low overall metabolic rate and excess body weight.
Untreated hyperthyroidism (over-secretion) increases the metabolic rate
generally, and sometimes causes exophthalmos, or
protruding eyeballs. Goitre on the other hand is the
name for any enlargement of the thyroid gland itself and can be present with or
without hyperthyroidism. It is also possible for this two-lobed, follicular
gland to be partially under- and partially over- active at the same time and
symptoms of both polarities may overlap, for example fatigue, thinning hair,
poor libido.
Thyroid Homeopathics
Thyroid therapeutics are perhaps the most well-documented, used and
needed raft of remedies in general practice, but rather than reinvent the
wheel, some differentiation of available remedies may be useful here.
Thyroidinum, first introduced by Clarke, and
useful in both hyper- and hypo-thyroid conditions, is the prepared extract of
the thyroid gland of a sheep or calf whereas Thyroiodinum
(otherwise known as Iodothyrine) is the pure iodine
derived from this source (Murphy 2000). Thyroxine is
the allopathic drug also derived from animal glands and is most useful as a tautopathic remedy to support withdrawal. For a human
source, Thyroid Gland would be the option.
As a plant based support, a useful remedy is Fucus
Vesiculosus, or Sea Kelp and can be used effectively
as a supplement as well as homeopathically to support the Thyroid gland. It is
the primary source of natural iodine, or Iodium, a
major hyper-active thyroid remedy. Other useful thyroid supports are Kali-i. (= Potassium iodide) which is non-radioactive iodine
used to prevent the thyroid gland absorbing radiation in nuclear incidents, and
Calc-i. (= Iodide of Lime), useful homeopathically
for thyroid dysfunction associated with hormonal changes.
Parathyroid glands
Just behind the thyroid are the pea-sized glands of the Parathyroid
(usually four, two behind each lobe) that assist calcitonin
from the thyroid in metabolising, assimilating and
regulating calcium in order that the nervous and muscular systems can function
efficiently.
Parathyroid Hormone
The glands produce parathormone to perform
this function. Over-production causes calcium to be moved from the bones into
the blood and then excreted in urine, which then can result in brittle bones
and kidney stones. Under-secretion causes low calcium levels in the blood,
resulting in muscular rigidity and/or spasm (tetany).
The latter can sometimes be in evidence following thyroid surgery where the parathyroids have inadvertently been removed (according to
Watson 2000) and then calcium is then traditionally prescribed to correct the mistake,
something which really inspires confidence in hospital treatment.
Parathyroid Homeopathics
The Parathyroid sarcode is helpful in cases of
osteoporosis (which is the de-mineralisation and loss
of density of bones), bony spurs and also kidney stones.
These conditions are caused through non-absorption of calcium and the
remedy Calcarea renalis is potentised kidney
stone. The syphilitic connection here is also evident.
Adrenal glands
Near to and just above the kidneys are the Adrenal (or suprarenal) Glands.
Each gland has two distinct zones: the outer cortex and the inner medulla.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
The mineralocorticoid steroid Aldosterone is produced here. It regulates the relative
concentrations of minerals in the body fluids and water content of tissues, in
particular our sodium: potassium balance. A deficiency of Aldosterone
causes increased secretions of sodium and chloride ions so that too much water
is lost from the body in urine. Correspondingly, concentrations of sodium,
chloride and bicarbonate in the blood decrease and acidosis (increased acidity
and low alkaline content of blood plasma) result.
The central part of the adrenals produces a group of glucocorticoid
hormones responsible for efficient carbohydrate metabolism. The most important
of these is Cortisol (otherwise known as
Hydrocortisone), released in response to ACTH from the Anterior Pituitary and
working in conjunction with adrenaline (epinephrine) from the Adrenal Medulla.
It releases carbohydrate and protein stores for use as energy and controls our
immune responses, including fever and inflammations, and inhibits cell division
to promote healing.
Cortisone and corticosterone are the other
primary glucocorticoids, mostly involved in
preventing allergic reactions and tissue repair, and all three are greatly
affected
by chronic stress, which increases glucocorticoid
production. If this is prolonged, the likelihood of ulcer formation is
increased, blood pressure rises and our body’s resistance to stress is lowered
via resultant atrophy of lymphatic tissue. Many people ‘break out in a rash’
when stressed, other have an ‘upset stomach’.
Under-secretion of the glucocorticoid and
corticoid hormones results in Addison’s disease, where symptoms of anaemia, anorexia, muscle weakness, low blood pressure and
sugar levels, bronzing of the skin and mucous membranes occur. Overproduction
of glucocorticoid hormones causes the condition known
as Cushing’s syndrome, which includes symptoms such as weight gain and oedema on the trunk and face, easy bruising and poor
healing, raised blood pressure and pH, osteoporosis etc.
Relatively small amounts of oestrogens and
androgens (known as gonadocorticoids from this
source) are also produced by the adrenal cortex, although primary production of
these hormones occurs in the gonads (ovaries and testes). Some progesterone is
also manufactured by this chemical transformation process. Adrenal androgens
and oestrogens affect the development and functioning
of the reproductive organs as well as certain physical and (possibly)
temperamental characteristics. Their effects are more apparent in incidences of
hyper-secretion, for example an adrenal tumour in a
woman may produce deepening of the voice and facial hair growth, which are
usually secondary male characteristics. Further, this secondary source of oestrogen is especially important for post-menopausal women
when ovarian production of oestrogens tails off.
Melissa Assilem (1996): the contraceptive pill
is responsible for depleting the adrenal cortex because of its interference
with the normal production of progesterone by
the ovaries, causing them to ‘borrow’ from corticosteroidal
sources in the adrenals in order for the menstrual cycle to remain unbroken.
Also, this secondary supply of masculinising hormones
may be implicated in the over-production of testosterone in some women with
polycystic ovary syndrome, where stress and male pattern hair growth are
present.
Adrenal Medulla
Hormones
The medulla of the adrenal glands produces the two hormones Adrenaline
and Noradrenaline (also known as Epinephrine and Norepinephrine respectively) that comprise our body’s
‘fight or flight’ mechanism in response to stress, initiated by the sympathetic
nervous system. Adrenaline is 80% of the total hormone production and Noradrenaline 20%. Together they increase the strength and
rate of the heart beat, cause the arteries supplying the heart and skeletal
muscles to dilate whilst constricting those of other arteries, increase
respiration, raise blood sugar levels by converting glycogen (stored sugar) in
the liver to glucose (available sugar) in the blood and finally stimulate the
general metabolic cellular activity. No mean feat!
We can begin to get some idea of the extent of the negative and
all-pervasive effects of chronic stress, which is more accurately perhaps,
adrenal ‘burn-out’ when considering these vital and integral functions of our
Adrenal Glands.
Adrenal Homeopathics
Obviously, adrenal sarcodes would be
appropriate for patients diagnosed with Addison’s Disease and Cushing’s
Syndrome. The remedy Adrenalin is described in Murphy as Adrenal Gland and I
have prescribed it successfully for myself. It would also have a place in CFS
(Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Hilery Dorrian:
ADHD, as the condition could be in part due to inefficient neurotransmission.
Since it is a great calmer-down, it is also recommended in combination with
Aconitum and Arg-n. as a remedy to help with panic
attacks (I prescribed it for fear of flying), and with Apis.
and Histamine for severe allergic reactions. Adrenalin has been described as a
modern Sepia.
Cortisone is such a useful remedy in skin conditions, pa ticularly where there has been any suppression with
steroids that needs gentle unblocking in order to get at the underlying miasm. I frequently prescribe it with Carcinosin
followed by Tuberculinum, based on Hilery Dorrian’s and Gordon Sambidge’s regimes for the management of eczema (see HIP
article Autumn 2006).
Gonads (Ovaries/Testes)
The Ovaries and the Testes produce oestrogen
and testosterone, which control female and male sexual development and
fertility, and progesterone which is another major player in the menstrual
cycle and in pregnancy. The synthesis and secretion of oestrogens
is stimulated by FSH, which in turn, is controlled by the neurohormone
GnRH (Gonadotropin-releasing
hormone) from the Hypothalamus. Production of testosterone and of progesterone
is controlled by the release of LH prompted by the release of GnRH.
Oestrogen
Oestrogens are a group of steroid hormone
compounds, functioning as the primary female sex hormone, although oestrogen is also present in smaller quantities in men.
The three major naturally occurring oestrogens
in women are oestrone (E1), oestradiol
(E2), and oestriol (E3). E2 predominates in
non-pregnant women of reproductive age, E1 is produced during menopause, and E3
is the primary oestrogen of pregnancy. E2 is produced
from testosterone and levels vary through the menstrual cycle, with levels highest
just before ovulation.
Apart from the adrenal oestrogens, primary
sources are the developing follicles in the ovaries, the corpus luteum and the placenta. They promote the development of
female secondary sex characteristics, are also involved in the thickening of
the endometrium and other aspects of regulating the
menstrual cycle. In males, oestrogen regulates
certain functions of the reproductive system important to the maturation of
sperm and may also be necessary for a healthy libido.
Oestrogens also have non-reproductive effects.
They antagonize the effects of the parathyroid hormone, minimizing the loss of
calcium from bones (emphasis placed upon osteoporosis in later years) and oestrogen is known to have an inhibitory effect on the
thyroid itself. The hormone also promotes blood clotting. Many types of breast
cancers, once established, rely on supplies of oestrogen
to grow and suppression of oestrogen production is a
conventional treatment for these cancers.
As an aside, a range of synthetic and natural substances have been
identified that also possess oestrogenic activity.
Synthetic substances of this kind are known as xeno-oestrogens
and are frequently chemicals derived from pesticides or plastics (!) which
mimic or disrupt the action of oestrogens. They are
fat-soluble and so, worryingly, can store themselves in the adipose tissues of
the body, including animal fat. It has also been established that hormone
disruptors not only affect male and female fertility but also deplete our
immune system, so here’s another reason for meat eaters to stick to lean and
organic!
Testosterone
Testosterone is the principal male sex hormone from the androgen group,
primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females. It is an
essential hormone
for the production of sperm and levels decline gradually with age. It is
an anabolic steroid, i.e. affecting muscle mass and strength, growth, bone
density and maturation. Like other steroid hormones, testosterone is derived
from cholesterol. It is also synthesized in far smaller quantities in women by
the ovaries, by the placenta and by the adrenal cortex in both sexes.
In men, testosterone also plays a key role in health and well-being and
in osteoporosis. On average, an adult human male body produces about 40 – 60x
more testosterone than an adult female body. However, overall production ranges
for male and female are very wide, such that the respective ranges can overlap
at the low end and high end respectively. Testosterone has an interesting
effect on insulin, produced by the Pancreas: too little in men will inhibit the
action of insulin, whereas in women too much is inhibitory.
Progesterone
Progesterone is produced in the ovaries (specifically after ovulation in
the corpus luteum), as well as in the brain and in
increasing amounts in the placenta during pregnancy. Initially after
conception, the main source of progesterone is the corpus luteum
but after the 8th week of pregnancy, production shifts to the placenta.
Progesterone is sometimes called the “hormone of pregnancy”, as it fulfills so
many functions relating to the development of the foetus.
Progesterone also prepares the endometrium,
the vaginal epithelium, cervical mucus and the uterus for implantation. If
pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels decrease, leading to
menstruation. Normal menstrual bleeding is thus progesterone withdrawal
bleeding.
During foetal implantation and gestation,
progesterone decreases the maternal immune response to allow for the acceptance
of the pregnancy and strengthens the uterine smooth muscle. Additionally,
progesterone inhibits lactation and the fall in levels following birth forms
one of the triggers for maternal milk production. The initial drop in
progesterone levels is possibly one step that facilitates the onset of labour, whilst the foetus metabolises placental progesterone in the production of its
adrenal steroids.
Progesterone and cortisol share the same
building block, hence chronic stress can lower progesterone levels as the body
steals it to make cortisol. This can result in oestrogen dominance as the extra adrenaline and cortisol enhance the effects of oestrogen
at the expense of progesterone.
Ovarian and Testicular Homeopathics
I have found that the most frequently required hormonal remedy in my
practice is Folliculinum in varying potencies. This
has been either because it has been called for in a regulatory capacity, in
which case I normally use a C 7, or because it fitted the patient’s overall
presenting picture so aptly. It is a well documented and proved remedy, made
from the ovarian follicle, or the cavity where the egg is formed prior to its
release at ovulation. Oopherinum is the sarcode obtained by the trituration
of the juice of sheep or cow ovary and it was helpful for a patient who’d had a
partial ovarectomy with menopausal symptoms.
Almost all other ‘female’ remedies related to the menstrual cycle, birth
and pregnancy focus on the uterus, rather than the ovaries themselves (Ust./Sec. is associated with ovarian pain, and particularly
the left side. It is also worth mentioning that Ustilago
is a myco-oestrogen, i.e. a fungus having some oestrogenic activity, as is Secale
Cornutum. As a remedy it mainly affects the uterus
and is one of the remedies often prescribed for dysmennorhea.
However, for menstrual problems, I almost always give the herbal tincture Agnus Castus as well as Folliculinum because as an effective uterine tonic it
invariably helps the entire reproductive system.
Testosterone in C 6 and C 7 has been a useful support remedy for both
male and female acne, as the condition so often involves hormonal imbalance or
over-production. It is also worth considering as a helper for polycystic
ovaries where women may have acne as a side effect, as well as excess facial
hair and easy weight gain.
For men: Orchitinum prepared from the testes
extract, and is useful for sexual weakness, debility and premature senile decay
(Murphy 2000). A better known and (more popular!) plant-based support (prostate
problems) is Sabal. can be given either as a herbal
tincture or homeopathically. Con. is also
helpful in a specifically ‘male’ glandular context .
Pancreas
The Pancreas monitors the level of glucose in the portal vein and
produces its hormones accordingly to either store glucose in the liver or to
release it for energy. The gland is located near the liver and behind the
stomach and its endocrine function is to produce insulin to encourage glucose
uptake by the cells, along with glucogon to prompt
tissues to release glucose back into the bloodstream in order to regulate and
maintain the body’s requirements. These hormones are produced in area of the
Pancreas known as the ‘islets of Langerhans’. The
other function of the Pancreas is of course digestive: it produces some of our
digestive enzymes and releases these into the small intestine, whereas the
hormones pass directly into the bloodstream.
Pancreatic Hormones
Glucagon is produced by 25% of the islets of Langerhans
and secreted in response to a fall in blood sugar levels, stimulating glucose
production in order to raise them. Insulin is secreted by the remaining 75% of
the pancreatic islets in response to a rise in blood sugar levels, as in after
a meal. It then lowers the levels by converting glucose to a safe form
(glycogen) for storage by the liver and also by increasing cellular absorption.
Blood sugar levels therefore are maintained by a balance between these two
hormones as they both affect overall carbohydrate metabolism, with the liver
acting as a buffer.
Metabolism of fats and proteins are closely related to that of
carbohydrates, and here again we have a situation where a disturbance in one
system will affect the others. Constant blood glucose concentration is
important because glucose is the only nutrient that can be normally utilised by the brain, retina and the lining of the gonads
in sufficient quantities to supply them with required energy.
Diabetes.x
Homeopathy for the Pancreas
I believe it is difficult to separate the liver from the pancreas (and
the gall bladder), especially in a homeopathic context because whatever will
benefit the liver will assist the pancreas and also the gall bladder. The web
becomes even more tangled as the Thyroid gland, in its general manager
capacity, is also implicated because of its significant hormonal say in glucose
metabolism, so support remedies perhaps would be needed further up the
endocrine hierarchy as well.
Pancreatinum is listed in Murphy (2000), which
is a sarcode extracted from the pancreatic glands of
ox or sheep, and as such is a combination of several digestive enzymes. This
may be helpful if it has been established that it is the pancreas specifically
that is at fault, along with hypoglycaemic support remedies
such as Insulin in low potencies, particularly if there are accompanying
diabetes-related skin problems such as abscesses, boils, leg ulcers etc. Syzygium Jambolanum (Jambol Seed) in herbal tincture/low potency is another
reputed hypoglaemic, and the remedy Iris. is noted
for its action on the pancreas. Needless to say, such treatment would be
accompanied by miasmatic +/o. constitutional remedies, along with
self-management measures mentioned above to avoid stress and weight gain.
Thymus
The Thymus is a two-lobed, pinkish grey gland located behind the
sternum, slightly above the heart and under the thyroid. It was only as
recently as the 1960s when it was established that the Thymus Gland plays a
significant role in both creating and maintaining our immune system. Without it
we become vulnerable to the least infection, as it acts as the thermostat for
our immunity levels.
The gland itself grows steadily from birth to puberty as our immune
system matures, after which it shrinks somewhat, but not to the extent that
most medical textbooks maintain. This would explain its less active, but no
less important function in adults and why so many are affected adversely by
childhood vaccination regimes as well as by travel and ‘flu jabs in adulthood.
Colin Griffiths (2007) maintains that it is unsurprising that early post
mortems found the thymus gland of dead adults to be largely atrophied, which
fuelled traditional medical assumptions that the gland became useless after
puberty when the immune system matures. The incidences of disease and
malnutrition prevalent at the time were sufficient to hinder and reduce thymus
size and function to a level that was inadequate for survival. Modern day
threats to the thymus are factors such as smoking, prescription and recreational
drugs, pesticides, over-processed food and artificial additives and the
ubiquitous stress.
Thymus Gland Secretions
The Thymus produces thymosin and thymopoietin which are vital for the creation, maturation
and maintenance of our immunity and auto-immunity, and they affect lymphocyte
and T-lymphocyte (helper) cells. It has become increasingly recognised
that T-lymphocytes are the most important part of the immune system as they
have a threefold function in that context: stimulating further production of
antibodies by other lymphocytes; regulating phagocyte cell activity (phagocytes
engulf bacteria and viruses) and the recognition and destruction of foreign and
abnormal tissue.
Thymopoietin specifically regulates
neuromuscular signals so that the body can avoid being in a state of permanent
over-stimulation, as in the condition myasthenia gravis, an auto-immune
condition where the majority of sufferers have a thyroid gland dysfunction.
Thymus Homeopathics
Colin Griffith (2007) highlights its use for boosting general immunity,
particularly in children and as an invaluable remedy for vaccination damage at
any age, particularly when given in conjunction with tautopathic
vaccine remedies. He also recommends its use for preparing the body, mind and
spirit to address past trauma of any kind, especially when it has drastically
changed the life pattern of the individual concerned. Here again, it works well
with other indicated remedies. Agrawal (2004)
recommends the sarcode as a corrective for any state
where there is not only general oversensitivity to physical stimuli but also to
mental ones.
Pineal gland
The only (conventionally) un-paired gland in the body is the Pineal
Gland, sometimes known as the ‘third eye’. The ancients paired the pineal and
pituitary glands as twin sentries at the threshold of the acquisition of
spiritual consciousness in the material world. The gland itself is about the
size of a cherry stone, located in the middle of the brain. In modern medical
circles it is often used as a landmark in X-rays of the skull as it is known to
be prone to calcification in later life (Watson 2000) and held to be more
active at puberty, although its precise role and influence throughout our
lifespan still remains (conventionally again) unclear.
Pineal Secretions
The Pineal produces melatonin and serotonin (a neuro-transmitter
essential for our ‘feel-good factor’) which both regulate sleep cycles and our
body clock, or Circadian rhythms. The secretions also work in conjunction with the
Hypothalamus in controlling thirst, hunger, sex drive and the ageing process.
The gland relies on light for awareness of both time of day and season,
as winter and summer are registered according to changes in length of daylight.
Melatonin production is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light and many
people who are totally sightless still have some neurological response to light
as it registers with the pineal gland. Melatonin acts as the body’s off-switch.
Production is activated by dusk and this is the cue for the parasympathetic
nervous system to repair and regenerate. It does so by suppressing the adrenal
hormones at night and stimulating production of thymus hormones to assist the
immune system, as well as acting as an anti-oxidant to deal with potentially
toxic free radicals. This illustrates why the sleep cycles and quality of sleep
of shiftworkers can be so often compromised and why
it is so important to us that we get a good night’s sleep in order to re-charge
our figurative batteries. We can also see how ‘jet lag’ comes about.
Pineal Homeopathics
Agrawal (2004) maintains that the Pineal
Gland and the Thymus work together in healthy states but conflict in illness,
recommending Pineal Gland in instances of general glandular under-activity and
Thymus for general hyperactivity. It is also held that the recreational drug
cannabis will disturb the delicate balance between the two glands and that the
meditatively proven remedy Banisteriopsis Caapi (Ayahuasca) has a big
affiliation to these two glands, because of its shamanic, hallucinatory usage
in South America, where the vine originates. I have prescribed Pineal Gland in
cases of persistent sleep difficulties and in cases of SAD with good results.
PRESCRIBING RELATED HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES
My usual first choice in the homeopathic treatment of patients with
direct glandular-related conditions is to give the relevant sarcode
of any endocrine component that is compromised, often on an intercurrent
basis and in C 30. This extends to prescribing the relevant gland in potency if
it has been surgically removed, as its energy will still be present and in need
of attention, frequently as a root or maintaining cause.
Any organ therapeutic support remedies I usually give in combinations in
low potencies 2 - 3x daily, to work quietly away in the background whilst a
deeper acting totality, fundamental or constitutional remedy addresses the
patient‘s more holistic presentation. Otherwise relevant herbal or mother
tinctures or essences are a further therapeutic option. Many herbs act
similarly whether they are taken homeopathically in low potency (i.e. 1X or 3X)
or used in their tincture state.
Sometimes I have included colour remedies in
support remedy combinations, based upon what I’ve perceived to be compromised
or related chakras, or when a patient has described an emotion or symptom in
such terms. However, I acknowledge that this has been rather an intuitive
choice according to (my perception of) the patient’s psyche.
On a general glandular basis, I have also used Acer pseudoplatanus
(better known as Sycamore Seed) because of its affinity for paired organs as a
support remedy, especially in the cases of twins and therefore consider it
affiliated to the Hypothalamus. I have also considered remedies from the Calciums, Iodiums and Kaliums for general glandular symptomatology.
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