I tried the link and it didn't come up with the story. Here it is if you are interested.


Amy O'Brian, Canwest News Service · Jul. 22, 2009 | Last Updated: Jul. 22, 2009 7:21 PM ET


What do hormones have to do with our health? Aside from causing monthly mood swings and being responsible for our sex drive — or lack thereof — what effect do they have on our overall well-being?

According to Natasha Turner, hormones play a role in everything from good sleep and good sex to headaches, stress, fatigue and weight gain.

Turner is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor and the author of the best-selling book, The Hormone Diet: Lose Fat. Gain Strength. Live Younger Longer.

Turner has struggled with her own hormone-related conditions — namely hypothyroidism and polycystic ovarian syndrome — and she wanted to share the diet and lifestyle-based solutions she uses for the maintenance of her own health and that of the patients at her clinic.

Although the book’s title includes the word “diet” and implies weight loss, Turner’s program involves far more than food restrictions and exercise. (She recommends sex three times a week.) And its benefits go far beyond weight loss, with promises of increased energy, better sleep, glowing skin, a stronger sex drive, and a better mood.

Turner believes part of the reason the book has been so successful — it’s been sitting on top of the Canadian charts for the better part of four months — is because it explains, in detail, why hormonal balance is necessary for good health and how certain foods can help you achieve hormonal balance.

“I was worried it would be too much of a biology lesson,” she said. “But I think people are getting educated and that’s cool. It’s not a diet, it’s a wellness plan.”

In the book, Turner explains the symptoms people might exhibit if they suffer from an imbalance of specific hormones. For example, the symptoms of too much testosterone include increased abdominal fat, irregular periods, hair loss, irritability, and a decrease in breast size.

Too little testosterone can lead to muscle loss, dry skin and poor elasticity, a decreased libido and bone density loss.

Excess cortisol — also known as the stress hormone — can fuel a desire for fatty foods and carbohydrates. It can cause a blood sugar imbalance and can cause you to eat more than you need, among other things.

“Most people say, ‘I’m not stressed,’ “ Turner says. “But if you commute an hour to work, your cortisol levels are probably high. If you work in an open office environment, your cortisol levels will be high. If you hate the person who works next to you, your cortisol levels will be high.”

Turner says the two biggest hormonal imbalances most of us have involve insulin and stress hormone levels.

But as she explains throughout the book, everything from when you eat to what you eat to when you go to bed and how dark your bedroom is can affect your hormones.

Karen T bought The Hormone Diet after years of suffering from hypothyroidism and trying every fad diet under the sun to lose those “last 10 pounds.”

Karen T, 44, has followed Turner’s three-step plan since the beginning of June and says she has “not felt this alive” in years. She has given up coffee, refined sugar and fast food, but says she doesn’t miss any of it. She is sleeping better, her headaches have disappeared, her mood swings have diminished and she has more energy.

“I’ve really learned how food affects my body,” Karen T said from her home near Ottawa.

“I almost feel like I’m on a high.”

Turner’s plan includes a two-week anti-inflammatory detox, in which she recommends eliminating all potentially problematic foods from your diet, including wheat, corn, peanuts, oranges, dairy foods, meats, sugars and caffeine.

After the two-week period, you gradually reintroduce certain foods and see whether your body reacts badly to them.

“It’s essential that people understand that not every food is perfect for every person,” Turner says.

Karen T says she has no plans to go back to eating the way she used to. She is preparing to run a half-marathon, has never felt better and says her family is more at ease now that her mood swings have diminished.

Oh, and she’s lost seven pounds and several inches off her waist and hips.

Could this be the beginning of a hormone revolution?

In the book Dr. Turner recommends a lot of supplements, I did not use them I just followed her eating plan along with exercise and it made such a difference.

Karen

Lisa I agree with you, we can't arm ourselves with too much information. The course sounds very much similar to the HD two week food detox. Best of luck and please keep us posted of what you learn.

Karen