Top 5 Tips For Balancing Hormones Naturally with Food
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Last year I started learning about balancing hormones naturally with a healthy diet of traditional food and food supplements. I’ve put together my Top 5 Tips For Balancing Hormones Naturally with Food.
Before I share my tips with you, please note that I’m not an expert in this area, nor am I a doctor and this post should not be construed as medical advice. However, I have learned some things over the past year or so that I want to share. I hope it will help some people out there.
This post is especially for women, since so many of us suffer from hormonal issues. These hormonal problems are more prevalent as we age, and particularly after pregnancy and childbirth. However, more and more women are experiencing hormonal problems in our youth — everything from missed periods, low sex drive, cysts in the breasts and ovaries, infertility, and breast cancer. There are many things we can do nutritionally to prevent and reverse these hormonal disorders.
Before we get to the tips, I want to give you a little background on my personal history. When I was 35, I started noticing patches of dark skin on my face. Melasma, also known as “the mask of pregnancy” or “age spots” is a result of hormonal imbalances which are largely due to nutritional deficiencies.
I knew I had been suffering from adrenal exhaustion for a long time — ever since I was diagnosed with it in my mid-twenties. Adrenal exhaustion, or adrenal fatigue, is a condition where your adrenal glands are wiped out by stress, too much caffeine, inadequate rest, and malnutrition. It manifests itself in many ways including the problems I experienced: chronic fatigue and melasma.
The thyroid gland works in tandem with the adrenal glands. So if your adrenal glands are shot, this can affect thyroid function. Thyroid disorders include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and thyroid cancer. Your thyroid controls many bodily functions including metabolism — this is why people who have hypothyroidism can’t ever seem to lose weight.
I have helped to balance my hormones in the past year by making various changes to my diet and taking nutritional supplements. My melasma is 80-90% gone and my chronic fatigue is completely eradicated.
Top 5 Tips For Balancing Hormones with Food
1. Eat Plenty of Good Fats
Low-fat diets are probably the number one reason young and old women are having problems with their hormones. Hormones are made out of cholesterol. If you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body can’t make hormones.
What are good fats? Traditional fats that have been around for centuries — the fats our great-grandmothers ate. These include: butter, cream, egg yolks, whole milk, coconut milk, lard, beef tallow, coconut oil, palm oil, and olive oil.
Bad fats that should be avoided include: canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, and any hydrogenated oils.
2. Avoid Soy
I think one of the other big reasons we are seeing more hormonal problems today is due to the increase of soy in our diets. Soy is a goitrogen, which blocks iodine uptake in the body. In women, iodine is stored in the thyroid gland, the breasts and the ovaries.
Iodine deficiency causes thyroid disorders (including goiters, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer), cysts in the breasts and ovaries, and breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
You may think you’re not eating a lot of soy since you don’t drink soy milk or eat tofu. But these days, soy is in almost everything.
Most restaurants use soybean oil to cook with, and most packaged and processed foods contain soybean oil and/or soy lecithin. Most of the meat and dairy we consume is from animals fed soy. Most mayonnaise and salad dressings contain soybean oil.
It is okay to eat soy in small amounts, as a condiment, as long as it is naturally fermented (like naturally fermented soy sauce, miso, tempeh, or natto). It is best to avoid unfermented soy foods like soy milk and soy cheese. It is also best to avoid processed and packaged foods that contain soy.
3. Take an Iodine Supplement
The Japanese have one of the lowest rates of breast cancer. I believe this is due to the fact that they consume large quantities of iodine, mainly in the form of miso soup and seaweed.
Japanese people traditionally eat miso soup with all their meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner. Modern miso soup is often made with MSG powder — but traditionally prepared miso soup is made with bonito broth. Bonito broth is made with fish. The fish are small and they use the whole fish in the broth, including the heads.
The reason this is important is the head is where the thyroid gland is contained. The thyroid is where iodine is stored. So if you are making fish broth, you need to include the head to get the iodine. The soup also contains seaweed which is also rich in iodine.
Unless you are eating real bonito broth miso soup every day, I recommend taking a supplement to get the same amount of iodine. One Iodoral pill contains 12.5 mg of iodine (which is the same amount the Japanese consume). Another form of iodine is Lugol’s. I take Iodoral. You can buy Iodoral here or here.
4. Take Maca
I started taking maca last fall — for only about 6 weeks, just 1/2 tsp per day. The results I have experienced are nothing short of miraculous. My PMS and menstrual cramps have completely vanished. I also saw the fastest and most dramatic reduction in my melasma during the time I started on the maca.
I stopped taking maca for a few months (mainly because I ran out and I got out of the routine) but to my amazement, the benefits I listed above have stayed with me. The cramps have not come back and my melasma is still 80-90% gone.
I’m starting up with the maca again to help further balance my hormones, and I’ll be increasing my daily dose from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp. I’ll keep you posted on how I progress.
5. Avoid White Flour, Sugar and Caffeine
White flour, sugar and caffeine are all really bad for you, and they are especially bad for your adrenal glands.
I eat sprouted bread instead of bread made with white flour (white flour is often bromated, which also blocks iodine uptake).
I use natural sweeteners including honey, molasses, rapadura, sucanat, maple syrup, palm sugar, and stevia instead of white sugar.
And I have cut down from 3-5 cups of coffee per day to just one cup. I now drink decaffienated herbal coffees like Dandy Blend or Teeccino. (With a little maca and cream stirred in!)
Update: Read my recent post from June 2010 that explains how to quit coffee altogether — or at least how I did it!
Read More About How to Balance Hormones Naturally
There are various sources online to learn about endocrine function and natural approaches to healing. I recommend the following sites to help you learn more:
Dr. Rind’s site on Metabolic Therapy
Dr. Wilson’s Adrenal Fatigue.org
Information about iodine on Breastcancerchoices.org
Food and Cholesterol: Beyond the Myths on Wellness Monitor Online
Cholesterol and Health by Chris Masterjohn
Natural PMS Relief by Stephen Byrnes
Phytoestrogens & Soy
This post is part of the Natural Cures Blog Carnival at Hartke Is Online!
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17/03/2009 at 10:36 am Permalink
Is Maca good for estrogen dominance? That is my main problem and I have to be so careful what I eat and take in (supplements, etc).
Carla’s last blog post..Eco Fashion: Do it Yourself – Yarn
17/03/2009 at 11:08 am Permalink
About #2 – what about edamame beans? Are these ok to eat or should they be avoided too?
17/03/2009 at 11:10 am Permalink
Great Post! Gotta love that maca powder.
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet’s last blog post..Japanese Style Avocado
17/03/2009 at 11:17 am Permalink
Yes, maca helps because it helps to balance the whole system.
Estrogen dominance is an imbalance. You have to balance all the hormones to help fix estrogen dominance.
I found this quote that explains how maca works to balance the whole system and fix estrogen dominance:
“This root is reported to help the whole endocrine system including the thyroid and can rebalance the estrogen dominance that often accompanies hypothyroidism and overweight problems.”
http://www.soulcysters.net/maca-root-thyroid-estrogen-dominance-ir-more-really-interesting-stuff-89889/
I think what I have is estrogen dominance, too. Estrogen dominance goes hand in hand with stressed adrenals.
Read more here:
http://www.drrind.com/estrogen.asp#start
17/03/2009 at 12:00 pm Permalink
What a helpful post! I’ve never seen all this information in one handy little spot, so I really appreciate your doing this.
FoodRenegade’s last blog post..Real Food Goes Mainstream
17/03/2009 at 12:14 pm Permalink
as always…love your blog and the info you put out there in a simple, concise way.
17/03/2009 at 12:33 pm Permalink
Hi, Melanie,
I really don’t recommend eating any soy that’s not naturally fermented and even then, it should be eaten in small amounts.
Unless of course you are eating a lot of iodine, in which case you can eat more soy. But most of us do not get anywhere near enough iodine.
17/03/2009 at 12:48 pm Permalink
Thanks for the links Ann-Marie! This is all very helpful. I took Maca root for a bit two years ago then I got out of practice
Carla’s last blog post..Eco Fashion: Do it Yourself – Yarn
17/03/2009 at 2:58 pm Permalink
Ann-Marie, what do you think about kelp as opposed to Iodoral?
Great blog entry!
17/03/2009 at 3:01 pm Permalink
i am going to have to research maca, i have never heard of it but since my daughter was stillborn in December my hormones have been crazy. once we decide to start trying again I want to be able to feel like my hormones are just right and not on any chemical medicine.
courtney’s last blog post..Menu Planning for the Week
17/03/2009 at 3:05 pm Permalink
Ecala -
I’ve read a lot of what the leading iodine doctors say and they do not recommend kelp — simply because kelp varies in how much iodine it contains. Hard to know how much you are getting.
I think Iodoral is the best. I give my daughter Lugol’s. Lugol’s is basically Iodoral in a liquid form (or rather Iodoral is the pill form of Lugol’s). I just put a drop in her milk.
17/03/2009 at 3:06 pm Permalink
Courtney –
I am so sorry for your loss.
I have read that many women in South America use maca not only to increase fertility and get pregnant, but also to maintain pregnancies and carry their babies to term.
17/03/2009 at 3:08 pm Permalink
Lovely post!!!
One question though, how are/did you take your maca? I have the powder, but it seems to overpower whatever i try to add it in…maybe im adding too much? The half a tsp you mentioned is way less than i use, but if it still helped you , then i can try again using less maca at a time lol.
Ive also found that simply drinking raw milk regularly has completely eradicated my PMS symptoms. I dunno if raw milk fixes hormones or not, but for ME, its been a lifesaver in that way.
17/03/2009 at 4:02 pm Permalink
this was such a fabulous post!!! I am linking to it on my site, if that’s cool.
(and I’m going to look into “maca” b/c I have serious hormone issues! – the other stuff I already do, and it has helped for sure… but my hormones could use an extra kick in the pants, I tell ya)
17/03/2009 at 4:48 pm Permalink
Oh, thanks a bunch. I finally decided to take the plunge and spent more $$ at Amazon, lol. Maca and raw cocoa powder. I could use some energy, though.
17/03/2009 at 6:40 pm Permalink
Tamara, You can buy empty capsules and fill them with the Maca yourself. Costs far less then buying the capsule form, and you do not have to taste the stuff.
Paula Runyan’s last blog post..Healthy lunch/snack
17/03/2009 at 7:00 pm Permalink
Very good idea, Paula. I have been thinking of buying some capsules for my maca.
I have also found that adding a little maca (not more than 1/2 tsp per cup) to herbal coffee does not mar the flavor.
17/03/2009 at 7:20 pm Permalink
Hi!
I have recently started reading your blog, but I too loved this post!
I have serious thyroid issues and this Nov. started to change EVERYTHING that I ate to help it. I have read (and am doing) everything you listed above! Except for Maca. I haven’t heard of it before, so I am excited to look into that also!
I do have a question though…I realized that the “healthier” eggs I have been buying (no room to have my own hen house, although I would love that one day- God willing!) probably are from chickens that are fed at least some soy. Although it probably isn’t much, I have been trying to find eggs that come from chickens w/no soy in their feed. Any suggestions? The only think I can think of next is to find a local farmer who might be doing this.
Thanks,
Tarena
Tarena’s last blog post..
18/03/2009 at 4:29 am Permalink
Tarena, where are you? I would check with your local WAPF chapter — they’ll have some ideas for you. That’s how I found eggs not fed soy here in LA.
18/03/2009 at 9:42 am Permalink
Thanks for this post. I’ve been dealing with hormone imbalance for over 10 years, when I found out I was hypothyroid (at age 19!). I’d really like to start taking Iodoral but I don’t want to start while I’m breastfeeding since it can chelate heavy metals and I don’t want them to get into my milk. After I wean my daughter I will start taking Iodoral. Do you know how long I should wait to get pregnant again after I start the Iodoral? Does it depend on how much heavy metal junk one has to flush out?
About a year ago I completely quit eating sugar and grains (although recently I’ve added limited amounts of soaked whole grains back into my diet) and I lost 37 pounds very easily. I can never go back to eating sugar because I can’t get up in the morning when I do! It has transformed my life.
18/03/2009 at 9:56 am Permalink
Kaylin -
I asked Dr. Flechas about taking Iodoral when nursing and he said he thinks it’s a good idea just go slow. If you are iodine deficient then your baby is not getting iodine from your milk. Which is why Dr. Flechas reco’s it. Iodine is critical for the baby’s intelligence.
If you are too worried about the heavy metals to take it, you may want to supplement your baby with Lugol’s. I started Kate on Lugol’s when she was about a year old.
And yes it depends on how toxic you are as to how long you should wait to get pregnant. I recommend working with Dr. Flechas to do a spot & loading test. He can tell you exactly how much Iodoral to take and for how long. He reco’d that I do 50 mg of Iodoral for one year.
I also did a heavy metals test w/ Dr. Flechas.
http://cypress.he.net/~bigmacnc/drflechas/index.htm
I also think it’s generally a good idea to wait 3 years between babies if you can. ESPECIALLY if you are iodine deficient. Flechas and the other docs say iodine deficiency (and babies too close together — depletion of iodine) can cause Down’s syndrome and mental retardation.
I’m probably going to wait until my daughter is at least 2.5 before we try for another.
18/03/2009 at 4:47 pm Permalink
I hate that soy is en everything. Every time I find a fancy chocolate bar wrapped up with fancy European packaging, I think “This!!” and then I turn it over and there’s soy in it. It’s in even the fanciest, most expensive ones that are pretending to be all quality and old-worldly. Soy, soy, soy. There is one gluten-free soy-free milk chocolate curry bar that I love, by 3401 Phinney.
Thinking about ordering from Askinoisie.
18/03/2009 at 8:23 pm Permalink
Thank you, that is very helpful! Can Dr. Flechas work over the phone? If I’m understanding correctly, if the baby gets heavy metals through my milk she can just flush them out if she is getting enough iodine with Lugol’s?
I have 3 children. The first 2 are 3 years 8 months apart, and the other 2 are 2 years and 9 months apart (almost 3 years!
. I agree that it isn’t good for the health of either mother or baby to space them too close together. My daughter is 13 months and I was planning to keep nursing her until at least 18 months and then wait however long I have to before getting pregnant again (a year maybe?). I really want more children, but not too soon. I’m anxious to see if Iodoral can allow me to cut back my Armour Thyroid dose.
19/03/2009 at 5:25 am Permalink
Yes that is my understanding. Dr. Flechas does work over the phone. You should talk to him about this, see what he says.
Seems like your children are pretty well spaced!
Pregnancy & breastfeeding really depletes your body of iodine (and other nutrients). This is why they say to space the children — so your body has time to restore nutrients.
Iodoral can help you reduce your Armour dose from what I have read. This is because the main reason we take Armour is for the iodine. Iodine is stored in the thryoid, so if you consume the thyroid gland, you’re getting iodine.
19/03/2009 at 10:02 am Permalink
Wow! UPS says my maca has been delivered! Now to get some capsules (thanks to Paula for the tip). I’m a whole lot more likely to take supps if they’re in my pill box.
19/03/2009 at 10:19 am Permalink
Hi Ann Marie – I LOVE your blog. I have been reading Sally Fallon’s book and it is wonderful. Everything you wrote above is in sync with what she says. I have melasma and read it is related to copper. I am trying to cut out high copper foods like shellfish, nuts, wheat and chocolate. Trying to eat higher zinc foods like meats and fats and fruits and veggies. I am also taking a copper free multivitamin, zinc supplements, B-vitamins to help my adrenals.
I’m interested in what you wrote about Iodine and Maca helping with your melasma. Do you know if its ok to take those if I am taking the other vitamins I mentioned?
I love getting into real nutrition which is why I love your blog. I am convinced soy is TERRIBLE as well! Its all over. That and HFCS. Ugh! People are so ignorant to what is in their food!
19/03/2009 at 11:27 am Permalink
Thanks for the great info. I ordered some Lugol’s drops and am wondering about the dosage. I’m guessing you give your daughter a drop everyday? According to the bottle, it says 1 drop every couple of days. I’ve never taken iodine before and don’t want to start out too fast, but do you know what the maintenance dose is for adults? Thanks!
19/03/2009 at 11:49 am Permalink
Yay Betsy! Good for you!
Bay – From what I have read, that is true — adrenal exhaustion causes a buildup of copper. I don’t really avoid copper foods but I do try to get a lot more zinc. I try to eat oysters once a week to get extra zinc (oysters contain more zinc than any other food).
Maca is very nourishing for the adrenal glands. It is not a drug, but a food. It is full of vitamins and minerals. I don’t know what you’re taking and I’m not a doctor
— but I think maca is one of the best things you can take to nourish the adrenals. At least it has been for me!
19/03/2009 at 11:52 am Permalink
Erin -
An adult maintenance dose of iodine is 12.5 mg. So a child’s dose would be half that.
I give Kate 2 drops per day of 2.2% Lugol’s — which is about 6.25 mg per day. Some days I miss (too busy/forget), but I’d say I do it about 5 times a week. If you want start slow and build up.
19/03/2009 at 12:04 pm Permalink
Ann Marie – thank you! Where do you get Maca? Do you order it online or can I grab it at Trader Joes and/or Whole Foods?
How long did it take for your melasma to go away once you started eating better/taking Maca? I noticed mine last May when I was at the beach…its on my upper lip the worst spot! I started researching copper and adrenal exhaustion and I think I have both because I have been through alot of stress the last few years. I was on an antibiotic while at the beach which I read raises copper and contributes to a sluggish liver – so that plus stress plus the sun was the perfect storm for it to emerge! I think everything in my body is just tired and drained from stress and also not eating enough good fats and eating sweets. That’s why I love the info on your blog!
By the way, you are adorable…you look just like Meg Ryan? I’m sure you’ve heard that before. And that one picture you have of Kate with butter at the store was hilarious. Thanks for the tips!
Bayleigh
19/03/2009 at 12:20 pm Permalink
Hi, Bay,
Thanks — you are so sweet!
Yes I have heard Meg Ryan before but haven’t heard it in a while and it’s so nice to hear it! What a great compliment.
I noticed the most dramatic lightening of the melasma after I was on the maca for a while. But I had been eating a traditional diet for over a year. So I don’t know.
Dr. Wilson (adrenal expert) says it depends on how bad your adrenals are shot. It can take a few years at the most, and at the very least a few months.
So be patient — it takes time to heal.
19/03/2009 at 9:22 pm Permalink
All the results on medline talks about maca being Lepidium meyenii, which is variously described as black maca, red maca, or just plain maca. Websites offer Lepidium peruvianum for sale, and I can’t find anything which indicates if that’s just a second name for it, or if they are different plants.
Studies in 2001, 2002 and 2003at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia had men getting either 1.5 or 3.0 grams per day. A 2007 study at the University of North Carolina had rats getting 25 and 100 mg/kg per day. A 2008 study at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia tried doses as high as 0.5 grams/kg of body weight on men.
Wow. At my weight, that would be about 68 grams a day. Using the “pint’s a pound” rule of thumb, a teaspoon would be about 5 grams. At $28/pound for maca powder, that’s $126/month for maca.
I can’t afford that. For those who can, though, a 2008 study at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia showed that maca made rats more resistant to sunburn – UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. I guess I’ll just have to stay indoors.
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21/03/2009 at 10:50 am Permalink
Very interesting post! The maternal side of my family has had problems with melasma and age spots – while my paternal side never has. I always credited it to genetics (maternal side is much more Northern European while paternal is Native American and Welsh) but now I’m thinking it might have much more to do with nutrition (as I’ve never had melasma during either of my pregnancies, but my mom did – though I do take after my dad’s side in terms of coloring a bit more) . . . my maternal side tends to have more health problems, frankly, and they are constantly on low-fat, low-sodium diets while my paternal side always ate much more whole, full-fat foods. (Frankly, going to my paternal grandma’s was always more of a treat for dinner than going to my maternal grandma’s!
I hadn’t heard about the iodine side of things before, though I’ve been craving miso soup (the real stuff) and other salty foods so I think I’m going to add it back into my diet! Since I started using sea salt only, I don’t know how much natural iodine I’m eating so will focus on it a bit more. Thanks for the research!
Again, great post!
Best,
Sarah
Sarah’s last blog post..Little Chef
25/03/2009 at 6:33 am Permalink
Thanks for this post, Annmarie. I’ve recently been having some fibrocystic breast trouble. My doctor said right away “you need to cut way back on the coffee”. So, I am down to one cup a day, enjoying Dandy Blend and tea for the rest of the day. I just ordered some iordoral and will look into getting some Maca.
29/03/2009 at 1:33 am Permalink
Hi! I have read that if you have an autoimmune thyroid issue you should avoid iodine…? as it will make your thyroid worse? I had tried taking a iodine supplement before we researched it…and it really threw my thyroid levels off for the worse…and when I got off the supplement…it went back to the level it was before. Have you heard of that? I have a pretty bad autoimmune thyroid issue….we so healthy now and see NO improvements…and we avoid soy now….also, on the maca powder….I read it can be bad for the goiter on the thyroid…have you researched that? I got a goiter on my thryoid a few years ago…about 4 years after I started having this thyroid autoimmune issue when I was preg w my 3 rd child…..I think preg should between the Lord the family….not only our timing. Yes if you have medical issues that needs to be taken into account…but there should not just be a time frame in our heads….pray and let the Lord lead…each time frame my be a bit different depending on the need of mom…the Lord will direct what is best for each time if we ask Him.
Thanks….
29/03/2009 at 1:51 am Permalink
I need to say….I do believe what you are saying….if there are health issues or iodine issues that yes your healing issues need to be helped & it is not best for you to get preg…get your health in order…I am just saying there may be moms out there that may not have health issues & the Lord may have it for them to get preg before the 3 years your Dr. is saying…that is all. I just did not want someone to read your blog & think if they got preg before the 3 years to be scared their child would have downs or something else. Each mom has different health needs and time frames….some may even be longer than the 3 years….some a bit shorter….we just need to each look at what is going on in our own bodies and seek the Lord for wisdom of what is best. It is not my heart to upset anyone at all….
I really apprecaite the info on your post…..Thank you…..
29/03/2009 at 2:03 am Permalink
Hi! You can just delete my comments…….I don’t want to get in a debate w anyone….I was just trying to encourage if there are moms out there getting preg before 3 years…..if there are not health issues needing to be dealt with….w have many friends….that leave the spacing of children in the Lords hands…and the Lord has blessed them…. so I was afraid a woman like that may read your blog & worry…but if there are no health issues & the Lord has them get preg…then they need to trust that…..& rest in His will…that is all I was trying to say….but I do believe if there are health issues in mom it is good to really deal with those….
06/04/2009 at 7:31 pm Permalink
Hi,
I met your daughter at the WAP conference, I don’t think I met you. My daughter, Sasha, was in daycare with her some of the time. Your daughter is such a light and joy! Anyway, I had scribed to your blog long ago, but it must be going to my junk folder I just thought of you and was checking up and found this post most helpful. I had a incomplete miscarriage in the fall after two years of eating NT, but my daughter still nurses like a champ. So, I kept thinking it was something my body was missing from all the nursing. The doc’s said progesterone. Do you know of any foods/herbs that naturally contain progesterone? Does maca have that? Where did you here of that was it in wise traditions? I am going to start researching it tonight. Also, the doctor you mention is he with WAP? Just wondering where you heard of him too. Just wondering if he would have some natural ideas opposed to progesterone shots… Thank you so much for your time and response!
16/07/2009 at 3:53 am Permalink
Cheeseslave,
What brand of Maca root did you buy? I’m searching ebay and there are so many, are all of them organic? Looking forward to a response. Thanks,
Tracey
08/09/2009 at 11:35 am Permalink
Hello…
Thanks for sharing the info-I’ll try the maca out- the Raw food people like David Wolfe (US) and Shazzie (UK) also speak very highly of it.
Warmest wishes from a not -so- sunny UK!
12/09/2009 at 8:49 am Permalink
This is such a great blog, thank you sooooo much Cheeseslave !!
Firstly, really pleased you’re managing to cure your melasma from the root, I firmly believe this is the way to go. I just stopped taking my combined bcp after 10 yrs on/off and know my hormones need balancing. Wil definitely try the MACA but what are your thoughts on addig falx seed to your diet? It has phytoestrogens…since I believe I’m estrogen dominent what would you reccomend?
09/11/2009 at 4:31 pm Permalink
Great post, there are so many reasons to include maca in the diet.
Thanks!
Melissa
02/01/2010 at 9:08 pm Permalink
This is a long-ago post, but I felt the need to get in that debate with Jessica. Yes, it’s great to pray and leave spacing to the Lord, but if we are really going to do it the “Lord’s Way” (aka, natural, God-given) we would need to follow a lot of other things which naturally lead to spacing of children about three years. Breastfeeding on demand day and night, and for an extended time, which some may or may not be able to do, is the age-old way and really should go with that praying.
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12/01/2010 at 2:46 pm Permalink
When supplemental iodine is ingested there is a possibility of iodine poisoning. Absorbing iodine transdermally eliminates this risk. Ingesting natural forms from food sources has no risk.
You can use drug store iodine to test whether you are in need of iodine. A patch the size of a half dollar should take 12 hours or more to absorb through the skin. Faster than this signals a severe deficiency.
10/08/2010 at 2:39 pm Permalink
Do you know if Maca is Gaps legal?