Another important factor in our lives is hormonal balance. By this we mean that we carry on producing hormones as we age. Sex hormones are of course an important part of this: estrogen in women, testosterone in men. They not only keep us young and vital but also healthy. There are various approaches that have been tried out in recent decades, namely the controversial hormone replacement therapies. As so often in life, both sides of the debate are right to a certain extent, in this case the proponents and opponents of hormone replacement.
Hypothyroidism is a case in point: we take thyroid hormones without hesitation. Or in the case of the female contraceptive, hormones are taken over a period of many years. It is only when it comes to slowing the aging process that criticism is voiced, and even the term “hormone” has bad associations. And to some extent with justification, because – and this is how things stand today – hormones should only be taken if you know your genetic predisposition and are able to assess the risk of getting breast cancer. Hormones should not be produced synthetically; they should be derived from plants in moderate amounts sufficient to stimulate the individual’s own hormone production.
