Report and Review of My Progress
I get a gold star or gold medal, as it were, for making wonderful progress on my BodyLogicMD program. Dr. Jennifer Landa and I just talked about my health and hormone status. I had the usual blood work-up done and it showed that my body is working far better than I expected. My blood sugar is down. My testosterone is up – as it should be (needs some minor adjustment with new supplements). As I reported in an earlier blog, I am not taking prescription medications anymore. My libido is good. Blood count, liver function, sodium and calcium are all within normal range. I feel so much better – from a depression level of about 7 or 8 (on a scale of 10; with 10 the worst) now more like a 2 or 3 and holding steady. I have lost between 8 and 10 lbs, depending on which scale I use. That’s very rewarding and mostly due to limited eating – only the good things I should eat – and exercise (which I need to do more of). My goal over the next few months is to lose at least one pound per month. I think that's doable even though I am going on vacation for 10 days in April.
Why would I not love the program! I know it works and my primary physician even agrees that it does.
Loving it.
New test to show my progress on bioidentical hormones
I am about to find out what progress I have made in my bioidentical hormones program to build a healthier body and mind. Let me give you some observations as I experience it and some thoughts I have:
- Overall, I feel better
- I have lost 7 to 8 lbs – I’m moving the belt in the opposite direction than before
- I have stopped taking prescription medication for acid reflux – (two meds)
- I am exercising more – although I had to stop for two weeks due to illness
- I am hoping I can stop taking a medication for high cholesterol because it really makes me feel bad when I take it – I have stopped for a few days and notice the difference
- Libido is better
- Stress hormone (cortisol), I suspect, hasn’t changed that much. It seems I have fewer days of fatigue in the afternoon, but not enough
- I need to do more free-weight lifting exercise to try and build up muscle and get more of my man-belly to turn to good use
- Amazing enough, I feel I look better – not just the weight reduction but “brighter” looking
- I worry about the slowdown in weight reduction – that may be my impatience. I still have at least 10 lbs to lose.
We’ll see what the blood tests show. There are about twelve of them -- when I get blood drawn about halfway through the process I think I’ll have no blood left. I am hoping the testosterone will be increased. I am happy with the diet in that eliminating gluten, dairy and red meat makes my digestion far better – eliminating my irritable bowel symptoms.
No doubt progress has been made. Will likely have to do this for the rest of my life. I still need to get used to it, however.
Test results – Oh My God!
First, let me quickly tell you what I did after signing up with BodyLogicMD. They sent me to a lab with instructions for what blood to have taken for a battery of tests. They also sent me a kit for saliva testing – four small test tubes you fill with saliva and send off to determine your cortisol levels (it’s called the “stress hormone” because it increases blood pressure, blood sugar and reduces immune responses – most importantly it reveals your level of stress). Pay attention to this one, guys!
So, then I went to my BodyLogicMD Doc – that beautiful and fun woman doc I mentioned earlier – Dr. Jennifer Landa in Orlando (poetic, kind of). For over an hour, she reviewed with me the results and gave me a detailed rundown of what I need to do and not do and what I need to take (mostly nutritional supplements or bioidentical hormones).
Second, I had already told her what I thought were important issues I wanted addressed – with her and my help, of course. I mentioned that I had an elevated cholesterol/triglyceride ratio and was taking a small dosage of Crestor. I showed lots of cortisol stress (four hours after I was up in the morning, my cortisol drops to almost zero. Wow!). No wonder I was always feeling tired, needing a nap and having trouble “thinking straight.”
I also told her I knew I was losing muscle tissue and strength. Finally, the obvious: I have that old-man belly I want to get rid of. Those are the essentials.
So, what were the results?
Well, to be brief, I not only have the cortisol issue, but am pre-diabetic, have suboptimal DHEA (the so called “Mother Hormone” – it can adapt to fill the need of other missing hormones – including testosterone (Gents, that’s an important ingredient for good sex, strength, etc.). I am overweight by 20 lbs and need to exercise more. Sound familiar?
So, Dr. Landa gave me the rundown of what I needed to do and take. (Check subsequent posts for more details.) We will have a follow-up in three months – re-testing and checking on progress. I am already looking forward to it.
I know this blog post is missing the maniac touch, but let me tell you after learning about what was and wasn’t happening in this body of mine, I came out of my review session with the good Doc feeling like a maniac! I have to get on it!!
Again, I am committed to this program and will keep you abreast of what’s happening.