So many factors contribute to a decline in a woman’s libido: low thyroid (hypothyroidism), the birth control pill, excess levels of the hormone prolactin, low testosterone, prescription and over-the-counter medications, stress, environmental estrogens and relationship problems to name a few. If you are struggling with low libido, pain upon intercourse, no or blunted orgasms or vaginal dryness, certain diagnostic tests should be performed:

• A blood test for th­yroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). It should be below 2.0.
• A blood test for Free Testosterone. Women with low testosterone have no libido.

Once the physical, emotional and physiological factors are ruled out, getting your sex drive back is simple with a healthy diet, regular exercise and Sex Essentials™. Sex Essentials is a formula I developed specifically to enhance a woman’s libido. Among other special ingredients it contains arginine, an essential amino acid. L-arginine is the main source of nitric oxide (NO), which is responsible for sexual arousal in women. Without arginine, there is no NO and no sexual arousal. Female research found L-arginine increases the intensity of sensation during sex because NO stimulates blood flow to the genitals to lead up to orgasm. Tribulus terrestris, another ingredient in Sex Essentials, works in a special way in women. One of luteinizing hormone’s (LH) many functions is to command the production of testosterone. As a woman ages, or if she has hormone dysfunction, LH does not have the ability to increase testosterone. Tribulus terrestris naturally improves the ratio of LH which then helps produce more testosterone. Clinical trials using tribulus terrestris were performed at the First Obstetrical and Gynecological Hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria where tribulus was found to provide better results in women in regards to increasing libido than the hormone therapy alone.

A: My new book Sexy Hormones, coauthored with gynecologist Alvin Pettle, M.D. is chock-full of advice on how to get your hormones back in balance. Blood and saliva testing would be appropriate in your case. Sexy Hormones teaches you which tests are needed and at what time in your cycle they should be performed. If you need supplemental hormones the book advises what hormone, the appropriate delivery system (skin delivery or oral) and how to use hormones safely either with or without natural remedies. I feel this book is so important that every woman should own one and purchase one for her physician so we can train them too. The book even has prescriptions for your doctor in case he or she has never worked with bioidentical hormones. Here are many factors that cause a lack of libido and other sexual concerns. New research shows that women taking the birth control pill have an increased risk of losing their sex drive because the pill can damage the DNA in the cell that makes testosterone. And some women never get their sex drive back even after stopping the pill. Stress, too much estrogen from environmental estrogen sources, many drugs, foods that disrupt hormones, relationship problems, and low thyroid can all lead to a lack of desire. Over 51% of women have pain upon intercourse and there are virtually no research dollars being spent in this area. I developed two products for women to improve sexual health. Sex Essentials is a combination of nutrients designed to improve desire; orgasm ability, intensity and duration; improve lubrication; and enhance well being. LOVE Personal Lubricant can help with vaginal dryness and pain upon intercourse. Sex Essentials and LOVE Personal Lubricant will bring that zest back into your sex life.

A: Over 20% of the population has low thyroid. Symptoms can include hair loss, low mood, weight gain, dry skin, no energy or sex drive, heavy periods, infertility, miscarriage, or raging hot flashes and night sweats. Low thyroid is common for several reasons: we are not getting adequate sunshine on our skin to make vitamin D, we are avoiding salt and therefore not getting iodine in our diet, our foods are mineral depleted, we are not eating adequate sources of protein containing tyrosine and all these are needed to make thyroid hormone. Also, if you are on estrogen replacement, it can block the uptake of thyroid hormone. One of the concerns is the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test. Many researchers believe the range of normal on the TSH test is too broad and as such it can take many years of low thyroid symptoms before you finally get a test that shows low thyroid needing medication. Your friend has subclinical low thyroid. Meaning she has the symptoms but normal test results. In your case it is not uncommon for those taking medication to initially have results then have their symptoms return. My suggestion for both you and your friend is to include nutrients that have been clinically researched to improve the function of your thyroid. It is not recommended that you go off your thyroid hormone. These recommendations are in addition to taking thyroid hormone. Or in the case of your friend she should take the following nutrients to eliminate her symptoms.

Ashwagandha and Guggal are two herbs that can enhance T4 thyroid hormone while Guggal enhances the conversion of T4 to the more potent T3 directly on the thyroid gland. Ninety-five percent of all cases of low thyroid are due to impaired conversion of T4 into T3 in the tissues of the thyroid gland. Tyrosine found in protein and potassium iodine are essential for healthy thyroid hormone levels.

These nutrients and other cofactors are found in ThyroSense which I developed for my subclinical low thyroid symptoms. Within weeks you will start to feel fabulous again.

A: A study, published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, found a 353 percent increase in prescriptions for antidepressants (from 3.2 to 14.5 million) between 1981 and 2000. More research has found that most people do not fit the criteria needed to be prescribed antidepressants; and that many with mild depression are being prescribed drugs unnecessarily. Antidepressants are prescribed for menopause symptoms and for children’s bed wetting among other non-depressed states too. With all the side effects associated with antidepressant medications, only those with true depression should be taking these drugs. Low moods go hand-in-hand with our stressed lives. With half the population not experiencing deep, restful sleep it is difficult for the body to deal with daily stressors. Anxiety levels are high with our activity packed days. Happiness and joy are feelings that are produced when our serotonin levels are elevated. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an excellent supplement to enhance serotonin levels naturally. Tryptophan, found in protein, is converted into 5-HTP and then into serotonin. Taking 5-HTP is a safe way to enhance serotonin. 5-HTP has been extensively studied for enhancing mood, reducing anxiety, for PMS and fibromyalgia, and for reducing carbohydrate cravings. HappySense™ 5-HTP is 99 percent pure and it is enteric-coated so that it can be digested in the small intestine for optimal absorption. HappySense should be taken three times a day for best results: breakfast, dinner and bedtime. Another fabulous benefit to HappySense is uninterrupted sleep. HappySense can be taken along with SleepSense™ too. Drink HappyTea™ throughout the day to elevate mood and reduce anxiety. HappyTea contains rhodiola, suma and griffonia to naturally enhance happiness. We all could use a little HappySense in our lives along with HappyTea to boost our JOY factor!

A: According to Dr. Stephen Sinatra, author of heart Sense for Women, no one eats a truly nutrient rich diet with five to nine servings of vegetables and fruit; even a balanced diet does not provide the nutrients we need for a healthy heart – and too many of our foods are stripped of their nutrients. Heart disease in women has now surpassed cancer as the leading cause of death. Prevention is the answer. FemmEssentials, an excellent multinutrient formula like packaged in convenient packets, contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, skin and bone nutrients and is also good for your heart. Simply taking one packet of FemmEssentials per day help to provide key nutrients that help to make our heart strong, lower cholesterol and homocysteine, reduce inflammation in our veins, stop blood stickiness, make our capillaries elastic, and prevent oxidation of LDL (the bad cholesterol). FemmEssentials also contains 250mg of magnesium, one of the most important minerals for keeping blood pressure normal. There is a direct relationship between low magnesium levels and high blood pressure. So crucial to the heart is magnesium that it can help to reduce or prevent arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) and cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle). Lutein, another important ingredient in FemmEssentials is found in HDL (the good cholesterol), and scientists have found it can help to prevent the bad cholesterol from oxidizing. Tocotrienols, vitamin E-like compounds, lower cholesterol and provide superior antioxidant protection more so than standard vitamin E preparations. Niacin, along with B12, B6 and folic acid, are vital for keeping homocysteine in check, a major indicator of heart attack. Omega 3 fatty acids and evening primrose oil keep arterial inflammation at bay. We must walk, dance or play every day to exercise our heart and taking a well-formulated multinutrient combination like FemmEssentials can also help to make a difference.

A: Hair loss in women can be due to many factors. One of the main causes of hair loss in women is hypothyroidism, commonly called low thyroid. Low levels of iron and conversely high levels of iron in the blood, a deficiency of zinc in the diet, autoimmune disease and too much stress are also associated with hair loss. If you suspect you have a low thyroid, have a hemoglobin (blood) test at the doctor’s office and if you are iron deficient, consider taking a natural iron supplement such as Floradix. If you have excess iron – consider donating blood. Diet also plays an important role in hair loss. Start the day with a protein-rich breakfast (an egg, a chicken breast, a protein shake, protein powder in yogurt) and eat protein and greens at every meal thereafter. Every day at breakfast take a complete multi-nutrient formula like FemmEssentials for all the cofactors needed for strong, thick hair. FemmEssentials contains zinc citrate needed for thick hair and evening primrose and flax seed oil for shiny hair, among other important nutrients. BioSil, clinically researched at the University of Brussels, enhances collagen, not only in the hair, but also the nails, bones and skin. Collagen, an essential part of hair, makes our hair elastic so there is less breakage and less hair in your brush. BioSil can help make your hair shiny, thick and strong within 6 weeks. If your hair loss is related to subclinical low thyroid, meaning your test results come back normal but you have the symptoms of low thyroid, or you are on thyroid medi­cation but not converting your thyroid hormones properly, ThyroSense, a combination of nutrients designed to support and nourish the thyroid can be the missing key. No more hiding under a hat because of a bad hair day. Follow this simple program and see your hair become shiny, thick and strong.

Lorna’s Gorgeous Hair Program:
• 1 to 2 packets of FemmEssentials per day
• 10 drops per day or 2 capsules per day of BioSil
• 2 capsules of ThyroSense with breakfast if you are not on thyroid medication and if you are taking thyroid medication 2 capsules of ThyroSense at the same time you take your thyroid medication.

A: Are you are one of many women who have been suffering from terrible monthly cycles simply because you have been told it is “normal”? Do you complain of the “monthly curse”? Periods should be effortless. Periods that are complicated with symptoms are warning you that your hormones may be out of balance. Low back pain, breast swelling and pain, lower abdominal cramps, heavy flow, acne and mood swings can all be symptoms that something is going on in your body. If you have any of these symptoms consider having a pelvic ultrasound. Medical doctors may prescribe the Pill to relieve women from terrible periods but it is important to note that there can be side effects from taking the pill such as: fertility may be affected; breast cancer risk is increased; women on the pill are at higher risk for abnormal cervical cells and there is more estrogen in the Pill (even the low estrogen Pill) than there is in HRT given to menopausal women. Some women even have a hysterec­tomy (removal of the uterus) because they can’t deal with being chained to the house with heavy periods every month.

Luckily there are clinically researched plant extracts and nutrients that can help to make period problems a thing of the past. I developed EstroSense, a combination of plant extracts, to shrink my uterine fibroids in order to avoid having a hysterec­tomy – over the last 3 years my fibroids have shrunk 39% based on ultrasound reports. But EstroSense does so much more. It can help to eliminate hormonal acne, normalize heavy periods, stop painful, lumpy breasts, inhibit ovarian cysts, alleviate symptoms of endometriosis and reverse abnormal PAP smears. EstroSense is a gift to women. By safely balancing the estrogen to progesterone ratio naturally, EstroSense corrects the delicate hormonal balance without using dangerous drugs or surgery. Within two menstrual cycles women will see their skin clear and PMS mood swings and period problems become a thing of the past with just 2 EstroSense at breakfast. For those of you with fibroids, ovarian cysts, endome­triosis and lumpy breasts, take 4 EstroSense per day. Read my book An A-Z Woman’s Guide to Vibrant Health for FREE at www.hormonehelp.com to augment your Estro-Sense program with lifestyle and diet recommendations. Make periods effortless with EstroSense.