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What Is Syndrome O? Everyday,
millions of women are struggling with heartbreaking
problems — infertility, miscarriage, obesity, and
cosmetic nightmares unimaginable to most men.
Most of these women suffer in silence, since they
don’t know where to turn for help.
Persistent frustration also pervades the lives of
women who do seek care, aggravated by frequent doctor
visits and costly, sometimes risky, fertility
treatments. If
that’s not enough, there are the gynecologic
“lady’s problems” for countless others — missed
menstrual cycles, heavy and unpredictable vaginal
bleeding, bad reactions to birth control pills, and even
unnecessary hysterectomy operations. Amazingly, all of these diverse female health problems are closely related — a fact that is often not recognized by most doctors and nurses. Alternatively, many women are told by their health providers that they may have ‘polycystic ovaries’ or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a clinical label which doesn’t really explain the root of their problem. Syndrome O can be thought of as the ‘World War III’ of hormones in a woman’s body — causing metabolism to be entirely out-of-whack, wreaking havoc with the possibility of getting pregnant and staying pregnant, and unraveling the normal sequence of hormone changes during the menstrual cycle. Left unchecked, Syndrome O leads to profound instability within the intricate internet of hormones and glands linking women’s metabolism and reproduction. While the ovaries do bear a major brunt of Syndrome O, a cascade of hormonal disturbances occur throughout the body, interfering with normal fertility and healthy pregnancies.
Syndrome
O
can also progress to much more serious medical
complications — diabetes, uterine cancer, and heart
disease — sometimes in young women. Only recently have
these uniquely female health issues been linked to an
imbalance in the insulin
family of hormones.
Essentially, entire body can become the innocent victim of an
exploding modern health phenomenon — the overproduction
of insulin. Insulin is an incredible hormone. It keeps us alive by continuously and efficiently shuttling sugar fuel into every cell within our bodies. But too much insulin is harmful, particularly to women. Excessive insulin causes women’s bodies to turn sugar fuel into fat, and in short order, a vicious cycle of increasing insulin production commences. In a woman’s reproductive system, the insulin family of hormones is absolutely required for many organ functions that are uniquely female — the nourishing and maturing of eggs, the preparation of the womb for conception, and the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. With Syndrome O, improper levels of insulin hormones exert a harmful effect on the female system — the ovaries become confused, egg release (ovulation) is disrupted, and fertility and pregnancy are hampered.
Syndrome O is a sister phenomenon to Syndrome
X, a metabolic disorder proposed over 20 years ago
by Dr. Gerald Reaven. Like Syndrome O, Syndrome X is caused by insulin
overproduction, and it places many individuals at high
risk for diabetes, coronary artery disease,
hypertension, and obesity.
Some doctors and health providers actually think
of ‘polycystic ovaries’ as a consequence of the
‘’female’ Syndrome X.
However, in two different popular health books
entitled Syndrome
X published within the past year, neither
‘polycystic ovaries’ nor the impact of insulin
overproduction on women’s health and reproduction were
discussed. Clearly, the Syndrome
X doctors (and publishers) are not paying a lot
of attention to the women’s world of Syndrome O.
Syndrome X doctors and writers are not trained as
women’s health professionals.
In order to fill in the large informational gap
needed by millions of affected women, Reproductive
Associates of Delaware's own fertility specialist and
endocrinologist Dr. Ron Feinberg has a forthcoming new
book: The
Syndrome O Phenomenon — Giving Your Ovaries, Your
Fertility, & Yourself A Fighting Chance! In an
easy-to-read, sensible, and inspirational style, Dr.
Feinberg describes the three interrelated features of
Syndrome O: Ovarian Confusion. The ovaries are supposed to produce uniquely female hormones
— estrogen and progesterone — in a pattern as
predictable as the phases of the moon.
When bombarded with inappropriate levels of
insulin hormones, the ovaries become confused, producing
some estrogen but very little progesterone.
To make matters worse, there is a strong tendency
for confused ovaries to produce slightly higher amounts
of male hormones, called androgens.
Androgens like testosterone cause all sorts of problems
throughout women’s bodies, but particularly in the
skin, leading to unsightly hair growth, acne, darkened
areas, and abnormal growths. Ovulation Disruption.
Deep within the ovaries lie the “pearls” of
mankind — tiny little eggs that lie dormant for years,
waiting for the right time to emerge.
The eggs live in small cystic incubators called
follicles, which grow each month in response to proper
hormone signals. As
Syndrome O gets started, insulin signals are exaggerated
and inappropriate.
The insulin family of hormones and
androgens then conspire to block normal follicle growth
and the monthly release of an egg — a process that
defines ovulation.
In many cases, the ovaries can become enlarged
and polycystic. Ovulation
disruption (also known as anovulation)
is a major women’s health, lifestyle, and
economic problem, leading to infertility, missed menses
for months at a time, and the potential for heavy,
unpredictable vaginal bleeding. Overnourishment. There is a lot of discussion these days about fat.
With fat causing 50% of Americans to be labeled
as overweight or obese, the fat industry has become a
national obsession.
Some view it as a national disgrace.
The Syndrome X experts have taught us that even
thin people can have very abnormal fat levels (e.g.
triglycerides and cholesterol) circulating in their
bodies. The
insulin family of hormones has a major impact on fat
metabolism, both in men and women. And the close
connection between obesity and insulin overproduction is
a proven scientific fact.
Amongst women with Syndrome O, 80-90% are
overweight or obese.
For those who are thin, there is still strong
evidence that excess
insulin causes ovarian confusion and ovulation
disruption. And
if ignored, many thin Syndrome O sufferers gain pounds
easily and eventually join the ranks of the overweight. The unique
educational and inspirational discussions within The Syndrome O Phenomenon will appeal to women with significant
concerns regarding their fertility and health.
Through Dr. Feinberg’s wisdom and compassion,
important issues raised everyday by countless women will
be addressed, such as: ·
Why
have I had irregular periods all of my life?
How will that affect my fertility? · My doctor told me I have polycystic ovaries, and that I should lose some weight if I want to become pregnant. Why? ·
Those
fertility pills don’t seem to work for me.
Will I have to take expensive fertility drug
injections instead? ·
If
only my husband knew how much facial hair I have, and
that I have to shave almost everyday.
Are there any new options for me? ·
Could
Syndrome O have caused my 2 miscarriages? ·
All
I read about these days is insulin, insulin, insulin. What does that have to do with me? ·
How
did I get Syndrome O?
How long have I had it?
What does the future hold? ·
I’m
scared to death of getting diabetes.
What can I do to prevent it? ·
My
life is completely out of control.
Where can I turn for help?
What can I do to help myself?
Women
affected by Syndrome O need clear, honest information,
and they need it fast! By
the time a woman is diagnosed with ‘polycystic
ovaries’ or infertility or even diabetes, it is likely
that the harmful consequences of Syndrome O have already
seriously affected many organ systems in her body.
Although most doctors in the field of women’s health
are well-meaning, there is the temptation to have a
narrow focus regarding Syndrome O.
Dr. Feinberg has found that when he has taken the
time to delve into his patients’ past, the clear signs
of Syndrome O were present in these women years before. Dr. Feinberg’s combination of down-to-earth teaching and uplifting writing style provides the magic formula to effect change in his readership. Indeed, more important than writer and healer, Dr. Feinberg describes himself as a philosophical endocrinologist. With this theme in mind, The Syndrome O Phenomenon provides a wake-up call, and an inspirational health plan for women to give themselves a fighting chance.
In
a set of novel guidelines called the Syndrome
O Survival (SOS) StrategiesTM, Dr.
Feinberg specifically describes the Strategy
of Organization, the Strategy of Optimization, and the
Strategy of Offering, as the blueprints for life
change that are necessary for overcoming Syndrome O.
The SOS Survival Strategies will help women make
educated decisions, such as: ·
How
do I organize my priorities for health and well-being,
relationships with other people, career, and a burning
desire to have children? ·
What
are the optimal insulin-busting strategies I can utilize
to lessen the impact of Syndrome O on my fertility and
my health? ·
What
are the steps I can take to help my fertility before
I visit the doctor?
How can I help my fertility doctors help me? ·
What
is the life plan I want to follow in order to optimize
my daily nutrition and activity level? ·
Can
I really control my weight, or is it a hopeless cause? ·
What
can I do to help my children?
Are my daughters at risk for Syndrome O?
Are my sons at risk for Syndrome X? ·
What
are the resources available to me for education and
support, and how can I share my new knowledge and
awareness with others? The Syndrome O Phenomenon is written to be a companion for women facing the challenges of Syndrome O. In addition to the medical facts, readers will easily relate to the poignant stories of real women with Syndrome O, whose long journeys of education, meditation, and self-improvement have given them the knowledge and will to overcome the impact of Syndrome O upon their lives.
For more information, contact syndromeo@aol.com Home
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