Episode 154
Lorraine Maita, MD:
Understanding the Link Between Hormones and Autoimmunity in Women
Dr. Lorraine Maita explores the critical connection between hormones and autoimmunity in women. Learn how hormonal shifts can trigger autoimmune disorders and how environmental toxins impact hormone health. Dr. Maita discusses bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, debunking myths and highlighting benefits. Discover detoxification strategies, the importance of gut health, and how hormone balance can improve overall wellness. Gain insights on managing autoimmune conditions through proper hormone balance and unlock your path to better health.
First Aired on: Aug 25, 2024
Episode 154
Lorraine Maita, MD:
Understanding the Link Between Hormones and Autoimmunity in Women
Dr. Lorraine Maita explores the critical connection between hormones and autoimmunity in women. Learn how hormonal shifts can trigger autoimmune disorders and how environmental toxins impact hormone health. Dr. Maita discusses bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, debunking myths and highlighting benefits. Discover detoxification strategies, the importance of gut health, and how hormone balance can improve overall wellness. Gain insights on managing autoimmune conditions through proper hormone balance and unlock your path to better health.
First Aired on: Aug 25, 2024
Table of Contents:
In this episode:
In this episode, Dr. Lorraine Maita, a physician specializing in hormone health and detoxification, discusses the critical connection between hormones, autoimmunity, and overall wellness. She shares insights on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, the importance of detoxification, and how addressing hormone imbalances can transform lives.
Introduction
Dr. Lorraine Maita is a physician with over 40 years of experience, specializing in hormone health, detoxification, and functional medicine. She joins me to discuss the crucial role of hormones in autoimmunity and overall health, sharing her personal journey and professional insights.
Episode Highlights
The Connection Between Hormones and Autoimmunity
Dr. Maita explains the relationship between hormones and autoimmune disorders, particularly in women.
- Women have more antibodies due to their X chromosome
- Estrogen increases the production of immune cells
- Hormonal shifts (puberty, postpartum, perimenopause) can trigger autoimmune disorders
The Impact of Environmental Toxins on Hormone Health
Dr. Maita discusses how environmental toxins affect hormone balance and overall health.
- We're exposed to almost 200 toxins per day
- Many toxins have estrogenic effects, contributing to estrogen dominance
- Importance of continuous detoxification efforts
- Tips for reducing toxin exposure: filtered water, organic food, clean personal care products
The Importance of Proper Elimination for Hormone Balance
Dr. Maita emphasizes the crucial role of bowel movements and liver function in maintaining hormone balance.
- Constipation can lead to reabsorption of toxins and excess estrogen
- The gallbladder's role in detoxification and hormone balance
- Tips for supporting healthy elimination: water, fiber, probiotics, magnesium
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
Dr. Maita provides insights on the benefits and safety of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
- Misconceptions stemming from the Women's Health Initiative study
- Recent studies show benefits outweigh risks for most women
- BHRT can improve quality of life, reduce fracture risk, and decrease dementia risk
- Importance of individualized approach based on personal risk factors
The Power of Attitude in Health and Wellness
Dr. Maita shares her perspective on the role of attitude in achieving and maintaining good health.
- Importance of making a commitment to oneself
- Choosing happiness and positivity
- How attitude drives overall wellness and health outcomes
Notable Quotes
We have to be in a continuous state of detox, where you lower the amount of toxins coming in by starting to choose, you know, filter your water, drink clean water, eat the dirty dozen organic, you know, start looking as you run out of personal care and cleaning products, look for safer, cleaner products.
Dr. Lorraine Maita
Hot flashes are not benign. They're a biomarker for inflammation, for osteoporosis and for dementia. So hot flashes are not just a symptom that, ah, it'll go away. Yeah. It'll go away along with your bones, your brains and your arteries.
Dr. Lorraine Maita
Other Resources:
Connect with Lorraine Maita, MD
Watch this interview:
Episode Transcript
Lorraine Maita:[00:00:00] As women, we have more antibodies. The more antibodies you have, the more they could go awry and it has something to do with the X chromosome.
Lorraine Maita: Estrogen will make More antibodies than that's the most likely scenario when people go through autoimmune disorders.
Julie Michelson: Welcome back to the inspired living with auto immunity podcast. I'm your host, Julie Michelson. And today we're joined by Dr. Lorraine Maida, [00:01:00] the hormone harmonizer and detoxifier. Dr. Maida specializes in helping you have boundless energy, stable moods, a lean body, sharp, clear mind. Balanced hormones and a healthy libido.
Julie Michelson: So you can feel like yourself again. She is a triple board certified physician, writer, author, speaker, and award winning physician as well. In today's conversation, we're talking about the connection between autoimmunity and hormones and the role that toxins play. Dr. Mehta shares about the importance of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to support health and well being and to avoid aging like a dried raisin. Dr. Maida, welcome to the podcast.
Lorraine Maita: Thank you so much for having me. I really love to help people and educate people on what I've been studying for almost a lifetime, it seems.
Lorraine Maita: Well, we are grateful that you're going to share that [00:02:00] wisdom with us. And I always love, and I know the audience loves to learn like, Hey, how did you, you know, you're, you're a, uh, Very well known physician, you're successful, but what got you into this hormone detox, you know, why that specialty?
Lorraine Maita: Well, at first, uh, the very, I have several stories, I'll make them short, but when I was working in the emergency room in Midtown in Manhattan in New York City, I developed TB. And I was on antibiotics for nine months. I had, I was a giant yeast ball. I had the wazoo. I was losing my hair. I developed sensitivities to food.
Lorraine Maita: I was gaining weight. I was getting rashes. I was tired. I was completely miserable. We, you know, this was way back in the 80s. So we didn't talk about things then, right? We didn't talk about probiotics then. [00:03:00] And I was traditionally trained, even though I've since a child, I studied, you know, uh, supplements and natural medicine.
Lorraine Maita: So I did seek out someone and, you know, within three months, I'm, I'm better. I did the whole gut healing. I'm better. And then, um, when. I was in a company and I treated, I was part of occupational health and wellness, and a senior women, women executive came down to me and that was when, at that time, there were so few.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And she came down and she's like, like physicians. Yeah. I mean, I remember, I mean, this is a company of 120, 000 people and there are six, six women in high level positions. So when one of them walks into my office and said, you have to help me, I was like, yeah, I could like. Bring you back to life. You had a heat attack or something, you know, and I could treat your infection.
Lorraine Maita: But she said I [00:04:00] was up giving a lecture and all of a sudden I started breaking out in a hot flash and sweats and I lost my words and the men in the audience were either elbowing each other, snickering or like casting their head down in shame. Like, I don't want to see this. And she said, I, how am I going to be taken seriously?
Lorraine Maita: So that's when I went on a mission to study hormones and motivating. And then fast forward, it was around the time of nine 11. And, you know, I used to live across the street from the world trade center. And, you know, I was the company I was working for was going through tremendous change. And not only did I have issues with my mother being ill, my brother being ill, people I knew died in that.
Lorraine Maita: Horror. Um, I was losing it. I, I, I, I noticed friends told me my personality change and my periods were irregular. I was irritable. I couldn't sleep. I was [00:05:00] losing my hair. I was gaining weight. I didn't feel like myself anymore. And I just, I thought it was all the stress of nine 11 and the stress and the company.
Lorraine Maita: And I actually left my job to just take care of my mother and brother. And once I realized, I said, you know what? I treat people for hormone imbalances. Maybe that's what it is. And you know what? I gave myself progesterone. It was like, I mean, there were the stressors were still there, but I coped better.
Lorraine Maita: You know, I, I, my, I got to sleep. My personality went back to its bubbly self. And, you know, it was pretty awful when I used to walk into a room and everybody would because they didn't know, like, what kind of mood is she in today? And, you know, I that a lot of my patients. So that's when I just, I even doubled down and I said, you know what, I have to do this full time, you know, I'm not, I, you know, I, and do it my way, even though I [00:06:00] did, you know, functional medicine since 1992.
Lorraine Maita: And I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Bland at the MindShare Friends. And I told him, I still have my, my diploma. And he said, that was the very first. If I F M course he ever did. So I'm his first grad student.
Julie Michelson: Wow. That's, that's special. That's really special. That's amazing. Yeah. So this is not a new, new thing for you.
Julie Michelson: But it is always funny how sometimes it takes us a while to remember to do for ourselves what we're doing. Doing for other people,
Lorraine Maita: like laughing at myself, like, how come I didn't think of that, but you know, there was so much going on and, and that's what people, that's why I'm here educating people, because you have to make that connection.
Lorraine Maita: And it, you know, it's, it's almost slap in the face for me to do it, but you know, the more you are exposed, the more you, you know, [00:07:00] you'd start going through your checklist. Is this, could it be this, could it be that, could it be this, you know, right.
Julie Michelson: Right. And, and I feel like, uh, for, especially for us women, although there's men are having, that's a whole nother podcast,
Lorraine Maita: It's a whole nother one. Uhhuh.
Julie Michelson: I see. Couples
Lorraine Maita: I know,
Julie Michelson: I just treat,
Lorraine Maita: I see couple. Yeah.
Julie Michelson: No, I, I, um, my partner as well at the clinic and, and it's always ideal when he is treating both because Yeah. Oh, totally. Yeah. Um, but, but. Yeah. Anybody listening to this, you, the hormones has to be on your list with a question mark, you know, could it be, is it so, um, let's, or is there, I don't want to cut off your story or.
Julie Michelson: No, no. I mean, the story is a
Lorraine Maita: happy ending. I'm like, I'm happy. I'm healthy. I even went to my, it looks 35. So I went to my reunion with one of my friends who's a patient. And we, we looked at each other and we said, Oh my [00:08:00] God, everybody else looks so much older. But we take, it's not just hormones. It's the whole package.
Lorraine Maita: You know, you have, you know, I have some people just give me the hormones. I don't want to do the diet. I don't want to, you know, but it's the whole package and I feel, I feel as good as I did in my, you know, At a younger age. I won't even tell my age. Oh, you shouldn't. You should
Julie Michelson: brag. I tell all the time.
Lorraine Maita: All right. All right. I'll tell you. I'm 67 and going strong. Cracker Jacks.
Julie Michelson: Wow. Amazing. I mean, literally, you look 35. That's amazing. But you can tell. You feel. That way, you know, it's, yeah, I, I'm in my mid fifties. I feel, I feel younger than I did it in my thirties. And everybody said, when you're going to
Lorraine Maita: retire, I said, I'm not going to retire.
Lorraine Maita: I love what I do. I love seeing transformations and, and people feeling, you know, they all say I got my life back or I feel like myself [00:09:00] again. And I, I know from personal, what I went through that it's transformative. It's totally transformative.
Julie Michelson: It is, it is unbelievable. I, um, I started, I was estrogen dominant, didn't know it and never heard those words.
Julie Michelson: Right. I didn't have high estrogen, but I, I had all the things and just that little bit of progesterone way back when literally life, life changing. And I wasn't even at the, at the, you know, Bad end of the spectrum as far as hormonal symptoms, but I was full blown autoimmune. I, you know, I had all the things.
Julie Michelson: And, and so, um, I would love to maybe even get listeners to lean in a little, a little more. And what is this connection between hormones and autoimmunity?
Lorraine Maita: Well, it's our X chromosome. As [00:10:00] women, we have more antibodies. The more antibodies you have, the more they could go awry. So even, and it has something to do with the X chromosome.
Lorraine Maita: Estrogen, estrogen will make More antibodies than that's the, the, you know, uh, the most likely scenario when people go through autoimmune disorders. I always, when, when someone comes to me with an autoimmune disorder, I always ask them trace back. What, what happened the time before that? What's going on with you?
Lorraine Maita: You know, we, we evolved to have more antibodies to keep our newborn safe. Right. Right. So The more, the most likely time you're going to develop an autoimmune disease is postpartum. And the more pregnancies you have, you're the more likely you're to develop an autoimmune disorder. If you have the genetic predisposition, right?
Lorraine Maita: I mean, I had every recipe for developing an autoimmune disorder. [00:11:00] I don't have one and I'm grateful for that, but I had all the hormonal symptoms. So astrogen in, in, in. Makes more immune cells. Women as a whole have more immune cells, and that tends to trigger autoimmune disorders. And what I see is whenever women go through hormonal shifts or hormonal changes, that's when it occurs.
Lorraine Maita: And, and it's, so if you skate by postpartum,
Julie Michelson: watch
Lorraine Maita: out
Julie Michelson: sometimes
Lorraine Maita: puberty, some current puberty. Postpartum, perimenopause, postmenopause, all the piece. So those are the times when women are most likely to have it because. We go through big hormonal shifts. I mean, that's the one thing men don't have, and it's not as dramatic in men.
Lorraine Maita: They have their shifts, but in women, it can be a wild roller coaster ride. And what it does to our bodies is, you know, [00:12:00] pretty. significant, you know, it's pretty significant. And they've shown that lupus occurs more often post puberty. Psoriasis will decrease around menopause. And if, well, it will increase around menopause.
Lorraine Maita: And if you're taking hormone replacement therapy, it will calm it down. And, um, rheumatoid arthritis happens when your periods are all over the place, irregular, especially perimenopause. So this is why balancing your hormones, keeping the hormones level, keeping them stable, keeping things in balance and estrogen in a kind of nice, Sweet spot is so important for not just autoimmune disorders, but for just about everything.
Lorraine Maita: I mean, listen, we all complain to the same things in midlife. We're gaining weight. We can't think, we're moody, we're anxious. It's hormones have a very potent, very, very potent effect on the brain.
Julie Michelson: Yeah. [00:13:00] Well, and that's why, you know, the decline, that's why women are, you know, Way outnumber men for also Alzheimer's and dementia, same thing, I know that these hormones are such a big, huge.
Julie Michelson: Peace. I wish we had five hours because I would want, I want to talk about all the things that are impacting the hormones too. I want to touch on it lightly because this is what you do, right? It's not just hormones. Like, yes, we're, we're women. We have more antibodies, all those things, but why? And, you know, I even was, we're talking about the men as well.
Julie Michelson: Right. So what is, Going on that, that people's hormones seem, because it's all, you can't isolate. It's not the one thing.
Lorraine Maita: No, it's not the one thing. And what I noticed in my practice, you know, I've been practicing over 40 years. Young men were in their thirties, were coming in with big boobs and big bellies.
Lorraine Maita: Women were [00:14:00] entering puberty earlier and like, what's that all about? Well. toxins. We're exposed to almost 200 toxins per day. And a lot of them have estrogenic effects. So that estrogen dominance, not only do you have estrogen dominance from your own estrogen and progesterone dropping. So what estrogen dominance is for in case your audience doesn't know, estrogen is high in relation to progesterone.
Lorraine Maita: So your, your estrogen could be high. It could be normal. It could be low. Um, But if progesterone, there's not enough progesterone to balance it, you're estrogen dominant. So you're going to have more of the dominant effects of estrogen excitability. I call it the hormone of energy and growth. And so too much energy is anxiety, irritability, impatient, snappy behavior, insomnia, growth of the breasts, cysts of the breasts, tender breasts, bleeding, spotting, weight gain around the hips.
Lorraine Maita: The breast, you know, and fluid retention. So those are the formation [00:15:00] and inflammation. Yes. Astrogen can be very inflammatory. Progesterone can be very anti inflammatory, but you add toxins and you can't get away from them. It's in our air. It's in our food. It's in our water. It's in our clothing. It's in our furniture.
Lorraine Maita: It's in our carpeting. It's in our draperies. It's in just about everything. And I tell my patients, we have to be in a continuous state of detox, where you lower the amount. of toxins coming in by starting to choose, you know, filter your water, drink clean water, eat the dirty dozen organic, you know, start looking as you run out of personal care and cleaning products, look for safer, cleaner products because you know, women, women have apply a lot more product than men.
Lorraine Maita: Right. And our makeup, our hair products, our skin creams, our serums, all this, all that [00:16:00] there, a lot of them are not so good for you. So
Julie Michelson: yeah,
Lorraine Maita: since are a big deal.
Julie Michelson: Yeah. And so, and I, I like to say, cause it is always, it can be really overwhelming and depressing when we start to talk about where we're exposed literally everywhere,
Lorraine Maita: but
Julie Michelson: what you're talking about is reducing the burden, right?
Julie Michelson: There is no, nobody's ever going to be toxin free. It's, I love that you said, you know, you have to constantly be working on detox and reducing that burden. And I love the, the particular things that you mentioned, because my approach is the same. I, you know, if we make our home our haven and, and support our detox path, you know, do all the things, but if we have the, the water filters, the air filters, the, you know, get rid of our plastics, do those things at home, we can take the hit.
Julie Michelson: When we go out and about as long as we're working on it,
Lorraine Maita: you know, you don't want that straw to break the camel's back. Right. You know, it's [00:17:00] that one. And, you know, every time I ask a woman, when did this autoimmune disorder show its ugly head? I mean, stress, trauma, toxins, infection, something, you know, because somebody said to me, That isn't everybody stressed.
Lorraine Maita: I said, well, sure. But when you have the confluence of all those things at once, and then you're a hormone rage or change or whatever,
Julie Michelson: uh,
Lorraine Maita: your body is like that, that immune system turns on and it doesn't know how to turn off. Yeah, great. And it attacks us. So, so just these little, they're, they're little things and you don't have to do it all at once and you don't have to be perfect.
Lorraine Maita: I'm not perfect. Look, I dyed my hair. So, you know, and it's so, you know, um, Pretty much toxin free, you know, as free as you
Julie Michelson: make your choices. I had a client who literally she's like, I'll do anything. She cleaned up, [00:18:00] you know, every, everything she was already paying attention, but she up leveled. And I said, what are, what, tell me about your hair products.
Julie Michelson: What is your shampoo? And she said, I'm not even discussing it. It's a non negotiable. I said, perfect. Because, you know, somebody asked me the other day, I was at a conference and they were like, What kind of nail polish do you wear? Because I, I can't find a really clean one that actually works. And I'm like, it's not really clean.
Julie Michelson: It's cleaner. Yeah. And that's my one thing.
Lorraine Maita: Same thing with like, if you start decreasing the amount of toxins coming in, you're never going to be perfect. So that's why I don't want people, you know, I go to people's houses. So they're not eating organic with, you know, whatever, you know, so I'm fine because 80, I'd say 80 percent of the time clean, clean, clean, but you know what?
Lorraine Maita: I'm, I'm in a state of detox. And one of the other reasons why I find that some women can't tolerate their hormones, it's maybe not the [00:19:00] most pleasant topic is constipation. Like anyone about it. I love talking about poop. Oh my God. Oh my God. You know, it, you, you know, that's one of the big, big ways where you get rid of toxins and that's where you get rid of the excess estrogen and estrogen dominance.
Lorraine Maita: So some people come to me in perimenopause or PMS. And once I detox them and I make sure their bowels are moving and big snakes. Like every day because people say it's normal all my, how are you? Oh, they're normal. Oh, I know.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. You know, even every two or three days, that's not normal for you, but that's not normal. It's not optimal. It's not healthy. Just here's the visual. Okay. You can close your ears. No, listen, everybody listening, watching a backed up toilet. Where's it going to go? It's just going to go right back. Into your system and the longer it sits there, the more you have problems because early in [00:20:00] back in the day when I first started, I didn't understand why some women just didn't tolerate the hormones, you know, and when I'm like thinking and reading and you know, like, then I really dove deep into.
Lorraine Maita: Are you moving your bowels and, and, and No they're not. Mm-Hmm. And once we got the bowel movements going, they're like, oh my God, I feel so much better . I energy. Well, sure. I'm not getting that breast tenderness anymore. I'm calmer, I'm sleeping better. I mean, these toxins affect your immune system, your hormone system, and your nervous system.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And just. Getting bowel movements going and, you know, some people have to work a little harder than others, you know, but water fiber probiotics, um, sometimes I use magnesium, magnesium is big, big. And sometimes I use some motility, um, herbs. So, you know, I can almost get anybody to go,
Julie Michelson: it is, and [00:21:00] I love that you said it does sometimes it does sometimes take work.
Julie Michelson: I mean, and for some people, it's so fun because people are like, you know, they're looking for the big fancy thing. And it's like, are you drinking water? Like, let's start with, you know, the basics move. Are you moving your body? Are you, you know, all, all the basic things.
Lorraine Maita: It's not just hormones are going to make you better.
Lorraine Maita: You need, you need the whole structure. And I do want to give a caution with magnesium and fiber. You start low and go slow. Otherwise, you're going to get gas and bloating and not be happy and give up, but go start low, go slow and move your body. Get enough water. You'd be amazed at how much better you feel.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah,
Julie Michelson: it's, it's, it's huge. I mean, it's essential. I had interviewed somebody who said, you know, you're, we're supposed to poop like a puppy. I know one of my dogs is really little and, and I can tell when I pick him up, [00:22:00] if he hasn't pooped yet, like if he's eaten, but not pooped because he's heavier, I can feel it, but you know, puppies eat and they poop.
Julie Michelson: So, yeah, it's, it's huge. It's huge. It is so important. I'm really glad that you brought it up because yeah, I
Lorraine Maita: just had to know it's not like, you know, pleasant conversation, but it's so essential. Nobody gets past that visual of flushing a backed up toilet. It's just, this is what's happening in your body.
Lorraine Maita: It's just going back in. Ew. And the other is gallbladder, the gallbladder. Another one. I'm, uh, so many women have had their gallbladder out and you know what, that is a big, well, it's a sanitizer of your gut and it also digests fats, but it also removes toxins and you know, the gallbladder will bind the toxins and you got to move it out through the bowel movement.
Lorraine Maita: And you also have to have a good, healthy microbiome by eating healthy. [00:23:00] You know, I say, if you have a party and you serve pizza, burger, fries, soda, chips, you're going to attract a different crowd than if you, you serve like, you know, lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, nice salad, but you're going to have a different crowd and same thing with your microbiome.
Lorraine Maita: So what you eat is going to affect that microbiome and, and they rule there. They have more power over you than your own brain. And they will take those toxins attached to bile. If you've got the wrong. neighborhood down there, they're going to, they're going to break it off and then you're going to reabsorb the toxins.
Lorraine Maita: And this is where I see a lot of estrogen dominance as well.
Julie Michelson: What do you do for, because I, I see so many people as well that have already, unfortunately had their gallbladder out. Um, I feel like it's treated. Almost like appendix, like, Oh, you know, you're having, you're having pain from your gallbladder.
Julie Michelson: We'll [00:24:00] just take it out. Like, what is there, what do you do to
Lorraine Maita: support their foods, their foods, Todka, um, monounsaturated fats, you know, fish oil also, uh, the saturated fats will make bile, you know, just think I tell people the visual butter is not going to flow oil. So you want your bile to flow with the fats that flow.
Lorraine Maita: Like fish, olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, and any of their oils. So you want to, you want to make the bile more liquidy with the right kind of fats. You want to make it flow and with the bile salts like tatka or digestive bitters or bitter food. And there, you know, there are a number of other things. Fiber also, you need, you need fiber to keep that going.
Lorraine Maita: There's, you know, someone just came to me and I have a. A list of things that I'm, I'm doing for her because she doesn't want to have her gold bladder out. And I'm so happy she came to me before [00:25:00] she had it out because she came to me a week before her scheduled surgery. And I'm saying, I can't do it that fast, but it will, you know, you'll be able to give us some time.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty good, but I'm not that magic. That's why I say that all the
Julie Michelson: time, but I'm not magic.
Lorraine Maita: You know, I have my magic wand. I keep it here for, I love
Julie Michelson: it. I love it. So amazing. So I want to dive into a little bit because I hear so, so many questions, misinformation and concerns about hormone replacement therapy.
Julie Michelson: And so if we're saying hormone balance is important. Um, let's, let's talk about that a little bit about. You know, who should use them? Why should we use them? Why shouldn't we use them? Are they safe?
Lorraine Maita: Well, yes. And I've been studying this for a very long time. I'm on them and I have thousands of people on them.
Lorraine Maita: And I [00:26:00] did take that Hippocratic oath and I take it very seriously. And, you know, I've been writing blogs about this for about at least 15 years or more. And I, I dive deep into the research and. Lately, the last few years, there have been quite a number of studies that came out that should put this to rest.
Lorraine Maita: We hope I, that's why I want to be on as many podcasts and do as many, uh, shows or interviews as I possibly can. Even the most conservative North American menopause society now says that the benefits outweigh the risk. So, uh, The only reason you shouldn't be on hormone replacement therapy is if you, you know, you, you have breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: I'm still not brave enough to give it to anyone with a history of breast cancer because there's not studies. Um, or if you're, you, you have clots, I mean, but even with clots, it's not. [00:27:00] Estrogen given through the skin does not cause clots. I was
Julie Michelson: just going to say, so, and I want to back up because I said hormone replacement therapy, I'm guessing you're talking about bioidentical hormone replacement.
Lorraine Maita: Only bioidentical hormones. I, I've been studying this for years and what I did for what I do for my patients and even for their doctors is I put together a whole history of what happened. Why it happened. Some of the studies were not designed, especially the women's health initiative and safe. They wanted, they were designed to see how long after menopause, can you give hormones, but they gave high dose.
Lorraine Maita: oral synthetic hormones to women whose average age was 63, 10 years past menopause. This is not what we're doing now. But the big reveal of this study is that when they looked at it and they said, Oh, There was more cancer. No, [00:28:00] no. The control, you know, you have a control group. It was a
Julie Michelson: bad study all, all the way.
Julie Michelson: Everything about
Lorraine Maita: it
Julie Michelson: was
Lorraine Maita: bad. And even the principal investigator years later in 2017 came out with a study and said, this study was hijacked. It was released to the press before we had a chance to review it, to put it into context. And the press took off with it. And just like misinformation happens now virally, the person took off with it and that got embedded in everybody's brain and nobody really analyzed it and they looked at it till now.
Lorraine Maita: The control group had a lesser, um, amount of breast cancer than the normal population. population, right? So you're starting with the stack deck of it lower. When you look at the curve of who developed breast cancer in that study of the synthetic high dose oral, um, it was the same. So there was there was [00:29:00] no increased risk of breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: And now that they've done studies on bioidentical hormones, they showed, you know, less risk of breast cancer, what they've what the current theory is, is that it's synthetic So, progestins that are causing this, and that it's not estrogen. In fact, in the Women's Health Initiative, estrogen alone, they had a decreased risk of breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: And in some of the studies that had a mix of bioidenticals and non, there were the first five years, there was no increased risk of breast cancer. The others, it was nominal. But The benefits outweigh the risks, and some of the studies show it decreases risk of different types of cancers. It improves, it decreases fracture risk, it decreases the risk of dementia, it improves your quality of life, and, you know, you, you, if you balance your hormones, you probably won't have to have a hysterectomy or, or a cyst in your breast and all these breast biopsies.
Lorraine Maita: So [00:30:00] it is, it is, life changing for people. And really it's only active cancer. You know, that's the only one where, you know, you just don't want to give estrogen to somebody with that. And I even developed a course, it's HRT for you, because you've had to look at. What is your, what are your risks? Like if you're Nordic and you're light haired, light eyes, light skin, you'd thin, you're more likely to develop osteoporosis and probably have a family history of it.
Lorraine Maita: And you know what a fracture can put you in a nursing home. People never get out. So you have to look at all your various risk factors. Then you have to see as can hormones help this. Do you have any risk factors that hormones can harm? What's it impacting on the quality of life? And I have this theory that midlife crisis is hormonal.
Lorraine Maita: It's because you know it's not [00:31:00] all let's let's face it but I have couples come into me and I describe to the woman what a woman feels like with a husband there, and both that they not there had the anxiety their ability. Patients and saw me. And then I say the women get in your face when they're Perry menopausal they're, they're, they're.
Lorraine Maita: They're like a short fuse. They're irritable. And a lot of them come to me and say, I don't believe what I said my, and then I feel guilty and I cry and my kids tiptoe around me and my husband doesn't, you know, want to, you know, he checks in on my mood and then the men, when their hormones declined, they withdraw.
Lorraine Maita: Yep. You have this push and, and, and back up and they all sit there and they nod their head. It's like, you know, there is something to this. Well, one warning, like when I usually treat both people, this relationships get better. But sometimes when I treat the women have the acknowledgement, I [00:32:00] married the wrong person.
Lorraine Maita: I was a different person then. I'm coming into myself now and I am going to stand for myself and I'm going to leave this relationship because you're, you're centered, you're clear, you're stable, your moods, you're not at the mercy of your moods. And I, you know, it's amazing where they're freed from something that it.
Lorraine Maita: They weren't that wasn't
Julie Michelson: right.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. Right. And they didn't take the time to recognize it. They weren't, you know, when you're in these wild hormone swings, you can't make good decisions. And that's what I left my, I left a very prestigious job. I mean, I had everything, power play perks, you know, prestige position, whatever, you know, um, back to the piece, but I wanted, I wanted peace and I wanted to take care of my family.
Lorraine Maita: And I really didn't. It didn't, it didn't dawn on me that this [00:33:00] wasn't the major pressures that I was feeling. This was hormonal.
Julie Michelson: So I'm giving you
Lorraine Maita: the warning. Think hormones first. Think hormones first because, you know, but I don't regret leaving because it led me in this path. Which the world needs. Yeah.
Lorraine Maita: I have so much satisfaction from the transformations I see. And that's, that's what keeps me going. That's why I'm not retiring. Why would I retire? I'm, I'm, I'm loving it. I'm loving what I'm doing. I'm loving how people are feeling, and I want, I want that for everybody.
Julie Michelson: And, and as, amen, as do I. And that, and that's, I'm why I am so glad you're here having the conversation because it is amazing how that one study Yeah.
Julie Michelson: Just, and. Even though it's been refuted, it's been, you know, taken apart, it's been, you know, none of that seems to be getting the traction. No, it
Lorraine Maita: doesn't. Yeah. Right. And even [00:34:00] bioidentical progesterone, they're finding, you know, it's so much safer. Well,
Julie Michelson: I say this all the time. I, I, I grew up in equestrian. I love horses.
Julie Michelson: I have horses right here in my yard out the window. I'm not a horse though. So I don't want to take stuff that's made from equine urine. Okay. I don't think it just doesn't even make, and I wouldn't give them my hormones because I don't think that would be really good for them either.
Lorraine Maita: And I tell people it's the same, like, would you.
Lorraine Maita: What's the difference between a trans fat and omega three fat? It's a big difference, but that and you know, the press calls everything progesterone when it's a progestin and people can't discern, you know, I read the studies so you don't have to. And you know, the latest article about bioidentical progesterone, synthetic can cause gallbladder sludging, right?
Lorraine Maita: Bioidentical doesn't. [00:35:00] Synthetic can cause spasms of the coronary arteries. Bioidentical doesn't. Synthetic has, um, can cause clotting. Bioidentical doesn't. So there's There's some really big differences, just like there's a difference between a trans fat that mucks up your system that your body doesn't recognize versus a nice omega 3.
Lorraine Maita: That keeps you. I love
Julie Michelson: that analogy. That's brilliant. I'm, I will credit you every time I use it. It, well, it, it really does. I mean, it's, it's not, it's not apples to apples. And so,
Lorraine Maita: and even the American heart association is saying there's something to this hormones helping your heart. It's
Julie Michelson: cardio protective.
Julie Michelson: I know I told you before, you know, that I had a complete hysterectomy and oophorectomy and, and my surgeon who on her website, it says she's a hormone specialist said, you know, you don't, you can [00:36:00] stop your, I was already on progesterone. You can, You can stop your progesterone now. You don't have a uterus.
Julie Michelson: And I was like, uh, I have a heart and a brain and, you know, I have a lot of other organs and a body that, and I look at it this way to, I didn't go to medical school. So I like to put stuff like really, really, really simple. We didn't used to live this long. And so, uh, you know, as women and, and then add in all the toxins and all those other layers, right.
Julie Michelson: But even just in general, we had our babies, we raised them for a little while, and then we died. And so, you know, you mentioned to us that I want people to understand that connection between living well and and living a long time. You don't want to be shriveled up because you can't get out of bed and your bones are brittle and your brain doesn't work.
Julie Michelson: You don't even know where you are. That's not living.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And that's why you [00:37:00] have to think of the quality of your life. Yeah. You have to think of the quality of your life. And so now that the North American Menopause Society and 20 other organizations say the benefits outweigh the risks, there are plenty of studies, you know, and I, you know, I blog about all this stuff too, but for my patients, I give them a big detailed synopsis and I even offer to give their doctors.
Lorraine Maita: I love that. And the doctors are really, they're opening their, their, I mean, listen, they don't have the time to do this. Almost all of them are poor. They're, they're employees and they're not able to spend the time, but I'm getting more and more doctors referring to me. Let her do it younger. I'm sending them
Julie Michelson: to you.
Julie Michelson: My, my big autoimmune coaching package. includes a doctor. Like I, I, you know, I know a lot of functional medicine doctors have coaches. I am somebody who, you know, I'm not, I, cause I know I'll only get you so far. If [00:38:00] you're a period post menopausal woman with autoimmunity and you're not supporting hormones, you know, um, and I, I Joe, I need
Lorraine Maita: my coach too, because there's so many details that I can't get right.
Julie Michelson: Right. And I, and I joke, I mean, I, I look at me, I'm like, I don't have the parts. There are not enough seeds in the world. I, I'm not making those hormones. So, you know, I, I, I think it's so important for people to have a physician who really specializes like you do. It's, it's a gi I, I just said this to another doctor two weeks ago, uh, that I was coaching
Julie Michelson: I was like, this is a gift that you get to give women. Yeah, it's a gift. You're giving them their life back. So
Lorraine Maita: it's, it's so important every day. You know, that's why I love it. And I, so I'm not giving it up. And another, one other point I want to make is a lot of women will say, no, no, I don't want hormones.
Lorraine Maita: I have hot flashes. It's nothing. They're, you know, [00:39:00] um, they'll pass, well, half flashes are a biomarker of underlying problems. And I, I presented this at the American Academy of anti aging and regenerative medicine because half flashes are not benign. They're a biomarker that you're, you know, uh, they, you know, you have an increased risk of high calcium in your arteries.
Lorraine Maita: Um, artery spasm, increased intimal thickness, meaning the insides of your arteries get thicker. So the lumen gets thinner and you don't get blood flow. It's in biomarker for inflammation, for osteoporosis and for dementia. So hot flashes are not benign. They're not just a symptom that, ah, it'll go away.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. It'll go away along with your bones, your brains and your arteries. So, you know, yeah. And
Julie Michelson: it's, but that's the. That was what for decades we've been told to expect, right? Oh, it's just part of being a woman. It's, I know. And so, yeah, I'm not,
Lorraine Maita: we're living longer and you know what? The [00:40:00] quality of life matters.
Julie Michelson: It does. You
Lorraine Maita: owe it to yourself.
Julie Michelson: So good. So good. So I am so excited to ask you this question because I really don't know what you're going to say. What is one step that listeners can take today to start to improve their health?
Lorraine Maita: Oh, one step, one step. You know what? Everything is comes by attitude. You have to have the right attitude and make a commitment.
Lorraine Maita: That's, that's the bottom line. All, I mean, you know, I have people who do all the check boxes and they're still not happy and not good, but your, your attitude is going to drive everything. You're, you know, you know, my husband says to me, why are you always happy? And I say, well, I choose to be, and that's it.
Lorraine Maita: Just choose, make that commitment to yourself. That's going to drive everything.
Julie Michelson: Oh, I love it. And see that, that [00:41:00] you're going to have to come back on because you just opened up a whole nother whole nother box that I would love to dive deeper in because that's, it is essential attitude is essential and see I knew I had just had a feeling it was going to be something I wasn't expecting.
Julie Michelson: When I did a radio
Lorraine Maita: show, I said that there was silence and there's never silence on a radio show. You are? What are you talking about? Yeah.
Julie Michelson: I love it though. It is a choice and we can intentionally choose daily, hourly, however often we need to until that becomes our perspective. And that is, it is such a powerful part of wellness.
Julie Michelson: So I'm really glad you brought it up. Well, thank you. Thank you for asking the question. Ah, Dr. Maida, this has been amazing. For people that listen on the go like I do, where's the best place for them to find you?
Lorraine Maita: The [00:42:00] feel good again, institute. com. Yes. Who doesn't want to go there? Yeah. It has to be in the front and institute at the back.
Lorraine Maita: Otherwise there's some, a lot of other
Lorraine Maita: Institute. com. And I also have the female hormone quiz. com. So, you know, you can find that on my website and it's again, the female hormone quiz. Love it. Yeah.
Julie Michelson: I love it. Dr. Mehta, thank you so much. You have really just educated and in such a fun, bright way. This conversation is so important and this is how things change.
Julie Michelson: And so thank you for sharing.
Lorraine Maita: And thank you for hosting and sharing your wisdom and knowledge. I appreciate it.
Julie Michelson: My pleasure. For everyone listening, remember you can get the show notes and transcripts by visiting inspiredliving. show. I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. I'll see you next week.
​[00:43:00]
Lorraine Maita: Estrogen will make More antibodies than that's the most likely scenario when people go through autoimmune disorders.
Julie Michelson: Welcome back to the inspired living with auto immunity podcast. I'm your host, Julie Michelson. And today we're joined by Dr. Lorraine Maida, [00:01:00] the hormone harmonizer and detoxifier. Dr. Maida specializes in helping you have boundless energy, stable moods, a lean body, sharp, clear mind. Balanced hormones and a healthy libido.
Julie Michelson: So you can feel like yourself again. She is a triple board certified physician, writer, author, speaker, and award winning physician as well. In today's conversation, we're talking about the connection between autoimmunity and hormones and the role that toxins play. Dr. Mehta shares about the importance of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to support health and well being and to avoid aging like a dried raisin. Dr. Maida, welcome to the podcast.
Lorraine Maita: Thank you so much for having me. I really love to help people and educate people on what I've been studying for almost a lifetime, it seems.
Lorraine Maita: Well, we are grateful that you're going to share that [00:02:00] wisdom with us. And I always love, and I know the audience loves to learn like, Hey, how did you, you know, you're, you're a, uh, Very well known physician, you're successful, but what got you into this hormone detox, you know, why that specialty?
Lorraine Maita: Well, at first, uh, the very, I have several stories, I'll make them short, but when I was working in the emergency room in Midtown in Manhattan in New York City, I developed TB. And I was on antibiotics for nine months. I had, I was a giant yeast ball. I had the wazoo. I was losing my hair. I developed sensitivities to food.
Lorraine Maita: I was gaining weight. I was getting rashes. I was tired. I was completely miserable. We, you know, this was way back in the 80s. So we didn't talk about things then, right? We didn't talk about probiotics then. [00:03:00] And I was traditionally trained, even though I've since a child, I studied, you know, uh, supplements and natural medicine.
Lorraine Maita: So I did seek out someone and, you know, within three months, I'm, I'm better. I did the whole gut healing. I'm better. And then, um, when. I was in a company and I treated, I was part of occupational health and wellness, and a senior women, women executive came down to me and that was when, at that time, there were so few.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And she came down and she's like, like physicians. Yeah. I mean, I remember, I mean, this is a company of 120, 000 people and there are six, six women in high level positions. So when one of them walks into my office and said, you have to help me, I was like, yeah, I could like. Bring you back to life. You had a heat attack or something, you know, and I could treat your infection.
Lorraine Maita: But she said I [00:04:00] was up giving a lecture and all of a sudden I started breaking out in a hot flash and sweats and I lost my words and the men in the audience were either elbowing each other, snickering or like casting their head down in shame. Like, I don't want to see this. And she said, I, how am I going to be taken seriously?
Lorraine Maita: So that's when I went on a mission to study hormones and motivating. And then fast forward, it was around the time of nine 11. And, you know, I used to live across the street from the world trade center. And, you know, I was the company I was working for was going through tremendous change. And not only did I have issues with my mother being ill, my brother being ill, people I knew died in that.
Lorraine Maita: Horror. Um, I was losing it. I, I, I, I noticed friends told me my personality change and my periods were irregular. I was irritable. I couldn't sleep. I was [00:05:00] losing my hair. I was gaining weight. I didn't feel like myself anymore. And I just, I thought it was all the stress of nine 11 and the stress and the company.
Lorraine Maita: And I actually left my job to just take care of my mother and brother. And once I realized, I said, you know what? I treat people for hormone imbalances. Maybe that's what it is. And you know what? I gave myself progesterone. It was like, I mean, there were the stressors were still there, but I coped better.
Lorraine Maita: You know, I, I, my, I got to sleep. My personality went back to its bubbly self. And, you know, it was pretty awful when I used to walk into a room and everybody would because they didn't know, like, what kind of mood is she in today? And, you know, I that a lot of my patients. So that's when I just, I even doubled down and I said, you know what, I have to do this full time, you know, I'm not, I, you know, I, and do it my way, even though I [00:06:00] did, you know, functional medicine since 1992.
Lorraine Maita: And I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Bland at the MindShare Friends. And I told him, I still have my, my diploma. And he said, that was the very first. If I F M course he ever did. So I'm his first grad student.
Julie Michelson: Wow. That's, that's special. That's really special. That's amazing. Yeah. So this is not a new, new thing for you.
Julie Michelson: But it is always funny how sometimes it takes us a while to remember to do for ourselves what we're doing. Doing for other people,
Lorraine Maita: like laughing at myself, like, how come I didn't think of that, but you know, there was so much going on and, and that's what people, that's why I'm here educating people, because you have to make that connection.
Lorraine Maita: And it, you know, it's, it's almost slap in the face for me to do it, but you know, the more you are exposed, the more you, you know, [00:07:00] you'd start going through your checklist. Is this, could it be this, could it be that, could it be this, you know, right.
Julie Michelson: Right. And, and I feel like, uh, for, especially for us women, although there's men are having, that's a whole nother podcast,
Lorraine Maita: It's a whole nother one. Uhhuh.
Julie Michelson: I see. Couples
Lorraine Maita: I know,
Julie Michelson: I just treat,
Lorraine Maita: I see couple. Yeah.
Julie Michelson: No, I, I, um, my partner as well at the clinic and, and it's always ideal when he is treating both because Yeah. Oh, totally. Yeah. Um, but, but. Yeah. Anybody listening to this, you, the hormones has to be on your list with a question mark, you know, could it be, is it so, um, let's, or is there, I don't want to cut off your story or.
Julie Michelson: No, no. I mean, the story is a
Lorraine Maita: happy ending. I'm like, I'm happy. I'm healthy. I even went to my, it looks 35. So I went to my reunion with one of my friends who's a patient. And we, we looked at each other and we said, Oh my [00:08:00] God, everybody else looks so much older. But we take, it's not just hormones. It's the whole package.
Lorraine Maita: You know, you have, you know, I have some people just give me the hormones. I don't want to do the diet. I don't want to, you know, but it's the whole package and I feel, I feel as good as I did in my, you know, At a younger age. I won't even tell my age. Oh, you shouldn't. You should
Julie Michelson: brag. I tell all the time.
Lorraine Maita: All right. All right. I'll tell you. I'm 67 and going strong. Cracker Jacks.
Julie Michelson: Wow. Amazing. I mean, literally, you look 35. That's amazing. But you can tell. You feel. That way, you know, it's, yeah, I, I'm in my mid fifties. I feel, I feel younger than I did it in my thirties. And everybody said, when you're going to
Lorraine Maita: retire, I said, I'm not going to retire.
Lorraine Maita: I love what I do. I love seeing transformations and, and people feeling, you know, they all say I got my life back or I feel like myself [00:09:00] again. And I, I know from personal, what I went through that it's transformative. It's totally transformative.
Julie Michelson: It is, it is unbelievable. I, um, I started, I was estrogen dominant, didn't know it and never heard those words.
Julie Michelson: Right. I didn't have high estrogen, but I, I had all the things and just that little bit of progesterone way back when literally life, life changing. And I wasn't even at the, at the, you know, Bad end of the spectrum as far as hormonal symptoms, but I was full blown autoimmune. I, you know, I had all the things.
Julie Michelson: And, and so, um, I would love to maybe even get listeners to lean in a little, a little more. And what is this connection between hormones and autoimmunity?
Lorraine Maita: Well, it's our X chromosome. As [00:10:00] women, we have more antibodies. The more antibodies you have, the more they could go awry. So even, and it has something to do with the X chromosome.
Lorraine Maita: Estrogen, estrogen will make More antibodies than that's the, the, you know, uh, the most likely scenario when people go through autoimmune disorders. I always, when, when someone comes to me with an autoimmune disorder, I always ask them trace back. What, what happened the time before that? What's going on with you?
Lorraine Maita: You know, we, we evolved to have more antibodies to keep our newborn safe. Right. Right. So The more, the most likely time you're going to develop an autoimmune disease is postpartum. And the more pregnancies you have, you're the more likely you're to develop an autoimmune disorder. If you have the genetic predisposition, right?
Lorraine Maita: I mean, I had every recipe for developing an autoimmune disorder. [00:11:00] I don't have one and I'm grateful for that, but I had all the hormonal symptoms. So astrogen in, in, in. Makes more immune cells. Women as a whole have more immune cells, and that tends to trigger autoimmune disorders. And what I see is whenever women go through hormonal shifts or hormonal changes, that's when it occurs.
Lorraine Maita: And, and it's, so if you skate by postpartum,
Julie Michelson: watch
Lorraine Maita: out
Julie Michelson: sometimes
Lorraine Maita: puberty, some current puberty. Postpartum, perimenopause, postmenopause, all the piece. So those are the times when women are most likely to have it because. We go through big hormonal shifts. I mean, that's the one thing men don't have, and it's not as dramatic in men.
Lorraine Maita: They have their shifts, but in women, it can be a wild roller coaster ride. And what it does to our bodies is, you know, [00:12:00] pretty. significant, you know, it's pretty significant. And they've shown that lupus occurs more often post puberty. Psoriasis will decrease around menopause. And if, well, it will increase around menopause.
Lorraine Maita: And if you're taking hormone replacement therapy, it will calm it down. And, um, rheumatoid arthritis happens when your periods are all over the place, irregular, especially perimenopause. So this is why balancing your hormones, keeping the hormones level, keeping them stable, keeping things in balance and estrogen in a kind of nice, Sweet spot is so important for not just autoimmune disorders, but for just about everything.
Lorraine Maita: I mean, listen, we all complain to the same things in midlife. We're gaining weight. We can't think, we're moody, we're anxious. It's hormones have a very potent, very, very potent effect on the brain.
Julie Michelson: Yeah. [00:13:00] Well, and that's why, you know, the decline, that's why women are, you know, Way outnumber men for also Alzheimer's and dementia, same thing, I know that these hormones are such a big, huge.
Julie Michelson: Peace. I wish we had five hours because I would want, I want to talk about all the things that are impacting the hormones too. I want to touch on it lightly because this is what you do, right? It's not just hormones. Like, yes, we're, we're women. We have more antibodies, all those things, but why? And, you know, I even was, we're talking about the men as well.
Julie Michelson: Right. So what is, Going on that, that people's hormones seem, because it's all, you can't isolate. It's not the one thing.
Lorraine Maita: No, it's not the one thing. And what I noticed in my practice, you know, I've been practicing over 40 years. Young men were in their thirties, were coming in with big boobs and big bellies.
Lorraine Maita: Women were [00:14:00] entering puberty earlier and like, what's that all about? Well. toxins. We're exposed to almost 200 toxins per day. And a lot of them have estrogenic effects. So that estrogen dominance, not only do you have estrogen dominance from your own estrogen and progesterone dropping. So what estrogen dominance is for in case your audience doesn't know, estrogen is high in relation to progesterone.
Lorraine Maita: So your, your estrogen could be high. It could be normal. It could be low. Um, But if progesterone, there's not enough progesterone to balance it, you're estrogen dominant. So you're going to have more of the dominant effects of estrogen excitability. I call it the hormone of energy and growth. And so too much energy is anxiety, irritability, impatient, snappy behavior, insomnia, growth of the breasts, cysts of the breasts, tender breasts, bleeding, spotting, weight gain around the hips.
Lorraine Maita: The breast, you know, and fluid retention. So those are the formation [00:15:00] and inflammation. Yes. Astrogen can be very inflammatory. Progesterone can be very anti inflammatory, but you add toxins and you can't get away from them. It's in our air. It's in our food. It's in our water. It's in our clothing. It's in our furniture.
Lorraine Maita: It's in our carpeting. It's in our draperies. It's in just about everything. And I tell my patients, we have to be in a continuous state of detox, where you lower the amount. of toxins coming in by starting to choose, you know, filter your water, drink clean water, eat the dirty dozen organic, you know, start looking as you run out of personal care and cleaning products, look for safer, cleaner products because you know, women, women have apply a lot more product than men.
Lorraine Maita: Right. And our makeup, our hair products, our skin creams, our serums, all this, all that [00:16:00] there, a lot of them are not so good for you. So
Julie Michelson: yeah,
Lorraine Maita: since are a big deal.
Julie Michelson: Yeah. And so, and I, I like to say, cause it is always, it can be really overwhelming and depressing when we start to talk about where we're exposed literally everywhere,
Lorraine Maita: but
Julie Michelson: what you're talking about is reducing the burden, right?
Julie Michelson: There is no, nobody's ever going to be toxin free. It's, I love that you said, you know, you have to constantly be working on detox and reducing that burden. And I love the, the particular things that you mentioned, because my approach is the same. I, you know, if we make our home our haven and, and support our detox path, you know, do all the things, but if we have the, the water filters, the air filters, the, you know, get rid of our plastics, do those things at home, we can take the hit.
Julie Michelson: When we go out and about as long as we're working on it,
Lorraine Maita: you know, you don't want that straw to break the camel's back. Right. You know, it's [00:17:00] that one. And, you know, every time I ask a woman, when did this autoimmune disorder show its ugly head? I mean, stress, trauma, toxins, infection, something, you know, because somebody said to me, That isn't everybody stressed.
Lorraine Maita: I said, well, sure. But when you have the confluence of all those things at once, and then you're a hormone rage or change or whatever,
Julie Michelson: uh,
Lorraine Maita: your body is like that, that immune system turns on and it doesn't know how to turn off. Yeah, great. And it attacks us. So, so just these little, they're, they're little things and you don't have to do it all at once and you don't have to be perfect.
Lorraine Maita: I'm not perfect. Look, I dyed my hair. So, you know, and it's so, you know, um, Pretty much toxin free, you know, as free as you
Julie Michelson: make your choices. I had a client who literally she's like, I'll do anything. She cleaned up, [00:18:00] you know, every, everything she was already paying attention, but she up leveled. And I said, what are, what, tell me about your hair products.
Julie Michelson: What is your shampoo? And she said, I'm not even discussing it. It's a non negotiable. I said, perfect. Because, you know, somebody asked me the other day, I was at a conference and they were like, What kind of nail polish do you wear? Because I, I can't find a really clean one that actually works. And I'm like, it's not really clean.
Julie Michelson: It's cleaner. Yeah. And that's my one thing.
Lorraine Maita: Same thing with like, if you start decreasing the amount of toxins coming in, you're never going to be perfect. So that's why I don't want people, you know, I go to people's houses. So they're not eating organic with, you know, whatever, you know, so I'm fine because 80, I'd say 80 percent of the time clean, clean, clean, but you know what?
Lorraine Maita: I'm, I'm in a state of detox. And one of the other reasons why I find that some women can't tolerate their hormones, it's maybe not the [00:19:00] most pleasant topic is constipation. Like anyone about it. I love talking about poop. Oh my God. Oh my God. You know, it, you, you know, that's one of the big, big ways where you get rid of toxins and that's where you get rid of the excess estrogen and estrogen dominance.
Lorraine Maita: So some people come to me in perimenopause or PMS. And once I detox them and I make sure their bowels are moving and big snakes. Like every day because people say it's normal all my, how are you? Oh, they're normal. Oh, I know.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. You know, even every two or three days, that's not normal for you, but that's not normal. It's not optimal. It's not healthy. Just here's the visual. Okay. You can close your ears. No, listen, everybody listening, watching a backed up toilet. Where's it going to go? It's just going to go right back. Into your system and the longer it sits there, the more you have problems because early in [00:20:00] back in the day when I first started, I didn't understand why some women just didn't tolerate the hormones, you know, and when I'm like thinking and reading and you know, like, then I really dove deep into.
Lorraine Maita: Are you moving your bowels and, and, and No they're not. Mm-Hmm. And once we got the bowel movements going, they're like, oh my God, I feel so much better . I energy. Well, sure. I'm not getting that breast tenderness anymore. I'm calmer, I'm sleeping better. I mean, these toxins affect your immune system, your hormone system, and your nervous system.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And just. Getting bowel movements going and, you know, some people have to work a little harder than others, you know, but water fiber probiotics, um, sometimes I use magnesium, magnesium is big, big. And sometimes I use some motility, um, herbs. So, you know, I can almost get anybody to go,
Julie Michelson: it is, and [00:21:00] I love that you said it does sometimes it does sometimes take work.
Julie Michelson: I mean, and for some people, it's so fun because people are like, you know, they're looking for the big fancy thing. And it's like, are you drinking water? Like, let's start with, you know, the basics move. Are you moving your body? Are you, you know, all, all the basic things.
Lorraine Maita: It's not just hormones are going to make you better.
Lorraine Maita: You need, you need the whole structure. And I do want to give a caution with magnesium and fiber. You start low and go slow. Otherwise, you're going to get gas and bloating and not be happy and give up, but go start low, go slow and move your body. Get enough water. You'd be amazed at how much better you feel.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah,
Julie Michelson: it's, it's, it's huge. I mean, it's essential. I had interviewed somebody who said, you know, you're, we're supposed to poop like a puppy. I know one of my dogs is really little and, and I can tell when I pick him up, [00:22:00] if he hasn't pooped yet, like if he's eaten, but not pooped because he's heavier, I can feel it, but you know, puppies eat and they poop.
Julie Michelson: So, yeah, it's, it's huge. It's huge. It is so important. I'm really glad that you brought it up because yeah, I
Lorraine Maita: just had to know it's not like, you know, pleasant conversation, but it's so essential. Nobody gets past that visual of flushing a backed up toilet. It's just, this is what's happening in your body.
Lorraine Maita: It's just going back in. Ew. And the other is gallbladder, the gallbladder. Another one. I'm, uh, so many women have had their gallbladder out and you know what, that is a big, well, it's a sanitizer of your gut and it also digests fats, but it also removes toxins and you know, the gallbladder will bind the toxins and you got to move it out through the bowel movement.
Lorraine Maita: And you also have to have a good, healthy microbiome by eating healthy. [00:23:00] You know, I say, if you have a party and you serve pizza, burger, fries, soda, chips, you're going to attract a different crowd than if you, you serve like, you know, lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, nice salad, but you're going to have a different crowd and same thing with your microbiome.
Lorraine Maita: So what you eat is going to affect that microbiome and, and they rule there. They have more power over you than your own brain. And they will take those toxins attached to bile. If you've got the wrong. neighborhood down there, they're going to, they're going to break it off and then you're going to reabsorb the toxins.
Lorraine Maita: And this is where I see a lot of estrogen dominance as well.
Julie Michelson: What do you do for, because I, I see so many people as well that have already, unfortunately had their gallbladder out. Um, I feel like it's treated. Almost like appendix, like, Oh, you know, you're having, you're having pain from your gallbladder.
Julie Michelson: We'll [00:24:00] just take it out. Like, what is there, what do you do to
Lorraine Maita: support their foods, their foods, Todka, um, monounsaturated fats, you know, fish oil also, uh, the saturated fats will make bile, you know, just think I tell people the visual butter is not going to flow oil. So you want your bile to flow with the fats that flow.
Lorraine Maita: Like fish, olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, and any of their oils. So you want to, you want to make the bile more liquidy with the right kind of fats. You want to make it flow and with the bile salts like tatka or digestive bitters or bitter food. And there, you know, there are a number of other things. Fiber also, you need, you need fiber to keep that going.
Lorraine Maita: There's, you know, someone just came to me and I have a. A list of things that I'm, I'm doing for her because she doesn't want to have her gold bladder out. And I'm so happy she came to me before [00:25:00] she had it out because she came to me a week before her scheduled surgery. And I'm saying, I can't do it that fast, but it will, you know, you'll be able to give us some time.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty good, but I'm not that magic. That's why I say that all the
Julie Michelson: time, but I'm not magic.
Lorraine Maita: You know, I have my magic wand. I keep it here for, I love
Julie Michelson: it. I love it. So amazing. So I want to dive into a little bit because I hear so, so many questions, misinformation and concerns about hormone replacement therapy.
Julie Michelson: And so if we're saying hormone balance is important. Um, let's, let's talk about that a little bit about. You know, who should use them? Why should we use them? Why shouldn't we use them? Are they safe?
Lorraine Maita: Well, yes. And I've been studying this for a very long time. I'm on them and I have thousands of people on them.
Lorraine Maita: And I [00:26:00] did take that Hippocratic oath and I take it very seriously. And, you know, I've been writing blogs about this for about at least 15 years or more. And I, I dive deep into the research and. Lately, the last few years, there have been quite a number of studies that came out that should put this to rest.
Lorraine Maita: We hope I, that's why I want to be on as many podcasts and do as many, uh, shows or interviews as I possibly can. Even the most conservative North American menopause society now says that the benefits outweigh the risk. So, uh, The only reason you shouldn't be on hormone replacement therapy is if you, you know, you, you have breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: I'm still not brave enough to give it to anyone with a history of breast cancer because there's not studies. Um, or if you're, you, you have clots, I mean, but even with clots, it's not. [00:27:00] Estrogen given through the skin does not cause clots. I was
Julie Michelson: just going to say, so, and I want to back up because I said hormone replacement therapy, I'm guessing you're talking about bioidentical hormone replacement.
Lorraine Maita: Only bioidentical hormones. I, I've been studying this for years and what I did for what I do for my patients and even for their doctors is I put together a whole history of what happened. Why it happened. Some of the studies were not designed, especially the women's health initiative and safe. They wanted, they were designed to see how long after menopause, can you give hormones, but they gave high dose.
Lorraine Maita: oral synthetic hormones to women whose average age was 63, 10 years past menopause. This is not what we're doing now. But the big reveal of this study is that when they looked at it and they said, Oh, There was more cancer. No, [00:28:00] no. The control, you know, you have a control group. It was a
Julie Michelson: bad study all, all the way.
Julie Michelson: Everything about
Lorraine Maita: it
Julie Michelson: was
Lorraine Maita: bad. And even the principal investigator years later in 2017 came out with a study and said, this study was hijacked. It was released to the press before we had a chance to review it, to put it into context. And the press took off with it. And just like misinformation happens now virally, the person took off with it and that got embedded in everybody's brain and nobody really analyzed it and they looked at it till now.
Lorraine Maita: The control group had a lesser, um, amount of breast cancer than the normal population. population, right? So you're starting with the stack deck of it lower. When you look at the curve of who developed breast cancer in that study of the synthetic high dose oral, um, it was the same. So there was there was [00:29:00] no increased risk of breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: And now that they've done studies on bioidentical hormones, they showed, you know, less risk of breast cancer, what they've what the current theory is, is that it's synthetic So, progestins that are causing this, and that it's not estrogen. In fact, in the Women's Health Initiative, estrogen alone, they had a decreased risk of breast cancer.
Lorraine Maita: And in some of the studies that had a mix of bioidenticals and non, there were the first five years, there was no increased risk of breast cancer. The others, it was nominal. But The benefits outweigh the risks, and some of the studies show it decreases risk of different types of cancers. It improves, it decreases fracture risk, it decreases the risk of dementia, it improves your quality of life, and, you know, you, you, if you balance your hormones, you probably won't have to have a hysterectomy or, or a cyst in your breast and all these breast biopsies.
Lorraine Maita: So [00:30:00] it is, it is, life changing for people. And really it's only active cancer. You know, that's the only one where, you know, you just don't want to give estrogen to somebody with that. And I even developed a course, it's HRT for you, because you've had to look at. What is your, what are your risks? Like if you're Nordic and you're light haired, light eyes, light skin, you'd thin, you're more likely to develop osteoporosis and probably have a family history of it.
Lorraine Maita: And you know what a fracture can put you in a nursing home. People never get out. So you have to look at all your various risk factors. Then you have to see as can hormones help this. Do you have any risk factors that hormones can harm? What's it impacting on the quality of life? And I have this theory that midlife crisis is hormonal.
Lorraine Maita: It's because you know it's not [00:31:00] all let's let's face it but I have couples come into me and I describe to the woman what a woman feels like with a husband there, and both that they not there had the anxiety their ability. Patients and saw me. And then I say the women get in your face when they're Perry menopausal they're, they're, they're.
Lorraine Maita: They're like a short fuse. They're irritable. And a lot of them come to me and say, I don't believe what I said my, and then I feel guilty and I cry and my kids tiptoe around me and my husband doesn't, you know, want to, you know, he checks in on my mood and then the men, when their hormones declined, they withdraw.
Lorraine Maita: Yep. You have this push and, and, and back up and they all sit there and they nod their head. It's like, you know, there is something to this. Well, one warning, like when I usually treat both people, this relationships get better. But sometimes when I treat the women have the acknowledgement, I [00:32:00] married the wrong person.
Lorraine Maita: I was a different person then. I'm coming into myself now and I am going to stand for myself and I'm going to leave this relationship because you're, you're centered, you're clear, you're stable, your moods, you're not at the mercy of your moods. And I, you know, it's amazing where they're freed from something that it.
Lorraine Maita: They weren't that wasn't
Julie Michelson: right.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. Right. And they didn't take the time to recognize it. They weren't, you know, when you're in these wild hormone swings, you can't make good decisions. And that's what I left my, I left a very prestigious job. I mean, I had everything, power play perks, you know, prestige position, whatever, you know, um, back to the piece, but I wanted, I wanted peace and I wanted to take care of my family.
Lorraine Maita: And I really didn't. It didn't, it didn't dawn on me that this [00:33:00] wasn't the major pressures that I was feeling. This was hormonal.
Julie Michelson: So I'm giving you
Lorraine Maita: the warning. Think hormones first. Think hormones first because, you know, but I don't regret leaving because it led me in this path. Which the world needs. Yeah.
Lorraine Maita: I have so much satisfaction from the transformations I see. And that's, that's what keeps me going. That's why I'm not retiring. Why would I retire? I'm, I'm, I'm loving it. I'm loving what I'm doing. I'm loving how people are feeling, and I want, I want that for everybody.
Julie Michelson: And, and as, amen, as do I. And that, and that's, I'm why I am so glad you're here having the conversation because it is amazing how that one study Yeah.
Julie Michelson: Just, and. Even though it's been refuted, it's been, you know, taken apart, it's been, you know, none of that seems to be getting the traction. No, it
Lorraine Maita: doesn't. Yeah. Right. And even [00:34:00] bioidentical progesterone, they're finding, you know, it's so much safer. Well,
Julie Michelson: I say this all the time. I, I, I grew up in equestrian. I love horses.
Julie Michelson: I have horses right here in my yard out the window. I'm not a horse though. So I don't want to take stuff that's made from equine urine. Okay. I don't think it just doesn't even make, and I wouldn't give them my hormones because I don't think that would be really good for them either.
Lorraine Maita: And I tell people it's the same, like, would you.
Lorraine Maita: What's the difference between a trans fat and omega three fat? It's a big difference, but that and you know, the press calls everything progesterone when it's a progestin and people can't discern, you know, I read the studies so you don't have to. And you know, the latest article about bioidentical progesterone, synthetic can cause gallbladder sludging, right?
Lorraine Maita: Bioidentical doesn't. [00:35:00] Synthetic can cause spasms of the coronary arteries. Bioidentical doesn't. Synthetic has, um, can cause clotting. Bioidentical doesn't. So there's There's some really big differences, just like there's a difference between a trans fat that mucks up your system that your body doesn't recognize versus a nice omega 3.
Lorraine Maita: That keeps you. I love
Julie Michelson: that analogy. That's brilliant. I'm, I will credit you every time I use it. It, well, it, it really does. I mean, it's, it's not, it's not apples to apples. And so,
Lorraine Maita: and even the American heart association is saying there's something to this hormones helping your heart. It's
Julie Michelson: cardio protective.
Julie Michelson: I know I told you before, you know, that I had a complete hysterectomy and oophorectomy and, and my surgeon who on her website, it says she's a hormone specialist said, you know, you don't, you can [00:36:00] stop your, I was already on progesterone. You can, You can stop your progesterone now. You don't have a uterus.
Julie Michelson: And I was like, uh, I have a heart and a brain and, you know, I have a lot of other organs and a body that, and I look at it this way to, I didn't go to medical school. So I like to put stuff like really, really, really simple. We didn't used to live this long. And so, uh, you know, as women and, and then add in all the toxins and all those other layers, right.
Julie Michelson: But even just in general, we had our babies, we raised them for a little while, and then we died. And so, you know, you mentioned to us that I want people to understand that connection between living well and and living a long time. You don't want to be shriveled up because you can't get out of bed and your bones are brittle and your brain doesn't work.
Julie Michelson: You don't even know where you are. That's not living.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. And that's why you [00:37:00] have to think of the quality of your life. Yeah. You have to think of the quality of your life. And so now that the North American Menopause Society and 20 other organizations say the benefits outweigh the risks, there are plenty of studies, you know, and I, you know, I blog about all this stuff too, but for my patients, I give them a big detailed synopsis and I even offer to give their doctors.
Lorraine Maita: I love that. And the doctors are really, they're opening their, their, I mean, listen, they don't have the time to do this. Almost all of them are poor. They're, they're employees and they're not able to spend the time, but I'm getting more and more doctors referring to me. Let her do it younger. I'm sending them
Julie Michelson: to you.
Julie Michelson: My, my big autoimmune coaching package. includes a doctor. Like I, I, you know, I know a lot of functional medicine doctors have coaches. I am somebody who, you know, I'm not, I, cause I know I'll only get you so far. If [00:38:00] you're a period post menopausal woman with autoimmunity and you're not supporting hormones, you know, um, and I, I Joe, I need
Lorraine Maita: my coach too, because there's so many details that I can't get right.
Julie Michelson: Right. And I, and I joke, I mean, I, I look at me, I'm like, I don't have the parts. There are not enough seeds in the world. I, I'm not making those hormones. So, you know, I, I, I think it's so important for people to have a physician who really specializes like you do. It's, it's a gi I, I just said this to another doctor two weeks ago, uh, that I was coaching
Julie Michelson: I was like, this is a gift that you get to give women. Yeah, it's a gift. You're giving them their life back. So
Lorraine Maita: it's, it's so important every day. You know, that's why I love it. And I, so I'm not giving it up. And another, one other point I want to make is a lot of women will say, no, no, I don't want hormones.
Lorraine Maita: I have hot flashes. It's nothing. They're, you know, [00:39:00] um, they'll pass, well, half flashes are a biomarker of underlying problems. And I, I presented this at the American Academy of anti aging and regenerative medicine because half flashes are not benign. They're a biomarker that you're, you know, uh, they, you know, you have an increased risk of high calcium in your arteries.
Lorraine Maita: Um, artery spasm, increased intimal thickness, meaning the insides of your arteries get thicker. So the lumen gets thinner and you don't get blood flow. It's in biomarker for inflammation, for osteoporosis and for dementia. So hot flashes are not benign. They're not just a symptom that, ah, it'll go away.
Lorraine Maita: Yeah. It'll go away along with your bones, your brains and your arteries. So, you know, yeah. And
Julie Michelson: it's, but that's the. That was what for decades we've been told to expect, right? Oh, it's just part of being a woman. It's, I know. And so, yeah, I'm not,
Lorraine Maita: we're living longer and you know what? The [00:40:00] quality of life matters.
Julie Michelson: It does. You
Lorraine Maita: owe it to yourself.
Julie Michelson: So good. So good. So I am so excited to ask you this question because I really don't know what you're going to say. What is one step that listeners can take today to start to improve their health?
Lorraine Maita: Oh, one step, one step. You know what? Everything is comes by attitude. You have to have the right attitude and make a commitment.
Lorraine Maita: That's, that's the bottom line. All, I mean, you know, I have people who do all the check boxes and they're still not happy and not good, but your, your attitude is going to drive everything. You're, you know, you know, my husband says to me, why are you always happy? And I say, well, I choose to be, and that's it.
Lorraine Maita: Just choose, make that commitment to yourself. That's going to drive everything.
Julie Michelson: Oh, I love it. And see that, that [00:41:00] you're going to have to come back on because you just opened up a whole nother whole nother box that I would love to dive deeper in because that's, it is essential attitude is essential and see I knew I had just had a feeling it was going to be something I wasn't expecting.
Julie Michelson: When I did a radio
Lorraine Maita: show, I said that there was silence and there's never silence on a radio show. You are? What are you talking about? Yeah.
Julie Michelson: I love it though. It is a choice and we can intentionally choose daily, hourly, however often we need to until that becomes our perspective. And that is, it is such a powerful part of wellness.
Julie Michelson: So I'm really glad you brought it up. Well, thank you. Thank you for asking the question. Ah, Dr. Maida, this has been amazing. For people that listen on the go like I do, where's the best place for them to find you?
Lorraine Maita: The [00:42:00] feel good again, institute. com. Yes. Who doesn't want to go there? Yeah. It has to be in the front and institute at the back.
Lorraine Maita: Otherwise there's some, a lot of other
Lorraine Maita: Institute. com. And I also have the female hormone quiz. com. So, you know, you can find that on my website and it's again, the female hormone quiz. Love it. Yeah.
Julie Michelson: I love it. Dr. Mehta, thank you so much. You have really just educated and in such a fun, bright way. This conversation is so important and this is how things change.
Julie Michelson: And so thank you for sharing.
Lorraine Maita: And thank you for hosting and sharing your wisdom and knowledge. I appreciate it.
Julie Michelson: My pleasure. For everyone listening, remember you can get the show notes and transcripts by visiting inspiredliving. show. I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. I'll see you next week.
​[00:43:00]
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My Guest For This Episode
Connect with Lorraine Maita, MD
Lorraine Maita, MD
Lorraine Maita, MD the Hormone Harmonizer and Detoxifier, specializes in helping you have boundless energy, stable moods, a lean body, sharp, clear mind, balanced hormones and a healthy libido so you can feel like yourself again.
She helps you understand how your lifestyle choices impact your mind and body so you can choose what makes your feel great.
• She is a triple board certified physician, writer, author, speaker and award winning physician.
• Her programs impacted over 120,000 people in each of 3 Fortune 100 companies where she served as Chief Medical Officer or Medical Director of Global Health Services as well as thousands in her private practice.
• Her own struggles with hormone imbalance prompted her to become Board Certified in Anti-Aging Regenerative and Functional Medicine and Advanced Endocrinology. This enabled her to help thousands of people.
She believes that no one should suffer the ravages of a hormone imbalance or age like a dried raisin, shriveled and juicele
She helps you understand how your lifestyle choices impact your mind and body so you can choose what makes your feel great.
• She is a triple board certified physician, writer, author, speaker and award winning physician.
• Her programs impacted over 120,000 people in each of 3 Fortune 100 companies where she served as Chief Medical Officer or Medical Director of Global Health Services as well as thousands in her private practice.
• Her own struggles with hormone imbalance prompted her to become Board Certified in Anti-Aging Regenerative and Functional Medicine and Advanced Endocrinology. This enabled her to help thousands of people.
She believes that no one should suffer the ravages of a hormone imbalance or age like a dried raisin, shriveled and juicele
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