<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Dr. Lee wrote his whole book on the premise that natural, *not synthethic*
progesterone was the hormone of choice when/if a woman choses to
supplement.  He mentions the higher incidences of cancer, endometrial and
breast cancer both.  But what piques my interest is the relationship of
progesterone to the corticosterone and aldosterone and secondarily,
cortisol hormones.  In turn, the corticosterones help regulate numerous
body functions including glucose and energy balance.

Here's another take on this, from Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements,
Michael T. Murray, N.D. Prima Communications, 1996, p.381:

"The adrenal cortex secretes an entirely different group of hormones
(different from the adrenal medulla) called corticosteroids.  These
hormones are all formed from cholesterol.  Although all corticosteroids
have similar chemical formulas, they differ in function.  The three major
types of cortisosteroids are mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and the
17-keosteroids (sex hormones).

"The glucocorticoids, mainly cortisol, cortisterone, and cortisone, exert
a profound effect upon the metabolism of glucose."

There it is ...let's call it the smoking gun.  Lee's telling us that
levels of progesterone directly affect levels of glucocorticoids...I
couldn't find a second source to independly confirm that for me, but both
the sex hormones and corticosteroids can originate in the adrenal cortex
(sex hormones are primarily made in the gonads, but some amount is made in
the adrenal cortex).

So the condition of the adrenal cortex is vital to our well-being.  Under
prolonged stress, an infection, an illness,  even prolonged emotional
stress, that adrenal cortex can be detrimentally affected.  Let's go to a
worst-case scenario, adrenal insufficiency, or Addison's disease.

I pulled this down from the NIDDK's homepage....Addison's disease is a
rare endocrine, or hormonal disorder that affects about 1 in 100,000
people.  It occurs in all age groups and afflicts men & women equally.
The disease is characterized by wight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low
blood pressure, and *sometimes* (my emphasis) darkening of the skin in
both exposed and non exposed parst of the body.

"Addison's disease occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of
the hormone cortisol and in some cases, the hormone
aldosterone....Cortisol...belongs to a class of hormones called
glucocorticoids, which affect almost every organ and tissue in the body...
Cortisol's most important job is to help the body respond to stress.
Among its other vital tasks, cortisol:

        *helps maintain blood pressue and cardiovascualr function;
        *helps slow the immune system's inflammatory response;
        *helps balance the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for
         energy; and
        *helps regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and
         fats.

Symptoms
The symptoms of adrenal insufficiency usually begin gradually.  Chronic,
worsening fatigue and muscle weakness, loss of appetite,, and weight loss
are characteristic of the disease.  Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea occur in
about 50% of cases.  Blood pressue is low ...

"Addison's disease can cause irritability and depression.  ...
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is more sever in children than in
adults.  In women, menstrual periods may become irregual or stop."

Okay...that's when adrenal insufficincy is so obvious, it gets diagnosed.
My question is, just like CD, at an expected incidence of 1 in 100,000,
how many of us are in the "early stages" and don't know it?  There's a big
overlap of symptoms there...

I offer this jsut as something to keep in mind.  If you've gone gluten
free, and you still don't feel good, you might want to discuss this with
your doctor.

When I asked about the use of natural progesterone, (not the prescribed
synthethic, but the stuff that's a precursor to corticosterone), I got
back 3 postitive affirmations of it's use.

One other topic I need to cover is the trace mineral copper...I suspect it
plays an important role for us....

Quoting the Menopause book again, p.98,:

"Long term use of estrogen can have a negative effect on mood.  This has
to do with copper and zinc ratios.  Copper and zinc are important
co-factors for brain enzymes.  Estrogen increases a blood protein,
ceruloplasmin, which binds to copper and prevents dietary copper from
finding its way into brain cells.  Too much ceruloplasmin leaves too much
copper in the blood, causing zinc levels to drop in the blood and the
brain.  The result is an imbalance that leads to exaggerated stress
reactions, serious mood swings, and depression...(Sounds like PMS, doesn't
it?"

So I thought I'd look into the importance of functions of copper.....