Estrogen Alternative : Natural Hormone Therapy with Botanical Progesterone

Testimonials:
I was introduced to Natural Progesterone (NP) through a friend who researched data and wrote a book entitled The Estrogen Alternative: Natural Hormone Therapy with Botanical Progesterone. The author, Raquel Martin, introduced me to NP in l993. In l994 after being on NP for about three months, my fibrocystic breast lumps disappeared! I had used the NP directly on the breasts as the book indicated. A few months later I went for my yearly physical and the uterine fibroids that I had had, were also gone!!! As I went through menopause, the NP helped my hot flashes and waking up at night.

* Last year (1999) I had a bone density done at the request of my doctor. The results that came back were excellent. My doctor said that she would want me to go on estrogen unless the bone density was good. Her remark to me was, "you are so healthy I don't know what to say."

* A teacher at school was told by her physician that her only alternative to all her female problems was to go ahead and have a hysterectomy. I spoke to her about progesterone cream (NP) and referred her to The Estrogen Alternative (TEA) by Raquel Martin. After reading the book and then using NP, this teacher has had regular periods--now going on five years.

* There was one other teacher who was not only suffering from arthritis, but was also told she needed a hysterectomy. She asked me about NP since she knew that I was on it. I referred to the book and after she began to follow the guidelines on how and when to apply progesterone cream, she started feeling so much better. She recalled that with her first pregnancy, she was told that she would probably abort the baby because her progesterone levels were so low. Since putting to use what she has learned, she also has a lot more energy.

* Another teacher with migraines at the time of her period asked about NP. She bought the book and began using the cream and her migraines are gone. * My sister is trying NP after being on HRT for years. She has the 3rd Edition of TEA and has been on NP for about three months, and already her hot flashes are not as frequent or severe. She is also sleeping better at night. Remember this is after only being on NP for three months.

* My daughter telephoned to tell me that she had horrible cramps. She was in tears as she was hurting so badly. I told her to rub some NP on the area that was hurting and she called me back within l0 minutes to say that the severe pain was gone, and she only felt some slight cramping. If it weren't for the well documented book, The Estrogen Alternative which is backed up by scientific research, myself and the ladies I mentioned, would not know that there is an alternative to HRT. We all need to spread the word to other women everywhere!! Thank you Raquel for a wonderful and informative book!!!
Linda Carr

Dear Ms. Martin:
During a visit to a local book store to find books on the subject of fibroids, I providentially stumbled on your book The Estrogen Alternative: Natural Hormone Therapy with Botanical Progesterone. My doctor insisted that fibroids were not causing my pelvic pain, and so I was looking for answers in books about women's health problems after menopause. Somehow I saw your book among the sea of others and opened it to a page in which you described the side effects of taking estrogen which include uterine pain. That made me buy your book and devour its contents in the following week. I look upon your book as perhaps the most valuable health book I have ever read--or ever will read. I felt several strong emotions as I read about the misinformation and deception surrounding the entire estrogen issue: shock, anger, and discouragement. When I returned to my doctor to share with him my desire to stop estrogen and take only progesterone (or perhaps progesterone and estriol), he wanted to know what I had been reading and immediately assumed that I had read Dr. Lee's book. His comments concerning Dr. Lee were very critical and cynical, and he told me that to stop taking estrogen would be a very serious mistake. He said I need it both for my heart and for the health of my bones. He would not consider prescribing just estriol because he said he had no experience with it. He gave me a free sample of a product called Cenestrin, which I believe is a conjugated synthetic estrogen like many of the others.

I am very frustrated because I am part of an HMO insurance program which limits my choice of doctors. I contacted the International Women's Pharmacy for a list of doctors in my city, but none of them listed are part of my HMO. I am also extremely frustrated with the close-mindedness of my doctor. He would not read any of the articles that I received from the International Women's Pharmacy, and he did a very good job of making me feel as if I shouldn't be reading these articles either. He alleged that they have their "own agenda" and therefore can not be trusted. I suppose that my only recourse for now is to use the progesterone cream and to hope that someday I can find a doctor who will consider writing a prescription for estriol.

I want to thank you on behalf of all women going through menopause for the tremendous amount of work you did in writing such a well-documented and very clear explanation of the entire issue of menopause and the taking of estrogen. Since I read it, I have convinced my mother (who was taking Evista) to buy your book. I also convinced my sister-in-law (who is taking Prempro) and four friends who are going through menopause to get your book. I hope you will continue to enlighten women by way of your research and your writing on this critical issue.... Sincerely, Kathleen Herrema