Haagendazendiane said:Rayser said:The progesterone receptor (if you believe in such a thing), is a protein. To use progesterone you need adequate protein. Ray Peat mentions he "doesn't feel quite right" if he gets less than 100g a day. I need more. If you don't get enough protein (and progesterone will raise the demand) your body will use up the protein most easily available: that's the one in your skin.
Usually you notice it first below your eyes.
If you make sure to eat enough potatoes, the effect will disappear again.
Is it "make sure to eat enough potatoes" or protein? Or both?
RP: "The problem of refeeding starving people has many features in common with the problem of correcting the liver malfunction and hormone imbalances which follow prolonged malnutrition of a milder sort. The use of the highest quality protein (egg yolk or potato juice, or at least milk or meat) is important, but the supplementation of thyroid containing T 3 is often necessary."
http://raypeat.com/articles/aging/eclampsia.shtml
RP: "Balanced proteins, such as cheese, potatoes, eggs, and beef- or lamb-broth (for the gelatin and mineral content in particular) will prevent the tryptophan excess that suppresses the thyroid and is potentially a nerve toxin."
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/ms.shtml
RP: "Estrogenic influences can be significantly reduced by avoiding foods such as soy products and unsaturated fats, by eating enough protein to optimize the liver’s elimination of estrogen, and by using things such as bulk-forming foods (raw carrots, potatoes, and milk, for example) that stimulate bowel action and prevent reabsorption of estrogens from the intestine. Avoiding hypothyroidism is essential for preventing chronic retention or formation of too much estrogen."
RP: "Potatoes, because of the high quality of their protein, are probably relatively free of toxic signal-substances."
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/alzheimers2.shtml
Most women who told me that progest-e didn't work for them or made their symptoms worse, thought of it as they would of a drug: Everything in their lives stays the same but they use this drug and things magically get better.
Of course that will not work. It's not a drug. If you don't eat enough high quality food, especially protein, progesterone cannot work. If you eat PUFA and lots of starch, goitrogens, not enough salt and sugar, you don't get enough vitamin E and A and B vitamins, enough calcium and magnesium -- you will not only suppress your thyroid gland but also shift your hormone balance toward the stress hormones like estrogen, cortisol, prolactin, melatonin, histamines ...
Progesterone is one piece of a puzzle, not a dea ex machina.
If you start to learn how your organism works and understand the role of progesterone within the organism it will become clearer that as much as possible about our lives and our environment has to be optimized in order to be healthy.
Progesterone is only a step on the way and usually not the first step.
I would always start with aspirin, salt, sugar and eliminating PUFA. And reading every article by Ray Peat.