What if you’re ready to start the Elite Journey, but don’t know HOW?
I had a friend call me up yesterday saying she was READY to start her journey to HEALTH, but needed to know how to start. This made me realize, it might be time to blog about the basics.
Schedule
First thing to do is go online and schedule your first consult and lab work. Getting your labs is SUPER easy to do. Elite will put you into the LabCorp system and you simply go to your nearest Lab and have your blood drawn up.
Your labs will take about 3 days to process and get back to the Doc. Once the doc has taken a look at your readings, he’ll schedule an in-person visit or a phone consult. This is when you will learn about all of the things your body may or may not be missing. I’ve heard so many different stories about all the many findings our Docs were able to target and HEAL in various patients. More on that later!
How Much?
This is the question I get asked the most! Your initial consult and labs are $99. This is when you find out EXACTLY what is going on inside of YOUR body. It’s priceless! I’ll never forget when Dr, Shelton asked me if my hands and feet were tingling. I was shocked that he even knew to ask me that and YES, they had been tingling and I had no idea why. He told me that my B-12 was through the roof and I needed to back off of something I was taking. As soon as I stopped taking this ONE particular supplement, the tingling stopped!
Medication
Our Peptides, Hormone Therapy, Supplements and Treatment costs vary based on your needs. For example, I am focused on anti-aging right now, but when I started, I just wanted my levels where they needed to be. I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse. There was no way I was going to be able to reverse signs of aging until I had all of my inside workings all worked out!
I started out with a Testosterone Pellet, DIM and CJC-1295. Let’s break down that cost…
Testosterone Pellet = $350
The great thing about the pellet is the fact that they last for at least 8-10 months. After the pellet has been in your system for a few weeks, the doc sees you again to see what your levels have done. Mine, for example, were doing good, but not great. With that, he added another ½ pellet at no cost. The goal is to get your testosterone level perfected, no matter how much you need. Some women end up with 3 pellets, others with none. We are all created different and this is made very evident when a woman learns to be in touch with her hormones.
After 10 months with the Pellet!
WOW! I had the energy of a 5 year old, the sex drive of a 15 year old boy and the attitude of Jesus. By that, I mean I was at peace, with everything. Just an easy going, fun loving, live life to the fullest kind of girl. This WAS the girl I knew back in the day, but she had long since run away never to be found again…and then there was, the pellet.
DIM
What is Estrodiol??? I certainly had no clue and I never cared until I found out I needed it.
As the strongest of the three estrogens, oestradiol (E2) -also known as estradiol- is an important factor in the female reproductive system. Understanding this hormone will help women take better control of their reproductive health.
Estradiol is one of three estrogen hormones naturally produced in the body. While men and women have estradiol, and it has a role in both of their bodies, women have much higher levels of the hormone than men.
What Does Oestradiol Do?
Estradiol has several functions in the female body. Its main function is to mature and then maintain the reproductive system. During the menstrual cycle, increased estradiol levels cause the maturation and release of the egg, as well as the thickening of the uterus lining to allow a fertilized egg to implant. The hormone is made primarily in the ovaries, so levels decline as women age and decrease significantly during menopause.
In men, proper estradiol levels help with bone maintenance, nitric oxide production, and brain function. While men need lower levels than women, they still require this important hormone to function well.
What Potential Problems are Connected to Oestradiol Hormone Levels?
In women, too much estradiol has been linked to acne, constipation, loss of sex drive, and depression. If the levels are extremely high, they can increase the risk of uterine and breast cancer as well as cardiovascular disease. Women with high estradiol levels may experience weight gain and menstrual problems. For men, it can lead to the development of female characteristics and loss of sexual function or muscle tone.
If the body does not have enough estradiol, bone growth and development are slowed, and adults can develop osteoporosis (bone weakness). Girls may experience delayed puberty with low estradiol levels. Mood swings have also been connected to low estradiol levels.
How is Estradiol and Menopause related?
The effects of estradiol are clearly seen in women experiencing menopause. During this process, women naturally have lower levels of estradiol as the ovaries no longer produce it, causing the menstrual cycles to stop. This change often causes mood swings, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and night sweats — the symptoms commonly associated with menopause. Over time, lower estradiol levels can lead to osteoporosis. (hormone.org)
So, this is WHY I Needed DIM
- painful sex due to a lack of vaginal lubrication
- an increase in urinary tract infection (UTIs) due to a thinning of the urethra
- irregular or absent periods
- shifts in mood
- hot flashes
- breast tenderness
- headaches or accentuation of pre-existing migraines
- depression
- trouble concentrating
- fatigue
YES!!! I was experiencing MOST of the list above, but had decided to just let it go. NOOOOOOOOO! Don’t be like me! Get DIM if you need it!
What Can DIM Do?
The Benefits Of DIM
“All About DIM” by Michael A. Zeligs, MD and A. Scott Connelly, MD.
Diindolylmethane, or DIM for short, is a plant indole—a plant compound with health-promoting properties. DIM and other plant indoles are found in all cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.
When Diindolylmethane DIM increases the ‘good’ estrogen metabolites, there is a simultaneous reduction in the levels of undesirable or “bad” estrogen metabolites.
Diindolylmethane DIM contributes to a better metabolism in the most natural way possible by working with your own hormones and adjusting their action to avoid hormonal imbalance. DIM produces more ‘good’ estrogen metabolites, which compete with testosterone for protein binding, helping to maintain a slightly higher ‘free’ testosterone level. Free testosterone is testosterone that is more active.
The ‘good’ estrogen metabolites along with increased free testosterone promoted by DIM increase fat mobilization and a fat-burning metabolism.
DIM has three main benefits:
- Makes estrogen metabolize down the 2-hydroxy estrone pathway
- Frees up bound testosterone
- Acts as a natural aromatase inhibitor.
Though still marketed as a dietary supplement, it turns out that I3C (Indole-3-carbinol) is not active in your body until it has converted into DIM. I3C is highly unstable and can transform into many other substances whose actions are undesirable.
What the What??
DIM, is the most active dietary indole in cruciferous vegetables, is a healthy stimulus for the beneficial metabolism of estrogen in men and woman. Maintaining healthy hormonal balance no matter your age improves how you look and feel. The basic fact is that estrogen can be a tremendous support for lifelong health, but only if it is safely and efficiently metabolized.
To be modified into its final forms for passage out of the body, estrogen must be combined with oxygen as part of aerobic metabolism. Estrogen requires a metabolic pathway similar to that needed by DIM and other natural indoles.
DIM has also been shown to help control viral infections, support immune function and reduce certain forms of inflammation.
DIM contributes to a better metabolism in the most natural way possible by working with your hormones and adjusting their action to avoid hormonal imbalance.
Let’s Dumb it Down (if for no one else, me!)
By supporting more efficient fat metabolism and helping testosterone to be liberated from its carrier proteins, these metabolites increase the development of stronger and more metabolically active muscles. “Free,” or non-protein-bound, testosterone and 2-hydroxy estrogen metabolites provide a hormonal signal for muscles to grow by adding more of the structural protein needed for size, strength, and movement.
Estrogen’s healthy metabolism supports better functioning, improved mood, healthy fat metabolism, healthy heart and circulation, and better memory. Over the long term, maintaining a healthy metabolism of estrogen lowers the risk of breast cancer and uterine cancer.
The Cost
DIM costs about as much as your monthly gym membership, yet packs way more value. I left my very first Doc consult with a bottle in hand and haven’t needed it since taking that first bottle. Why? Because DIM helps our bodies start making the estrogen we’ve been missing. So far, after one year, I STILL don’t need it. It cost me $60! Need I say more?
CJC-1295
I literally saved the best for last!
MAN OH MAN, what does this stuff NOT do?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CJC 1295 IPAMORELIN
Benefits of CJC 1295 & Ipamorelin include but are not limited to:
Increased Bone Density
As we get older, our bones get brittle, that is why injuries are more common.
Strengthens the cardiovascular system
Increase in muscle mass
More muscle mass = higher metabalism = less body fat
The ability to burn fat
As we mentioned, with an increase in muscle mass allows the body’s resting metabolic rate is boosted leading to more calories burned throughout the day.
Increased Sex drive
Guys (proverbial guys, that means girls too). Sex his huge. I don’t care what anybody says, it’s a vital part of our health, our mood, everything. Not being able to function properly sexually can really take a toll on your mental well-being
Improved Recovery and Repair from Injuries
Being on a proper bio-identical hormone replacement therapy program leads to an overall improved state of well-being. This adheres to recovery time (soreness) and acute musculoskeletal injuries.
Strengthens Immune System
Personally, what I can notice and I can attest to being on hormone replacement therapy, being on the CJC 1295 Ipamorelin.. I don’t get sick.
Improves cognition and memory function
It is an improved overall benefit to the body, this includes focus and feeling mental clarity and sharpness throughout the day.
improves Insulin Sensitivity
CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin improves insulin sensitivity thus reducing the body’s triglycerides. High blood sugars are reduced which helps burning more body fat.
There Ya Have It…
This was my initial experience with Elite. I’ve been a patient for over 2 years and never plan on stopping. Of course, my daily routine has changed since that first visit, but that’s for a later blog!
Tip of the Day
How much are you truly enjoying about your life? Think about it. Whatever your beliefs may be regarding the afterlife (I personally can’t wait for Heaven), what are you doing TODAY? I have pondered this in great depth lately and I can honestly say, I’m at work to make a few changes. I don’t want to look back and have nothing accomplished for the greater good. Nor do I want to look back and wish I had spent more time with my kids, building them up, lifting them to higher callings and a bigger purpose. My husband loves to say, “our ceiling is their floor.” This is truth beyond words. Do today, what you might not be able to do tomorrow. You’ll be glad you did! Cheers to living for GOOD!!!!
