Re: Questions

I know you do not think much of saliva testing, but *if my results were accurate that said I have both low estrogen and low progesterone (with the ratio indicating estrogen dominance), how would you approach that? Vitex, phytoestrogens, and bitters?

Primarily the bitters and phytoestrogens.  Low levels of vitex can help without over increasing progesterone levels.  I also recommend supporting the adrenals since these are also sources of these hormones.

The test showed an adrenal improvement from my last test- morning and pm cortisol were in normal range, while noon and evening were low. My last test showed everything extremely low, and my symptoms do relfect that improvement. The chicken/egg question in my mind is: do I have low ovarian hormones bec/ of low adrenal function...or do I have low adrenal function from the stress of constant ovarian hormonal imbalance? (I am 43 with regular cycles.)

At your age you would be in perimenopause.  So the ovaries are starting to slow down and the adrenals will gradually become the primary source of hormones.  But your adrenals do not sound like they are up to par right now.

My water retention, presumably from the estrogen dominance,

Progesterone causes even more water retention.  The water retention women experience before menstruation is from the rise in progesterone.

is almost impossible for me to keep under control. I have tried cornsilk tincture, parsley tea, lots of lemon in my water, taurine (to help my thyroid), among other things. Nettle leaf starts to give me facial hair and I already take dandelion root each day. I exercise once in the morning and once in the afternoon to help control it. My diet is excellent and very little salt. I found a hawthorn leaves, flowers, and berries supplement- is this a good (stronger?) diuretic to try, or do the heart effects make it a bad choice? Is there anything more I can do?

The simplest thing to try are potassium supplements.  Potassium is a natural diuretic since it displaces sodium.

Is all water retention a matter of electrolyte balance, or does congestive heart failure or a sluggish thyroid present a different problem because the water just doesn't move? Does anything other than exercise help that?

There are a number of things that can lead to water retention such as elevated estrogen or progesterone, sodium retention, congestive heart failure, kidney damage, etc.

If I try to increase my dandelion root/milk thistle, some of my estrogen symptoms get worse. Could my liver be breaking the estrogen down into the metabolites, but get overloaded and not be able to clear them all?

The liver breaks down the excess hormones in to metabolites, which are then broken down even further by the intestinal flora.  So you need to maintain your flora as well.

Another possibility is that you are not breaking down the hormones properly.  This requires methylation.  If you are undermethylating from something like a vegetarian diet, low stomach acid or pernicious anemia then the liver will not be able to break down hormones properly on its own.

How does ginger help digestion?

By acting as a bitter.

Does it affect stomach acid at all?

Yes, it is an antacid, which is why I do not recommend it very often.

Finally, is there a tea I can drink after I have a probiotic drink or supplement that won't kill the bacteria? Rooibos? Mint?

To help with the flora the best teas would be slippery elm, marshmallow root, dandelion root or chicory root.