dear Marrena,

i have been on the diet for over 4 weeks
and have not yet felt any change.
i have been pretty much libido-less all my life
and i just know there's something out there
that i'm not expereincing and want to!!!
i fell in love with your book and am still very
hopeful. i hope i'm just slower than the rest :-)
do you have any experience will slow-pokes?

it's really important for me to follow the
diet accurately, which is why i would like
to consult with you on the type of fish oil
i am taking. i am from outside the US and
therefore don't have immediate access to sears
or minami. the product i am using is "solgar 950"
which contains 542 epa and 408 dha per capsule.
to get the amount you recommend for a 130 pound
woman i take 3 capsules a day (almost 1700 epa
and around 1200 dha). in your book you talk about
a standard capsule that has the same ratio but
less concentrated, so you end up taking double
the amount of pills. my question is - does it matter
how many pills i am taking? is there an advantage
to 6 pills over 3 super concnentrated?
should i swich to the recommended standard?

i do have access to GNC fish oil - could you
please tell me which specific kind you recommend?

thanks and keeping my fingers crossed,

g.

(p.s. i'm not yet feeling horny, but i'm happy to say
that my mood and energy level is way better!!!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

on second thought - i have a friend coming in
from the US soon, so if you can recommend also
which specific kind of minami fish oil is best,
i can have it delivered. checked out their website
and didn't find a ratio that resembled what
is recommended for the diet.
it will be great if i have several possibilities :-)
thanks a lot.

No, what you are taking is better. I found the label, that is a very high quality fish oil. You are doing the diet correctly.

However, the way you describe, that you have always been libido-less, that sounds to me like a free testosterone deficiency. Have you ever had your hormone levels checked? You might need more than my diet.

thanks for your quick and friendlly response.
am happy for the fish oil reassurance!!

as for the testosterone issue - i recently did
some blood tests that showed a high rate of SHBG.
i'm looking into getting more accurate tests done, to see.
i've tried TRT (androgel 50cc) several times
and nada. if you have any recommendations
in this department as well, i will be more
than happy to hear them :-)
there's nothing i would like more than to
(finally) get to know my libido!!!

important to add that i've also taken
birth control pills between 1992-1997.
i was 17 when i started.
think it may be relevant in any way?

quote:

Originally posted by g spot:
thanks for your quick and friendlly response.
am happy for the fish oil reassurance!!

as for the testosterone issue - i recently did
some blood tests that showed a high rate of SHBG.
i'm looking into getting more accurate tests done, to see.
i've tried TRT (androgel 50cc) several times
and nada. if you have any recommendations
in this department as well, i will be more
than happy to hear them :-)
there's nothing i would like more than to
(finally) get to know my libido!!!

That would do it. Androgel wouldn't help if your SHBG is high, because it would probably go higher with T treatment.

The pill can permanently elevate SHBG levels, but nothing you can do about that now. Make sure to take the zinc I recommend, and try to keep your carbs in balance with proteins and fats, and if you can avoid sugary and refined starchy foods. For the zinc you can probably go as safely high as double the RDA, as long as you are in good health and not too small.

thanks a lot!!

am doing everything you recommended
except for the double zinc.
i am in good health and not too small.
should i double the amount of
zinc-magnesium-calcium
or just take extra zinc separately?
and if so how much more?
i currently get 25.5 (8.5x3) from the combo
and 11 mg from the multivitamin,
so a total of 36mg.

thanks for your words of wisdom.
and patience.

That's plenty of zinc.

It might just take longer for your SHBG level to normalize. For you more than most people, healthy foods are key--try to avoid sugary foods and refined starches, they raise SHBG. Give it another month or two.

will do :-)
thanks a bunch (especially for the optimism!)!
will keep you posted.