Thankyou,

And I mean thankyou for talking to me in a mature way. Understanding what I was saying, and not being disrespectful.

Peri-menepause should be right around the corner for me. We'll see where that takes me. I am so looking forward to it (LOL)

MeBLady, It just goes to show how delicate hormonal balance is. You drop water quickly, I'd retain water almost instantaneously, get blinding headaches & my blood pressure & irritability would rise on a half dose of cream.

And Bawdy, you may just need to hang in there. ~3 years before my seemingly miraculous menopausal weight loss, I was perimenopausal and gained weight (an alarming 30 lbs in ~6 months) when I thought I should be losing or at least maintaining based on food intake and exercise levels. Then I hovered in the 180-190 range for ~18 months even though the calories in versus calories out said I should have been losing (I've been entering everything into DietPower for the past 3 years). Luckily I kept the faith and continued following PP (even though I wasn't losing as I should have and had in the past) because it made me feel better, so at least I didn't gain more.

About the time of my last period (although I didn't know it at the time) I started eliminating possible food allergens and my weight finally started dropping ~4 mos later and continued steadily until I reached goal. I was never allergic to anything until I was ~35, which is when I went off BCPs. Then things like perfumes, diesel fumes, cigarette smoke & wheat started provoking asthma attacks (adult onset). Hormonal & immune responses are closely linked and worth looking into. The more reactive things you get rid of, the less you react to the few that remain. Quitting soy during menopause also helped me.


Good Luck and hang in there.

This information is consistant with what I have learned so far....but I'm having a hard time finding a definition as to what "short term" is.

I've come across conflicting information as to whether or not the body can truly replace the hormones it is lacking naturally, without supplemental hormonal support, or after temporary minor support.

My hope is never having to take prescription strength BI or synthetic, and if possible, even wean off OTC progesterone cream....but unsure if this will be a possibility without a multitude of symptoms.

I know that some women do not need meds post meno -- my own family has taken synthetic HRT (both prog. and Estrogen) for the rest of their lives, could not wean off post meno.

My mother has been taking HRT for 42 years, since surgical menopause. She also takes calcium (w/out Mg, D & zinc, like I take) and drinks her milk following doctor's orders, but has lost 25% of the bone mass in her forearms. She has severe RA (onset 40 years ago - coincidence?) and doesn't exercise. I have the bone mass of a 30 year old (I'm 52), but have always exercised - mounaineering, XC skiing etc., things that use the whole body, and at home. I do eat low-casein cheese but can't stand milk & haven't had more than a couple of glasses in the past 30 years.

Did your relatives make a concerted effort to ween themselves off HRT? My mother won't because she believes everything her pill-pushing doctors say. I suspect there would be a period of not feeling good before you feel better (if weening off is possible in your case). Although I had bad symptoms with progesterone cream, I did not feel good (not as bad as before, but not great) until a few months after I stopped using it cold turkey.

My older sister has been on HRT for 6 yrs of menopause & gained ~30 lbs (same as I did - an alarming amount not explainable by extra food or less exercise). I went off all hormones (including thyroid) and lost 61 lbs. And I have no menopause symptoms other than dry skin and a few Fu Manchu hairs, but I counter those with moisturizer & eating plenty of fat, and my Finishing Touch hair remover .

Hi ...you are all so smart and rich in experience.
I haven't posted in awhile...just started reading this thread and felt inspired out of a little slump.

I think it is of paramount importance to realize that carbs are relevant to weight...and the definition of low-carb must vary with what works for the individual. Not what works for most people...or we will have what the framers of our constitution called the "TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY".

Warning...Libra Alert...I am a quadruple Libra...so I have no choice but to look for balance. Here are a few of my Airy Libran thoughts...expect right angle non-sequiteurs.
I think it is a disservice to all...to define things too narrowly....easy to lose focus, yes, but also easy to have tunnelvision...lose context. This is such a huge subject...the female metabolism. We are living in such unusual times...historically. And yes...the majority of the human population struggles to find food...now, today. We are the same as they....physiologically. Our bodies are just as talented at maintaining mass at the first hint of crisis. What constitutes a crisis for YOU??? Here comes the cortisol as you weigh in this morning and your eyes find the scale...does the stress start even before you know the number? Not suggesting denial, here. I am too fat, too.
But...I have found a lot of ways to realize that I am beautiful...did you hear that, BRAIN?? uh huh

I am of course thinking about issues surrounding ADDICTION, FOOD SENSITIVITIES, CARBS and MOOD, HORMONES, etc etc.
Please forgive the meander. You...some of you are such great researchers...I am always learning from you...if lurking.

First, Martann...how's Texas today? Welcome!!! I am 6th gen Austin, geneologically speaking. Now up in Missouri. (now just Where is Missouri, again????)
or is this OZ? OH! BLUEGRASS COUNTRY!!! (fiddle, I mean)
Did bring some of the swing with me..."don't mean a thing if you ain't got that..." The more fiddle I play..the easier it is to lose fat. hmmmmm.
Your words are well taken...by me, at least. There is something to be said for finding a gentle way to discipline one's life. I find that stressing and obsessing can really backfire. (Feel free to PM me. I need help getting back into the exercise groove after a foot injury in August.) slipped off the stage at a bluegrass fest.

In any case Missouri is corn and soybean country...2 things I can not eat!!!
That makes one a bit obsessive. coz corn and soy are in most processed foods. (plus...where are the jalapenos????)
AND A lot of progesterone (natural, micronized) is made from GMO soy. Or from wild mexican yam, diascorea villosa (my pref).

I ate corn and soy to excess in earlier decades. (of course not possible to overdo hot peppers imop)

Quitting soy during menopause really smoothed my road considerably.
Can you imagine...hot flashes DEcreased! so much for isoflavones...google it read the scarey research.
Corn makes me depressed and CRAZY!!. I mean...a cerebral allergy.
(much cheaper to give up corn than to take prozac)
And guess what! Most 'corn free' vitamin C is Actually made from corn. Lots of doublespeak there. I use cassava-based C.
Not sure how much of this is due to genetic engineering and spraying of these crops. At this point...I can't even tolerate much organic corn or soy.
As with most substance sensitivities...I was once addicted to these things.
I can't eat them without feeling REALLY crappy. But also it does set me up for some very POWERFUL immediate cravings...until my system clears. Thing is...for me I can't ever maintain an addiction, these days because of the 'crappy' factor.
Is that luck? This includes wine, beer, much caffiene, cigarettes, meds of many kinds cause paradoxical reactions. sugar etc. It is all toxic almost immediately before I can have much fun.
BUT I really relate to the mechanism of addiction and the healthy fear it engenders. My liver is just not good enough to entertain substance addiction. So I suffer in a different way...if I step off my wagon(train).
If I weren't kept in line by my touchy liver...I probably would be actively partaking of various support systems...12 step etc.

The brain chemistry of addiction is, of course, not limited to things we ingest or breathe. BTW, the biggest dependency going, imop, is codependency.
Codependency. Same brain chem. Interchangable with substances in terms of maintaining an addictive system. Dry drunk syndrome in all its glory.
Does 'support me' have to mean 'agree with me' or else???
Not in any AA or NA or Alanon meeting I've ever attended!

I am a Master Gardener, here, and it is hard to get across to my local fellows the dangers of pesticides and gmos for our hormonal health. We have a nice pretty award winning Cancer Center in this little town. And a soy biodiesel plant. Probably all ( including my beloved Master Gardener program) funded by giant agri-chemical companies.

When my mate and I got here a couple of years ago...we were amazed at the prevalence of obesity...and the League of Women Voters (I'm a member) has taken on childhood obesity as its study subject this year.

I think that people in cities and coastal areas don't realize where their food is coming from...and don't really want to deal with an overwhelming issue. But I have found that eating cleaner and avoiding food to which I am sensitive makes a HUGE difference in my physical and mental energies. Oh did I mention wheat, oranges, grapefruits, black tea........mangoes and cashews...

It doesn't take long to see, by reading these posts, that there is great variety among us. I am personally no longer dealing with the menstrual cycling woes and if you read some of my earlier posts you'll see how great I feel now that my system has really "CHANGED". For me the change was a little like hitting a brick wall, falling into pieces and somehow, miraculously reassembling on the other side. Surprise! The rules really changed.

I think that the rules are just that different...and more so...among us.
Once, when I was in my 30's I lost 30 lbs in 2 months and kept it off for 10 years...on Martin Katahnn's Rotation Diet. Down to size 10. (I was 5' 10" then...Texas genes. scoliosis has made me shrink, vertically, to 5' 9"...can I please still be an amazon? )The principles there were low fat, low carb, low calorie...to be sure. But also, there was a schedule of varying caloric intake to keep your body from adapting and lowering its setpoint. Yeah, PRIMITIVE, we all have heard of that. It really worked for me!!! BACK THEN!. Now, if I try that particular diet, I become depressed, immobilized..and so hormonally out of whack...hot flashes, exhaustion. TRULY UNBEARABLE. But it worked great back then.

The way 'low carb' works for me, personally, is, I have to create some sort of cycle...to keep from adapting to whatever dietary regime I'm using...including : a week of very low carbs...and then adding in some...and then going back...there are times when I just don't MANUFACTURE ENOUGH SEROTONIN WITH Extremely LOW CARBS. Nor probably some other very important things like insulin...
I was diagnosed as hypoglycemic at age 26...so I have been carb watching for...ahem...30 years. Insulin spikes...my poor little pancreas must have gotten pretty worn out. Sugar, fermented products, candida (big one!!!), all threw my metabolism sooo far out of wHack. Also wheat corn and soy but I did not realize, then.

So...while supporting each other in this extremely crucial carb watching thing...I am also paying attention to a lot of other factors...it seems self-defeating to get too narrow in recognizing addictive agents. It doesn't work. The one thing women in or out of menopause always need is knowledge and healing...of both metabolism and psyche. Your brain...your adrenal cortex won't let you have one without the other. Just won't. This is what I knew when I reassembled on the other side of the Brick wall, after my 'change'.
And what I will always need support for.

notamorningpersonthisweek

Wow, y'all have me scared now! When I saw my SIL a few months back she was moaning over how menopause had caused her weight to balloon up. My sister has an issue, but her diet is terrible and she is on HRT.

I'm 48 and probably looking at menopause in the next couple of years. I'm begging you body, be gentle with me!

Let's define what means lacking. We did not have high level of hormones before puberty either, but at some level E and may be even tiny amount of P was always present. Our body still will produce lower level of hormones (may be 40-60% of our reproductive years) post-meno, and I believe this is enough to maintain body functions and SAFE for our age!!!. Is it safe to have level of E and P same as in our youth, where our body was young and desease free? I am not sure about it, women 35+ are aware of complications associated with HRT and BCP. We suppose to get older, and hormonal drop is a part of aging process, so may be we don't need to replace them at all. Our body will just make enough E and P to function, but not enough to reproduce. But if symptoms are unberable (hot flashes, night sweats, etc), it is wise to supplement but just enough to get symptoms under control, and try to taper off ASAP. Once hormones settle, most symptoms should subside, since it's hormonal yo-yo that is hard to deal with. But YMMV as usual.

Bioidentical should be Rx, not sold OTC, this is where I have problem with regulations. Even small amount of progesterone applies without drs supervision and/or testing, can do harm over time, so it is better to know what strength and potency hormones are used. Problem is while ovaries still produce hormones, it is hard to balance while they fluctuate wildly. So I made up my mind, and will go natural route.

My mom never took hormones, and she used to tell me that all symptoms will pass as soon as my periods stop. Consider she went through meno at 56, I have another 7 years to go, LOL, but it does getting better. I just give my body all the TLC it needs now.
I think once you start HRT, the symptoms will go away, but weaning will make your symptoms return. So it is either now or later, unless you want to take hormones for the rest of your lfie. I would rather do it now, then in my 60s and beyond. I don't think taking hormones will make me ageless and forever young.
best,
D.

Ahh, I think you just hit a double whammy on a couple of sensitive topics in one shot, LOL.

It may do you some good to hang around if peri is just around the corner for you. A little preparation is always beneficial! Welcome :-)



My mother has said that our relatives did try to wean off unsuccessfully....but were also told by their pill pushing doctors that they would automatically have to take HRT for the rest of their lives.

I watched my Mom go off HRT a few times for several months. Man, you could sure tell the difference, she was a flat out bear!!!

Right now, she is 12 years post and starting to have some symptoms again, feels her meds need an adjustment and considering other options (I've peaked her interest in BIs). She has also had some problems that were diagnosed as side effects to HRT. Experienced her first broken bone ever in a minor fall that took forever to heal, a few bouts of "mastitis", had to have a DNC due to a fibroid in her uterus. She does very little to give herself support other then the synthetic hormones tho......on the flip side, she carries her age extremely well, looks much younger than her real age.

LOL, I'm watching her closely and asking lots of questions of her right now, to get an idea of my own future journey. So far, I've mirrored my mother in everything reproductively related.



There is so much conflicting information out there that makes it difficult, IMO, to know what the *safest option is. Peri/meno IS a natural process, I would think nature has a way of taking care of it without need for meds, at least passed a little support to smooth the transition.

Enviromental factors come into play too tho, which, IMO, can affect this natural process. I've found stress to be a terrible factor to really throw my hormones off during this sensitive time for my body, and at a stage in my life where stress is harder to avoid.



Not sure I completely agree with you on this....if certain things weren't available OTC, many could be denied any support at all, especially during a time where medical insurance premiums are high and people can't afford to go to the doctor when in need.

Even vitamins can be toxic if you don't know what you are doing -- I'd hate to need an Rx to obtain those!

With hormonal issues being so sensitive, there is no guarantee that tests will determine what/how much you need, no guarantee that a doctor will even be able to help someone who is experiencing a myraid of symptoms due to levels coming back normal. As an added bonus, the biasness toward the use of synthetics are just now coming into play as more and more health risks are being discovered....I wouldn't want the medical establishment to be in control of all of my choices/options, especially when I prefer to keep my treatment as natural as I can.



I've done a multiple amount of reading on HRT, and yeah, apparently it is quite common for symptoms to be worse, at least for an extended period of time, when weaning off.

While I don't think that supplementing hormones will make anyone ageless and young forever, in watching many women in my real life, you can tell the difference, in appearance, with those who are taking HRT and those who are not....my own mother looks considerably younger than her peers who have gone "natural". However, is this actually HRT ... or genetics, supplementation with E, C, healthy oils, etc., things that help rejuvenate the skin, or simply how one takes care of themselves overall?

I have made the choice for myself to go through this as natural as possible, but still on the fence as far as my options. Based on the symptoms I've already experienced this early on, I know I DON'T want to feel like that, to me, it is unliveable and a low quality of life.

For me, I wasted most of my 30's being obese and feeling mentally/physically miserable -- I'm still young enough to enjoy a little more youth and vigor, and worked hard through LCing to get it back. I'm not ready to accept these darn symptoms as a natural stage of my life. If a little prog. cream does the trick in making this liveable along with a good diet, exercise and a little extra vitamins, its worth it to me...for now.

My biggest challenge will be when the cream no longer works, or I experience complications from it -- I don't want to face the choice of prescription BI's, synthetics, or completely natural at this time. I'm still very much in the gathering of information stage, continually evaluating how I feel and getting to know this darn new peri body of mine, LOL.

Did your Mom go cold-turkey? I've heard you should gradually reduce the dose.

I've seen her try both cold turkey as well as gradually reduce the dosage. Even after several months, she didn't stablize. Her behavior alone was bad enough for me and my siblings to limit our contact with her until she resumed the meds. Without the meds, it is like her sanity just snaps.

I agree with you. The more I read about HRT, the more I get confised. I have started with Dr.Lee's books, and immediately decided I am ED and need P-cream. The I read Dr.Vliet books, which were eye opener for me, but contradicted Dr.Lee's P-obsession. The I have read Natural Hormone Balance for Women: Look Younger, Feel Stronger, and Live Life with Exuberance (Paperback) by Uzzi Reiss, Martin Zucker, and this one seems to be the most comprehensive and informative book.
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Hormo...ie=UTF8&s=books

Then I have read The Schwarzbein Principle II: The "Transition" - A Regeneration Program to Prevent and Reverse Accelerated Aging (Paperback)
by Diana Schwarzbein, Marilyn Brown, abnd her hormonal protocol contradicts Dr.Reiss's.
In addition to this, I am reading Dr.Erika Schwartz and Dr. Larrian Gillespie websites, so my head was spinning from all this contradictory information.

So, I have made the following conclusion so far (taliing BIH only):

1. There is no rigid protocol for hormone balancing, some drs prefer continuous therapy, others- cyclical protocol, depending what are their thoughts on female
Contunuous: Pros - get symptoms under control, easy to manage, constant low dose, no ups and downs, no PMS and withdrawal bleeding, even moods, etc. Cons- higher risk of endometrial/uterine cancer, breat cancer, blood clots, stroke, etc. due to continuous flow of E and P.

Cyclical:

Pros - safer and more natural pattern, monthly bleeding assure no endometrial build-up, no P-build-up, and overall lesser risk of cancer and stroke, etc.
Cons- monsthly cycles, dealing twith wthdrawal bleeding, etc. Still some risk of cancers and blod clots, in this case E-dose must be high enough to enduce endometrial lining growth, and higher level of E - ..., you know, Mary go around.

2. While BIH are identical (formula wise) to what our body makes, they can be also aromatized into other hormones (testosterone and progesterone) , and this is what makes balancing challenging, especially during perimenopause. Also, the dose must be tweaked from time to time, what worked yesterday may not work next month, etc. Since the dose changes, they can't be compunded into one pill/cream/jel/patch. If you start componded, it will be cost effective, I have ended up more than $200 for a months supply of E/P/T/DHEA, and pregnenolone. This is out of pocket, not to ocunt blood tests and drs visits. Not an end of the world now, but may be down the road.

3) The delivery system makes huge difference, and the judgment is still out there, which one is the best. Again, depending on the dr's preferences, your body tolerance, convinience, ease of application, cost, etc.

4) Not every women needs replacement, some start hormones just because they believe it is going to make them look younger (partially truth), combat weight gain (true for some), reduce risk of osteoporosis and CHD, dryness, etc. and simply because they are being told that finally, there is a safe and natural alternative to syntetic hormones!!! Overall, BIH success rate is not that high, I think about 35% or so: helps some, can't be tolerated by others, and do not make difference for the rest.


I think STRESS is by far the most contributing factor at thios point, but unfortunately, this time of our lives is the most stressfull. healthy (not stressed) adrenals take over the ovarian load, and carry it; but stress messes up everything. Unfortunately, hormonal changes create stress on it's own, so we are volnurable and frigle at this point, and that little things that did not bother much before, now create a big problem, LOL. I would say that perimenopause is stress self-inflicting period, hopedully, it will pass too. I hjust try to do my best on keeping the stress under control: relaxation, less stressfull exercise, more "Me" time, going early to bed, etc.



This is JMO, I would never use OTC hormones, that are not made by pharmaceutical company.

This is why I am amazed when ppl suggest taking mega-doses of any vitamin, even natural one.


BHT warrants regular checkups and testing: mammograms, ovarian and uterine ultrasounds, PAP smears, blood tests, etc. as a preventive measure...and this is not possible without drs assitance. No dr will consult you on these issues, if you using OTC hormones and supplements, that he (she) did not Rx. it is your choice, I myself decided to abstain fom drs as long as I can with exception of annual checkups an as long as I am not suing hormones; for the past 4 years I have been visiting drs offices more than my entire life. But if I decide to try BIH, I will definetely do this onyl under medical supervision.



My mom looked at leas 10 years younger and I do too using just good diet and taking care of my skin with natural creams and oil; it is a combination of a good care and genetics. But I saw changes in my skin and hair while taking BI estradiol, it truly made my skin glow and moist. If only progesterone did not do the opposite, LOL.



Exactly my thoughts when I resorted to BIH: I am still young, my quality of life is suffering, I can't tolerate slightess stress, I have a demanding job and a family, ect. But the medicine was worse than cure for me, so I had to stop it all together.
Also, after my mom passed away last year from the uterine cancer (speaking of STRESS): a non-hormones related, rare type of cancer (less than 10%) that is similar to ovarian cancer; I must be very carefull with decision making considering my family history. She was not too young (85) but still there is a risk factor involved.



Have you tried Vitex? It is chasteberry that has progesterone like properties, but does not contain any actual hormone, it is known to help to regulate hormones naturally, works on pituitary level, not expensive and OTC . May be switching from P-cream to Vites would be helpfull. But it takes up to six months for Vitex to start working.

There are also choices of gels, creams, patches that can be bought over the web from european and canadian pharmacies, so if the cream and like will stop working (it happens to many women), you may expore other options. I mean that while during perimenopause Progesterone is sufficient, once estrogen drops even lower, there may be other symptoms that require E supplementation.
There are also herbs that help: chinese, ayurvedic, herbal teas, but as far as I am concerned, nothing is 100% safe and side effects free. BIH are very hot topic now, and everyone is trying to make a profit, even big pharma is swtiching from syntetic to BIH to cater to bigger clientell.

I was watching lcoal 10 o'clock news on Friday, and they were talking BIH (every news station now is into this); they showed the local clinic and the doctor, that I used to go to, LOL. There was also a middle aged couple, who were very happy with BIH (both husband and wife) mainly because of returned libido, and as usual, other drs commenting on how BIH not much safer than syntetics, blah, blah.

Only time will tell if BIH are truly miracle drug, at this point I hope to make my transition to menopause as natural as possible.

Dina, I'm moving to your side of the fence. I'm off everything now, and feel no worse.

I've been doing 95% carnivore lifestyle, but I think I might move back a little into the carb world again -- but only slightly. When I lost the best (of course, this was about 7 years ago, before everything went crazy), I was eating a good 20 to 30 carbs a day. Thinking on it.

I do well during the day with a protein shake (or eggs) for breakfast and just some protein at lunch. Actually I feel great until halfway home at night; then I start getting REALLY hungry. I'm thinking that if I eat more during the day, and maybe an afternoon snack, I'll do better in the evenings.

Lousy time of the year to start getting serious again, but better now than never!

I'll just throw this out there but Dr. Eades article on intermittent fasting mentioned one of the good side effects that the researchers noticed was fewer/lighter menopause symptoms.

Here's that article: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/?p=278

WOW! What a great article!!! This is something that has been tumbling around my head for quite some time now, but I never saw anything "definitive" from any of the "experts" that it was a valid concept.

I do wonder how it jibes with the Eades' prior recommendations that carbs be spread evenly throughout the day so as to smooth out insulin levels so there aren't any spikes. I guess views do change as new information becomes available.

I haven't read the entire article and all responses yet, but I printed all 70 pages and will be reading it throughout the day.

They tried a plan where they eat breakfast at 6:00 am and lunch but no dinner on day, and then the next day they skip breakfast and lunch and eat a large dinner at 6:00 pm. That's close to 24 hours of eating and 24 hours of not eating (taking into account sleep time). Right?

That's great if you live alone, or if your spouse/partner would go along with it. I can't see DH doing this, though. He's fine with no breakfast or lunch, but he wants his dinner.

I'm 99% sure I'm going to try this, though. Maybe starting today. I haven't had breakfast yet (and it's 2 hours too late anyway). I think I'll hold off until dinner and see how it goes.

Anyone else up for this? There has to be a thread somewhere around here. Maybe in the Protein Power forum? I'm sure there's one on their site.

Really very intriguing.

On second thought, I'm going to start tomorrow. I had very little to eat yesterday -- only 2 protein shakes and a turkey drumstick -- so today should be my eating day.

Wait a second. I'm confused.

They tried a plan where they eat breakfast at 6:00 am and lunch but no dinner on day, and then the next day they skip breakfast and lunch and eat a large dinner at 6:00 pm. That's close to 24 hours of eating and 24 hours of not eating (taking into account sleep time). Right?

I don't think this is right. Here's what he actually wrote:

We fooled around with a number of different eat-fast-eat regimens and came up with something that works pretty well. We set up our cutoff time as 6 PM. On the day we started, we ate until 6 PM, then fasted until 6 PM the next day. On the next day we ate supper right after 6 PM and ate breakfast and lunch (and a few snacks) the next day until 6 PM when we started fasting again.

So, let's see:

Monday I eat throughout the day until 6:00. Nothing more that night.

Tuesday I don't eat anything until dinner at 6:00 pm. Then I eat as much as I want for -- what -- maybe an hour or so?

Wednesday I eat beginning at 6:00 am and stop at 6:00 pm.

Thursday I don't eat anything until dinner at 6:00 pm. Then I eat as much as I want for -- what -- maybe an hour or so?

And repeat.

Right? This still doesn't seem right. From Monday at 6:00 pm to Tuesday at 6:00 pm is definitely a 24-hour period of not eating. But then there's only a 12-hour window until I eat again at 6:00 am on Wednesday.

That still sounds difficult. I wonder if 12 hours on and 12 hours off would reap anywhere near the same results? Maybe this is answered in the responses to the article (blog).