Health & Well-Being Pre-Menopause and Beyond

As women search for more natural solutions to their menopause symptoms, inquiries about bioidentical hormones have been on the rise – and so has the controversy.

HOMECoalition.org has launched a “Take Action” campaign to help the public protest the FDA’s ban on bio-identical estriol. It is an interesting read – you don’t even have to read between the lines to understand what is going on there. It is disheartening to see that once again, it’s all about money, money, money.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is also referred to as human-identical HRT, or natural HRT, depending on the source. Bioidentical hormones are derived from plants and have the same molecular structure of hormones produced by the human body, so they look and act like the hormones that they were made to replace. See my page on Bioidentical Hormones for details.

Bioidentical hormones are custom-tailored to an individual’s specific needs and contain no extra chemicals to hinder their acceptance into the body. For this reason, they cannot be patented – and because they cannot be patented, pharmaceutical companies are not able to profit from them.

The only bad thing that comes from pharmaceutical companies not being able to market bioidentical hormones, is that the power they possess over the medical community (and the public) will not be put to good use. You won’t see any advertising from pharmaceutical manufacturers, no medical education seminars for your OB/GYN, and certainly no public awareness campaigns.

So, how is that a bad thing? Women who may not be very proactive about their health, or who may rely solely on the advice of their gynecologist might never know they have this option.

The Sexy Years came as a complete surprise – certainly not what I had expected when I initially sat down to read it. Suzanne Somers takes a complicated subject and humanizes it with her very personal story, accompanied by information from medical experts she has worked with in her effort to live a hormonally-balanced, vivaciously happy, second-half of life.

Her comical description of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause – “the Seven Dwarfs of Menopause…Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and All-Dried-Up” – was an insight to how positively she handles the monkey-wrenches life can throw at you.

Her “take charge” attitude is to be admired when it comes to how she handles the limited choices that are given to women suffering the symptoms of menopause. This book is one of the reasons why there are many women who now know that the one-size-fits-all traditional hormone replacement therapy, which may be the only one recommended by their gynecologist, is not their only option.

She brings to light the fact that many doctors do not know enough about female hormones because they never received adequate training, and therefore urges women to seek out doctors who are knowledgeable on the subject, if their current doctor is not. Many of us already know the reason medications are ‘pushed’ at us (and that’s not just HRT) – it’s the booming pharmaceutical industry.

Parts of the book contains interviews she conducts with her endocrinologist, doctors and well-known specialists in the field of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), where she asks the questions we might ask. In return, there are factual and interesting answers we can understand without getting lost in the medical mumbo-jumbo. It was interesting to read the passages from various women and their choices/experiences with traditional HRT, BHRT and one that used no hormone replacement therapy at all.

As far as the men in our lives, it was not so much of a surprise as to how our changes can affect them; however it was extremely enlightening to learn about the hormonal changes they also experience as they age, which can cause a loss of energy and stamina. They too, have options available to help balance out the changes

If you are looking for a book that explains how bioidentical hormone replacement therapy works in plain English, this is an excellent introduction. If you are familiar with the concept, but are confused about where to start, what doctors to look for, etc. (as I was) – then I highly recommend reading The Sexy Years.

Ok, first of all, I have a problem with the marketing ploys of a number of companies, the latest round just happens to be the Probiotic craze. The Excedrin Migraine plug was the last dose of marketing B.S. that got under my skin (in case you don’t already know, it is no different than regular Excedrin).

Plain old “regular” yogurt has long been touted as a cure for yeast infections. Some swear by the tampon method – plain active-culture yogurt inserted with a tampon overnight. Others say all you need to do is eat one 8 oz. cup of yogurt (containing l. acidophilus, an ingredient in “regular” yogurt) a day to prevent yeast infections. While it may work for some people on occasion, neither way is a sure-fire cure, nor prevention.

So what is the difference between “regular” yogurt and “Probiotic” yogurt? It is basically just a matter of the types of bacteria contained in each. Lactobacillus is one of the primary bacteria used to make regular yogurt. Probiotic yogurt will contain several different strains of bacteria in addition to the regular bacteria.

Being a regular consumer of “light” (reduced calorie) yogurt, I recently purchased one “regular” and one “Probiotic” light yogurt (each vanilla flavored). Reading the ingredients of the “regular” container, it listed, “with live active cultures including L. Acidophilus” – guess we are left to wonder what the other “live active cultures” were. The ingredients of the “Probiotic” container listed, “Live active yogurt cultures: L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, Bifidobacterium, L. Acidophilus and L. Casei cultures.”

A little reading on the subject revealed that there are so many strains of bacteria, each with different probiotic functions, that it would be impossible for the average person to know what effects they would have based on their individual factors.

The latest claim behind probiotic yogurt is that it helps to regulate the digestive system – helps you to become more regular. Dannon’s Activia, Activia Light and Dan Active Probiotic yogurts are some of the more well-known examples of this latest advertising trend. Interestingly enough, they have recently become the subject of a class-action suit because they supposedly claimed that their Probiotic yogurts were healthier than regular yogurt and charged more for them.

All of this does not mean that yogurt is not good for your health. Active-culture yogurt has many health benefits, however (to date) there has been no definitive proof that it does anything to successfully combat vaginal yeast infections whether it is “Probiotic” or “Regular” yogurt.

Let’s get this out of the way first: Even though there are numerous natural home remedies and over-the-counter treatments for yeast infections, treatment without the proper diagnosis is dangerous (and a waste of time and money).  So see a doctor first, especially if you answer yes to any of the following:

·         This is your first supposed yeast infection (“supposed” because if you’ve never had them, then you cannot know for sure if that is your condition)

·         If you are pregnant

·         You have already tried unsuccessfully to remedy the situation (you’re wasting time and money!)

·         You have had other forms of vaginal or urinary infections.

·         You have changed sexual partners recently, or have multiple sex partners (you need to eliminate the possibility of having contracted any sexually transmitted diseases)

·         You have abdominal pains, chills, difficulty urinating, fever, nausea, pain or vomiting, in which case you may have a medical emergency and should not be reading this, but seeking immediate medical help.

Yeast infections are very common, in fact most women encounter at least one form of yeast infection during their life, with the majority of cases occurring during their reproductive years. Yeast infections are triggered by an imbalance in the natural bacteria found in the vagina, often as a result of hormonal fluctuations during a woman’s cycle, during stressful times, while taking birth control pills, or during perimenopause. Yes, yeast infections are one of the many menopause symptoms and treatments we often end up researching in an effort to bring quick relief to yet an another annoying condition that affects countless numbers of women.

Some women may have these yeast infections on a recurring basis, and although they may not be severe, they are just a nuisance to be dealt with. Many of these women have found natural ways to remedy flare-ups and to naturally prevent yeast infections from returning.

Natural remedies for yeast infections include the following (listed without detail), some of which will be detailed in future posts:

·         Probiotic supplements, topical tea tree oil, garlic, oil of oregano, grapefruit seed extract, apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice, goldenseal, lactoferrin and yogurt (taken orally and topically).

·         Boric acid in the form of vaginal capsules, or in a sitz bath.

·         Abstaining from sex during treatment will prevent passing the infection back and forth.

Here are some natural ways to help prevent yeast infections:

·         Dietary changes like reducing (or eliminating all-together) the intake of refined sugar, avoiding foods high in yeast, and eating foods containing probiotics (like yogurt).

·         Wearing underwear made from natural fibers (like 100% cotton panties) and avoiding pantyhose.  If you must wear pantyhose, then buy those with the cotton crotch and remember that you do not have to wear panties with them (overkill + less ventilation).

·         No tight-fitting clothes (spandex is a particular no-no).

·         Boost your immunity by reducing stress, getting enough sleep at night and enough exercise during the day.

·         Drink plenty of water every day – a simple way to ‘flush’ your system.

·         Use natural, unscented cleansers and personal products. The chemicals used to provide the scent can be an irritant (especially for pads and tampons).

         ·         No feminine deodorants or douches.

(As stated in other areas of this site, the information provided here is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be prescriptive, nor as a substitute for health care by a medical doctor. Persons wishing to follow any advice should do so strictly of their own accord. This site assumes no liability for the actions of its readers, as the contents herein do not prescribe the use of any form of treatment, nor does it dispense medical advice as a form of treatment for medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. )

Ok, take this one for whatever it’s worth. This theory is certainly not news to some, as it has been floating around for the past several years. Lately it has surfaced again, and why remains a question (maybe a Starbucks promo).

A French study revealed that older women who drink three (or more) cups of coffee or tea every day showed improved memory. The study included approximately 7,000 men and women of age 65 and older, who reported how many cups of tea and coffee they drank every day, along with what medications they were taking regularly.

They were tested on their mental/memory skills, and then retested two years later and again four years later.

The women’s verbal memories improved the most from caffeine, while the men showed no noticeable difference. No real reason was given for this, only that women may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine, or that they may metabolize it differently.

They were unable to determine if caffeine had any affect on a woman’s risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, possibly because the study was not long enough to show significant results.

Now don’t start downing those espressos yet! In researching menopause symptoms and treatments, we need to remember that too much of a good thing can be bad, especially if you suffer from fibroids. Too much caffeine can aggravate fibroids, as well as causing a host of other problems like nausea, diarrhea, frequent urination and jittery nervousness.

I have been hearing about bio-identical hormones for a while, but have never really paid attention to all of the fuss. However, with perimenopause looming, catching up on my reading and research about pre menopause symptoms and treatments has moved up on my list of priorities.

It never hurts to do some research on your own – you never know, (unless you are dealing with a specialist) maybe you will bring new information to your doctor.

Most of us have heard of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is made up of synthetic estrogen, progesterone (or a progestin) and testosterone. From what I understand so far, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), also referred to as Natural Hormone replacement Therapy, is made up of a blend of hormones that are supposed to be customized to a woman’s individual hormone needs. That “need” is apparently determined through a saliva test.

Bioidentical hormones are created from plants and are manufactured to be a “custom fit” to a particular individual’s own chemical/molecular structure. Even though bioidentical hormones have been around for years, many doctors are unfamiliar with them (I will leave my personal opinions out here, but you are probably thinking the same thing).

Manufacturers claim that bioidentical hormones are safer than the standard synthetic hormone therapy, however according to the FDA these claims regarding safety, efficacy and superiority of BHRT have not been substantiated.

As always though, when a celebrity becomes involved, whatever they are ‘into’ becomes the rage, or center of attention. When Suzanne Somers published two books in recent years, The Sexy Years: Discover the Hormone Connection–The Secret to Fabulous Sex, Great Health, and Vitality, for Women and Men and Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones, describing her experience with bioidentical hormones and how they relieved her menopause symptoms, doctors were plagued with calls from patients wanting to know more about this form of hormone therapy. So thank you Suzanne Somers, for at least bringing another option to our attention that many of our doctors would not have otherwise.

I have to say that I was not really considering reading her books, since she is not a medical expert, however after rethinking that theory I have reconsidered and recently purchased a copy of The Sexy Years to add to my reading pile. I considered the fact that no one I know personally has tried BHRT and it may be very informative to read about someone’s own experiences – better yet, it will more than likely be something I could understand and relate to and not filled with a bunch of medical jargon that would be hard to digest. Be sure to check back later for my review!