Menopause and Dry Skin: The Hormone Connection

Yes, menopause can definitely wreak havoc with your skin! Check out this article from WebMD.com. Be aware, too, that thyroid imbalances can also make your skin very dry (believe me, I speak from experience on this one!), so always make sure you are getting your thyroid checked by your healthcare provider (and if he/she blows you off about thyroid balance, find a new doctor!)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases in Women, Declines in Men

Although I do not have rheumatoid arthritis myself, several of my friends do---and so this article from EMaxHealth.com piqued my interest. I found it interesting that the researchers theorize the lower doses of estrogen in more recently developed birth control pills might be a contribuiting factor in the increase in RA in women.

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend---right now I am taking a break (after I finish this post) to hone my limited crochet skills to making a summer purse!

Lost Your Sexual Desire? The "Pill" May Be to Blame

There's been a lot of discussion lately on whether or not long term use of the "pill" causes loss of libido. Don't forget, birth control pills are synthetic hormones. Check out this article from AOLHealth.com-----

Where do you get your vitamins?

Hello everyone, gorgeous day here in Charlotte----great Vitamin D weather! I have had several people in the last few weeks ask me what brand of Vitamin D I use---it's called Ortho Molecular and you can get it in various dosages, I use the 5000 IU's (and right now I am taking 2 daily as my Vitamin D test came back as low). My doctor's office stocks it, but it can also be purchased at Total Health Discount Vitamins ----- I use Total Health for my Cortisol Manager and my Diaxinol. They ship free over $85 (and for me that's about 2 bottles of anything) and you can sign up for email discount codes. If anyone else has good online sources for their vitamins---post a comment and share it with us!

Cattrall on Menopause, "Sex and the City"-Style

I've never gotten into Sex and the City --- I don't have HBO and never got around to watching it in reruns (I don't watch an awful lot of TV). I was a little perplexed this week as to why articles about the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie were popping up on the newsfeeds I use for this blog---and finally today I got around to reading one of the articles. This one is from CBS news, and apparently, bioidentical hormones are mentioned in the movie! Hey, great, the more exposure the better!

Bask in the sunshine to beat the blues

No sunshine here today in Charlotte (that's ok, the rest of the week and through the holiday weekend it's supposed to be sunny and warm---I think it's time for me to start laying in the sun a few minutes each day!), but it's well known that you can get some of your Vitamin D from the sun. Check out this article from SyfiNews.com ----a joint study between the US and Italy finds a relationship between low Vitamin D levels and depression.

Mood swings and menopause

From BellaOnline.com ---- the mood swings can be one of the most frustrating symptoms of the peri-menopausal period, and I am here to tell you that bioidentical hormone replacement goes a LONG way in evening out your emotions. I was even eventually able to get off the anti-depressants I had taken for years (I did it over a 6 month period and with the supervision of my physician).

Fort Worth police chief promotes hormone therapy

My own doctor in Southern CA utilizes Sotto Pellet therapy in his practice (the only reason I don't use it is because of the distance to CA for me to travel for insertions), so this article from WFAA really caught my interest. The chief of police in Fort Worth, TX, had a voluntary in-service to talk to his officers about his experience with the Sotto Pellets. As you can see from reading the article, a lot of doctors still do not buy into the efficacy/safety, etc. of bioidentical hormones, but I have talked to a lot of patients who are very pleased with the protocol and say it has improved the quality of their lives.

Vitamin D: Why You Are Probably NOT Getting Enough and How That Makes You Sick

Lots of good information in this article from The HuffingtonPost.com site....and for those of you who are new to the blog, one of my favourite books on Vitamin D is The Vitamin D Revolution by Dr. Sorham Khalsa. Get it on Amazon.com, best price.

New Menopause Documentary, Hot Flash Havoc, Selected To Screen At 2010 Docmiami International Film Festival

The definitive film on menopause slated to debut screen May 28, 2010

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 24, 2010 -- The filmmakers of Hot Flash Havoc (www.HotFlashHavoc.net), the most provocative and revealing film ever made about menopause, have been selected to screen their film at the first-annual DocMiami International Film Festival. The documentary will be shown at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa located at 4400 N.W. 87 Avenue, Miami, FL 33178 on May 28, 2010 at 12:30 p.m.

Hot Flash Havoc has been described as enlightening, controversial, humourous, and profound. A crash-course in what you need to know about menopause. The documentary has the potential to be a life-changing experience for women everywhere. The film not only sheds insightful light on the confusion stemming from a decade of misguided facts, it conveys poignant personal stories shared by real women and in-depth interviews with the world's most-noted experts. Click here to read the rest of the article......(0h, I hope this comes to Charlotte, I would love to see it!)

Is Vitamin D the Answer to Health Care Reform?

I get so annoyed that when I mention Vitamin D, most people just blow it off (about 70% of the population is deficient) or worse yet, tell me that if their health insurance won't pay for it, they won't take it. I am sick to death of people who refuse to take any responsibility whatsoever for their health care. I ran into this article this morning from HealthyLifestyles.com on the effect Viamin D (which is really a prohormone) could have on the nation's healthcare cost. Interesting reading, check it out!

Tackling depression without drugs

I took antidepressants for about 15 years before I got my hormones balanced, and about 6 months after starting the progesterone cream, I was able to slowly (and with physician supervision---never do this on your own) wean off the antidepressant and anti anxiety medications. (Ironically, I just interrupted writing this post to answer the door bell ---- my new shipment of Vitamin D arrived----which also helps with depression!). Check out this article from Newsday.com discussing the widespread use of antidepressants, side effects, and alternate ways (including hormone balance) of dealing with depression.

Medicalization Of Human Problems Is A Growth Industry -- But What Does It Cost?

You are likely to see a lot more about this issue on the news as the health care debate grows more heated ----- check out this article from MedicalNewsToday.com. I get hit with this a lot in conversations about bioidentical hormones "well, menopuase is a natural condition and women shouldn't rely on medications to get through it". As much as I would like to scratch the eyes out of people who smugly say things like this to me, the fact of the matter is bioidentical hormones do not "simply" relieve menopausal symptoms, hormones affect every system in the body (and I have the blood work to prove it.) My cholesterol has dropped 75 points, my bone density is much improved, my dry eyes have improved, and I now have the energy to exercise 6 days a week, and that opens up a whole new box of health improvements.

Speaking of exercise, time to head out the door for my fitness walk ---- then knitting group this afternoon. Make it a great day!

TV Alert!

The Doctors TV Show (check you local listings) is listing Friday's show as women's health issues, including "mastering your hormones". I have no illusions that it will be a show with a positive spin on bioidentical hormones, as the female doctor on the show, Lisa Masterson, is against BHRT, but I plan to watch and then "troll" the message boards afterwards to spread the word about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. It might (emphasis on might) be interesting viewing---thought I would let you know!

Don't let age creak up on you

Hi everyone, after looking at over a dozen articles today that contain my search terms estrogen, menopause, bioidentical hormones, etc. ----- not one article piqued my interest enough to share with you. However, I did run across this article in the Charlotte Observer on joint health, something we all will (or are) deal(ing) with as we hit peri/menopause. Enjoy!

This is for my readers in the Raleigh, NC area!

CARY – Sally Joseph, NP of Osteopathic Medical Arts and Brenda Singer, RN, MS of Triangle Compounding Pharmacy will present “A Natural Approach to Hormone Replacement” on Tuesday, May 25 from 6:30PM – 8:00PM. This presentation is free and open to the public and will be held at Chapel Hill Community Center located at 120 South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill. Triangle Compounding Pharmacy and Chapel Hill Parks and Recreations are co-sponsoring the presentation.

“The majority of hormone replacement products on the market today are synthetic medications that mimic human hormones,” explains Singer. “Unfortunately, because these chemicals are not exactly the same as those found in the human body, unwanted and intolerable side effects can occur. This presentation is designed to educate women about menopause and hormone replacement so they can have an informed conversation with their healthcare provider and feel confident in the decisions made about treatment.”

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is an option designed to reduce side effects through individualized dosing of hormones made to be the same in structure and function as the body’s own hormones. Bio-Identical hormones follow the same metabolic pathways, thereby restoring hormone balance.

Adds Singer, “We’ve had an enormous amount of positive feedback from women who have attended our presentations. These presentations give attendees an opportunity to gather information and ask questions in an open and non-threatening environment. All participants have something in common and the questions that arise from the presentation, and the discussions that follow, are truly beneficial to everyone who attends.”

Seating for this presentation is limited so early registration is recommended. RSVP to Brenda Singer at (919) 858-0809 ext. 415 or brenda@trianglecompounding.com. To register online, visit www.trianglecompounding.com/Home/Register.html

About Triangle Compounding Pharmacy
Triangle Compounding Pharmacy is the first pharmacy in North Carolina to earn the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board’s Seal of Accreditation. We deliver customized medications and prepare innovative, economical, and easy-to-use dosage forms for both animal and human consumption. We strive to meet each patient’s needs and work closely with the physician and patient to solve a variety of medical problems. For more information, visit www.trianglecompounding.com

Hormone Replacement Therapy and a Middle Ground for Menopause

(sigh)---No surprise here, NAMS (North American Menopause Society) has come out with a position statement that does not support the use of bioidentical hormones. Dr. David Katz has written an article for the HuffingtonPost.com about hormone replacement therapy (without even considering BHRT) and its use in menopausal women. I wrote a comment about the efficacy of BHRT in the comments section below the article, but I don't know if it will get published as I included my email in it.

Middle-Aged Men Lose Testosterone and Sleep

Most of us women already know that hormonal imbalances at peri/menopause can really disrupt our sleep (I can see you nodding your head reading this), but it turns out that men deal with disrupted sleep patterns as they age too. Check out this article from EmaxHealth.com --- and then read it to the guy you love!

Moving through midlife

Finally getting off my butt and deciding that NOT exercising was not working was one of the smartest decisions I have ever made. I started working out regularly about 4 years ago, and the improvement in many areas of my overall health are remarkable. I do water fitness at least two days a week (more in the summer, my subdivision has a pool), two days of circuit training, and at least two walks a week. I also try to do balance ball exercises a couple days a week to help with core strength.

Found this article in the CharlotteObserver.com----lists a bunch of different ways that women in their 40's and 50's can work out throughout their midlife and beyone. Enjoy, get out there and move your body this weekend, and stay safe!

Study: Megadoses of Vitamin D Offer No Benefit

I'm particularly interested in Vitamin D related research right now, since my last blood work shows I am STILL Vitamin D deficient, in spite of the 5000 IUs I take daily (damn). I'm now taking 10,000 IUs daily, and then will be rechecked in a couple months. I came across this article in Time Magazine about a study that used megadoses of Vitamin D in elderly people in Australia. The findings are interesting----click here to read the article.

Valuable New Research on Bioidentical Hormones and Stroke

If you are not subscribing already to the Virginia Hopkins Healthwatch ----- subscribe by clicking here. She sends out informative, helpful email news letters (I think it's about once a month, she will not flood your mailbox!). This latest newsletter has a great article on BHRT and the risk of stroke, click here to read it.

Menopause Survival Guide: 7 TIPS to Keep Your Sanity Intact

Another good, informative article about keeping your sanity during menopause, brought to you by The HuffingtonPost.com. Click here to read the article.....

Health Questions Women Need to Ask Their Moms

I meant to post this article from CBSNews.com yesterday in honour of Mother's Day---sorry about that, the day got away from me. It has some good tips about questions you need to ask your mom, an important one for women over 40 is when did your mom go through menopause, and what was it like. It will give you some indication of when you might expect to start peri/menopausal changes.

Take Vitamin D With Largest Meal

This article is of particular interest to me ------ I just got my latest blood work back this week, and damn it, despite the 5000 IUs daily of Vitamin D3-----I'm still too low! Bumping it up for a while to see if we can't get my levels up (and it's also going to be a great excuse to get out and get a little extra sun!). This is from WebMD.com ----- apparently we should be taking our Vitamin D with our largest meal of the day. I've been taking it in the morning with my protein shake, which is NOT my largest meal of the day. I have an email in to my doctor to ask him about this, but WebMD is usually a pretty reliable source of information.

Handling hormones is a balancing act

A positive, informative article on BHRT---from Straight.com. Click here to check it out!

Memory loss and menopause

Whoo, boy, this is a perfect article for me to share with you today. I am anxiously (really anxiously) awaiting a new shipment of progesterone and my T3 thyroid medication, I got my blood work back and I am definitely off hormonally (this happens about once a year with me, the bloodwork timing and my meds don't quite line up right). I've been really tired for a couple weeks (T3) and I am experiencing a bit of the "brain fog" I used to have pre-BHRT. It's not awful but I am used to feeling really great---so I definitely notice the difference. The mental fog/cloudiness can be one of the scariest symptoms of menopause, especially if we know someone who is dealing with dementia or Alzheimer's disease (I know two people right now, so it's always in the back of my mind). Check out this article from BellaOnline.com ---- and as always, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

How to beat belly fat during menopause

Today's article (probably applicable to all of us) is from the Moberly Monitor Index site. Belly fat is a health issue as it puts a strain on the internal organs (never mind what it does trying to find a pair of jeans that fit!). Click here to check out the article......

One more day of playing hookey from life-----

I went with three of my friends to the McGill Rose Garden in Charlotte----what a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing way to spend a morning. My camera and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I got some great pictures, enjoy the ones posted here, and you can check out the entire album by clicking here! I'll be back tomorrow to share an article or two with you on BHRT, menopause, you know, the usual stuff!

10 Health Benefits of Chocolate

That got your attention didn't it? Check out this article-----and by the way, Trader Joe's has excellent dark chocolate bars (72% cacao) 3 in a package for $1.79. I'm trying to train myself to like dark chocolate, I prefer milk chocolate.

Possible Link Between Multiple Sclerosis Brain Atrophy, Cognitive Function And Low Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D is actually a prohormone, not a vitamin, and its benefits are widespread, so I try to include an article each week dealing with some aspect of Vitamin D therapy. I sure hope this article doesn't apply to many of my readers, both personally an those you know. This is from the website MedicalNewsToday.com and it discusses a possible link between MS (multiple sclerosis), and cognitive function relating to Vitamin D levels.

Sure no natural Vitamin D to be had here today in NC, it's rainy, humid and miserable. We are not expected to get the flooding that TN and Arkansas got over the weekend, hope any of my readers from those areas are ok.