Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstrual periods permanently stop. Most physicians wait to diagnose and treat menopausal symptoms until there have been no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months, provided that no other biological or physiological causes can be identified.

Age: The average age for menopause among women in America is 51, but it can occur as early as age 30, or as late as age 60.

Symptoms of Menopause: The fluctuations in your hormone levels lead to irregular menstrual patterns affecting the length of the period, the level of flow, the time between periods, and also hot flashes (a sudden warm feeling with blushing). Other symptoms include night sweats, mood swings, depression, irritability, vaginal dryness, fluctuations in sexual desire (libido), unexplained weight gain, lack of sleep and / or insomnia, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, dry, thin and wrinkled skin, hair thinning/ or hair loss, facial hair growth and osteoporosis.

Underlying Cause: Regardless of the age of onset, the underlying cause is always the same: Hormonal Imbalance.

Perimenopause is the transition toward menopause is called perimenopause, and usually begins about 5 to 10 years before the menstrual cycles completely cease. During this time the levels of hormones produced by your ovaries fluctuate.

Q. Can you do anything about these symptoms?

A. YES! You can safely and effectively treat menopausal symptoms using Bio-Identical hormones that not only help you to feel and look better, but also help reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and various cancers.

Q. What is the difference between Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy (BHRT) and Synthetic Hormone Therapy?

A. Synthetic hormones were created to address hormonal deficiencies with a product that could be owned and controlled by drug companies through patents. Patents are very important to pharmaceutical companies, because they enable a drug company to reserve the right to sell a drug for a period of time. During that time the drugs will be priced higher to cover all the development costs. A commonly prescribed synthetic form of estrogen, called Premarin / Prempro is actually made from horse urine.

Up until a few years ago it was believed that synthetic hormones would beneficially treat women for hormonal deficiency, and also reduce their risk of stroke, heart attack, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and colon cancer. They were widely prescribed by doctors until a study by the Women’s Health Initiative came out in 2002. This study showed that for some women, the risks of these other health problems actually increased. Because these synthetic products are not the exact same molecule as the body’s innate hormones, they aren’t metabolized or detoxified in the same way as the body’s own hormones, which is the reason for the dangerous and deadly side effects. The medical community and the public reacted to this news, which in turn, led to the reintroduction of safe, natural Bio-Identical Hormones.

Bio-Identical Hormones are exact clones of the hormones that our bodies produce from birth. They are a perfect match, and are metabolized just like the hormones produced by our own bodies. They come from natural sources, such as the Mexican yam and soy.

Because the FDA has mandated that anything that occurs within nature cannot be patented, no pharmaceutical company can profit from the manufacture and sale of natural hormones in the way they can and do profit from synthetic hormones. It is only because of the smaller financial incentive to market nature’s own products, that ‘Big Pharma’s’ synthetic hormone forms ever came to be.

A recent review of 20 different studies on Bio-Identical Hormones showed significant improvement in menopausal symptoms when compared to placebo and the synthetic hormone drugs, along with a definitive decrease in the incidence of heart attack, stroke, cancer, Alzheimeris, Parkinsonis and osteoporosis.

Q. Who should take BHRT?

A. Anyone who is deficient in their hormones, whether they have symptoms or not, and who wants to experience optimal health and longevity.

Q. How is it taken?

A. There are many different methods of delivery including oral, subcutaneous pellets, creams, injections and suppositories. I prefer the subcutaneous pellet because it gives the most even release into the body, avoiding the roller coaster effect of hormone release some other forms can cause. The pellet is inserted under the skin in a simple and painless office procedure.

Q. How long does it take to obtain results?

A. Most of my patients respond favorably within three weeks and the effect lasts for several months.

The goal of Hormone Replacement Therapy is to establish and maintain OPTIMAL levels of hormones in the blood, not levels that are considered statistically normal for a person’s chronological age. This is anti-aging medicine, where the goal is to extend longevity and vitality for a longer and better quality of life.

Do your whole self a favor, and check into this! I’m here to help!