You either love it, or hate it, or just suffer bravely
through it, if you are a woman.
All women have to go through menopause; it’s as certain as
‘death and taxes’. The only difference is how a woman experiences menopause.
The word ‘menopause’ is self- explanatory; it means that menstruation stops and
the childbearing years are over.
For some women this
is a true blessing because they don’t have to worry about pregnancies anymore,
but for some it feels like a part of their womanhood is disappearing. This
makes menopause as much of a physical event as a mental and emotional one. Men
usually just look on, either with amusement about the obvious changes in their
partner, or they are scared and irritated because they don’t understand the
‘new woman’ they are now dealing with.
Even some women
don’t know how to handle the changes that happen in their bodies and emotions.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of miss- understanding and miss-information about
how to best support the changes a woman experiences somewhere between the ages
of 45 to 54. Some of you may experience changes in your body that signal the
onset of pre or peri-menopause in your 30’s, and some are lucky to enter
menopause as late as in their 60th.
When I asked some
women about what they think menopause is, most of them were only talking about
the terrible ‘hot flashes’ they experience. When I asked about whether they
would consider any hormonal replacement therapy ( HRT ), they looked at me as
if I was crazy to even consider something as dangerous as that. Of cause they
believed that HRT causes an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer, heart
disease, blot clots, etc. This used to be the case, and still is if a woman
takes synthetic estrogens that are foreign to her body. One such
often-prescribed estrogen replacement medication is ‘Premarin’, which comes
from the urine of a mare
(a pregnant
horse).
Now why in the
world would you want to swallow a pill that comes from that source when there
are plant substances that are biologically much closer to a woman’s own
hormones. Plant derived hormone replacement can be achieved safely and to a
great benefit to a woman’s quality of life. Natural botanical compounds are the
basis for what is known as ‘bio-identical hormone replacement’, which can be
adjusted to a woman’s needs and are not limited to the estrogens, but also
include progesterone and testosterone. A woman needs all three in perfect
balance to feel great and go with much vigor, beauty and self-esteem through a
most enjoyable times of her life when her children are grown and grand children
are so much fun to play with. A cranky, tired and depressed woman is no fun for
anybody. This can and should be prevented not only for the quality of her life
and that of her husband and family, but also to protect her from the inevitable
breakdown of her body systems, starting with the weakest link.
All body systems
are connected to each other, which means that when one hormone declines or a
gland system shuts down production of one or more hormones, it gives a death
signal throughout the body.
From now on
everything is going downhill with your health. Some experience it gradually,
and are not disturbed by the onset of the aging process, while others feel a
quick and steady decline in their health and wellbeing. Luckily we can support
healthy aging and eradicate, or at least minimize many of the usual discomforts
like sleep disorders, irritability, tiredness, loss of sex drive, weight gain
(especially around the waist), osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart
disease, thinning hair, wrinkles and sagging skin. Not a nice picture!
Let me ask you:
what would you do with your car if you could have only one in your lifetime?
Would you not be passionate about preserving and replacing everything that
gives the first signal of future breakdowns? I am not talking so much about the
external beauty, but the functional capacity, the motor and all its components
to assure a safe and smooth ride. Well, your body is that vehicle; the only one
in this lifetime. As it gets older, it needs more maintenance and replacements.
Your hormones run almost everything in your body. Would it not make total sense
then to keep your hormonal profile at the optimum level? Ask a qualified
healthcare professional to check your hormones. This can be done through a
simple saliva, urine, or blood test. Compounding pharmacies can prepare the
exact combination that is right for your body. This is done by prescription
from a physician who is trained in the field of anti aging.
The best delivery system for bio identical hormone
replacement is through the skin in way of creams or lotions. This way the
remedy enters the blood without becoming an added burden for the liver.
Dr. Angelika
Christie is the
managing director of Radiant Health Center
You either love it, or hate it, or just suffer bravely
through it, if you are a woman.
