Real Cougar's Guide To a PURR-FECT Menopause

It would be nice if there was a one-size-fits-all answer allowing every women to breeze through menopause.  Unfortunately there isn't!  And, whether you're 30,40 or 50 there's going to be changes in your body that you never expected. 

If you're anything like me, when you start to see and feel these changes, you're going to have a zillion questions.  Is hormone therapy is right for me?  Will my sex drive ever come back?  Why are my belly and waist  getting bigger when I'm eating and exercising the same way? Why is my skin looking dry and sallow? Why am I so cranky?

When my hormones started to rebel, I wasn't prepared.  I was afraid of getting older and the onset of menopause confirmed I had arrived where I didn't want to be. That fear, real or imagined, turned my life inside out.  I was only 48 but felt more like 80.

Menopause is a wake up call for your body, mind and spirit.  It's a journey.  For me the journey had a rocky start but turned into a great adventure.  I made it my business to learn everything I could about the aging process and what I could do to stay ahead of the curve.  This research project took years but  now I have  truckloads of important information every woman needs to know.

The Real Cougar's Guide to a PURR-FECT Menopause is a small resource guide.  I wrote it because women don't have enough time to do their own research. So now you'll have everything you need to know consolidated in a quick, easy-to-read format. Every doctor I interviewed told me they want their patients to do their homework before seeing them.  They want you to ask questions.  You lower your risk of medical error when you are informed.

Here are just of the few topics I cover in the book:

             10 essential questions to ask your doctor
             the truth about hormone therapy an breast cancer
             bioidentical hormones vs synthetics
             the natural approach to menopause

To find out how hormonal hotties are staying cool please click here.

Estrogen Helps Memory Loss in Women

Menopause related memory loss is a common occurrence for many women.  We joke about those "senior moments" but at the same time find them scary and frustrating.  With all the news about baby boomers contracting Alzheimer's Disease we can't help but wonder if this is the beginning of something a lot worse.

But, there is some good news to report.  My doctor has been telling me this for years, but unfortunately women aren't hearing enough about it. Estrogen helps the brain. Not the conjugated equine estrogen found in Premarin, but 17-beta estradiol the more natural alternative.

Once again I have to congratulate Melinda Beck over at the Wall Street Journal.  She is reporting on research that shows the positive effects for women using bioidentical hormones.  She is giving us both sides of a very controversial issue.

Yesterday she wrote a column on memory loss that I think you should read.  In the article there are resources where you can find more documented information on the subject. 

To read Melinda's Beck's column click here.

Wall Street Journal - Sorting Through Menopause Hormones

In today's Wall Street Journal Melinda Beck wrote a fair and well-balanced article on a woman's choice when it comes to Hormone Replacement Therapy.  The articles on this subject are usually so one-sided with nary a mention of bioidentical choices.  This one is different.  To read it click here.

I sent Ms. Beck an email suggesting she interview women who are taking bioidentical hormones just to hear what they have to say.  I have been using them for over 10 years and really do believe they protect our brains, bones, heart, skin and even work to fight depression. 

If you are using them I would love to hear your opinion.  You can leave your comments below or email me at linda@highyieldliving.com. 

Dr. C.W. Randolph Speaks Out On Synthetic Hormones

  Last week The Journal of American Medical Association released a study that indicates women who took synthetic hormone drugs for more than five years continue to have an elevated risk of developing cancer years after they stopped taking the drugs.  What follows is a release put out by Dr. C.W. Randolph responding to results of that study.

C.W. Randolph, Jr., M.D., an expert in the field bio-identical hormone replacement therapies, said "The publication of this study's finding is so important. I have been so concerned that even after the 2002 results of the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) linking synthetic hormone usage to an increased risk of invasive breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer's disease - the pharmaceutical industry continued to aggressively market these same drugs to both physicians and women as safe and effective options. Now, with this data, it will be harder for those manufacturing synthetic hormones for a profit to submerge the truth and harm the health of innocent women."

Dr. Erika Schwartz Speak Out Against Wyeth

Here is an article I thought you should read.  It comes from Dr. Erika Schwartz's blog.  This is the link to her website for lots of other interesting information.

Here's some news that will make us all depressed - Wyeth has won FDA approval for its new antidepressant Pristiq. Yes, the same FDA who has just told us "bioidentical hormones" don't exist, the same FDA who has told compounding pharmacists to stop using Estriol, the mildest of estrogens when it helped hundreds of thousands of women with menopausal symptoms. Yes, the FDA whose mandate is to protect the public has spoken again. This time, it didn't take one of its hundreds of FDA approved dangerous flops off the market, this time it has added yet another antidepressant to an already endless list of drugs that don't' work to the market.

Unfortunately this is proof yet again that the FDA is more anxious to protect Wyeth's profits than the wellbeing of the American public.

Midlife Suicides Rise 20% - What's Going On?

Earlier this month I wrote a blog on how midlife is the toughest time for most of us.  Yesterday in the New York Times there was a front page article on how 40 to 64 year olds are deciding to end the pain by taking their own lives.  The lack of research as to the why this is happening is giving way to a myriad of theories. 

One of the more popular theories was a drop in hormone replacement therapy after the Women's Health Initiative scared both women and doctors back in 2002.  Personally, I believe this more than a theory.  When your hormones are not in balance it affects everything about you.  They control how your body functions. 

Dr. Christiane Northrop Says "The Smile" Renews Sexual Desire

Dr. Christiane Northrop was back on Oprah yesterday.  You remember the last time she appeared talking about Oprah's thyroid condition it caused quite a stir.  This time it was all about answering questions from the audience.  The show got up close and personal regarding female health issues. Every topic from vaginal odor to urinary incontinence was covered in detail. 

One of the women who was part of an assembled female forum asked Dr. Northrop how to get back her sex drive after having undergone a hysterectomy.  Her surgery was a couple of years ago but she hasn't been able to regain her sexual desire.  That's not unusual.  After you lose your ovaries you lose your ability to produce estrogen and testosterone which are the hormones of desire. Dr. Northrop says "you can use your mind and your breath to energize.  Send a big ball of energy down there.  Because you know what?  They didn't take away your clitoris."

   

Bioidenticals & Compounding Pharmacies Under New Attack

Once again the FDA is cracking down on compounding pharmacies.  These are the folks that customize all of our bioidentical hormones for us.  This newest threat is yet another part of the continuing debate on whether bioidenticals are as safe as the synthetic variety.  Wyeth, the largest maker of synthetic hormones, is constantly stirring this pot because they see their revenues going down as more women switch over to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Over 70,000 comments were sent to the FDA defending these pharmacies. This is encouraging and shows how those of us using bioidenticals want to continue using them. The longer this contentious debate goes on the more these numbers will grow. The North American Menopause Society estimates 6,000 women reach menopause every day which comes to approximately two million each year.

Antidepressants for Menopause- I Don't Think So

In my opinion, treating menopausal symptoms with an antidepressant is equivalent to killing a mosquito with a machine gun.  This treatment may be viewed as a new approach, but in fact, doctors having been handing out these prescriptions far too long. 

Menopause researchers say antidepressant use is becoming increasingly common as both women an doctors seek alternatives to hormones.  None of these serotonin-altering drugs are specifically approved for hot flashes, so doctors that do prescribe them are doing so "off label".

Menopause: Can We Stop It From Happening?

Today's blog post is longer than usual.  That's because it contains a lot of interesting information and I think it's something all women should read.  I want to thank Beth Rosenshein for her article in "The Townsend Letter".  I have extracted what I believe to be the highlights from that article.  This is worthwhile reading for all of us.

Menopause might be natural, but it's still organ failure.  Ovarian failure is what creates menopause. Beth Rosenshein author of "Preventing Menopause" believes any organ failure results in ill health. The entire body suffers from the loss of the ovarian hormones and the deficiency is called "hypogonadism."

The ill effects of hypogonadism, particularly over a long period of time, are well-documented and are not gender specific. It's known as the condition where your sex hormones are at lower than normal levels.