Proper perspective on menopause can help women get help needed

Women who have a healthy understanding of menopause as well as what the journey was like for their own mothers will be well-equipped to handle it themselves when the time comes. Menopause is considered one of the most significant transitions in a woman’s life and begins when her body ceases to produce the female hormone estrogen. The absence of estrogen has a profound impact upon the female body: uncomfortable symptoms are set in motion like hot flashes and mood swings, and can contribute to heart disease and bone loss.

How long a woman will likely experience menopausesymptoms can vary and be dependent on her health and family history. Women can often follow in their own mother’s footsteps. In my practice, I have cared for women who have had menopause symptoms from one to five years, and others who experience them for more. A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that the average American woman experiences menopausesymptoms for seven years.

Women need to first understand that the onset of symptoms does not always signal that she is in menopause. Menopause is officially diagnosed when a woman has not had her menstrual cycle for one full year. However, women can experience symptoms of menopausefor years up to that point. This transitional phase is calledperimenopause and can begin as early as 45 years of age.

Women who enter perimenopause will experience irregular or late menstrual cycles, and may begin having symptoms common with menopause: hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, a shift in sexual drive, mood swings and urinary issues. The age at which a woman begins experiencing symptoms as well as the pace at which the symptoms develop play a role in the severity of symptoms. Also, a sudden loss or decline in estrogen and certain behaviors such as smoking can make symptoms more intense.

For some women, menopause may come and go without much notice, but for others, it can have a dramatic effect on their quality of life. Women need to know that there is hope and help available. In the last three years, medical science has advanced significantly to provide many treatment options to help with symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) still remains a viable and safe option for women who experience vaginal dryness and hot flashes and helps safeguard from osteoporosis (or thinning of bones), according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A combination of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can also be used to treat symptoms, and women now have non-hormonal options such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, which when used in small doses can help reduce the severity of hot flashes.

Relief can also come through lifestyle changes and disease management. Avoidance of smoking, weight gain, excessive alcohol as well as controlling health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes and thyroid disease can help lessen the severity of symptoms.

Menopause is a natural event-change that all women experience in their own personal way. That’s why a strong physician-patient relationship is so important to help each woman create an individualized approach to this time in her life.

Ashok Buddhadev, MD, is an OB/Gyn physician with Premier Health Specialists who practices at Upper Valley Women’s Center in Troy.

Originally published at: http://tdn-net.com/features/health/5354/proper-perspective-on-menopause-can-help-women-get-help-needed

Borderline Testosterone Levels – Higher Rates of Depression

Researchers at George Washington University found that men referred for tertiary or lower level care for borderline testosterone levels had much higher rates of depression and depressive symptoms than those of the general population. “In an era where more and more men are being tested for “Low T” — or lower levels of testosterone — there is very little data about the men who have borderline low testosterone levels,” said Michael S. Irwig, M.D.,associate professor of medicine and director of theCenter for Andrology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “We felt it important to explore the mental health of this population.”

The research involved 200 adult men, aged 20-77, with an average age of 48, who were referred for borderline total testosterone levels between 200 and 350 ng/dL. Depression and/or depressive symptoms were present in 56 percent of the subjects. Furthermore, one quarter of the men in the study were taking antidepressants and that the men had high rates of obesity and low rates of physical activity. The most common symptoms were erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, fewer morning erections, low energy, and sleep disturbances. When we see a male patient entering the “andropause” or male “change of life” in their late 30′s to early 50′s, we typically see a male patient who complains of:

• lack of sex drive and or erectile dysfunction
• Muscle weakness or loss of strength
• Belly fat, obesity
• Depression, mood swings
• Or, they just don’t “feel the same."

These are classic symptoms of low testosterone levels or more commonly referred to “Low T.” Men can suffer from sex hormone deficiency just as women do, and be treated for this deficiency in the same manner as women that is with prescribed hormonal replacement or supplementation. The difference of course is in the primary hormone; Estrogen for women, Testosterone for men.

So when these male patients’ testosterone levels are checked and many find that their levels are below normal or at the bottom reaches of the “normal level,” the first thing they want to know is “what can you do for me?”

Four factors you can't ignore when balancing your hormones

Healthy hormones are as sweet as a well-orchestrated symphony. When working well they provide abundant energy, generous sleep, smooth skin, and emotional well-being. However, when they become imbalanced, the sky seems like it's falling and it can be a struggle to even get through a day without an emotional breakdown. This is why you need to know the major factors that affect hormones, so you can take a more comprehensive approach to rebalancing them.

Get enough vitamin D

Even though vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin, it is actually a neuro-regulatory hormone. This may explain why people experience mood swings, depression, and irritability when they are low on vitamin D exposure, such as the winter months or other areas which experience much less sunlight.

To maximize the absorption and storage of vitamin D, get in the sun and allow it to penetrate the skin for 15 to 30 minutes in peak hours of the day (the further north, and the darker the skin, the longer the exposure required), of at least the arms and legs. Vitamin D is NOT absorbed through glass, so get directly into the sun outdoors.

If sunlight is not a good option, especially during the winter months, consider a liquid Vitamin D3/K2 supplement or foods with good vitamin D content such as fermented cod liver oil.

Restore adrenal function

The adrenal glands govern much of the hormonal system and become exhausted due to overwork, stress, lack of sleep, and stimulants (caffeine, nicotine, etc.) Long term abuse of the adrenal glands can causes cellular damage that takes considerable time to repair. This damage causes the adrenals to be unable to produce the hormones we need to focus, feel alert, control our moods, etc.

Normalizing the adrenal glands often has a cascading effect on the other glands in the body and helps balance hormone production. It can take 4-6 months to restore depleted adrenals and even longer if sources of adrenal depletion are not improved (ie. stress or a daily coffee habit).

To help restore adrenal function, eat clean, whole foods and avoid any stimulants. Also consider adaptogenic herbs, B-vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, probiotics, and enzymes.

Nourish the thyroid

Thyroid imbalances can be attributed to many factors, including environmental pollutants (heavy metals), exposure to radiation (EMF's), dietary excesses or insufficiencies, certain medications, stress, and yeast infections.

A poorly working thyroid will eventually affect the production of all the other hormones in the body until every aspect of health is negatively impacted. Like the adrenal glands, many natural health care physicians will focus on the thyroid in order to restore proper functionality to all other glands and the entire body.

Rebuilding your thyroid can be tricky, depending on whether it is underactive or overactive. In either case, cleansing the digestive system is necessary, as well as reducing stress and avoiding exposure to EMFs and environmental pollutants. If you have hypothyroid (or want to know the signs) and want to heal it naturally, visit the first source below.

Eliminate bad estrogens

Xenoestrogens are man-made estrogen mimicking molecules that are significant hormone disruptors. These chemicals and disruptors cause imbalances that eventually can cause thyroid related disorders such as hypothyroidism.

Examples of xenoestrogens, which should be avoided, include:

- Plastic containers - Lining of canned food - Styrofoam cups and containers - Cosmetics and toiletries - Agricultural chemicals - Non-organic meat and dairy

Avoiding xenoestrogens after decades of exposure is only half of the equation. You must also eliminate them from your body by stimulating proper liver function so they may be eradicated from your body.