From the Doctor’s Desk: Health and Wellness Defined

Definitions.

Health can best be defined as the absence of disease.  Wellness is best defined as the existence of positive health.  So health and wellness can be best defined as the absence of disease in the presence of positive health.

Why the focus on health and wellness these days? I think modern medicine gets a failing grade. Obesity is epidemic in the American culture today. One of my patients knew that her weight was not healthy. However, her previous physician told her that she should learn to live with her new heavier weight and maybe the weight would level out. That statement haunted her and led her to find a physician who offered her more hope and solutions.

Health and wellness cannot be achieved through a traditional, allopathic (Western modern medicine) medical approach. Why? Western modern medicine (we’ll call it traditional for our purposes) uses a disease-focused model utilizing pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals block biochemical reactions, produce mitochondrial toxins, and deplete important nutrients. There is no positive health there.

In fact, the 4^th – 6^th leading cause of death is from prescription drugs (Mol Aspects Med. 2005 Aug-Oct;26(4-5):363-78). In contrast, functional medicine is a health and wellness model utilizing natural substances found in the body to enhance cellular processes. A health and wellness model looks to work with the body, to facilitate metabolic reactions and optimize physiologic function (The principles of metabolic therapy for heart disease. Heart, Lung and Circulation 2003; 12:S55-S62).

In some ways, the two are complementary; but in many ways, the two are not. I am not advocating a boycott of traditional medicine. In fact, I still practice some traditional medicine when disease exists.

The key is this — does disease exist or not?  If disease doesn’t exist, and health and wellness or health restoration is your goal, then a functional or integrative approach is the way to go to facilitate and optimize physiologic function.

So, what is a functional medicine approach?  To help define functional medicine, let’s look at a few examples.

The traditional medicine approach.

Metformin or Glucophage is a well-recognized drug used to treat diabetes.  Metformin works to improve insulin sensitivity and thus facilitate glucose uptake inside the cells.  Type II Diabetes is marked by very poor insulin sensitivity and thus blood sugar rises.  Traditional medicine prescribes Metformin to provide a 13% improvement in insulin sensitivity.

Remember, pharmaceuticals block biochemical reactions.  Metformin reduces folic acid and vitamin B12 and can elevate homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine levels increase blood clot risk (this is one of the ways that birth control pills increase blood clot risk).  Diabetics and those with insulin resistance are already at an increased risk of blood clots. Can you see how the treatment is piling on in this situation?

The functional medicine approach.

Let’s contrast that with a functional medicine approach. Vitamin D deficiency is rampant today. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in heart failure, myocardial dysfunction, sudden cardiac death, and is required for normal insulin release and glucose control.  Remember the 13% for metformin? Higher vitamin D levels resulted in a 60% improvement in insulin sensitivity (Chiu K., et al., “hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction,” Amer Jour Clin Nutr  2004).

Remember, functional medicine works with and facilitates the body’s functions. Vitamin D does not block any biochemical reactions, nor does it interfere with any. Thus, there is no negative effect comparable to Metformin. Now, too much of a good thing can be a problem. Too much Vitamin D can elevate calcium. Because of this, Vitamin D should be prescribed under the watchful eye of a physician.

Why do I do what I do?

Amazing results — as naturally as possible. This is why I practice functional medicine. This is why I created Seasons. A health and wellness model, through functional medicine, works with the body to enhance and optimize physiologic function.  Health and health restoration can only be achieved by working with the body. Let’s get out of the way and let the body heal itself.

From The Doctor’s Desk: Wellness Is Not Band-Aid Medicine

So you wake up one day and you have symptoms. You select a doctor, make an appointment, recite your symptom list, receive a diagnosis, get a prescription, take the prescription and hope that the prescription gets rid of the symptoms.

But the question is this: Are you well?

Symptom relief medicine is great, but it is reactive medicine. I call this band-aid medicine. Just throw a band-aid on it in 5-10 minutes and ignore the real underlying cause. You can relieve symptoms with band-aids, but if the cause is left unchecked (usually an imbalance of some sort), then disease will be the result.

I like to use symptoms as clues to finding the cause. I call it proactive medicine. Symptoms are the result of imbalance. Disease is the result of ignoring the symptoms. It is a progressive cycle: imbalance, symptoms, disease.

Balance is the key.  As I said above, symptoms are the result of imbalance. Medicine today has lost site of this. In the fast pace of the typical doctor’s office (even mine many years ago), all we have time for is symptom focus and treatment. There is no time for focus on cause.

You don’t have to look to far to see the importance of balance.  Look at our bodies.  They are all about balance:  two eyes, two ears, two legs…you get the picture.  This balance is by design. We should not lose sight of the fact that symptoms are the body crying out for help.

Symptoms reveal imbalances, and the imbalances can be quite diverse. They can include hormones: Estrogen/Progesterone, Thyroid/Cortisol, Growth Hormone/Cortisol, just to name a few. But imbalances can involve more than just our hormones. Neurotransmitters can be imbalanced. Have you ever heard of anxiety or depression? Neurotransmitters involve serotinin, glutamic acid, and nor-epinephrine just to name a few.  And no, anxiety and/or depression are not the result of a SSRI deficiency.

Even Fats can be imbalanced.  Everybody has heard of Omega 3.  Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory, they lower cholesterol and are good for the skin. But have you heard of Omega 6 fats. Omega 6’s are pro-inflammatory. Americans have excessive Omega 6’s in our high processed diets. The typical American diet is 24 to 1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. A healthy ratio should be 3 to 1.

Symptoms are the body’s way of asking for help. Let’s start listening.

From The Doctor’s Desk: The Moral of the Story? Hormone Balance Key To Reducing Breast Cancer Potential.

I have four kids that range in age from four to eleven. One of my favorite things to do is read them a great story. So today, let’s talk about some very important stories and the moral each one presents.

The story about breast cancer potential has more characters than just estrogen and progesterone as we discussed in my last post. There are other hormones that are integral characters in that story also. As you will learn in this post, the moral to the breast cancer story is balance — balance between all the hormones in your body.

The Story On Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) — Say That One Three Times Fast!

DHEA, a testosterone precursor, is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and plays a part in breast protection. DHEA plays an important role in supporting the immune system. DHEA stimulates the production of good T-helper lymphocytes-1 and their associated good cytokines: interferon, Interleukin-2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-beta. This is in contrast to the bad T-helper lymphocytes-2 and their bad cytokines. DHEA levels typically decline as we age. The decrease in DHEA levels are inversely correlated with increasing age-related disease. The strength of this correlation is yet to be determined, but the decline in immune system due to low DHEA is clear. So where does that leave DHEA? Individuals with low DHEA levels have more disease, and in this case, more breast cancer. The moral of this story? Low DHEA = a compromised immune system = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story On Melatonin — The Sandman Hormone.

Melatonin is the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. It is produced from the pineal gland in the brain. Low melatonin levels have been linked to breast cancer through the additional benefits of melatonin. Melatonin boosts the immune system, decreases estrogen and progesterone production, and acts as an anti-oxidant. Bench studies (non-human studies) have shown significant increase risks of breast cancer with low melatonin levels. Can you guess what happens as we age? Yes, you guessed it. Our melatonin levels fall. Ever talk to a post-menopausal woman? Most women of that age have sleep-related complaints. The moral of this story? Low melatonin = a compromised immune system = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story on Thyroid — The Energy Hormone.

How about the thyroid hormone?  The breast cancer link reaches to all hormones and everything seems to involve the thyroid these days! T4 (or better known as synthroid, levoxy, levothryoixine) is one of the most prescribed medicines today. But T4 is a very weak thyroid hormone. In fact, the body is looking for T3, a result of T4 to T3 conversion. The problem is that many individuals don’t convert T4 to T3 well. (Very often I see patients who have been on synthroid for years without symptomatic improvement even though their “levels” are said to be “good”.  I digress. That’s a subject for another post. Let’s get back to the breast cancer link.) Low T4 and T3 levels result in low sex hormone binding globulin levels (SHBG). SHBG is how some hormones are transported. When SHBG levels drop, the free availability of the hormone it transports goes up. In this case, the levels of free estradiol go up. Remember the negative breast implications of estrogen dominance from last weeks post (link)? The moral of this story? Low thyroid = low SHBG = high estradiol = estrogen dominance = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story On Insulin — The Sugar Storer

Finally, Insulin. Insulin’s primary role is in the storage of glucose. However, due to the large percentage of simple or refined sugars in our diet, insulin resistance has become a major epidemic, and, yes, insulin resistance increases the risk of breast cancer. How, you ask? High simple sugars leads to insulin resistance and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). As a result, estrogen dominance and excess testosterone are produced which leads to weight gain. Remember that fat cells produce even more estrogen and estrogen stimulates breast cell growth (link). Young women will start their cycles at an earlier age and thus will increase their lifetime exposure to estrogen without appropriate progesterone balance. And to make matters worse, traditional therapy with birth control pills for these young women increases the breast cancer risk even further. The moral of this story? Insulin resistance = estrogen dominance = breast cancer vulnerability.

Change The Ending Of The Story.

Just because any of these hormone deficiencies might produce in you symptoms which you recognize in this post doesn’t mean that you are going to have breast cancer. However, the sooner you seek hormone balance, the quicker you are going to lower your breast cancer vulnerability/potential. As you can see, the hormonal symphony is what is important. Balance! When your hormones are balanced, the result is a symphony, and in turn, your body is in tune and makes beautiful music. But when your hormones are not balanced, then…well, you know the ending of that story.

From The Doctor’s Desk: Hormone Imbalance A Contributing Factor In Breast Cancer

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) increases breast cancer. Have you read headlines like that? Or perhaps you were told that HRT caused someone’s breast cancer.

Do hormones really cause or lead to breast cancer? Think about this: every women continues to produce hormones, even after menopause. So, it cannot be that hormones in and of themselves cause cancer. Scientific evidence indicates that synthetic hormones and hormone imbalance do contribute to breast cancer.

The ABC’s of Estrogen.

Estrogen’s effects in the body are regulated through two different kinds of receptors: alpha and beta receptors. Estrogen-alpha receptors stimulate breast cell growth. Estrogen-beta receptors inhibit breast cell growth.

• Estradiol, the most potent estrogen, equally stimulates alpha and beta receptors = growth stable
• Estrone, the second most potent estrogen, stimulates alpha receptors 5:1 over beta receptors = pro growth
• Estriol, the weakest variety of estrogen, actually stimulates beta receptors 3:1 = growth inhibitory

The key element here is balance of hormones. Higher levels of estrone present in your body (produced by fat cells) result in more breast stimulation. Higher levels of estriol present in your body results in less breast cell stimulation and, therefore, breast protection. Estriol = Good. Estrone = Bad. If you have heard of someone developing breast cancer after starting Premarin, there’s a logical explanation for that. Guess what Premarin is loaded with? Premarin contains (48%) estrone (estrone = bad = breast cell stimulation).

Here are some more ugly facts about Premarin, also know as conjugated equine estrogen. Premarin actually decreases estrogen beta receptors. So, if you take Premarin, then you are taking high doses of estrone (estrone = bad) and decreasing your estrogen receptors that inhibit breast cell growth. In a nutshell: you are taking more of the bad estrogen and decreasing your amount of the good estrogen. This equates to a prime set up for breast cancer.  Don’t take my word for it. See the wonderful article by Kent Holtorf.

Progesterone: The Growth-Inhibitor Hormone

The confusion out there about estrogen and breast cancer is bad enough, but the confusion is even greater on the subject of progesterone.

Pregesterone is the key hormone in the second half of a woman’s cycle. Estrogen is the dominant hormone in the first half of your cycle (estrogen = growth = growth of the uterine lining to support implantation of an egg). The counteractive hormone to this growth phase is progesterone (progesterone = no growth = sloughing off of the uterine lining). It’s the amazing and fascinating way that woman was created.

Synthetic progestins, often prescribed, are NOT the same as the progesterone your body produces. Just look at the structure and you see that they are not. The one thing they do have in common is they both protect the lining of the uterus against excessive estrogen growth. But, that is where the similarities end.

While there are many differences between the two, our focus here will be on the difference in breast cancer potential. Simply stated, synthetic progestins are pro-breast cancer and bioidentical progesterone is breast protective. The Women’s Health Initiative (link) revealed a 26% increase in breast cancer as a result of taking synthetic progestin. The Nurse’s Health Study (link) found that synthetic progestins tripled breast cancer risk over that of estrogen only. The use of Provera, a synthetic progestin and component of Prempro, has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer by 800%!

The statistics for bioidentical progesterone are the opposite. Bioidentical progesterone has many positive breast benefits:

• Progesterone decreases estrogen production
• Progesterone moves estradiol to weaker estrone
• Progesterone moves estrone to inactive (sulfated) form
• Progesterone moves estrone to weakest/safest estriol
• Progesterone down-regulates estrogen receptors all together
• Progesterone activates the cancer protection gene, p53

The idea that progesterone is a safer alternative to synthetic progestins is not new at all.  As early as the early 80’s, there has been a call for safer progesterone over synthetic progestin counterparts. In 1981, nearly 30 years ago, L.D. Cowan showed that just having low progesterone levels increases the risk of premenopausal breast cancer risk 5.4 times.

Unfortunately, progesterone-deficient states, (or estrogen dominance) are very common in women today as a result of many factors: being overweight, PCOS, environmental xenoestrogens, excessive estrogen therapy, and perimenopause. Another study, showed progesterone to have a 400% decreased breast growth rate.

The Scientific Evidence Is Clear.

The evidence in the scientific literature is clear with regards to estrogens, progesterone, and hormone balance.

Bioidentical and synthetic hormones should NOT be used interchangeably. They are not equal. They have very different physiologic effects on the breast:  synthetic progestins (Provera notably) increase breast cancer (800%) and bioidentical progesterone protects against breast cancer (400% decrease breast growth rate).

Estrogen therapy is not for everybody and is definitely not a panacea drug; in fact estrogen dominance is a major contributor to breast cancer risk. But if estrogen therapy is needed, then estriol (Estriol = good) is the best.

Hormone balance is the key. Without estrogen and progesterone balance, a women’s cycles are irregular, and infertility can be a big problem.

You know, once we understand hormones and the balancing cycle between estrogen and progesterone, it makes perfect sense that imbalance would cause breast problems. And the scientific evidence indicates just that. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s time make sure your hormones are balanced and protect yourself from breast cancer.

From the Doctor’s Desk: Think Pink — It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

I love the change of seasons. I particularly love fall in the South. The oppressive heat of summer gives way to crisp, cool mornings, green leaves give way to brilliant colors, and college football returns.  But, October is even more special than that. October brings attention to one of the greatest fears of women — breast cancer.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

There is much to be excited about in the arena of breast cancer treatment. Earlier detection, minimally invasive surgery, and high survival rates head the list. Credit needs to be given to the great work of many organizations like the Susan G. Komen Foundation and many researchers and physicians around the world.

But, breast cancer has not given up.

Let’s look specifically at the most current statistics of breast cancer. The lifetime probability of women developing breast cancer (2003-2005) is 1 in 8.  That amounts to about 185,000 women annually. Breast cancer accounts for 27% of all cancers in women. Breast cancer accounts for 15% of all cancer deaths in women and is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in women — only surpassed by lung cancer.  

The statistics are not all bad. Breast cancer has decreased by 27% from 1990 to 2005. Five-year breast cancer survival rates are improving — 91% for Caucasian women and 78% for African-American women.

Weight contributes to breast cancer risk. Since 1960, the percentage of obesity has risen from 16% to 36% (2006). That means that 1/3 of the female population is obese. What a disturbing trend! And even worse, the trend of breast cancer has paralleled the obesity trend in women.

Here are the current Screening Guidelines:

• Yearly mammograms starting at age 40
• Clinical breast exam every 3 years for women in their 20’s and 30’s; annually after 40
• Self breast exams should begin in early 20’s

The focus in breast cancer today is on early detection and treatment.  At Seasons, we want to focus on prevention. Why ever let the cancer develop in the first place. Follow us over the next couple of weeks as we focus on how.

Confession #7: The Pursuit of Happiness and The Words of Benjamin Franklin

I’ve had a paradigm shift. Ever had one? I looked at life, health and happiness the way I’ve been raised to look at it. And then, after a life-changing situation rocked my world, I saw everything differently.

Actually, I’ve had several life-changing, rock-my-world situations over the years. I don’t think I’m unique in that regard, but I want to share with you the silver lining that illuminated my most recent cloud.

Most of my life, I believed the prescription for good health was this: get sick, go to the doctor, take all prescribed medications, get well, and go on with life. I guess you could call it a “treatment-focused” way of thinking.

Now that I’m a little older and have two children for whom I am responsible, I find myself wondering, “What can I do to PREVENT my children from being sick?” And with the looming threat of the worst flu season in decades, that curiousity about prevention is echoing loudly inside of my head.

I lived in Phoenix for nearly 15 years. One thing unique about living out west was the embrace of naturopathic and a holistic approach to medicine. If these terms are new for you, let me give you some simple definitions. Naturopathic: try a natural remedy first. Holistic: consider the whole body when prescribing treatment. For example, some research shows that honey is a very effective cough suppressant. A physician in Arizona advised me to try that with my child first before trying an over-the-counter medication. It worked. This would be a naturopathic (honey is a naturally derived substance) and holistic (a natural solution is less dangerous with no side effects, in this case) solution for a cough.

I’m certainly not in favor of abandoning all prescription medication, but I am guilty of rushing to the pediatrician in hopes of getting my child well as quickly as possible because of some upcoming committment instead of letting a cold run it’s course. Aren’t we clamoring for any pill that can end the misery in 24 hours or less? It’s a symptom of the world we live in. We’re all in a hurry to be somewhere. I am guilty of this more times than I ever want to admit.

An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure.

Benjamin Franklin said it best when he coined the phrase that’s been repeated for generations, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Former Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona echoed Franklin’s advice in an opinion published by the Arizona Daily Star.

“Sadly,” says Dr. Carmona, “in the United States spending to treat preventable chronic diseases accounts for more than 75 percent of the approximately $2 trillion we spend each year on health care. Americans spend more money on health care than any other nation, yet rank 42nd in life expectancy worldwide, down from 11th two decades ago. While our federal and state governments spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on treating diseases, they spend less than $10 per person per year to prevent diseases. We are a treatment-focused society, when the real benefits to health and happiness come from preventing diseases before they ever occur.”

Startling, isn’t it. Reading Dr. Carmona’s words reminded me that my pursuit of wellness is worth sharing. We need to jump off the bandwagon of a treatment-focused society and jump in to the pursuit of wellness.

So here we go–five suggestions for the pursuit of wellness. Are you ready to jump in?

Evaluate Your Diet.

Do you make good food choices? Are you overweight? The latest statistics indicate that 58 million Americans are overweight, 40 million are obese, and 4 million are morbidly obese. The vast majority of illness is caused or complicated by being overweight.

Evaluate Your Activity.

Do you exercise? I confess. I don’t exercise as much as I’d like. It’s really hard during this season of my life to have time for myself. But I’m learning to incorporate physical fitness into my life in different ways. I park further from the grocery store entry and WALK. I take the stairs, much to the chagrin of my kids who LOVE the elevator. I stop working at the computer for 5 minutes and do 50 situps. All these little bits of activity add up and encourage me to pursue bigger bits of activity like an hour of tennis or a bike ride with the kids.

Have A Wellness Checkup.

When is the last time you saw your physician for an annual physical? It’s easy to procrastinate. Who likes to get stuck by a needle? Annual bloodwork and screenings are an important part of pursuing wellness. Ladies, get a mammogram and do monthly breast self-exams. And men, turn your head and cough. A healthy prostate will save you a lot of heartache (and groin-ache) in the future.

Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D.

More and more studies are indicating the importance of Vitamin D in disease prevention. Our generation doesn’t get as much sun, the best source of Vitamin D, as generations before us. The level of cold and flu increases in the winter largely due to the decrease of Vitamin D in our system. If your physician doesn’t evaluate your Vitamin D level, go to one who will. A supplement might not be enough to boost your Vitamin D to an adequate level, so seek the advice of a doctor. Medical research even suggests that Vitamin D is the BEST prevention for flu–even better than the vaccine. To learn more about Vitamin D, check out other posts on our website.

Decrease Your Stress.

Stress is the enemy. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Take time to smell the flowers. My best de-stresser is weekly Bible Study. Yours might be different, but I promise my method works! I also love to read. I don’t have a lot of time for reading, but I carry a book around with me just in case.

Good luck with your pursuit. And with any luck, you and I will pursue wellness and find happiness.

Confession #6: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 3 of 3.

This is the third of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article, “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. Read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence. Third, the right approach to bioidentical hormones is balance. Fourth, there is no blanket prescription for womanhood.

Individualized Treatment Results in Balanced Hormones.

In my last post, I talked about the blanket prescription for womanhood that seems to prevail in the medical world out there. But for me, the right answer was a treatment plan that balanced my hormones.

At Seasons, my hormones were tested and found to be terribly out of whack. Dr. Goodyear developed a therapy plan which included several varieties of bioidentical hormones according to my individual needs and life changes like proper nutrition and exercise. After a period of time, they retested my hormones and adjusted my prescriptions. This cycle continues until the body returns to normal hormone levels with no bioidentical hormone support.

My course of treatment will soon come to an end. It has been nearly a two year journey marked by gradual and noticeable improvement. I feel so much better now. And girl has it been interesting! I am so much more educated about my body and how it works.

I also have more courage. I stood up to “hearsay” with scientific evidence. I feel comfortable researching medical issues. I am aware that there are multiple sides to any story. I am confident I made the right choice for me.

Give Kudos To Courageous Women.

Right or wrong, Oprah and Suzanne Somers said, “Hey…traditional medicine isn’t working for us! Is somebody listening?” Many of us echo that sentiment. I’ve had multiple conversations with multiple doctors in different states about my health problems. No one seemed to have an answer other than those treatments du jour I mentioned in Confession #5.

The fact is, Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert (authors of the Newsweek article), women listen to Oprah because they identify with her. She listened to us. She is one of us. She came from nothing, worked hard, made her dreams come true, and now helps her viewers and listeners accomplish their goals. She has challenged us to run marathons, read books, and ask questions. We listen when she asks questions! And we listen when she offers solutions.

And this time, she found the same health solution that I did.

Confession #5: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 2 of 3.

This is the second of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. First, read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence.

Bioidentical hormones are not the “solution of the week.” They are not a trend. Many out there are claiming bioidentical hormones are the cure for all that ails you. Seasons doesn’t make that claim. They are, however, a great solution for many women.

The Seasons Approach to Bioidentical Hormones is Balance.

The key to weathering the hormonal storms of womanhood is balance: balance between what we eat and how much exercise we get; balance between work and play; balance between rest and activity.

We also need balance on the inside. Balance between estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid, and melatonin. When these hormones became imbalanced (as mine did), we develop symptoms: hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, mental fog, weight gain, just to name a few. This may or may not have anything at all to do with menopause (mine was stress and pregnancy related). But once these hormones are back in balance, the symptoms diminish or disappear.

And, oh, the bliss when the symptoms disappear! Don’t underestimate the value of just plain old “feeling good.” (Ladies, feel free to chime in with an Amen here!)

There Is No Blanket Prescription for Womanhood.

We can’t just take three pills and feel better (and if that doesn’t work, just do a hysterectomy). But that seems to be how modern medicine treats us. Think about it. We all have different bodies, different levels of hormones. These hormones are affected by environment, genetics, stress, pregnancy, etc. There’s no way my hormones and yours could be the same. Our lives are different. Our genetics are different. It just doesn’t make sense that our solutions should be the same.

So why is it that many physicians want to prescribe the same treatment for all of us? Birth control pills and anti-depressants are the prescription du jour for women between 30 and menopause. And for the those approaching/in/completing the BIG change of seasons (menopause), the prescription du jour is synthetic hormones and (yes) anti-depressants. Don’t get me wrong, here. There are some who need an anti-depressant for true symptoms of depression. But as a blanket prescription for womanhood, anti-depressants are a bad idea.

In fact, my husband told me a few years ago that I was the only wife he knew who wasn’t taking an anti-depressant – he and his friends actually had this conversation. That’s not to say I wasn’t having mood-swings. I just flat-out refused to take an anti-depressant even though my physician at the time offered it as an option. I knew depression was not my issue. It was something else. I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

You know, when the solutions you are offered in life just don’t work, you have to keep searching, especially when you just don’t feel good and you want your life back. I did keep searching. And I found a solution that worked. In my next post, I’ll complete my comments and share with you my solution.

See you there.

Confession #4: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 1 of 3.

Crazy Talk.

I’ve heard that expression before. But when I heard the Newsweek headline about Oprah was entitled “Crazy Talk,” I was scared to read the article.

Why was I scared? You see my own personal experience with bioidentical hormones has made me a huge advocate. When Oprah revealed on national TV that bioidentical hormone therapy had worked for her, I was thrilled! “Maybe Oprah’s support will encourage her viewers to learn more about them,” I thought. “Maybe her media power will help open the closed minds of many traditional doctors…give them a reason to listen when their patients ask questions…”

A week after it was published, I finally mustered up enough courage to read the article. It wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. The article certainly had a negative tone, but it was more about Oprah’s power than bioidentical hormones.

Read the Newsweek Article For Yourself.

The most important thing we can do is think for ourselves. To read the article at Newsweek’s website (“Best Life or Risky Advice?”, Newsweek, published 6/30/09), click here.

The authors, Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert, point a finger at one major issue: Oprah has an unopposed platform to air her views and give credibility to whatever she chooses. That’s true. Oprah’s greatest accomplishment is her media power, through television, radio, print and her website. With that great power comes great responsibility. Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert work on the assumption here that Oprah has missed the boat on the responsibility part. And while I might agree with some (or even much) of what they said, I think they “threw the (bioidentical hormone) baby out with the bath water.”

Make Medical Decisions Based On Medical Research and Evidence.

There is definitely controversy on the topic of bioidentical hormones, and plenty of it: controversy between traditional medicine and a more progressive approach to medicine; controversy between drug companies and compounding pharmacists; even controversy between doctors and their patients.

But there is also plenty of research and evidence that supports the use of bioidentical hormones. Loads of it, actually. Spend a little time exploring the Seasons website and you will find numerous links to research articles. I encourage you to read for yourself!

In my next post, I’ll continue with more thoughts on the “Crazy Talk” article.

See you there.

All Estrogens Are Not Created Equal

There is a lot of confusion in the medical and non-medical communities regarding estrogens. Many today think there is only one estrogen. Many today think bioidentical estrogens and synthetic estrogens are identical in structure and function. Many today think estrogen production stops after menopause or after a total hysterectomy. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The body never stops producing estrogens. The body, in fact, produces 3 types of estrogens: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. These are the natural estrogens native to the body and the foundation of bioidentical hormone replacement of estrogen.

A woman’s body produces estrogens in various places. Most people knows that ovaries produce estrogens. But did you know that the adrenal glands and fat cells produce estrogens, too? Think about that for a minute. This explains why women of all ages continue produce estrogen. Our adrenal glands don’t disappear at menopause. And fat cells certainly don’t. So how do we know if a woman needs estrogen?

Let’s look more closely at the 3 main estrogens produced in the body.

• estradiol
• estrone
• estriol

Estriol is a good place to start. Estriol is the weakest of all Estrogens. A woman’s placenta produces very large amounts of estriol during pregnancy. However, estriol is not confined to pregnancy. The liver produces small amounts, too. Estriol primarily affects a woman’s hair, nails, skin, and her vaginal lining. Studies also suggest estriol has potential in breast cancer prevention because estriol binds to specific receptors (beta-receptors) in the breast that inhibit breast cell growth. All other estrogens would be expected to increase breast cell growth (which can lead to cancer) through activity with alpha-receptors.

Estrone is the second most potent estrogen. Estrone is predominately produced in fat cells after menopause. Overweight women have high circulating estrone levels. Unfortunately, 63% of American women are overweight or obese, so many women have high estrone levels. Estrone levels rise even more after menopause, and estrone has been implicated in breast tumors in animal studies. (Scientists say this because estrone has a 5:1 affinity for alpha breast receptors, but that’s pretty technical.) Just remember that alpha-receptors increase breast cell growth. You could say estrone encourages breast cell growth, and that can lead to uncontrolled breast cell growth. We call that breast cancer.

Estradiol is the most potent estrogen. Estradiol is produced predominately from the ovaries. This means a woman will have less estriadiol after menopause because her ovaries are producing less. Estradiol is the main stimulus for growth of the lining of the uterus in the first 2 weeks of the monthly cycle, and it helps in triggering ovulation. Like estrone, estradiol has been implicated in breast tumors. It has a 3:1 affinity for alpha-receptors in the breasts, which promote breast cell growth and can lead to cancer.

That’s a lot of information for one blog post, I know. But remember the overall point. Bioidentical hormone therapy is much more than the use of bioidentical estrogen. It is about which estrogens your body needs to maximize efficacy, reduce side effects, and prevent disease.

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