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 #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.

Can I Feel Good Again?

Am I destined to a life of feeling sub-par? Can I feel good again? Or am I forever limited to my health as it is right now? The answer is an emphatic no. In this video, Dr. Nathan Goodyear answers these questions and discusses our revolutionary approach to women’s healthcare.

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Pelvic Floor Therapy: Help for Your Leaky Bladder

No. You may not need bladder surgery! Learn about pelvic floor therapy, an early intervention in-office therapy offered at Seasons which can prevent the need for bladder surgery and help patients regain control of their bladder. In this video, Dr. Nathan Goodyear discusses pelvic floor therapy as an early intervention treatment for leaky bladder issues.
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