Estrogen Therapy Has Been Used For 60 Years

Did you know that estrogen was first offered as a prescription therapy for menopause symptoms 60 years ago?  Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life cycle; yet it often comes with very uncomfortable symptoms.  Not all women suffer with menopause, but some experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal discomfort, to name a few.  In 1949 estrogen in the form of “premarin” was a welcome solution.

In 2002, women were shaken by the publication of a study by the National Institute of Health.  This study found that women receiving a particular form of estrogen/progesterone therapy had an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.  Since then there have been four significant changes in our use of estrogen:

1. We weigh the serious risks against the benefits of estrogen use;
2. We use lower doses for shorter periods of time;
3. Our interest in bioidentical hormones has increased; and
4. More women explore alternative ways to manage symptoms.

Why is Estrogen Therapy Widely Used?

For many women the benefits of estrogen therapy continue to outweigh the risks.  Key benefits of using estrogen are relief or protection from:

• Hot flashes,
• Night sweats,
• Insomnia,
• Moodiness,
• Vaginal dryness,
• Urinary tract infections,
• Depression,
• Memory problems,
• High cholesterol,
• Osteoporosis, and
• Colon cancer.

What are the Risks of Estrogen Therapy?

On the negative side of the equation, women have to consider side effects such as breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding, vaginal discharge, bloating, nausea, headache, moodiness, hair loss and aggravated endometriosis.  There are also serious risks to consider:

• Blood clots,
• Stroke,
• Heart attack,
• Breast cancer,
• Increased triglyceride levels,
• Gallbladder disease,
• Increased risk of dementia when started at age 65 or over , and
• Uterine cancer for women with ovaries (An estrogen/progestin combination is a solution).

Are Bioidentical Hormones Safer?

Some women feel safer with bioidentical hormones. These hormones are made from yam or soy and have the same chemical makeup as human estrogen.  Some can be prescribed and are approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration.  Others are unregulated and available over the counter.  Overall, there has not been enough scientific study of bioidentical alternatives for us to know how safe these treatments are.  They may have the same risks as other estrogen medications.

Deciding to Explore Estrogen Therapy

Women with the following medical histories and conditions should not take estrogen:

• Personal or family history of breast cancer,
• History of hormone-sensitive cancer,
• Unexplained uterine bleeding,
• Liver disease,
• Blood clots,
• Cardiovascular disease, and
• Gallbladder disease.

If you don’t have any of the above conditions and you are very stressed by menopausal symptoms, consider estrogen therapy options.  You may also want to explore lifestyle changes that reduce side effects and enhance the positive effects of medication.

Are you going through menopause and want to stay active, healthy, and feeling like yourself? Don’t wait another minute to relieve menopause symptoms and start a diet plan that works for your life!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-health-articles/menopause-and-estrogen-therapy-944712.html

I know as a woman when you think of testosterone you think of its relationship to men but it serves a very important purpose for us as well. What most people don’t know is that the testosterone hormone is one of the six hormones that the female reproductive organs produce. In this article I will outline some very important roles testosterone plays regarding menopause. It is my intention to provide with you lots of factual information so that you are more comfortable with the topic.

Testosterone therapy may be beneficial to women in many different ways. Studies show that when women lose their libido, testosterone therapy may help as this is one of the signs that their body has a testosterone deficient present. Our bodies naturally produce testosterone (also called androgens) in the ovaries and adrenal glands. Testosterone is important to us before and after menopause because there are many benefits to this hormone:

• It improves our sexual desire
• It decreases the tenderness of our breasts
• Enhances our orgasms

Of course there are other benefits of testosterone therapy but this list is just to give you an idea of ways that it can potentially improve your health and lifestyle.

Testosterone therapy has been around since the 1930′s and women are still resistant to try it because there are a lot of myths that have placed fear in women. This therapy as with others has risk factors. Women can experience the development of facial hair, acne, over-sexuality and voice changes. I know this sounds like a lot but think of it this way; there is usually a price to pay for beauty and good health. Don’t you want your body to be in the best shape possible? Don’t you want to feel healthy like you did prior to reaching menopause? The best advice I can give to anyone would be to do all that you can to take care of your body. Getting older is a part of life that we cannot skip over and unfortunately it brings on some conditions that put our bodies through a bunch of tests but we can overcome these challenges with a lot of patience, hard work and perseverance. I am not telling you anything that I have not told myself time and time again.

I have not reached my menopause stage yet but soon I will and I welcome the transition and the challenge. As a woman, I know it seems that we have more difficulties with our health and our bodies than men but that is what makes us so unique and special. Men cannot have babies (well men born males cannot), they do not have to deal with the bleeding as a result of a menstrual cycle, they do not have to breast feed the children, but this does not make them any less susceptible of going through other health issues and it certainly does not make them the superior sex. Men still have health issues like prostate cancer of which we do not have to be concerned about. Remain positive.

Are you going through menopause and want to stay active, healthy, and feeling like yourself? Don’t wait another minute to relieve menopause symptoms and start a diet plan that works for your life!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-health-articles/testosterone-and-menopause-944714.html

How will you keep a firm grip on the affects of “the change,” if you are not making any lifestyle changes? No, this is not a trick question; rather a serious question for you to ask yourself. Menopause can be treated and the symptoms can be kept to a minimum but it takes a lot of hard work and time on your part. In this article, you will be able to identify healthy living habits and hopefully use them in your everyday lives.

You can make significant changes with your menopausal state by becoming more physically active. No ladies, get your minds out of the gutter, I am talking about through exercise. Exercise allows your body to use muscles that you no longer were aware worked, boost your energy levels and improve your health and mood. It is very common for a woman to go through menopause and have the need to change their daily activities and health habits while they are going through “the change” simultaneously.

How much do you weight? As a woman, that is one very touchy question that we seldom like to avoid. Realistically do you know how much you weigh? Do you know what your ideal weight is for a person your age, with your weight and height? This is extremely important to know so that you can have a general idea of the way you should look. I always tell people that we are all unique in design. What this really spells out to is do not expect to look like the person next to you, at the age and height that they are. We were all made different for a reason. I can assure you that if I check my weight and height for my age, it will more than likely say that I am obese. Am I obese? No.

Making better eating choices and watching what goes in your mouth will definitely improve your health. Now is the time to start drinking more water, counting your calories, watching your fat intake and consuming smaller portions of food. I definitely do not want you to become some health freak who begins to starve themselves or overeat in order to vomit later on. No, I want you to develop and continue healthy eating habits that can help you reduce the risks of other conditions like heart disease which can be linked to menopause. I cannot be by your side monitoring you everyday so I am trusting you to do the right thing. Do not let yourself and everyone else who cares for you down. Your life depends on it.