Menopause can be a difficult time for most women.  The symptoms that accompany menopause can make life very difficult, even sometimes unbearable.  This often leads women to seek any medication necessary to alleviate the symptoms, even if it may be unhealthy.  The problem is that most women are commonly recommended drugs for menopause that are synthetic drugs, usually synthetic hormones, which can pose a variety of dangerous side effects.  The body often rejects these hormones, which can lead to more serious health problems.

Menopause occurs in women commonly between the ages of 48-55.  Some of the symptoms may include hot flashes, night sweats, poor moods, and sexual discomfort.  These symptoms may seem a minor annoyance at first, but they often cause more serious problems in your body.  Extreme hot flashes can often be accompanied by severe headaches, nausea and sometimes even irregular heartbeats.  Of course, these symptoms may be coupled with any other health problem you may be having.

Sometimes, this may all seem too much for a person to handle, but what is the solution?   Well you could take no action at all, and just suffer from these symptoms of low hormone levels.  Your symptoms may increase, or may just subside over time, or you can choose hormone replacement therapy.  The problem with hormone replacement therapy is that it can be effective, but is not always safe.  Take synthetic hormones for example.  Many doctors specifically prescribe synthetic hormones, even though they ares not completely safe for the body.  The body is not accustomed to recognizing these unnatural hormones, and often rejects them altogether.  This can lead to negative side effects such as increased hot flashes, water retention, even possibly cancer.

The safest way to treat the symptoms of menopause effectively is biodentical hormone replacement therapy.  Biodentical hormones are in no way different molecularly, from the hormones our bodies produce naturally.  Because of this molecular integration, the body does not reject them as being foreign entities, and therefore this is the only safe method of conducting hormone replacement therapy.  Why would you want something in your body that was once in a horse’s body, or made out of horse urine, like one of the most commonly prescribed synthetic hormones, Premarin, which is made from the urine of female horses? Is this something you want in your body?  I would be guessing, probably not.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

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One day, a couple had an appointment in Boston, MA.  While walking down the street, they saw this thin, fragile elderly woman on the corner.  She was very well dressed, her hair was done, and she was even wearing some makeup.

Supported on her cane, she was looking around kind of confused, and the couple was concerned as it was a very hot and humid day, so they approached her and the wife asked her if she needed help.  With a sweet smile on her face, she said she was looking for her dentist’s office, but was not sure she was going the right way.

She explained she suffered from glaucoma and could not see very well.  She mentioned the doctor’s address, and the couple assured her it was just on the other side of the street; they were more than happy to help her get there.  While they walked with her, she explained that although she was not blind, she could not see the curb clearly so she could trip and fall.

The couple guided her onto the sidewalk and she told them she could make it to the doctor’s office by herself, so they wished her the best and she started to go her way.  All of a sudden, she turned and started talking to them about her life and family.  She was 90 and her older sister was 95 and alive.  Even as the couple explained they were late for an appointment, the lady went on talking.  She talked about her late husband, osteoporosis and her son, who happens to be one of the best bioidentical hormone doctors in the city, among other things.  She was very excited to be talking to someone and didn’t want the conversation to end.

She was THAT lonely.  The couple really wanted to stay and listen to her for as long as she needed, but they had an important appointment and had to leave, so the conversation was finally ended in a clumsy way.

As they left her, they turned around to watch her struggling to get to the dentist’s office, and they wondered if the doctor son knew his mother was walking alone to go to the dentist in such a hot day.

Everything that happens to us has a meaning, and when you experience something like this encounter it makes you think.  Do we think enough about our parents?  Do we cherish what they did for us, how they sacrificed themselves and do we show them our deep love for them?  Are we able as kids and young adults to leave ourselves behind a little and think of others in a selfless way?

Some mothers, by being who they are, are able to motivate kids so much as to prompt them to help them and spare them some work, and some adults have been blessed with being able to give a lot to their parents, not just financially, but emotionally.  Even though, many elderly people are neglected and set aside; and the reason for this is that today’s society is not only up to its head in materialism and self-love, but has gotten used to disposing of the old.  Instead of fixing things, we throw them away and buy new ones, “better” ones, more modern ones; and we do the same with people.

The elderly are not getting any younger, so they have to be tossed out; and this is a shame.  There is so much an elderly person can offer; so much wisdom, purity of thought and peace.

We are all headed that way, and although there are many ways to enhance life quality today- like the one provided by the sweet lady’s doctor son- and enjoy great health for much longer years, everyone will eventually get there, and one can only hope we will be holding a loved one’s arm instead of a cane while walking down the street to visit the doctor.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

Skin care and anti-aging products have been around forever. Age is revealed most by skin appearance, thus the effort to prevent the passage of time from reducing the youthful appearance of our skin. Bio identical hormone replacement therapy could aid in fighting unpleasant menopause symptoms, like acne and dry skin, but you may need a more specific route to tackle skin-care issues. There are many products available in the market today that claim to be (each of them independently) the one ingredient to achieve the objective.  This text is meant as a short and sweet description of available products and their functions.

The first group of ingredients is humectants. Humectants are substances used to retain moisture. Their chemical name is hygroscopic. This term simply means that a substance is able to absorb ambient water. The most common humectants added to creams, lotions and such other skin care products is glycerin (sometimes also called glycerol). Glycerin can be synthetic, in other words, made by man – mostly from petroleum derived raw materials; and glycerin can also be natural. It can be obtained from both vegetable and animal fats.

There are other common humectants, such as mineral oil. This product occurs in many cosmetics, but it can build up under the skin and cause it not to be able to absorb nutrients. Therefore, mineral oil has been gradually but surely retired from skin care products.

Humectants are important because they absorb water and can actually bring it into the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). Humidity helps reduce degrading of skin cells.

The next type of ingredients is occlusives. The function of occlusives is basically to prevent water from leaving the skin by evaporation. Evaporation is the process through which liquid water turns to its gaseous phase and is released onto the atmosphere.  Castor oil, beeswax, and lanolin are some examples of occlusives. The disadvantage of occlusives is that they are often greasy and can leave an undesirable coat on the skin that can cause pore clogging. Keep in mind that occlusives are best applied to damp skin.

Emollients are meant to reside on the outermost layer of skin and lubricate. Lubrication is needed to maintain pliability and smoothness. Sunflower oil and soy bean oil are examples of emollients.  These substances are supposed to “fill in” gaps between skin cells that are in the process of being shed and those still in good condition.

There are other ingredients present in skin care products, but the above three are the basic ones. You can make more educated choices by determining what you are after and reading the ingredients disclosed on product labels. Some products such as coenzyme Q10, vitamin E and other antioxidants are added to skin care products due to their acclaimed restoration properties.

No one product is all-effective and human kind has yet to discover a true anti-aging ingredient, but the above are helpful in maintaining a healthier and more resilient skin.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, according to the most recent information available (from 2005), breast cancer is the number one cause of death in Hispanic women and the second most common in every other racial group. For 2008, The American Cancer Society estimated 184,450 new cases of breast cancer in both sexes. Because of the important threat that this condition poses as a cause for death, it is advised that women practice a simple, tactile examination of their breasts at home in order to find any lumps or inconsistencies in their breasts. Any physician or OB-GYN can quickly train a woman on how best to conduct this test. If you are currently undergoing a hormone replacement therapy, you should seriously consider consulting bioidentical hormones doctors; experts have found there is a higher risk of breast cancer among women who take synthetic hormones. Bioidentical hormones pose no such threat.

In addition to screening and examinations, other ways to defend against breast cancer are diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

In general, antioxidants are considered beneficial in the fight against cancer or any other degenerative disease. There are, however, other beneficial nutrients that every woman – and certainly every woman diagnosed with breast cancer – should include in her diet.

If you are or have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you should be more assertive in including certain ingredients. The following is a summary of these. The ones marked with an asterisk are considered more important and beneficial for someone at high risk of breast cancer.

• ANTIOXIDANTS *

Flax seed oil, preferably cold-pressed, is a very good source of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids

• LYCOPENE

This substance is contained in tomatoes, grapefruit, and guavas, among other produce. Its cancer-fighting reputation has been known for some time

• FATTY ACIDS*

Fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, contain omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids

• ANTHOCYANINS (Antioxidant flavonoids)*

You can get these from blackberries, raspberries, and the like. Eggplant is also an excellent source

• GO NUTS*

Nuts contain selenium, vitamin E, and fiber. All very beneficial in cancer prevention and fighting

• DARK VEGGIES*

Spinach is a good example, so is broccoli. Brussels sprouts are also a great source of beta-carotenes, calcium, folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

• CITRUS FRUITS

Of course, here we’re looking for vitamin C and fiber.

• WHOLE GRAINS*

Eat only whole grain cereal, bread, crackers, etc. Your intake of soluble fiber (fiber that is soluble in water) should increase markedly.

• LOW FAT DAIRY

Certain nutrients in dairy have been found to help in cancer fighting and prevention. In particular conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

• MISCELLANEOUS

Shiitake mushrooms, green tea, beans, and chickpeas should form a part of your diet.

In general, the rule is you should take a lot of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

Natural and healthy anti-aging advice, without the need of cosmetic surgery.

The first and one of the big keys is to stop smoking; the damage might not be completely reversible, but it will surely keep it from getting worse. Try to accompany this step with multi-vitamins and nutrtients in your meals; the change will be soon noticeable in your skin.

Step two is protecting your skin from the sun. It’s highly reccommended that you use sunblock and a hydrating moisturizer so you prevent the process in which wrinkles turn the skin rough and leathery, causing also the appearance of premature age spots. If you’re going for a sunscreen, you’d better aim for one with a high FPS, if possible above 25; and avoid exposing yourself from midday to 3pm because it’s the time the UVA and UVB rays are strongest and cause more serious skin damage.

My third tip is eating an antioxidant-rich diet, so that the radicals that endanger skin’s structure work. You can find these antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids in fresh vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. Vitamines C and E help skin look younger, too.

Don’t forget to add omega3 and omega9-containing products, or additive Omega3 pills;  these are the keys to a healthy and anti-aging diet. Vitamin additives always come in handy if your diet doesn’t reach your vitamin standards.

Green tea is sometimes ignored, but it has recently been researched that a considerable daily amount of the aforementioned, can prevent the organism from all kinds of cancer and grow your heart’s resistance stronger.

When done propperly, moisture and exfoliation work to hydrate and protect the skin from free radical damage. I recommend you follow a skin care routine, consisting of exfoliation and application of hydrating moisture afterwards.

Exercising is a key part of anti-aging; it provides you with greater amounts of energy, reduces your anxiety, makes you stronger, helps lower high blood pressure, and helps you lose weight, shaping your body.

Bio identical hormone replacement can be considered as well, since it is a very natural way of acquiring  the hormones you can’t produce by yourself, thus, helping you. This therapy is considered highly better than that consisting of synthetic hormones, since bio identical ones are natural and easier for the body to metabolize. Make sure you talk to your doctor about these treatments; he will surely say it’s a great way to go.

Trying to manage the amount of stress you go through each day is another way to fight aging. While you stress, your body produces certain hormones that accelerate the aging process, which is quite the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. So, trying to stay as stress free as possible is another way to delay aging.

Staying hydrated is one of the most important tips, not just for anti-aging purposes. The goal you have to reach is drinking two litres of water as a minimum to keep your system flowing and eliminate all body toxins.

I hope these tips are useful, and if you start following them, you’re seriously going to notice the improvement in your health.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).