If You Are A Woman Over 35, READ THIS!

So for this blog, I’m talking to my sisters…

What is happening to me?
One of the things that always surprises me, is how many women don’t know when they’re entering perimenopause.  I see tons of patients that come in reporting increased “blues”, anxiety, depression, food cravings, and even memory loss.

These are the main ones (there are more) but some other notable symptoms include:

–Sleep issues

So not a lot of people think of perimenopause or menopause as a good thing, but it actually can be an amazing thermometer for areas in your life that need attention.  The thing is, when your hormone levels are off, it is really easy for them to shift further, based on the above-mentioned factors.  Stress affects the adrenal glands, and the adrenal glands influence they thyroid (body thermostat) and other sex hormones. Symptoms that are already present can often spiral downwards, so it is important to interrupt the cycle as quickly as possible. So the thing you have to ask yourself is, “what am I to learn here?”  It usually is a sign that your body and your life are requiring a shift in some way.  This could be something to do with your relationships, your professional life, or even just taking more time for just you.

Why is it important to listen to my body

Sadly, we live in a culture that has made it commonplace to push through no matter what. We tend to overdo and go hard all the time, no matter what the cost. As women, when we push through, not listening to our hearts calling, we end up depleted.  When we are depleted, not only are we not able to serve the ones we love, but we aren’t able to serve ourselves.  As women, we need to learn to put us on the calendar, schedule time for friends, take time to be adventurous, and discover parts of our selves that have been lost through our focus on career, family, and kids.  On the other side, as we honor the feminine, is a balanced being full of grace and authentic power, which when cultivated, can really create massive change in our world.

What Can I do?

The first thing to know is that you have never been, nor are you now, broken….  You don’t need to be fixed.  The most important question you can ask yourself, is “what do I need now?”  This might, and probably does, include some lifestyle modifications, some changes in diet and exercise at a minimum.

Secondly, at the Teggatz Clinic, we recommend getting lab testing to figure out what your actual hormone levels are.  The lab tests can be used to see which way your body is moving, and through treatment, if your body is moving in the right direction.  The next step, if you are a candidate, is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BiHRT).

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BiHRT)

BiHRT improves the quality of life for many women.  This therapy, which seeks to balance estrogen and progesterone is safe and effective.  At The Teggatz Clinic, the process is simple.  On your first visit, we administer a functional medicine evaluation in order to see if you are a good candidate for BiHRT. Some things included in the assessment are a health history including family history of breast cancer, hormone testing, estrogen metabolite levels and more.  As early as your second visit, if you are a good candidate, and proper screening results all come back good, BiHRT can be administered.  On the third and subsequent visits, the results of the BiHRT will be reviewed, and based on your estrogen levels, metabolism, and a few other factors, adjustments to dose might be made.

Safety

At The Teggatz Clinic, we use transdermal drops and patches, to avoid metabolizing the hormones in the liver. We feel our method of administering hormones through the skin is the safest delivery method for estrogen and testosterone while the positive benefits of progesterone are achieved through the oral route.  Many clinics use pellets that are placed under the skin, but in our humble opinion, these pellets haven’t been proven over time to be as safe as transdermal drops.

Health Benefits

So far we have only discussed the use of BiHRT for symptom relife, but research supports the use of BiHRT for the positive effects on brain, bone and cardiovascular health too!  In addition, according to a 2013 study published in the American Journal Of Public Health, and as reported by both Forbes and Time Magazine, anywhere from 18,600 to as many as 91,600 women in medical menopause may have died prematurely over the last decade as a result of avoiding estrogen replacement.  This is big news for certain women, who are looking for ways to reduce their risk of mortality.

The hope is that through a combined approach of lifestyle modification and BiHRT, applied in a tailored manner for your specific needs, you reach a better balance hormonally, but more importantly, learn something about your self.  At the Teggatz Clinic, we are approach hormone health, like we do all aspects of health-from a holistic, whole-body, patient-centered place.

To learn more about how we can support you with BiHRT, we are offering FREE 15 Minute Strategy calls.