At the Whole foods lecture someone brought up the question about what can I do with wt loss and other symptoms of menopause? The question was more of a hormone issue. (If the "menopausal" symptoms where controlled, good possibility that the weight wouldn't be as much an issue).
We are taught in medical school that all women go through a phase when the ovaries will stop working. Their role in life is to make ovum (eggs) once a month from 16 to about 45 years old. Once they have reached 45, usually the organ will slow down and stop making eggs and the hormones. When hormone cycles that have been in balance for 30 years between the brain, the ovary and the uterus stop, other organs that have had the pleasure of being bathed with hormone will cry out and say....wheres my estrogen!...wheres my progesterone! Brain goes through problems with function- memory, emotional lability, sadness anger temperature lability, muscles go through atrophy, fat depots go through accumulation, adrenals go through fatigue, sex organs ....well later on that one. As docs we are taught if the symtoms are there, check a blood test and if the hormone is missing or low, replace it! In theory, having what you where lacking should make the symptoms all go away (until you get tired of the pill or get a side effect -cancer) Many women did well as far as we know but then society as front loaded the majority of women's attitudes to say what you are feeling is normal, you have to go through it and your only choice is to take the hormone.
Here is the reveal: you can't "cookie cutter" humans! Different people have different presentations and although the blood levels will be fixed, the person that was suffering slightly before menopause hit will still be suffering after the hormones are taken, and some of those closet symptoms will not go back in the closet. If the doc doesnt take 10 minutes to listen to what you are truly suffering from, it will be missed so get a new doc!
Diets can be changed, exercise can be changed or introduced, lifestyles can be dropped or started, supplements can be taken. Even the hormones can still be used but perhaps a bioidentical can be tried before the standard pills are tried. Everyone has probalby heard about how "prem____" the progesterone substitute comes from purified horse urine. I say leave it to the horses! By contacting a local pharmacy that compounds, you can get a chemically derived hormone look alike. Investigating these guys would be what I suggest.....
-while in Florida I used Pharmacy Specialists 393 Maitland Avenue. Altamonte Springs, FL 32701 (407) 260-7002.
-here in Illinois, Martin Ave Pharmacy, 1247 Rickert Drive, Naperville Il 60540 (630) 355-6400
...and both places will ship, just need a script from the doc.
Anyway...the lady at the lecture mentioned she tried bioidenticals but have a hearing issue. (That would easily be fixed with acupuncture) but this should be brought up to the doc and the pharmacist. I think she was in the right direction but just needed a little guidance on what else to be looking for. I forgot to ask her that even through the hearing issue, how were the symptoms of menopause with the bioidentical? Bottom line, checkwith the insurance and if covered try them out....like having a custom made suit versus an off the rack.
