Menopause And Risk Of Heart Disease!

Recent study confirmed that women who entered into menopause stage are at higher risk of heart disease. Researchers explain that understanding the risk factors is an important step and also there are various methods to lower the risk.

Some women who are younger than 50 and not gone through menopause stage still have higher levels of estrogen hormone, which protects their heart health.

After entering into the menopause stage, levels of estrogen hormone drop significantly and can lead to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Another factor that can increase the risk of heart disease is weight gain, which occurs after entering into the menopause stage. So, women should maintain a healthy weight once they enter into the menopausal stage.

Additional weight can cause various changes in your body such as high blood pressure, physical inactivity, high cholesterol and diabetes, which are the leading causes of stroke and heart attack.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle can greatly help to decrease the risk of heart disease even you enter into the menopausal stage. Smoking women should immediately stop smoking, consume a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and regular workouts can help to maintain a healthy body weight.

Consult your health care provider regularly to check the levels of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Importance Of Annual Physicals!

Yes, health physicals or regular annual physical exams are essential to live a healthy lifestyle, to reduce yearly healthcare costs, to prolong your life, and also to offer you great piece of mind.

The components of a physical exam vary from one person to another.

Some physical exams are standard; some are especially for women while some are especially for men.

Also, tests will vary depending upon the person’s age.

Standard physical examinations for all people:

• Everyone should carefully monitor their blood pressure during every doctor’s visit.


• Height should be measured during every visit, because any decrease in height indicates osteoporosis. Also, spinal cord compression can lead to decreased height.


• Your weight will be measured during every doctor’s visit. Any loss or gain in weight without trying can indicate a serious health problem. Gaining weight can indicate hormonal imbalance, fluid retention, kidney or liver disease, or potential heart. Losing weight can indicate any infection or cancer.


• Have a blood test. Regular blood tests include blood cell count, blood sugar levels to find whether you have diabetes, blood electrolytes panel to find kidney disorders, thyroid function test to exclude any thyroid problems, and any other early heart disorders.


• Have chest X-ray. This is essential to identify emphysema, early tuberculosis and lung cancer.


• You may also receive ECG or electrocardiogram at early ages of 50 to check your heart’s health. After age 50, you should get the test for every 2-3 years.


• Some other tests include: virtual colonoscopies and various methods that use flexible lighted tubes to discover polyps and tumors in your gastrointestinal tract.
  

Health physicals for women:

An annual mammogramphy is recommended for women over 40 years or for women who are at higher risk. An early mammogram performed can decrease the chances of developing breast cancer.

Also, regular Pap smear along with pelvic exam is essential for every year to detect cancer of the cervix, STD’s, vaginal cancer and other gynecological concerns.

Testing bone mass is also essential to detect osteoporosis. This is particularly important for menopausal women.

Is It Safe To Use Bio Identical Hormones?

Nowadays bio identical hormones have become most popular, partly because of increased health risks associated with standard hormone replacement therapy or partly due to celebrity endorsements.

Bio identical means the hormones in the product are chemically similar to those your body develops.

Marketers say that their products are safer than standard hormone therapies because:

• They are made from plant chemicals instead of synthesizing in a laboratory. There are some FDA approved products that are made from plants such as: Prometrium natural progesterone, Estrace, Vivelle-Dot patch and Climara patch. FDA has approved over 20 natural bioidentical hormone products including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone


• These hormones are custom made for you. They are based on an examination of your saliva to assess your distinctive hormonal needs. But, the hormone levels in the saliva do not replicate the levels in the blood or correspond to menopause symptoms.


• These hormones are prepared in various doses and forms that are very much different from some of the FDA approved products. You will get some bio identical hormones without any prescription, but most of them need prescription.


• If you want these hormones in any nonstandard combinations, you need to consider a non-compounding pharmacy. Here you will get medications that are specially customized to satisfy your needs.


• The most familiar bio identical hormones are estrogen and progesterone, which are produced by compounding pharmacies to reduce the menopause symptoms and hormonal imbalances.


• Hormonal imbalances lead to the risk of heart attack, stroke and even breast cancer and when used accurately, bio identical hormone replacement therapy can decrease this risk.


• Bio identical estrogen and progesterone have constantly been shown to lessen and remove the breast-cell proliferation rates whereas synthetic hormones, particularly progestin, have been revealed to raise risk of breast cancer.


• In terms of cardiovascular disease, bio identical progesterone maintains and enhances the heart protective effects of estrogen, decreasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
  

Bio identical hormones are safe when used properly and under the care of an expert physician trained specifically in bio identical hormone replacement therapy.

How To Diagnose Respiratory Diseases?

Chronic respiratory diseases are chronic diseases of the airways and other structures of the lung.

Among those, the most common illnesses include: respiratory allergies, asthma, occupational lung diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension.

The most important risk factors for preventable chronic respiratory diseases include:

• Indoor air pollution


• Allergens


• Tobacco smoking


• Occupational risks


• Outdoor pollution
  

Nowadays, hundreds of millions of people are suffering from chronic respiratory diseases. According to the recent studies, presently 210 million people are suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 300 million people from asthma, and millions of people from allergic rhinitis.

Respiratory system has a great role in our body. Not only it supplies oxygen to various cells of the body, but also it washouts the wastages, supplies air required for speech and filters out infectious agents. So, it is very much essential to protect our respiratory system in all aspects.

In order to investigate your chronic respiratory diseases, you need to undergo one or more of the following tests:

Pulmonary function test: It is a group of tests used to evaluate how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the lungs.

Chest X-ray: This test is used to diagnose the conditions that affect your chest, its content and nearby structures. It generates the image of your chest.

Bronchoscopy: This method is used to observe inside of your airways for therapeutic and diagnostic purpose. In this procedure, an instrument is placed in your airways through mouth or nose. With the help of this test, your practitioner can observe the abnormalities of your airways like bleeding, foreign bodies, inflammation or tumors.

Computed tomography scan: CT scan is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing. This type of digital geometry processing is used to produce a three-dimensional image of the inside of your body from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis.

Biopsy: In this procedure cells or tissues are removed from the lung or pleura for examination. This method helps to find out the presence of the disease. The cells are examined under a microscope and also analyzed chemically.

Ultrasound: This method is used to detect fluid such as pleural effusion.

Ventilation – Perfusion scan: It is used to evaluate circulation of blood and air within your lungs. Perfusion part assesses how well the blood circulates within the lungs, whereas ventilation part observes whether the air reaches all parts of the lungs or not.

Culture of microorganisms: This method is used to determine the cause of infectious diseases. For instance, your throat culture is taken by scratching the lining of tissue in the back of your throat and blotting the sample into a media to be able to screen for harmful microorganisms, like streptococcus pyogenes, the causative means of strep throat. 

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy FAQs!

Want to get relief from the symptoms of menopause?

Become tired of using various hormonal therapies for menopause symptoms?

Have you ever heard of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy?

Nowadays, it is a most popular method used for relieving menopause symptoms.

Everyone has various queries about this therapy. Here are the most common questions about BHRT:

What is bio-identical hormone replacement therapy?

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), also known as bio-identical hormone therapy recommended to treat menopause symptoms by using hormones that are molecularly identical to endogenous hormones.

Supplemental doses of hormones used in BHRT have a chemical structure similar to the hormones that your body naturally produces.

How does BHRT beneficial for me?

BHRT not only used to relieve menopause symptoms, but also used for post-menopause and peri-menopause symptoms.

Who needs BHRT?

Women suffering from the symptoms of early menopause and are looking to put an end to night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, low libido, memory loss and weight gain can undergo this therapy.

How are BHRT treatments created?

Most of the bio-identical hormones are generated from wild yams and soybeans, which contain unique compounds that are processed chemically and made into identical replicas of hormones the body produces.

Are there any other forms of BHRT?

Static dosing is one form. Rhythmic cycling is another form that is based on the cycles of nature and is meant to mimic the time during which women are at their reproductive peak. Rhythmic cycling is a new and very good approach in BHRT.

There are three categories of bio-identical hormone therapy, such as natural estrogens, natural progesterone and natural androgens.

How can I take BHRT?

These hormones are taken orally or are injected. Also, they can be applied via a cream and a suppository.

Is it safe to use bio-identical hormone replacement therapy?

Bio means natural, as any natural products are safe, these hormones are also safe to use. These are safer and more effective than standard hormone replacement therapy. These prescription and over-the-counter products are marketed as being tailored to a woman's individual hormonal needs, typically determined through saliva hormone testing.

The FDA approved bio-identical estrogen and progesterone products include: Estradiol, such as Estrace, Climara patch and Vivelle-Dot patch and natural progesterone (Prometrium). These products come in various doses and forms. Your practitioner suggests definite dosage according to your body needs.

Is it necessary to take prescription?

Yes, Bio-identical hormones must be prescribed. As the hormones are compounded, it is necessary that they be dispensed under a prescription.

Does insurance cover this treatment?

This varies according to the insurer.

How long does it usually take to adjust to the therapy?

Each patient needs are unique, so the time for adjustment varies from one person to another. Generally, it takes 3 months to alleviate all the symptoms.

Are there any other names for BHRT?

“Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy" (NHRT) is the most common name for BHRT. Generally, this name is most commonly used by the patients, whereas bio-identical hormone replacement therapy seems more popular among pharmacists and doctors.

Are there any other benefits of BHRT?

Other benefits of natural bio-identical hormones include:

• Enhances your energy levels


• Decreases hot flashes


• Slows your aging process


• Maintains arterial and cardiac health


• Maintains your breast health, along with protection against any other malignant changes


• Guards you against uterine and breast cancer


• Slow or even reverse the production of fibroids


• Delays or prevents the growth of Alzheimer’s disease


• Increases your bone density, even controls osteoporosis

Gout In Women May Put Them At Higher Risk Of Heart Attack!

Gout is the most common condition and is due to the inflammation of the joints as an outcome of higher amounts of uric acid deposits. Uric acid is a by-product of purines, which are rich in a Western diet. Weight gain, Obesity, high blood pressure, high alcohol intake, poorly functioning kidneys and certain drugs can all rapid its growth.

Recent study stated that gout in women may keep them at higher risk of heart attack than men. In the study, researcher conducted on 9500 gout patients and 48,000 people with the disease and aged 65 or older. The cardiovascular health of all the participants was tracked for an average of seven years, during which time 3268 fatal and non-fatal heart attacks occurred.

The study found that women with gout were 39% more prone to get heart attack of any kind when compared with women without the condition whereas men with gout were only 11 percent more prone to get a fatal or non-fatal heart attack when compared to those without the disease. The risks were significantly higher among the women than among the men.

Fibroids Raises The Risk Of Stillbirths!

Stillbirths can also be termed as intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). Recent study conducted in US stated that women who have fibroids may have higher risk of stillbirths.

Fibroids are the most common problems that occur in 5-20% of the women. Most of the women with fibroids don’t notice any symptoms and don’t even know they have them. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the risk of IUFD in women with fibroids.

The occurrence of IUFD was considerably high in women with fibroid than in the women with no-fibroid even after adjusting for factors including black race, tobacco exposure, chronic hypertension, and pre-gestational diabetes.

Also, the study stated that women who have both fibroids and fetal growth restriction are at two-and-a-half times at higher the risk of having a stillbirth, however the absolute threat remained rare. This can lead to future references for serial growth scans to observe fetal growth in women with fibroids.

Holistic Medicine For Endometriosis!

Most of the women notice excellent results with alternative therapies and natural treatments for endometriosis. Basically, alternative and natural treatments deal with emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of health.

Holistic medicine is connected with mind and body. The practitioners of holistic medicine treat the whole person as opposed to the individual organs where symptoms occur.

Here are the holistic therapies that can help endometriosis:

Herbs for endometriosis:

Herbal medicine treats the disease by using medicinal plants, together internally and externally, to renovate the patient back to health. The therapeutic qualities present in the plants help you to enhance your body’s own recuperative powers.

For treating endometriosis, the first task of herbs is to try and re-balance the hormone levels in the body. Some other herbs help to strengthen your immune system so that the body can then begin to eliminate the disease.

Here are some herbs that can help with endometriosis:

• Vitex berries: This herb balances your estrogen levels. These substances naturally help regulate estrogen which is the cause of endometriosis.


• Burdock root: It helps to treat your liver, which helps clear excess estrogen.


• Red raspberry, wild yam, evening primrose and ginger: These help to reduce bleeding and cramps during your period.


• Castor oil: Applying castor oil packs on the pelvic region can help to reduce the pain.


• Chamomile and lavender oil: Adding drops of these oil in your bath water can help to reduce inflammation.


• Echinacea and vitamin C: These herbs help to boost your immune system.
  

Acupuncture for endometriosis:

Acupuncture is a low risk technique that is very effective in treating pain and symptoms of endometriosis. The treatment of endometriosis with acupuncture usually requires a commitment to enough time to rebalance the body's systems.

If there is pain with the lunar cycle, then treatment must proceed until at least 3 normal cycles are achieved. From this point, it may be possible to use plant medicines with only the occasional acupuncture treatment to control symptoms.

Acupuncture treatments promote the release of endorphins and other “healing” chemicals in the body. These chemicals assist in healing and pain management. Usually, dealing endometriosis with acupuncture usually requires a commitment of enough time to rebalance the body's systems. This will vary from one woman to another, and will be dependent on the severity of the disease.

Homeopathy for endometriosis:

Homeopathy is a healing method of medicine, in which very dilute doses of natural substances (plant, animal, mineral) are administered to a patient to treat symptoms that would be induced in a healthy individual by ingestion of that same substance.

Homeopathy stimulates the body’s own defenses to correct illness and allow symptoms to dissipate. The minute doses of drug substances used in homeopathy do not cause any side effects. Homeopathy can be used for short term (acute) illnesses and long term (chronic) illnesses. For the treatment of Endometriosis, homeopathy treats the individual not the disease.

Aromatherapy for endometriosis:

Aromatherapy is a healing method that uses the natural aromatic characteristics of plants - the essential oils - both for their scent and for their inherent medicinal properties. These aromatic oils can be found in a wide range of species and are extracted from the seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, wood, roots or resin according to the type of plant.

Aromatherapy can help most of the individual areas of dealing for Endometriosis. The chemical characteristics of singular essential oils can help digestion, aid with sleep problems, improve your immune system, maintain the reproductive system, help re-balance the hormone system, and lots of other subtle benefits.