Will I Still Enjoy Sex After Menopause
You should still be able to enjoy sex after menopause. Sometimes, decreased sex drive is related to discomfort and painful intercourse. After treating the source of this pain , many people enjoy intimacy again. Hormone therapy can also help many people. If you are having difficulties enjoying sex after menopause, talk to your healthcare provider.
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Metabolic Testing Options For Fasting Patients
If you and your patient decide that intermittent fasting could complement their current treatment plan, and provide health benefits, consider the following testing to monitor metabolic progress and the effects of intermittent fasting.
At Access Medical Labs, we offer results within 24 hours, so you can quickly get a baseline on file, review the data and give your patient the green light to get started with intermittent fasting. Then, set up regular check-ins and follow-up testing to chart hormonal imbalances and fluctuations.
Learn more about our precision testing solutions for physicians here.
There Can Be Changes In Your Skin
Another change that women start to go through issues with their skin. If you feel like your skin has been looking dull, dry, and even a bit flaky, you can likely attribute this to a slowdown in cell turnover. This is caused by the reduction in estrogen. Its quite common to also notice your skin appearing less plump. This is often a great time to re-assess your skincare routine and possibly change up and introduce new products that better address your skin concerns.
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Do You Often Feel Sluggish Or Maybe Exhausted
If youve been struggling with feeling sluggish all the time, you might be thinking..
Its probably just due to getting older.
Or maybe it could be due to menopause.
So many of the women I work with complain of fatigue. My experience has been that the cause is most often from more than one source. Getting the proper diagnosis, or rather, uncovering the underlying root cause, is crucial for you to get your energy back. But sometimes, discovering whats really going on can be a lengthy and frustrating process. It certainly was for my patient, Mindy.
Mindys debilitating fatigue began around the time that her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers. That was over 5 years ago.
Even after 9 or 10 hours of sleep, Mindy still had a hard time getting out of bed. She found herself pulling into Starbucks for a large cup of coffee with sugar every afternoon, to keep from drifting off as she drove to the nursing home to visit Mom. She used to take the 4 flights of stairs in her office building many times a day. But her leg muscles felt so weak shed end up resorting to using the elevator. Even her brain seemed tired most of the time.
For the next three years Mindy just pushed through to do the best she could for Mom. All while still working part-time and staying involved with all three of her children who were in college. Tough times, but no regrets.
How Long Should I Take Hormone Therapy
In general, there is no time limit to how long you can take hormone therapy. You should take the lowest dose of hormone therapy that works for you, and continue routine monitoring with your healthcare provider to reevaluate your treatment plan each year. If you develop a new medical condition while taking HT, see your provider to discuss if its still safe to continue taking HT.
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Do The Right Exercises
The right physical activity controls hormones, prevents swelling, protects muscles, and promotes womens health. Whether youre cycling, cooking, washing, jumping on a mini trampoline, or heading to spin class, it doesnt matter all the action counts. There are quick and effective exercises that you can do at home, and movements that you can fit into very busy days and particularly movements that focus on relieving stress. These movements are far more than a weight reduction or health tool.
Hrt For Breast Cancer Survivors
It is advisable for women with a history of breast cancer to avoid HRT unless other treatments are ineffective, and their quality of life is made intolerable by menopausal symptoms. In these circumstances, HRT should only be prescribed in consultation with the womans breast surgeon or oncologist.
Evidence has not conclusively shown that HRT will increase the risk of breast cancer recurring in a woman with a history of the disease. However, oestrogen and progestogens may stimulate some types of cells in the breast and some types of HRT use have been associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer in women without a history of breast cancer.
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Progesterone Reduces Hot Flashes
researchers evaluated the effects of progesterone on night sweats and hot flashes for people in menopause.
They tracked the number and severity of these symptoms and found that taking an oral dose of progesterone every day decreased both the number of hot flashes or night sweats and the intensity of each episode.
Sleep Deprivation Can Be A Real Issue
One thing you may start to notice once you turn 50 is that your sleep habits start to change. Sleep deprivation is something many women complain about as they age, and there is a reason for this. This is often the time when women start to experience hot flashes and night sweats as they get closer or enter into menopause. This can cause them to toss and turn through the night, and just not have the same quality or quantity of sleep.
There are medications that can help, but doctors also recommend that you make some lifestyle changes. These include eating a healthy well-balanced diet, not overdoing it on spicy foods, reducing your alcohol intake, and making sure you stay at a healthy body weight.
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Calcium And Vitamin D
A combination of calcium and vitamin D can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, the bone loss associated with menopause. The best sources are from calcium-rich and vitamin D-fortified foods.
Doctors are currently reconsidering the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises that healthy postmenopausal women don’t need to take these supplements. According to the USPSTF, taking daily low-dose amounts of vitamin D supplements , with or without calcium supplements , does not prevent fractures. For higher doses, the USPSTF says there is not enough evidence to make a recommendation. In addition to possible lack of benefit, these supplements are associated with certain risks, like kidney stones.
However, calcium and vitamin D are important nutrients. Supplements may be appropriate for certain people including those who do not get enough vitamin D through sunlight exposure and those who do not consume enough calcium in their diet. They are also helpful for people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Talk with your doctor about whether or not you should take supplements.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends:
Calcium
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract and is the essential companion to calcium in maintaining strong bones.
How Can You Know If Your Hormones Are Out Of Whack
One of the easiest ways to know if your own hormones are out of whack or imbalanced is to consider your daily symptoms. Think back to how you used to feel. It may be difficult to notice some changes if they have sneaked up on you. However, write down anything that bothers you most days of the week. Just because you know other women of your age who deal with the same daily symptoms does not mean that these feelings are normal. Some of the most common physical symptoms of hormonal imbalance include the following:
If your symptoms are alerting you to a possible problem, you should definitely ask your doctor about a hormone balance test. This is usually a simple blood test that will let your doctor see the levels of a variety of hormones in your bloodstream during different times of the day. Because hormonal balance is incredibly complex, your doctor may recommend that you undergo several different blood tests over a longer period to monitor how your levels may be changing throughout the month especially if you have not yet completed menopause.
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Reducing The Cancer Risks Of Hormone Therapy
If you and your doctor decide that MHT is the best way to treat symptoms or problems caused by menopause, keep in mind that it is medicine and like any other medicine its best to use it at the lowest dose needed for as short a time as possible. And just as you would if you were taking another type of medicine, you need to see your doctor regularly. Your doctor can see how well the treatment is working, monitor you for side effects, and let you know what other treatments are available for your symptoms.
All women should report any vaginal bleeding that happens after menopause to their doctors right away it may be a symptom of endometrial cancer. A woman who takes EPT does not have a higher risk of endometrial cancer, but she can still get it.
Women using vaginal cream, rings, or tablets containing only estrogen should talk to their doctors about follow-up and the possible need for progestin treatment.
For women who have had a hysterectomy , a progestin does not need to be a part of hormone therapy because theres no risk of endometrial cancer. Adding a progestin does raise the risk of breast cancer, so ET is a better option for women without a uterus.
Women should follow the American Cancer Society guidelines for cancer early detection, especially those for breast cancer. These guidelines can be found in Breast Cancer Early Detection.
Bait And Switch: Buyer Beware
So lets say youve found a hormone doctor who assures you that your insurance will cover your treatment, and they say theyll process the claim for you. You may want to verify this with your insurance company directly. Unfortunately, some providers will use this tactic as a way to get you in the door, only to let you know later what they likely knew all alongthat your insurance isnt going to cover the treatment that you need and want.
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Why Estrogen Fell Out Of Favor
Why arent more women with menopausal symptoms offered ET or willing to consider it when its suggested by their doctor? Because of an older study that has been found flawed, but which is still embedded in the thinking: In 2002, the Womens Health Initiative ¹ found a slight increase in breast cancer risk, as well as an increased risk of heart disease, blood clots, and stroke for women on ET. Upon its publication, millions of women and their doctors concluded that ET for menopausal symptoms was not worth the risk. Studies have suggested that systemic hormone therapy has decreased by about 80% over the past 15 years since the results of the Womens Health Initiative were first published, Dr. Matteson tells EndocrineWeb.com.
In the years since the WHI was first published, however, the vast majority of doctors view the results as skewed because it included an older set of women , patients who were more than a decade past the average age of menopause and when there is rarely an indication for using ET to ease menopausal symptoms.
Can Help You Lose Weight And Visceral Fat
Many of those who try intermittent fasting are doing it to lose weight .
Generally speaking, intermittent fasting will make you eat fewer meals.
Unless you compensate by eating much more during the other meals, youll end up taking in fewer calories.
Additionally, intermittent fasting enhances hormone function to facilitate weight loss.
Lower insulin levels, higher HGH levels, and increased amounts of norepinephrine all increase the breakdown of body fat and facilitate its use for energy.
For this reason, short-term fasting actually increases your metabolic rate, helping you burn even more calories .
In other words, intermittent fasting works on both sides of the calorie equation. It boosts your metabolic rate and reduces the amount of food you eat .
According to a 2014 review of the scientific literature, intermittent fasting can cause weight loss of 38% over 324 weeks. This is a huge amount .
The study participants also lost 47% of their waist circumference over 624 weeks, which indicates that they lost lots of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the harmful fat in the abdominal cavity that causes disease .
One 2011 review also showed that intermittent fasting caused less muscle loss than continuous calorie restriction .
However, a 2020 randomized trial looked at people who followed the 16/8 method. In this diet, you fast for 16 hours a day and have an 8-hour window to eat.
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May Extend Your Lifespan Helping You Live Longer
One of the most exciting applications of intermittent fasting may be its ability to extend lifespan.
Studies in rodents have shown that intermittent fasting extends lifespan in a similar way as continuous calorie restriction .
Intermittent fasting has also been shown to increase the lifespans of fruit flies 30443-3.pdf rel=nofollow> 43 ).
In some of these studies, the effects were quite dramatic. In an older study, rats that were fasted every other day lived 83% longer than rats who werent fasted .
In a 2017 study, mice that were fasted every other day saw their lifespans increase by around 13% .
Daily fasting was also shown to improve the overall health of male mice. It helped delay the onset of conditions such as fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are both common in aging mice 30512-6 rel=nofollow> 46 ).
Although this is far from being determined in humans, intermittent fasting has become very popular among the anti-aging crowd.
Given the known benefits for metabolism and all sorts of health markers, it makes sense that intermittent fasting could help you live a longer and healthier life.
SUMMARY
What Is Known About Hormone Therapy And The Risk Of Breast Cancer
Taking combined hormone therapy can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Here are some important findings:
- Taking combination hormone therapy showed a rare increase of absolute risk of less than one additional case of breast cancer per 1000 person years of use.
- There was a nonsignificant reduction in breast cancer seen in women with hysterectomies on estrogen only therapy.
- If youve been diagnosed with breast cancer you should not take systemic hormone therapy.
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How Do I Change My Next Delivery Date Or Skip An Order
To change your next delivery date, click the Account button located in the top navigation bar and log into your account. Click on Manage Subscription. Then select Cancel to the right of your next charge date. Dont worry, youre not actually going to cancel. Now click on Skip Next Delivery. You will then be given the option to select the number of days you would like to delay your next delivery. To skip an order, simply click on Delivery Schedule on the left-hand side menu. Then click “Skip” to the right of each delivery date you would like to skip.
The Reality Of Et For Younger Women
More recent research, including results from the Nurses Health Study, have found that there is no increased risk of breast cancer in women under age 70 taking estrogen alone and only a slight increase in risk for women on combination estrogen-progestin therapy under age 70, says Dr. Carr. The increased risk of BC for women under 70 is equal to the risk incurred from being overweight or having started your period before age 12, he says.
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So How Do You Control It
Many people complain that they are intermittently fasting and following the keto-biotic diet but arent seeing results. Thats because your hormones are out of sync and messing up your results.
With intermittent fasting, you can regulate all of your body processes by regulating these six hormones. While fasting, dont worry about results like losing weight. Treat Intermittent fasting as a lifestyle change and try as much as possible to keep your oxytocin levels up.
Play with your pets, watch a comedy, give and receive hugs from your loved ones. Whatever you do, be happy so that your cortisol levels would drop. Only then will you see the changes you want to experience.
For estrogen and progesterone, know when and how to fast based on your cycle. Women are sensitive to fasting, so you have to watch how much and when you fast within their cycle.
Intermittent fasting can give us a better grip on our hormones and help us meet our goals for fasting in the first place.
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Breast Cancer And Hrt
Women over 50 years of age who use combined oestrogen and progestogen replacement for less than five years have little or no increased risk of breast cancer. Women who use combined HRT for more than five years have a slightly increased risk. Women on oestrogen alone have no increased risk up to 15 years of usage.
There is no evidence to suggest that a woman with a family history of breast cancer will have an added increased risk of developing breast cancer if she uses HRT. The risk with combined oestrogen and progestogen is greater than with oestrogen alone, or with newer HRT agents such as tibolone , and may also depend on the type of progestogen used. Studies suggest that medroxyprogesterone acetate and norethisterone have higher risks than dydrogesterone and progesterone.
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