Thursday, May 24, 2012

Hot Flash Havoc!

         I am so excited about going to the Menopausal Event next week at the Mint Museum where the documentary "Hot Flash Havoc" is being shown. Finally, the taboo subject of "the change" is being addressed and promoted as an important health topic. The evening includes a cocktail reception, informative yet entertaining movie plus dessert and open discussions with a panel of doctors. My own GYN, Alyse Kelly-Jones, is one of the doctors who specializes in women sexuality and hormone replacement and is with Mintview OB/GYN, one of the sponsors of the event.

          In my business, I have the pleasure of meeting lots of women over age 40. Some are still raising children, others are empty-nesters, some work long hours while others are retired or happily unemployed. One thing we all have in common is HORMONES....and we are all affected by the lack of or imbalance or surges of them. I have noticed that the various physical, mental and emotional challenges we all normally face in life can become overwhelming once we enter the menopausal zone and our hormones go crazy.

          This can be a tough age group as far as motivating to take better care of their health with exercise, particularly weight training, and nutrition. I know from personal experience how menopause can make you feel so tired, sluggish, unmotivated, depressed and anxious. The lack of sleep can really take its toll on your energy and mood, weight gain is depressing and you feel like your body is betraying you! It becomes difficult to cope with demands of a job, family and relationships. Many doctors want to put women on anti-depressants when instead they should be testing their hormones.

        I started peri-menopause in my mid-30's and reached full menopause at 40 yrs young! Luckily my GYN (Alyse) specialized in natural hormone replacement and started treatment that improved my symptoms in just a few days. I had always been fit and healthy but began having joint pain (had to take Celebrex), hot flashes, disrupted sleep, dry skin, hair loss, 20 lb weight gain, anxiety, confusion and memory lapses. I needed and wanted to lose weight but was so unmotivated to exercise or eat properly. Obviously I was in desperate need of my hormones because after Dr. Kelly-Jones gave me an estrogen patch and testosterone cream, I started feeling better almost immediately!

        I have adjusted my doses of hormones over the years but plan to continue HRT because I want to be "whole" and healthy! When women come into Trim Up and talk to me about where they are with fitness and health, I hear so many similar stories of osteopenia or osteoporosis, bone fractures, surgeries, weight gain, etc. So many talk about how they "used to be" so athletic, fit, active but have declined in health and physical fitness over the years. Some medical conditions can not be helped, but the majority of women's health issues can be managed or mproved with exercise, proper nutrition and HRT. And for women who are suffering from hormone imbalances, if treated first with HRT, they would be better equipped to take care of themselves with diet and exercise.

        It is certainly about time for women to hear the truth about the importance of balanced hormones and how our bodies and health are forever compromised without normal levels of hormones. The media only seems to give outdated, inaccurate information on HRT that scares women.  I hope all women who are close to the peri-menopausal stage or already well past menopause, will take this opportunity to get informed about their options with HRT.
                                                            Wednesday, May 30th
                                                                The Mint Museum
                                                                           6:00
                                              $25 (proceeds to March of Dimes)
  To purchase tickets:   http://mintviewhotflashhavoc.eventbrite.com/

          See you there!