5 Top Health Worries Women Have

By Dr. Jennifer Landa

The modern woman has plenty to worry about – taking care of family, working hard, offering a listening ear to friends, keeping house, cooking dinner and maintaining her health. For many women, careful attention to health is often at the bottom of the list, but that doesn’t mean there are not some major health fears lurking in the back of her mind.

Women’s health is a category all on its own.  There are so many diseases and conditions specific to women that it can be hard to pacify those fears or know what to do to prevent it. So, what are the 5 top health fears of most women?

Aging. Youth has its appeal- we all know it and believe it.  Many women fear that as they age, their beauty will fade and they will melt unnoticed into the background. Although aging is inevitable, it does not have to be an abominable experience. Participating in preventive health programs to sustain your health can make age 50 more appealing than age 20 – because not only do you get to look better, you’re wiser too!

 Heart disease. This silent killer literally strikes fear in the heart of women.  Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States and, unfortunately, many are completely unaware they are at-risk until it is too late.  Regular visits to your doctor will help you keep tabs on your cardiovascular health, but equally as important is ensuring you make lifestyle choices, like routine physical activity and a heart healthy diet.

Breast cancer. This fear causes many women to avoid the doctor’s office and miss out on early detection.  Unlike ten years ago, there are lots of options for the treatment of breast cancer and many result in positive outcomes. Early detection is the key to a better prognosis with breast cancer treatment. 

Osteoporosis. Visions of becoming a hunched over old lady due to poor bone density is a valid fear.  Sixty-eight percent of American women will develop osteoporosis in their lifetime.  Prevention begins in childhood, but if you have some catching up to do, strength training, vitamin D, a healthy diet and hormone balance can ensure you salvage the current density of your bones.

Mood disorders. No woman likes to be known as the “spaz” or “super-b!@ch,” but out of whack hormones can turn even the kindest of hearts from sweet to seething in a matter of seconds. Many women live in fear that their emotions will explode at precisely the wrong moment. You can avoid toxic blow-ups by keeping tabs on your hormone levels – even if you aren’t on the brink of menopause, knowing your hormone levels now can ensure you keep them in check and make lifestyle changes to inhibit fluctuations, thus avoiding career or relationship pitfalls caused by severe moodiness.

Fortunately, researchers and experts have studied and debated tirelessly over the last few years and now health care practitioners can confidently recommend formidable solutions, like hormone replacement therapy, to help remedy the top health fears of women.  A March 2011 review study published in the medical journal, “Menopause,” conclusively determined that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was not only a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of aging and menopause, but is also beneficial to a woman’s overall health as she ages.

After careful analysis of several studies over the past years, including the controversial Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), experts discovered that hormone replacement therapy began in younger women between the ages of 36 and 59, yielded a decreased risk of heart disease. Even in the eldest category of women – aged 70 to 84 – no increased risk of heart disease was discovered due to HRT. A November 2011 study also made comparisons to the WHI study and found that HRT has a positive impact on bone density. Women who discontinued use of HRT experienced bone loss equating to a 55 percent increase in risk of hip fracture.

Every woman deserves to be armed with information like this. With all the daily stresses of life, women do not need one more thing to worry about or fear, so peace of mind, especially when it comes to your health, is priceless.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Hormone Replacement Is Essential For Our Brains

by Linda Franklin –  The Real Cougar Woman

Hormone Replacement Therapy is a subject fraught with high levels of controversy.  Some doctors recommend it to their patients, while others are advising women to steer clear.  This cross current of information is confusing and leaves women wondering what to do.  And, now that women are entering menopause earlier, some as early as 35, it's often misdiagnosed. (Read this article By Dr. Jennifer Landa).

When women start to lose estrogen their bodies are more susceptible to many health risks. There is no shortage of articles on the perils of Hormone Replacement but we rarely see research that points out the benefits of replacing our estrogen supply.

Cougar Women & Hormone Replacement

In a finding that challenges the conventional wisdom about the risks of some hormones used in menopause, a major government study has found that years after using estrogen-only therapy, certain women had a markedly reduced risk of breast cancer and heart attack.

The research, part of the landmark Women’s Health Initiative study, is likely to surprise women and their doctors, who for years have heard frightening news about the risks of hormone therapy.

Hormones and Breast Cancer – So Many Unanswered Questions

Every time a new report comes claiming to clarify the risks versus benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it only highlights how many unanswered questions that remain. It is basically still a guessing game.

The latest such report came out this week.  This one was published in Cancer Epidemiloogy Biomarkers and Prevention.  It highlighted a study done by researchers at the University of Southern California, called the California Teachers Study.

This study was done on women who used both estrogen and progestin unlike the WHI study done in 2002, where only estrogen was used.

It's also important to note that all of these studies on HRT and breast cancer are conducted using synthetic hormones. Synthetic hormones are made from a pregnant horse's urine, not the more natural bioidentical hormones that are available to all of us.   

Susan Hankinson, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and senior editor of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention said "the findings show that even with the recent trials on HRT,  there are still questions that remain. These results add new evidence that risk does vary by other personal characteristics,"

My fabulous woman's health expert, Dr. Laura Corio who will start blogging here in September had this is say about the study.  "I tell my patients to be on the least amount of natural bioidentical hormones for the shortest period of time. Just enough to control menopausal symptoms."  She also added, that no studies have been done with women who are on estrogen and a natural bioidentical progerstone. She doesn't understand why any doctor would prescribe synthetic hormones to their patients.

So my best advice to you is –  if you have questions talk to your doctor.  And, make sure your doctor is one who is comfortable explaining all of your HRT options.  So many gynecologists stuck in the past, and now that your body is changing, it's very important that you have a physician who is willing to work with you going forward.  This is not an easy time in a woman's life and we all need the support of a doctor who understands, like Dr. Corio. There are no one-size-fits-all fixes here – each one of us is different. 

Don't be alarmed when you read all of these different studies.  If history is a guide there will be another 10 studies to follow that will challenge these latest findings.

Cougars Really Are Hormonal Hotties

Cougars, this is the time in your life when your hormones run amok.  Sooner or later all of you are going to find out firsthand just what menopause is all about.  There is no escape.  If the hot flashes don’t drive you nuts, then just realizing you are old enough to go through “the change” can do a real number on your psyche.  But you know what? I think the “pause” in menopause is what it’s all about.  It’s giving you a time-out to reflect on your life and think about what’s next.

How you decide to handle “the pause” is going to reflect everywhere—your skin, bones, heart and brain health, sexual desire, energy and your overall sense of well being.  Now is the time you really have to start paying attention to the messages your body is constantly sending you, such as an ache that doesn’t want to go away, waking up exhausted, frequent headaches, nausea, feeling bloated.  You have to understand that your body is reeling from the turmoil that hormone imbalance causes.

It would be great if there was just one magic formula that was perfect for every woman’s changing body.  Unfortunately there is no such thing.  We have many choices available to us – everything from hormone therapy to nutritional supplements. And that’s where it gets really dicey, because it becomes your job to find out how to best get your hormones back into balance. What are you going to do to feel good and stay healthy for all the productive years that lie ahead? 

 

Weaving your way through the menopause maze today can be extremely challenging.  There is so much information to absorb and so much contradiction that it’s easy to become completely confused.  It took me a year of total frustration and physical discomfort before I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.  You need patience and perseverance.  I became the CEO in charge of my own body. And, cougars I highly recommend that you do the same thing.