By Terri Suresh, RN, MSN, ACNP - Hormonal Health & Wellness Clinic
There comes a time on ourbrlives, and it usually sneaks up on us sooner than we expect or care to realize,brin which we start feeling just a bit “off”. We're more tired than usual, webrstart to gain weight without explanation (where did that belly come from!); ourbrmoods shift and we get a trifle snappy, to put it mildly. We get overlybranxious, and we just don't feel like ourselves! As the years pass, thesebrsymptoms tend to get worse, and we seek answers from our primary carebrpractitioners; walking away more confused than ever with a hand full of prescriptionsbrfor anti depressants, anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills! “You're justbrstressed out!” we are told!
Conceivably, we may be stressed out,brbut have you ever thought your hormones could be wreaking all of this havoc? Well,brbefore you start filling those prescriptions, and pop those pills, my advice isbrthis: pay attention to your gut instinctbrthat things aren't quite right and do a bit of research! It may save yourbrlife….
What is the differencebrbetween “bio-identical” and “synthetic” hormones?
By “bio-identical” we meanbrthat the structure of the hormone is perfectly matched to the hormone producedbrin a woman's body. They are plant-based, natural substances that our bodies canbrmetabolize in the way it was designed, minimizing side effects. These compoundedbrbio-identicals can be matched to each woman's unique needs, something that'sbrimpossible with mass-manufactured products.
Synthetic hormonebrreplacement therapies are either a horse's hormone or an artificiallybrformulated one that is intentionally manufactured to be slightly different frombrhuman hormone in order to patent it.
Why do I need thesebrhormones? What if I'm past all that “hot flash stuff”?
Estrogen is a woman'sbrmost important hormone. Without hormone replacement therapy, the loss of estrogenbrputs her at increased risk for premature ovary failure, osteoporosis, heartbrdisease, colon cancer, Alzheimer's disease, tooth loss, impaired vision,brParkinson's disease and diabetes. The longer a woman is without the protectionbrof her own estrogen, the greater the risk for serious health consequences ofbrthese conditions.
However, testosterone hormone therapy gives abrwoman her mental clarity, libido and muscle tone and mass. The brain needsbrnormal amounts of testosterone in balance with estrogen to produce serotonin,brwhich supports emotional balance. When lacking in these hormones, a woman willbrexperience emotional instability that often results in increased anxiety,brirritability, sleep disturbances, anger, sadness and depression.
And ladies hear this: Hormonebrimbalance starts 10-15 YEARS before hot flashes! So don't use that as anbrindicator of your hormone balance!
Again, pay attention to that little voice that isbrtelling you “things aren’t quite right”, those inner voices are usually spotbron! Most importantly, you want to find a highly trained practitioner who willbrnot only listen to your specificbrfears and concerns, but who understands the intricate nature of hormone BALANCE….that is the key.
Terri Suresh is a Board Certified, Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and a Principal at Hormonal Health & Wellness Center of Southlake. Additionally, Sam Pailes is a Board Certified Practitioner. Terri's passion is educating people about the aging process and the belief at Hormonal Health & Wellness is that people can experience relief from the symptoms and stressors of aging through hormonal balance, internal and external nutrient supplementation, and therapeutic massage. See more at Hormonal Health and Wellness Center.