Barb's Daily Dose

Menopause Explained - A Chinese Medicine Perspective / Part II

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is Ted Ray, L.A.c., DNBAO

Acupuncture, Herbs, Nutrition

Menopause Explained - What Causes Yin Deficiency and What You Can Do About It- Part 2 in a 3-Part Series

Last time we talked about the “kidneys” and the energetic role they play in fertility and menstruation. Now we can get down to the details with answers to the questions my patients always ask.

Why Women Get Hot Flashes

Women handle incredible workloads. They raise families, manage households, and work full time. But without adequate rest, they must pull from their reserve tanks to get through the day.

Anti-Depressants and Hot Flashes

Lynn came to see me with severe hot flashes and night sweats. She worked in sales and had resorted to bringing extra blouses in her car because she inevitably sweated through at least one each day. She was beyond irritable and hadn't slept through the night in months. "I feel like a different person," she said. "I can't live like this." Lynn wanted to know about all of her options for treatment.

Menopause Explained - A Chinese Medicine Perspective

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is Ted Ray, L.A.c., DNBAO

Acupuncture, Herbs, Nutrition

Menopause Explained- A Chinese Medicine Perspective (Part I in a 3-part series)

Using acupuncture and herbal medicine can be a great way to manage the transition into menopause. This series of short articles will help you make an informed decision about the process.

While it is fairly well understood that the symptoms associated with menopause relate to shifting hormone levels, Chinese Medicine looks at this issue through a different lens. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidneys are largely responsible for the development and decline of female fertility.   In fact, the kidneys are so important, that TCM breaks them down even further in to kidney yin, yang, qi, and essence.

Black Cohosh and Menopause

Here's the scoop on Black Cohosh

The studies done on Black Cohosh have not shown consistent results.  In a few, it is better than placebo, and in others, it's no better than placebo.  However, one thing I explain to my patients, is that with ANY menopause treatment, the placebo response can range from 30-50%, so if if works for you, then it works.

Part of the problem when looking at Black Cohosh, is that there are so many different formulations and it's available in different strengths.  It also seems that some women do very well with it, while others are left scratching their heads wondering what the big deal is.  

Smoking Hastens Menopause

Women who smoke start menopause earlier than women who don't. This was reported by Reuters from an article in the journal Menopause. There are many reasons why women who smoke should give it up, but this is more evidence that smoking can affect estrogen levels.

We know that smokers also have more hot flashes and night sweats and that smoking can induce a hot flash. We also know that smokers have more risks of many types of cancer. Quitting is difficult, and most smokers need at least 3 attempts before they're successful. 

Painful Sex After Menopause? When Hormones Aren’t an Option, Some Women Consider Surgery

Menopause News and Headlines Featured in Health.com 

Check out this Interesting Article Written by Amanda MacMillan:

Painful Sex After Menopause? When Hormones Aren’t an Option, Some Women Consider Surgery - Health News - Health.com.

Menopause

Menopause – What a touchy subject!  Do you know all the facts?  Come listen to Dr. Nadine Graven, tell it like it is at the Women’s Health Forum at El Camino Hospital in Los Gatos on Saturday, September 24^th.

Registration is Free!

Topics will cover important advances on key topics like breast, bone and pelvic health, plus the latest in gynecological surgery, information on menopause and Eldercare, as well as, skin care tips for the entire family.  Screenings will include heel bone density testing, BMI, blood pressure and heart rate testing.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

Vaginal Estrogen Options

Our Featured Wrtten Article Today is by Eleanor M W Forbes, MSN, RN, WHNP-BC, IBCLC,RLC.

Today I saw Maria* (not her real name), a 57 year old woman who was complaining of frequent urination and other symptoms that are associated with Urinary Tract Infections.  And though her Primary Care Provider had found nothing in the frequent urine evaluations she'd had, something just didn't feel right.  Maria had a hysterectomy in her mid 40s and since then it had started to get more painful when having sex, to the point that she was losing all desire to be intimate with her husband.

Hot Flashes Last a Decade

How long do hot flashes and night sweats last?  When will I feel like myself again? These are questions I hear all the time when I'm out speaking to groups of women and especially in exam rooms. For years, women were told that they could expect hot flashes and night sweats to last 3-5 years, but which most of us who listen to women never believed. We were hearing from our patients that they were still having wild swings in their personal thermostats for 8-10 years. And of course there were a few women who were still having the odd hot flash a few times a year well into their 80's and beyond.

Belly Fat

I've been seeing a lot of women lately who are pre-diabetic. They have high fasting blood sugar levels, most have high triglycerides and are struggling to lose weight. Right now, I'm writing a book on Menopause and the chapter I just finished was about how to lose the Belly Fat.

Are your pants shrinking? Are you looking a pants with hidden elastic waist bands?  Are loose fitting tunics all of a sudden an attractive option?