There’s nothing I appreciate more than a tiny change in perspective that can recolor my entire outlook. That is exactly what happened when I began to look outside the traditional methods of antidepressants and hormone therapy to treat symptoms of hormone imbalance. When I was first introduced to herbal medicine I felt desperate, and had desperate faith. To my surprise, herbal medicine and alternative modalities turned into an unexpected does of inspiration. At the time, my only goal was to regain my mental focus and get back to feeling like myself again. However, I received so much more: I developed a brand new outlook on life, and a journey that began nearly twenty years ago.

Circumventing hormone imbalances comes down to a matter of choice in lifestyle and remedies. Some choices are safer then others, some build better health for the long term, and others just do not.

Everyday, we make decisions about food, exercise, and nutrition. These choices are things that we can, at any time, change. Symptoms of menopause can be naturally occurring or the result of surgery or medication, and how to manage them is a decision most woman will make in their lifetime.

My inspiration to write comes from the many women who contact me looking for answers apart from standard conventional treatments. Every woman has her own unique experience, but most are not enthusiastic about using medications they feel they don’t need, such as an antidepressant. An unprecedented number of women sit on the fence about using any form of prescription Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) including the very misleading ‘natural’ bioidentical hormones. HRT has been proven to cause life threatening illnesses. Fear and caution are reasonable ways to feel about treatment options that over the past few years have become wedged between disenchantment and a catch 22.

The federally funded 2002 clinical study on HRT found an increased risk for breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots and had millions of women tossing their HRT. Most recently HRT has been proven to increases the risk of lung cancer with the increased likelihood of death.

The FDA warns women who choose to use hormones to take them at the lowest dose possible and only for a short time. Bioidentical hormones mixed at pharmacies are not FDA approved or standardized and warns consumers that there is no scientific data to say they are any safer then traditional HRT.

Solutions for Women has a unique focus on menopause, because frankly, menopause itself is not the problem. Our focus is on the years surrounding menopause so you and your body will be better prepared for hormonal changes. The healthier you are in body and mind the fewer symptoms you will experience, and they will be less intense. Monthly hormone fluctuations, perimenopause and menopause should be manageable without medication. Our choices make the difference, and it is up to us to be nutritionally, physically, mentally and emotionally prepared.

The Buddhists call them “turn around days” – days when thing begin to change. Solutions for Women invites you to join us here at Newseekshowcase.com monthly to Take the Challenge. Change One Thing. Live a little differently everyday as a way to control symptoms, develop better habits make them part of your daily routine.

Experts on brain health have demonstrated that what we believe to be true effects our health and behaviors. Somewhere in our learning process it became acceptable to blame menopause for bad hair days and every disease imaginable. How many of your thoughts about menopause are actually your own? Celebrities, pharmacist and even some doctors have turned menopause into a jaw-clenching, nail-biting transition. Some health concerns can overlap with menopause, but menopause is not the root cause of deteriorating health and wellness. Menopause simply means the end of menstrual cycles. Yes indeed, its accompanying changes can be annoyances. But they can be better viewed as wake-up calls.

Dr. Andrew Weil once said, “We should be doing everything humanly possible to prevent the onset of discomfort, illness and age related disease.” As simple as it may sound, a few tweaks and changes can stop negative turns in health, and help your body get back on track.

Now is as good a time as any to get started.

Change needn’t be a challenge, I just thought it was a catchy title. This is also not a race to the finish line. Remember the turtle and rabbit story: it is the slow and steady pace that is likely to triumph.

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. While the exact cause is unknown, it is generally understood that a sudden change in hormone levels confuses a woman’s internal thermostat, causing the body to send a message to blood vessels, the heart, and the nervous system to work harder. These mixed signals result in the telltale bursts of heat.

So what’s the fix?

Drink plenty of water and limit caffeine and alcohol. Take a good multivitamin and an herbal supplement that is formulated to support the hormonal system. Eat a balanced diet: incorporate plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains, avoid spicy foods, and curb your sweet tooth. If you smoke, stop. If you need help with nicotine or alcohol addiction, speak with your doctor, reach out and ask for help.

During the day, dress in layers. Carry a small Chinese portable fan for a quick breeze of fresh air. Another easy quick cool-down trick is to run cold water over the inside of your wrists. At night, wear something lightweight and loose fitting. Dress your bed in layers so you can easily take blankets off if needed. Turn the heat down and open a window.

A simple strategy to reduce stress, calm your mind and ease a flash is to take a few slow deep breaths. Controlled breathing can prevent or diminish the severity of a hot flash, and as well, the anxiety and heart palpations that sometimes come along with it. Focus on your breath by thinking about it. Take a long, slow deep breath, filling your lungs with air. Count to 7, hold for 4, and slowly release counting to 7. There are several different breathing exercises—they all work and they’re all free.

Herbal Treatment for Symptom Relief

Herbs are therapeutic agents that provide relief and have the ability to prevent symptoms from getting worse. When used properly, many herbs proactively generate and maintain wellness. Herbs are used in lieu of conventional medicine and some practitioners use them as adjunct therapy in support of certain conventional pharmaceutical therapies.

The quality of herbs and nutritional supplements will make a difference in how effective they are. Quality is evident in both ingredient purity and excellence in manufacturing. Read the “other ingredients” list at the bottom of the label. Surrounding a good ingredient with binders, fillers, color, and flavor enchanters diminish absorption and bioavailability and will increase the occurrence of gastric upset.

Femmerol® is a clinically tested Solutions for Women product that is made from a combination of pharmaceutical grade herbal extracts. The clinical study demonstrated noticeable and in many cases, substantial improvements in reducing several symptoms, including hot flashes, moodiness and insomnia. To read the clinical study results, click here.

My hope is that you will begin to rethink menopause. You can live the changes in your health and your life that you desire. I promise it will be worth your effort. Live smart and be well.

Write to Me

There are approximately 60,000,000 women in menopause with another 100,000 entering perimenopause and menopause each month, and so many of you have valuable things to say about the journey. Please pass along your stories and your wisdom. Your experiences will bring love and support to others. Were there words you read or heard, something someone said that gave you new awareness or courage or helped you through a difficult experience? I would love to hear your story. Email me at Sabina@solutionsforwomen.com.

From the Medical Handout

The Female Patient ® May 2009

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is needed to build and maintain strong bones. People with low vitamin D levels may have low bone mass or low bone density.

Why do I need vitamin D?

Vitamin D helps protect your bones. Calcium works with vitamin D to build bone mass in children and keep bones strong and healthy in adults. Maintaining appropriate levels of vitamin D and calcium is especially important for women, because they are more likely to develop osteoporosis (a condition that makes bones weak and easily breakable).

How can I get vitamin D?

You can get vitamin D from 3 sources:

• Sunlight

• Food

• Supplements and medications.

Your skin makes vitamin D from the sun’s rays. This is why vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin.” The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on the time of day, season, your location (southern and southwestern regions of the United States are generally sunnier), skin color, and age. However, it may be best to stay out of the sun because of concerns of skin cancer. Sunscreens block the rays necessary for your skin to make vitamin D, and being in the sun without sunscreen can make you vulnerable to the sun’s harmful effects. Many people thus obtain vitamin D from other sources, such as food or supplements.

Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish (like mackerel, salmon, and tuna), egg yolks, and beef liver. Vitamin D is sometimes added to many other foods, such as milk, margarine, and breakfast cereals. It is very difficult to get all the vitamin D you need from food alone. This is why people may also take vitamin D supplements. Before taking any supplement, talk to your health care professional. Find out if your calcium supplement, multivitamin, or medication already contains the right amount of vitamin D for your needs. If so, you may not need a separate vitamin D supplement.

Who may need more vitamin D?

Some people may not be getting enough vitamin D. You may be at risk if you:

•Spend little time in the sun

• Have very dark skin

• Are age 50 or older

• Have certain medical conditions like pancreatic enzyme

deficiency, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease,

or some forms of liver disease

• Are obese

How can I check my vitamin D levels?

A blood test can determine if you are getting enough vitamin D. If you feel you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, be sure to talk to your health care professional about this test and options for increasing your

vitamin D intake. Remember: vitamin D is crucial in helping protect your bones. It works with calcium to strengthen your bones and decrease your chance of developing osteoporosis. Vitamin D is especially important for women, because they are more likely than men to have low bone mass or low bone density.

Some Food Sources of Vitamin D

Natural Sources

• Salmon (3.5 oz): 360 iU

• Mackerel (3.5 oz): 345 iU

• Tuna, canned (3.5 oz): 200 iU

• Beef liver (3.5 oz): 15 iU

• Egg (1, whole): 20 iU

Fortified foods

• Margarine (fortified, 1 tbsp): 60 iU

• Milk (fortified, 8 oz): 98 iU

• Breakfast cereals (fortified, 1 cup): 40 iU

Another reason to rethink Hormone Replacement Therapy

The continuous bad news reports about HRT are uncomfortable to my awareness and intelligence. If you think just trying HRT for a short while is OK, think again. It is not the same as trying to listen to music you can’t understand or going to a restaurant where the menu is written in a language you can’t read. HRT can harm your health for the rest of your life, in a very short period of time. Every women who is thinking about trying HRT or who is using HRT should be asking herself - is it worth it? The more we know the smarter we get - Look into your other options for symptom relief. If you do not wish to take Femmerol for symptom relief, whatever you choose, please keep safe.

Read more by linking to the article below.

NEW YORK TIMES

Published: May 30, 2009

If you smoke, take prescription hormones or birth control pills or are thinking about trying any form of HRT, read the recent findings linking lung cancer and death to the use of hormones.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/health/research/31cancer.html?ref=health

H.H. Asquith, Prime Minister of the UK, 1908-1916 said ‘Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life”.

Every woman wants to be beautiful and our cultural idealization of youth isn’t anything new. As a society, our relationship with beauty has evolved into a calamity. Most women equate menopause with aging, replacing aging gracefully with a quest for beauty within modern medicine’s quick fix. Ultimately, ambiguous beliefs about beauty become part of our psyche, affecting happiness, health and real beauty.

One day a customer who uses Femmerol for her hot flashes asked me a question about her sadness. After speaking for awhile I realized she linked beauty with youth and thought her good looks were diminishing with age. She said she would like to feel better about herself but cosmetic procedures were not financially feasible. I asked if she could have her cosmetic procedure of choice, did she believe it would change her outlook about ageing. After a pause she responded, “probably not”.

Millions of women don’t feel their best and don’t know why. They’re not depressed, but they’re not really happy either. We hear about wholeness. It’s not as mysterious as it sounds. However, it is the foundation for health, happiness and beauty. Subsequently, it is often the simplest things we do for ourselves that generate the most desirable results.

Within our busy lives it is tempting to believe someone else has the answers. And sometimes they do, but then often, their answers many not be yours. You will find your answers if you listen for the wisdom in the advice of others and leave the rest behind. Listen to your own heart and trust what you hear.

When a woman or a man is in love the brain gives off an array of chemicals that produce intense feeling of joy and also give the skin a glow that can never come out of a jar. Developing inner peace, bliss, unconditional self love can produce the same chemical reaction.

Without question, menopause is a turning point in every woman’s life. A woman who loves herself unconditionally exhibits a special grace, physical, mental and emotional balance, integrity and confidence.

Solution for Women, LLC has a unique focus on menopause and how to manage it for a healthier and happier life. Aging beats the alternative. Physical and emotional changes happen naturally according to your own body’s rhythm. The menopause transition is also normal and happens for a good reason. Live smart. Be well.

Very soon we will begin our new series Take the Challenge. Change One Thing. You will be able read and follow the program here and at http://www.Newsweekshowcase.com under  Women’s Health. Beginning June 22, 2009

Write to me. Pass along your stories and your wisdom. Tell me about your most insightful perimenopause, or menopause experience. Were there words you read or heard, or something someone said that gave you new awareness, courage, or made a positive difference in your life or outreach to others? I would love to hear your story. Email Sabina@solutionsforwomen.com.

Sabina Fasano is the founder and CEO of Solutions for Women, a company that develops and manufactures alternative healthcare products for women. The company’s flagship product, Femmerol®, is a clinically tested, micronized herbal formulation used to address hormonal imbalance due to menopause, perimenopause, and monthly hormonal fluctuations. Femmerol is manufactured by Warner Lambert. Ms. Fasano also writes monthly for Newsweekshowcase.com Women’s Health.

A variety of changes occur in the eyes that are relative to hormone change and fluctuations. Many menopausal and post menopausal women report dry eye, light sensitivity, blurring, tearing, eye fatigue, swollen eyelids and a feeling of scratchiness. Oddly enough, dry eye syndrome can cause the eye to tear excessively.

Lower hormones levels are a normal part of the aging process; however herbal and nutritional supplements will support healthy hormone levels and overall wellness even after hot flashes stop.

There are also some very nifty items to make life as a baby boomer easier. Lamps, eyeglasses, alarm clocks, and much more.

Visit http://www.independentliving.com/products.asp?dept=691&deptname=Boomer%20Style

New York Times Health Guide:

Menopause is the transition period in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing eggs, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone, and menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether.

Menopause is a natural event that normally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.

Once menopause is complete (called postmenopause) and you have not had a period for 1 year, you can no longer become pregnant.

The symptoms of menopause are caused by changes in estrogen and progesterone levels. As the ovaries become less functional, they produce less of these hormones and the body responds accordingly. The specific symptoms you experience and how significant (mild, moderate, or severe) varies from woman to woman.

A gradual decrease of estrogen generally allows your body to slowly adjust to the hormonal changes. When estrogen drops suddenly, as is seen when the ovaries are removed surgically (called surgical menopause), symptoms can be more severe.

In some women, menstrual flow comes to a sudden halt. More commonly, it slowly stops over time. During this time, the menstrual periods generally become either more closely or more widely spaced. This irregularity may last for 1 - 3 years before menstruation finally ends completely.

Common symptoms of menopause include:

• Heart pounding or racing
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Skin flushing
• Sleeping problems (insomnia)

Other symptoms of menopause may include:

• Decreased interest in sex, possibly decreased response to sexual stimulation
• Forgetfulness (in some women)
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Mood swings including irritability, depression, and anxiety
• Spotting of blood in between periods
• Urine leakage
• Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse
• Vaginal infections

Exams and Tests

Blood and urine tests can be used to measure changes in hormone levels that may signal when a woman is close to menopause or has already gone through menopause. Examples of these tests include:

• Estradiol
• FSH
• LH

A pelvic exam may indicate changes in the vaginal lining caused by declining estrogen levels. The doctor may perform a bone density test to screen for low bone density levels that occur with osteoporosis.

Treatments

Discuss the decision to take hormones thoroughly with your doctor, weighing your risks against any possible benefits. Pay careful attention to the many options currently available to you that do not involve taking hormones. Every woman is different. Your doctor should be aware of your entire medical history when considering prescribing hormone therapy.

by Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum

From: Everyday Health Network

Have you notice how everyone is an expert on menopause? News anchors, your hairdresser, a 19 year old working part time in the health food store and Suzanne Somers.

I am neither a fan of or against HRT. However, I do understand the importance of exact formulating and manufacturing and I am against a pharmacist mixing chemically compounded hormones by hand. They are not standardized and each  prescription refilled for an individual will ultimately result in a different milligram amount of each hormone added. This is dangerous to your health.

Since menopause is not a disease but a phase of life, you need to be clear about your own attitude toward menopause in order to decide how you want to handle it.

Know the facts, avoid fads and false statements. The word natural is incorrectly used when describing hormones available by prescription.

Ongoing studies still show Hormone Replacement Therapy increases risk for breast cancer, heart attack and stroke. Bioidentical Hormones (BHRT) are not different, better or safer, and have the same risks. These is no evidence to say or think differently.

Finally, Suzanne Somers has confessed that her breast cancer was in part caused by her use of bioidentical hormones. Ms. Somers is an actress who sells books. Enough said, lets move on.

With all good reasons women are investigating what they can do on their own. There is a lot we can all do to take charge of the way we feel during menopause. Dealing with symptoms without medication is simply a matter of knowing where to start, and often the smallest changes in your daily routine can make a world of difference in the way you feel and look. Keep an open mind, and start with the simplest strategies.

When we are busy chasing kids around the house and working, secretly believing we are invincible, we tend to forget the basics of good health; eating a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats and getting adequate exercise. This alone will help keep weight stable, reduce symptoms, lift mood and help you sleep. Stress is a biggie ─ find an outlet for stress, we all need to take a daily break instead of just coping by using alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, sweets and junk food. We hear so much about healthy lifestyle. Simply put, it is everything we already know we should be doing.

As the estrogen in your body declines, it helps to take supplements that provide some of the same benefits as estrogen. Femmerol® is an all-natural dietary supplement made with micronized herbal extracts that will help balance your hormones, reduce hot flashes, moodiness and many symptoms of menopause, and make you feel like yourself again. Femmerol provides rejuvenation, and a soothing hormonal response.

Femmerol can be your first choice to handling your menopausal symptoms, since taking the natural path is a logical way to start. Acupuncture and Network chiropractics can also help to balance bodily systems during menopause.

Prevention is the key word today and certainly has great appeal. We’ve heard the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Modifying your lifestyle and incorporating good nutrition, supplements and regular exercise, can help not only manage your menopausal symptoms, but prevent disease, increase your energy level, increase you mental clarity and help you to achieve better health.

We all should take greater strides and responsibility for managing our health. It is sometimes rather difficult to make sense of an overwhelming amount of health information and conflicting news stories. For this reason, we must become savvier consumers to know what benefits our health, and how we can achieve optimal health before and during menopause and beyond.

Exercising daily will decrease hot flashes in their frequency and severity and help you sleep better. It also raises serotonin and endorphin levels which help alleviate depression and mood swings. I encourage you to take a brisk walk and alternate your exercise regimes with stretching, yoga and strength building for bones and muscle. The physical activity will also reduces stress and burns calories. Never underestimate the value of good nutrition, supplementation and herbal therapies. To your advantage, become aware of the foods that trigger or worsen hot flashes, such as caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods and work towards limiting their usage. A supplement rich in phytoestrogens such as Femmerol can help to alleviate hot flashes and several menopause symptoms.