Written by: Brenda Herrod, Guest Writer
Menopause is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy! Once you lose your hormones, you lose your health. When we are young we feel energetic and as we get older, we lose those essential hormones. That is when we start getting heart disease, cancers, and diabetes. Aging is a really positive thing and should not be taken for granted. Not everyone is given the opportunity to age and enjoy the life you have worked hard for. One thing is for certain, no matter what your age, we all want to feel energized, healthy and vibrant. It takes work and effort to feel your best, but it is so worth it!
Hormones are the foundation of good health. Without them, we feel tired, brain fog, have sleepless nights, weight gain, low libido, mood issues, and the list goes on! The risks for our health are increased when you are low in hormones, especially for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, heart disease and obesity. Many providers feel it is a normal part of life and the way it should be, so they do not treat it. If a younger person has low hormone levels, they would treat the deficiency, so why not in the older patient?
The human body is a complicated machine. The endocrine system contains a large network of hormone-producing glands that are distributed throughout our body. As we age and have health issues our production of these hormones begins to decrease. Every woman has her own unique hormonal makeup. We start our midlife adventure with perimenopause. This can begin as early as age 35 and the whole process may take 10-15 years. These are the “rollercoaster” years due wild fluctuations in estrogen and low progesterone which can make you feel crazy. As these levels begin tapering down in our 30’s and it can affect every aspect in our lives. Perimenopausal women can suffer from migraines, irritability, anxiety, heavy bleeding and long, or irregular menstrual cycles. The average age of menopause is 51.5 years but can occur anytime. Usually it is between ages 46 and 54, but there are always exceptions. Having no menstrual period for one year is typically the definition of when you have reached menopause.
Progesterone is the first hormone that you start losing in your 30’s. It is “Mother Nature’s valium” as it helps calm you down and works with GABA in the brain to allow you to rest more peacefully. Progesterone deficiency is the most common hormone deficiency. There are progesterone receptors on cells all over your body but the most are in the brain. PMS symptoms, mood swings, anxiety, and irritability are common issues with low levels. It helps protect from fibrocystic breast disease, fibrocystic ovaries and even decreases the risk of breast cancer. Progesterone inhibits growth of the uterine lining so must be used if a woman is on estradiol. We find it very beneficial for any woman due to the calming effects, improved sleep and anti -– anxiety benefits. Note that the names "progestins and progesterone" are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Synthetic progestins affect your body differently and don’t work as well as natural “progesterone,” the same name as the hormone in our body, and the bioidentical type that is the best.
Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women, but most women are more terrified of breast cancer. “Seven times more women die from heart disease than breast cancer” according to Dr. Avrum Bluming, author of “Estrogen Matters.” A healthy lifestyle, good genetics and estradiol therapy can help decrease this risk. Estradiol replacement, the beneficial type of estrogen, should be started early, less than 10 years following menopause. The lab level should be at least 70pg/ml or greater for best results. Estradiol is an amazing hormone with more than 400 functions in the human body. It works with collagen and elastin to protect your skin and keep it looking more youthful. Estradiol protects your brain health and helps decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s. Poor memory and brain fog are common issues women suffer from. Estradiol improves bone health, reduces the risk of hip fractures, osteoporosis and keeps your bones and muscles strong. With low estradiol levels, you may suffer from joint pain and stiffness, frozen shoulder and arthritis. The typical vasomotor symptoms we think of for menopause are feeling hot, but not feeling sexy – the dreaded hot flashes, and night sweats. Vaginal dryness is another problem with low estradiol, along with atrophy of vaginal tissues and irritation, which can lead to painful intercourse and urinary tract infections. The bioidentical type is best, as it has a chemical structure identical to the hormones produced by the body. Several studies have shown the harmful effects of synthetic hormones, and many are made from pregnant horse urine, which is not natural.
Testosterone is thought of as only a male hormone, but women typically have more testosterone in their body than estrogen. As women, we deserve to be strong, have libido and feel younger again. Having an optimal testosterone level, not too low or not too high, is absolutely health-promoting in women. Studies have shown that the combination of testosterone and estrogen not only prevents loss of bone, but can increase bone density. Women lose testosterone as they age and that can cause lack of libido, a saggy body, lack of confidence and energy. Your libido and sexual intimacy is a pillar of health that is very important to longevity and can also boost your relationship and confidence. Having more testosterone in your body can contribute to better strength and endurance, decreased body fat, improving muscle mass, increased tolerance for exercise and a better mood. Muscle is the organ that helps you survive for better longevity. Using only the natural, bioidentical testosterone is healthy and you can feel vibrant again too. You don’t even realize how great you can feel!
Hormone labs that I recommend to be checked are estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. Other labs that are important with a simple blood test are thyroid levels. cortisol, DHEA, B12 and Vitamin D levels are important to your overall health too. Ferritin is the storage form of iron and important to assess for anemia. It is essential to look at the levels of thyroid hormones, such as TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3 and antibodies to check for Hashimoto’s. Metabolic labs to look for are fasting insulin, glucose and hemoglobin A1C. Add fasting lipids and consider a coronary artery calcium wellness scan to look for plaque buildup. A CMP or comprehensive medical profile and CBC provides good information too.
Outside of a healthy lifestyle, I believe bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is the single best thing you can do to prevent an early death and stay healthy. Many women live ⅓ of their lives after menopause and why should we suffer for all those years? Aging is inevitable, but we do have choices in what we do to stay healthy. It takes more than just taking a pill or shot for the best results. It will work optimally if you have a healthy lifestyle. This includes prioritizing sleep, cutting out processed food, controlling stress, getting outside, moving your body everyday and being active. This includes resistance training or weight lifting at least 2-3 times per week. Having your hormones and lifestyle optimized promotes metabolic health. This can influence every cell in your body to give you that zest for life again. You can see that sparkle in our patients’ eyes when they get their hormones balanced and feel younger again and as a provider, that is the best feeling.
Brenda Herrod, Brainz Magazine Guest Writer
Brenda Herrod is a Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1993 and a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2009. Brenda is practicing at New Leaf Wellness in Omaha, Nebraska. Prior to that, she practiced in women’s health at a primary care clinic, aesthetics and organized a successful healthy living program for Methodist Health System employees. The program she developed is published in The Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. She was a nursing instructor at Northeast Community College Nursing Program for 11 years.
Brenda has a strong passion for promoting wellness through an overall healthy lifestyle. Her greatest love is inspiring others to see their own worth & beauty, believe in themselves and know that it is never too late. She loves helping find the root cause of health issues and educating on all things health such as bioidentical hormones, metabolic health and muscle for longevity, vitamins, nutrition, activity, controlling stress and sleep. She has earned her pro card in two natural figure federations and is a natural bodybuilding judge. Brenda is CEO of her own wellness company, Brenda Lee Wellness, and teaches small group fitness classes. She is Precision Nutrition certified, a certified personal trainer and is certified in functional medicine. She is a member of the Omaha Nurse Practitioners, Nebraska Nurse Practitioners and Nebraska Obesity Society.
