MORE BLOG POSTS — Female health
When Osteoporosis Isn't Just Menopause: Knowing When to Look Deeper
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Most women expect some bone loss as they age. After all, declining estrogen levels during menopause accelerate the breakdown of bone, making osteoporosis one of the most common health concerns facing women over 50. Because of this, many women—and even some healthcare providers—automatically assume that osteoporosis is simply part of getting older. But that isn’t always the case. The most important questions to ask when osteoporosis is diagnosed is whether it appears to be occurring as expected or whether something else may be contributing to the problem. In other words, is this simply age-related bone loss, or is osteoporosis acting...
Histamine Intolerance: The Menopause Symptom Nobody Warned You About
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Hot flashes. Anxiety. Insomnia. Heart palpitations. Headaches. Brain fog. Random itching. A nose that suddenly behaves like it’s allergy season year-round. A glass of wine that used to feel relaxing but now leaves you flushed, wide awake at 2 a.m., and questioning every life decision you've ever made. Sound familiar? I thought so…. Most women assume these symptoms are simply part of stress or aging. And to be fair, many of them are. But there’s another player that often flies under the radar—one that can quietly stir up a surprising amount of chaos—especially during perimenopause and menopause. Meet histamine, an...
How Medications Quietly Disrupt Your Stress Hormones
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Many women don’t realize that prescription and over-the-counter medications can affect the levels and patterns of the stress hormone cortisol. I’ve worked with countless women who had many symptoms of stress system dysfunction—fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, sleep issues—but their system couldn’t course-correct because some of their medications were tying its hands behind its back. In some cases, medications are necessary. But it’s important to understand which ones can affect cortisol and the stress system—and how they do so. Medications That Affect the Way You Perceive Stress Your brain constantly scans your environment looking for potential threats—whether that’s a...
Chicken Arms, Skin Slack, and the Truth About “Flab” After 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
At some point, our skin seems to succumb to gravity no matter what we do. You can be eating well, exercising consistently, and even losing a few pounds, yet still notice that your skin doesn’t seem to be on board. Areas like the upper arms, breasts, abdomen, or thighs begin to sag—even when the scale is moving in the right direction. That shift isn’t random, and it’s not a sign that what you’re doing isn’t working. It’s a reflection of how the body itself is changing—courtesy of Mother Nature, who clearly doesn’t have the same problem. Why Skin Starts...
Your Menopause On Stress
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
There was a time when you could move through a stressful day without it completely derailing how you felt. You handled responsibilities, managed competing demands, and still had enough energy left to feel like yourself at the end of it. Even when life got busy or unpredictable, your system had a way of absorbing the pressure and eventually settling back down. Then things started to change. The same types of stressors that once felt manageable now seem to linger longer and hit harder. Sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented, even when nothing about your routine has changed. Your patience feels...