MORE BLOG POSTS — Hormones
Your Menopause on Stress: Why Everything Feels Harderβand What You Can Do About It
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Youβre juggling a career, a family, aging parents, a metabolism in slow motion, and suddenlyΒ your hormones stage a full-blown mutiny. Welcome to menopauseβon stress. If youβve felt like your hot flashes are hotter, your mood swings meaner, or your brain fogΒ thicker than it should be, chronic stress could be the not-so-silent saboteur. Letβs break downΒ why stress makes menopause symptoms worse and what you can actually do about it. The Hormone Havoc of Menopause Menopause isnβt just the end of your period. Itβs a major hormonal transition. Estrogen andΒ progesteroneβthe dynamic duo that once kept your body hummingβbegin to decline. And asΒ they...
Keeping Your Brain Sharp After 40: What Every Woman Needs to Know
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
When you think about aging, you might worry about wrinkles or stiff joints β but what aboutΒ your brain? Many women start to notice little mental slips and slower thinking long before theyΒ ever retire. In fact, studies show that up to 60% of women in midlife report struggles withΒ memory, word-finding, or that familiar βbrain fogβ that seems to appear overnight. If youβve ever walked into a room and forgotten why, blanked on a familiar name, or felt likeΒ your mind just isnβt as clear as it used to be β youβre definitely not alone, and youβre not stuckΒ with it either. Letβs break...
The Hidden Costs of Menopause: Economic Impact, Personal Costs, & the Search for Natural Relief
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Menopause is a natural stage of life, but for millions of women in the U.S., it comes with moreΒ than just hot flashes and night sweatsβit carries a heavy emotional, professional, and financialΒ toll. From reduced productivity at work to rising out-of-pocket costs for symptom relief,Β menopause is quietly draining billions of dollars from the U.S. economy each year. And yet, itΒ remains one of the most overlooked public health and workplace challenges today. Β The Annual Cost of Menopause in the U.S. Β According to a 2023 Mayo Clinic study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), menopause-related symptoms cost...
Thyroid Hormone Testing Explained
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Confused about thyroid hormone testing? β¦Youβre not alone. In fact, most patients AND health care practitioners have difficultyΒ understanding hormones in general and thyroid hormone in particular. One reason forΒ this confusion is that many things can affect the way thyroid hormones work in the body. Β This can result in a patient having numerous symptoms of thyroid hormone imbalancesΒ despite having βnormalβ blood work. Adding to the challenge of diagnosis is that someΒ thyroid hormone levels canβt be tested in the blood. Β BUTβ¦one major reason thyroid hormone imbalances go undiagnosed or arenβt properlyΒ treated is that thorough testing is often not ordered by...
Post-Hysterectomy Hormone Replacement Therapy
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Β Estrogen Only is NOT Enough! Β One-third of all American women over the age of 60 have had a complete hysterectomy? In fact,Β this is the second most common surgical procedure after C-section. Most women who have their uterus and ovaries removed are never offered hormone replacement therapy for symptomatic relief or disease prevention. Those who are lucky may find a doctor enlightened enough to prescribe hormones. Unfortunately, estrogen only is what is typically prescribed, and this is a problem! While estrogen replacement is essential countless ways, estrogen replacement alone,Β without the addition of progesterone, can cause a whole host of...