Happiness is Hormones

Having experienced menopause in my early 40's, I am now happily on natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT)and never plan on stopping. I see so many women my age struggling with weight gain, loss of sleep, anxiety, fatigue and various health issues including osteopenia (the beginning of osteoporosis)and I always ask if they
have had their hormone levels tested. There is really a need for more accurate information on the effects of menopause on our bodies and safe treatment.

Hormones regulate virtually every bodily function and are critical to our body's health. The natural hormone cycle is designed to give men and women vitality for reproduction during childbearing/rearing years and then a decline with aging. The perimenopausal and menopausal years for women are really a withering away of muscle
and bone along with loss of mental sharpness as hormone production decreases. Many women try to bravely survive this period without seeking treatment and some will seek medical help only to be put on anti-depressants. Eventually the symptoms will lessen as their bodies adapt to functioning without proper hormonal levels but when hormones are depleted, they will not return without HRT.

The benefits of natural hormones are dramatic but unnecessary fear of HRT is still
common because of studies that showed that SYNTHETIC hormones (made of urine from
pregnant horses!)caused cancer. NATURAL hormones do not cause cancer, they prevent it. Other benefits include:
> heart & vascular disease is prevented
> aging of cells is significantly slowed
> osteoporosis is prevented or even reversed
> mental and/or emotional dysfunction is prevented or reversed
> anti-depressant drugs are unnecessary or dosage lowered

I have a few aches & pains from some over-use injuries in the past and don't sleep as well as I used to which is normal for my age, but I would be a different person than I am today without HRT....probably still 25 lbs overweight with achy knees, thinning hair, low sex drive, and too tired for exercise. I certainly would not have had the motivation to re-open Trim Up! Regular exercise, a good diet and vitamin regimen helps to give me energy and good health but my hormones help me to look, think and feel young and happy!

p.s. My doctor/GYN is Alyse Kelly-Jones at Mintview Gyn, 704 377-5675. She specializes in womens sexuality which includes hormones. I get my hormone levels tested each year at my annual check-up which makes it easy and affordable.