Today I'm discussing a fantastic option for dealing with one of the most difficult problems that we experience in menopause, which is vaginal dryness and pain, as well as decreased sexual sensation. While hormone therapy is the mainstay for restoring vaginal health, vaginal laser therapy is another tool in the toolbox that is safe for patients who cannot take estrogen due to current or recent breast cancer, or even for patients like myself who just want a little extra boost! This week was time for my annual laser treatment and I will be taking you to the office to watch my laser treatment done live by Dr. Leah. Along with the Juliet vaginal laser, I am having an o-shot with umbilical-derived growth factors, and I will walk you through the pros and cons of all of the options and show you what the experience is like for a real-life patient!

Menopause Aid: Live Vaginal Laser Therapy & O-Shot Procedure | Overcoming Dryness & Pain

feel better soon

Last month my video with Dr. Antoniewicz (@drleahatoz) started the discussion about the importance of diagnosing and treating insulin resistance, not only for weight management but for lifelong health and disease reduction. 
Today we are digging more into this really important and complex topic, and highlighting some more details about what IR is, why it’s important, how we diagnose it and how we can treat it with simple concepts surrounding Nutrition, Movement, Rest and Stress (emotional and physical) management. 

If you didn’t catch Part 1, you can find here!  If you struggle with your weight, sugar addiction or just feel stuck, as  Dr. Leah says, "you are not a bad person trying to get good, you are a sick person trying to get well”. While up to 40% of American women suffer with IR (largely undiagnosed) only a small fraction are getting the help that they need. My hope is that the information you will hear today will inspire you on your wellness journey, and we are here to help you. The recipe for success in healing IR is clear, it works for our patients, and it can work for you too!

Drop Belly Fat by Reducing Insulin NOT Calories! with Dr. Antoniewicz - PART 2 | Menopause Solutions

New World View

Have  you been as confused as me about all the controversy that you hear about which fats are the healthiest? Which ones we should avoid and which we should consume more of? What does MUFA, PUFA, trans fat or saturated fat mean? Is a  low-fat diet healthy or should we aim for 30% fat or higher? Today I'll go through a basic introduction to the types of fat that are available in foods, which ones appear scientifically to be the most healthy,  and which ones we should avoid.

The Truth About Fats: The Good, The Bad, and The UGLY | Metabolism 101 | Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith

So much has changed in our understanding of cholesterol and how it affects our risk for heart disease since I was in med school! Until recently we talked about "good cholesterol" and "bad cholesterol" with very little understanding of what those words actually meant. Today I'll attempt to unwind a little bit about what cholesterol does in our body, how to test for the particular lipoproteins that put us at highest risk for heart disease, the importance of ApoB, and most importantly what we can do to reduce our risk of heart disease based on this information.  While this is often a largely forgotten subject for women, it's important to remember that the number one killer of both men and women is cardiovascular disease, and it is critical that we understand our own heart health, and how to optimize it!

Demystifying ApoB and Lipid Panels: Understanding Your Bloodwork Results

Sometimes we have to be our own advocate and ask for the tests that we need since many doctors don't offer very high-level labs that can be critical to maximizing your healthspan and helping you to feel great. Today I'm going to go through a real patient's lab panel and show you what we look for in our office during a hormone consultation. I'll be discussing the difference between "reference ranges" and "optimal ranges" so that you can interpret your own lab values with a critical eye and make sure that you're not missing any opportunities for wellness. I'll include an actual copy of this patient's labs so that you can ask for exactly the same thing when you go to your doctor and you'll be empowered with everything you need to start on your wellness journey! 

LINK - https://completemidlifewellnesscenter.com/private-practice/womens-fasting-panel/ 

If you do get these labs done, we can also discuss them with you virtually -or in person if you find your way to Houston!

Mastering Lab Values: A Vital Handbook for Women in Menopause & Perimenopause

While the safety and benefits of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) are becoming widely accepted, hot debate continues around dosing, delivery methods and how to monitor levels. Advisory boards including the American College of Ob/Gyn and the Menopause Society support the use of (MHT), but much confusion continues regarding ideal blood levels, whether to check blood levels at all, and optimal route of delivery. The dosing of both estradiol and testosterone varies 5-10 fold between methods such as patches, gels, sublingual methods or pellets. Both doctors and patients need to understand the dose that they are prescribing to make an educated decision. Today I will help to shed light on the differences between these options, and why my strong opinion is that blood levels are critical to ensure that levels are not too high or low for your optimal health.

Hormone Therapy for Menopause: A Guide to Doses, Levels, and Delivery Methods

This past two decades has brought so much confusion about menopausal hormone replacement and breast cancer risk, but we now are entering a modern time with a much better understanding of how all this works. 

Today I'm going to review how this controversy ever started and what the modern understanding is regarding estrogen and breast cancer. You may be surprised that we are now flipping the script and realizing that estrogen not only has no effect on increasing breast cancer risk, but actually reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer if it's started early. Not only that, but estrogen also undeniably reduces the risk of colon cancer, osteoporosis, and particularly cardiovascular disease when it is started shortly after menopause. 

We no longer recommend taking hormone replacement only for treatment of hot flashes and night sweats, or stopping it after any defined time period. The health benefits of starting it as soon as possible after menopause and taking it for life outweigh any risks for most women.

~ Dr. Susan

Estrogen and Breast Cancer: A Contemporary Perspective

Many people have strong opinions about compounding pharmacies, although few people know what they really are, how they are regulated and what the difference is between one type of compounding pharmacy and another. There is a perception that compounded drugs are not FDA approved, not regulated or somehow not safe or reliable. Today I'm going to explain what these pharmacies are, why we might choose to use them (or not) and why the perception that compounding is inferior or not safe is quite inaccurate.

Compounding Pharmacies Explained: Safety, Regulations & Misconceptions

Feed Good

The most common killer of both men and women is heart attack, so understanding how to reduce our risk could not be more important. Since the 1980's, studies have consistently shown that menopausal hormone therapy (particularly estrogen) reduces the risk of heart disease in women. The now infamous Women's Health Initiative study surprised the medical community in 2002 by suggesting that hormone therapy increased the risk of heart attack in a small subset of women. After 22 years of gathering more data,  multiple large studies have now confirmed what we previously understood, which is that estrogen has a highly beneficial effect for the heart if it's started in the first 10 years after menopause, and benefit seems to be negligible if it's started later (but not harmful). We no longer recommend taking the lowest dose for the shortest time, but rather suggest starting menopausal hormone therapy as early as possible and continuing it long term. For the great majority of patients the benefits far outweigh any potential risks.

Heart Health & Menopausal Hormone Therapy: What Women Need to Know

Celebrating 3 years on T, song is by the smiths

3 years on T (please let me get what I want)

JamÓn (feat. Chanchigo)

We all know that alcohol is a toxin with numerous effects on our health - from weight gain, to sleep and mood disruption as well as causing multiple cancers, diabetes, heart disease, gut dysbiosis, liver damage and dementia - even at "socially acceptable levels." Many of us drink in moderation and don't consider it to be a "problem"- but today I'm discussing an interesting way of reframing your relationship with alcohol and being very clear about where it might be causing problems in your life. 

I came across an amazing community called "One Year No Beer" (link and tag on social) and joined their 28 day alcohol free challenge. This challenge is supported with emails, videos and connecting with others on the same journey, and invites you to experience how you feel without alcohol for a prolonged period.  Like me- a break from drinking  makes most people realize that we are being held back by alcohol, and without it many things improve!  My personal goal is to be someone who drinks "as much as I like as often as I like"- which will amount to very little, and not very often.

Is alcohol holding you back?

Iron is a vital micronutrient that is sub-optimal in more than 50% of women. This is frequently missed because it masks as many other things,  and most doctors don't check the labs that are necessary to evaluate this completely. Today I'll be talking about where we find iron in our diet, how to diagnose low iron and how to address it by evaluating our input, absorption,  and ruling out any sources of blood loss. I'll also tell you about my own story with low iron, how I corrected it, and how both my patients and I feel so much better when our iron is optimized!

Sub-Optimal Iron in Women – How to Detect, Correct, and Thrive | Empowering Midlife Wellness

Our understanding of the vital importance of the gut biome has skyrocketed in the past 10 years, yet we are still just beginning to learn all of the incredible functions of these healthy bacteria. Today I'll be reviewing the role of healthy gut bacteria in the prevention of multiple disease processes, including the most common diseases that affect American women-  obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. I will particularly be talking about a really interesting key bacteria called Akkermansia, and a growing body of research suggesting its importance in weight maintenance and insulin sensitivity, amongst other things.
Since learning about this, I have started taking the Pendulum brand Akkermansia product myself (I'll explain why I prefer this brand in the video though I have no affiliation with the company), and recommend it to many of our patients.  I think after listening to this, you will consider it too!

Is Akkermansia the New Cure? How Gut Bacteria Fight Chronic Disease

I had an interesting conversation with double board certified Dr Malaika Woods. The conversation started off with mental health and social media, and then transitioned into hormonal changes in women as we age. Different perspectives on estrogen and how it effects the body. How testosterone can be very beneficial in women and is also destroyed by stress. And much more. I hope you enjoy this conversation, let me know in the comments. :)
Please note that Dr Woods opinions on estrogen do not necessarily reflect my own. And although we have different opinions on certain aspects of hormones, this was still an enjoyable conversation.

Dr Malaika Woods is dually board certified with the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology. She is also a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine and she has certification in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for men and women Dr. Woods is founder of Dr. Woods Wellness, established in 2013. She is also the #1 bestselling author of Physician Unleashed: The Physician Freedom Formula. You can find out more about Dr woods here;
https://drwoodswellness.com/
https://www.facebook.com/drwoodswellness?mibextid=LQQJ4d

If you find these videos or the podcasts helpful or interesting and you want me to continue making them, you can support me in making these and the podcasts because they really do take a lot of time, especially where the research is involved. You can buy me a coffee, I will share the link in the description. I really appreciate those of you who have supported me already, I do love coffee. Thank you so much for your generosity.
https://buymeacoffee.com/cmhthanks

#326 HRT, Estrogen perspectives, and Testosterone for women with Dr Malaika Woods.

~Music Producer | DJ~
“In this flow, mind and matter are not separate substances. Rather, they are different aspects of one whole and unbroken movement”

https://www.instagram.com/rheomodal?igsh=MWFpb2g0azlzY3pjOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Hi, I'm a transman who's sharing his singing voice changes. I'm not a professional, I just enjoy singing. Some people think all trans men lose their singing voice after being on T -- relearning how to sing can be difficult, but it's not impossible. I hope it'll help hearing how someone else's voice has changed.

Been on T since 2021

This podcast aims to teach you how to understand your body, take care of yourself and learn how to constantly stack conditions in your favor. Integrative Health practitioner, Nutritional Therapist, Biohacker, Certified Iridologist, Personal trainer and Pilates instructor. I specialize in orthomolecular nutrition, long term sustainable weight loss, female hormones, metabolic health, sleep quality, brain health and more. Commit to learning how your body really works and achieve sustainable results.

The information in these podcast episodes is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. All guest opinions are their own and do not reflect my own.

Meet Dr. Susan, a renowned Board-Certified Gynecologist and Certified Menopause Practitioner through the Menopause Society (former NAMS), focused on hormone optimization, sexual wellness, and longevity. She's the pioneering force behind the Complete Midlife Wellness Center in Houston, TX, and the best-selling author of "Sexually Woke." Tune into her engaging podcast, "Empowering Midlife Wellness," for insightful conversations. Boasting numerous accolades, including the Texas Super Doctor award and being consistently rated among Houston's top gynecologists, Dr. Susan combines her medical expertise with her passion as an ICF-certified life and leadership coach. Outside the clinic, she's a fitness enthusiast, marathon runner, Ironman triathlete, and mother of three young adults. Join her YouTube channel for empowering wellness strategies designed for midlife and beyond.

Content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical or mental health condition, and before undertaking any diet, dietary supplement, exercise, or other health program.

New tracks tagged #HRT