Greetings to All!
I hope and pray you and your family are having a good start to a beautiful year! I decided to start a blog to give you updates of new developments and my reading and education in traditional, nutritional, and alternative medicine. I will also add some life/counseling suggestions and occasional events in my family. My partners at NFC are welcome to blog - even though one of their oldest partners stepped out into this different electronic media first!
Last week I spoke with Jeff Jackson, R.Ph. pharmacist and director at Custom Med Apothecay in NW Indy, for two hours getting an update and more education on osteoporosis prevention and natural hormones. I, myself, have osteopenia (strong family history) and am on natural hormones from Custom Med. In the years since I have been on better daily supplements and natural hormones, I have significantly raised my bone density (a big feat since women lose approximately 5% of their bone density each year after menopause). I also consult with nutritionist and chiropractor Dr. Ed Zimmer (in my same office park) regarding nutrition, supplements, and chiropractic care.
The foremost basics for bone health are no smoking, healthy diet (and no pop!), weight bearing exercise, vitamin D, and calcium (and no depo-provera as birth control for women). Women are at the biggest risk for osteoporosis (less so for African American women), and need to incorporate these basics for their entire lives (and women generally stop increasing bone mass in their early 30's). A healthy diet consists of 5 - 10 servings of fruits and veggies a day (and potatoes and corn do not count), lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey), beans, nuts, whole grains, and no soda (Jeff was telling me that if you drink one soda, you need to drink gallons of water to neutralize its deleterious effects on your bones and body). Weight bearing exercise is needed at least five times a week - such as walking, jogging, resistance/weights. A recent study showed that women who strength train 2 - 3 times a week can increase their spinal bone density by 13% in six months (and in just two months will gain on the average 2 pounds of muscle and lose 3.5 pounds of fat). The best form of calcium contains MCHC, which is well absorbed even on an empty stomach and is well utilized in our bones (has been shown to decrease time needed to heal fractures). This calcium, as with most supplements, is best to get from a trained professional (we carry excellent supplements in our office, as do Dr. Zimmer and Custom Med) or good health food store - cheaper/poor quality forms with MCHC can contain high levels of lead, and often supplements at discount/generic stores are not well absorbed and have many deceptive marketing names. If you do not have high risks, then calcium citrate (found in Citracal) is much better absorbed than the most common calcium carbonate.
Research over the past several years has shown that Vitamin D may be the most important vitamin and supplement. It is not only vital for bones, but also to decrease our body inflammation and cancer risks. Current recommendations are to take at least 1000 - 5000 iu/day. I have often been checking vitamin D levels in routine physicals to assess your individual need. If you take the higher level, you should have your level checked. The
Natural hormones (the same hormones found in our body in physiologic doses, as opposed to synthetic different hormones like Premarin) can help women such as myself with increased risks of osteoporosis and for certain refractory menopause, PMS, and sexual problems. Natural testosterone cream 0.5-1.0mg/day (unable to take by mouth because the liver too rapidly metabolizes it) helps put calcium into our bones and can help with libido, and mood. Natural progesterone 20-40mg/day stimulates bone formation (osteoblasts) and can help with libido, sleep, and mood. Natural estrogens (often triest troches 0.25-.5mg/day) decrease bone loss (decrease osteoclasts) and can help with hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood. There have not been large studies done on natural hormones like there have been on Premarin, so the cardiovascular risks of natural hormones in physiological doses is not known. Each person has to look at their overall risks and symptoms. Males, too, have a male menopause (gradually lowering testosterone by age 30), however the age of onset of symptoms is less predictable and often not until the 60's. The symptoms of fatigue, decreased libido and erections caused by a low testosterone level can be helped by natural testosterone (male doses are 50 - 100mg/day).
Below are recent things I have learned from patients, newspapers, and journals. "Yaktracks" are good to put on the bottom of your shoes to keep from falling in slippery conditions (found at Dicks), and one patient has kept walking daily outside even during all our bad winter weather with them - great job! You can check your individual cancer risks at http://www.cancer.org/. Coffee grounds and ground pepper and sage can help stop bleeding from minor household cuts. Grapeseed extract, gingko, cinnamon, or Chinese herb astralgas can help some people suffering the painful extremity condition Raynauds. Reflux and epigastric pain can be caused by dairy allergy or refined sugar (as well as common causes such as alcohol, stress, smoking, coffee). The
I have been giving my summary of the book "Love and Respect" by Emerson Eggerichs to my patients at their physicals since Fall '08. It is a great marriage book (based on Ephesians 5:33) which can tremendously add to and improve your marriage and give you deeper, excellent insight into the opposite sex. The book gives very good insight and suggestions for us women to better respect our husbands and men to better love their women. My husband, Bruce, and I both read or listened to on CD the book, and are so happy we did. We already had a wonderful marriage, but we always want to look to get better and grow and never want to take each other for granted. As a quick "take-home" I suggest wives to use the word respect more with their husbands ("I really respect.... I really love and respect you!"), and remember most men hear reminding, mothering, and nagging as disrespectful. Please be aware of our men's need and gifts of respect, authority, honor, leadership and sexuality. For men, the author suggests that men need to listen much more to their wives (not just try to give a "fix") and they need to daily seek to understand and get to know what is important to their women. Women need closeness, openness, understanding, peacemaking, and loyalty from their husbands to feel very loved.
We need to daily "date" our spouses. Really think about them, do things for them, and be grateful for them like we did when we were dating. Little notes or cards left by our sinks or in our car seats are great and so appreciated and life/love giving, as are texts and planning dates or even a special surprise date! Make sure to connect once home from work - the very first thing we all should do when we get home is kiss our spouse (not the kids first) and remember to take the time to connect and talk and cuddle each evening. A wise woman in my woman's bible study when asked what the keys to her great marriage and family of six children were said, "God first, each other second, out give each other, and the kids don't matter because they are gone in 18 years!" Obviously the kids matter to give direction, love, and limits, but her big point is pay attention to God and your spouse, who you plan to be with for eternity.
A quick update on my family: I have an adult stepdaughter married and living in
With my thanks, hugs, and prayers, Dr. Lisa
