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Articles
by
Trina M. Seligman
Amino
Acid Therapy
Cold & Flu
Integrative Medicine
Natural Approaches to A.D.D.
Natural
Hormone
Replacement
Traditional Chinese
Medicine & Acupuncture
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HRT
– Hormone Replacement Therapy
HRT is the common name for the conventional hormone replacement
therapy program prescribed by your medical practitioner,
and may include Premarin and Provera.
NHR
– Natural Hormone Replacement (Bio-identical
Hormones)
NHR is the common name for the natural hormones prescribed
by your practitioner of natural medicine, and usually includes
Triest (estrone,estradiol,estriol) or Biest (estradiol,
estriol),
Progesterone and if necessary DHEA and testosterone. Natural
hormones are also referred to as “bio-identical hormones”
because they are the same as the hormones produced by your
own body.
Plant Hormone/Botanical
Hormone Replacement
Plant hormones is another way of referring to plant-based:
“phytoestrogen” or “phytoprogesterone”
hormones, which are commonly prescribed by your Naturopath
or Herbalist. These may include Soy, Black cohosh, Vitex,
Dang quai, Glycyrrhiza, or Dioscorea, to name a few.
Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM)/Acupuncture
TCM/Acupuncture can be very helpful, whatever program you
choose. This can help to balance the hormones if you are
switching from HRT to NHR, or if you are just starting NHR
or a plant-based hormone program.
How
to Decide What is Right for You?
The decision on which type of program you should use, if any,
depends on a variety of factors:
Family
History: The following risk factors may
encourage you to use NHR or HRT plus TCM/Acupuncture:
Osteoporosis
Alzheimer’s Risk
Mood symptoms
Personal
History: The following personal risk
factors may encourage you to use NHR or HRT plus TCM/Acupuncture:
Poor Bone Density,
or history of long-term Corticosteroid use.
Unrelenting symptoms of menopause:
hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, poor memory, night-sweats,
vaginal dryness, low libido
Family
or Personal History:
The following Risk factors may encourage you to use a Plant-based
“hormone-replacement” program plus TCM/Acupuncture:
History
of gynecologic cancer (breast or uterine)
History
of uterine fibroids or Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Mild
symptoms of menopause
Philosophical
belief against hormone replacement
Things To Remember:
You
can always change your mind : if one form of treatment doesn’t
seem right to you down the road, we can change the therapy.
A
Baseline bone density and follow-up bone density exams are
recommended.
A
baseline mammogram is recommended.
Blood
work to confirm the dose of NHR that you are using is necessary,
to make sure that we are not “underdosing” and
missing the benefit, or “overdosing” and stimulating
your body too much.
Annual
physical exams and pelvic exams are recommended.
Regular
Breast Self Exams (BSE) are recommended monthly – if
you are unsure how to do it – ask! Recommended
Reading:
What
your doctor may not tell you about menopause:
John Lee.
Women’s
Bodies Women’s Wisdom: Christiane Northrup
Smart
Medicine For Menopause: Sandra Cabot
Natural
Hormone Replacement: Jonathan Wright
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