There are widespread misconceptions about hormone replacement therapy, dropped by thousands of women following the frightening results of a the Women’s Health Initiative study, but one woman found that hormone replacement therapy held the key to relief for her Multiple Sclerosis.

Kathryn Simpson, author of THE MS SOLUTION: HOW I SOLVED THE PUZZLE OF MY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS found that through her own diligent research hormone therapy totally ended her painful and debilitating symptoms of MS, a disease that affects 1 out of 700 Americans.

Rejecting the often dangerous anti-inflammatory therapies offered by her neurologist and frightened by her father’s history of degenerative neurological disease, Simpson took charge of her own health. She had her body’s endocrine levels tested and discovered that she was deficient in almost all of her body’s hormones.

Using her background as a biotech industry executive, Simpson became a bio-researcher and discovered hormone therapies that restored her good health. She also discovered:

New information that has come to light regarding the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, which can make a huge difference for women with MS.

Under-active thyroid is three times more common in women with MS than the general population.

1 in 50 women and 1 in 1,000 men are diagnosed with an under-active thyroid in their lifetime. The most common form of thyroid medication is usually inadequate; many MS patients require a replacement that incorporates all four of the body’s thyroid hormones.
25% of men with MS have low testosterone, while levels of estrogen are four times higher in male MS patients than in the general population. Under-active thyroid is one of the culprits in excess estrogen in men.

The adrenal glands are usually overlooked. A cortisol replacement is often the last piece of the puzzle that reverses remaining symptoms for total relief.
Proper hormone replacement can control and even reverse some of the degenerative effects of MS.

Spurred by her discoveries, Simpson founded a clinic to help others seeking relief from MS and related disorders. Three years later, she remains symptom-free. I am looking forward to speaking with you soon regarding scheduling an interview with Kathryn Simpson.

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of cancer is certainly no exception.

We hear it all the time?lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults.

The researchers compared Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between premature death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male, 5'10" weighing 288 pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.Jamie McManus, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of "Your Personal Guide to Wellness" notes that while this study referenced extreme levels of obesity, there are still millions of overweight people in developed countries with a life expectancy rate that is three to five years less than their healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000 obesity related deaths each year in America.

Just how does obesity shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question is complex, yet there is a clear link between obesity and the development of cancer. An extensive study conducted by the American Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that obesity significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and gallbladder.

Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and surveillance research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason obesity may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing chances of a random genetic error while cells are replicating, which can lead to cancer. In addition, fat centered around the abdomen may increase insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood, which may increase cancer risk.

"Women who are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of breast cancer," notes Thun, "and obese men have a 40% higher relative risk of colon cancer?. Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are five times higher for obese individuals".There is evidence that cancer rates in developed countries are increasing at 5 to 15 times faster than developing countries. A major contributor to this alarming reality has proven to be diet. In populations where the diet consists mostly of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains ? in contrast to the typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and sugars ? the risk of cancer is much lower.

The interaction of diet and the development of cancer is an active field of research and Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of "What Color is Your Diet", says "It appears that diet has its most significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer". At the risk of oversimplifying a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.It is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

The best time to learn about cancer is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable cancer experience while it's still free.

1. Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine if weight has become health risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI (a ratio of height to weight) over 25. Of those, nearly half (27%) qualify as obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more. In 1980, just 15% of Americans were considered obese. You can check your BMI at the website below.

2. Match your diet to your body's requirements. If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

3. Color your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables. There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal. Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity. If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key ingredient. Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society (ACS), says adults should do something for 30 minutes each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk. Children should be active for an hour each day. We are more likely to develop habits around things we enjoy, so seek activities which you enjoy doing. It is also helpful to build physical activity into your daily routine: use the stairs instead of the escalator or lift at work, park your car in the parking bay furthest from the super marketing and don't use the remote control to change TV channels.

6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan and reach your goal weight. Whilst a small percentage of people possess the discipline to lose weight, many obese people have developed strong thoughts and habits concerning the food they eat. In order to establish new habits, most people respond well to some form of consistent encouragement and coaching.

A study, "Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes" shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn't. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results.

Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it's never to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about cancer.

Source: http://www.consumer-savings.net/

Whether you want it to happen or not, menopause is going to happen. I’m sure you have all heard horror stories from women that have gone through it and several of them stating how their body never went back to the way it used to be. How they gained weight and could not lose it. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I’m here to inform you on how you can at least slow down the weight gain post menopause if not avoid it completely.

You will see that there are several changes that do occur do to menopause that you can not control, but you will also see there are a number of which you can control. Sadly, many women do not get the ones they can change under control and the weight comes on. I suggest you become proactive rather than reactive and knowing you’re going to experience it prepare yourself so when it does occur you are as ready as you can be.

Menopause, which most women experience in their 40’s-50’s (the average age for women in the Western region of the world is 51) is “The time in a woman’s life when menstrual periods permanently stop”. During this time a number of women will put on unwanted pounds and unnecessary fat. There are several reasons this occurs, but do not get discouraged. You can control some of these factors which in turn will slow down or help you avoid all together gaining the unwanted fat and weight. The following are the changes that a woman can expect to go through and the necessary steps she should take to stay on track with her fitness goals.

*Hormone levels change while there is nothing you can do about this change, not every woman is affected the same. The hormones that change are Progesterone, Estrogen, Androgen, and Testosterone.

• Progesterone leads to water retention and bloating. Thus causing weight gain and the uncomfortable feeling of feeling thicker in the midsection.

• Estrogen declines rapidly and your body looks for other way s to produce estrogen since your ovaries will produce less. Because of this your body will turn to fat cells leading your body to try and create more fat cells. Obviously the increase of fat cells leads to an increase in body fat percentage and possible an increase in weight. Another important note about fats cell is that they burn only 8 calories a day, while muscle can burn 20-100 calories a day.• Androgen which is a male dominant hormone is responsible for sending a majority of the weight post menopause to a woman’s midsection.

• Testosterone which is another male dominant hormone that promotes muscle growth lowers thus causing the body to build less muscle thereby slowing down one’s metabolism.

*Stress is another factor to take into consideration during menopause. Stress is something we all need to deal with on a daily basis and it can lead to weight gain, specifically in the abdomen area. Studies show that chronic stress can convert any macronutrient into a sugar to use as fuel, thus spiking one’s insulin levels and forcing the body to store more fat. Stress can also cause the body to retain water thereby making one feel bloated and heavier.

*Eating more often post menopause is another contributing factor to weight gain. If you take in more calories then you burn, you will gain weight. For many post menopause women, they will turn to food for comfort and keep their activity level the same and/or decrease it. This means activity level stays equal or less while calories (normally not healthy foods) increase causing the body to gain weight. This is something you can control! Keep a food log and track your eating to see if you are indeed taking in too many calories.

Try and eat every 3-4 hours and think of what you’re going to do three hours after you eat. If you’re going to bed, try not to eat too many carbohydrates. If you’re going to workout or you’ll be active after a particular meal you can eat a little more. Try and get a lean source of protein and or fat in each meal. The protein will help to maintain muscle mass and both will slow down the Glycemic load of the carbohydrates.

*Less activity which goes hand and hand with the eating more is another reason for the unwanted gains. If you eat the same amount or most likely more as stated above while reducing your activity (caloric burn) you’ll have a surplus of calories and you will gain weight. Don’t be afraid to hit the weights and do resistance training. Not only will it help build more lean muscle (which burns more calories) it can also help with Osteoporosis.

Try to work each body part at least once a week and get 3-5 cardio sessions in a week (30-60 minutes in duration). If you feel the previously mentioned is too much activity for you, then just do something. I recommend getting a doctor’s ok first then having a professional trainer assesses your strengths and weaknesses.

*Genetics is another change that we can not prevent. Some women are predisposedTo carry more fat (in general) and in certain areas than others. While we can not prevent this, knowing your genetic predisposition to weight gain, you can slow down the process with proper diet and exercise. Keep in mind you can not spot reduce. Meaning, if you do not like your hips and butt and just want them to lose fat while maintain the rest, that will not happen. You can shape what you have with weights, but your body burns fat from within so the areas that have the most will be the last to go.

QUESTION: I found your article How Male Menopause Affects Families to be very interesting, and it truly describes my husband's mental state. I have tried to get him into counseling and on medication. He is destroying everything -- and everyone who cares about him. My question is, do I give him an ultimatum, or should I just nag him to death until he seeks help? After 27 years of marriage, I have just about given up on our relationship. It's very sad.

ANSWER: Male menopause is very painful and confusing for men and women, and there is a tendency to blame ourselves or our partner. You need to recognize that this isn't your fault -- nor is it his.

Men going through this difficult change of life often feel that the very core of their masculine identity is at risk. For many men, even acknowledging that there is such a thing as male menopause makes them feel even more vulnerable. As a result, most men will deny there is any problem at all, and it is often women who contact me first.

Fortunately, I've found that even one committed person can get the ball rolling, and I urge you to take this path. I help women change their attitudes and behavior so that they are protected from their male partners' acting out. At the same time, I begin to help women approach their men in such a way that the men can move through the stages of denial and recognize their need for help.

Read More Here

Dr. Judi Goldstone at Griffin Medical Group recently sat down and answered questions on the subject of bio-identical hormone replacement for women. Dr. Goldstone is an expert on the subject and these are comments to questions that were submitted to her blog.
Dr. Goldstone is a board certified internal medicine specialist and Director of the Age Management program at Griffin Medical Group. Dr. Goldstone is also an active member of the American Society of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M).

Question: What is the theory behind bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women?Dr. Goldstone: When it comes to disease, conventional medicine will restore of low levels of thyroid, insulin and cortisol. This would be the standard and typical medical treatment. Thus, it seems logical to also replace estrogen, progesterone, testosterone growth hormone when a person has low levels of those hormones. However, the evidence leaves clinicians at a loss for clear direction, because different studies, using a variety of types of hormones, methods of hormone administration, and women of different ages, have produced conflicting results.

Question: What are the Normal Hormone Ratios?

Dr. Goldstone: There are three predominant estrogens in non-pregnant, pre-menopausal women: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3). These naturally occur in different relative amounts. Typically, E1 will make up 10 to 20 percent of total estrogen, E2 will make up another 10 to 20 percent and E3 will comprise the remaining 60 to 80 percent of total estrogen.
This ratio is protective, because the bulk of estrogen is comprised by the weakest estrogen, E3, which is also the most protective against blood clots and breast cancer. E2 is the strongest estrogen, and E1 is the storage form of estrogen.

E1 is sometimes considered the "least desirable" estrogen, because it can stimulate breast tissue production and blood clots. E1 can be metabolized and excreted by the liver, but if the liver systems are overwhelmed or if vitamins B12 and folic acid are deficient, E1 is converted to quinines. These can be mutagenic and carcinogenic, and thus could ultimately lead to cancer and other health problems.Question: What are bio-identical hormones and how can they mimic protective ratios?

Dr. Goldstone: Estrogen-like hormones can be obtained from horses, soy and yams, but these hormones do not fit exactly into the human receptors. By contrast, bio-identical hormones are an exact match, molecule for molecule, to the hormones produced naturally by a woman's body.

They fit the hormone receptor just like a key fits into its lock, and the body cannot distinguish between a bio-identical hormone and the hormones it makes itself.Bio-identical hormones can be made in several ways.

Sometimes they are created by modifying soy or yam — any molecule that does not exist on the human hormone counterpart is removed. They are produced synthetically in the laboratory to make bio-identical estrogen, testosterone and progesterone transdermal creams and gels.Question: How are bio-identical hormones prescribed by doctors who use them today?

Dr. Goldstone: The goal is to re-establish the normal protective ratio, a 20:80 ratio of E2 to E3, and avoid E1 altogether. This formula is called Bi-est. Estrogen that comes in the form of a transdermal cream mimics normal ratios better than estrogen that is taken in pill form, because the estrogen pill first has to pass through the liver, where 50 percent is converted into E1 ("bad" estrogen) before being circulated to tissues.

Estrogen applied through a transdermal cream enters the blood at the same ratio in which it is applied to the skin, with no chance for alteration by the liver. Many studies suggest that estrogen administered through a transdermal cream decreases thrombosis, blood pressure, triglycerides and vascular resistance, as opposed to the pill form of estrogen, which is known to increase these effects and can also cause other problems.

Question: Hormone replacement studies have raised questions about the health risks associated with traditional menopause treatment, what has happened since then?

Dr. Goldstone: The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was a large study, sponsored by the National Institute of Health, which greatly influenced how American doctors prescribe hormones and how American women receive them. Millions of women stopped hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because of the study's findings.

But, as with any medical study, there were many problems. The researchers did not take "quality of life" into account. They did not use estrogens in favorable ratios and they did not test hormones that were administered via a transdermal cream.

The estrogen used by women in the study was a synthetic, non bio-identical and oral conjugated estrogen from a pregnant mare’s urine called Premarin, which is known to increase the risk of thrombosis and cancer. The study also used the oral estrogen mentioned above combined with progestin, which is a synthetic and non bio-identical progesterone and this to can increase the risk cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Another problem with the study was the age of the women involved. The researchers should have started women on hormone therapy before they developed significant vascular disease, by age 55, instead of at an average age of 63 and higher.

Finally, the researchers should have insisted on media coverage of some of the positive findings they later discovered in their data analysis. Since that study, many American women and their doctors have found an alternative treatment via the bio-identical hormone approach.
Unfortunately, there are no studies on bio-identical hormones comparable to the size of the WHI study available yet. While there is no question that more studies on bio-identical hormone therapies are needed, a large body of evidence points to the potential advantages of the bio-identical approach.

Source: http://www.griffinmedical.com/

A resolution pending before Congress calls for the re-engineering of the nation's healthcare system with a focus on natural health and wellness.

At the request of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), R.I. Congressman Jim Langevin has introduced a resolution calling for the re-engineering of our healthcare system. The resolution contains the following compelling statement:

"[T]here is a growing body of evidence that wellness programs that promote lifestyle changes can diminish the incidence and severity of chronic disease, provide a substantial return on investment, and reduce reliance on the conventional medical care system."

The resolution also contains the following equally compelling mandate:

"[T]he Federal Government has a responsibility to reengineer the Nation's healthcare system to allow for the provision of adequate healthcare for future generations."

The resolution goes on to require that the re-engineering effort include a primary focus on wellness and natural health principles.

AANP Executive Director Karen Howard shared these thoughts with us:

"The importance of the message contained in this Resolution cannot be underestimated. Not one health care reform conversation to date has taken on the challenge of transforming our disease management system to one built on the foundation of being well. In other words, all current health care reform proposals on the table are destined to further bankrupt society and the health of future generations. Congressman Langevin's resolution is the start of a new, and essential conversation."

Read more about H. Con. Res. 406 at www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hc110-406