HRT Update
Recent headlines linking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and a possible increased risk of dementia focused only on synthetic hormones and not on biologically identical hormones or other options for menopausal symptoms. "Women who suffer from premenopausal or menopausal symptoms are being seriously misled by findings based on synthetic regimens among women 65 and older," says Tom Bader, R.Ph., owner of College Pharmacy. There are alternatives to synthetics, including biologically identical hormones that have the same molecular structure as those produced by the body. Read more under Press Releases on College Pharmacy's web site at www.collegepharmacy.com
Mark your calendar for our July 19 Hot Flash! menopause seminar at the Wyndham Hotel in Colorado Springs. For only $25, hear Elizabeth Plourde, a nationally known researcher and women's health expert, discuss her personal experience with hysterectomy and HRT. Visit exhibitors, get an attractive tote bag packed with literature and product samples, and have your HRT questions answered…at last! See our web site for more information and a registration form. Hurry! Space is limited..
For Men Only
Men who suffer from depression and don't respond to antidepressants may be low in testosterone. Researchers at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, studied 54 depressed men (ages 30 to 65) who did not improve on antidepressants; 43 percent of them had low testosterone levels. When 19 of those men were given a testosterone gel along with antidepressants, they showed significant improvement over those who only received antidepressants or a placebo.
Remember Sex?
Just as lack of blood flow to the penis can keep a man from having an erection, a lack of blood flow to a woman's clitoris can be just as troublesome. The results are poor lubrication, contracted muscles, and poor sexual response. Certain over-the-counter herbal products may help both men and women enhance their sexual experience. Ask your pharmacist for more information.
Healthy and Fit
New government nutrition guidelines currently underway may distinguish between harmful trans fats that increase the risk of heart disease and good fats such as omega-3s that can lower the risk. Trans fat is found in most margarines and shortening, potato chips, fast food, and most baked goods and has been shown to raise LDL, or "bad cholesterol." Polyunsaturated fat includes omega-3s, found in flaxseed and fish as well as in oils made from corn, soybeans, cottonseed, and fish. This type of fat reduces levels of bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.
Quote of the Month
"Things do not change; we change." - Henry David Thoreau
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Letters
Impressed with information
"I attended the osteoporosis seminar and was very impressed with the speakers and the information. I have been struggling with doctors who don't seem to understand what I am going through... I am almost 47 and have been having unpredictable menstrual cycles since my late '30s. I knew that what the doctors could tell me wasn't what I wanted to hear or use in my life, but until last night (like so many of us), I didn't know where to turn for help. Thank you for being such a wonderful resource in our community."
"DM"
Visit our web site at www.collegepharmacy.com for a current calendar of upcoming seminars.
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Q&A
Q:Can fatigue be a symptom of menopause or perimenopause?
A:Fatigue is one of the most common menopausal complaints and perhaps the one women most often dismiss. During perimenopause and menopause, however, the fatigue can become debilitating, due to sleep disturbances or low testosterone levels. Anemia due to heavy menstrual bleeding also can cause extreme fatigue, along with a thyroid deficiency. Ask your health care practitioner to check your thyroid as well as your iron and testosterone levels.
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Join our mailing list
If you'd like to be on our mailing list and receive our free, quarterly
print newsletter, plus information about our free health seminars,
please email us at info@collegepharmacy.com.
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Pet Peeves
Here's a fun tip from Sarah Hodgson's Puppies for Dummies: When you bring a new puppy home, rub a frozen stick of butter on your palm and encourage your little one to give "kisses." The trick conditions the puppy to come forward when you reach out to him, not back up or jump at your face. It also makes those first associations of home friendly and positive.
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