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Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is one of the ways for women to cope with menopause symptoms. A lot of doctors consider this the best course of action for their patients, especially if they have had little to no success with other forms of treatment. 

If you are in a situation where you are considering BHRT and you need some tips, make sure to read the following guide: 

• Always use a clinical assessment to inform the diagnosis – it is a known fact that women usually experience menopause between the age of 45 and 55 years. However, there are also some cases of women around age 40 showing up with symptoms of menopause. Early diagnosis of menopause is essential since it reduces comorbidities like cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Clinical assessment is needed to diagnose menopause, as well as a check on follicle-stimulating hormone levels when any doubt exists. 

• Share your concerns – BHRT is best started around the transition of menopause, which is around 51 years of age. At this stage, women are usually at their fittest and do not have significant cardiovascular disease risk. During this time, BHRT can promote cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of bowel cancer and osteoporosis. However, it is important to make all of the necessary appointments with your doctor, to receive the needed information on the treatment. 

• Keep risks in perspective – BHRT often falls victim to beliefs that it is some sort of panacea boosting the quality of life at the cost of life expectancy. However, this is nothing but a myth, as women on BHRT are usually found to live longer and healthier lives. It is important not to sidestep obesity, hypertension, sedentary lifestyle and a whole host of other factors that directly impact the lives of women after menopause. These are factors you can modify, after all. 

• Don’t trust Dr Google – a lot of women first resort to Dr Google and the promises for a free BHRT they find there. The truth is that only your doctor should be the one advising you on what sort of therapy to do and what specialist to see. They will be the one to assess your condition and tell you what to do with this kind of treatment. 

• What are the different ways of administration – every hormone replacement therapy features different ways of administration. Most common are oral drugs, although they aren’t the only solution. You can consult with your doctor on using transdermal oestrogen, which is, according to many, a safer method of delivery, which reduces many risks. Another solution is oral micronized natural progesterone, which doesn’t show much risk for breast cancer. 

• Tailoring your dose – some believe that the best way to do BHRT is to always go with the lowest possible dose. However, the goal of such therapy should always be to establish a dose that effectively treats the symptoms of menopause, all the while providing some bone protection. Women under 40 sometimes require a higher dose, whereas women over 60 may get away with suboptimal doses, and only increase it later in the therapy. 
• Getting the first prescription right – with all of the choices, your doctor may find it difficult to optimise your first prescription. However, you should work through the risks and benefits and share your complaints, to help them navigate this. It is a good idea to go with the treatment that has the lowest risk. 

Always bear these tips about BHRT in mind and you will have great success with such treatment. 

© The Natural Doctor

Nobody would call menopause a disease, so calling the negative side effects of it ‘symptoms’ is not technically correct. However, this period of a woman’s life comes with certain side effects that often feel overwhelming. 

It doesn’t help the fact that many of the symptoms overlap, causing a cascading effect of introducing more problems. However, one thing is for certain – there is a way to keep things under control. Whether it be a specialised bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or some other treatment, women can regain back their health and wellbeing. In the following guide, we take a look at several of the symptoms that are most commonly associated with menopause, as well as how they can be treated: 

• Hot flashes – perhaps the most common symptom of menopause is hot flashes. Also referred to as vasomotor symptoms, these begin as early as perimenopause. They last a long time. It is believed they are set off by an area in the hypothalamus and emerge as a way for the body to cool itself. There are a few things that can help with hot flashes. For starters, reducing hot beverages, caffeine, alcohol and smoking can minimise the occurrence of this symptom. Dressing in layers and wearing light clothes also helps the situation. Drinking plenty of water, especially in the warmer months of the year, is an absolute necessity for every woman out there. 

• Vaginal changes – the decreasing levels of oestrogen thin the vaginal lining and diminish the vaginal secretions. This results in dryness and irritation, as well as reduced sex drive. In some women there is also the condition of atrophic vaginitis that develops, which requires immediate treatment, or else it leads to more ulceration and vaginal thinning. The best way to address this kind of symptom is to consider a vaginal lubricant or moisturiser. Any kind of treatment applied in the form of tablets, creams and rings can be helpful.

• Weight gain – there are a lot of viable strategies when it comes to combating weight gain in women of this age group. Doing light exercise remains the best possible strategy for minimising this issue. A balanced diet will also assist in keeping a healthy weight.

• Insomnia – during menopause, many women complain about insomnia. The problem is usually caused by hot flashes during the night. Implementing a strict bedtime routine can help with the problem. Limiting screen time before going to sleep and always going to sleep at about the same time each night is a fine way to counter insomnia symptoms.

• Dry skin/hair – with age, the skin becomes less capable of retaining moisture and it is the declining levels of oestrogen that have a lot to do with it. One way to remedy the situation is to stop smoking because it has a notable effect on the skin. Another thing is to be more protective of the skin when it comes to sun exposure.

• Concentration and memory problems – the most likely factor that creates these symptoms is stress during menopause. One of the best ways to maintain good brain health is to stay physically active. Aiming for at least 150 minutes of physical exercise per week is a good goal. Also, women who strive to use their mind in different ways also experience less concentration and memory problems. Solving puzzles, playing board games or just learning a new skill are all proven ways to accomplish this task.

All of these symptoms are common enough during menopause. Knowing the right ways to address them really can contribute to better wellbeing during that period of life.

© The Natural Doctor

Coronary artery disease (heart disease) contributes to a very large number of heart attacks and kills a lot of people. Millions of people have suffered heart attacks, and it takes special knowledge on the matter to understand it and minimize the issue. The major thing about it lies with the fact that heart disease is silent until it strikes. 

It is very important to recognize all of the risk factors, such as the most common uncontrollable ones: 

• Old age 
• The fact that it affects mostly males 
• People in the family with a history of heart disease 
• Race – to elaborate, Mexican Americans, American Indians and African-Americans are more likely to suffer from heart diseases, according to studies 

As for the controllable risk department, there are quite a lot more: 

• High levels of bad cholesterol and low levels of good cholesterol 
• Excessive smoking/drinking 
• Obesity
• Uncontrolled depression/anger/stress 
• Being physically inactive 
• High levels of C-reactive protein
• High blood pressure
• Poor diet 

It is important to keep an eye on all of the risk factors and make the appropriate lifestyle changes, to reduce the risks of developing heart disease. Now, it is true that a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn’t give 100% protection, some simple changes in one area can benefit others. Heart disease is preventable, and it is lifestyle changes that work best in that direction. Let’s see some of the most effective steps one can take to achieve that: 

• Quit smoking – smokers are at a very high risk of developing heart disease, in comparison to non-smokers. Not only that, but they are at a higher risk of dying in the case of a heart attack. Smoking is among the most preventable factors. If one is a smoker, one must quit. Better yet – people should not start smoking in the first place. 

• Control blood pressure – hypertension (high blood pressure) is perhaps the most common heart disease risk factor. The definition of it is having systolic blood pressure over 130 and diastolic blood pressure over 80. It is highly individual, so every single person needs to consider this factor. It is possible to control it with the aid of diet, exercise, weight management and in some cases – medications. 

• Cholesterol levels – with the increase of total levels of cholesterol, the risk of heart diseases increases. The total goal should be no higher than 200mg/dl. People with diabetes should aim to keep their LDL (bad cholesterol) lower than 100mg/dl. Once again, the interpretation of the values is highly individual and depends on all of the risk factors. In any case, it is a good idea to employ a diet that is low on trans fats and rich in complex carbohydrates. Regular exercise raises good cholesterol and reduces the levels of bad cholesterol. 

• Applying the right diet – a heart-healthy diet is one that is low in trans fats, refined sugar, cholesterol, and saturated fats. Paying more attention to vitamin-rich foods and antioxidants is a worthy goal. Such are vegetables and fruits, whole grains and nuts. 

• Manage stress – stress and anger can lead to heart attacks. Anger and stress management techniques are very important in that sense, as they lower the risk significantly. Learning how to manage one’s time, to practice relaxation techniques and trying out things like yoga, meditation and others is a fine way to achieve better stress and anger management.

Knowing more about heart diseases and the risk factors associated with them is important, to minimize the danger this condition presents. 

© The Natural Doctor

Thermography has been around for some time now, and it has already made quite an impact on the medical world. In essence, this is a test, which utilises an infrared camera that detects blood flow and heat patterns in the body. 

The type of thermography that doctors use for breast screening is called digital infrared thermal imaging. It shows the temperature differences on the surface of the breasts and can be an invaluable tool in the diagnosing process of breast cancer. The idea behind the technology is that it showcases potential signs of trouble without introducing X-rays. To understand the technology better, we have compiled a few important points. 

Is thermography a good alternative to a mammography?

Thermography made its grand entrance in the 1950s. That is when doctors realised its potential as a medical tool. Sometime later studies revealed that it could hardly substitute mammography as the main screening tool for breast cancer. The main problem comes from the false positive rate that it often produces. This means it indicates ‘finds’, which are often not cancer. Causes of increased heat are many. Because of this, doing thermography and seeing abnormal results means that more testing is required to rule out potential problems. And even though mammography can also produce false-positive results, it remains the gold standard for breast cancer screening. 

Who is thermography best used for?

Obviously, any woman can do a thermography screening as a way to detect potential problems. However, there are two groups the test is particularly useful for. One is for women under the age of 50, and the other is women with dense breasts. However, because of the problems mentioned in the previous point, thermography is hardly a tool to use on its own. In most cases, it is an add-on therapy for making a diagnosis. 

What can you expect during the procedure?

The procedure itself is fairly simple. First, you will undress from the waist up. The purpose of this is so that your body can get acclimated to room temperature. After the acclimation process, you will stand in front of an imaging system. A technician will take several images, including side and front views. A doctor will then analyse those images and provide a result within a few days. 

Are there risks and side effects?

Because the test itself features only thermal images with an infrared camera, there is no radiation. Additionally, there is no compression involved, like in mammography. This, there is no real risk associated with the test. As for side effects, there are none as well, which ranks thermography as a safe breast screening test. 

Speak to your doctor about thermography

You should always talk about breast cancer risk and screening methods with your doctor. They should be able to provide you with some useful guidelines on the screening methods and the recommended frequency for these tests. If the risk of breast cancer is high, your doctor will not just recommend you get both a mammography and thermography test, but also add in another test, like ultrasound or MRI. 

In conclusion

Thermography is a great new way of doing breast cancer screenings, which presents another tool in the fight against this disease. The test itself is safe, as it involves no X-ray imaging or compression. There are no side effects associated with it. Using it as a basis for diagnosis is difficult, however, so always consider it a supplemental screening. To gather more info, visit this link - https://thenaturaldoctor.org/services/women/breast-thermography/

© The Natural Doctor 

Hair loss is typically a condition associated with men, but the truth of the matter is that it affects women too. When the average number of losing 50 – 100 strands of hair every day grows up to be more, then it is a problem. 

Sometimes the culprit is harmless and works as a factor that you can directly control. Adopting some clever tips could stop the problem from developing and prevent it altogether. 

Don’t use high heat hair tools

Heat is one of the factors that play a negative role on hair, especially when it comes from hair tools. Curling irons and hair straighteners cause hair fractures and brittle hair that easily breaks and eventually falls off. If you often use such tools, make sure to give your hair a break from time to time. However, if you cannot spend a day without your styling tool, try to adjust the heat so that you don’t burn your hair and try to dry it naturally. 

Careful with the ‘pulley’ hairstyles

Many hairstyles are far too harmful to your hairline. Namely, these are braids, cornrows and ponytails, all of which pull on the small hairs too much. This causes stress to the hairs, which often results in hair loss. If you do need a ponytail, use an elastic band to keep it up, instead of a metal holder. That way, when you remove the ponytail, your hair won’t get pulled out. 

Chemical processing is bad

Apart from heat and hairstyles that pull the hair, treatments that involve chemical processing are just as bad. These are procedures like bleaching, chemical straightening and lightning, which have one thing in common: they can weaken the hair shaft and lead to hair loss. It is highly recommended to stick to your natural colour and style as much as possible. 

Mind your diet

For the most part, your diet won’t affect hair loss. However, many foods provide some essential vitamins and elements, which can revitalise your hair strands. Zinc, Vitamin B12 and iron are equally important in that regard. Stock up on leafy greens, beans, fish, nuts and lean meats to get a good supply of those. 

Get a scalp massage

Doing a scalp massage is important for improving blood circulation in the scalp, which in turn promotes better hair growth. It is very easy to do this on your own while you are in the shower. Basically, after you apply your conditioner or shampoo, you should start moving your fingers in a slow manner around the whole head. You will find this technique greatly relaxing, and your hair will appreciate it too. 

Treat with essential oils

Essential oils possess so many benefits, and one of them is to help your hairline naturally. Cypress, carrot seed, rosemary and lavender are all great picks for their regenerative, balancing and soothing properties. They can improve the condition on your scalp and promote hair growth. Simply add a few drops to your scalp and massage them in. Not only will you reap the benefits of the scalp massage, but also get all that essential oils have to offer. 

Look for products that restore hair

Some products specialise in hair restoration and hair growth. They focus on minerals and oils that give hair a boost and make it grow faster. Besides, they destroy harmful bacteria that attack the hair and even improve scalp blood circulation. 

As you can see, there are quite a few tips that you should adopt when it comes to hair loss problems. It is up to you to implement the solutions that work best for you. 

© The Natural Doctor

For a lot of women out there getting pregnant is the most sacred of wishes. However, this is a very complex process, which is not always straightforward. Many encounter issues, which lead to infertility. There could be many causes for this condition. This article takes an in-depth look at several of them: 

• Menstrual cycle problems – one of the reasons for infertility comes in the form of menstrual cycle problems. There are several phases of this process, which serve as preparation for a pregnancy of the female body. If there are any problems during any of the phases, then infertility could follow.
• Ovulation failure – another common problem with infertility lies with ovulation failure. This problem manifests itself in about 40% of all cases of infertility in women. There are many causes for not ovulating, among which the most notable is ovarian gynaecological conditions (polycystic ovary syndrome or primary ovarian insufficiency), disorders of the endocrine gland, such as hypothalamus or thyroid problems and last, but not least, ageing – when a woman’s body sees a notable decrease in egg production.
• Problems of the reproductive system – such type of issues usually have to do with abnormal tissue in the uterus or fallopian tubes. If the tubes are blocked, then eggs cannot get to the uterus from the ovaries; thus sperm cannot fertilise them. Structural problems of the uterus could also be to blame. One such is endometriosis, which is a condition characterised by the presence of tissue in the uterus blocking the fallopian tubes. Surgery, infections or injury in the uterus could lead to scarring, which ups the chance of miscarriage and problematic implantation.
• The eggs do not mature properly – if the eggs do not mature properly, then infertility is a likely cause. The reason for such a condition could be obesity, lack of the specific proteins needed for the eggs to mature or polycystic ovarian syndrome.
• Autoimmune disorders – an autoimmune disorder is one that leads to the body’s immune system attacking tissue that it should normally ignore. There are many such disorders, most notable of which Lupus, Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroiditis. All of these could negatively affect fertility. The most likely reason is the inflammation of the uterus they cause or the side effects of the medication needed to treat them.
• Primary Ovary Insufficiency (POI) – when a woman’s ovaries stop the production of eggs and hormones at a very young age, such condition is known as POI. Ovulation is not regular, and the levels of pituitary or ovarian hormones are not normal. Pregnancy is still probable, though the chance for it is slim unless proper medication happens.
• Endometriosis – the endometrium cells, usually found lining the uterine cavity, can sometimes also be found outside of the uterus. This is a condition known as endometriosis. According to research, a large part of women experiencing infertility problems also have endometriosis. The likely problem is that the condition causes pelvic adhesions between the pelvic wall and ovary. On top of that, the chemical changes in the uterus lining could also affect the embryo’s implanting ability.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – although it is last on the list, PCOS actually ranks as one of the most common causes of infertility. It is characterised by the production of extra androgens, which interfere with ovarian follicles development and the process of egg release.

Evidently, there are a lot of causes of infertility in women. It is essential to identify the exact cause and treat it to improve the chance of getting pregnant. 

Be sure to consult with The Natural Doctor on the matter to find out more about infertility, possible causes and treatment.

© The Natural Doctor

Skin ageing is an inevitable part of life. It is human nature to grow old, and that will show in every part of your body, perhaps most notably the skin. The ageing process itself will in time make visible lines on your face and make it less full. The skin becomes drier and thinner. A large part of this process is irreversible and cannot be stopped. The lifestyle choices and environment you spend your time can also affect your skin, but those are factors you can control. Some preventive actions will let you slow down the ageing effects of these ‘extrinsic factors’ and help you look younger. Following are a few ways that prevent skin ageing:

• Protect yourself from sun exposure – believe it or not, constant exposure to the sun can prematurely age your skin. It doesn’t matter if you are at the beach, or running some errands, you need to consider sun protection. Seeking shade, covering yourself with clothing or using sunscreen are all good ways to protect your skin.
• Self-tanner is better than getting a tan – regardless if you wish to get a tan from the sun, a tanning bed or some other tanning equipment, you are essentially ageing your skin. That is due to the UV rays, which greatly accelerate the ageing process.
• Quit smoking – smoking ruins your skin in a variety of ways. More notably, it causes wrinkles and sallow complexion. If you are a smoker, consider quitting. It will do your skin and your health well.
• Don’t do repetitive facial expressions – every time you make a facial expression, you contract all underlying muscles. If you do this for many years, it will make the lines caused by these contractions permanent. One notable example is squinting eyes. Wear glasses, if you often find yourself squinting your eyes.
• Mind your diet – you need a well-balanced and healthy diet, rich in vegetables and fruits. Eating a lot of refined carbohydrates and sugar can, in fact, accelerate the ageing process, so be sure to limit those.
• Exercise regularly – many studies suggest that regular moderate exercise plays a huge role in skin ageing. Since physical activity improves blood circulation and boosts the immune system, you can bet that it is going to give your face a more youthful appearance.
• Moisturise your skin – trapping water in your skin will keep it healthy and youthful. Use a moisturiser on a daily basis to reap these benefits.
• Be mindful of alcohol – by drinking too much alcohol, you can dehydrate your skin and in time even damage it. It can make you look older than you really are.
• Be careful when you cleanse your skin – vigorous scrubbing can irritate the skin and accelerate the ageing process. You have to be gentle and wash carefully to remove makeup and pollutants without irritating the skin.

As you can see, there is a lot you can do in regards to the ageing of your skin. It is up to you to implement the tips above into your daily lifestyle.

For more anti-ageing info, contact The Natural Doctor on 020 7224 4622.

© The Natural Doctor