As a woman, you may notice changes in your mood, energy levels, and overall well-being that you can’t quite put your finger on.
Many of these symptoms can be attributed to hormone imbalances.
I’ve made it my mission to change the narrative of what women think about getting older and how we perceive our bodies. Our opinion is the only one that really matters, the only one that will make or break our future.
I want to help women discover their abilities to forge their own paths, regardless of what the majority of people believe and want society tells us. With a little bit of guidance we can feel confident, look and feel amazing and maybe even turn back the biological clock of time.
It is important to note that biochemically men and women are very different, and this means we need to approach our health and wellbeing differently.
Women should recognize, understand and honor their physiological differences.
If we can understand and honor our differences we can also learn how to appreciate, celebrate, and ultimately make the most of how wonderful it is to gracefully enjoy the second half of life.
Today I am going to discuss HRT to help ease this transition.
Hormones affect the whole body, particularly your liver and gut, mood and even memory.
When your estrogen and progesterone levels aren’t normal, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be prescribed to ease some or all of the symptoms, especially if the symptoms are severe or are interfering with your quality of life. However, HRT should not be a considered a quick fix.
During perimenopause and menopause, your doctor may suggest HRT when your levels of estrogen and progesterone are fluctuating or decreasing. You will have your levels tested and then decide with your medical practitioner what form of therapy might be best for you. HRT is available in pill form, as skin patches, gels, rings, and vaginal creams. Most HRT contains both estrogen and progesterone, but formulations can differ based on your needs
Updated research on hormone replacement therapy
One of the biggest setbacks in hormonal treatment came about thanks to a flawed study of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that caused screaming headlines and panic around the world, and it continues to cause women to fear hormones.
Initiated by a division of the National Institutes of Health, the Women’s Health Initiative Study monitored 27,347 U.S. women ages fifty to seventy-nine who had enrolled in hormone trials between the years 1993 and 1998. The focus was on investigating whether the effects of combined hormones or estrogen alone could prevent coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, and if there was an associated risk for breast cancer. Women in the study took hormone pills or a placebo, and they were expecting to be tracked for many years.
Researchers soon found that instead of there being a decreased risk, the rates of overall illnesses and death, particularly of estrogen- based diseases like breast cancer, were 12 percent higher in women taking the estrogen plus progestin than in women taking the placebo. When the news came out that the estrogen-plus-progestin and estrogen-alone trials had been stopped early (in July 2002 and March 2004, respectively), doctors were stunned and women were terrified. They had been told that HRT was good for their health and strengthened their bones. Instead, this study implied that HRT was a risk factor for early death.
What was the biggest flaw in this study? It tracked postmenopausal women only! These women already had low levels of estrogen and progesterone. The estrogen these women were given was Premarin, synthesized from horse urine, which isn’t even an estrogen that biochemically and structurally resembles what women naturally make in their bodies.
Over twenty years later, many women are still afraid of doing HRT in any form, owing to the hysteria that arose about this study. Lost in the media firestorm were the findings that women in their fifties who took estrogen alone had a 16 percent reduced risk of overall illness and death. In fact, it was the women in their 70s who took estrogen alone who had a 17 percent increased risk of overall illness.
Women need hormones
Since then, researchers have found that women really need hormones. Brain volume decreases without hormones. Vibrant hair and skin, libido, cognitive function, joint health, bone health, and energy levels—are all highly dependent on hormonal health. Hormones and HRT should not be feared. Previous studies linking HRT to cancer have been disproven.
My experience
I am just now tiptoeing into these waters. The cumulative effects of stress, altered sleep patterns, and poor gut health had left my body depleted. I did not, like many women, have the raw materials to make hormones on my own. I am starting with progesterone. As I learn to rebalance my body, replenish my nutrients, restore my gut health and sleep, and balance my other hormones, I should be able to taper off. My journey made it clear: I need to be gluten-free, balance my thyroid hormones, supplement my diet with protein and B vitamins, and get good sleep to have happy hormones. When the synergy of biochemistry works, hormones and hormone replacement therapy add to our superpowers. Follow along on my journey on Instagram.
The Pros and Cons
As with all medications, there can be risks with HRT. When HRT is prescribed with a one-size-fits-all, aggressive approach, that should signal caution. The increased risk of blood clots, breast cancer, gallbladder disease, heart attack, or stroke is small, but it is still something to be considered. This is why many prefer bio-identical hormones, whereby doses can be tweaked and started with very low doses that do, indeed, give the desired clinical benefits and improved quality of life.
These bio-identical formulations usually have more protective estrogen (estriol) than estradiol, which is more biologically active but also has to be watched more carefully. If the bio-identicals aren’t working and patients are not seeing results, some suggest doing by way of the of conventional hormone formulations, like prescription estrogen patches, which are gentler than pills. This approach usually works beautifully as long as you are constantly monitoring your estrogen levels.
There are pros and cons to HRT, and they should be discussed as part of an informed conversation with your provider, during which you weigh all the options. This is where Winona comes in.
Easy, accessible care
Winona is a wellness company that offers doctor-prescribed treatments backed by science for women and shipped right to your door. They pride themselves on making women’s healthcare approachable.
How it works
Before connecting you with a doctor, Winona gathers some basic medical information, and you’ll tell us the results you’re looking for. Simple, quick, and all within a secure platform. They connect you with a board-certified doctor in your state who will assist you in finding the best treatment for your symptoms. You’ll be able to message your doctor at any time directly through the platform to ensure your needs are being met. If your doctor decides a treatment is right for you, your medications will be shipped right to your door. Winona checks in regularly to make sure you’re feeling great and make adjustments to your treatment if needed.
This is personalized care, to help you feel like you again.
And Winona is trusted by thousands of patients
“I was skeptical at first, but with my fatigue, joint pain and unending mood swings, I decided to give it a try. The process was quite easy and I had access to a real doctor. Once I received my prescriptions, I immediately felt the change. My moods evened out. My skin halted its progress to just dry and like crepe to what it was before. I sleep better, I’m not exhausted, and I feel like my old self. ”
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