Brought to you by Green Tea Conversations radio show on AM 950.
Host and publisher of the Twin Cities edition of “Natural Awakenings” magazine, Candi Broeffle brings local experts who share progressive ideas to help people lead their best life.
Dr. Rich Sinda was invited as a guest on the show to explain what happens to our bodies and in particular, our hormones, as we age. Listen as they discuss thyroid disorders, peri-menopause and menopause in women and hormone imbalances in men.
Learn about the different hormone levels Dr. Sinda uses to test, the benefits of bio-identical hormones and why so many are told their levels are “in the normal range”.
Consultations to learn more about bio-identical hormone therapy with Dr. Sinda at Innovative Directions in Health are available by calling (952)922-2345.
Dr. Sinda recommends the highest quality and potency of nutritional supplements to best support your health.
There are many choices in the dietary supplement and vitamin market. At our clinic, we offer a variety of nutritional products from the nutritional providers Dr. Sinda has selected. Products can be picked up, ordered by phone (952)922-2345 or ordered via email.
In addition NutriDyn and Metagenic products can be ordered directly from the distributor. A 10% discount will be applied to all products ordered from the website. Products will be shipped immediately and directly to your home.
Migraines are headaches and are usually pounding and one sided. They are associated with nausea and light sensitivity.
They can be debilitating and last for days. Research over the past several years has shown that they may be associated with increased risk of stroke.
Elevated blood homocysteine levels, which are markers of systemic inflammation, are also associated with both stroke risk and migraine.
Triggers for migraines can be food, wine, lack of sleep, stress etc. Hormone imbalances (such as high estrogen and low progesterone in PMS times) can trigger migraines as well. Proper hormone replacement using natural bioidentical progesterone often helps prevent these cyclical migraines.
Supplements that are often helpful in migraine prevention and are available in our clinic are: coenzyme Q-10, magnesium and high quality B-complex vitamins.
If you suffer from migraines, if may be a good idea to have your homocysteine levels checked at your next IDH appointment or with your family doctor.
Life expectancy increased by 5 years between 2000 and 2015, the fastest increase since the 1960s.
With this being said, we can expect to live a substantial part of our lives in a state of hormonal deficiency.
Hormonal decline and imbalance during the states of menopause and andropause are associated with experiencing mildly annoying to completely debilitating symptoms as well as an increase in diseases such as heart disease. Effects of insufficient hormones include bone loss, cognitive decline, loss of muscle mass, thinning of skin and much more.
Without hormones, we cannot live. So why is there often so much confusion about bio-identical hormone therapy? We experience misunderstanding often between our patients and their family physicians.
There are two main reasons why:
Exogenous chemicals (drug hormones; i.e. Provera, Medroxyprogesterone, Premarin, etc.), different from the actual hormone they are meant to replace, are used interchangeably in clinical practice, the popular press, and inprestigious medical journals, producing much of the controversy that surrounds hormone replacement.
Billions of dollars can purchase a lot of advertising to sway the public and manipulate sponsors for physician educational events.
The article “Point Counterpoint bioidentical hormones” published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons speaks well to answer why there is so much confusion around human hormone therapy. It is also a great reference article available for you to print out and bring in to your family doctor.
It is a priority for us to help you get started on the road to *feeling better* with bioidentical hormones. Through knowledge, support and education about bio-identicals, you will be empowered to get the natural treatment you are looking for to eliminate the difficult symptoms of PMS, peri-menopause, menopause, postmenopause and andropause.
There are many benefits of having a healthy body composition.
By reducing your overall amount of body fat, you can improve your body composition and overall quality of life, as well as extend your lifespan.
Here are just some of the benefits of having a healthy body composition:
Normal blood pressure level
Improved quality of sleep
Improved mood and self-confidence
Increased energy and endurance throughout the day
Reduced pain in joints, hips, and lower back
Improved blood circulation — leading to lower risk for heart disease
Improved breathing, respiration, and lung function
Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
In our office, we measure Body Composition by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Our body composition analyzer provides an estimated measurement based on body type for the values below:
Weight
Body Fat % – Fat % is amount of body fat as a proportion of body weight.
Fat Mass – Total weight of fat mass in the body.
Fat Free Mass (FFM) – Fat Free Mass is comprised of muscle, bone, tissue, water and all other fat free mass in the body.
Water Mass – The amount of water retained by the body. Water plays a vital role in many of the body’s processes and is found in every cell, tissue and organ. Maintaining a healthy total body water percentage will ensure the body functions efficiently. It is important to look for long-term changes in total body water percentage and maintain a consistent, healthy total body water percentage. Average ranges for healthy adults are: Female 45 – 60%; Male 50 – 65%.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – The minimum level of energy (i.e. calories) your body needs when at rest to function effectively including your respiratory and circulatory organs, neural system, liver, kidneys and other organs. About 70% of calories consumed every day are used for your basal metabolism. Having a higher basal metabolism will increase the number of calories used and help to decrease the amount of body fat. A low basal metabolic rate will make it harder to lose body fat and overall weight. BMR is the first step in getting an idea of how much fuel you need to keep your engine roaring all day long – It is the minimum number of calories you should eat on a daily basis.
Body Mass Index (BMI) – BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal. A healthy BMI score is between 18.5 and 25.Use this Online BMI calculator.
How can a machine measure all of this Information?
The machine is able to get this information by measuring bioelectrical impedance in the body. Fat within the body allows almost no electricity to pass through, while electricity passes rather easily though water, much of which is found in muscles. The degree of difficulty with which electricity passes through a substance is known as the electrical resistance, and the percentage of fat and other body constituents can be inferred from measurements of this resistance.
Recheck your Body Composition
Remember — when it comes to health, every little bit counts, and even a modest weight loss of 5 to 10% of your body weight significantly lowers your obesity-related disease risk. If you’re not sure where to begin, consult nutrition and fitness professionals for help with your diet and exercise regimens.
We would be happy to recheck your body composition at any time, stop in or call to set up an appointment with our Nurse to monitor your progress.
Did you know that a main cause of hormone-related health problems in women is not due to the deficiency of estrogen or progesterone but rather the ratio of estrogen to progesterone?
BioIdentical Hormone replacement therapy with estrogen alone without an opposing progesterone should be avoided.
It is important to have both your estrogen and progesterone levels tested at the same time.
Some Symptoms of Estrogen dominance are:
Decreased sex drive
Irregular / abnormal menstrual periods
Bloating
Breast swelling and tenderness
Fibrocystic breasts
Headaches (especially during PMS)
Mood swings
Weight and/or fat gain (around the hips)
Sluggish metabolism
Trouble sleeping/insomnia
PMS
If you are interested in exploring your options to decrease estrogen dominance or would like a second opinion if you are being treated with only estrogen, contact our clinic to set up a consultation with Dr. Sinda.
The term “bioidentical hormones” refers to hormones that are exactly the same in structure and function as those produced by the human body. Substances derived from plant or animal tissues are modified on a molecular level in a laboratory until they precisely match and mimic natural human hormones.
Synthetic hormones, in contrast, are not identical in structure and function to those produced by the human body. Synthetic hormones are made to be completely different…and done so on purpose. Drug companies aren’t allowed to patent a bio-identical structure, so they invent synthetic hormones that are patentable.
Up until 2002, women going to conventional doctors were prescribed Premarin, an FDA-approved synthetic hormone derived from the urine of pregnant horses. Premarin was the best selling drug in the U.S. and generated $2 billion dollars a year for the pharmaceutical company that produced it.
In 1994 a study called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was started with the plan to establish that Premarin would not only relive symptoms of menopause, but would also protect aging women from heart attacks, strokes and cancer. But that study was abruptly stopped because overwhelming evidence was found that the drugs were unsafe, and increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer. That of course led doctors to systematically take millions of women off of hormones overnight.
Because Bioidentical Hormones precisely match the hormones produced by the human body there are few undesirable side effects and the therapy is effective for both men and women. However the delivery method of taking bioidentical hormones is also important and should be administered in a natural way and monitored by a qualified hormone replacement physician.
Restoring hormone balance has been shown to have a beneficial effect on quality of life for both men and women. For women, estrogen and progesterone therapies are believed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, significantly protect from heart attack, and reduce the bone loss associated with osteoporosis. For men, testosterone therapy can reduce risk for chronic diseases. Low testosterone has and has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and prostate cancer.
To be clear, most doctors dedicate their lives to their profession and certainly want to do right by their patients. That is why millions of women were taken off Premarin when the study came out announcing it as a dangerous choice. The problem is doctors must rely on the research of pharmaceutical companies to guide them through the complicated issues of prescribing medications.
Pharmaceutical companies have created amazing drugs and solutions that have helped and even saved millions of lives. However, those companies also are driven by profit, and in order to create revenue for their company, they need to be able to patent the drug they create. Because they cannot patent a substance that exists in nature, they have to make a substitute…and that is what they have to do when creating hormones. Although these patented synthetic substitutes mimic the activity of natural hormones, they frequently have side effects…as was the case with Premarin.
Confusion, ignorance and misinformation about hormone replacement continues. Unfortunately, the hormone debate can be summed up in three words—confusion, ignorance and misinformation. This misunderstanding is not only from the patients standpoint, but also the doctors. Millions and millions of women are being helped by bioidentical hormones. But the medical community is slowly seeing the light, and more and more physicians are prescribing bio-identical hormones every day!
Hormone balance is a critical factor in our health and happiness. The same hormones that keep us healthy and growing in our earlier years, can be the cause of emotional and physical distress as we grow older. People with a healthy hormone balance tend to be healthier and enjoy a higher quality of life…free of many of the major diseases like stroke, thyroid problems and heart disease.
But people with long-term hormone imbalances have to endure many of the symptoms we mentioned early, including weight gain, fatigue, poor libido, memory loss and a host of others symptoms. To replenish your hormones and help avoid these health issues, you now have an amazing alternative — BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Although the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance can be similar in both women and men, there are some significant differences.
The only way to know for sure is to meet with a board certified physician, one who is experienced with hormone replacement. You then should go through a comprehensive and specific testing procedure to determine if your hormones are imbalanced.
For Women
Loss of energy
Hot flashes
Bloating
Menopause
Perimenopause
Premenstrual Syndrome
Night Sweats
Low Libido
Brain fog
Weight gain
Insomnia
Bone loss (osteoporsis)
For Men
Loss of strength and muscle mass
Loss of energy and motivation
Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area
Andropause
Heart disease
Erectile Dysfunction
Depression/irritablity
Insomnia
Low sex drive
To put it bluntly, aging is not supposed to be good for us! Aging is a pre-programmed and genetic process to get us out of the picture, and the reduction of hormones is one of those processes. The truth is, in this day and age, we outlive our hormone supply.
Eating right and exercising helps maintain better levels of some hormones, but it cannot stop age-related hormone loss. Our productions of essential hormones starts to diminish as early as the age 25, and by 80 we have lost 50%-80%. By the age of 50 we have had over 20 years of hormone deficiencies.
DHEA is produced from cholesterol by the adrenal glands. This hormone plays an important role in the creating of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone, as well as helps the transformation of the body as it grows and matures.
Why DHEA gets so much attention, is because beginning in your late twenties DHEA starts to decline which contributes to the aging process in both men and women. By the age of 70 you have lost over 80% of your DHEA. Balancing your DHEA levels can help with obesity, brain fog, dementia, osteoporosis, loss of energy and chronic fatigue.
Known as the male hormone, testosterone imbalances can wreak havoc with both men and women as they age. Testosterone is the principle hormone in a group of hormones called androgens and decreases with age. Men with Low-T can experience a range of symptoms including: Low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, decrease in bone mass, mood changes, etc. Women need to keep testosterone balances in check as well. Testosterone in women plays a key role in energy, weight gain, sex drive and mood. Without testosterone, keeping a lean body can be difficult.
Having trouble sleeping? It could be your progesterone levels. Progesterone is vital for regulating sleep for both men and women, as well as boosting the immune system and increasing brain function.
Many women will experience a fluctuation of progesterone levels and these changes lead to the classic aging symptoms, including insomnia, mood swings, and brain fog.
An imbalance of progesterone and estrogen versus a deficiency could be the problem. Progesterone, like estrogen, causes multiple effects throughout the body. Many of the effects of progesterone can be credited to its ability to counter-balance the action of estrogen. Multiple physical and psychological problems at midlife are often caused by an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen, rather than a specific deficiency.
Changes in estrogen levels, even as early as peri-menopause causes a disruption in chemicals in our brain. These chemicals include Serotonin, Dopamine and Gaba and are all diminished when estrogen levels decline. These chemicals are critical in maintaining mood, energy levels, sexual function, improving sleep…and decrease stress.
Estrogen’s effect on mood is due to its ability to decrease serotonin levels and endorphins when levels are low. When estrogen levels are balanced women experience a dramatic improvement in mood. Estrogen protects nerves in your brain and encourages the formation of new communications between nerves.
The primary role of estrogen for women is to stimulate growth, sexual characteristics and reproduction. Estrogen is responsible for hundreds of functions in a women’s body, including the very critical role of protecting them from heart disease, colon cancer and strokes. It also is involved with bone growth and cholesterol.
In Men, estrogen is also important, not only is it responsible for changes in puberty, including facial and chest hair, but also muscle development…and as men age it helps protect their bones and brain.
Transform and Protect Your Skin with our Medical Grade Skincare Products
Proper skincare begins at home. The skin is the body’s largest organ. If we don’t take care of our health it shows through in the condition of our skin. In addition to proper exercise, a healthy diet and lifestyle, balanced hormones, a high quality skin care regimen will help your skin stay young and healthy looking.
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Dermal Fillers offer immediate results to restore volume and improve texture, fine lines and wrinkles. Loss of tissue volume due to aging allows the skin to gradually sag, forming jowls, hollows, creases and wrinkles. When volume is restored through injectables, a more youthful and natural looking appearance can be immediately noticed.
INFINI Genius + LaseMD = Treat Every Layer of the Skin.
With INFINI Genius + LaseMD combination treatment we are able to intelligently treat all layers of the skin, all skin types at any time of the year. Genius naturally stimulates collagen and elastin production that will tighten and improve wrinkling and acne scarring over time. LaseMD removes pigment, brightens skin and improves texture, giving visible results within days.
Defy Aging and Say, “Goodbye Wrinkles!” with a Botox or Dysport Treatment
It’s time to start looking as youthful as you feel. Botox and Dysport injections are one of the most popular non-invasive ways to get rid of wrinkles. They work wonders on frown lines between the eyes, (a.k.a. 11’s), forehead creases and crow’s feet (wrinkles around the eyes).
