Harvard Says Menopause Hormone Therapy Carries Proven Heart Risks

Posted by Cathy on July 25, 2013 with 4 Comments

A very important study was just released from Harvard School of Public Health by the National Institute of Health. This study on women’s health confirmed that combination hormone therapy used commonly for symptoms due to menopause increases a woman’s risk for heart disease.

“New analysis from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that combination hormone therapy increases the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women. Researchers report a trend toward an increased risk of heart disease during the first two years of hormone therapy among women who began therapy within 10 years of menopause, and a more marked elevation of risk among women who began hormone therapy more than 10 years after menopause. Analysis indicate that overall a woman’s risk of heart disease more than doubles within the first two years of taking combination HT.”

My hope is that this study will be read by the throngs of women who visit their medical doctors looking for a quick fix for hot flashes and night sweats. Understanding these proven risks will surely save lives. There is a better way to treat menopausal symptoms using Chinese medicine and Chinese herbs. This less understood Complementary and Alternative Medicine has been practiced in Asia for centuries with truly remarkable results. Today nearly every community across America has an Acupuncturist and the profession is growing.

Jacques E. Rossouw, M.D., chief of the NHLBI Women's Health Initiative Branch and a coauthor of the paper, added, "Although the number of recently menopausal women who would be expected to suffer a heart attack during the first years of combination hormone therapy is small, the risk is likely to be real.”

The risk of taking hormone therapy is real! It can’t be much clearer than that. Yet, to me it sounds like Dr. Rossouw’s statement doesn’t want to cause panic so he says the risk is small. But if even one women dies unnecessarily from a heart attack due to hormone replacement therapy, in my book, that’s one heart attack and one life to many.

I treat many women with menopausal symptoms and I understand how uncomfortable hot flashes and night sweats can be. Routinely I hear the common complaints about quality of sleep, how difficult it is to dress comfortably and all the other dryness issues from hair to nails to skin, etc. I treat women with Acupuncture and with Chinese herbs. I don’t do anything miraculous as an Acupuncturist, but my patients get great results. It’s the acupuncture and herbs that balance the body naturally and help ease the symptoms of menopause.

It’s also not a quick fix, many patients come for three to six months on a weekly basis and are very compliant about taking the herbal formulas. Again it’s not me, it’s Chinese medicine that understands the relationship of Yin and Yang energy in the body and has been perfected throughout the last 2000 years.

My hope is that all women will ease into the change of life and experience little to no uncomfortable symptoms. But when they do, spread the word that help is available using Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbs that does not carry proven risk factors such as heart attacks. Acupuncture is safe and effective when performed by a licensed Acupuncturist. If you need a referral we are here to help. Use the yellow contact button on the left and just let us know your looking for an acupuncturist in your hometown.

I always give links to studies in my articles, here’s the link for this one. http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2010/nhlbi-15.htm

Hormone Use Increases Breast Cancer Risk

Posted by Cathy on July 22, 2013

Newly released research suggests that the long-term use of any type of hormones (this includes the birth control pill) can increase the risk of breast cancer. Women taking long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause symptoms are at an even greater risk.

Research has already shown that taking birth control pills with combined estrogen and progestin, the most common type, can increase breast cancer risk.

The outcome from this new study states any type of hormones (i.e. birth control pills, HRT ) after many years of use, results in cancer.

This new study tracked the health of over 100,000 registered nurses and found that use of any kind of hormones for 10 years (or more) raised the chances of developing breast cancer. "There's a continued increase in risk with longer durations of use and there does not appear to be a plateau," said study leader Dr. Wendy Chen of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

There are natural and safe answers to menopausal hot flashes, night sweats and other menopause symptoms.Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been used for generations of women to elliminate the uncomfortable symptoms on menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats. See our Menopause Relief Herb Pack here.

The hormone picture has been confusing and now doctors say women should use the lowest dose needed for the shortest time possible.

– Estrogen use with progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years had an 88% higher incidence of breast cancer

– Estrogen use with progesterone for 15 to 19.9 years had an increase risk of “more than twofold”

– Estrogen use alone for 10 to 14.9 years had a 22% increased risk of breast cancer

– Estrogen alone for 15 to 19.9 years had a 43% increased risk of breast cancer

"It's hard to be surprised that if you keep taking it, sooner or later it's going to raise risk," said Dr. Robert Clarke of Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Reference:

American Association for Cancer Research – http://www.aacr.org/

See study here:

http://www.abstractsonline.com/Plan/ViewAbstract.aspx?sKey=489622a8-6ba9-4309-b54c-6e00a5886d06&cKey=726a2cb6-a357-418f-8fe2-cc997d8ce387&mKey={2D8C569E-B72C-4E7D-AB3B-070BEC7EB280}

New Research Says Breast Cancer Triggered By Artificial Hormone Progestin

Posted by Cathy on July 22, 2013

Another day and another friend/mother/sister/daughter diagnosed with breast cancer. Today breast cancer is affecting one in every eight women sometime during their lifetime in the USA, Europe and the UK. Looking around at my friends, family and extended family we need no reminders of the impact of these statistics. But there is good news, actually GREAT news– medical researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna identified a key protein that triggers breast cancer and in December 2012 received a grant of $7.4 million from the USA Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for ongoing research.

Working for the last ten years, the research team has been able to show the synthetic female sex hormone progestin used in HRT and contraceptive pills can trigger RANKL (a protein found in breast cells). As a consequence of this trigger, mammary cells start to divide and multiply and fail to die when they should. Moreover, stem cells in the breast become able to renew themselves, ultimately resulting in breast cancer.

The research around the artificial sex hormone progestin, used in hormone replacement therapy, HRT, and in birth control pills has been the center of work for Professor Josef Penninger, (IMBA director) who found the first genetic evidence that this protein RANKL is the master regulator of healthy bones and breast cell multiplication.

“Ten years ago we formulated the hypothesis that RANKL might be involved in breast cancer and it took us a long time to develop systems to prove this idea”, says Prof. Josef Penninger. ” I have to admit it completely surprised me just how massive the effects of the system were. Millions of women take progesterone derivatives in contraceptives and for hormonal replacement therapy. Since our results show that the RANKL system is an important molecular link between a synthetic sex hormone and breast tumors, one day women may be able to reduce their risk by taking blocking medicines in advance to prevent breast cancer”.

Alternative answers are available for women suffering with menopausal symptoms and want relief from hot flashes and night sweats without adding artificial hormones to their body. Natural solutions used in Traditional Chinese Medicine are available that are safe and are made from natural plant sources, not artificial hormones.

Alternative birth control methods beyond the pill include the IUD’s without hormones, condoms, diaphragm, natural rhythm method and permanent birth control in the form of tubal litigation.

The research results presented here was an international collaboration between lead researchers at IMBA and scientists at the Medical University of Vienna; the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; the Ontario Cancer Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School and the Ragon Institute of MGH/MIT and Harvard, Boston, USA; the Institute for Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), and Cologne Excellence Cluster (CECAD), University of Cologne, Germany; University College London, UK; and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.

http://phys.org/news/2011-01-progesterone-breast-cancer.html

New Menopause Treatment, Not So Fast

Posted by Cathy on July 22, 2013

I’m happy to report that a new menopause treatment will most likely not be approved by the FDA. A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly voted against a Depomed drug called Gabapentin to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Apparently, the benefits were heavily outweighed by the risks involved with this would be prescription menopause treatment.

Drug makers have been experimenting with non-hormonal treatments for menopause ever since they lost considerable market share with HRT drugs once they were proven to increase the risk for breast cancer and heart disease.

The FDA panelists overwhelmingly recommended the FDA reject the use of generically known Gabapentin pointing out that three company studies failed to show a significant reduction in hot flashes over 12 weeks. Patients also experienced side effects including dizziness, fatigue and balance problems. Gabapentin already carries a warning label that it can increase the frequency of suicidal thoughts. The FDA often follows the advice of panelists although it is not required to do so.

Looking for a safe Menopause Treatment that works fast! Look no further, Menopause Relief Herb Pack is here.

How To Harmonize Your Health With Licorice Root

Posted by Cathy on July 22, 2013

We have all heard of licorice, but what it is used FOR, is a bit of a mystery. Licorice is used in nearly every Chinese herbal formula (and there are thousands) because it is known to “harmonize the formula”.

Well, what the heck does that mean? Because licorice root can ameliorate the blood (make it better by kick starting your blood and energy), it facilitates the gastrointestinal tract’s absorption process of the herbs in the formula. Researchers have been studying this process for years, and although scientists do not completely understand the “how” of why licorice does what it does, it is known that it does work.

Licorice root “harmonizes” herbal formulas by helping your GI tract. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root has been used to treat stomach ulcers, it has antioxidant qualities (the root contains flavonoids), contains amino acids that help build healthy cells and muscles, and treats upper respiratory infections, viral infections and a sore throat. Amazingly, it is classified as an adaptogen, and helps the body deal with stress! What a versatile chinese herb!

It is important to know that it’s better to use the whole herb rather than chemicals isolated from the herb because all the components of the herb together produce the desired effect. Once again, we get back to “harmony”.

All Pacific Herbs products are produced using the gold standard of pharmaceutical grade processing to ensure the most potent formulation, then stored in convenient packets that are air, water and light tight. This unique packaging keeps the all-natural compounds in our Herb Packet vital for an unprecedented 4-year shelf life while offering the convenience of a highly portable, pocket-sized pack that can be taken anywhere. The herbal ingredients are tasty and available in a powder that can be dissolved in your mouth or in hot or cold water.

Additionally, Pacific Herbs products are the most potent on the market, using the highest quality Chinese herbs available that are both safe and effective. Our manufacturing facility has state-of-the-art equipment to cook, dry and package botanicals. All Pacific Herbs Chinese herbal products are extensively tested for pesticides and other contaminants. Pacific Herbs Packets are stamped with a lot number traceable to a Certificate of Analysis (COA) of testing date. Manufacturing is under strict Current Good Manufacturing Process (cGMP) and International Standards Organization (ISO) standards.

References: [1] Effect of licorice on the reduction of body fat mass in healthy subjects. Armanini D, De Palo CB, Mattarello MJ, Spinella P, Zaccaria M, Ermolao A, Palermo M, Fiore C, Sartorato P, Francini-Pesenti F, Karbowiak I. J Endocrinol Invest. 2003 Jul;26(7):646-50. [2] Glycyrrhetinic acid, the active principle of licorice, can reduce the thickness of subcutaneous thigh fat through topical application. Armanini D, Nacamulli D, Francini-Pesenti F, Battagin G, Ragazzi E, Fiore C. Steroids. 2005 Jul;70(8):538-42. Epub 2005 Apr 12. [3] The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, Ghoreishi MR. J Dermatolog Treat. 2003 Sep;14(3):153-7. [4] The efficacy of licorice root extract in decreasing transaminase activities in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Hajiaghamohammadi AA, Ziaee A, Samimi R. Phytother Res. 2012 Sep;26(9):1381-4. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3728. Epub 2012 Feb 6. Other Sources: Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements, second edition, ed, Paul M. Coates, 2005, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 479 – 486.

Bio- Identical Hormones & Menopause Relief

Posted by Cathy on May 31, 2013

The question many women suffering with menopausal hot flashes and night sweats are asking is whether bio-identical hormones such as progesterone cream and phytoestrogen (plant sourced estrogen) are safe and effective AS the chemical hormones found in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs?

Many women today are being told “bio-identical” hormones are identical to those your body makes. Even though progesterone and estrogen bio-identical creams may be closer to what your body produces there are certainly risks in using any hormone therapy. Some doctors believe the risks are just as great as taking an hormone replacement therapy drug (HRT) others believe the jury is still out because we have no long term data since these products are still very new to the market. Risks may be tied to the dosage which varies greatly from women to women.

Bio-identical hormones made from plant sources may be perfectly safe in low doses, which is the way we would ingest these chemicals found in yams, soy beans and a handful of herbs but at higher doses may be harmful. Nearly every substance found in nature can be safe in minute doses yet toxic at a higher dose. Even water can kill us when taken in to large a dose over a very short time period. Knowing what dose is right for your body can be tricky depending on blood, urine and saliva testing which may not give an accurate reading of circulating hormones in your blood which changes daily and even hourly.

Bio-identical hormones, make no mistake can be just as powerful and dangerous as taking a prescription hormone replacement drug. Phytoestrogen used in minute doses the way we find in nature may be completely safe and effective. Asian women have a long history of eating soy beans nearly everyday of their life from childhood through adulthood and experience very few menopausal symptoms. The isoflavones in soy are known to act as a hormone balancing chemicals.

So, which should you choose, bio-identical hormones or synthetic hormone replacement therapy for your menopausal symptoms? How about neither! There is a third option that women in Asia have used for centuries and the Western world is just beginning to see on store shelves. Traditional Chinese herbs are another option for menopause symptom relief. You can learn more about it here.

Supplement During Menopause Treatments

Posted by Cathy on May 4, 2013

Hot flashes and night sweats for 3 years, Oh MY! I friend of a friend just confided in me she’s been suffering with menopause symptoms in silence for years. When I inquire as to why, she said, “I just didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want the artificial hormones”.

Not all women need a menopause treatment plan. Menopause is a time of change and all women over 50 will experience an ending to their menstruation sooner or later.

But, not all women will need a treatment plan during their menopause years. According to Dr. Elaine Jolly, director of Ottawa’s Shirley E. Greenberg Women’s Health Centre, “Menopause is seen as not very sexy,” says Jolly. “And the menopause curriculum in medical schools is horrible. And that’s a pity, because mature women benefit from preventive care.” she says.

Jolly suspects she knows why the (menopause treatment) field is not a popular choice for medical students contemplating a specialty. It takes a full hour to have a proper consultation with a menopausal patient — and the pay is lower than other medical specialties. “You don’t get kudos for health prevention,” says Jolly. “In France, if you spend time counseling and talking about these things, you get paid.” Many frustrated women are turning to complementary and alternative medicine, she says. “They are not getting satisfaction through conventional medicine.”

I agree with you Dr. Elaine Jolly, women are turning to alternative medicine especially Chinese herbs for menopause treatment. The herbs used in Menopause Relief Herb Pack are the same ones used for centuries to help women balance their hormones and give them relief from hot flashes and night sweats.

Chinese Herbs Reduce Hot Flashes Says American Menopause Society

Posted by Cathy on April 2, 2013

The American Menopause Society recently published the results of a study on the use of Chinese herbs as a menopause treatment. It's always nice to see a clinical trial like this published in English (many are in Mandarin only) and this study was completed in a manner consistent with top notch clinical protocol. The study was double-blind, randomized and controlled…..ahhhh the gold standard for clinical research.

Chinese Herbal Formulas Can Reduce Menopausal Hot Flashes Safely and Effectively

The women in the study were experiencing menopausal hot flashes and were between the ages of 40 to 50 years old. The participants drank either a concentrated extract of herbal granules twice daily for 12 weeks or a placebo, fake herbal tea. The women who drank the Chinese herb remedy found their hot flashes dropped by 62%. Most importantly, the dosage of herbs was discussed in this trial and the participants used 15 grams of concentrated extracts in a sachet each day. (See Menopause Relief Herb Packet herbal granules here)

It is important to note the herbs were dried into granules and no pills or capsules were used in this trial. Pills and capsules always contain fillers. It is also very difficult to take 15 grams (15,000 milligrams) of herbal concentrate when taking pills or capsules because it requires a high number of pills to be swallowed. In this case it would be 15-20 pills per dose.

THE TREND CONTINUED

Even three months after the study ended, the participants said their hot flashes did not increase after the study ended and they stopped using the menopause herbal remedy. This study shows, compared with Hormone Replacement therapy, Chinese herbs are a safe and viable alternative for menopause symptoms.

Although previous studies have found that Chinese herbs can help reduce hot flashes, those studies were not of the same quality methodology as this study, according to the researchers at Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society.

SOURCE: Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, online February 25, 2013.

Bio-Identical Hormones and Menopause Symptom Relief

Posted by Cathy on February 24, 2013

The question many women suffering with menopausal hot flashes and night sweats are asking is whether bio-identical hormones such as progesterone cream and phytoestrogen (plant sourced estrogen) are safe and effective AS the chemical hormones found in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs?

Many women today are being told "bio-identical" hormones are identical to those your body makes. Even though progesterone and estrogen bio-identical creams may be closer to what your body produces there are certainly risks in using any hormone therapy. Some doctors believe the risks are just as great as taking an hormone replacement therapy drug (HRT) others believe the jury is still out because we have no long term data since these products are still very new to the market. Risks may be tied to the dosage which varies greatly from women to women.

Soy Is Not An Effective Menopause Treatment

Posted by Cathy on December 30, 2012

A two and half years study finds no improvement from eating soy as a menopause treatment for cognitive function including what many menopausal women label as “brain fog”.

Brain fog often times refers to the common menopausal symptoms including difficulty in remembering daily events and activities. If you are experiencing memory loss or brain fog as part of your menopausal symptoms be aware that the addition of soy to your diet will not help. Although their were no harmful effects, (stick to organic soy) this study showed no improvements for visual memory and thinking ability.

Dr. Victor Henderson of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and his co-authors randomly assigned 313 post-menopausal women aged 45 to 92 to take either 25 grams of soy protein daily or a placebo with milk protein that looked and tasted the same.

The participants were given tests that measured their memory and other thinking abilities at the start of the study and again after 2.5 years.

“For healthy post-menopausal women, long-term dietary soy isoflavone supplementation in a dose comparable to that of traditional Asian diets has no effect on global cognition but may improve visual memory,” Henderson and his co-authors concluded in Tuesday’s issue of the journal Neurology.

If you are looking for a memory boost, try ginseng!

This study was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the Office of Dietary Supplements and the Office of Research on Women’s Health.

Why Staying Current On Menopause News Matters

Posted by Cathy on October 23, 2012

On the same day that I received a wonderful testimonial from a woman taking Menopause Relief Herb Pack, I read the news announcement from the Annals of Internal Medicine, that HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) creates significant health risks, including stroke and breast cancer.

Wow, what a day!

This news is not really a shocker to alternative medicine practitioners like myself. The Complementary and Alternative Medicine community understands the risks of artificial hormones because we are taught to look at the body from a different point of view than Western medicine doctors. We don't try to cover up menopause symptoms with a drug rather we look for the root cause of the disease and treat the whole body.

Holistic minded doctors have always known that HRT is not the miracle drug it was once made out to be. Yesterdays announcement that risks outweigh the benefits is something we've known all along.

"In this case, the harms – the risk of blood clots, gallbladder disease, those types of things – led us to conclude that, on balance, the harms outweigh any potential benefit" said Dr. Bibbins-Domingo.

She added that for conditions such like heart disease and dementia, there was no evidence of any benefit.

Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School who worked on the WHI study, said the latest recommendations track with current medical practice.

Manson said it is important to distinguish between hormone therapy used for prevention of chronic disease and short-term use of hormone therapy to treat menopause symptoms, which the guidelines do not address.

She said many of the same professional societies that caution against use of hormone therapy for prevention endorse its use in healthy women whose lives are being disrupted by symptoms of menopause.

"That is the really key point here," she said.

Because of the potential risks, doctors prescribe hormone therapy for menopause symptoms at the lowest possible dose for the shortest period of time. "We understand that there is a different balance of benefits and risks when hormone therapy is used for short-term symptom management versus long-term disease prevention," Manson said.

The task force said more study is needed on the effects of hormone therapy in younger women.

World Menopause Day Healthy Summit Online October 18th

Posted by Cathy on October 17, 2012

World Menopause Day is October 18th. If you suffer with hot flashes or night sweats or other symptoms of menopause please join me at an online event called:

World Menopause Day Health Summit

Come and join the on-line conversation. Ask the panelist your most pressing menopause questions.

The list of expert panelists will be breaking taboo and talking everything menopause.

Don’t feel alone any longer. That foggy brain feeling you’re not quite sure about…. we’ll be talking about solutions.

Weight gain around the middle that you simply can’t get rid of…. well we’ll be talking about solutions that have worked for that too.

Most women feel their doctor should give them the answers to all their health questions as they age, unfortunately, doctors today often don’t have natural solutions. What they have is a prescription pad.

If you’re like me, you just don’t trust the pills anymore. If you feel confused by all the conflicting information about HRT, (hormone replacement therapy), YOU are not alone.

We’re going to talk about all the other options that work. Diet and life style solutions such as herbal alternatives that really work and have been used for centuries. I guarantee you will walk away with useful information you won’t hear anywhere else.

End the confusion and the mysteries

behind the big “M”,

Tag: Chinese herbs for menopause

The question many women suffering with menopausal hot flashes and night sweats are asking is whether bio-identical hormones such as progesterone cream and phytoestrogen (plant sourced estrogen) are safe and effective AS the chemical hormones found in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs?

Chinese Herbal Formulas Can Reduce Menopausal Hot Flashes Safely and Effectively

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