Estrogen:

Estrogen is an essential hormone that confronts the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause and also helps maintain a healthy and youthful environment within your body.  The ovaries primarily produce estrogen, in addition to progesterone and testosterone.  There are three forms of estrogen produced in the body.  Estradiol is most vital to a woman’s health while estriol and estrone have more minor roles.  It has been shown to protect against heart and vascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, colorectal cancer, vaginal atrophy, urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections.  It promotes the restoration of vaginal tone, elasticity and the vagina’s lubricating ability.  Estrogen also promotes dental health and prevents the development of ophthalmologic disorders including cataracts and age related macular degeneration.

It prevents the debilitating symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and mood swings.  All of these benefits are strongly supported by the medical literature.

Many women are excited by the hormone's effect on the skin.  The cardinal sign of aging resides in the skin, which begins to thin, dry, sag and become wrinkled.  Estrogen stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid on collagen which helps hold moisture in the skin.  This maintains overall firmness and naturally tightens the skin.  The paper thin skin on older adult’s skin is due to collagen loss related to lack of estrogen and testosterone to maintain it,

With all these unbelievably favorable benefits, why isn’t every perimenopausal and menopausal woman on hormone replacement?  

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The Big Scare! Does Estrogen Increase Risk of Cancer?

There was a scare in the early 2000’s when studies performed by the WHI or women’s health initiative on hormone replacement in menopause were published.  They reported increased risk of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer.  A panic ensued and nearly half of all women quit taking them.  Many doctors, who failed to recognize the flaws in these studies, encouraged their patients to discontinue therapy.  This led to many women suffering needlessly to this day.  The studies were performed using Premarin (a conjugated estrogen derived from pregnant horse urine) and Provera (synthetic progestin).  The studies have since been refuted and numerous studies since using natural bioidentical estrogen and progesterone not only show that there is NO increased risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer but instead all of the benefits that have been outlined above.  Women needn’t fear estrogen but instead should fear the loss of estrogen.

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Take a Look:

There are countless studies from reputable organizations that explain that

Estrogen​ Does NOT cause increased risk of breast cancer! 

Here are a few links you can read at your leisure: 

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Breast Cancer.org Article (click here)

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Women's Health Initiative on Breast Cancer Article (click here)

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Contraindications of Estrogen Replacement:

One of the only contraindication of estrogen replacement therapy is actual personal history of breast cancer.

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Progesterone:

Progesterone is estrogen's natural sidekick.  It is produced in the ovary, the adrenal glands and the placenta during pregnancy.  It is synergistic with estrogens numerous health benefits but offers unique benefits including relief of PMS or premenstrual syndrome, protection against breast and uterine cancer, lowers cholesterol, counterbalances the side-effects of estrogen including bleeding, bloating and fluid retention, lowers cholesterol, is a natural sleep aid and a feel good hormone. Patients report increased satisfaction in quality of life and overall contentment.  It is of utmost importance in premenopausal women to eliminate PMS, perimenopausal and menopausal women to relieve symptoms of menopause, associated health and feel good benefits.  Literally, no woman should be without it.

The clinically proven benefits of natural hormone therapy cannot be ignored.  OPTIMAL hormone therapy gives us health and quality of life.  We live in an era which offers access to hormone replacement whereas previously people only suffered through the decline in their health and vitality with aging.  Science and medicine now allows you a unique opportunity of which I encourage you to take advantage.