WEBVTT
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Hi everyone, this is Laura Williamson.
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Welcome to Bear Speak.
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It is wonderful to have you here today.
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Before we get started, I just want to let you know we have another fabulous show.
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We have Nancy Burzdack with us today from Balanced Wellness.
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Welcome, Nancy.
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Thank you, Laura.
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And before we get all into the throw of everything that we're going to be discussing today, let me tell you who I am.
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I am a personal trainer, a Pilates instructor, a health coach, and I happen to be a Ricky practitioner.
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So I train from the inside out, and I am here for you.
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And today's fabulous topic is about menopause.
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This has been a topic that many people have been asking me to do.
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So here I am, per your request.
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Nancy is here today to answer as many questions as she can about menopause, what it is, why it is, all the things.
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So, Nancy, now it's all about you.
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Tell us everything.
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How'd you get here?
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Welcome, tell us about the business, all the things.
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Because we're excited.
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We've been waiting for you.
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Awesome.
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Just so you know.
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So we have a functional medicine practice that it um specializes in hormone health for women, especially menopause, also weight loss, and we also do general functional medicine consults in general.
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Okay.
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All right.
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Now, how did you get started?
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So basically about seven years ago, I had a head injury.
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I've been a traditionally trained nurse practitioner for many years, and I had a head injury that left me with vestibular migraines.
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So vestibular migraines are basically migraines without the headache.
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So you get everything else.
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So you get the dizziness, the nausea, the lightheadedness, the sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, all the stuff without the headache.
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Okay.
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Um I was fairly disabled from that.
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I was out of work for six months, and even when I went back, I could only go back a few hours a day because everything bothered me.
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I was suddenly a sensitive flower.
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Okay.
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So the overhead lights bothered me.
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The screen bothered me.
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I would walk down the hallway with the zigzag rug and bounce into the walls.
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I would look in people's ears with the otoscope and fall into the wall.
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It was horrible.
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So I could only work a few hours a day because by the end of that I was toast and my my brain was not working.
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Okay.
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And I had severe brain fog and word-finding difficulty, all of this stuff.
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So I had been seeing many different traditional doctors, saw neurologists, saw ear, nose, and throat doctors, been on many different medicines.
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With every medicine, I thought this is going to be it.
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This is going to be the thing that's going to fix me.
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And it didn't.
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I had many CAT scans, MRIs, the whole shebang.
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At the same time, my office mate at the time was going through her her family member had Lyme disease, which is another sort of invisible illness that people really don't know what to do with.
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Okay.
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What was the certification?
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So we did IFM, so the Institute of Functional Medicine certification course.
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So yeah, it took a few years, uh, learned a lot, um, but it it's been very rewarding.
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Okay.
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So there are two of you.
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You have a partner.
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I have a partner too.
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Okay, so the two of you together in your own well, what do we call it?
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Is it considered medicine?
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Do you take insurance like it's functional medicine?
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It it's it sounds like it's a little bit of everything.
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So it's everything.
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So functional medicine is very comprehensive.
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It's looking at the whole body of as a system rather than looking at each system individually.
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Okay.
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Um so in my specific scenario, my brain injury triggered some gut imbalances and hormone imbalances that gave me the vestibular migraines.
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So it makes sense that neurologists never picked up on that.
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You know, medications never worked because I wasn't going deeper into the root cause.
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So it's very rewarding when we go deeper and don't just slap a medication on people.
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So you you use the word deeper.
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You didn't go deep enough.
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You needed to go deeper.
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But how would you have known to go to go deeper?
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You you understand what I mean?
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Because there are many people, there used to be a a a way of thinking, and I think about my mom when I think about this, is what your doctor says is is is right.
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What you think no, the doctor's not the doctor's never wrong.
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Listen to your doctor, leave it alone, and that's it.
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So there are people out there in my mind who are probably sitting out there right now who will think, well, the doctor said A, B, and C, and I remember this because I had a um an argument with my mom once, and then would have left it at that, and that's it, end of story.
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But you, you took it a step further.
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Why do that?
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Why did you even do that?
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Because I was disabled and I knew that was not going to be my end game.
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I would not let it be my end game.
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Even though I didn't fully understand what was going on, I became part of Facebook groups that were actually frankly depressing.
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You know, some people were talking about their emotional support dog that they needed with vestibular migraines, or how do I get my handicapped placard?
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I thought this is not going to be my future.
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So I did everything in my power to heal myself, but it took years.
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It took years.
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Yeah.
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So what is your approach when you're working with people or someone comes in to see you?
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How did how does a day start for you?
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Yeah, so we do very in-depth, we have patients do very in-depth intake forms and we learn all about everything that's held that that has happened to them leading up to their current health concern.
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Um we look at all of the symptoms.
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So even if, for instance, they're coming to me for metapausal symptoms, we'll still talk about their gut health, we'll talk about their skin.
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They do a whole um symptom review, which is every body system.
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And then we we do very in-depth blood work.
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We look at their nutrients, we look at their hormones, uh, we look at inflammatory markers, cortisol, their thyroid, all of these things, because hormones don't actually live in a bubble.
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They everything affects each other.
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Your gut affects it, your cortisol affects it, your thyroid affects it.
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So it's important to look at all of these things.
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Um, so that's basically what we do, and then we come up with a plan, whether it's um, you know, there's always a component of lifestyle.
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There's um, we help coach people through supplements.
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We um and then even when it gets time to if someone is a good candidate for hormones, we'll even prescribe hormones at that time too.
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So who's your typical client?
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So we see everything, some metapausal women who would like a more holistic view.
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Um we see some people uh I have a fair amount of migraine and post-concussive patients now because of my story, and now I actually have tools to help people, which is very powerful.
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We see some people who just want a wellness and longevity plan.
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All right, I want to age the best way I can.
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Help me with my lifestyle.
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What supplements should I take?
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Should I be taking hormones?
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Should I not?
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What you know, so we kind of help put all those pieces together.
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I I think as I as as I'm listening to you, I think to myself, I say, I think, well, what would be the circumstances for someone to come to you who has or wants a holistic point of view?
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Am I already living a holistic life?
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Do I have a holistic point of view before I get to you?
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Or am I at a point where I've tried everything and now again, this is not my in game.
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Like, there's no way this is gonna be me.
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How many of the people that you're seeing, like not how many, but how often, what happens when?
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How often do you find, well, someone really came in with a holistic point of view versus because where I'm sitting, I always think in terms of inside out, the entire person, that's what holistic means for me, right?
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So in my mind, I would think, I want to take I don't want to take a whole bunch of medication.
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I've been down that road myself.
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I don't want to take all the stuff.
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If if I can avoid that, I really would like to.
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I'm gonna uh I'm gonna go here anyway.
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But you already also have the medical background.
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So for me, I would think automatically, well, this is a nice combination because I get the best of both worlds.
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I get someone who comes from this point of view and has experience over here, but they also have experience over here.
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So they can give me, they can kind of streamline it and bring it all together and say, you know what, I know about this, but we also have that, and here's the effects that could happen if you do this over here, but then there's also that.
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So for me, that's a win-win.
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Absolutely.
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So without having to go, does it need to be holistic, right?
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I I would have both it feels like I would have both your functional medicine, but it feels like I would have both options with you.
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Am I wrong in thinking that?
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No, you're absolutely right.
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So we do everything from talking to people about stress management to optimizing sleep to even sending medications to your pharmacy.
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So and everything in between.
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Okay.
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So it's very interesting and it's very gratifying because I remember being in primary care, I would see so many women, like perimetapausal women, that would come in with brain fog, fatigue, just not feeling themselves, even though nothing has changed.
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Their diet hasn't changed, their exercise hasn't changed, their stress hasn't changed, although they feel like they're less resilient to stress.
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And back in that setting, we would do very cursory blood work, and I would say, everything looks normal.
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You have to eat less and exercise more and do yoga, or you know, and it was so not satisfying because I know the patient didn't feel validated, right?
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Right.
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And it they're already working hard at what they're doing, and I felt like I so it wasn't great for them, it wasn't great for me because I felt like I wasn't helping them, you know.
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But now, transfer, you know, fast forward forward doing functional medicine, we can see that there's um we do the deep dive of the blood work, so we notice yes, your hormones are out of whack.
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Yes, you have nutrient insufficiencies, yes, your thyroid isn't as active as it should be.
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Yes, your cortisol is a little wonky.
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All of these things can contribute to the way you feel.
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So, which is satisfying because patients get answers.
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We have tools to help people with all of that.
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So it's it's just, you know, it's interesting how the same person can have a completely different approaches and it it is a game changer for their care.
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So it's been my experience, you know, because I've been doing this for around 22 years or somewhere in that neighborhood.
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So I feel like I've kind of grown and aged with a lot of my clients and I've and have and am going through a lot of the s the symptoms that you're speaking of, right?
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And so the conversations that I have with people, no two women are the same.
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That's the other thing that I have noticed.
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But I'm also noticing that, and I don't I shouldn't I d I probably shouldn't use the word textbook, but I feel like no two women have necessarily been textbook when it comes to menopause.
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Right?
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And I give you an example.
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I have a friend, for example, who ended up having severe anxiety out of the blue, and she had no idea where and similar to what you just talked about, she went to go get help, she went to do some things, she went to different people before she finally landed on one person who said to her, Listen, you know, this doesn't get talked about, and it because the number is so small, there's a very strong possibility this has something to do with you going through menopause.
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Doesn't make sense, but is a very strong possibility.
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More time went on and things, and she recommended changing some things around long and short of it.
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It was part of what she was going through, and she's like, I was having all these mental health issues, and I couldn't figure out what was going on, but I was ashamed to talk about it.
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See now we got shame coming up.
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So then people will stay quiet and stay in their own corner of the world and don't talk about it because, like you said, she didn't feel validated.
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She just thought she was making up things.
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Right.
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And she really was not.
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And in the list I could I could go through a list of different symptoms with different people and so on and so forth.
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But again, one of the reasons why I wanted you here was for that very reasons.
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You know, there's also the weight loss side of things, and going in, I had one person mention to me there was some fat shaming going on, and like I I could keep going.
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I could keep going.
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But again, you're here now, and so I'm taking full advantage of the fact that you visited us today, and I am grateful.
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Uh so what I will ask you next is where did this passion come from?
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Why is this so important to you?
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Yeah.
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So great question.
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We um, you know, as I said, functional medicine is looking at the root cause, and what we learned with working with patients is many times around this time in midlife is when things go awry.
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You know, autoimmune issues come in, people's cholesterol cholesterol goes up, their blood pressure goes up, their blood sugar goes up, they become insulin resistant.
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So so many things happen around this time, and the root cause of many of those problems is estrogen deprivation, right?
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So when you balance and you give people estrogen during that time, a lot of times you can prevent issues going forward, you know, cardiovascular disease, all of that.
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Um bone disease, you know, you start losing bone very quickly.
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Like even in our 30s, we can lose bone.
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So it's important to do everything we can to maintain our health.
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And you know, I think hormones are a big part of that.
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So what would you say are some of the biggest concerns you've encountered with your clients?
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I think similar to what we said, a lot of people don't really feel heard.
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The symptoms are all over the map.
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Um they can have anything, usually in perimetopause, people feel, like I said, just kind of not themselves, gaining a little weight around the middle, maybe increasing anxiety.
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And then as things go on, then they get the more traditional things like the hot flashes, the night sweats, the insomnia, all of that kind of stuff comes later.
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Um so those are a lot of things that we see.
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But like I said, we also see patients who have seen many providers for different symptoms and aren't really sure where to go.
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So they want the holistic view.
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Okay.
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Yeah.
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So let me ask the number one question.
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What is this, what is menopause?
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Yeah.
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So menopause is basically you're considered menopausal when you're without a period for one year.
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Okay.
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It's the natural decline in estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone.
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Usually the average age is um 51, but it can happen between 45 and 55.
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I have a slide here we can talk about.
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So between 35 and 45, if you look at this slide, um you can see red the red line um indicates someone's estrogen level.
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And at 35, it becomes pretty erratic, right?
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The it goes up, down, all around.
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So that estrogen fluctuation is responsible for irregular periods, for night sweats, for hot flashes, for loss of libido, brain fog, all of that.
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And then you can see after metopause, it kind of levels up, but at a low level.
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But you can also see during postmenopause, that's when diseases come up, right?
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Osteoporosis, more urinary tract infections, heart disease, um, depression, breast cancer, all of those things can come later on.
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So I like this slide because it really depicts, wow, during that perimetapausal time, that is really erratic, right?
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Um so when we're looking at treating patients uh symptomatically, our lifestyle interventions are sometimes aimed at improving those fluctuations.
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Mm-hmm.
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Okay.
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So as in as my mother would say, I'm I'm putting on my business out in the streets.
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So I would say I was in the early stages of menopause.
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I was pre-menopause pretty early.
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And you know, my claim to fame is I was like, but I was so young when I got my period.
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I do not know that that's even relevant, to be frank with you, because I was also 10 when I got my first when I got my period, right?
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But then I would say it was around 35, I started noticing changes.
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It was around, and it was around, I I want to say I haven't seen my last period.
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I I think I saw the last one around 40, 45, 40, around 46 as the last time.
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And I'm like, wow, that was really early.
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On the one hand, I was like, oh great, I don't have to go shopping anymore.
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I don't have to buy the things.
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But then, you know, other things showed up, right, in its place.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:29.359
And that's when, and I'm I'm sure anyone will look at me today and say, Shut up, Laura, because what I'm gonna say is gonna be annoying to a lot of people I know.
00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:32.720
You know, I did notice that I started gaining weight in a different way.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:37.359
And yes, I do gain weight for those of you out there listening and thinking about this.
00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:49.279
Um, however, again, I know that I'm very fortunate and genetically predisposed to certain things when it comes to my body size and type.
00:19:49.599 --> 00:20:02.799
So, all that being said, the point is that for someone who had gone through it I consider to be early, you know, to start having conversations with people, I recognized certain things showed up very, very early.
00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:10.240
And that's gonna actually lead me into some of my other question is when exactly what are some of the symptoms when they start?
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.799
What are we looking for to know like, oh, is this because it took me a while to realize what was happening.
00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.319
So what are the symptoms?
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.720
What are some of the symptoms we might encounter?
00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:28.000
Yeah, a lot of times it is just a lot of people say I just don't feel myself, you know, and I know it's very nonspecific, but that's how people feel.
00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:32.000
And that's you know, it's hard to slap a diagnosis on that, right?
00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.200
Right, pretty much.
00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:33.920
Right.
00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:47.039
So um, and the weight gain and a loss of resilience to stress, sometimes um their stress in life might not be higher than it ever was, but it feels higher.
00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:51.200
It's like their perception of it, you know, and their resilience to how they handle it.
00:20:51.440 --> 00:21:06.799
So um there's a lot of things in the perimetapausal phase that we do to help um with those symptoms, you know, um helping out with the fluctuations in estrogen, which can definitely help.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:27.039
Um so for instance, eating a healthy diet high in fiber can help um level out those swings, making sure that you you're participating in some sort of stress management program, whatever that means to you, whether it's Reiki, whether it's yoga, whether it's walking in nature, anything like that.
00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:31.680
So that affects your cortisol, which will also affect your estrogen levels.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:41.359
Um, staying well hydrated, making sure you're optimizing sleep, not drinking too much alcohol, all of those things help you know level out those swings.
00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.799
Yeah, no, I'm taking a sip of water.
00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:43.759
So you can continue.
00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.599
Yeah.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.960
So those are some of the lifestyle things.
00:21:49.119 --> 00:22:01.279
There's also some um supplements that we use that help people detoxify their estrogen better or help with the balance of estrogen and progesterone, which Helps them feel better too.
00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:06.319
And then when the time comes, um, hormone therapy can be beneficial for some people.
00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:08.000
So what is hormone therapy?
00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.119
So we'll jump right into that.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.319
Okay.
00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:19.359
So yes, hormone therapy, the three hormones that we use during perimetopause during metopause are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.920
We use bioidentical hormones.
00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:25.680
So it means that they're identical to your own natural hormone.
00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:32.160
So it fits into the um hormone receptor and functions just like your own hormones do.
00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:34.880
And is it is it safe to get hormone therapy?
00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:43.119
Because there's also some ideas that getting hormone replacement therapy could be detrimental in the end.
00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.400
It might not be good for you.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.359
It's okay for a little while, but long term it may not be.
00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:47.920
Yeah.
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.480
And so can you give us a little more information on that?
00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.440
Absolutely.
00:22:51.759 --> 00:23:03.759
So um 20 years ago there was a big study called the Horm the Women's Health Initiative that basically, without getting into too many details, it demonized hormones forever for patients.
00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:08.319
Now that we look back at it, we think, oh, it wasn't a great study.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:12.640
It was we can glean some information from it because it was a big study.
00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:16.319
But the population they used was older.
00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:18.559
So the average age was 63.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:20.480
Some women were 80.
00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:20.640
Oh.
00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:23.839
And they would just be put put on hormones at 80.
00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.559
So that could be 30 years after metapause.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.039
Okay.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:32.400
So it's not the practical use of when we would use metapausal hormone therapy, right?
00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:35.839
And they also didn't use bioidentical, they used some synthetic.
00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:45.839
So that's when the the study was abruptly stopped due to the participants getting breast cancer, heart disease, and blood clots.
00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:46.640
Okay.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:24:03.519
There's been studies since that show if you use it in the right population, so the person around 40s, 50s, you know, during that transition time of menopause, um, and if you're using bioidenticals, there's actually good data that it's safe for most people.
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:11.839
So breast cancer itself, um, while estrogen doesn't cause breast cancer, it can make certain types of breast cancer grow.
00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.400
So that is the one contraindication.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.000
So if you had an active breast cancer, you cannot be on hormones.
00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:31.200
So if someone, even if someone has a family history of breast cancer, we would just monitor them closely and make make sure they're handling their estrogen well, but it's not a total contraindication like it used to be.
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:31.359
Okay.
00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:39.839
Um, because people are recognizing, wow, the benefits of this are so much greater than the risk of this.
00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.960
And a lot of the risk was overembellished one during that study.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:52.960
So is there so there's no concern for cancer right now, at least not that's been proven.
00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:56.079
Bone density improves, stays the same?
00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:58.480
Yes, usually bone density improves.
00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.119
Okay.
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:11.200
And okay, so that's kind of that's that's like nice to hear because I remember training people who asked about that, about they were trying to determine if they should go on hormone replacement therapy or not.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:23.680
Because having the same conversation with them, you know, I heard that it it's not gonna be good for me if I take it, and then in the end, bone density is going to be an issue, and then I have to worry about cancer, and then I have to worry about all the things.
00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:23.839
Right.
00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:26.720
But that doesn't appear to be the case now.
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:28.400
Is there a time frame?
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:34.960
How like if I wait ten years after menopause you is there a time frame as to when you is there a window?
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:40.400
Yeah, so the um you get the most bang for your buck the earlier you start it.
00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:44.559
So the closer you are to that one year mark of not having your period.
00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:49.039
And even in perimetopause, it's okay to to start that as well.
00:25:49.680 --> 00:26:00.079
Um the longer you wait, um, the more risk you might have for heart disease.
00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:05.519
So if you have if you wait too long, you can all already develop plaques and things like that.
00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:14.160
And some people who get estrogen way too late who already have cardiovascular disease, it can make that cardiovascular disease unstable.
00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:24.799
So does it matter that you have a health and fitness routine if you're that person, or does that just mean the possibilities out there regardless of what your lifestyle is?
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:34.640
So we would do an overall cardiovascular assessment, look at their advanced cholesterol panel, look at what their activities have been like, what their diet's been like.
00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.240
Do they have high blood pressure?
00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:42.400
Do they have diabetes, other risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease?
00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:52.400
Um but I've known some people who are, you know, older and want hormones for the benefit of bone health and brain health and all of this.
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:56.400
If they're otherwise healthy, a lot of women do fine with it.
00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:05.519
But you do get the most bang for your buck for bone protection and all of the benefits the closer you do to um the end of your period.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:08.640
So this is this has all been pretty exciting.
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:15.759
I'm gonna I want to dip into a couple of really personal questions that I feel like I want to ask and I need to ask.
00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:26.079
Um the first one being with regards to it's one's regarding intimacy, and the other one is regarding odor and dryness.
00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.880
All right.
00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:47.200
So I've had a couple of people that I've spoken with who've come in and they've talked about um what methods and things that people can use to go in and simulate collagen and and you know work on dryness and the fact that things are are getting smaller for lack of collagen and so on and so forth.
00:27:47.279 --> 00:28:04.079
So my question to you is would the synthetic hormone would it be able to help with that and help with the dryness, which if I understand it correctly, when that happens, you're more prone to odor because everything, obviously the pH, everything's changing down there anyway in the landscape.
00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:13.200
But more importantly, you know, if you're getting dry, is there a way to prevent the odor that comes that is a little more than your natural scent?
00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.400
Is what I'm trying to say.
00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:18.480
Vaginal estrogen, so bioidentical, it wouldn't be synthetic.
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:24.160
Uh can help can help with vaginal dryness and odor.
00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:30.960
So sometimes that can be with lack of estrogen, there's also a change in your vaginal microbiome.
00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:35.680
So like the mix of good and bacteria, uh good and bad bacteria.
00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:41.039
Um, so it can be a perfect storm that can kind of cause those symptoms.
00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:45.920
So um, but vaginal estrogen can definitely be helpful, okay?
00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.319
Yeah.
00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:49.759
And then intimacy, since we're in the neighborhood there.
00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:55.680
So as time goes on, it can be more uncomfortable for women as they go.
00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.480
Right?
00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:02.799
So is there anything that could be done about that and what exactly is happening when, if, and or when it happens?
00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.920
Does it happen to every woman?
00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.440
Let me start with that question.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:15.279
And uh as far as painful intercourse to be exact, yeah, is is that something that comes up quite often and with other women?
00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.079
With all women, excuse me, not other women.
00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.920
Yeah, it absolutely does.
00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:27.759
So with lack of estrogen, the the vaginal tissue gets very friable and thin and dry, you know.
00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:32.400
Um so vaginal estrogen can be a game changer for that.
00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:44.000
And it's the type of thing that you take it once a day for a week, uh two weeks, and then you take it twice a week as like maintenance just to keep up with your moisture and things like that.
00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:48.480
And but in when it comes to intimacy, that is definitely a big problem.
00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:55.519
But also stress can be a huge problem, you know, when if you're not feeling connected to your partner or all of that.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:05.680
So that's why the holistic approach is very it helps so many things because we talk about your relationships.
00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:19.599
We you know make sure that you're having stress management and you're you know seeking counseling, you know, things change at around this time and we need to make sure that all parties are are in the right brain space.
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:21.519
Okay.
00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:25.920
So then an we're coming around the corner here.
00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:28.640
We're almost we're we're starting to wrap things up.
00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:34.240
So I think my next question is going to be you you do accept insurance?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:35.119
We do not.
00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:35.920
You do not?
00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:36.240
Yeah.
00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:36.880
Okay.
00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.279
So all right, tell me more.
00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.640
You don't accept insurance.
00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:42.160
So who's your clientele?
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:42.880
Yeah.
00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:49.680
So we we um unfortunately a lot of the lab testing we do isn't covered by insurance.
00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:53.680
So that's why we just bundle it all in into our pricing.
00:30:54.400 --> 00:31:02.640
Um since our the visits are pretty lengthy and comprehensive, that's why we're able to do it because we don't um accept insurance.
00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:15.920
We do supply super bills for patients so they can uh if you have out-of-pocket out-of-network benefits with your insurance, you can submit a super bill and potentially get reimbursed for some of that.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:18.799
It's not guaranteed, but it's something that some people do.
00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:24.799
Um and you can use their health health health savings account as well.
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:25.279
Okay.
00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:30.559
So we have a lot of people tap into that for supplements for our services for all of that.
00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.200
Okay.
00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:40.079
And do you have packages or is it just one set fee depending upon what the services that's being provided?
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.240
How exactly does No, great question.
00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:51.440
So we have multiple packages uh depending on your need, whether it's weight loss, whether it's hormone therapy, whether it's functional medicine.
00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:58.640
Um and it depends on the level that we think we're gonna need to see you and the level of testing that we do.
00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:06.480
Um for our general metapausal patients, like I said, we do the in-depth blood work, we also do salivary cortisol testing.
00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:15.359
But for our functional medicine patients, you know, that are a little bit more complicated, we do gut microbiome testing, we do a lot of different things.
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:22.960
We see people with IBS or a lot of gut issues that um are really affecting their life.
00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:29.440
So that can be one of our an example of one of our functional medicine patients that isn't hormone related.
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:31.920
And how do you test the cortisol?
00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:35.519
Um, you said salivary cortisol, did I say it properly?
00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.400
Yes, you did.
00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:42.480
So we do um the patient has to spit into a tube four times in in the day.
00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:42.960
Okay.
00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:51.680
Because if you do just a spot check of your cortisol, a lot of times the morning cortisol is what you would normally get done at the lab via your blood.
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:52.079
Okay.
00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.519
A lot of times it's normal.
00:32:54.160 --> 00:33:03.279
But when you look at the cortisol curve and what it should really look like, and then what yours looks like, it can kind of help explain a lot of things.
00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:13.200
For instance, the the curve should go down, and then some people who don't sleep or have a lot of stress in the afternoon and evening, they go up at night.
00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:18.000
So there's different things that we can do and are like validating for patients.
00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:19.680
Oh, this is why I'm not sleeping.
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.480
This is why I feel really stressed around this time.
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:34.559
So, how can we fine-tune your management to during that time do some sort of activity that nurtures you or do something to take something off of your plate during that time?
00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.599
You know, right.
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:38.559
So it can really help fine-tune the whole picture.
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.119
Okay.
00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:59.920
So my last question is what's the last bit of advice that that you would give to someone who might be going through these changes and transitions in life and they're looking for answers and just cannot find them.
00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:07.839
I would suggest that people find uh someone who a provider that they trust and that listens to them.
00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:32.719
Um I uh it's our feeling that all metapausal women should be given the decision of what things are gonna look like if you take hormones, as well as what is are things gonna look like when you if you don't take hormones, and what are the risks of both of those avenues, which is really important.
00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:47.599
So we've been steering women away for so many years, and now thankfully it's becoming a little bit more mainstream, people are a little bit less fearful, but a lot of people also still aren't trained on how to do it.
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:56.320
So that would be the next thing is to make sure that your provider is familiar with hormone therapy and how to manage it.
00:34:56.880 --> 00:35:24.000
Yeah, this is a conversation that I didn't expect to have with you, and I, I'll be honest, recently, maybe in the last year, found out that there were these advancements in in medicine that that that was even an option to me because again, I come from an old school of thought, like, oh, you know, no hormones, you don't don't do the replacement therapy because all these bad things are going to happen to you if you do.
00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:26.960
But I feel like I'm not the only, probably the only woman.
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:28.079
I don't think I'm that old.
00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:31.519
I know I'm not extremely young, but I don't think I'm that old either.
00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:37.599
And I'm sure I cannot be, I'm not the only um woman feeling this way or thinking that.
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.800
But this is information that I I'm grateful for.
00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:43.280
Um I it sounds beneficial to me.
00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:59.519
Um so much so I feel like I should look into it myself and and see what that means for me and any type of change it could make for me because um it's it's also what I'm finding is it's something that a lot of women do not talk about, I feel, uh, with each other.
00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:04.400
I I think it depends on what your relationship is, one person to another, honestly.
00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:13.360
You know, myself and my friends, we kind of sort of talk about it, but I find that we don't get too deep into the details until something comes up.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:18.320
And it just depends on what it is, what that something could be.
00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:27.679
Um so I hope this opens up dialogue for more people to discuss amongst themselves and with with their loved ones if possible possible.
00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:34.320
And a few weeks ago they announced that the FDA is taking the black box warning off of hormones.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:35.440
I don't know if you've heard of this.
00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:50.320
No, but it was so the um there was a black box warning, which basically means that there's risks to this, you know, when you open the package, don't do it, don't do it, you're gonna get breast cancer, you're gonna get a heart attack, stroke, all of the things, right?
00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:50.960
Yes.
00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:58.159
So that was based on that study, and now people have realized, oh, maybe we were wrong.
00:36:59.039 --> 00:36:59.840
Oops.
00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:17.440
Um, so they're taking away that black box warning, which is great so because providers have been very um fearful, as well as patients, of all of the hubbub with that study and how much it was publicized and really instilled fear in women.
00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:22.239
So it's great that things are turning in a favorable way for us.
00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:23.440
Yay.
00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:26.400
Nancy, I think that's it for us.
00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:31.280
Any any any last thoughts you might have before we uh we take off?
00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.400
Yeah.
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:34.159
Nancy, thank you so much.
00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:37.920
Uh this has been an amazing, amazing time with you today.
00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:39.760
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:46.320
Ladies and gentlemen, mostly ladies, I'm guessing, I want to thank you for being with us today.
00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:50.400
And I would love to see you.
00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:53.360
I don't really see, of course, but I'd love to see you next time.
00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:54.880
Thank you so much for joining.
00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:56.719
Um Laura, I'm your host.
00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:58.239
This is Bear Speak.
00:37:58.960 --> 00:37:59.519
Take care.
00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.960
Hi everyone, this is Laura Williamson.
00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:40.640
Welcome to Bear Speak.
00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.880
It is wonderful to have you here today.
00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:47.039
Before we get started, I just want to let you know we have another fabulous show.
00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:51.200
We have Nancy Burzdack with us today from Balanced Wellness.
00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:52.079
Welcome, Nancy.
00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:53.039
Thank you, Laura.
00:00:53.359 --> 00:01:00.719
And before we get all into the throw of everything that we're going to be discussing today, let me tell you who I am.
00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:08.560
I am a personal trainer, a Pilates instructor, a health coach, and I happen to be a Ricky practitioner.
00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:13.519
So I train from the inside out, and I am here for you.
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.599
And today's fabulous topic is about menopause.
00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:24.159
This has been a topic that many people have been asking me to do.
00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:27.040
So here I am, per your request.
00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:36.719
Nancy is here today to answer as many questions as she can about menopause, what it is, why it is, all the things.
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.599
So, Nancy, now it's all about you.
00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:40.799
Tell us everything.
00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:42.000
How'd you get here?
00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.640
Welcome, tell us about the business, all the things.
00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:45.920
Because we're excited.
00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:46.959
We've been waiting for you.
00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:47.599
Awesome.
00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:48.400
Just so you know.
00:01:50.239 --> 00:02:04.799
So we have a functional medicine practice that it um specializes in hormone health for women, especially menopause, also weight loss, and we also do general functional medicine consults in general.
00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:05.439
Okay.
00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:06.159
All right.
00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:07.760
Now, how did you get started?
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:12.240
So basically about seven years ago, I had a head injury.
00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:19.840
I've been a traditionally trained nurse practitioner for many years, and I had a head injury that left me with vestibular migraines.
00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:24.080
So vestibular migraines are basically migraines without the headache.
00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:25.439
So you get everything else.
00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:34.560
So you get the dizziness, the nausea, the lightheadedness, the sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, all the stuff without the headache.
00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:35.120
Okay.
00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.919
Um I was fairly disabled from that.
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:45.039
I was out of work for six months, and even when I went back, I could only go back a few hours a day because everything bothered me.
00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.199
I was suddenly a sensitive flower.
00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:47.759
Okay.
00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.479
So the overhead lights bothered me.
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.159
The screen bothered me.
00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:56.639
I would walk down the hallway with the zigzag rug and bounce into the walls.
00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:00.400
I would look in people's ears with the otoscope and fall into the wall.
00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:01.520
It was horrible.
00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:09.039
So I could only work a few hours a day because by the end of that I was toast and my my brain was not working.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:09.439
Okay.
00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:14.719
And I had severe brain fog and word-finding difficulty, all of this stuff.
00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:27.280
So I had been seeing many different traditional doctors, saw neurologists, saw ear, nose, and throat doctors, been on many different medicines.
00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:29.759
With every medicine, I thought this is going to be it.
00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.080
This is going to be the thing that's going to fix me.
00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:33.360
And it didn't.
00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:37.919
I had many CAT scans, MRIs, the whole shebang.
00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:50.000
At the same time, my office mate at the time was going through her her family member had Lyme disease, which is another sort of invisible illness that people really don't know what to do with.
00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:17.360
Okay.
00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:19.040
What was the certification?
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:24.560
So we did IFM, so the Institute of Functional Medicine certification course.
00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:32.560
So yeah, it took a few years, uh, learned a lot, um, but it it's been very rewarding.
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:33.519
Okay.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:34.560
So there are two of you.
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:35.120
You have a partner.
00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:36.079
I have a partner too.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:40.560
Okay, so the two of you together in your own well, what do we call it?
00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:42.480
Is it considered medicine?
00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.480
Do you take insurance like it's functional medicine?
00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.199
It it's it sounds like it's a little bit of everything.
00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:50.879
So it's everything.
00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:54.240
So functional medicine is very comprehensive.
00:04:54.399 --> 00:05:00.399
It's looking at the whole body of as a system rather than looking at each system individually.
00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:01.040
Okay.
00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:13.680
Um so in my specific scenario, my brain injury triggered some gut imbalances and hormone imbalances that gave me the vestibular migraines.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:18.000
So it makes sense that neurologists never picked up on that.
00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:22.879
You know, medications never worked because I wasn't going deeper into the root cause.
00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:29.600
So it's very rewarding when we go deeper and don't just slap a medication on people.
00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.639
So you you use the word deeper.
00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:34.160
You didn't go deep enough.
00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:35.920
You needed to go deeper.
00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:40.319
But how would you have known to go to go deeper?
00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:41.600
You you understand what I mean?
00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:51.040
Because there are many people, there used to be a a a way of thinking, and I think about my mom when I think about this, is what your doctor says is is is right.
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.120
What you think no, the doctor's not the doctor's never wrong.
00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.600
Listen to your doctor, leave it alone, and that's it.
00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:11.120
So there are people out there in my mind who are probably sitting out there right now who will think, well, the doctor said A, B, and C, and I remember this because I had a um an argument with my mom once, and then would have left it at that, and that's it, end of story.
00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.759
But you, you took it a step further.
00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:14.639
Why do that?
00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:15.759
Why did you even do that?
00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:20.639
Because I was disabled and I knew that was not going to be my end game.
00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.480
I would not let it be my end game.
00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:31.199
Even though I didn't fully understand what was going on, I became part of Facebook groups that were actually frankly depressing.
00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:40.560
You know, some people were talking about their emotional support dog that they needed with vestibular migraines, or how do I get my handicapped placard?
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:44.160
I thought this is not going to be my future.
00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.720
So I did everything in my power to heal myself, but it took years.
00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:49.759
It took years.
00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:50.079
Yeah.
00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:55.759
So what is your approach when you're working with people or someone comes in to see you?
00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.439
How did how does a day start for you?
00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:09.519
Yeah, so we do very in-depth, we have patients do very in-depth intake forms and we learn all about everything that's held that that has happened to them leading up to their current health concern.
00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.639
Um we look at all of the symptoms.
00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:19.680
So even if, for instance, they're coming to me for metapausal symptoms, we'll still talk about their gut health, we'll talk about their skin.
00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:24.319
They do a whole um symptom review, which is every body system.
00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:27.439
And then we we do very in-depth blood work.
00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:41.680
We look at their nutrients, we look at their hormones, uh, we look at inflammatory markers, cortisol, their thyroid, all of these things, because hormones don't actually live in a bubble.
00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.319
They everything affects each other.
00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:47.839
Your gut affects it, your cortisol affects it, your thyroid affects it.
00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:50.480
So it's important to look at all of these things.
00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:59.040
Um, so that's basically what we do, and then we come up with a plan, whether it's um, you know, there's always a component of lifestyle.
00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:04.240
There's um, we help coach people through supplements.
00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:13.839
We um and then even when it gets time to if someone is a good candidate for hormones, we'll even prescribe hormones at that time too.
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.000
So who's your typical client?
00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:23.439
So we see everything, some metapausal women who would like a more holistic view.
00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:36.320
Um we see some people uh I have a fair amount of migraine and post-concussive patients now because of my story, and now I actually have tools to help people, which is very powerful.
00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:41.360
We see some people who just want a wellness and longevity plan.
00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:44.080
All right, I want to age the best way I can.
00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:46.080
Help me with my lifestyle.
00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:47.519
What supplements should I take?
00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:49.360
Should I be taking hormones?
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:50.159
Should I not?
00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:54.159
What you know, so we kind of help put all those pieces together.
00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:08.159
I I think as I as as I'm listening to you, I think to myself, I say, I think, well, what would be the circumstances for someone to come to you who has or wants a holistic point of view?
00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:11.200
Am I already living a holistic life?
00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:14.000
Do I have a holistic point of view before I get to you?
00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:22.240
Or am I at a point where I've tried everything and now again, this is not my in game.
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:24.320
Like, there's no way this is gonna be me.
00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:30.399
How many of the people that you're seeing, like not how many, but how often, what happens when?
00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:41.279
How often do you find, well, someone really came in with a holistic point of view versus because where I'm sitting, I always think in terms of inside out, the entire person, that's what holistic means for me, right?
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.360
So in my mind, I would think, I want to take I don't want to take a whole bunch of medication.
00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:47.039
I've been down that road myself.
00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:48.559
I don't want to take all the stuff.
00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.879
If if I can avoid that, I really would like to.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:53.039
I'm gonna uh I'm gonna go here anyway.
00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:55.440
But you already also have the medical background.
00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:01.279
So for me, I would think automatically, well, this is a nice combination because I get the best of both worlds.
00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:07.840
I get someone who comes from this point of view and has experience over here, but they also have experience over here.
00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:19.759
So they can give me, they can kind of streamline it and bring it all together and say, you know what, I know about this, but we also have that, and here's the effects that could happen if you do this over here, but then there's also that.
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.519
So for me, that's a win-win.
00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:22.320
Absolutely.
00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:26.320
So without having to go, does it need to be holistic, right?
00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:32.960
I I would have both it feels like I would have both your functional medicine, but it feels like I would have both options with you.
00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:34.639
Am I wrong in thinking that?
00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.080
No, you're absolutely right.
00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:45.120
So we do everything from talking to people about stress management to optimizing sleep to even sending medications to your pharmacy.
00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:46.639
So and everything in between.
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:47.360
Okay.
00:10:47.759 --> 00:11:04.399
So it's very interesting and it's very gratifying because I remember being in primary care, I would see so many women, like perimetapausal women, that would come in with brain fog, fatigue, just not feeling themselves, even though nothing has changed.
00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:11.919
Their diet hasn't changed, their exercise hasn't changed, their stress hasn't changed, although they feel like they're less resilient to stress.
00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:20.879
And back in that setting, we would do very cursory blood work, and I would say, everything looks normal.
00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:32.320
You have to eat less and exercise more and do yoga, or you know, and it was so not satisfying because I know the patient didn't feel validated, right?
00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.039
Right.
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:42.960
And it they're already working hard at what they're doing, and I felt like I so it wasn't great for them, it wasn't great for me because I felt like I wasn't helping them, you know.
00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:58.159
But now, transfer, you know, fast forward forward doing functional medicine, we can see that there's um we do the deep dive of the blood work, so we notice yes, your hormones are out of whack.
00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:04.480
Yes, you have nutrient insufficiencies, yes, your thyroid isn't as active as it should be.
00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.600
Yes, your cortisol is a little wonky.
00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:11.440
All of these things can contribute to the way you feel.
00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:16.080
So, which is satisfying because patients get answers.
00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.360
We have tools to help people with all of that.
00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:28.720
So it's it's just, you know, it's interesting how the same person can have a completely different approaches and it it is a game changer for their care.
00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:36.960
So it's been my experience, you know, because I've been doing this for around 22 years or somewhere in that neighborhood.
00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:48.159
So I feel like I've kind of grown and aged with a lot of my clients and I've and have and am going through a lot of the s the symptoms that you're speaking of, right?
00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.320
And so the conversations that I have with people, no two women are the same.
00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.159
That's the other thing that I have noticed.
00:12:54.480 --> 00:13:05.759
But I'm also noticing that, and I don't I shouldn't I d I probably shouldn't use the word textbook, but I feel like no two women have necessarily been textbook when it comes to menopause.
00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:06.399
Right?
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.919
And I give you an example.
00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:36.399
I have a friend, for example, who ended up having severe anxiety out of the blue, and she had no idea where and similar to what you just talked about, she went to go get help, she went to do some things, she went to different people before she finally landed on one person who said to her, Listen, you know, this doesn't get talked about, and it because the number is so small, there's a very strong possibility this has something to do with you going through menopause.
00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:41.600
Doesn't make sense, but is a very strong possibility.
00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.320
More time went on and things, and she recommended changing some things around long and short of it.
00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:56.080
It was part of what she was going through, and she's like, I was having all these mental health issues, and I couldn't figure out what was going on, but I was ashamed to talk about it.
00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:58.720
See now we got shame coming up.
00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:05.279
So then people will stay quiet and stay in their own corner of the world and don't talk about it because, like you said, she didn't feel validated.
00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.360
She just thought she was making up things.
00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:08.080
Right.
00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.159
And she really was not.
00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:16.639
And in the list I could I could go through a list of different symptoms with different people and so on and so forth.
00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:21.600
But again, one of the reasons why I wanted you here was for that very reasons.
00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:32.559
You know, there's also the weight loss side of things, and going in, I had one person mention to me there was some fat shaming going on, and like I I could keep going.
00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:33.600
I could keep going.
00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:41.840
But again, you're here now, and so I'm taking full advantage of the fact that you visited us today, and I am grateful.
00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:47.600
Uh so what I will ask you next is where did this passion come from?
00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.759
Why is this so important to you?
00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:50.559
Yeah.
00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.559
So great question.
00:14:52.799 --> 00:15:06.960
We um, you know, as I said, functional medicine is looking at the root cause, and what we learned with working with patients is many times around this time in midlife is when things go awry.
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:19.519
You know, autoimmune issues come in, people's cholesterol cholesterol goes up, their blood pressure goes up, their blood sugar goes up, they become insulin resistant.
00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:28.799
So so many things happen around this time, and the root cause of many of those problems is estrogen deprivation, right?
00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:40.799
So when you balance and you give people estrogen during that time, a lot of times you can prevent issues going forward, you know, cardiovascular disease, all of that.
00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:46.000
Um bone disease, you know, you start losing bone very quickly.
00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.639
Like even in our 30s, we can lose bone.
00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:53.360
So it's important to do everything we can to maintain our health.
00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:58.639
And you know, I think hormones are a big part of that.
00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:03.279
So what would you say are some of the biggest concerns you've encountered with your clients?
00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:08.000
I think similar to what we said, a lot of people don't really feel heard.
00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:10.159
The symptoms are all over the map.
00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:21.360
Um they can have anything, usually in perimetopause, people feel, like I said, just kind of not themselves, gaining a little weight around the middle, maybe increasing anxiety.
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:30.960
And then as things go on, then they get the more traditional things like the hot flashes, the night sweats, the insomnia, all of that kind of stuff comes later.
00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:34.080
Um so those are a lot of things that we see.
00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:43.360
But like I said, we also see patients who have seen many providers for different symptoms and aren't really sure where to go.
00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.440
So they want the holistic view.
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:46.000
Okay.
00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:46.480
Yeah.
00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:49.120
So let me ask the number one question.
00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:51.360
What is this, what is menopause?
00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:52.080
Yeah.
00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:58.159
So menopause is basically you're considered menopausal when you're without a period for one year.
00:16:58.399 --> 00:16:58.639
Okay.
00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:04.079
It's the natural decline in estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone.
00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:12.559
Usually the average age is um 51, but it can happen between 45 and 55.
00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.880
I have a slide here we can talk about.
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:28.079
So between 35 and 45, if you look at this slide, um you can see red the red line um indicates someone's estrogen level.
00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:31.440
And at 35, it becomes pretty erratic, right?
00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.759
The it goes up, down, all around.
00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:46.160
So that estrogen fluctuation is responsible for irregular periods, for night sweats, for hot flashes, for loss of libido, brain fog, all of that.
00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:51.599
And then you can see after metopause, it kind of levels up, but at a low level.
00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:56.160
But you can also see during postmenopause, that's when diseases come up, right?
00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:06.240
Osteoporosis, more urinary tract infections, heart disease, um, depression, breast cancer, all of those things can come later on.
00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:13.200
So I like this slide because it really depicts, wow, during that perimetapausal time, that is really erratic, right?
00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:26.559
Um so when we're looking at treating patients uh symptomatically, our lifestyle interventions are sometimes aimed at improving those fluctuations.
00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:27.359
Mm-hmm.
00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.319
Okay.
00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:33.920
So as in as my mother would say, I'm I'm putting on my business out in the streets.
00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.000
So I would say I was in the early stages of menopause.
00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.319
I was pre-menopause pretty early.
00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:44.640
And you know, my claim to fame is I was like, but I was so young when I got my period.
00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:52.319
I do not know that that's even relevant, to be frank with you, because I was also 10 when I got my first when I got my period, right?
00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:57.519
But then I would say it was around 35, I started noticing changes.
00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:03.279
It was around, and it was around, I I want to say I haven't seen my last period.
00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:08.640
I I think I saw the last one around 40, 45, 40, around 46 as the last time.
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.880
And I'm like, wow, that was really early.
00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:14.079
On the one hand, I was like, oh great, I don't have to go shopping anymore.
00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.480
I don't have to buy the things.
00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:22.160
But then, you know, other things showed up, right, in its place.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:29.359
And that's when, and I'm I'm sure anyone will look at me today and say, Shut up, Laura, because what I'm gonna say is gonna be annoying to a lot of people I know.
00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:32.720
You know, I did notice that I started gaining weight in a different way.
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:37.359
And yes, I do gain weight for those of you out there listening and thinking about this.
00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:49.279
Um, however, again, I know that I'm very fortunate and genetically predisposed to certain things when it comes to my body size and type.
00:19:49.599 --> 00:20:02.799
So, all that being said, the point is that for someone who had gone through it I consider to be early, you know, to start having conversations with people, I recognized certain things showed up very, very early.
00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:10.240
And that's gonna actually lead me into some of my other question is when exactly what are some of the symptoms when they start?
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.799
What are we looking for to know like, oh, is this because it took me a while to realize what was happening.
00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.319
So what are the symptoms?
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.720
What are some of the symptoms we might encounter?
00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:28.000
Yeah, a lot of times it is just a lot of people say I just don't feel myself, you know, and I know it's very nonspecific, but that's how people feel.
00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:32.000
And that's you know, it's hard to slap a diagnosis on that, right?
00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.200
Right, pretty much.
00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:33.920
Right.
00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:47.039
So um, and the weight gain and a loss of resilience to stress, sometimes um their stress in life might not be higher than it ever was, but it feels higher.
00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:51.200
It's like their perception of it, you know, and their resilience to how they handle it.
00:20:51.440 --> 00:21:06.799
So um there's a lot of things in the perimetapausal phase that we do to help um with those symptoms, you know, um helping out with the fluctuations in estrogen, which can definitely help.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:27.039
Um so for instance, eating a healthy diet high in fiber can help um level out those swings, making sure that you you're participating in some sort of stress management program, whatever that means to you, whether it's Reiki, whether it's yoga, whether it's walking in nature, anything like that.
00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:31.680
So that affects your cortisol, which will also affect your estrogen levels.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:41.359
Um, staying well hydrated, making sure you're optimizing sleep, not drinking too much alcohol, all of those things help you know level out those swings.
00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.799
Yeah, no, I'm taking a sip of water.
00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:43.759
So you can continue.
00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.599
Yeah.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.960
So those are some of the lifestyle things.
00:21:49.119 --> 00:22:01.279
There's also some um supplements that we use that help people detoxify their estrogen better or help with the balance of estrogen and progesterone, which Helps them feel better too.
00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:06.319
And then when the time comes, um, hormone therapy can be beneficial for some people.
00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:08.000
So what is hormone therapy?
00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.119
So we'll jump right into that.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.319
Okay.
00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:19.359
So yes, hormone therapy, the three hormones that we use during perimetopause during metopause are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.920
We use bioidentical hormones.
00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:25.680
So it means that they're identical to your own natural hormone.
00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:32.160
So it fits into the um hormone receptor and functions just like your own hormones do.
00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:34.880
And is it is it safe to get hormone therapy?
00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:43.119
Because there's also some ideas that getting hormone replacement therapy could be detrimental in the end.
00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.400
It might not be good for you.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.359
It's okay for a little while, but long term it may not be.
00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:47.920
Yeah.
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.480
And so can you give us a little more information on that?
00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.440
Absolutely.
00:22:51.759 --> 00:23:03.759
So um 20 years ago there was a big study called the Horm the Women's Health Initiative that basically, without getting into too many details, it demonized hormones forever for patients.
00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:08.319
Now that we look back at it, we think, oh, it wasn't a great study.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:12.640
It was we can glean some information from it because it was a big study.
00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:16.319
But the population they used was older.
00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:18.559
So the average age was 63.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:20.480
Some women were 80.
00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:20.640
Oh.
00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:23.839
And they would just be put put on hormones at 80.
00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.559
So that could be 30 years after metapause.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.039
Okay.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:32.400
So it's not the practical use of when we would use metapausal hormone therapy, right?
00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:35.839
And they also didn't use bioidentical, they used some synthetic.
00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:45.839
So that's when the the study was abruptly stopped due to the participants getting breast cancer, heart disease, and blood clots.
00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:46.640
Okay.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:24:03.519
There's been studies since that show if you use it in the right population, so the person around 40s, 50s, you know, during that transition time of menopause, um, and if you're using bioidenticals, there's actually good data that it's safe for most people.
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:11.839
So breast cancer itself, um, while estrogen doesn't cause breast cancer, it can make certain types of breast cancer grow.
00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.400
So that is the one contraindication.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.000
So if you had an active breast cancer, you cannot be on hormones.
00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:31.200
So if someone, even if someone has a family history of breast cancer, we would just monitor them closely and make make sure they're handling their estrogen well, but it's not a total contraindication like it used to be.
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:31.359
Okay.
00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:39.839
Um, because people are recognizing, wow, the benefits of this are so much greater than the risk of this.
00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.960
And a lot of the risk was overembellished one during that study.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:52.960
So is there so there's no concern for cancer right now, at least not that's been proven.
00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:56.079
Bone density improves, stays the same?
00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:58.480
Yes, usually bone density improves.
00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.119
Okay.
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:11.200
And okay, so that's kind of that's that's like nice to hear because I remember training people who asked about that, about they were trying to determine if they should go on hormone replacement therapy or not.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:23.680
Because having the same conversation with them, you know, I heard that it it's not gonna be good for me if I take it, and then in the end, bone density is going to be an issue, and then I have to worry about cancer, and then I have to worry about all the things.
00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:23.839
Right.
00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:26.720
But that doesn't appear to be the case now.
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:28.400
Is there a time frame?
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:34.960
How like if I wait ten years after menopause you is there a time frame as to when you is there a window?
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:40.400
Yeah, so the um you get the most bang for your buck the earlier you start it.
00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:44.559
So the closer you are to that one year mark of not having your period.
00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:49.039
And even in perimetopause, it's okay to to start that as well.
00:25:49.680 --> 00:26:00.079
Um the longer you wait, um, the more risk you might have for heart disease.
00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:05.519
So if you have if you wait too long, you can all already develop plaques and things like that.
00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:14.160
And some people who get estrogen way too late who already have cardiovascular disease, it can make that cardiovascular disease unstable.
00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:24.799
So does it matter that you have a health and fitness routine if you're that person, or does that just mean the possibilities out there regardless of what your lifestyle is?
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:34.640
So we would do an overall cardiovascular assessment, look at their advanced cholesterol panel, look at what their activities have been like, what their diet's been like.
00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.240
Do they have high blood pressure?
00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:42.400
Do they have diabetes, other risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease?
00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:52.400
Um but I've known some people who are, you know, older and want hormones for the benefit of bone health and brain health and all of this.
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:56.400
If they're otherwise healthy, a lot of women do fine with it.
00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:05.519
But you do get the most bang for your buck for bone protection and all of the benefits the closer you do to um the end of your period.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:08.640
So this is this has all been pretty exciting.
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:15.759
I'm gonna I want to dip into a couple of really personal questions that I feel like I want to ask and I need to ask.
00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:26.079
Um the first one being with regards to it's one's regarding intimacy, and the other one is regarding odor and dryness.
00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.880
All right.
00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:47.200
So I've had a couple of people that I've spoken with who've come in and they've talked about um what methods and things that people can use to go in and simulate collagen and and you know work on dryness and the fact that things are are getting smaller for lack of collagen and so on and so forth.
00:27:47.279 --> 00:28:04.079
So my question to you is would the synthetic hormone would it be able to help with that and help with the dryness, which if I understand it correctly, when that happens, you're more prone to odor because everything, obviously the pH, everything's changing down there anyway in the landscape.
00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:13.200
But more importantly, you know, if you're getting dry, is there a way to prevent the odor that comes that is a little more than your natural scent?
00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.400
Is what I'm trying to say.
00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:18.480
Vaginal estrogen, so bioidentical, it wouldn't be synthetic.
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:24.160
Uh can help can help with vaginal dryness and odor.
00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:30.960
So sometimes that can be with lack of estrogen, there's also a change in your vaginal microbiome.
00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:35.680
So like the mix of good and bacteria, uh good and bad bacteria.
00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:41.039
Um, so it can be a perfect storm that can kind of cause those symptoms.
00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:45.920
So um, but vaginal estrogen can definitely be helpful, okay?
00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.319
Yeah.
00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:49.759
And then intimacy, since we're in the neighborhood there.
00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:55.680
So as time goes on, it can be more uncomfortable for women as they go.
00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.480
Right?
00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:02.799
So is there anything that could be done about that and what exactly is happening when, if, and or when it happens?
00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.920
Does it happen to every woman?
00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.440
Let me start with that question.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:15.279
And uh as far as painful intercourse to be exact, yeah, is is that something that comes up quite often and with other women?
00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.079
With all women, excuse me, not other women.
00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.920
Yeah, it absolutely does.
00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:27.759
So with lack of estrogen, the the vaginal tissue gets very friable and thin and dry, you know.
00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:32.400
Um so vaginal estrogen can be a game changer for that.
00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:44.000
And it's the type of thing that you take it once a day for a week, uh two weeks, and then you take it twice a week as like maintenance just to keep up with your moisture and things like that.
00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:48.480
And but in when it comes to intimacy, that is definitely a big problem.
00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:55.519
But also stress can be a huge problem, you know, when if you're not feeling connected to your partner or all of that.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:05.680
So that's why the holistic approach is very it helps so many things because we talk about your relationships.
00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:19.599
We you know make sure that you're having stress management and you're you know seeking counseling, you know, things change at around this time and we need to make sure that all parties are are in the right brain space.
00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:21.519
Okay.
00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:25.920
So then an we're coming around the corner here.
00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:28.640
We're almost we're we're starting to wrap things up.
00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:34.240
So I think my next question is going to be you you do accept insurance?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:35.119
We do not.
00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:35.920
You do not?
00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:36.240
Yeah.
00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:36.880
Okay.
00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.279
So all right, tell me more.
00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.640
You don't accept insurance.
00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:42.160
So who's your clientele?
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:42.880
Yeah.
00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:49.680
So we we um unfortunately a lot of the lab testing we do isn't covered by insurance.
00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:53.680
So that's why we just bundle it all in into our pricing.
00:30:54.400 --> 00:31:02.640
Um since our the visits are pretty lengthy and comprehensive, that's why we're able to do it because we don't um accept insurance.
00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:15.920
We do supply super bills for patients so they can uh if you have out-of-pocket out-of-network benefits with your insurance, you can submit a super bill and potentially get reimbursed for some of that.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:18.799
It's not guaranteed, but it's something that some people do.
00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:24.799
Um and you can use their health health health savings account as well.
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:25.279
Okay.
00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:30.559
So we have a lot of people tap into that for supplements for our services for all of that.
00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.200
Okay.
00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:40.079
And do you have packages or is it just one set fee depending upon what the services that's being provided?
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.240
How exactly does No, great question.
00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:51.440
So we have multiple packages uh depending on your need, whether it's weight loss, whether it's hormone therapy, whether it's functional medicine.
00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:58.640
Um and it depends on the level that we think we're gonna need to see you and the level of testing that we do.
00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:06.480
Um for our general metapausal patients, like I said, we do the in-depth blood work, we also do salivary cortisol testing.
00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:15.359
But for our functional medicine patients, you know, that are a little bit more complicated, we do gut microbiome testing, we do a lot of different things.
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:22.960
We see people with IBS or a lot of gut issues that um are really affecting their life.
00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:29.440
So that can be one of our an example of one of our functional medicine patients that isn't hormone related.
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:31.920
And how do you test the cortisol?
00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:35.519
Um, you said salivary cortisol, did I say it properly?
00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.400
Yes, you did.
00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:42.480
So we do um the patient has to spit into a tube four times in in the day.
00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:42.960
Okay.
00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:51.680
Because if you do just a spot check of your cortisol, a lot of times the morning cortisol is what you would normally get done at the lab via your blood.
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:52.079
Okay.
00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.519
A lot of times it's normal.
00:32:54.160 --> 00:33:03.279
But when you look at the cortisol curve and what it should really look like, and then what yours looks like, it can kind of help explain a lot of things.
00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:13.200
For instance, the the curve should go down, and then some people who don't sleep or have a lot of stress in the afternoon and evening, they go up at night.
00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:18.000
So there's different things that we can do and are like validating for patients.
00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:19.680
Oh, this is why I'm not sleeping.
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.480
This is why I feel really stressed around this time.
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:34.559
So, how can we fine-tune your management to during that time do some sort of activity that nurtures you or do something to take something off of your plate during that time?
00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.599
You know, right.
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:38.559
So it can really help fine-tune the whole picture.
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.119
Okay.
00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:59.920
So my last question is what's the last bit of advice that that you would give to someone who might be going through these changes and transitions in life and they're looking for answers and just cannot find them.
00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:07.839
I would suggest that people find uh someone who a provider that they trust and that listens to them.
00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:32.719
Um I uh it's our feeling that all metapausal women should be given the decision of what things are gonna look like if you take hormones, as well as what is are things gonna look like when you if you don't take hormones, and what are the risks of both of those avenues, which is really important.
00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:47.599
So we've been steering women away for so many years, and now thankfully it's becoming a little bit more mainstream, people are a little bit less fearful, but a lot of people also still aren't trained on how to do it.
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:56.320
So that would be the next thing is to make sure that your provider is familiar with hormone therapy and how to manage it.
00:34:56.880 --> 00:35:24.000
Yeah, this is a conversation that I didn't expect to have with you, and I, I'll be honest, recently, maybe in the last year, found out that there were these advancements in in medicine that that that was even an option to me because again, I come from an old school of thought, like, oh, you know, no hormones, you don't don't do the replacement therapy because all these bad things are going to happen to you if you do.
00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:26.960
But I feel like I'm not the only, probably the only woman.
00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:28.079
I don't think I'm that old.
00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:31.519
I know I'm not extremely young, but I don't think I'm that old either.
00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:37.599
And I'm sure I cannot be, I'm not the only um woman feeling this way or thinking that.
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.800
But this is information that I I'm grateful for.
00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:43.280
Um I it sounds beneficial to me.
00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:59.519
Um so much so I feel like I should look into it myself and and see what that means for me and any type of change it could make for me because um it's it's also what I'm finding is it's something that a lot of women do not talk about, I feel, uh, with each other.
00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:04.400
I I think it depends on what your relationship is, one person to another, honestly.
00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:13.360
You know, myself and my friends, we kind of sort of talk about it, but I find that we don't get too deep into the details until something comes up.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:18.320
And it just depends on what it is, what that something could be.
00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:27.679
Um so I hope this opens up dialogue for more people to discuss amongst themselves and with with their loved ones if possible possible.
00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:34.320
And a few weeks ago they announced that the FDA is taking the black box warning off of hormones.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:35.440
I don't know if you've heard of this.
00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:50.320
No, but it was so the um there was a black box warning, which basically means that there's risks to this, you know, when you open the package, don't do it, don't do it, you're gonna get breast cancer, you're gonna get a heart attack, stroke, all of the things, right?
00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:50.960
Yes.
00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:58.159
So that was based on that study, and now people have realized, oh, maybe we were wrong.
00:36:59.039 --> 00:36:59.840
Oops.
00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:17.440
Um, so they're taking away that black box warning, which is great so because providers have been very um fearful, as well as patients, of all of the hubbub with that study and how much it was publicized and really instilled fear in women.
00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:22.239
So it's great that things are turning in a favorable way for us.
00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:23.440
Yay.
00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:26.400
Nancy, I think that's it for us.
00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:31.280
Any any any last thoughts you might have before we uh we take off?
00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.400
Yeah.
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:34.159
Nancy, thank you so much.
00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:37.920
Uh this has been an amazing, amazing time with you today.
00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:39.760
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:46.320
Ladies and gentlemen, mostly ladies, I'm guessing, I want to thank you for being with us today.
00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:50.400
And I would love to see you.
00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:53.360
I don't really see, of course, but I'd love to see you next time.
00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:54.880
Thank you so much for joining.
00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:56.719
Um Laura, I'm your host.
00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:58.239
This is Bear Speak.
00:37:58.960 --> 00:37:59.519
Take care.
