Archive for the ‘Hormone Clinic’ Category

As Marisa Ann Bella prepped for sex reassignment surgery 10 weeks ago, she gave her Mayo Clinic surgeons very explicit and morbid directions.

Mayo's first patient to ever undergo gender reassignment surgery told Jorys Martinez-Jorge and Oscar Manrique that they should finish the work, even if she flatlined on the operating table and was unable to be revived. After decades of waiting, the Rochester native was that determined to live or be buried as a woman.

Fortunately, the final step in Bella's transition went smoothly and she's now comfortable living in her own post-surgery body.

"It's indescribable," said Bella, who still lives in Rochester. "Before I would get sick to my stomach and literally throw up when I saw myself without clothes on and that was most of my adult and teen life. To see myself now, it's like night and day. This is the way it's supposed to be."

Despite that new outlook on life, it's been a bumpy ride to put it lightly. And many hurdles remain.

After 18 years of marriage, Marisa who then went by Michael came out to her family in 2010. It prompted an immediate divorce. When extended family also found out, they responded in a similar fashion.

That fallout prompted Marisa to consider suicide, going so far as taking a loaded gun to the banks of the Mississippi River. She says thinking of her twin daughters Gabriella and Isabella prevented her from pulling the trigger. Many in the transgender community struggle with suicide, with some studies suggesting 41 percent have attempted it.

But even their love was complicated.

Marisa was immediately supported by Gabriella and they moved to Andover after the divorce. Isabella had reservations about Marisa's decision, basically cutting off communication for two years while opting to live with her biological mother in Florida. Isabella's boyfriend and most of her classmates were unaware of those family issues until just this year.

"It changed our dynamic," Gabriella said. "I was more like if that's what you want to do, that's what you do. As a teenager, you yourself are trying to find your own identity. I think having Marisa kind of go through that same puberty-like change with us almost helped."

"My mother decided to show lots of hostility and regret and the family was very hostile. Marisa's family was not really accepting right away, and it separated the family because we were on different pages."

Time has healed some wounds, but not others. While Isabella has learned to become more comfortable and supportive around Marisa, the ex-wife has not. The twins have rented their own apartment in Florida since turning 18 in December, striking out on their own under the unusual circumstances.

While Marisa and Isabella are now on speaking terms, the daughter avoids using mom or dad. Instead, it's just Marisa.

"Even to this day, she's still more accepting than I am," Isabella said of her sister. "She's more (open) to the modern ideas, and I tend to be more traditional. I was a lot more religious than she was growing up, but she'll sit there and talk to Marisa about certain things that I don't.

"She understands for me it's a lot harder to accept, but if it makes (Marisa) happy, I'm going to support it."

Kicked out of U, accepted at Mayo

Marisa's initial transition care was handled by the University of Minnesota. It didn't quite go as planned.

She enrolled in hormone therapy while pursuing other medical options at the U's Center for Sexual Health, but felt there were gaps in her care. Specifically, she was seeking counseling and other support for her ongoing issues with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other related mental health concerns.

When Marisa complained about her therapist, she was eventually dropped from the U's Transgender Health Services program; Marisa claims she was deemed "too high maintenance."

As fate would have it, this occurred at virtually the same time Mayo opened its new specialty clinic in Rochester. Marisa was quickly enrolled and continued her transition while working with a voice therapist, having facial and breast surgeries and otherwise preparing to become Mayo's first patient to undergo vaginoplasty surgery.

"She was always anticipating when we were going to be able to offer this," said Dr. Todd Nippoldt, director of Mayo's Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care Clinic. "I remember from the start her saying 'I'll be your first patient' because it was very important to confirm her identity and live authentically."

With virtually no fanfare, the surgery was finally conducted Feb. 24. While the general public wouldn't notice anything different about Marisa, Mayo endocrinologist Caroline Davidge-Pitts says the transformation is obvious.

"Her whole face has changed," Davidge-Pitts said. "She just looks so happy."

That's the goal for every patient Mayo sees, according to Sharonne Hayes, M.D., medical director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

"The Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care Clinic is another example of what sets Mayo Clinic apart a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to care that meets all of the needs of each individual patient," Hayes said. "The specialty care clinic's patients work with their doctors, nurses, and the entire health care team to develop the right care plan, so that they can be their true selves."

As if the struggles with gender identity and family complications were enough, there's another demon lurking in Marisa's past.

As a member of the Boy Scouts of America during the 1970s, Marisa was one of many youths in Southeast Minnesota who were sexually assaulted by troop leader Richard Hokanson. According to a lawsuit filed in 2013 by Marisa and others under the Child Victims Act, the new Minnesota law eliminating the civil statute of limitations for children who were sexually abused, she was abused between the ages of 11 and 17.

The lawsuit alleged that the abuse was reported at age 13, but was allowed to continue for four more years. Marisa, as Keller, was the only victim to speak publicly about the abuse.

The lawsuit made headlines across the region, in part, because of who it named: Hokanson, the troop leader; St. Pius X Catholic Church, which sponsored the troop; the Boy Scouts of America; and Gamehaven Council, a branch of the Scouts in southeastern Minnesota.

Marisa who filed the lawsuit under her birth name, Michael Keller eventually settled the lawsuit out of court in 2014. The terms of the settlement are confidential.

She formally requested to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church on Feb. 28, 2014, almost exactly two years before undergoing gender confirmation surgery at Mayo. She's currently on disability from that surgery, but hopes to return to her career in the airline industry within a year.

"This is not the church of Jesus Christ, but a group of perverted old men who hid like cowards behind secrecy and shame," Keller wrote through his attorney to Bishop John Quinn. "The Catholic Church never apologized or offered to help with the healing process."

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Difficult road for Mayo's first sex reassignment patient - Post-Bulletin

Winners of the startup competition, from left to right: James Hummer, Mary Gillis, Michael ODonnell, John Harris, Margaret Moore, Mark Correia, Mike Motta, and Hunter Howard (Courtesy of: Hormone Therapeutics)

Dallas-based Hormone Therapeutics, a telemedicine company using comprehensive testing for personal and employee health optimization, won the launchpad startup competition for employee wellness at the national Art and Science Health Promotional Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo. The company received national recognition and will be spotlighted at next years conference.

The 27th annual conference was held at the Broadmoor Hotel, with 1,500 healthcare professionals in attendance. Since 1989, the Art and Science Health Promotional Conference has aimed to narrow the gap between research and practice by stimulating dialogue and engendering lasting relationship between practitioners and scientists. Each year the startup competition is held to recognize innovative health and wellness companies.

This years competition featured four finalists: Hormone Therapeutics, The Wellness Movement, Bright Day, and Anything But The Gym. Each group gave a live pitch in front a panel of five judges for five minutes.

In its pitch, Hormone Therapeutics highlighted how corporations are spending $5,000 to $25,000 per year sending C-level executives to wellness destinations like the Mayo Clinic for annual checkups that are neither in-depth nor cost-effective. The startup emphasized its cost-saving strategy and broader network to reach executives and more patients. In addition, Hormone Therapeutics said it conducts quarterly follow-up tests to accurately track patients health.

Hormone Therapeutics won, basing its platform for employee wellness on telemedicine; comprehensive testing with DNA, blood, saliva, biome, and telomere; and remote monitoring for personalized health and performance optimization. Winning this innovative healthcare startup competition was exciting to validate our strategy around a brand-new approach to employee wellness and performance, CEO Hunter Howard told D CEO Healthcare.

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Hormone Therapeutics Wins National Startup Competition - D Healthcare Daily

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Donald Trump vilified immigrants during his presidential campaign and has continued to do so since being sworn into office, signing executive orders that target undocumented immigrants, among other measures. As federal immigration officials emboldened by Trump's executive orders seek out and detain undocumented immigrants, their communities are experiencing an increase in fear that can impact their health.

"We noticed that there's a lot of mental health needs and specific health problems that people face when they're undocumented," says Wendy Mironov, a registered nurse with Salud Sin Papeles (Health Without Papers). The grassroots group has been around for two years and focuses on improving the health of and access to health care for undocumented immigrants, families, and communities by educating undocumented immigrants on their rights.

Often undocumented persons don't seek medical care or apply for financial assistance at hospitals or clinics because they're afraid their personal information will be shared with immigration officials or the police. Trying to navigate insurance and hospital bureaucracies without having a valid form of identification or fluency in English also can be a challenge.

Salud Sin Papeles advises people who attend its workshops never to use false identification to get health care but to avoid sharing their immigration status with their health-care provider if possible, or if it's not, to ask them to not record their status on their medical chart. The group also gives undocumented people strategies they can use to negotiate payment plans with hospitals and recommends going to a clinic or medical facility that offers free or low-cost care.

An estimated 307,000 undocumented immigrants lived in Cook County as of 2014, according to a report commissioned by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Many can turn to the Cook County Health and Hospitals Systems when sick without fear of being turned over to ICE.

"We do not ask patients about their immigration status," says Monifa Thomas, a CCHHS spokesperson in an e-mailed statement.

Another resource Salud Sin Papeles recommends for undocumented patients is Carelink, a financial assistance program established to help Cook County residents who are uninsured or underinsured relieve their financial responsibility for their health-care services.

"The stress of being undocumented has a huge health-care impact in terms of access to health care and in terms of stress on the body," Mironov says.

Rosa Aramburo came to the United States from northern Mexico 15 years ago. She's now 27 and, thanks to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a medical student at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine. Before DACA, she was uninsured.

"My mom started feeling ill. We went to a health fair and they told us her blood sugar was high, so they told her to go to a doctor to confirm if she had diabetes and get it treated," she says. "But we didn't have insurance, so my mom said she felt fine and we didn't go."

Eventually she convinced her mother to go to a free clinic, which recommended Aramburo take her mother to a hospital for treatment. Her mother was still resistant, but once there they learned she qualified for an affordable emergency care plan, Aramburo says. At the hospital she was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, which can lead to the impairment of the heart, muscles, and nerves as well as brain swelling, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"The doctor told us she could have died had we had waited another day," says Aramburo.

That experience inspired her to make time when she's not in school to volunteer with Community Health, an organization that offer free health-care services in Chicago's West Town and Englewood neighborhoods.

"They help Polish and Hispanic immigrants. I want to help people like me, like my parents," Aramburo says. "They come from another country and they're kind of lost, just like I was."

And while she has some protections under DACA, she fears for her undocumented parents because they have nothing preventing immigration officials from deporting them.

"I don't think people who support these [immigration] policies have ever faced the fear that you'll never be able to see someone you love ever again," she says.

This constant state of fear can have far-reaching medical implications, and not just for the undocumented community.

"There was a really interesting study about the impact of the raid in Postville, Iowa, eight years ago," says Salud Sin Papeles' Mironov. "Nine months after this raid the birth weight of all children born to Latina mothers, regardless of immigration status, decreased dramatically. So that raid had such a huge health-care impact on the entire state."

The study, published by the University of Michigan's School of Public Health and Institute of Social Research team earlier this year, found that in the 37 weeks after the raid Latino babies born had a 24 percent greater risk of lower birth weight than babies born the previous year. (Low birth weight is associated with increasing a baby's chance of dying or having long-term health and academic problems.)

The study concluded that psychosocial stressors, like the Postville raid, cause pregnant mothers to shift stress hormone balances in ways that affect a developing fetus.

"I think we're just starting to learn the medical impact that being undocumented can have on someone," Mironov says. "It's this huge health-care issue in terms of both access and how it affects the body."

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Deportation fears can lead to higher risk of illness in undocumented populations - Chicago Reader

There comes a time in every woman's life (for argument's sake, let's say it's around 48) that she can no longer ignore the elephant in the room. Andso during a recent visit to a women's health clinic I finally broached the menopause talk.

When I mentioned hormone replacement therapy (HRT, the medical replacement of a woman's oestrogen and progesterone and, sometimes, testosterone) the nurse's eyebrows almost took flight.

"HRT can really help manage the symptoms of menopause and it's safe," she added a little too quickly.

She went on to tell me that few women my age enquired about HRT. She suspected that they simply didn't trust it.

This didn't come as a complete surprise. I'd recently read that since the early 2000s, the number of women taking HRT had fallen by more than 60 per cent. This downward trend was reflected in women I know: of the 10 menopausal and post-menopausal women I spoke with for this article, only two had chosen HRT.

Several told me that their symptoms weren't severe or long-lasting enough to warrant intervention, others had looked at alternative medicine, but a few were still, some years down the track, suffering from anxietyand those interminable hot flashes and night sweats.

The reasons they dismissed HRT were simple they believed it dangerous and perhaps, even, deadly. Now this was a serious indictment for a treatment once billed as the cure-all of menopausal symptoms, as well as osteoporosis and heart disease, so the question had to be asked why?

To get some perspective we need to go back to 2002 when the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) released its longitudinal study, conducted to address health issues causing disease and early deaths in post-menopausal women. While ambivalent about cardiovascular benefits, the study concluded that taking HRT significantly increased the chance of breast cancer.

Few words carry more emotional weight for women than breast cancer (something the media were quick to pick up on), so it was little surprise that women abandoned HRT en masse.But unknown to many (including, it has to be said, many in the medical profession), the report, which was prematurely terminated, was riddled with inconsistencies.

Writing in Science Daily last month, International Menopause Society scientist and one of WHI's principal investigators Professor R. D. Langerwrote: "The incendiary reports indicated that the study was stopped because HRT caused breast cancer and heart attacks, when in reality there was no statistically significant harm for either breast cancer or heart attacks."

Endocrinologist and medical director of WA's Keogh Institute for Medical Professor Bronwyn Stuckey tells me that another problem with the 2002 report was that the results were said to apply to women of all ages, a finding rectified by a subsequent WHI 2007 report which acknowledged "that there was an age at which it's safe to start [HRT] and an age at which you probably should have second thoughts about starting".

The 2007 WHI report righted a series of wrongs, says Stuckey. It revealed that an early uptake of HRT increased protection against cardiovascular disease and led to a drop in type 2 diabetes, but most surprisingly and significantly it showed that there was less breast cancer among menopausal women solely on oestrogen than those on the placebo.

"It also showed that women who stopped taking HRT after five years had the same incidence of breast cancer as women who'd never taken it," says Stuckey.

Surely there was enough here to alleviate the fears of a significant number of women, so why wasn't this better known? Stuckey has her theories.

"It comes down to GPs being scared of it because they've grown up in the WHI era and it's a big problem," she says. "There's also something else at play, too. When you turn 50, the government invites you to have a mammogram, but it would be much more appropriate if women were invited to have their cholesterol checked, because heart disease is a much bigger killer of menopausal women than breast cancer is."

So there it was. This to me seemed the bigger scandal here. The fact that we weren't being given the proper information went beyond sheer negligence and moved into a far less grey area of potentially failing to save lives.

With the current consensus being that the earlier a menopausal woman starts on HRT the better, I know which road I'll be taking. Basically, like any working mother I've got enough worries to lose sleep over, but I'll not allow menopause to be one of them.

Jen Vuk is a freelance writer.

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Menopause is surrounded by unhealthy misinformation - The Sydney Morning Herald

San Francisco Business Times

At high-stakes table, growing Peninsula biotech antes up with 'fatty-liver' drug San Francisco Business Times This South San Francisco biotech has 150 employees, has raised $300 million and has an important partnership with a Big Pharma company. But it is the one drug that is not part of that deal that could have a big impact on a growing disease.

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At high-stakes table, growing Peninsula biotech antes up with 'fatty-liver' drug - San Francisco Business Times

By Jill U. Adams By Jill U. Adams April 24 at 8:38 AM

For many women this college graduation season, the primary reason to see a doctor soon after graduation may be to get birth control.

They may want to stick with whatever theyve been using, whether thats the pill or the patch or the vaginal ring. Or they may want to consider a broad menu of options that vary with regard to ease of use, side effects and duration of protection.

The most popular kind of birth control on campus is condoms, with 61percent of womenreporting that they used that method the last time they had sex. The pill came in a close second, with 58 percent, followed by withdrawal at 33 percent, according to a 2016 report by the American College Health Association from a survey of 80,129 undergraduate students. (Survey respondents often reported more than one method used.)

And yet, these commonly used contraceptive methods have failure rates that maygive one pause. For 100 women over the course of a year, there would be ninepregnancies with the pill, 18 with condom use and 22 with the withdrawal method.

The top two birth control options in terms of effectiveness are intrauterine devices (IUDs) and progestin implants. With these methods, the failure rate is less than one pregnancy per 100 women in a year.

These two methods have another advantage for users, which earns them the moniker long-acting reversible contraceptives, or LARCs. After a one-time procedure, women are protected from getting pregnant for at least three years or up to 10 years, depending on the product.

There are fewer or milder side effects with these long-acting methods, compared with birth control pills. Copper IUDs such as Paragard can increase menstrual pain and flow, especially in the first year of use. Hormone-releasing IUDs, such as Mirena and Skyla, can cause spotting or irregular bleeding, especially in the first six months of use.

The hormones released by IUDs stay locally in the uterus, says Kristyn Brandi, an OB/GYNat Boston University. So you dont get the same side effects as taking the pill, such as changes in mood and breast tenderness, she says.

A birth control implant can cause spotting throughout the monthly cycle. And its slowly released hormone distributes through the whole body, so hormonal side effects can occur, but less so than the pill,Brandi says.

With implants and hormonal IUDs, often menstrual periods become much lighter and in some women disappear altogether a side effect that many view as a benefit.

Why dont more young women use these long-acting, super-effective methods? In that survey of college students, IUDs were reported to be used by 9percent of females and implants by 6 percent.

One reason is lingering myths about their safety in young women. Its a myth that you cant have an IUD if you havent had a child, says Krishna Upadhya, a Johns Hopkins pediatrician who specializes in adolescent health.

Older versions of IUDs were thought to be too large for some young women, but thats no longer a concern, says Joanne Brown, a nurse practitioner at the University of Kentuckys health service. The newer IUDs are very small.

Another reason more young women dont use IUDs or implants is access, particularly on campus. Whereas 98percent of campus health services provide birth control pills, only 40percent provide the implant or IUDs. It can depend on the size of a college, how many providers or what level of services they have, says Brown, who works with the American College Health Association on sexual health issues.

Implants and IUDs require a procedure, not just a consultation and a prescription.

Cost can be a barrier, as well. The Affordable Care Actrequired health insurers to cover birth control, but that doesnt mean that every plan covers every birth control method. Getting an IUD can cost several hundred dollars and as high as $1,000, including a medical exam and insertion.

Even if youre paying some of the cost, IUDs are the most cost-effective birth control method, Brandi says. The non-hormonal IUD Paragard is good for 10years and cost-wise beats paying $20 per month for birth control pills.

A relatively new IUD called Liletta is made by a nonprofit company with the aim of making them cost-friendly. It costs $50 for a clinic to use, Brandi says.

Birth control implants, which last three years, are generally cheaper than IUDs, at a couple of hundred dollars, but can run as high as $800, including insertion.

Upadhya, who sees patients up to age 25, says she helps them explore all the options-- not just effectiveness and side effects, but how a particular option fits in with their lives. Comfort level can play a role, she says. The pill is the thing that everyone has heard of. People are very comfortable with the idea of it.

As Brandi puts it: The most effective form of birth control is the one people practice. Some people are good pill takers.

The bottom line is there are a lot of options: the LARCs, the pill, the patch, the ring and the shot. Even if youve had a problem with other kinds of birth control, Brandi advises, talk to you doctor; shell help you figure out how to find something that will work.

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Long-term birth control is the most reliable. So why do so few young women use it? - Washington Post

Do You Have A Hormone Deficiency?

Thierry Hertoghe M.D. developed this symptom questionnaire and self-test to help you determine if your levels of hormones are below normal (read his book). Your doctor will help you understand these hormones better your first visit. We believe in the principle of doctor as teacher and we want you to understand how your body works and how the treatments will help you.

Your physician at Femme Clinique can help you simultaneously balance your hormones and help you determine the most beneficial supplements to support your therapy using a combination of prescription medications and nutritional and lifestyle coaching. We strongly believe in prevention and will help you determine the most effective and safest approach to enhancing your life and delaying the effects of aging.

The more symptoms you have in a category the more likely you have a deficiency of that hormone. Keep in mind that hormone excess can inhibit other hormones so you need an experienced physician to provide your with the correct lab testing and treatment protocols. We feel the safest approach to hormone replacement is balancing multiple hormones instead of just trying to balance one hormone as is done in traditional hormone replacement with horse hormones (estrogen only).

Using 24 hour urine hormone testing we can diagnose deficiencies of these hormones in a very holistic way (see hormone chart). In regular blood and saliva tests we only see snapshots. With a 24 hour urine collection we can check over 30 different hormones and help optimize hormone related cancer and bone health markers.

Over 20 estrogens are known and three are used clinically. These three estrogens are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). Estradiol is the most potent estrogen produced by the ovaries.

Estrogens are also made from testosterone and other male hormones produced in the adrenal glands. Obese women tend to convert more of their testosterone to estrogen. This can lead to a poor testosterone to estrogen ratio in women and related symptoms of decreased libido and increased risk of osteoporosis.

Most of your estrogens are bound to proteins, preventing them from being active in your body. Using 24 hour hormone testing, we can measure the active hormones which are the most important because they tell us about the hormones activity in your body.

It is important to balance the different estrogen levels because this has been shown to reduce cancer risk. One of the products of estrogen breakdown (metabolism) is 2-methoxy-estradiol, a methylated estrogen. 2-methoxy-estradiol has been shown to have anti-cancer benefits.

In addition, it is important to balance estrogen with other hormones like testosterone. In a retrospective, observational study that included 508 women in 2005, researchers found that the addition of testosterone to conventional hormone therapy for postmenopausal women does not increase and may indeed reduce the hormone therapy-associated breast cancer risk-thereby returning the incidence to the normal rates observed in the general, untreated population.

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Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), growth hormone, and insulinlike growth factor 1 have potent effects on brain function, their levels decrease with advancing age, and they likely play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is produced in your anterior pituitary gland in pulses throughout the day. The largest of these GH pulses is about an hour after you fall asleep.

HGH production can be stimulated by other hormones. The main signal for HGH production in your body is growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH).

The effects of GHRH on cognitive (brain) function in adults with mild brain impairment and healthy older adults were studied in 2012. The results of this controlled trial were published in the journal Neurology and showed that brain function could be improved even in normal healthy adults with benefits including increased acuity and memory. We use this similar approach with our patients using secretagogues. Secretagogues help balance hormone levels by stimulating the production of other hormones. HCG has a similar effect on progesterone and estrogen levels in women. Sermorelin in a peptide that stimulates growth hormone production similar to GHRH.

Growth hormone has many effects on your body:

There are some concerns about HGH and cancer risk.Our growth hormone levels are highest when we are younger and then decline with age. Our cancer risks increase as we age. Since growth hormone levels decline as we age and cancer risks increase it would make sense that growth hormone deficiency may increase cancer risk. Despite these theoretical risks and benefits, we feel that it is all about balance.

For example, in brain function, balance is very important:

Data suggest that not only absolute levels of sex hormones but also the balance between estrogen and testosterone and their metabolites may be important for cognitive function in women.

Despite the potential risks and benefits of growth hormone therapies, there is evidence that maintaining optimal growth hormone levels (IGF-1) can decrease your overall healthcare costs (and overall mortality risks):

Subjects with low in contrast to intermediate IGF-I exhibited 30.6% higher annual total costs 5 years after baseline examination, corresponding to a difference in adjusted costs of EUR436.61.

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Progesterone had no effect on undisturbed sleep but restored normal sleep when sleep was disturbed (while currently available hypnotics tend to inhibit deep sleep), acting as a physiologic regulator rather than as a hypnotic drug.

A 2011 study on the use of progesterone in post-menopausal women found that progesterone can help improve sleep only if your body needs it. Progesterone deficiency can cause anxiety and anger, which can be exacerbated by anemia from extended periods in younger women.

During ovulation, progesterone is secreted from the ovary and during the second 2 weeks of the cycle. During menopause women make less progesterone than ovulating women. It is a myth that progesterone is not needed for women who have had a hysterectomy because progesterone effects the entire body. The bone, nerves, brain, white blood cells, lungs, uterus, breast and colon all have progesterone receptors.

Progesterone can improve sleep, mood, and many other aspects of your life. It is all about balance.

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Over 50% of women are believed to be affected by female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

Testosterone therapy for women has been in use for over 80 years. Uses was have included treatments sexual dysfunction, abnormal uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, menopausal symptoms, chronic mastitis and lactation, and breast, uterine, and ovarian tumors.

Testosterone replacement for menopausal women, whether from surgery or aging, can improve sexual desire and libido. Most research shows that testosterone therapy is safe, when done correctly.

The North American Menopause Society position on testosterone therapy in postmenopausal women with decreased sexual desire may benefit for testosterone therapy. They recommend testosterone therapy with estrogen therapy at the same time.

Testosterone therapy improves arousability, sexual desire and fantasy, frequency of sexual activity and orgasm, and satisfaction and pleasure from the sexual act.

Over 16 million women aged 50 and older have low sexual desire. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is common and symptoms include decreased sexual desire that causes relationship or personal problems. HSDD is common in women who have had their ovaries removed. Women receiving testosterone therapy typically notice great improvement in sexual satisfaction.

A 2009 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, with 637 women using testosterone over 18 years, found that testosterone therapy had no impact on breast cancer risk.

Testosterone (T) improves the ability of estrogen to improve bone health. A 2008 study on post-menopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy found that women receiving testosterone saw greater improvement in bone density than with estrogen (E) replacement alone. The favourable estrogenic effects on lipids were preserved in women treated with T, in association with beneficial changes in body composition. They also noted that the, addition of testosterone resulted in a significantly greater improvement compared to E for sexual activity (P < 0.03), satisfaction (P < 0.03), pleasure (P < 0.01), orgasm (P < 0.035) and relevancy (P < 0.05). In the statistical world, those are some nice looking P values. The smaller the P value, in this case, the more likely it is you will see the same benefit.

Testosterone therapy improves heart function, blood sugar regulation, and muscle strength in women with advanced chronic heart failure. The heart is a muscle and all the blood vessels are lined with smooth muscle. Testosterone has been shown to be a effective and safe therapy for elderly women with chronic heart failure.

Inadequate response to antidepressant monotherapy in women with major depressive disorder is common.

Low doses of testosterone in women have been used with good success in the treatment of depression. Remember, depression is not a symptom of a Prozac deficiency but rather the symptom of an imbalance.

With our approach to balancing hormone levels, side effects of testosterone therapy are uncommon. With excessive testosterone levels you may notice acne or increased body hair. This is why we always start with a very low dose and increase as needed.

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DHEA, also known dyhdroepiandrosterone, is very abundant in our bodies at younger ages but as you age your levels decline. DHEA is converted into pheromones by our bodies so one symptom of deficiency is lack of special scent during sexual arousal. The best way to take DHEA is transdermally in order to bypass the liver. DHEA is one of the most plentiful hormones in our bodies when we are younger. Its decline in your body can have a significant impact on libido and youthful appearance.

Low thyroid is more common in women than men. The test most often ordered to screen for thyroid problems is called TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone, and is practically useless in evaluating function. This is because TSH is just the signal from the brain to the thyroid. We want to know how much thyroid hormone is actually being made. To do this we measure T3 and T4 and other blood levels and often find that the levels are out of balance despite being treated with synthetic thyroid hormones.

Thyroid hormones are meant to be released slowly over several hours but more thyroid medications just give a big spike. With combination, T4 and T3, natural thyroid hormones can potentially provide more sustained levels. In addition, autoimmune thyroid is very common in women and often leads to sudden surges of thyroid hormones being released during the attack phase. Patients may notice this as sudden increases in heart rate and a feeling of anxiety.

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Longevity Clinic BioIdentical Hormone Therapies - Bellevue ...

New York Times

Could Be the Thyroid; Could Be Ennui. Either Way, the Drug Isn't Helping. New York Times It's a strong signal that this is an overused medication, said Dr. Juan Brito, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic. Some people really need this medicine, but not the vast majority of people who are taking it. A primer: ... Usually, doctors order ...

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Could Be the Thyroid; Could Be Ennui. Either Way, the Drug Isn't Helping. - New York Times

How new opiate treatment clinic...

REDDING, Calif. - Opiate treatment clinic Aegis has opened their Redding location for two weeks and opened its doors for a tour.

When word first came that the clinic was going to open, people were concerned that it might turn the area into a crime magnet.

However, business owners said the loitering problem has actually gotten better.

The clinic looked like any doctor's office, with a waiting room, complimentary treats and coffee.

The clients of the clinic are there to get help with their drug addiction.

ChicoClinic Manager Michelle Saldana said so far, there have been no complaints.

"We have gotten good reports from our neighbors. We still have a clinic concierge on site, and he's monitoring the parking lot, as well as helping patients get acquainted with the area," Saldana said.

However, some are skeptical about using methadone to treat opioid addiction, concerned with treating one addiction with another drug.

"Methadone doesn't drop the dopamines into the pleasure hormone system, like heroin, or even Vicodin. It doesn't give that euphoria, so the individual doesn't get that high," said assistant clinic manager Daniel Moore.

Methadone is used to help those addicted to opiates manage withdrawal symptoms.

The process at the clinic is quick. Patients are usually in and out in five minutes.

"Our patients will come in, and check in at the front desk. We do take random urine analysis. Patients would go to the dispensing window here, and they would put their fingerprint on their fingerprint reader to ensure that we're giving the right medication to the right patient. They're given their medication, our dosing nurse checks in with them, make sure they're good for the day," Saldana said.

Patients also have to travel to the Aegis clinic inChico once a week for counseling.

"Addiction isn't just the medical component, it takes a lot of counseling as well, and that's where majority of the recovery happens," Saldana said.

They are hoping to expand the clinic in Redding to include counseling services, so patients in Shasta County won't have to make that weekly trip to Chico.

Continue reading here:
How new opiate treatment clinic operates in Redding - KRCRTV.COM

Most children who identify as transgender are faking it, says gender clinic psychiatrist

Boys in tutus are not transgender

Should schools and parents rush to indulge the fantasies of children who claim they identify with the gender opposite their sex in particular, starting them on hormone treatments?

Absolutely not, according to psychiatrist Stephen Stathis, who runs a statewide gender service at Australias Lady Cilento Childrens Hospital.

Stathis told The Courier Mail that gender confusion in some girls he has treated seemed to stem from sexual abuse:

The girls say, If only I had been a male I wouldnt have been abused, Dr Stathis said.

Only a minority of the expected 180 children to visit his clinic this year will be diagnosed with gender dysphoria many are trying out being transgender and theyll drop it by the time they reach puberty, according to Stathis:

The psychiatrist has also seen transgender children so desperate to start puberty blockers then progress to irreversible hormone treatment they harm themselves.

Ive seen genital mutilation, some who try to cut off their penis, he said.

The thought of touching their genitals is so abhorrent they dont wash them and get infections.

A quick glance at the psychiatrists name on Twitter shows many people trying to assail him as transphobic or a quack.

Stathis told Brisbane Times earlier this year that his clinic traffic started to climb significantly about three years ago, when it was still his personal project and not yet funded at the childrens hospital:

To the point where in November last year, I had a two-year waiting list for me to see young people, Dr Stathis said.

And then the waiting list continued. The numbers were growing by about 25 per cent per quarter.

He criticized the intersection of cultural normswith the new interest in transgender identity, saying it drives kids who are not transgender to think they are:

Dr Stathis said girls could do stereotypical boys things and were called a tomboy.

But boys, you put on a pink tutu and youre off to see the doctor, he said.

Many of these young people were just gender variant, they didnt identify as the opposite gender, they just like to do things that the opposite gender likes to do, he said.

A little boy would say to me, Dr Steve, I like playing with dolls and I like fairies and I like dressing up, but Im still a boy. Thats not gender dysphoria.

And other kids simply see being transgender as a lifestyle choice, not something innate, he says.

Dont tell Lady Gaga.

Readthe stories.

h/t Daily Wire

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Most children who identify as transgender are faking it, says 'gender clinic' psychiatrist - The College Fix

IVme is opening a new clinic this month in Marina City. View Full Caption

DNAinfo/Ted Cox; Provided

RIVER NORTH IV therapy: it's not just for hangovers anymore says the owner of a new facility opening in Marina City.

IVmeplans toopen a clinic by the end of the month at 346 N. State St., co-founder and medical director Dr. Jack Dybissaid.

The 2,600-square-foot clinic coming to the landmarkcorncob towers will follow a facility IVme opened three years ago in Old Town.Though thatclinic billed itself on hydration therapy and vitamin supplements that help with hangovers, Dybis said the new one at Marina City will offer a whole lot more.

"It's kind of grown up," he said.

New treatments include Botox,hormone therapy billed as a way to help with weight loss and other things, and other blood work that can help patients "have a greater say in their own health," Dybis said. Hydration therapies run from $89 to $199 per the clinic's website.

"Some people go to work out," Dybissaid. "Some people are now using IV as part of their health routine."

Treatments are by appointment and usually last between 45 minutes and an hour, Dybis said. He plans to keep the clinic open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily to start, but may expand the clinic's hours later.

IVme first opened as "Revive" in 2012 but later changed its name and moved to Old Town. The Marina City clinic will be the company's second. Dybis said he's already searching for a third location.

RELATED:

IV Clinic Hopes to Help Fight Hangovers on Wells Street

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Read more:
IV Clinic Coming to Marina City: It's Not Just For Hangovers Anymore - DNAinfo

John Webb, Special to The Clarion-Ledger 8:02 p.m. CT April 15, 2017

Type 2 diabetes can wreak havoc on your health. While lifestyle changes can help keep diabetes under control, many patients require oral medications or insulin injections as forms of treatment, too. Watch the video for how diabetes affects your body. Time

Mary Fortune, executive vice president of the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, pictured here with Bailey, one of DFM's Diabetic Alert Dogs, has lived with the disease 50 years.(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

To invert a popular adage, it can take a child to raise a village or, in this case, a child who grew up with diabetes and as an adult vividly recalls what it was like.

A self-described free spirit, Mary Fortune has trekked the world despite a particularly brittle case of type 1 diabetes, traveling the Pacific Coast Highway on the back of a motorcycle, even in the immediate aftermath of a low blood sugar episode, and riding the rails of Europe, where she remembers asking for food from a train window in Hamburg during another hypoglycemic moment (blood glucose monitoring was not available in those days).

But she had one limitation.

She was told that because of her condition she should never try to get pregnant. That was the conventional wisdom in those days.

Yet, as she marks her 50th anniversary with diabetes a demanding and often unforgiving life partner Fortune says she feels as if she has raised an enormous family of those from across the state who like her had to come to terms in their youth or childhood with multiple daily insulin injections, finger sticks, blood sugar highs and lows, rigorous attention to diet and exercise and the kind of health complications that can beset even the most conscientious.

Theyre all my children, hundreds who have grown up with diabetes, and Im still in touch with quite a few, said Fortune, executive vice president of the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. Ive followed their lives and careers, engagements, weddings, births, successes and failures, times of crisis and grief, and times of joy.

And making this Mississippi matriarch of diabetes particularly proud this week are those children and adults she has mentored over the years who will be participating in the Diabetes Foundations 14th Annual Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Luncheon from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Country Club of Jackson.

Proceeds will go to support the foundations Camp Kandu for children with diabetes and their families. The need has never been greater, because new studies have shown the rates of children being diagnosed with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have increased dramatically, especially among racial and ethnic minorities.

Nationally between 2001 and 2009,the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes increased 21 percent among children up to age 19, according to astudy funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among those ages 10 to 19 rose 30 percent during the same period, the study, released in 2014, found.Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the hormone needed to allow sugar into cells to produce energy. Type 2 diabetesoccurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin.

We are up at Batson Childrens Hospital seeing newly diagnosed children far more than we used to be, Fortune said.

RELATED:Diabetes and children: A balancing act

SEE ALSO:UMMC Delta diabetes project improves use of telehealth

Among those taking to the runway will be Charlie Mozingo, 41, the founder of Mozingo Clothiers in Fondren, who was introduced to Fortune after his diagnosis at the age of 10 and who in adulthood has been working with the foundation as a volunteer and board member.

Mozingo Clothiers is excited to be a part of this years fashion show, he said. We are dressing seven gentlemen in everything from custom clothing to some of our more casual attire. (As GQ might advise, Look for bold windowpanes in sport coats with lightweight materials that are both soft and comfortable, Mozingo said.)

Also taking part will be the foundations communications coordinator, Kaitlan Alford, 23, who was diagnosed with Type 1 at age 9 after spending two days in a coma.

My diagnosis was dramatic for everyone, really intense, and I saw how it affected my family, she said. We were all in a sense diagnosed. My mother saw me going through all this, the 2 a.m. blood sugar checks every night, but she knew I could handle it and take care of myself, which made me feel like I could do anything.

Kaitlan Alford, diagnosed as a child with Type 1 diabetes, was 14 when she walked the runway nine years ago at the Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Brunch in Jackson to raise money for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi's children's programs. Now an adult, she is the foundation's communications coordinator.(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

Soft-spoken and demure, Alford had to fight back tears as she recalled how the disease has affected her mother, as well as the way Fortune reached out to her, first as a friend and mentor but then as the one who hired her after college.

I get emotional when I talk about it, Alford said. I dont just work here. Its not just us helping others. Mary helps me. We talk about things we both go through, trying to juggle the complex set of challenges that diabetes presents while at the same time trying to live a normal life.

Kaitlan Alford, 23, communications coordinator for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, first walked the runway at the foundation's Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Brunch in Jackson. Alford, who has Type 1 diabetes, still participates in the event that raises money for the foundation's children's programs.(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

At one of the foundations many statewide fund-raising walks, a child touched Alfords life in a way that she said still stands out in her mind.

My mom walked over to me and introduced me to this tiny, blond curlyhaired boy with blue eyes that could melt anyones heart, Alford said. He was 3 years old, and he had been diagnosed with Type 1 at 18 months."

She said that her eyes immediately filled with tears. Describing how I felt is nearly impossible, Alford said. I was hurting for him because I knew what he was going through, and I was empowered by him because he was 3 and dealing with challenges I didnt have to face until I was 9.

Ayden Wolken, 10, seen here with a bull at this year's Dixie National Rodeo Show, was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 18 months old.(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

Alford said the boy, Ayden Wolken of Mendenhall, now 10 and competing on the soccer field and at livestock shows, inspired her to be even more courageous and determined while living with diabetes. Seeing him thriving now continues to inspire me, she said.

These are the kinds of moments that those at the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi make possible because of their passion for not merely helping others, but for changing lives.

The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippis 14th Annual Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Luncheon will feature models of all ages in spring and summer fashions, giveaways and an array of raffle items, as well as a Champagne lunch and a drawing for the 2017 Patty Peck Honda Car 4 a Cure. All money raised by the foundation remains in Mississippi to be used to improve the quality of life of children and adults with diabetes.

Being honored will be the foundations 2017 Women of Excellence, Dr. Jane-Claire Boyd Williams of GI Associates and Dr. Beverly Hogan, president of Tougaloo College.

What: The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippis 14th Annual Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Luncheon

Where: The Country Club of Jackson

When:11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 20

Cost: $70 per ticket

For more information, call 601-957-7878 or visit msdiabetes.org (click on Events).

Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes, isa chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the hormone needed to allow sugar into cells to produce energy.

Type 2 diabetes, once call adult-onset diabetes, occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin.

Source: Mayo Clinic

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Diabetes drives children to help others - Jackson Clarion Ledger

Once a pioneer, Johns Hopkins Hospital is returning to the field of transgender healthcare. But the controversial beliefs of Dr. Paul McHugh still pose complications.

Paula Neira still lives by a motto she learned in the navy: semper porro, ever forward.

Thats why Neira, the clinical director of the new Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender Health and a transgender woman herself, isnt letting herself get bogged down by the institutions rocky past around transgender issues.

Its real easy to change course on a little patrol boat; its real difficult to change course on a dime on an aircraft carrier, she told The Daily Beast. These institutions are big institutions. But when you have the commitment from the leadership on down to change course, youll change course.

Once the first medical institution in the U.S. to offer sex reassignment surgery in the 1960s, it has taken nearly forty years for Johns Hopkins Medicine to return to the field of transgender health care after the original clinic was shut down in 1979 at the urging of Dr. Paul McHugh, then chair of the psychiatry department.

McHugh, now 85, has remained vocally opposed to transgender medical care ever since. And his continuing affiliation with the university has left some in the LGBT community concerned that the new centerscheduled to open in the summer of 2017, offering hormone therapy, surgeries, and other services to transgender patientswont do enough to repair Hopkins reputation.

For instance, after the Washington Post published a front-page feature last week focusing largely on McHughs reaction to the opening of the Center for Transgender Health, Human Rights Campaign national press secretary and transgender advocate Sarah McBride responded with an opinion piece saying that Hopkins has a long way to go before transgender people feel safe.

While the opening of the clinic is important, that alone cannot heal the wounds inflicted by Hopkins against transgender people nor alleviate the ongoing harm caused by the continued invocation of its credibility to support Mr. McHughs essays attacking LGBTQ people, McBride concluded. The only path toward inclusive care requires Hopkins to clearly speak out.

McHughs name, as The Daily Beast has previously reported, has become a staple in anti-LGBT circles. His 2014 Wall Street Journal op-ed Transgender Surgery Isnt the Solution, in particular, has been widely-cited. But his views on transgender health care are dramatically out of step with major medical associations, which support and affirm transgender medical care.

According to the American Medical Association, for example, there is an established body of medical research that shows the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery as forms of therapeutic treatment for many transgender people.

And as the disjuncture between McHughs views and medical consensus has become more pronounced, Johns Hopkins Medicine has taken public steps to reassure the LGBT community that no single individual represents the institution as a whole.

Last October, two months after McHugh co-authored a paper questioning the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity, Johns Hopkins Medicine leadership published a Dear colleagues letter stating that the institutions commitment to the LGBT community is strong and unambiguous, acknowledging that some have questioned our position because of the varied individual opinions expressed publicly by members of the Johns Hopkins Medicine community.

And in a new statement to The Daily Beast issued in response to questions about concerns like McBrides that exist in the transgender community, a Johns Hopkins Medicine spokesperson stated: Johns Hopkins Medicine has and is taking steps toward becoming an employer and provider of choice for all, including transgender individuals. And statements or actions to the contrary by current or former affiliates of Johns Hopkins do not reflect our institutions current views. We are committed to being a caring, inclusive place for all patients, families and employees.

Despite the October 2016 statement, the Human Rights Campaign this March deducted 25 points from Johns Hopkins Hospitals Healthcare Equality Index score, attributing it to Johns Hopkins Medicines failure to address HRCs concerns regarding deeply disturbing anti-LGBTQ misinformation written by McHugh.

Neirawho transitioned after leaving the navy, going on to become a registered nurse and an attorney advocating for the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tellfully realizes that McHughs presence will have some impact on the transgender communitys perception of the new center.

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Were aware that theres going to be skepticism in some quarters because of the history, because of McHughs writings, she told The Daily Beast. But his writings dont reflect the institutions values and where were going.

Neira believes that transgender people are smart consumers who tend to be much more informed about their care than averageoften out of necessity, given how frequently they have to educate their own physiciansand she hopes that the new center will be judged by its actions rather than the words of one doctor.

The folks in the community will make up their mind about what we do, she said. And as the clinical program director for the center, I wouldnt be in this role if [Hopkins] wasnt committed to doing this right.

The World Professional Association of Transgender Health, the leading organization for transgender health care professionals, is cautiously optimistic about the new Hopkins clinic. In written statements to The Daily Beast, treasurer Dr. Walter Bouman said that WPATH welcomes new transgender healthcare services to increase access of care for trans people and immediate past president Dr. Jamison Green said that it was a positive move.

We will have to see what policies the clinic uses, and what principles inform their procedures, added Green. I think it is a positive sign, though, that Johns Hopkins is willing to add to the knowledge base concerning genderand I expect the new crop of clinicians will have benefited from all the good work that has been done in the field since their original clinic was closed nearly 40 years ago. (Neira indicated to The Daily Beast that the new center would indeed use WPATHs Standards of Care.)

In a follow-up interview with The Daily Beast, Green disagreed with the idea that Hopkins Medicine should specifically call out McHughs writings: If they give him that much attention, that is simply going to elevate his profile.

Green called it a big deal that a health care leader like Hopkins would open a transgender health center as it reinforces the idea that this is meaningful.

As for McHugh himself, he reiterated in a phone interview with The Daily Beast that he disagrees with the idea that his writings pose any threat to transgender people.

I certainly am not wounding anybody, he said. I am saying that the treatments that are being offered do not help them.

McHugh has known for months that Hopkins would re-enter the field of transgender medicine. As the Washington Post reported in last weeks feature, McHugh received a visit from the head of plastic and reconstructive surgery last fall, who informed him that Johns Hopkins Hospital would once again start offering sex reassignment surgery. The Post reported, paraphrasing McHugh, that he bears no animus for transgender health providers at Hopkins.

He told The Daily Beast that although he has no hard feelings for his colleagues at Hopkins who made the call, he has voiced his disagreement.

When asked by The Daily Beast if he thought it was a mistake for Johns Hopkins Medicine to open the new transgender health center, he said, Yes and I think they will regret it and Ive told them so.

Asked what they said back to him, McHugh laughed gently.

See the rest here:
Can Trans People Trust Johns Hopkinss New Clinic? - Daily Beast

Many children and adolescents are "trying out" identifying as transgender because they think it will make them "different," an Australian psychiatristwho runs a gender clinic in Brisbane told the tabloidThe Courier-Mail. He said many more teens and young adults come into his clinic seeking transgender treatments than are actually suffering with long-term gender dysphoria.

"One said to me, 'Dr Steve ... I want to be transgender, it's the new black'," Dr. Stephen Stathis, a pediatric psychiatrist and medical director of child and youth mental health services at Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, toldThe Courier-Mail. He said he had seen a lot of adolescents "trying out being transgender" to stand out.

Stathis estimated that his gender service would see about 180 children with gender issues, but argued that only a minority would be diagnosed with gender dysphoria. By the time these kids reach puberty, most will identify as their birth gender, he predicted.

Rather than a cultural fad like transgenderism among teens seems to have become, gender dysphoria is a strong, persistent feeling of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with one's own assigned gender.

One of the trends Stathis has seen is truly heartbreaking. Many young girls have come into his clinic after having been sexually abused, and wanted to change their gender to avoid more abuse.

"The girls say, 'If only I had been a male I wouldn't have been abused'," Stathis said. Situations like this are tragic, but not a justification for long-term surgeries and hormone treatments which may end up damaging girls who have already been abused. Rather than a solution, it seems this would only worsen their trauma.

The Courier-Mail reported that Stathis "has also seen transgender children so desperate to start puberty blockers then progress to irreversible hormone treatment they harm themselves." Warning: this description will be very disturbing.

"I've seen genital mutilation, some who try to cut off their penis," the psychiatrist said. "The thought of touching their genitals is so abhorrent they don't wash them and get infections."

At the end of last year, Stathis reported there was a two-year waiting list of 100 children wanting to be assessed at the hospital. With state funding, the wait is now down to three or four months, and the service has seen more than 60 patients since December. While it is a good thing more adolescents will actually be checked out by professionals who acknowledge that not all kids who identify as transgender are truly suffering from gender dysphoria, some would argue that even the minority who do are ill-served by suggestions they should irreversibly alter their bodies to match their inner identities.

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Kids 'Trying Out' Transgenderism Say 'It's the New Black' - PJ Media

Travis Rathbone

Helpful solutions to issues with sleeping well.

Hot flashes may be keeping you up and insomnia can actually get worse after menopause. The reason: Various age-related ailments can lead to sleep issues, and so can the medicines we take for them, says internist and sleep-medicine specialist Raj Dasgupta, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Depression is linked to insomnia, for example, but the drugs we prescribe for it selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can also cause insomnia." Try this...

Sleep in a cave. Get blackout shades for your bedroom, cover power lights on electronics and dim your clock's display. Keep your room at a cool 60 to 65 degrees, which can help fend off hot flashes.

Ban gadgets in bed. The blue light from your smartphone or tablet screen suppresses melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. A study in the journal PNAS showed that people who read print books right before bed slept better than those who read e-books on a tablet.

Don't just lie there. When you're counting sheep, get up, go to another room and do something low key, like knitting or reading (no TV!), until you feel sleepy again.

Act now if: Bad sleep is affecting your ability to function during the day. Insomnia can be a symptom of other health issues, such as arthritis, hyperthyroidism and acid reflux. It also increases your risk of serious accidents. Tell your doctor about it.

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Mysteries of the Female Body - AARP News

OK, everyone. Its time to talk about birth control. Everyone remembers the stories of condoms made out of sheeps skin, but after rubber condoms were patented in 1844, there were little advances in birth control until the 1900s.

Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in 1916, and after being prosecuted for being a public nuisance, she went to jail for 30 years. When she was released, she reopened the clinic that later became known as Planned Parenthood. Through more arrests and prosecutions, her clinic stayed open. In 1950, when Sanger was in her 80s, she underwrote the research to create the first birth control pill.

In 1965, the Supreme Court ruled that married couples have the right to use birth control, but millions of unmarried women in more than 26 states were still denied birth control, and it was not until 1972 that the Supreme Court ruled that everyone now had the right to birth control.

Since then, women have had to fight tooth and nail to make sure that this right is reserved for all women, even those who dont want it, and that those who do are able to access contraceptives without judgment.

The importance of this cause making sure that every woman has the right to control her body cannot be overstated. It is a right that deserves to be protected with everything weve got.

But what about the horrible side effects that are associated with hormonal birth control? It has been proven that taking hormonal birth control pills can lead to increased risk of depression, and many women have come forward about how they believe their birth control has led to increased anxiety, and even panic attacks.

Its not an uncommon occurrence. Over 30 percent of women have quit taking birth control pills due to these side effects.

But what is the alternative? Condoms are not completely reliable, intrauterine devices (IUDs) still contain hormones and can get embedded in the walls of your uterus, which can cause severe infections or can even cause uterine rupture. Depo-Provera (a hormone shot received from your doctor every three months) has led to severe weight gain in one out of four women.

And yet it is still up to women to suffer through these horrible side effects and keep up a strict birth control regime in order to maintain the life they want for as long as they choose.

But has anyone ever thought about why this job has even been put on women? Why are we trying to disarm a bullet after being shot, rather than just shoot a blank to begin with? Why are we fighting to maintain this form of birth control?

Women deserve better. They deserve more than going through pill after pill hopelessly searching for the one that causes the least amount of panic attacks or makes them feel less depressed. They deserve more than the horrible pain that comes with an IUD that has been embedded in their uterus. They deserve more than giving up their body in exchange for one 60 pounds heavier. They deserve more than broken condoms and morning after pills.

These forms of birth control that we have relied on for so long are simply not good enough but if a woman chooses not to subject her body to these side effects, she is deemed irresponsible or just asking to get pregnant."

So, the question remains are women even really in control of their bodies? Or are they just at the mercy of their birth control?

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Negative side effects of contraception must be addressed - Virginia Tech Collegiate Times

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While Trump's win initially presented a serious threat to women's reproductive rights, we seem to be catching a few breaks lately first with the new administration's inability to repeal Obamacare so far, and now, with a new study whose findings point to the possibility of women having even more direct access to abortion, rather than less.

Recent research found that ordering abortion pills over the phone and taking them in the comfort of your home is safe and effective. According to Vice, the studys findings were presented at the World Congress on Public Health after it analyzed 1,000 women who received the pills. Eight-two percent of the women who took the pills confirmed terminated pregnancy without any health complications. (Important to note: 15 percent of the women could not be reached to confirm results.)

But don't get too excited yet. While this new study is certainly a step in the right direction, were still leaps and bounds away from having this pill actually available over the counter. It took a full 20 years for the FDA to approve doctors to administer the abortion pill to patients in person.

How it works right now: You go into a clinic or doctors office to confirm that you want to terminate your pregnancy within the legal time frame, and a nurse gives you the first pill, which contains mifepristone (a synthetic steroid with anti-progestational effects, meaning it makes your uterus unfriendly to fertilized eggs). Youre then sent home with the second pill (misoprostol, a hormone used to instigate labor, abortions and treat stomach ulcers) which you take 24 hours later. Ultimately, the two pills work in conjunction to terminate pregnancy, and currently cost between $0 and $800, depending on your insurance.

More: What Moms and Daughters Want to Tell Each Other About Reproductive Health

Since its legalization in 2000, over 500,000 women have ended unplanned pregnancies this way. While abortion using this pill is still uncomfortable and painful and often involves severe cramping and bleeding, it's said to be far less invasive and emotionally distressing than surgical abortion.

For women in the early stages of an unplanned pregnancy (up to 10 weeks), a pill is a superior option. If it were available over the phone, it would make termination that much easier and cheaper for women. Going to the clinic for surgical abortions, during which women are often subjected to harassment, invasive examinations and in some cases, ultrasounds of the fetus, can be traumatic. Plus, through telemedicine and companies like the Talbott Foundation, women would be able to get these pills by making a phone call. The service costs $250 also far cheaper than going to a clinic, especially for the uninsured.

In a press release, Suzanne Belton, associate professor at Charles Darwin University, who presented the findings, said, Telehealth abortions with tablets are a safe and effective way for Australian women to seek a termination of pregnancy. It is a low-risk procedure. Very few women needed extra support at a hospital for assistance with bleeding or additional pain relief."

Being able to avoid that kind of discomfort would be a much-needed step in the right direction for womens health care and agency over our own bodies. Again, we've still got a ways to go, but in the face of open threats by the U.S. government to remove our ability to make our own reproductive choices, it's heartening to know that research like this continues to turn up positive results and hopefully, in the future, more tangible options for women.

More: 6 Myths to Stop Believing About Sex and Conception

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Women Might Be Able to Order Abortion Pills Over the Phone Sooner Than Expected - SheKnows.com

Poor stress management and chronic depression can lead to a number of health problems for seniors, including cognitive decline. Poor stress management and chronic depression can lead to a number of health problems for seniors, including cognitive decline.

Published: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 byInterim HealthCare

Depressionand poor stress management can be serious issues for seniors. Though it's not uncommon for adults to develop depression as they grow older, this is not part of a normal aging process. Thiscan negatively impact a number of health conditions, and leaving it untreated can lead to cognitive decline, according to new research.

The negative effects depression has on health Complications of depressive disorders are not limited to emotional and mental strife - they can also cause physical ailments and exacerbate certainhealth conditions. Everyday Health reported that people with depression may experiencemigraines, joint pain, digestive difficulties and muscle aches. Studies have also linked depression to heart disease.

Patients may also gain weight or struggle with insomnia, which can negatively impact a wide range of health problems.

"Poor stress responses may worsen seniors' depression."

How stress and depression impair cognition According to a study from the University of Connecticut Health Center, poor stress responses mayworsen seniors' depression. The researchers found that these conditions can lead to future cognitive decline.

"There's something about vulnerability to stress, or neuroticism in general, and depression that is associated with a worse outcome," saidKevin Manning,assistant professor of psychiatry at UConnand the study's lead author.

Seniors who typically respond to stress with anxiety or irritability were more likely to experience these negative effects. Helping seniors develop more positive stress responses and treating their depression early on may help prevent cognitive problems from developing.

Treating stress and depression Therapeutic intervention is often necessary for seniors to overcome these type of conditions. Some patients will also benefit from taking prescribed medications that can ease depression and anxiety. A good therapist or counselor can help seniors develop better methods for handling stress and can get to the root cause of their depression, as well as supplying at-home treatments so seniors can better cope with their condition.

A healthy diet and exercise can also improve depressive symptoms. Light to moderate exercise can boost endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in the brain. The vitamins and nutrients of healthy foods can also assist in regulating hormones and neurotransmissions.

In fact, a new study from the University of Sydney found that people who ate three to four servings of vegetables every day were12 percent less likely to develop depressionthan those who ate zero to one servings a day. Vegetable consumption was especially beneficial for women in preventing depression.

Causes of depression for the elderly Persistentdepressive disorder can be brought on in a number of ways. Defective mood regulators, hormone orchemical imbalancesand traumatic life events can all cause depression todevelop, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For seniors, there are a number of common contributors that can lead to chronic depression. Older adults may be more socially isolated and lonely than they were in their youth. Limited mobility, friends moving away for retirement or the death of loved ones can limit seniors' social circles. For seniors who may already have other factors that predispose depression development, this boredom and loneliness can exacerbate the condition.

The passing of friends, spouses and family members in the first place can be traumatic events that trigger depression.Living with a chronic diseaseor other age-relatedmedical ailment can also be traumatic for seniors, and complications of those conditions can lower their qualities of life to the point that a depressive disorder develops, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recognizing the signs While most people think of depression as just a feeling of sadness, there are many different symptoms. The signs may be subtle for some seniors, and the condition doesn't always manifest the same way for all patients. As a result, many people with depression are unaware they have it.

For some,the conditionis marked by pervasive lethargy, no matter how much rest they get or what they try to do to boost their energy. Symptoms may also include difficulty concentrating, irritability, changes in appetite and feelings of guilt or helplessness. People with depression often find a hard time enjoying hobbies and activities they once loved as well.

Seniors who think they are experiencing signs of depression, or care givers who believe their old loved one is, should consult their physician. Their doctor can provide referrals to reputable counselors and psychiatrists who can develop the right treatment plan to get seniors back to better mental and physical well being.

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Treating stress and depression to improve seniors' cognition - KRDO

Adequate, quality rest each night is essential for good health. Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact our mood as well as our ability to focus on daily tasks. To maximize your sleep health, here are some tips you can follow:

Even moderate exercise, such as walking, can help you sleep better. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week or more. Just make sure you dont work out within three hours of bedtime.

Alcohol and caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate and some pain relievers) can interfere with sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine eight hours before bedtime. Smokers should also avoid tobacco too close to bedtime.

Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate your bodys internal circadian clock. It increases in the evening as it becomes dark, which helps induce sleep, and shuts down when its light outside, which can then increase wakefulness and alertness. Dimming the lights in your bedroom and turning off all electronics about 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime can be very helpful to increase the release of melatonin.

Indigestion from spicy or fatty food or having too much food in your stomach can cause insomnia. For a better nights sleep, eat light, simple foods at least three hours before bed.

Stress and overstimulation can make it hard to fall asleep. Try to avoid intense television programs or movies before bed. Relax with a soothing, warm bath and curl up with a book instead.

Create a comfortable sleep environment: try sleep shades, earplugs, a white-noise machine or all three. Also, make sure the room is not too warm; temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees are considered the most comfortable. Evaluate your mattress and pillows for proper comfort and support.

If you cant fall asleep or you wake up and cant get your mind to shut down, avoid watching the clock, which can create more anxiety. If you have been awake more than 20 minutes, get up, go to another room and do something relaxing to help you get drowsy. Keep the lights low, have some warm milk, read a book or write about whatever may be on your mind until your eyelids get heavy.

Snoring, especially when accompanied by daytime fatigue, can be a sign of sleep apnea, a common disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts as you sleep due to obstruction of your airway. Sleep apnea can leave you feeling exhausted during the day, can affect your mood and can even be dangerous to your health. If you are worried about sleep apnea, ask your primary care provider to refer you to a sleep specialist.

By making sleep health a priority, you will begin seeing positive effects almost right away.

Martha Yanci Torres is a neurologist and sleep specialist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Excerpt from:
Sleep is the foundation for healthy habits - Southernminn.com

Image Source: Jess Dixon

In 2012, shortly after their wedding day, Jake Anderson and Deborah Bialis hoped to start a family. Because Deborah had a history of ovarian cysts, the couple decided to pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF).

We pursued IVF because if one of my cysts ruptured, it could damage my chances of becoming a biological mother, says Bialis.

Like many couples facing fertility challenges, Jake and Deborah sought the advice of a fertility doctor and were told that they were excellent candidates for IVF and embryo freezing. But when the first cycle was cancelled due to a medical oversight, the couple became understandably discouraged.

We decided to go to another clinic and our new doctor reassured us that we had an excellent chance of having a baby via IVF, Bialisexplains.We felt hopeful, again.

But, Deborah and Jake were shocked when their second round of IVF didnt produce any embryos.

We were in a crisis,Anderson tells Babble.

As young and healthy adults, they never imagined that getting pregnant would be so difficult. But after two rounds of unsuccessful IVF, they were heartbroken and, like so many couples who struggle with infertility, worried that their dreams of parenthood might never come to fruition. After months of treatment, the couple wasnt any closer to having a baby.

Our fertility was crashing before our eyes and it was devastating,says Anderson.

In the meantime, the cost of medical tests, hormone injections, blood draws, and fertility treatments were mounting, and before they knew it, the couple had $75,000 of medical bills to pay.

Deborah and Jake were filled with grief, because they never imagined they would face infertility. They were also confused because their doctors had given them so many mixed messages.

We realized that theres a broad range of opinions and different types of medical care when it comes to treating infertility, says Anderson. Much of the information that clinics provide, such as IVF success rates are reported by the doctors, but we saw a need for information thats patient-driven.

Their personal experience inspired them to create FertilityIQ, a website where infertile couples, families, and women can find comprehensive information about fertility doctors, IVF clinics, and medical procedures such as genetic testing and egg-freezing. Similar to Consumer Reports, patients provide reviews of their doctors and fertility clinics as a way to share information with others.

FertilityIQ launched a little over a year ago. And this month, in honor of Infertility Awareness Month (and to celebrate their sons first birthday), Jake and Deborah are giving away a free cycle of IVF to another couple in need.

After years of infertility, we were finally blessed with a baby, and we want to help make someone elses dreams come true, too, says Bialis. We hope that our gift will lighten the financial burden that IVF brings.

It is more expensive to be infertile in America than in any other developed nation.

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Many women who struggle with infertility believe that biology and science are the two most important puzzle pieces that lead to successful IVF conceptions. But Anderson says that insurance coverage plays a significant role, too.

It is more expensive to be infertile in America than in any other developed nation, he says.

Research shows that the average cost of an IVF cycle is $23,000, and that most women will need more than one cycle to become pregnant. Unfortunately, very few insurance plans cover the cost of these treatments, and only 15states mandate that insurance companies offer fertility benefits to their subscribers.

In fact, new research released just last week and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) states that the cost of IVF often prevents women from pursuing a second round of treatment. Because of this, women with IVF insurance coverage are almost 10 percent more likely to conceive than women without these health benefits.

Who knew there was such a hefty price tag attached to an infertile womans chances of becoming a mother?

These stressors can really wreck a family, says Anderson. Not only is infertility a financial burden, but its also emotionally taxing.

By offering their IVF grant, Deborah and Jake hope to help at least one family bring new life into the world.

The couple will offer one family (grantee) $10,000 to use towards an IVF cycle at a clinic of their choice. The grantee can also give the cycle to another friend or family member in need. To be considered for the grant, the potential winner needs to leave a review of their fertility doctor on the FertilityIQ website by April 27. All reviews are anonymous, and patients who have already written reviews are automatically entered into the drawing.

Were asking for more doctor reviews because this information really helps the fertility patients who use our site,explains Anderson, who notes that this past year, FertilityIQ helped over 100,000 patients find the right fertility doctor. The couple hopes that this number only continues to grow, so that more families can benefit from this information in the future.

Even in the depths of a familys struggles to have a baby, members of the FertilityIQ community go out of their way to help each other, Anderson adds.This simple act of kindness is priceless.

It certainly is.

This New York Clinic Is Helping Moms with Postpartum Depression in a Whole New Way

Article Posted 2 days Ago

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Why This Couple Is Giving Away a Free IVF Cycle to Two Hopeful Parents - Babble (blog)

Middle-aged men jonesing for a boost in vitality are turning to steroids in increasing numbers, say researchers and health professionals. Men in their 40s, 50s even 60s and 70s are turning to hormones to fight the effects of aging, including weight gain and decreased libido, according to The Guardian.

Joseph Kean, a visiting research fellow at Liverpool John Moores University, said that usage has doubled in the number of men 50 and over in the past five years. He told The Guardian, Guys are saying they just want to stand a bit taller and feel they can stand alongside the younger generation who are much more aware of how they look."

But the vision of a buffer, more energized you comes with caveats including the potential for worsening sleep apnea, heart disease, blood clots, and prostate complications.

Testosterone levels decline early on, starting at around age 30. This drop can lead to any number of unwanted side effects and problems, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institutes of Health. Low-T as it is often referred to, is responsible for much more than just weight gain and decreased sex drive. It is correlated with insulin resistance, low muscle strength and development even poor cognitive function. So it's a given that men would want to head off this decline and preserve their vigor for as long as possible.

We have come across a lot of older men using [steroids]. Its almost like hormone replacement therapy [for menopause relief] for females. Steroids can help you lose body fat as well, Julien Baker, an applied physiology professor at the University of the West of Scotland, told The Guardian. The evidence isnt there about what the long-term impact is yet. We are not sure what these drugs are doing to you at that age, but everyone perceives it as safe.

Magazines geared toward rejuvenation through hormone replacement have sprung up, as have clinics that promote testosterone replacement therapy in the United States and abroad.

The Juice Clinic in Sheffield, England, is one such service for people using steroids and image-enhancing drugs. Sid Wiffen, the clinic's team leader, told The Guardian he has noted an increase in older men asking for help. Steroid use for older men is often about the youthful effects, and about body image and energy levels. I hear talk of men feeling more pressure now to look good, so they are more likely to go to the gym and dress well," he said. It can be dangerous, and it does worry me. Lots of people we see are keen to make an informed decision about their steroid use, but some get information elsewhere and its not always good.

That elsewhere includes the internet of course, where misinformation on the topic flourishes. The healthier, safer route by far is to seek the advice of a physician and get a prescription.

Steroids, officially known as anabolic-androgenic steroids, were first developed for medical use in wasting conditions. Their possession or sale without a prescription is illegal in the United States, though some people are able to get them online or in gyms. Some countries permit legal possession, including the U.K., though it is illegal to supply them there. Steroids come in pill form, injectables (intramuscular), and topical gels.

Baker said while there could be some benefits for older men, the risks should be well understood. Introducing something your body stopped producing naturally may lead to repercussions or have health implications, he said. Theres not enough research out there to look at that. Someone taking steroids at 50 its not clear what might happen to them in the future.

Once users discontinue the use of steroids, many report withdrawal symptoms such as low mood and anxiety, something men should keep in mind as well.

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An LGBT lobby group in Sweden has been mocked for producing an unnecessarily explicit and overtly PC sexual rights pamphlet aimed at gay and transgender asylum seekers.

The graphic 32-page booklet published by the non-profit RFSL group, the Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights contains a series of cartoons depicting people of differing skin tones having solo sex, three-way sex, gay sex and one picture of a wheelchair-bound man having sex with a transexual man.

One of the men who crops up in several of the cartoons is particularly hairy, for some reason, while there are also various pictures of sex toys. The pamphlets language is blunt, using a variety of coarse slang terms for sex acts and organs which some may consider questionable.

Titled Sexual Health and Rights in Sweden and listed on the groups website since March 2, the pamphlets introduction reads: This brochure is a guide for you who are newly arrived in Sweden and identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or queer (lgbtq)In Sweden, anyone who is 15 years old or older can agree to have sex. This is called consenting to sexual acts. There is no law against same sex sexual practisesAs an asylum seeker or undocumented migrant, you can get emergency healthcare.

Among the bizarre sex cartoons it also offers this advice to trans asylum seekers:

If you are trans you can get medical help transitioning into a body that suits your gender identity. You can also change your legal gender. To get trans healthcare you often need to visit a healthcare centre and ask for a referral to a gender clinic. There are six clinics in Sweden. Stockholm and Lund have youth clinics that treat people above the age of 16. Some transgender persons want hormone treatment. Some also want chest surgery, genital surgery and hair removal. Most of these services, like surgery and hormone treatment, cost no more than any other doctors visit.

Many have been withering about the pamphlet. One observer, calling himself Sargon of Akkad, wrote simply: So tolerant, so diverse.

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Swedish LGBT Lobby Group Publishes Bizarre Sex Brochure for Trans Asylum Seekers - Heat Street

It is not uncommon for pet owners to feel nervous about visits to the veterinary clinic if their pet has experienced fear during a previous visit.

It is important people remain compassionate toward fearful or fear-based aggressive animals so we can better enable them reduce their anxiety and learn that certain stimuli are not scary.

First, we must understand that fear behaviors have a stimulus, a physiological change within the pet and a behavioral change that is outwardly expressed.

Second, we need to imagine entering the veterinary clinic from the animals point of view.

While many pets enjoy car rides, not all do, so they may be feeling anxiety just from the car trip.

Once they enter the clinic there are many other sights, sounds, smells and memories that lead to fear. There may be a big dog sitting across from them, or a vocal cat or an unusual smell.

Once in the exam room, we must observe their nonverbal communication and adjust our approach accordingly.

Our ultimate goal is to reduce physiological changes to stressful stimuli so that the pets mental state is in a place where they can learn the situation is not scary.

Our pets have very subtle ways of communicating fear with us prior to cowering, growling, barking or biting. Signs of nervousness include lip licking, whale eye (when the pet looks to the side and the whites of the eye are visible), pacing, panting, scratching when there is no itch, and yawning.

These are called displacement behaviors, and are used to signal to the fear-inducing situation that the animal is nervous and wants to engage, but is not feeling confident in doing so.

Our goal in the exam room is to help your pet feel safe and secure so its brain can learn that the situation is not scary.

Ways to overcome this are with high-value treats, praise and rewarding confident behavior. We should never punish displacement behaviors growling, cowering, barking, or biting.

Punishment may teach the dog not to display these signals and could lead to bites without warning. We also need to make sure that we are not reinforcing fearful behavior. Our goals are to desensitize and counter-condition their responses to fearful stimuli.

Behavioral managements for pets with fear-based aggression will need to be further individualized because the bite risk is higher.

With patients with a known bite history, their safety as well as the safety of our staff are of utmost priority.

For animals with fear-based aggression, certain medications may be prescribed prior to visits to help the dog cope with stress.

It may take months or years to rehabilitate a fear-based aggressive dog. In some cases, it may be even be challenging to hospitalize or board these patients because of the stress it can cause them, which could in turn delay healing.

This type of stressful event may actually undo progress that has been made to help them feel less stressed in the exam room.

It is not uncommon for us to recommend delay-boarding them because of the risk of undoing progress in their rehabilitation.

There are also many ways we try to reduce stress in the exam room. One of the ways we attempt to help cats is by using a quieter, calm tone of voice; Feliway feline-appeasing hormone spray on towels; and restraint techniques that make them feel safe.

A stress response is very common for indoor-only cats because they are not exposed to new environments as frequently as outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats.

Often, just the carrier and car ride can make cats feel stressed! It is important to expose them to the carrier in nonstressful settings so they become more accustomed to it.

Even taking joy rides can help.

As most dog owners know, canines can be very sensitive to our feelings and stress levels. I recommend owners also take deep breaths and relax on the way to the clinic and in the exam room, because this helps reduce stress in their pets.

We recommend dogs come into the clinic on an empty stomach so we can feed them treats brought in by the owner or ones we keep in the exam room as counter-conditioning. We then tailor our restraint techniques based on the dogs body language, displacement behaviors and stress level. Some dogs are even scared of the white coat, so I sometimes choose not to wear one.

It is important to remember that stress and fear can be managed with compassion, diligence, counter-conditioning and, in some cases, medication. We do not want to ignore our loved ones communication with us.

Danielle Carey, DVM, is an associate veterinarian who practices mixed-animal veterinary medicine at the Animal Clinic of Walla Walla. Contact her at 509-525-6111.

Image: Priority Pet Clinic via Flickr; unedited

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VET VIEWS: Understanding your pets' fear in the veterinary clinic - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

For decades, research singled out saturated fat and cholesterol as the prime dietary villains in heart disease. Following a report that the sugar industry quietly funded much of that research, sugar has found itself in the spotlight.

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Sugar has deleterious effects on the heart, and its important to be aware of them, notes Haitham Ahmed, MD. It has a negative impact on your lipids, your weight and your risk of diabetes. And it provides calories with no nutritional benefits.

Heres a breakdown of sugars impact on lipids, the substances in your blood that contribute to heart disease:

Sugars impact extends beyond the bloodstream. When you eat sugar, your blood glucose levels quickly rise. This causes an immediate spike in insulin, the fat storage hormone. The more sugar you eat, the more insulin you secrete, and the more fat you build up.

When you have more fat, you become more resistant to insulin. So you secrete more insulin, which leads to more fat storage, explains Dr. Ahmed. This vicious cycle results in prediabetes and diabetes, weight gain, and metabolic syndrome.

Over the past 20 years in developed and developing countries, weight has gone up, along with the incidence of obesity and diabetes.

In the 90s, the bottom layer of the food pyramid was all cereals, bread and pastas. Those were the foods we were supposed to eat more of and collectively, as a society, we gained a tremendous amount of weight, says Dr. Ahmed.

Because low-fat foods were supposed to be heart-healthier, manufacturers added sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup to make their products more appealing.

In 2015, recognizing that sugar has become a problem, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its dietary guidelines. Now, it says added sugars should make up no more than 10 percent of our total calories. And at least half of our complex carbohydrates should come from whole grains.

The sugar in fresh fruit is packaged with beneficial fiber, vitamins and minerals. Many large studies, including a 2016 study of 500,000 Chinese adults, show that fresh fruit consumption lowers blood sugar, and the risk of death from heart disease and stroke.

A half-cup of orange juice and an orange may each have 20 grams of carbohydrate, says Dr. Ahmed. The juice is absorbed right away, spiking your blood sugar so that your pancreas wants to rapidly secrete insulin. But the fibers in the orange delay its absorption, so your blood sugar doesnt spike as much.

Foods with a low glycemic index like fresh fruits and veggies, and whole grains help to stabilize blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index like punch, pizza, potatoes and pancakes spike blood sugar, inviting insulin resistance and weight gain.

Dietary studies have produced conflicting data. But one diet has proven over and over again in large scale, high-quality, randomized, controlled trials to significantly lower the risk of heart disease and to help people live longer with less dementia.

Thats the Mediterranean diet.

Focusing on healthier fat sources like fish, nuts and olive oil, the diet is heavy on veggies, beans and legumes, favors white meat over red, and includes low-fat dairy. And, needless to say, sugary desserts are scarce.

Its not really a diet, its more a style of eating, says Dr. Ahmed. Its easy, anyone can do it, and youre not starving yourself or limiting calories. So its sustainable. And its filled with stuff we all love to eat.

All the data show that crash diets can be effective in the short term. But people quickly regain those lost pounds and, over time, put on even more weight, he says.

None of which is good for your heart.

If sugar can harm your heart, are artificial sweeteners the answer for a sweet tooth?

Im not a fan of artificial sweeteners. Lots of studies show that diet beverages dont help people lose weight, says Dr. Ahmed. And drinking more than two artificially sweetened beverages a day may increase your risk of heart disease.

Researchers have a few theories about this, he explains:

Neither artificial sweeteners nor sugar are a good idea for most people, says Dr. Ahmed. If you want to quench your thirst, its best to drink unsweetened seltzer or water. The only time an artificially sweetened beverage is better is when you have diabetes and have to prevent blood sugar spikes.

More here:
Why a Sweet Tooth Spells Trouble for Your Heart - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)