A Bright Side for Compounded Hormones
Just when it looks like gloom and doom for compounded hormones, come two positive studies in conventional medical journals. One study dug in to the Women’s Health Initiative study data. It concluded that “…women under-going conjugated equine therapy (Premarin) had positive clinical outcomes compared to placebo in breast cancer rates and in fact, in the WHI trial showed a reduction of actual deaths from breast cancer by 40%. This has not been demonstrated for any other pharmacologic intervention including aromatase inhibitors and SERM’s.” Aromatase inhibitors and selective estrogen receptor modulators are mainstays of breast cancer treatment.
Another found that “compounded BHRT used in primarily short term randomized control trials is not associated with adverse changes in lipid profiles or glucose metabolism. In addition, vaginal androgens in particular showed benefits with respect to vaginal health and sexual function without adverse effects.”
Despite this, compounded hormones are under attack from the FDA and Big Pharma. Please go to compounding.com to write your legislators and add your story about the difference compounded hormones have made in your life.
Now that it’s Warmer Outside…
For the new year, I offered four tips for a healthier 2022. It’s time to put away your cold weather exercise gear and get out in nature instead. The National Park Service reports that nature makes you smarter, stronger, healthier, happier and more productive. Kansas City uniquely has places where you can get away from the city without leaving the city. My favorite places: Fleming Park, Kill Creek Park, Hidden Valley Park, Burr Oak Woods and Jerry Smith Farm Park. The earthen trails at Fleming, Kill Creek and Hidden Valley Parks are maintained by volunteers who will close the trails if they are too wet. Respect their efforts and check the trail status before you go. The Larry Mattonen at Fleming Park, Burr Oak Woods and Jerry Smith Farm Park trails are open regardless of weather.
What’s New in My Smoothie? Irish Moss
My morning smoothie isn’t a treat. It’s a nutrition delivery vehicle and a way to reduce the number of supplement pills I take by getting those nutrients from real food. A patient and I were recently comparing notes about our smoothies and at her suggestion, I’m sharing my recent additions.
Irish moss is rich in a broad array of minerals, including iodine and selenium, and many building blocks of collagen. It the best “hair, skin and nails” supplement I’ve found. Since I started adding Irish moss to our smoothie, I’ve noticed a crack in my ring fingernail has healed and my eyebrows, which once rivaled Brooke Shields, are fuller. More details about the benefits of Irish moss. I use the dried moss. I take a small handful, rinse it well, then store it in my refrigerator in a pint mason jar full of water. It more than doubles in size as it hydrates, so start with a small amount. It will also thicken your smoothie, so add more liquid if needed. I use roughly a 3-inch piece per person of hydrated moss per person, less if the piece is thick or has many fronds.
Should You Get Boosted Again?
Considering the 4th booster? I am not recommending it for healthy people because the duration of immunity is short. It peaks in four weeks and returns to baseline in only 8 weeks according to the only study at this writing lasting longer than 30 days. It’s not worth the risk of a vaccine reaction for such short term protection against a milder virus. The Institute for Functional Medicine offers the following criteria for deciding to get the 4th jab:
- Are you age 50 or older?
- Has it been more than 4 – 6 months since your 3rd shot (“booster”)?
- Did you tolerate the previous COVID vaccines well?
- Do you have less than an ideal immune system?
- Do you have significant co-morbidities?
- Are BA.2 variants rising locally or where you will travel?
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Dr. Bethany Klug has practiced holistic and functional medicine since 2003, after it resolved health challenges that conventional medicine could not address for her. She is known for taking time to listen and to tease out the root causes that when addressed lead to more vibrant health. The name of her practice, HealthSpan, was inspired by her wish for everyone to enjoy lifelong vibrant health, instead of a long life plagued by chronic disease. She is known as an osteopath, and for her skill in natural medicine and bioidentical hormone replacement. Her practice is located in Prairie Village, KS, a suburb of Kansas City. Learn more at HealthSpanKC.com.