Category: Energy

FEEL AMAZING AGAIN…OPTIMIZE YOUR HORMONES

By Brenda Lee Herrod, APRN, MSN, WHNP-BC

PART I

Do you suffer from brain fog? Do you complain of anxiety and have endless nights without sleep, resulting in a lack of energy, fatigue, and mood swings? Are you frustrated from gaining fat around the midsection and losing muscle, no matter how well you are eating, or how hard you are working out? How is your libido? Many women (and men too) suffer from these symptoms, as well as hot flashes, incontinence, vaginal dryness, accelerated skin aging, and joint pain. They are discouraged when told that it’s just “midlife changes” and to deal with it.

You don’t have to live with it and continue to suffer. There are options available. If you have decreased hormone production and some of the before-mentioned symptoms, I strongly recommend checking into bioidentical hormone therapy to optimize your hormones. Age-related decline in hormone production is one the most common causes of hormone imbalances. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, stress, and lifestyle choices can also cause hormonal issues and make you feel like “crap.” In our early 30’s our hormones start diminishing and continue to plummet as we age, especially by the time we are in our 50’s and 60’s. Chronic disease can develop if left untreated. Restoring your hormones can actually slow down the aging process and prevent issues like cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death in men and women. Other health issues that can result from low hormones are Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and likely breast cancer.

Often the biggest fear that people have is that hormones can cause cancer. Cancer is not caused by hormones. The elderly have the greatest risk for cancer and they have the lowest level of hormones, while twenty-year-olds have the highest levels of hormones and a much lower risk of cancer. The important part is the type of hormones, the safest dose, route of administration, and having a provider closely monitor your labs, as well as the patient’s individual symptoms. It is essential and the best practice to treat patients on symptoms they are experiencing, as well as doing frequent lab work to monitor blood levels.

Bioidentical hormones are structurally identical at the molecular level to those naturally produced by our bodies and are made from wild yams. Synthetic hormones are derived from animal parts or urine and have a different molecular structure than what our body produces. Biodentical replacement therapy can be a part of a personalized health management program, but only when administered by providers specializing in natural hormone replacement therapy. These hormones include estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 OF THIS ARTICLE COMING IN JANUARY!
In the meantime, you can use the form below to…
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about bioidentical hormones and how they can help you!

REFERENCES
Gray, Stephanie. Your Longevity Blueprint, Advantage Media Group, 2017.
Donovitz, Gary, and Cotten, Mandy. Breast Cancer Incidence Reduction in Women Treated with Subcutaneous Testosterone: Testosterone Therapy and Breast Cancer Incidence Study. European Journal of Breast Health (2021): 17, 2. 150-156.
Donovitz, Gary. Testosterone Matters… More! The Secret to Healthy Aging in Women, Wheatmark Publishing, 2020.
Sieman, Robert S. Live Life Better with Natural Hormone Therapy, New Leaf Wellness, 2017.

SYMPTOMS RELATED TO HORMONE IMBALANCE

Are you experiencing symptoms like WEIGHT GAIN, DIFFICULTY SLEEPING, or DECREASED ENERGY?
Frequently related to these symptoms is…hormones!

HORMONES
Hormones play an important role in our overall wellness. They are part of the endocrine regulatory system and secreted by endocrine glands acting as messengers to trigger or subdue parts of our body. Hormone-sensitive target cells in tissues and organs make changes when exposed to hormones. The hormones are broken down or metabolized slowly, but function in very powerful ways. Even tiny amounts cause big changes, controlling and coordinating activities throughout cells, organs, or even our whole body. These changes control most major bodily functions from basic needs like hunger to complex systems like metabolism, growth and development, reproduction, and even emotions and mood.

Major endocrine glands: pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries, and testes.

Hormones you may have heard of: thyroid, insulin, cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

HORMONE IMBALANCE
Starting as early as age 25-30, our hormone levels can start to change becoming imbalanced and producing effects like weight gain, insomnia, fatigue, lack of energy, mood fog, anxiety, and depression. Often a hormone imbalance goes unrecognized. We might just identify the symptoms and chalk it up to getting older or being stressed and might possibly take medications to treat individual symptoms. These symptoms and more are why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious.

Schedule a free consultation if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

VITAMIN INJECTIONS FOR ENERGY AND METABOLISM

Have you ever noticed that when you eat poorly, you feel tired and worn out? And then when you start to make healthy food choices, you feel more energetic and able to accomplish more? This is because our bodies respond to the nutrients (or lack of nutrients) in the food we eat. So when you switch from eating fast food and begin eating wholesome, home-cooked meals, you’re giving your body more of what it needs to function efficiently.

Now imagine: what if you could take some of those wholesome nutrients from your home-cooked food and inject them directly into your body? You’d probably feel pretty darn good, right? Well, that’s exactly what vitamin injections do. They provide you with the nutrients that aid in the optimal functioning of your body.

VITAMIN INJECTIONS AT NEW LEAF WELLNESS SUPPORT WEIGHT LOSS
What does this mean for weight loss? Sometimes, when diet and exercise alone don’t produce results, it’s because the body does not have everything it needs to work properly. So no matter how little a person eats or how many hours they spend on the treadmill, the weight still won’t come off. Or maybe that person just can’t seem to muster the energy needed to even get to the gym. Often, vitamin deficiencies are to blame. And at New Leaf Wellness, we’ve found that in many cases, vitamin injections are the key to reaching weight loss goals.

VITAMIN C INJECTION FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND FAT BURNING
Vitamin C helps keep your immune system healthy, and it can also help you burn body fat during moderate exercise.

VITAMIN B6 INJECTION FOR STRESS REDUCTION AND HORMONE BALANCE
Vitamin B6 aids in stress reduction and helps keep your hormones in balance. In addition, it helps your body extract nutrients from food. So if you’re counting calories and eating a small lunch, vitamin B6 will help make sure you get the most out of every chickpea and green bean in your salad.

VITAMIN B12 INJECTION FOR ENERGY AND LOSING WEIGHT
Vitamin B12 is the energy vitamin. When you’re low on B12, you’re going to be low, period. If mustering the energy to get outside for a bike ride is your biggest challenge, vitamin B12 injections might be exactly the right next step on your weight loss journey.

VITAMIN B-COMPLEX INJECTION FOR CHOLESTEROL AND METABOLISM
All the B vitamins at once? Yes! The benefits of B-complex injections include increasing your good cholesterol and lowering the bad, metabolizing fats and carbohydrates into energy, protecting the immune system, and providing anti-aging effects.

WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS MIGHT BE THE KEY TO WEIGHT LOSS
Weight Loss Specialists at New Leaf Wellness, we specialize in weight loss, and if you’re struggling to lose weight, we can help. Our individualized programs include cutting-edge weight loss technology and one-on-one support by qualified and certified weight loss experts. Contact us by calling 888-728-7555. Let us help you reach your weight loss goals.

WHAT IS PELLET THERAPY & WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER IT?

What is Pellet Therapy and why should you consider it? Subcutaneous estrogen replacement therapy often referred to as “Pellet Therapy” is not a novel idea. It was initially described in 1938 as an alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms. Subcutaneous estrogen replacement involves the placement of crystalline, biodegradable pellets of estradiol subcutaneously into the buttocks. Placement is performed in the office using local anesthesia.

Advantages of Pellet Therapy

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is very advantageous. ERT is superior to any other remedy for the treatment of hot flashes and vaginal atrophy. It has also been found to be cardio-protective, to improve cognitive effects, and to aid in the prevention of osteoporosis.

Despite these advantages, many patients discontinue their ERT for various reasons. The most common include irregular bleeding and or concern about breast cancer. Women discontinue therapy due to unreliability in taking pills, skin reactions to patches, nausea, or incomplete relief of symptoms. These patients may benefit from alternative routes of ERT like “pellet therapy”.

Subcutaneous ERT, unlike oral estrogen therapy, is better able to mimic premenopausal physiologic levels of estradiol and estrone. Subcutaneous estrogen has a favorable effect on lipid profiles with an increase in “good” cholesterol HDL and decreased level of LDL’s “bad” cholesterol. Although estradiol levels differ among patients, individual levels within each patient have very little variation. Implants provide more stable circulating estrogen levels than any other route of administration.

Insertion

Insertion is easily performed in the office. After a small area of skin is prepared with local anesthesia, a 5 mm skin incision is made in the subcutaneous fat of the buttocks. The trocar with cannula is advanced through the incision. The trocar is removed and the pellets are loaded into the barrel of the cannula. The obturator is inserted forcing the pellets out of the instrument into the subcutaneous layers of the buttocks. Complications, albeit rare, include bleeding from the insertion site, bruising, or wound infection.

Testosterone & Progesterone Therapy

Another potential benefit of pellet therapy is the ability to combine subcutaneous estradiol and testosterone replacement. Testosterone therapy has been used for patients who complain of reduced libido. A combined dose of estrogen and testosterone has been shown to significantly improve libido, sexual enjoyment, and menopausal symptoms lasting for 5-6 months.

Appropriate patients include peri/postmenopausal women seeking to relieve hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, maintain or increase bone density, and produce favorable lipid changes. Patients with an intact uterus require progesterone therapy to protect the endometrium, as do patients using other forms of estrogen replacement.

Pellet Therapy and Libido

Subcutaneous ERT or “Pellet therapy” is a convenient form of estrogen replacement therapy, eliminating the need for daily pill or patch. Furthermore, combined therapy adding testosterone can also be used to adjudicate symptoms of decreased libido, leading to more sexual enjoyment.

New Leaf Wellness has a vision to provide women with awareness, options, and solutions. We take pride in providing a safe space for women to explore choices for their sexual health, rejuvenating their appearance, and improving their lives. New Leaf Wellness understands the intensely personal and sexual health issues involved in these surgeries/treatments. Our staff is dedicated to patients having the best outcomes with the highest levels of safety and comfort.

Lastly, if you have questions, please reach out using the contact form below and we will make arrangements for a FREE personal consultation!

Slow the Effects of Menopause and Andropause Naturally

We often hear about menopause, and it is frustrating symptoms for women, but did you know that it can happen to men too? Male menopause, or andropause is real, and like in women, it can cause symptoms that range from uncomfortable to life-altering, even increasing your risk for diseases and other serious health issues. We are sharing 5 helpful tips to slow the effects of menopause and andropause naturally to better help you live your best life.

Did You Know?

Both types of menopause can cause the person to stop feeling like themselves. In women, these symptoms can start in the 30’s and 40’s and/or last until the 60’s. In men, by the age of 60 most will have hormone deficiencies, particularly in testosterone.

5 Natural Weapons to Fight Male and Female Menopause Symptoms:

1. Bio-identical Hormone Therapy
Natural Hormone Therapy is the most effective treatment for relieving symptoms and preventing age-related diseases. Individualized testing by a hormone therapy expert is necessary to safely and effectively restore the proper balance of all your hormones.

2. Remove Inflammatory Foods
We all know we should eat healthy to get healthy. But you may be eating “healthy” yet consuming foods that cause inflammation in your body. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat certain foods, or even better, take a food sensitivity test to know for sure.

3. Exercise
Regular strength exercises can help both men and women alleviate certain symptoms, build muscle and bone strength and reduce stress.

“They help me get my life back- play, work, sex and to feel great again! I feel young again!”

– Rodney W., New Leaf Wellness Patient

4. Try Meditation
The slow movements, focus on breath, and meditative nature of practices like yoga, tai chi and qi gong can help relieve symptoms like hot flashes and improve mental focus.

5. Reduce Stress
Everyday, chronic stress is toxic and leads to elevated cortisol levels and in turn, serious health issues and symptoms. Slow down, don’t sweat the small stuff, and make changes to remove stress-inducing triggers from your life.

Find out how you can take control of your menopause and andropause symptoms and what your personalized treatment might be at New Leaf Wellness, West Des Moines, IA!

 

Do you know where your hormone levels are now? Know more about your hormone health with our simple quiz that provides immediate results.

Hormone Health Checker- for Women

Hormone Health Checker- for Men

Male Menopause?

Male Menopause? What’s that?

Even though there is more public talk about women and menopause, men also encounter a hormonal imbalance as they age (andropause). Because women tend to have a more abrupt hormonal change they are more likely than men to realize that their symptoms are from a hormonal imbalance. Men tend to have a more gradual change–with symptoms slowly appearing over 20 year period. Often the symptoms are not seen as a hormonal decline.

Male menopause (called andropause) has many different symptoms. These symptoms come from a drop in Testosterone.

Andropause (male menopause) Symptoms:

  • depression
  • irritability
  • decreased morning erections
  • longer recovery time from workouts
  • stiffness and pain in joints and muscles
  • decreased concentration
  • decreased ability to build muscle
  • lowered mental acuity
  • loss of the competitive edge
  • overall loss of vitality
  • fatigue
  • sleep disturbances
  • and more

A man may still have a good libido (sex drive) but be suffering from a decrease in his Testosterone levels because he does not realize that Testosterone performs many functions in the body. Testosterone is not just a “sex” hormone.

“I feel back in balance. I have more energy and feel more focused.”
– Charlee P., New Leaf Wellness Patint

Strong associations between low Testosterone and…..

  • bone loss (osteoporosis)
  • dementia
  • type 2 diabetes
  • elevated LDL cholesterol
  • arthritis

There is a lot of incorrect information about the negative side effects of Testosterone and when you research the studies you will find that when bio-identical Testosterone is prescribed and monitored by a hormone specialist, Testosterone is a benefit to the overall health and vitality of men and has not been shown to cause cancer or heart disease. Proper hormone balancing for men results in a man who feels great, thinks clearly, moves easier, and enjoys life better.

We at New Leaf Wellness like to help you live life better. To get started, contact us for a complimentary consultation.