Tag: Hormone

OMAHA LOCATION NOW OPEN

Please join me in the celebration of the opening of New Leaf Wellness, Omaha. My name is Brenda Herrod and I am a nurse practitioner with an incredible passion for overall wellness! Please come for a free consultation at New Leaf Wellness to find out how we can support you in your journey for a healthier lifestyle! You deserve to feel confident, strong, and healthy. Self-care is very important and YOU are the only one who can do it for yourself. We have so many personalized services to offer.

FOR A LIMITED TIME, RECEIVE…
• Free B-12 injections with Free consultations
• Free Express Back Facial with Hot Stones! Enjoy the relaxing, relieve your stress treatment!
• Free Revision samples with a skin analysis
• Free samples of Myers Immune Boost
• 50% off one area for Plasma Pen – new clients
• 50% off Microneedling with PRP – new clients
• 50% off Lash Lift – new clients
• 25% off Dermaplaning – new clients
• $9.00 Botox with the Glow Plus package
• Free tours through the new facility

GIVEAWAYS!*
• Plasma Pen Treatment (valued at $600)
• Microneedling with PRP (valued at $349)

*Giveaways will be drawn after the final event. Must meet with a consultant to confirm eligibility!

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.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO FEEL 20 YEARS YOUNGER?

Which would you like to feel like?
Would you like to feel your age or would you like to feel 20 years younger?

When we are young, it is the abundance and perfectly tuned balance of hormones that makes us vital, wrinkle-free, sexually active and quick to recover from colds and flu. Hormones keep us fertile, and our joints limber and well- lubricated. It is our hormones that help us think well, remember where we put our keys and relate to others in intimate, connected ways.

As we age, hormones begin to fade, though exposure to toxins, eating badly processed foods, leading sedentary lives and not getting enough sleep also play their parts.

We can reverse or at a minimum stall the ravages of aging with hormone support. There are many types of hormones that work together to create the puzzle that becomes our lives and the more pieces (hormones) we put together in proper balance and in the right formulations, the more likely we are to age in a healthy, vibrant and beautiful way.

The best hormones to use are the bioidentical ones and that is what New Leaf Wellness uses. They are prescription medications estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid and adrenal support, and they are pharmaceutically made to look identical to the hormones our own bodies make when we are young and healthy.

With the proper hormones, prescribed by New Leaf Wellness providers who are trained and experienced in how to use them and when to use them safely and effectively, we spend less money on health care, on going from doctor to doctor and test to test with no hope of improvement in sight.

With hormones in balance we don’t need yo-yo dieting. Our bodies stay at their optimal weight, and exercise is pleasant with results we can be proud of. With hormones we find ourselves getting sleep again and feeling refreshed in the morning.

Hormones are safe and they protect us from diseases of aging. They protect our bones from osteoporosis and our hearts and brains from deterioration.
Yes, it may sound like hormones are the fountain of youth, but all you have to do is ask and look at those who take them and compare them to their peers who don’t.

When we see patients for the first time we ask: If you didn’t know how old you were, how old would you think you are? The answer from people on hormones is always 20 years younger. From those who don’t take hormones, it’s always at least 20 years older. Which would you like to be?

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!

G.A.C. Injections

G.A.C. injections are widely used as an effective weight loss supplement, and G.A.C. injections are helping many dieters lessen sugar cravings and stick to low carb dieting. But a common question we get is, what are G.A.C. injections? So, we’re diving in to how they work to help your body.

Glutamine, arginine and carnitine (G.A.C.) are amino acids when combined converts glycogen to energy, rather than fat. These three amino acids combined make it easier to burn calories and expel from the body. Luckily, this combination is newly made available as a pharmacy-grade prescription by ReGenesis HRT in injectable form. G.A.C. injections are specifically formulated for rapid weight loss and enhance athletic performance via the stimulation of the body’s metabolism (through the transfer of fatty acids to the mitochondria). Also, ReGenesis HRT’s team of medical researchers have found G.A.C. to be an important component in muscle repair, body sculpting and immune system enhancement.

G.A.C. Injections Benefits:

• Increases growth hormone levels
• Prevention of muscle loss
• Faster muscle recovery
• Improves circulation
• Powerful fat burning properties
• Conversion of stored fat into energy
• Increases energy levels
• Higher metabolic rates
• Balances hormones
• Improves mood
• Increases stamina

Below is a breakdown of each amino acid, and its role in fat loss:

G is for Glutamine

Glutamine is one of the body’s most abundant amino acids and is the building block for all essential proteins. It is most commonly used to boost the immune system, combatting the effects of bodily distress. However, Glutamine also enhances exercise performance and expedites muscle recovery allowing users to effectively burn more calories.

A is for Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid that changes into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a neurotransmitter shown to improve circulation and blood flow. Due to Arginine’s positive effects on blood circulation, workout performance and muscle recovery time improves, leading to an increase in your fat burning rate. Therefore, Arginine is extremely effective for weight loss.

C is for L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine is a substance produced by the liver and kidneys which converts body fat into energy. Studies show carnitine reduces body fat, increases muscle mass, improves stamina and strength and lessens fatigue, which may all contribute to weight loss. Likewise, its muscle building properties make it a favorite among weightlifters and bodybuilding professionals. Consequently, Carnitine boosts energy during times of caloric deficit eliminating fatigue and irritability while dieting.

Want to know more about G.A.C. injections, check out service page for more information and other wellness support programs.

The Truth About Your Night Sweats

Waking Up Drenched in Sweat?

If you wake up drenched in sweat, think of your armpits as evidence. You do not have to do sleuthing to figure out what is prompting your perspiration. Night Sweats. Therefore, we are uncovering the truth about your night sweats and what your body is really telling you.

Firstly, night sweats are common. In a study published in Annals of Family Medicine, one-third of primary care patients reported night sweats during the past month. Your body is signaling to you, are you listening?

“However, no one knows exactly how common the condition is, because most sufferers of night sweats never report the symptom to their doctor”, says study author James Mold, M.D., a professor of family medicine at the University of Oklahoma. Think of night sweats as smoke detector going off in the home, it means time find the root of the alarm.

 

Could Night Sweats Be Hormonal?

In a literature review published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, Dr. Mold and his colleagues revealed that several factors increase the likelihood of night sweats including: panic attacks, sleep problems, fever, numbness in hands and feet, anxiety and stress, and trouble breathing at night. Night sweats may also be a symptom of unbalanced hormones.

Much like hot flashes, low estrogen effects the hypothalamus is often specifically what causes night sweats in women. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls appetite, body temperature, sleep and sex hormones.

“No night sweats or hot flashes anymore. More energy!”

– Rhonda S., New Leaf Wellness Patient, see more testimonials >>

So, it’s important to us to live your best life. We provide a variety of health and wellness services personalized to your body’s deficiencies.

 

Not Just Women Experience Night Sweats…

It is a common misconception that only women experience night sweats. When men experience low testosterone levels like andropausal, it commonly causes false signals to the hypothalamus producing night sweats. Additionally, men with high cortisol (stress) levels, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle which can contribute to night sweats.

“It is putting me in balance, and I am becoming active again.”

– David B., New Leaf Wellness Patient, see more testimonials >>

Conclusively, if you wake up in a pool of sweat almost every night, you should give us a call at New Leaf Wellness to get your hormones checked.

Try our free assessment to check for your own hormonal balance. Click the appropriate link below to take the assessment and your results will be shown immediately!

Hormone Health Assessment For WOMEN

Hormone Health Assessment For MEN

Part 2: How Do Bio-Identical Pellets Work?

Bio-identical pellets are made of an inert substance that holds it together along with either bio-identical Testosterone or Estradiol. If you require Estradiol it is one small pellet. Men, and also women, require Testosterone. There are different dosages (mg) of Testosterone pellets (25 mg up to 200 mg) and which mg pellet and how many Testosterone pellets you receive depends on the end dose that you require. This dosage is based on whether you are a man or woman, your weight, your baseline Testosterone level, and your activity level; among other things. A hormone specialist can determine what you require after your consultation. Want to learn more about how do bio-identical pellets work?

The Bio-identical pellets release a small amount of the hormone that they contain into the blood stream at a fairly constant level–a lot like your glands would do if they were functioning properly. When you have an increased cardiac output (I.e. with exercising) then you will get an increased amount of the hormone. This helps you to recover better from exercising.

The bio-identical hormone pellets give your body what it needs in as close to physiologic doses as is possible. Your body uses up the pellets at an individual rate and most people require a re-pellet after 3-6 months. Over time most people end up being able to have their pellets last 5-6 months.

Are you ready to check your hormone health? Take a short quiz to recognize what to look for when considering if you would be a good candidate for bio-identical pellets.

For MEN

For WOMEN

Read Part 1: What are Hormone Pellets?

Declining Hormones

Imagine moving around and being able to do the things that you love to do. Perhaps, you are already feeling vital and strong, but perhaps you are like the majority of people out there who yearn for a body that serves them better. Are you feeling tired, achy, moody, flabby or just feel that you have passed your peak?? Declining hormones? Men and women both can feel this way and it is not the way that you have to age. Having a slow decline in your health is not your destiny—you can live with vitality and when it is your time to go, leave this earth quickly and not after a slow deterioration over 30, or more years.

Improving the Quality of Life As We Age

With modern sanitation, medicine, and an abundance of food we are living longer lives. Unfortunately with longer lives we are seeing a marked increase in the number of chronic illnesses and the number of years that an individual is alive but is in a deteriorating state. We can not avoid dying but we can shorten the dying process and increase the number of years that we live feeling younger. If you are all about the quality of life then continue reading.

Declining hormones, along with poor lifestyle choices, are largely responsible for the slow deterioration that we are seeing all around us. The good news is that we have the capability to prevent this slow deterioration, and even reverse some of it . This gives us the ability to live long AND vital lives, not just long lives.

What You Need To Know About Reversing The Years

Decreased levels of Testosterone, Thyroid, Estrogen (women only), Progesterone, and Growth Hormone are often experienced for years before a person seeks medical attention. The decline can be subtle, especially for men, and is often misdiagnosed as depression, anxiety, the normal aging process, or simply that nothing is wrong with the person. The problem lies in the fact that the majority of doctors are not specially trained in detecting hormone imbalances as they are taught to look at normal values and they are not allowed the proper time to get to know you and your unique needs. Let’s face it–you do not want to be average, you want to be above average, right?? The “normal” values do not represent optimal.

Symptoms of Declining Hormones can Include:

  • Emotional changes
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of muscle strength
  • Loss of skin elasticity
  • Increased wrinkles
  • Loss of focus
  • Increased body fat
  • Decreased muscle mass
  • Loss of vitality
  • Difficulty falling or staying asleep
  • Osteoporosis
  • Brain fog or decreased memory
  • Increase in body aches/pains
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Decrease in morning erections for men

Can You Replace What’s Lost?

Replacing your declining hormones with bio-identical hormones is the best form of hormone replacement since it replaces your hormones with a man made bio-equivalent hormone. This means that your body sees these replacement hormones as if your body made it on its own. There is no chemical difference between what your body makes and the bio-identical hormones given to you. This is different than man made “synthetic” hormones that have chemical differences from the hormones that your body makes. These differences are so that the “synthetic” hormone can be patented. These chemical differences can result in dangerous side effects. Doesn’t it make sense to replace your hormones with bio-identical hormones that are exactly the same chemically as the ones that your body naturally makes?

Bio-Identical Hormones Explained

Pellets, capsules, creams, and gels are different ways that you may get your bio-identical hormones. Which form you use depends on the hormone(s) that you need as well as your personal preference. You can only decide this after an informed discussion about the pros and cons of each form.

Taking bio-identical hormones are an important piece of the optimal wellness pie, it is also important to make lifestyle changes that enable your body to function optimally. A healthy organic whole food based diet that is low in sugar, devoid of gluten (as much as possible), and with no (or very little) processed food is also an important piece. Regular exercise and regular sleep are two other very important pieces. Living a full and vital life is within your reach. You first have to decide that you wish to go down that path and then obtain the personalized guidance that you require. You can reach your goals one step at a time with the right guidance.

If you’re ready to add some quality back to your years, and you want to do it with bio-identical hormone therapy, call us!