Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 45)

What you can do: Although postpartum hypothyroidism normally resolves itself, it may do so only after a new mom has gained signiﬁcant weight. “It can also be misdiagnosed as postpartum depression, so it’s deﬁnitely something to watch out for,” Isaacs says. LIFE AFTER HORMONES After menopause, which becomes ofﬁcial one full year after a woman’s ﬁnal period, hormones return to a natural low point, as they were prepuberty, Gass says. And while there are still plenty of issues to contend with—including bone health—she emphasizes not waiting until this stage to start considering healthy habits. “Yes, osteoporosis is one of those things that seems to get worse with aging, but a lot of things that get worse with aging are things we should be paying attention to before we get there,” Gass says. “You don’t want to wait until you’re 55 or 60 to start getting your weight in line. And the same thing goes for heart health and bone health. You want to be living a healthy lifestyle your entire life, and then menopause will not be a big health issue for you. You’ll just keep doing the healthy things you’ve been doing.” PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE What’s normal: “Perimenopause is in some ways like puberty in reverse: Hormones have gone out of their normal pattern, and that can cause emotional and psychological stress similar to PMS,” Gass says. “If a woman begins having hot ﬂashes and night sweats but they go away quickly, chances are her ovaries have started producing hormones again. This ﬂuctuation can be challenging.” What you can do: To alleviate perimenopause symptoms, the North American Menopause Society says short-term hormone therapy (HT) is one option, at least for women who begin HT close to menopause. HT’s beneﬁts decrease as women age, and long-term use may raise breast cancer and stroke risk for some women. Because every woman and her symptoms are unique, HT is something you must decide for yourself, Gass says. “Women should seek help when the symptoms are bothering them. That is the indication for hormone therapy. Moderate to severe hot ﬂashes or symptomatic vaginal problems are valid reasons to seek help and therapy; hormones if that’s right for you, and other therapies if that’s not right for you,” she says. What’s abnormal: Hypothyroidism, a condition in which the body produces too little thyroid hormone, can be mistaken for menopause because early symptoms may be similar (weight gain, hair loss, mood swings, dry skin and depression) and because thyroid problems often increase with age. What you can do: If testing reveals a potential thyroid problem, a thyroid hormone medication may be prescribed, along with a combination of diet and exercise, and periodic blood testing. See your doctor to know for sure. Hormone s m ay seem like a women’s-o them , too. (T nly issue , but e stosterone men have , anyone ?) So se e m to b e ar , why doe s th m o re of th e e fairer sex h o rm o n al b u Scott Is aacs , rde n ? Acco rd M .D., men do in g to experience h re si st an ce , d ormonal issu ia b e te s an d e s— insulin low te stoste the re are re a ro n e are co m son s for th is m o n — b ut outward dis Wo m e n h a parit y. ve m o re to wo rr y a b o u spe ak ing. “C t, h o rm o n a e rt ai n disord ll y e rs are m ore Fo r ex am p le com m on in w , wo m e n are omen . 10 ti m e s m o hy p othy ro id re like ly to su is m . Plu s, m e ffe r fro m n ca n’t ge t th cyst ic ovar y in g s like PM S sy n d ro m e . T o r p o lyh e re are e ss can go w ron e nti al ly m o re g with women are a s th at , e specially w an d m e nopau hen it come s se ,” Is aacs sa to fertility ys . Men don’t g e t a s m a ny red flags. “W problem wit hen women h their menst have a rual cycle, th they go and at alarm goes get checked off and out. Men do a lot of times n’t get that w we pick up th arning sign, so ings much la ter in men,” Is aacs says. What Abou t Men? 1 2 Vim & Vigor · SPRI NG 2011 45

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - Parrish Medical Center
Table of Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
What’s New?
Watch Your Step
A Workout for Every Mood
Don’t Fail Your Heart
If Your Bones Could Talk
Healthy Travels
Over 40 and Fabulous
Do-It-Yourself Health?
Fighting Words
Balancing Act
Giving & Getting
Fitness & Wellness Go Hand in Hand
Stopping PAD in Its Tracks
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - Parrish Medical Center