March/April 2002
Feature Articles
Holistic Health Q & A
by Karen R. Raymund
Of PMS, premenopausal weight-gain,
and osteoporosis.
What is... Psychotherapy?
by Charles Larsen
Of various schools of psychotherapy
and what to expect and look for.
EnergyUpDate
by David Findlay
Articles on the theme "Good & Bad Habits"
Teaching Good Habits
by Barbara Bedingfield
A Waldorf teacher's viewpoint on how
adults should teach children the importance of good habits.
Mother Of All Bad Habits
by Aman Motwane
The habit of chasing illusions rather
than seeing the world as it is and dealing wih reality.
It's All Habit
by Patrick Plaskett
Using the mechanism of habits to get
the results in life that we want.
Improving Your Game
by Rev. Pat Cross
The effect habits have on our lives.
Using good habits to accentuate the positive.
The Fewer the Better
by Lisa Raphael
Letting go of habits and, instead,
living fully conscious of our thoughts, feelings and actions.
Changing From The Inside
by Rev. Linda Lou Kearns
Having the courage to be completely
honest, getting "out of the box."
Peace of Mind
by David Hunt
"A Course in Miracels" approach
to habits.
The Essence of a Habit
by Daniel DeFrank
How to replace negative habits with
life enhancing ones using the power of our thoughts.
Habits, Physical and Mental
by Betty Perry
Of behavior patterns and patterns of
thought. How they affect our lives.
Natural Health Q & A
by Karen R. Raymund
Question
What is Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS and how do you treat it?
Answer
First I would like to define what PMS includes. It is a series of symptoms
such as abdominal bloating and cramping, acne, aggression, anxiety, breast
swelling and pain, depression, food binges, and headaches, to name just
a few. The key in making a diagnosis of PMS is the cyclic nature of their
occurrence; almost always they manifest after ovulation or mid-cycle and
continue until the onset of the menstrual cycle, a total of two weeks. Generally,
most women will experience only a three to four days of PMS. Once a woman's
period begins, the symptoms will dissipate. The scientific medical community
has not been able to clearly identify the cause of PMS. It is a problem
that is multifactorial and its treatment is not contained in a simple cure.
A variety of factors will contribute to PMS and include:
Excessive intake of dairy products, caffeine and refined sugar.
Not enough whole foods such as fresh vegetables.
Excessive body weight which contributes to high levels of circulating estrogen.
Low levels of vitamins E, C and selenium, which help metabolize estrogen.
A deficiency of magnesium.
Low blood levels of progesterone, the hormone that will balance estrogen.
Deficiency of B vitamins, especially B6 and B12, both necessary to metabolize and inactivate estrogen.
High levels of stress as well as an underlying emotional component.
As you can see from the list above, treatment must be a complete lifestyle change for many women. I don't believe in throwing common medications at a women to cure her PMS, such as diuretics for her bloating or Xanax for her anxiety. These medications will not get to the root of the problem and will often stir up additional side effects. I will educate the women I see about the causes of PMS, thus recommending lifestyle changes that include dietary changes, exercise and appropriate supplements including those listed above as well as essential fatty acids. Additionally, I will often prescribe natural progesterone to be taken in the two weeks prior to her period in order to stabilize the excess estrogen. There are also some Chinese herbs recommended which include formulas containing milk thistle, dandelion root, and nettle. Stress reduction is a necessary component in a woman's treatment and I will often recommend some form of meditation or relaxation program. Lastly, it is important for a women to look within in an attempt to identify where her emotions are coming from. So often, we have been raised to ignore certain thoughts and feelings, and repression of many issues is the result. By looking inward, either with help from a supportive friend, partner or therapist, women will tap into their own intuitive knowledge and will be on their way to healing.
Question
What are the reasons why women tend to gain weight once we get into our
premenopausal years?
Answer
Many women, whom I see year after year for their annual exams, will weigh
five additional pounds each time they come in. After four or five years,
they're 20 to 25 pounds overweight. Weight gain is a tremendous issue for
the woman in her perimenopausal years. Our culture celebrates the thin,
model-like body with accompanying large breasts, and the average woman just
doesn't have that Barbie-doll shape. There are several reasons for the slow
weight gain that happens to so many women. First, some amount of gain is
normal. As women age, they naturally put on weight, especially in their
hips, thighs and abdomen. The extra adipose tissue will make additional
estrogen to counteract the decline in estrogen production from the ovaries.
Another reason women will gain weight is that they will eat more to combat
their hormonal imbalances. When a woman feels anxious and stressed with
resulting fatigue, she'll head for the caffeine to help her get through
her day. This in turn stimulates the adrenals and will also increase glucose
and serotonin levels. Lastly, as we age, our muscles atrophy or shrink,
thereby lowering our metabolism. So perhaps our diet really hasn't altered
over the years, but our need for the number of calories is reduced and weight
gain results.
To support women, I recommend a healthy diet and encourage women to listen to their bodies to their stomachs, to be more precise. We need to stop eating when we're full and in general eat smaller portions. When we go out to eat, take home half! The other equally important component is exercise. Not only do we need to move our bodies to burn calories, but to exercise our heart muscle. Weightlifting will build muscle and women will discover a higher metabolism, a toned body and a greater sense of well being that simultaneously happens with exercise and strength training. Women will enjoy those circulating endorphins and self-esteem will increase as they grow strong.
It is also important to balance a woman's hormones along with diet recommendations. If a woman has too much estrogen, additional weight gain occurs. Generally, I will encourage a woman to test the levels of her hormones by saliva testing which will assess the amount of free hormone available in the body and is far more accurate than traditional blood tests. If estrogen dominance is identified, natural micronized progesterone will be prescribed. The ensuing balance of hormones will allow a woman to once again lose her excess weight along with participating in an exercise regimen and healthy pattern of eating.
Question
How do we prevent osteoporosis?
Answer
Briefly, osteoporosis is the bone thinning disease that manifests mainly
in the postmenopausal woman. We've all heard about the elderly woman who
falls down and breaks a hip. This is due to osteoporosis one of the
major disabling diseases affecting women today. Prevention is key to combating
this epidemic. Estrogen replacement therapy is a first line defense in treating
this disorder, although an entire program that includes exercise, a calcium-rich
diet, natural progesterone and supplementation with boron, calcium, magnesium,
vitamin D, and ipraflavone must be included as well. Limiting caffeine,
carbonated beverages containing phosphates and not smoking will all help
to preserve healthy bone tissue.
Karen R. Raymund MN, ARNP, is a certified nurse practitioner and nurse-midwife. She has her own private practice, Holistic Health for Women, Inc. (within the offices of the Integrative Medicine Healing Center). Clearwater FL: (727) 524 - 0900.
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