Around 1.5 million American women begin their transitions into perimenopause each year in the United States, which can bring some unwelcome quality-of-life changes that range from hot flashes to hair loss.
Men, too, can experience hormone imbalances with age — 1% of younger men may have a testosterone deficiency, and this number jumps to half of men over the age of 80.
Whatever your sex, if your hormone changes are wreaking havoc on your health and wellness, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a fantastic option for getting back to your old self again.
At Lafferty Family Care, Dr. Scott Lafferty and the team have seen, time and again, how BHRT can restore the quality of life of our patients. From tackling fatigue to improving bone health, and a wide range of goals in between, BHRT is a great solution for remedying hormone imbalances.
But why stop there? If you really want to improve your health and your quality of life, it pays to maximize your BHRT.
So, after we implant your slow-release, bioidentical hormone replacement pellets, you can take some steps on your own to improve your wellness, starting with the ones we highlight below.
Researchers are still studying the impact that stress is having on our bodies, and we’re uncovering new side effects all the time. The fact is that when you’re in a heightened state of stress, your cortisol (stress) hormones are creating an imbalance in your body and suppressing other functions, such as your digestive and reproductive systems.
If this happens only during times of the fight-or-flight response, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, nearly half (49%) of Americans report frequent stress, which means about half of our population is stuck in a state of ongoing stress.
Through BHRT, we can rebalance your reproductive hormones, but it’s a really good idea if you find ways to destress, too. Not only will this help your natural production of hormones, it will benefit every other area of your health.
So, unplug, exercise, meditate, spend time with family and friends, practice deep breathing — whatever works for you when it comes to de-stressing, we suggest you redouble your efforts in this area.
One of the more serious complaints we get when it comes to hormone imbalances is lack of sleep. For women especially, low reproductive hormone levels can seriously disrupt sleep patterns.
Whether you’re male or female, poor sleep isn’t doing your hormone levels any favors. When you sleep, your body uses this time to scan itself and reset hormone levels, making sure that everything is well-balanced, metabolically speaking.
With BHRT, we can rebalance your hormones to encourage better sleep again, but there are some steps you can take, too, such as:
If you do your part to improve your sleep, you can build on your BHRT and greatly improve your overall wellness.
Fluctuating hormone levels as we grow older are to be expected, and your body changes over time. Even with BHRT, there’s no reversing the aging process. The best two ways to stay healthy as you age is to exercise and eat healthy.
For example, as we age, many people become more sensitive to sugar and carbohydrates. So, we suggest that you trade in sugars and refined carbs for healthier foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains.
Then use these nutritious foods to propel you through some more exercise, which is important for your cardiovascular health, bone health, and hormone health.
Paying more attention to diet and exercise can go a long way toward offsetting hormone imbalances, and these two improvements can really support your BHRT.
When you come in for your BHRT, we can discuss more customized ways to maximize this therapy and boost your wellness to new levels.
To get started, please contact our office in Rogers, Arkansas, to schedule an appointment.
