1. Tay Ju Lee MD Integrative Health Consultant

2. Objective  Outline Women Health Issues  Menopause  Immune System

3. Women Health Issues  Premenstrual Syndrome - PMS  Cysts – Breast and Ovaries  Clogged arteries – heart, brain  Osteoporosis  Fibroid tumors in Uterus  Cancer – Breast, Ovarian, Uterine  Menopause

4. Wisdom of Menopause  “Our culture expects women to put others first, and all during childbearing years most of us do, no matter what the cost to us. Story of Stufanie & Bob What’s going to give out?

5. Menopause FACT SHEET  Perimenopause starts around 40yrs.  Last spontaneous menstrual period 12 months prior.  Menopause average age of onset is 51yrs.  No more eggs left in ovaries.

6. Progression of symptoms  Progesterone decline - perimenopause  Testosterone decline  Estrogen decline

7. Symptoms of progesterone decline  Breast swelling and tenderness  Mood swings  “Fuzzy thinking”  Irritability  Trouble sleeping  Water retention  PMS – have you heeded the warnings?  Weight gain

8. Symptoms of decreased testosterone  Loss of sex drive  Decreased sexual response  Decreased sense of well-being, energy, and ambition  Depression  Loss of or thinning pubic hair

9. Symptoms of decreased estrogen  Hot flashes  Night sweats  Vaginal dryness  Decreased energy and ambition  Depression or mood swings  Dizziness  Headaches  Mental confusion  Urinary incontinence  Recurrent urinary tract infections  Increased susceptibility to vaginal infections

10. Dispelling myths… Are these hormones useful for anything else other than reproduction? Do we produce sex hormones after menopause? What organ produces female hormones once we run out of eggs?

11. Adrenal Glands  Adrenaline – help body respond to stress  Cortisol – Increases appetite and energy level, depress immune system.  DHEA – Balances cortisol effect. Helps body recover from stress

12. Adrenal Bank Account Budget Chronic stress causes body to produce cortisol taking away resources to make sex hormones.

13. When you make too many demands on your adrenal glands.  Excessive exposure of the body to adrenaline and cortisol causes: Mood disorders Sleep disturbances Reduces resistance to disease Impaired vital circulation

14. Something’s gotta give out… Very often what gives is the woman’s health  Heart Disease  Breast Cancer  Depression  Osteoporosis

15. What should I do now? Take ActionDo Nothing Illness No Illness

16. What’s the root of the problem?

17. How to Restore Your Adrenal Function? DHEA balances cortisol Let’s increase DHEA naturally…  Focusing on loving thoughts & memories  Have courage to think with your heart  Make pleasure a priority instead of a luxury  Hang out less with people who are draining  Dwell more on what you like about yourself and less on what you see as your limitations In short, have more fun!

18. How to Restore Your Adrenal Function? Avoid kicking your adrenal glands  Avoid caffeine – coffee and pepsi-cola Feed your adrenal glands at least 3 months  Take plenty of vitamin C (1-2 mg daily)  B-complex – Baker’s Yeast  Zinc (15-30mg daily)  Magnesium (300 - 800mg daily)  Have high quality protein with meals and snacks.

19. How to Restore Your Adrenal Function? SLEEP Restores adrenal function better than almost anything else. 8-10 solid hours/night SUNLIGHT 10-15 minutes everyday during early morning or late afternoon. EXERCISE Regular light-to-moderate exercise, but not so much that you feel depleted afterward.

20. Do you hear your wake-up call? Your body’s message to you will be in the language that best breaks your particular barriers and speaks most specifically to the issues you need to change in your life. The wisdom of this system is very precise

21. What does all this have to do with the Immune System?  Modern life is stressful  Stress increases cortisol hormone.  Cortisol depresses the immune system.  Stress depresses the immune system.  A depressed immune system results in infections, cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disorders.  Causing more stress…vicious cycle…

22. Transfer Factor  Transfer Factors are small proteins that ‘transfer’ the ability to express cell-mediated immunity from immune donors to non-immune recipients” Molecular Medicine APRIL 6,2000

23. Bottom line We need our immune system Whether we live a healthy or a debilitated life depends solely on our immune system. Menopause is stressful You need your immune system to be optimal during menopause

24. References  Wisdom of Menopause – Christina Northrup MD  The Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Medicine 2 nd Ed – Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr.  http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/he althcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=111 http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/he althcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=111

25. Fibroids  40% of all perimenopausal women in western cultures diagnosed with fibroids.  Fibroids can often represent blocked creativity.