Are you confused about how to deal with your menopausal symptoms? Do you suffer from night sweats, hot flashes, low libido, vaginal dryness, anxiety and/or depression?
Millions of women have turned to bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Oprah has talked about it and Suzanne Summers has written about it and Stokes Pharmacy can help get you on the road back to feeling healthy.
Can millions of women be wrong?
BHRT can help with a variety of post-menopausal symptoms. Call and speak to one of our pharmacists today.
What is Hormone Repalcement Therapy?
Hormone Replacement Therapy is a method used to help treat the symptoms of menopause, and other hormone imbalances. Custom HRT is another beneficial way of distributing the correct amount of hormones for each individual woman's needs. The FDA declared that since bioidentical hormones are considered to be natural, regardless of their source, they cannot be patented. Therefore, there are no huge drug companies out there really profiting off the use and sale of bioidentical hormones.
Endocrine glands make chemicals called hormones and pass them straight into the bloodstream. (Glands that pass their secretions down tubes or ducts to particular places are called ‘exocrine glands’.) Hormones can be thought of as chemical messages. They communicate with the body and bring about changes. Usually, hormones take effect quite slowly. The endocrine system works with the nervous system and the immune system to help the body cope with different events and stresses.
A range of functions
Some of the roles of the endocrine system include:
- Growth
- Repair
- Sexual reproduction
- Digestion
- Homeostasis (constant internal balance).
A hormone will only act on a part of the body if it ‘fits’. A hormone can be thought of as a ‘key’, and its target site (such as an organ) has specially shaped ‘locks’ on the cell walls. If the key
(hormone) fits the lock (on the cell wall), then the hormone will work.The endocrine glands get feedback from the hypothalamus.
The glands of the endocrine system include:
- Pituitary gland - is inside the brain. It oversees the other glands and keeps hormone levels in check. It can bring about a change in hormone production somewhere else in the system by releasing its own ‘stimulating’ hormones. The pituitary gland is also connected to the nervous system via part of the brain called the hypothalamus.
- Thyroid gland - is inside the neck. It controls the rate of metabolism.
- Parathyroid glands - is inside the neck surrounding the thyroid gland. They control the level of calcium in the bloodstream.
- Adrenal glands - are on top of each kidney. They make a number of different hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol in times of stress, and sex hormones.
- Pancreas - an organ of digestion, which is inside the abdomen. It makes insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.
- Ovaries - are inside the female pelvis. They make female sex hormones like estrogen.
- Testes - they are in the male scrotal sack. They make male sex hormones like testosterone.
Glands that secrete straight to a target site via ducts or tubes are called exocrine glands. Some examples include:
- Salivary glands
- Sweat glands
- Sebaceous glands.
Some common problems of the endocrine system include:
- Diabetes - too much sugar in the blood caused by problems with insulin production.
- Premenstrual syndrome - symptoms include cramping, bloating, breast tenderness and mood swings.
- Thyroid problems - when the gland is overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism).
- Endocrine glands secrete hormones straight into the bloodstream.
- Hormones help to control many body functions, such as growth, repair and reproduction.
- The pituitary gland inside the brain oversees the endocrine system.
