Hello and welcome to my blog site which is dedicated to educating women about estrogen and hormone replacement therapy. Every day 6,000 women say goodbye to their monthly menstrual cycles and hello to menopause – the point in their lives when their ovaries no longer produce the two major female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. This not only causes a host of uncomfortable symptoms (such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness) but leads to major health consequences that women may not be aware of. Did you know that the minute you lose your estrogen, your bones begin to thin, your LDL ( bad cholesterol) increases, and your body begins depositing fat around your middle? Replacing your estrogen by taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help negate these changes, yet the majority of menopausal women today are not on HRT. Why? Because guidelines developed in 2002 concluded that the risks of HRT exceeded the benefits. But, studies and research over the last ten years have revealed we are giving women the wrong advice and, that by not taking estrogen at the time of menopause, they are increasing their risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.
Experts in menopause around the globe have been publishing articles and studies attesting to the benefits of HRT and encouraging the use of estrogen. I want to help disseminate this message through this blog site, as well as through my book, The Estrogen Question, which I have recently completed. It is available for purchase on Amazon as an E-book and a paperback. In the book I describe in detail how the loss of hormones affects our bodies, discuss the benefits and risks of HRT, and review the pros and cons of various hormone preparations as well as alternative drug therapies used in menopause management. The material presented in The Estrogen Question and on this blog is intended to give women reliable information to help guide them in making a decision whether they should take HRT.
Sandra C. Rice MD
About Me
I am a board certified physician who has practiced general internal medicine for over three decades in the Pacific Northwest. Thousands of my patients have looked to me for advice regarding management of their menopause and postmenopausal years. Over the last few years I have focused my energy on researching everything there is to know about the history and current status of hormone therapy and have been sharing it with my patients and women in my community. Here’s my latest TED talk on HRT – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTKJBop6HKY
About This Site
The goal of this site and my book, The Estrogen Questions, is to provide women with the most up-to-date information that is important for them to know regarding the benefits and risks of HRT. My comments are based on my review of articles and studies from respected experts in the menopause field, and occasionally I will share my personal opinion and observations on issues that are controversial or not yet conclusively established. This information is to provide the background knowledge women need in order to have meaningful discussions with their medical providers to explore what is best for them based on their unique situations and preferences.
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