Phuli Cohan, MD
Did you know that women are destined to spend one half of their lives in menopause? And guess what? Contrary to common lore, it’s a time that you can begin to feel your best. No longer are you at the mercy of monthly mood changes, weight gain and all the evils that can accompany rising and falling hormones.
Ancient Chinese sages were among the first experts in menopause. They wrote about a woman’s “tides” shifting, so that a woman was no longer giving out into the world, but rather gathering her inner strength. It is a time of introspection and enhanced intuition.
Menopause is a time to take stock of your life physically, emotionally and spiritually. What are you doing with your time and energy? Its time for you to come first and prepare for the second half of your life.
Its a great time to write the bucket list, prepare a vision board, interview a life coach, create a woman’s group, start a journal, and see an educated anti-aging doctor.
I repeat, see an anti-aging doctor. If you are proactive about your physical and emotional health, you will enjoy your second act much more. Tests can be done at most labs to provide you and your doctor with a comprehensive overview of your health risks and preventive needs going forward. I recommend the following tests:
For bone health: Measure your bone density. Your Vitamin D3 (25 OH) levels should be around 60, but not over 80.
For breast health: I recommend having an annual mammogram, and, because many women are deficient in Iodine (which can predispose to breast cancer), please request a random urine or blood iodine test. I give all of my patients a multivitamin with iodine. My favorite is Nutrient 950 (without iron at our age), by Pure Encapsulation.
For gastrointestinal health: Its important to be up to date with your screening Colonoscopy screenings. These should be done every 5 to 10 years depending on your history. Also if you haven’t had one, have a hepatitis B and C screen.
For heart health: Ask your doctor for a thyroid screen, including measurements for free T3, free T4, reverse T3, and TSH. Your TSH should be between 1.0-2.0. Other important tests to get are: Homocysteine, MTHFR (genetic marker), cardio-CRP, diabetic screen with HbA1c, and fasting lipids.
For overall vitality, ask for these blood tests:
DHEA-S, CBC, red blood cell Magnesium, and IGF-1 (indirect measure of growth hormone).
Many of your questions about all of this are answered in my book, The Natural Hormone Makeover.
Take this blog to your doctor and make sure to follow through after the results are in. Take the time to meet with your doctor to review the results and make a plan. It takes a team and a commitment- after all, you would do a 65,000 mile tune-up for your car. You deserve nothing less.
To your health and a great second act, Phuli Cohan, MD