January Newsletter
Happy New Year!
As we welcome 2024 and clean closets, inboxes and start January anew many of us try and elevate our health game. Whether that be setting an earlier bedtime, eating more fruits and vegetables, or prioritizing our health. Why not add a visit to Bone and Body Women’s Health to that list? Let us help you demystify menopause, treat those pesky symptoms and get solutions to common issues of sleep, sex and night sweats! And the existential question: am I a good candidate for hormone therapy?
The world of menopause and media is blowing up and there seem to be more products than education. My goal has always been to and individualize treatment for women before, during or after the menopause transition.
While I’m always happy for the focused attention on women in the post-reproductive years, there are still very few nationally certified, academically trained and evidence-based menopause providers such as myself. I am working on educational efforts with colleagues from Yale and Cleveland clinic to change that though! In 2024 we are also planning more educational forums for all women to join in.
For this month’s member event we have scheduled a virtual interactive program entitled “Hot Chocolate & Hormones: Understanding Nutrition at Midlife” on Monday, January 22nd from 7 to 8 PM. Registered dietitians from FEED Nutrition, Lara Field and Kim Blum will review current nutritional evidence and of course have time for stimulating Q&A.
Please join us on the Google meet link or call the office prior to the event with questions: https://meet.google.com/wzt-zejo-csi
Or Dial: (US)+1515-705-4356 PIN: 976 630 985#
Dr. DeSapri in the Media
For women local to Chicagoland, please consider joining me for an inaugural 1-day Women’s Health & Wellness Retreat on Friday, January 19th, from 10 AM to 2:30 PM at the Knollwood Club in Lake Forrest, IL.
Expert led panels with menopause specialists (myself and other) financial and wealth advisors, with programs on nutrition and mindfulness. This checks all the January health goals!
Hope you can join me and bring along a friend. Click here to register for 40% off!
Midlife Must – Knows!
What We Know:
The SWAN ( Study of Women Across the Nation) is a gift to the field of women’s health. Much of our validated research comes from this multi-site longitudinal, multi-ethnic, epidemiologic study designed to examine the physical, biological and psychosocial health of women during midlife. Studies have been conducted since 1994 and follow women prospectively ( across time and aging) with sponsorship by NIH and Office of Women’s Research.
What This Research Shows:
A recent study of SWAN participants; 1084 women aged 55 to 65 looked at a global risk score to help predict future health issues in later postmenopausal years. They assessed women within 3 years of age 55 and then 10 years later. The 7 risk scores were lower educational attainment, smoking, higher body mass index, history of cardiovascular disease, (CVD) history of osteoarthritis, depressive symptoms, and baseline physical component summary (PCS- 36 questionnaire about comprehensive health-physical function, pain, energy, etc.) The global risk score was also validated in the WHI observational studies (over 2,500 women).
How It Applies to Me:
Medical interventions often treat one body system in isolation; however, we know that ay midlife all the body systems are impacted by estrogen and hormonal deficiency. Specifically, CVD, osteoarthritis, depressive symptoms and metabolism/ weight gain are included in this global risk score and correlated with worsening health status. Knowing this information can help target interventions and treatments to improve women’s quality of life and overall health. This study also underscores the importance of prioritizing and understanding changes at menopause to preserve your health now and in the future.
Let’s face it women live complicated and busy world. The care at Bone & Body Women’s Health is thorough and convenient with prompt follow up and continued attention and solutions for menopause and its myriad of symptoms including bone and muscle health, metabolic and sexual health.
As we grow our practice and reach more women, please feel free to share this newsletter with the community of women in your life. And if you are willing to share your experience with others, please click here to provide us with a google review.
Yours,
Kristi Tough DeSapri, MD