Why are bio-identical hormones important?
A. Bio-identical hormones are chemically identical to the hormones in the human body. Bio-identical progesterone was first manufactured in the 1930s. However, when the U.S. drug companies got involved in hormones, they altered the chemical structure in order to get a patent, as natural bio-identical molecules could not be patented. Without patents there can be no profits.
Over the years it was found that artificial hormones cause inflammation, insulin resistance, blood clots and damage to the lining of the blood vessels. The Women’s Health Initiative studies showed that women receiving these artificial hormones have more heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer.
Bio-identical hormones, given via bio-identical routes, do not cause these problems. On the contrary, natural estrogen given as a skin cream has been shown to decrease the risk of heart attack by approximately 40 percent. Bio-identical hormones—as prescribed at Innovative Directions in Health—not only relieve symptoms of menopause, but have also been shown to relieve brain fog and cause weight reduction in most patients. Complications associated with artificial hormones have not developed in patients managed at Innovative Directions in Health.
Innovative Directions in Health is Minnesota’s only medical clinic fully dedicated to Anti-Aging and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Khalid Mahmud, FACP, is the leading expert in the use of bio-identical hormones in the four-state area. For more information, call 952-922-2345 or visit www.idinhealth.com.
I am not ready to have children yet, what recommendations can you suggest for postponing fertility due to age or illness?
A. An option now available through Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Associates (RMIA) is egg freezing (cryopreservation). RMIA began an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved study in 2008 to offer oocyte cryopreservation to women who qualify. Candidates for oocyte cryopreservation include women undergoing cancer treatment, women wanting to delay childbearing and women with ethical objections to embryo cryopreservation. Nationally, published reports indicate a 36.6 percent live birth rate per embryo transfer of women who have previously cryopreserved their eggs.
Approximately 7 percent of women diagnosed with cancer are of reproductive age. Early detection and advancement in treatment protocols have increased survival rates. Many of these women have yet to complete their family. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has released the recommendation that clinicians should counsel reproductive-age women with cancer regarding methods available for fertility preservation, as many chemotherapy and radiation treatments are toxic and can result in premature ovarian failure.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that “oocyte cryopreservation is considered an experimental technique, and that it be performed only as an investigational protocol under the auspices of an Institutional Review Board (IRB).” This service is available locally at Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Associates, with locations in Woodbury and Edina. For more information, call 651-222-6050 or visit www.rmia.com.
What is Lyric Hearing?
A. Lyric is the first and only 100 percent invisible extended wear hearing device worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for up to four months at a time!
According to Dr. Paula Schwartz, Doctor of Audiology at Audiology Concepts, based in Edina, there are no hassles—no batteries to change and no fussing with daily insertion and removal like a traditional hearing aid.
“There are no daily reminders of hearing loss,” she says.
It differs from traditional hearing aids in that Lyric uses the outer ear to direct sound into the ear canal, resulting in more natural sound quality for 24 hours a day. It can be worn exercising, sleeping, showering, and talking on the phone. It is not surgically implanted nor does one need anesthesia during the fitting. It is simply placed deep in the ear canal with a special microscope. Candidates for Lyric are active individuals who want the best hearing possible with no hassles and the benefit of complete invisibility. The ear canal needs to be healthy, free of earwax, and of sufficient size.
In order to get started with Lyric, a hearing evaluation is necessary to determine if it’s right for your specific hearing needs. Lyric is wirelessly programmed to one’s specific hearing loss.
Interested customers can test-trial Lyric at no charge for 45 days—they simply need to schedule a consultation.
“The newest in cutting-edge hearing aid technology is my specialty,” says Dr. Schwartz. “And Audiology Concepts, Inc. has the most recent diagnostic equipment and hearing instrument technology on the market today.”
In Minnesota, Lyric is only available at Audiology Concepts, 6444 Xerxes Ave. S., Edina. Call 952-831-4222 for an appointment. For more information, visit www.audiologyconcepts.com or www.lyrichearing.com.
What is Adefris & Toppin Women’s Specialists?
A. We are a sanctuary where mind body and spirit are nurtured holistically. From childbirth through menopause, we seek to provide individualized comprehensive compassionate care for our community of patients at our Woodbury location. Our dedicated physicians and staff strive to combine the most up-to-date technologies with evidenced based medicine for your gynecologic and obstetrical needs. Our goal is to offer patient-centered medical care based on mutual trust and communication. Our practice consists of three well-respected board certified physicians, one certified nurse midwife, one perinatal sonographer and a wonderful team of registered nurses, medical assistants and business staff working together to provide excellent medical care.
Our office is conveniently located next to the Woodwinds hospital. This allows for a seamless integration of office visits with hospital services such as mammograms and bone density. Many of our patients plan to have their annual visits on the same day as other routine procedures.
We offer the following services: ultrasounds, blood testing, endometrial ablation, colposcopy, hysteroscopy, urodynamics (bladder testing), mammograms, and Velashape® (powerful energies to reduce the volume and appearance of fat tissues). We pride ourselves in offering a complete line of the most advanced and least invasive treatments for a wide variety of gynecologic conditions. Our providers are at the leading edge of technology for women’s healthcare. We address abnormal pap smears, urinary incontinence, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, ovarian cysts, infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, fibroids, and abnormal bleeding.
For more information, call 651-686-6400 or visit www.adefrisandtoppin.com.
What treatments are available for spider or varicose veins?
A. Many people think varicose veins are simply unattractive, not realizing that they can be more than just cosmetic. Pain, swelling, fatigue, burning, and itching in the legs are common symptoms that signal early stages of vein disease, which can lead to more serious conditions. The board-certified vascular surgeons at VeinSolutions are leaders in cosmetic and therapeutic vein care, offering treatment for spider and varicose veins.
Hot Mama’s founder and CEO Megan Tamte’s story isn’t unlike many others: “As a CEO and busy mom running a household and a business, I’m on my feet all day. When varicose vein pain interfered with the things I enjoy— like pushing my kids on the swings and buying the latest fashions for my retail stores— I knew I needed help. I visited a board-certified vascular surgeon at VeinSolutions for a vein assessment. After a simple procedure, I can do things I love—pain free, and I feel confident in shorts again.”
Treatment options:
• Compression hose therapy – helps to support weakened veins and may enable you to lead a pain-free, active lifestyle
• Sclerotherapy– injections of FDA-approved solutions help spider veins on the legs diminish over time
• Light therapy – appropriate for spider veins on the face or trunk as well as blood-based, or vascular birthmarks
• Phlebectomies – an in-office procedure done under local anesthetic to remove larger, unsightly veins
• VNUS Closure – an in-office procedure using radiofrequency to close malfunctioning larger varicose veins.
• Vein stripping – outpatient, or same-day surgery, performed at Fairview Southdale Hospital, to remove a vein that isn’t working correctly.
All procedures are minimally-invasive and you are usually back to daily activities within a few days. Call VeinSolutions, 6552 France Ave. S., Edina, to schedule a vein assessment at 952-831-VEIN (8346). www.veinsolutionsmn.com
