Hormone Balancing & Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Whether you are wanting to...
Improve Symptoms
Hormone imbalance can lead to symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, that can hinder your quality of life and activities of daily living
Prevent Disease
Hormone imbalance can increase your risk of certain diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia
Optimize Health
Hormone imbalance can prevent you from having vibrant mental and physical wellness and from feeling the best you can in your body
Promote Graceful Aging
Hormone imbalance can accelerate the aging process and lead to an older appearing, and functioning, version of yourself
Achieving hormone balance is your solution.
What are hormones?
Hormones are a vital part of our life and a direct reflection of our health. The endocrine system involves a network of organs (such as the thyroid, adrenals, and ovaries) that release hormones into circulation. Hormones are powerful molecules of communication, delivering essential messages to one other and to target tissues to create change and harmony among our symphony of systems. For our entire lives, hormones are the master conductors of all that goes on inside of our bodies - and the quality of conducting determines the quality of the show! The axis between our brain and our gonads, influenced by several other organs, is what orchestrates the production of sex, or reproductive, hormones. Sex hormones come predominantly from the ovaries and include estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are instrumental in sexual development and reproduction, however, each hormone's tune extends far beyond these performances and their rhythm shifts throughout the life cycle. In our pre-menopausal years, sex hormone levels are abundant and cyclical for normal menstruation and healthy fertility; in our perimenopausal years, sex hormone levels fluctuate through highs and lows as our ovary's egg -quality and -quantity diminishes; and in our post-menopausal years, sex hormone levels drop to their lowest for the remainder of our lives. Balanced hormones in every stage of womanhood lays the foundation for optimal health, healing, and vitality.
What is perimenopause & menopause?
At a certain time in life, menopause occurs as a normal part of biological aging yet is unique to every woman. Perimenopause/menopause is the transition from the reproductive years into the postmenopausal years. The word menopause is broken down into meno (month) and pause (pause), meaning the cessation of monthly menstrual cycles/periods, marking the end of fertility. It occurs naturally following the loss of ovarian function, although, it can also occur too early (for example, early menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency) or be induced medically (for example, from surgical removal of the ovaries). The fluctuation and eventual drop in hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone, in the perimenopausal/ menopausal years is where many women struggle with symptoms of hormone imbalance.
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Terminology
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Perimenopause: the time (transition) leading up to menopause in which changes begin to occur (typically starts around age 40 but can start as early as 35)
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Menopause: the point after 12 months consecutively without a menstrual period/ vaginal bleeding (average age is 51)
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Post-menopause: the time from the point of menopause (after the 12 month mark) and forever onwards
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*Symptoms may be experienced in all phases and hormone therapy may be used as appropriate in any phase*
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Top Signs & Symptoms of Perimenopause/Menopause
infertility
irregular periods
disrupted sleep
fatigue
hot flashes
night sweats
vaginal dryness
painful sex
low libido
forgetfulness
weight gain
mood changes
dry skin, hair loss
breast volume loss
urinary issues
palpitations
headaches
joint pain
How do hormones become imbalanced?
Hormone imbalance refers to hormone levels that are too high or too low. In addition to the natural shift that occurs in our perimenopausal through postmenopausal years, there are several factors that can impair our beautifully intricate hormone balance and its sacred inner-workings including age, genetics, and environmental factors. For example, after the ovaries shut down their production of hormones, lower levels can be maintained by the adrenal glands, making adrenal health an important focus area. When hormones are out of alignment with their biological rhythms we see a host of wide-ranging problems affecting energy, weight, skin, mood, focus, metabolism, immunity, libido, menstrual cycles, disease risk, and much more! However, with the right environment and intervention, hormone levels can be rebalanced just as easily as they became imbalanced. There is much to work on, outside of or in addition to BHRT, to mitigate potential issues before, during, and after menopause.
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Causes of Hormone Imbalance
natural aging
digestive issues
high, chronic stress
poor nutrition & lifestyle
inflammation & infections
thyroid & adrenal problems
certain conditions & medications
trauma (physical, emotional)
dysregulated blood sugar
genetic predispositions
overweight/obesity
toxin exposure
sluggish detox
How do hormones become balanced?
Treatment for hormone imbalance is individual to each woman depending on her medical history, health goals, personal preferences, and lab results. It may involve hormone replacement and/or non-hormone-replacement therapies. The goal is to find the lowest level of intervention that yields the highest level of efficacy, for long-term benefits and minimal-to-no risk. Functional lab testing is used to identify the underlying causes of hormone imbalance, design a targeted treatment plan, and monitor/modify that treatment plan over time. The integrative healthcare model, involving referrals and collaboration among healthcare providers when needed, is used to ensure that each woman always has access to the care that she needs.
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Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
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HRT entails giving hormones to the body to replace deficient or suboptimal levels to relieve symptoms/consequences associated with perimenopause/menopause and restore optimal function of the body. There are synthetic and bioidentical forms of HRT.
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Synthetic hormones are sourced from animals (e.g. urine of pregnant horses) and processed in a lab to have a slightly different molecular structure than the hormones your body makes naturally (allows them to be patented), producing similar physiologic effects.
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Bioidentical hormones are sourced from plants (e.g. yams, soy) and processed in a lab to be identical in molecular structure to the hormones your body makes naturally (does not allow them to be patented), producing the same physiologic effects.
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BHRT offers a natural intervention for regaining healthy hormone levels that is safe, effective, and always tailored to your specific needs. BHRT must be prescribed by a licensed provider. *Dr. Valdez specializes in BHRT and only uses bioidentical (plant-derived) forms.*
Nutrition, Lifestyle, & Supplementation
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BHRT, although a wonderful option, is not the only option for treating hormone imbalance. Often times, nutrition, lifestyle, herbal/ nutraceutical supplementation, and other integrative wellness tools are used as first-line interventions before starting BHRT, in addition to BHRT, or as an alternative to BHRT.
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Many women are not quite ready yet, or don't quality for, BHRT but are still struggling with hormone related issues. A customized treatment plan is given to all patients, on or off of BHRT, to help relieve symptoms, prepare the body for a graceful menopausal transition, and support optimal health and hormone balance after menopause.
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All treatment protocols are designed with physiology and evidence at its core, ensuring we are working with the body, tackling conditions at their root, and doing what is safe and actually works.
1
Discover
Schedule a free call to discuss your goals and determine if we're a good fit to work together.
2
Evaluate
Schedule an initial consult to review your medical history and order appropriate lab testing.
3
Treat
Schedule a lab review for
a thorough explanation of your results and a personalized plan.
4
Maintain
Schedule regular follow ups
for continual health education, lab testing, and overall optimization.
H O W I T W O R K S
I M A G I N E
sleeping deeply through the night
losing weight and keeping it off easily
thinking clearly and remembering quickly
enjoying an abundant and satisfying sex life
slowing the aging process
having good, stable moods
being free of bothersome symptoms
preventing heart/bone/brain degeneration
regaining your energy and vitality
feeling in control of yourself and your life again...
Struggling with symptoms or just "feeling off" that could be due to hormone imbalance? (even if your labs are "normal")
Seeking a deeper understanding of how your hormones are affecting your (changing) body?
Looking for natural, effective, and sustainable ways to balance your hormones and protect your health?
Yearning for more comprehensive and individualized care than you're getting from conventional doctors?
Ready to experience all of the amazing benefits that BHRT has to offer?
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Curious to learn more about BHRT and if you are a good candidate?
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Already on HRT but wanting to optimize your regimen or come off it completely?
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Planning to switch from the synthetic form (birth control) of HRT to the bioidentical form?
A R E Y O U
Suffering through menopause is not "just part of being a woman" - it doesn't have to be this way. There is a lot that can be done to prevent and treat issues related to menopause. Menopause is not a disorder, disability, or death sentence. It's a chance to accept your changing body and embrace a new beginning. There is beauty in all seasons of life. Contact us today to schedule a virtual consultation and get started on your hormone balancing journey!
B A L A N C E
