"The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind." —Maya Angelou
This quote sums up what I felt like ten years ago when I learned that, at menopause, a woman's health is as good as it gets.
Sitting in conferences about women's health, I learned how women suffer preventable death from heart attack more than men, and back in Grand Rapids, I started to see how too many women suffer in silence from menopause symptoms. Most chronic illnesses—such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis—are preventable. I thought, "Why is more not being done?"
I am an OB/GYN and have been honored with the privilege of caring for many women in West Michigan over the last 25 years, delivering their babies and being present to help with health issues. Ten years ago, I had an "aha" moment and was faced with questions I could not answer, such as:
"Why am I gaining weight when my habits have not changed?"
"Why am I having night sweats?"
"Why do I have anxiety when my life is good?"
"I had breast cancer—is it possible for sex to not hurt?"
I was not trained to answer these questions and decided it was time to become educated. By attending medical meetings, I became armed with knowledge to address my patient's questions and discovered that many options do exist to improve symptoms. The result? Happy patients.
At true. Women's Health, we use the latest medical knowledge to take the mystery out of menopause. We provide practical tools for goal setting and empower women to choose and attain the health they want. Women are different than men, and we use a proactive approach to provide all-around care designed for busy women.
June** was 54 when she saw me for her annual exam and complained about how her body had changed since her periods stopped. "I am doing the same things I always have—eating healthy and exercising—but now I am gaining weight and always feel tired!" Her sleep was disturbed by night sweats, sex had become painful, and she had "brain fog" at work. What bothered her more was that her cholesterol and blood sugar had gone up, and she did not want to have a heart attack, like her mom!
Studies show that good choices in early menopause make a life-long difference and taking estrogen early in menopause can slow heart disease progression. By offering June information, tools and options, she felt back in control and left our appointment with hope. At true. Women's Health, we believe it is our job to find out what each woman cares about and utilize that for change! true. Women's Health intends to change the world, one woman at a time.
**Not her real name.
Written by Diana Bitner M.D., NCMP, FACOG, Chief Medical Officer, true. Women's Health.
Courtesy of true. Women's Health.
