Hormone Optimizing Warrior M.D.

If you're a woman who struggles with pain and discomfort during intimacy, you're not alone. There are a multitude of conditions that limit women in terms of intimacy, and they suffer in silence. In this episode, we're diving into this topic and sharing possible solutions.

As women age and go through menopause, they experience significant shifts in their hormones. These shifts, such as the loss of estrogen, can lead to vaginal dryness and other issues of sexual dysfunction. The good news is that estrogen deficiency is easily addressed through a cream or vaginal insert.

Once a woman loses her estrogen, it does not come back. This is important to note for women looking to balance their hormones when balance is no longer an option. Once the ovaries have run out of eggs, we have to deal with the reality of final estrogen loss in women and the difficult symptoms that come along with this change.

Most women will need to try various hormone replacement methods until they find the perfect one for them. There's no reason to fear it either. Any concern about the relationship between estrogen replacement and cancer is unfounded—cancer rates naturally rise as we get older no matter what.

If you want to restore intimacy, there is help out there. Estrogen replacement is worth trying, even if you've tried it before and the method you used didn't work for you. You should feel encouraged to try a different method of delivery with a doctor who is well versed in hormone replacement therapy.

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We're continuing our conversation about concierge medical practices this week. There were a few reasons I decided to go with a membership practice; the first one being financial survival.

Our healthcare system has been compromised, and something has to change. Doctors have almost no choice but to go cash and stop accepting insurance or go concierge to survive. The membership fee isn't put in place for profit, it's there for necessity.

In an insurance-driven healthcare market, medical providers are penalized if they decide to spend a longer amount of time with patients. Providers are compensated more greatly if they see four patients over one hour, rather than seeing one patient for that full hour. This is just one example of how the healthcare industry is driven by greed.

You may have visited medical offices where the practice hasn't invested in growing their team or adding the latest supportive technology. These are two things we do invest in to make our services the best they can be. We have even made it possible for our patients to text us so they can reach us more easily.

It's additions like this that make it easy for patients to choose to pay the membership fee. We focus on education, but this takes an investment in training and equipping our staff with the information they need. Ultimately, only you can decide if a membership practice is right for you. If you value your health, it may be worth it to you.

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Do you know what the benefits of a concierge medical practice are? There are a few to cover for both doctors and patients. In today's economy, our purchasing power has been reduced. So, everyone wants to know: is a medical practice membership really worth it?

The simple answer is that if you can get the same services—quantity and quality—from someone else who does not require a membership, it's not a good deal. But all medical practices are unique and will provide their own specific services. It really depends on the quality of service and the type of services you need.

Many medical practices must go concierge to keep their doors open. If you feel frustrated about not being able to afford the care you want, consider the root cause. It's not the doctor's fault. Behind the curtain, doctors themselves have very little options unless they want to be at the mercy of the insurance companies.

The vision for my practice has been in the works for a very long time. For 12 years, I have been building and developing my team, technology, and services while making minimal profit. I would love to be able to help my patients out of the goodness of my heart, but that's not feasible if I want to continue helping clients achieve hormone optimization while restoring their highest level of health.

I love my job, my team, my patients, and all that we can do for them. It's worth more than money, and it makes it easy to get out of bed in the morning. If you take anything from this episode, remember that in most cases, your doctor and their team are truly there to help you.

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Let's get back into part two of our discussion about valuable markers to look for when it comes to anti-aging. In the first episode, we covered markers such as a cardiovascular assessment, body composition, and cancer screenings.

Both men and women should be undergoing regular colonoscopies to screen for cancer. If possible, opt for a whole-body MRI to screen for various cancers—many can be caught before they become symptomatic. There are also blood tests that can help test for cancers in the very early stages.

A bone density evaluation is also important when it comes to aging. This scan should be done as a baseline when you are 50. By testing early, you can identify your level of risk for problems down the road. For women specifically, it's very important to do regular mammograms and annual pap tests. Men should be doing regular prostate checks.

The importance of vision and hearing testing is often overlooked, but it should also be considered as a marker of health as you age. Of course, you will have to seek an outside provider (like an ophthalmologist and a hearing specialist) to complete these exams. You may also need to seek out blood testing in separate facilities too.

This all can add additional time and effort to getting a comprehensive view of your health, which is why there aren't many people over 50 who seek out a full view of their anti-aging markers. In our wellness exams, we take our time to cover all of the important aspects of aging. It is crucial at this age to have health professionals on your side who are committed to walking the journey with you.

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What are the most valuable things to focus on when making an anti-aging plan with your doctor? In this episode we're discussing just that. Everyone's body changes over time, but you can make aging easier if you get support sooner rather than later.

Over time, you may start to notice your energy levels decline—and perhaps you are softer in areas than you were before. Weight loss or even maintaining your weight becomes more difficult as we age, and your mood may also change too. Some of these changes are subtle, but they are bound to happen as a part of aging.

The most important part of your anti-aging wellness exam is the time spent assessing your current state of health. This should be a thorough interview that covers every system in the body. A comprehensive blood test should be ordered, even if you have zero signs and symptoms or generally feel great.

Your doctor should also do an in-depth cardiovascular assessment. The reality is there aren't always signs and symptoms when you have a heart problem. Heart disease gives no warning, which is why preventative care of your cardiovascular health is essential. A cancer screening is also crucial—the statistics show that digestive cancers and respiratory cancers are the most dangerous as we age.

Abdominal visceral fat is also a key marker for wellness as we age. Your metabolic health is important too, so make healthy choices when it comes to what you include in your diet. In the next episode, I'll share even more anti-aging markers to prioritize with your health professionals.

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Chronic stress is recognized as a major stress of disability and mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, stress is a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural response, and it prompts us to take action under certain circumstances. However, when stress becomes chronic, it can be very damaging to our health.

Chronic stress is associated with many different health consequences. What you do, what you think, and how you feel when you're stressed matters—and it greatly impacts your body. If you want to live a long life, you have to be able to manage stress when it comes up.

If you're stressed for a long time, cortisol will be released for a prolonged duration. This can lead to adrenal dysfunction, which means your body is releasing too much cortisol or not enough. Chronic stress can also lead to maladaptive coping, for example drinking alcohol. This will negatively impact your liver, hormones, and more.

Stress zaps your energy, and it can make you feel fatigued no matter how much rest you get. It also damages and weakens your immune system, leaving you prone to illness and infections. Long-term stress damages your gut lining, resulting in a cascade of symptoms that can heavily impact your gut health, and it could even lead to autoimmunity.

Stress hurts your sleep, which keeps your body and brain from recharging when it needs it most. Chronic stress plays a significant role in the onset of serious psychiatric conditions. It can also accelerate aging. Make time for family, friends, fun, and physical activity regularly to ease your stress levels and stay healthy.

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Let's continue our deep discussion on preparing for menopause. In part one, we talked about the changes you can expect in perimenopause and menopause, and explored the importance of awareness around this hormonal shift. In this episode, we're exploring specific ways you can support this transition.

If you want to improve your experience going through perimenopause and menopause, you should first consider how you feel about hormones. If you think you'd like to explore hormone replacement therapy, you'll want to align yourself with a doctor who has expertise in that area.

It's important to remember that a loss of hormones has a significant effect on your body, whether that loss brings you to an average rate or not. Just because you still have expected rates of hormones present doesn't necessarily mean you're producing the optimal amounts for you.

Estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone are not dangerous. They do not suddenly cause cancer after you turn a certain age. The naysayers are usually missing out on crucial information, leaving them considerably misinformed. Hormones administered at the correct dosage and with the proper consideration for hormonal balance are perfectly safe.

So, what's the magic hormone for menopause? Testosterone can do wonders for your mood, energy, and sex life. There are different methods you can try, and if you give it some time to get your dosing right, you could get a boost that makes you feel like you're decades younger. Menopause can look however you want it to. The choice is yours.

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Is there such a thing as preparing for menopause? This is a topic not many people are discussing, but they should be. Menopause impacts women, but that impact will also have an effect on the other people in their lives, like their partner and children.

Many women struggle with procrastination when it comes to prioritizing themselves. However, the best thing we can do for ourselves is prepare for menopause early on so we can have the tools to make this transition easier. The first thing you need to prepare for menopause adequately is awareness. Ignoring it won't make it go away.

Perimenopause is the transition into menopause, and it can last anywhere from two to ten years. This is when hormones decline, and so does egg quality as well as egg quantity. All women should know this, especially those in their 30s who still desire to have children. The more eggs you have, the longer you will produce natural progesterone and estrogen.

Understanding and knowing what is happening in your body is crucial for a smooth navigation through this time in your life. Perimenopause brings a lot of hormonal fluctuations, and therefore a lot of ups and downs. There will be changes to your metabolic rate, desire for intimacy, and more.

The changes in hormones can also alter the way you react to stress. In fact, one might see a possible correlation between hormonal changes in men and women and the breakdown of marriages when a couple reaches their 40s or 50s. Hormone therapy can help couples deal with some of these issues and symptoms, but lifestyle changes that support a healthy, balanced body should be the first priority.

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In this episode, we're continuing our conversation about wellness checks in your 40s. Last time we discussed weight, height, body mass composition, and cardiovascular health. Blood pressure, specifically hypertension, is a silent killer and is another very important aspect of your health that you should know about.

Most doctor's visits are brief. They spend about 15 minutes with you, and they may order some simple blood tests—but they don't often invest in your longer health journey. Comprehensive wellness checks should include an in-depth analysis of all the important markers. Keep this in mind if you're choosing a new doctor in your 40s.

Men are experiencing a low testosterone epidemic, and this is regardless of age. This is something that men in their 40s should address with their doctor. For women in their 40s, it's common to experience perimenopause, a stage in which estrogen and progesterone production declines. Women should be able to share details of their cycle to their doctor during a visit.

If you're overweight or obese, you'll want to have your doctor check your fasting insulin and fasting glucose. Insulin resistance is the beginning of diabetes, and if you catch this during the pre-diabetes phase, it is reversible.

Cortisol isn't that important to look at in your 40s unless you're concerned about adrenal dysfunction. Many cancers manifest at this stage in life, making this a good time to be diligent and check your family history for cancer. Focus on your essential wellness markers and create a starting point so you're walking into your 50s as healthy as you can be.

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What is important when it comes to your health in your 40s? The 40s is an important decade of life because it's one of subtle decline; the beginning of widespread changes to come. While you might feel like you're in good health, there are still some key things to pay attention to. The sooner you make these things a priority, the better.

In your 40s, look for a doctor that has the energy, time, and dedication to create an aging plan with you. It might cost you to find a physician that can work with you on this, but it's worth it—especially if you can add on bloodwork that will give you even greater insights into your health status.

A health checkup at this age should include your weight, height, blood pressure, and circumference of your abdomen. It's also critical to look at your body mass composition. If you're avoiding having these numbers checked with your doctor, you're choosing to stay in the dark, but it won't change the reality you're facing.

There are also many devices that can be used as tools to help you with anti-aging. Some of these can even help you with subcutaneous fat, which is extremely difficult to get rid of. When you're working towards greater health, don't get discouraged that you're not where you want to be. Keep moving forward, because the effort you put in now counts.

For men, elevated resting heart rates is something to pay attention to. It should never be over 80. Your exercise heart rate should also be within a healthy range. Investing in your health now matters if you want to feel well in your 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.

Connect with Dr. Cernaianu

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