Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) + Menopause - hear what a Naturopathic Doctor has to say!

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and we always recommend that you talk to your doctor and do your own research on what is best for your body.  Similar to Birth Control, Hormone Replacement Therapy is a hormonal medication and has risks that you should explore before making any decisions.  Today on the Period Chats podcast, Kate talks with Dr. Ashley Alexis, naturopathic practitioner and owner of Golden Leaf Health Center in San Diego, California. Dr. Alexis breaks down the slightly complex and very important topic of hormone replacement therapy for us. Biological women with menstrual cycles are producing estrogen and progesterone in alternate peaks throughout each cycle. After menopause, whether it has occurred on the common timeline or after a hysterectomy, chemo treatments, or early menopause, these and other hormone levels drop. Hormone replacement therapy brings those hormones back into the system after they’ve waned (and can also include thyroid hormones and others when they’re found to be insufficient). When Dr. Alexis opened her practice, she discovered that many women had experienced a gap in the traditional medical system in the area of hormone health - some given birth control without being informed of other options, some being prescribed anti-depressants before exploring hormone solutions, and some even being told it was all in their head. She decided to focus on helping these patients, many of whom were in perimenopause or menopause, to explore bio-identical hormone therapy which uses naturally-sourced hormones as opposed to synthetic. Many patients experience relief from insomnia, brain fog, anxiety, and digestive issues. Dr. Alexis breaks down what the research has to say about the safety of long-term hormone use, and it’s different than you might have heard. Supplementing hormone levels after menopause has even been shown to REDUCE certain risks, including cancer. Kate and Dr. Alexis touch on gender bias, aging stigma, the lack of adequate education around hormones, and why hormone replacement therapy got stigmatized for a while. We’re so stoked to share this honest and insightful conversation with you; let’s get empowered as we learn from the best! Check out Dr. Ashley Alexis’s clinic here: www.GoldenLeafHC.com If you have any questions you’d like Kate to ask Dr. Alexis in a future episode, email us at [email protected]