This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C. Send all comments or additions to: Frankp@chiro.org
If there are terms in these articles you don't understand, you can get a definition from the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary. If you want information about a specific disease, you can access the Merck Manual. Search PubMed for more abstracts on this topic.
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The Chiropractic And Infertility Page
This page reviews numerous case studies which demonstrate a relationship between spinal dysfunction and infertility.
Ease Into Menopause Naturally
“Choice” is a concept closely associated with the generation of women now making their way through menopause. It is a concept that throughout most of their lives has motivated, bitterly divided and most of all conditioned these women to question the status quo--from civil rights to reproductive rights. So it comes as no surprise that when the vanguard of this generation experienced the onset of menopause and discovered that easing their symptoms meant choosing among their hearts, bones and breasts, they demanded more--more research, more guarantees, more choice in menopausal management options.
Estrogen's Two-Way Street
The continuing controversy over the health benefits and risks of estrogen is a complex and evolving story. Part of the reason is because estrogen is a much more complicated substance than originally believed. Although most people think of estrogen as a single entity, these hormones are actually three biochemically distinct molecules the body produces naturally—estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). These three estrogen molecules have different activities that make them more or less "estrogenic." The estrogenic activity often determines the mutagenic or carcinogenic potential of an estrogen.
Understanding Premenstrual Syndrome
Statistics today indicate that as many as 30 percent to 40 percent of menstruating women commonly experience some symptoms of PMS during the premenstrual period. In recent years it has been observed that PMS symptoms occur in definable clusters, leading to four distinct medical classifications.1 Most women experience one or a combination of these symptom clusters.
Menopause- Stopping The Symptoms Before They Stop You
Forty-five million women are menopausal in the United States today, and another 3.5 million women will become menopausal this year. Based on life expectancy trends, women face the prospect of spending the last one-third to one-half of their lives in a state of hormonal imbalance. The quality and quantity of life for these women will be determined by how well they (and their doctors) manage their hormone-replacement needs.
Hot Flashes: A Review of the Literature on Alternative and Complementary Treatment Approaches
Alternative Medicine Review 2003 (Aug); 8 (3): 284–302 ~ FULL TEXT
Hot flashes are a common experience for menopausal women, with an 85-percent incidence in the West. With the increased knowledge of side effects attributable to conventional treatment options, more women are exploring natural alternatives. Although more definitive research is necessary, several natural therapies show promise in treating hot flashes without the risks associated with conventional therapies. Soy and other phytoestrogens, black cohosh, evening primrose oil, vitamin E, the bioflavonoid hesperidin with vitamin C, ferulic acid, acupuncture treatment, and regular aerobic exercise have been shown effective in treating hot flashes in menopausal women.
Soy Isoflavones May Cut Menopausal Cardiovascular Risk
A woman's body goes through many changes during menopause—some of them with potential to affect cardiovascular health. When women's estrogen levels decrease during menopause, blood vessels can become rigid and less responsive to changes in blood flow and blood flow-altering mediators such as nitric oxide. Until now this decline in cardiovascular health was a risk women had to face if they opted against hormone replacement therapy. But research published in the March issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism [1999;84(3):895-8] suggests that Promensil, an isoflavone-based dietary supplement derived from red clover, may help women maintain blood vessel elasticity and prevent hypertension during menopause.
Natural Menopausal Treatments: What's Hot, What's Not
The growing interest in natural menopausal treatments is partly because standard synthetic hormone replacement therapy has been linked to symptoms such as vaginal bleeding, bloating, and breast tenderness, as well as higher risks of breast and endometrial cancers. And although the scientific proof backing alternative treatments is not yet as extensive as it is on HRT, there is considerable evidence that natural remedies can indeed reduce the number and intensity of symptoms, all with mild or no side effects.
Soy Isoflavones for Women's Health: Is Soy a Viable Alternative to Traditional Estrogen Hormone Replacement?
In April and May of 1998, newspaper headlines were buzzing with news of the latest cancer prevention pills. Two prescription drugs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, were found to reduce the risk of breast cancer. There were drawbacks to the pharmaceuticals, however, as there usually are: Tamoxifen increased the risk of endometrial cancer and pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), and raloxifene users were more likely to suffer from hot flashes and leg cramps.
Estrogen Replacements
This article discusses the three "natural" human estrogens (estrone, estradiol, and estriol), the so-called xenoestrogens (including "designer estrogens" like tamoxifen and raloxifene, and Pesticides and Herbicides, which also induce estrogenic properties in humans), and the Phytoestrogens (derived from red clover, soy and certain other legumes). It then discusses the safety of phytoestrogen replacement for hormonal balancing.
The Black Cohosh Page
Research and articles about this herb, which can reduce menopausal symptoms without side-effects.
The Dong Quai Page
Research and articles about this herb, which can reduce menopausal symptoms without side-effects.
The Soy Protein Page
A large collection of articles and abstracts about this wonderful food and it's varied health benefits.
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