Oprah to Devote Entire Show to Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

Boca Raton, FL - January 12, 2009 - BodyLogic MD, a national network of highly trained, anti-aging physicians offering bioidentical hormone therapy integrated with fitness and nutrition programs, is reminding patients to follow Oprah Winfrey’s journey of discovery regarding her recent diagnosis of a hormonal imbalance – first hyperthyroidism and later hypothyroidism – and her dedication to achieve overall health and balance in 2009 are focus topics of this week’s Oprah’s Best Life Series. BodyLogicMD experts explain that symptoms like Oprah’s can be warning signs that hormones are out of balance and bioidentical hormone therapy may be beneficial.

On Thursday, January 15, Oprah will devote her show (“Bioidentical Hormones, Part 1”) to bioidentical hormone therapy, uncovering the “Who”, “What”, “When”, “Where” and “Why” of bioidenticals and the roles estrogen, progesterone and testosterone play in the endocrine system.

"I wanted so many other women who are going through the same thing to check on [themselves] and recognize that, first of all, it's an issue that we all share in common, especially if you're of a certain age," Oprah commented during an interview with Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of The Wisdom of Menopause. "That 25 percent of perimenopausal and menopausal women experience some kind of issue with their thyroid at some time and most women don't know that that's what it is."

Regarding her symptoms and the variety of diagnoses she received, Oprah says, “I couldn't sleep at night. I started to have heart palpitations and some leg swelling. My doctor said, 'You need to get off of salt.' And I instinctively knew that it wasn't salt, and so I went from that doctor to another doctor to another doctor. By the time I'd been to the fourth doctor, I was on heart medication, I was on blood pressure medication and [medication] for heart palpitations."

“Oprah is like so many of our patients who have seen many doctors before finally reaching us and learning that depleted hormone levels are the source of their symptoms,” says Dr. Alicia Stanton, BodyLogicMD Chief Medical Officer and hormone therapy expert. “It is clear how critical it is to locate an expert physician who specializes in identifying hormone imbalance. BodyLogicMD believes testing hormone levels through comprehensive blood, saliva and/or urine testing is the first step to achieving hormonal balance. Our extensive tests have always included panels to accurately measure hormone and thyroid levels. These tests also measure cortisol for adrenal stress and general health metrics, such as comprehensive metabolic and complete blood count panels. Hormonal balance is then attained with a customized plan which usually includes a combination of bioidentical hormone therapy, nutrition and exercise.”

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland found at the base of the throat, plays a crucial role not only in secreting hormones to control one’s heart rate and to maintain healthy skin, but also to regulate the metabolism. An overworked thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can result in a racing heart, sleeplessness and weight loss. An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can lead to symptoms, such as fatigue, joint and muscle pain, weight gain and even the onset of depression. The good news is that thyroid imbalances can be successfully stabilized through proper testing and treatment using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Viewers have watched Oprah attempt to overcome issues with her weight – and witnessed both her weight loss and gain over the years. Her continued difficulties opened the door for health and fitness experts to shed more light on the many factors that may be involved for those of us trying to improve our health. Learning that a hormone imbalance is at the root of her most recent 40 pound weight gain has led Oprah to offer her audience a whole new outlook on health and wellness, including the impact of bioidentical hormone therapy with her new “Best Life Series”.

Oprah noted that her thyroid issues are now in balance, but added, "So many of us wait—we don't hear the wake-up call. What will it take to bring you into balance? What will it take for you to care enough about yourself? Don't wait until you have caused harm to yourself before you realize that balance was what you needed to give to yourself.”

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