Happy Holidays!


Well, it's the season again! And how the year has flown by with its ups and downs, life experiences beginning and ending, children evolving, beauty, tears, and soul! And now we open ourselves to the joys of this season, to being alive and sharing life with those we love.

First, a few tips on making healthy food choices this holiday season:


Next, a few recent developments I want to share with you.

One occurred on November 23, 2009, when two juries awarded verdicts totaling $113 million to two women who took Premarin and/or Prempro and got breast cancer. These are synthetic hormone replacement drugs that have been known since the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study to cause cancer, strokes, and heart attacks.

There are many more cases awaiting trial, and it is sobering to think that if these drugs had been tested appropriately before they were introduced on the market, a huge number of women would have had much lower risk of getting these major illnesses.

Remember that this Women's Health Initiative study was based exclusively on these synthetic hormones. It did not include any bio-identical hormones even though these "natural" hormones had been on the market for at least 20 years before Premarin and Prempro.

However, a large body of credible medical literature has reported on the use of "natural" estrogen and progesterone to treat menopausal symptoms with no negative side-effects as far back as the 1930s and 1940s. That literature continues to accumulate from the US to Europe and other parts of the globe.
If you are interested in reviewing some of that literature, I suggest that you go to our new website at www.gordonmedical.com or www.aaim.com after it goes live on December 11. Under "Resources" and then "Bioidentical Hormones," you will find links to several sites where this kind of information is available.

Finally, the recent report by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on breast cancer screening has caused quite a stir, and I believe that it needs some discussion. Researchers and clinicians developed these recommendations after pouring over available research and health statistics over the past two years. They were intended to be non-biased, non-governmental suggestions concerning the state of our breast screening practices.

I do not believe that these guidelines were intended to be forced onto women, or to be a mandatory standard for insurance companies. Personally, I am convinced that we are best served by a policy that lets each woman consult with her own health care provider and decide what would be best for her given her specific health circumstances.

I still believe that mammograms, thermography, ultra-sounds, and biopsies, when used appropriately, are important testing tools to help us stay current on our breast health. I also believe that those of us who choose to use bio-identical hormones need to evaluate our breast health on a regular basis.

That evaluation includes doing a regular monthly self-examination of our breasts. I have had several patients over my 28 years of clinical practice who have found their breast cancer early because they were doing these exams regularly. And, it doesn't cost a thing...or require a clinician's order! So by all means, keep doing these exams for the rest of your lives! And teach your daughters how to do it!

It is ironic that we continue to expose ourselves to multiple harmful chemicals, drugs (including synthetic hormones), and food products, and engage in negative lifestyle practices that elevate our risks of breast cancer and yet complain about mammogram testing and its minimal radiation exposure. The recent article in the Press Democrat "Are we spreading cancer in the kitchen?" by Nicholas D. Kristof, addresses one such area of growing concern. I understand any woman's concern regarding radiation, but let's put our life choices in perspective in considering our risks and not just reject mammograms outright.

In closing, I am grateful to have had the opportunity over this past year to interact with each of you to help you create health and wellness in your life. Thank you for trusting me with this very important and intimate area of your life. It is a privilege to work with each one of you.

May your holiday season be filled with joy, care, and peace as you share time with family and friends.

Here's to a healthy year ahead!

Blessings of the season,


Jane


Jane Kennedy
Nurse Practitioner

Gordon Medical Associates