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VIRGINIA HOPKINS HEALTH WATCH BLOG

FROM the HEALTH WATCH BLOG

Fifty Shades of Low Testosterone
I've been trying to figure out why the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogyis so popular. Is it because men are less manly than they used to be? Their testosterone levels are lower, their sperm counts are lower, and they’re fatter. Now this has its positive aspects….

List of  possible causes of our health problems… add yours
…around which entire commercial industries have been built…

Nutrition and Ensure – AdSides
Are Ensure drinks really all about nutrition?

When a parent goes to the emergency room
The phone rang at 5 a.m. on a Sunday, but I somehow incorporated it into a dream and didn’t wake up. It was my 84-year-old mother on the other side of the country, leaving a message that she’d probably had a stroke and was about to be put into an ambulance and taken to the emergency room. After hearing her message a few hours later my thought was, the good news is that she can still talk and understands what’s happening.

How to sleep more deeply
Q: I’ve been reading that REM sleep helps with memory and erases stress from that day. As a college student I really need a good memory and have a lot of stress, but there’s not much info about what increases or decreases REM sleep. Do you have any suggestions?

Hormone Testing and Pregnancy
Q: I was wondering what the steps are for the saliva testing for progesterone and estrogen. I experienced a miscarriage 3 days after taking a home pregnancy test about 4 months ago. I have concerns about my progesterone levels after ovulation. My questions are how soon after the start of menstruation do you test? I seem to ovulate around days 16-18 of my cycle. How fast is the turn around? Thanks in advance for any additional information you can send me!

Muscle Loss and Testosterone in Older Men
Q: My Dad is 86 years old and is starting to get pretty rickety. He has trouble getting up out of chairs and his legs are weak. I suggested he take some testosterone but he wants nothing to do with it (he’s getting cranky too). I love my father and hate to see him declining this way. Do you have any suggestions for helping him get his strength back? And maybe his good humor too? Our whole family would be grateful!

Low thyroid and depression
In the early 1900s, doctors often considered depression to be a symptom of low thyroid levels. We now understand that depression is about more than low thyroid, but still, they were onto something. Today many doctors are again turning to thyroid medication for their patients with depression.

Estriol and lubrication “down there”
Q: My husband and I have both recently retired and we’re trying to get our sex life going again, but I am terribly sensitive and dry “down there.” I’ve tried some lubricants but it still hurts. There’s a history of breast cancer in my family so I want to be careful about hormones and was wondering if estriol is safe. Do you have any suggestions?

Progesterone and breastfeeding
Q: I have a patient who had great success with eliminating fibroids with progesterone use and quit mid-pregnancy, which allowed the fibroids to return. I want to start her on the therapy again, but want to confirm the safety with breastfeeding. Can you point me in the direction to find such information?

My Latest Book has Hit the Shelves!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, my latest book has hit the shelves. Co-authored with Jennifer Landa, M.D., The Sex Drive Solution for Women: Dr. Jen’s Power Plan to Fire Up Your Libido is a no-nonsense, information-packed guide for women in need of a libido reboot.

Too little salt also raises heart disease risk
It’s well-established that in overweight people, too much salt in the diet significantly raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. A new study shows that too little salt also significantly raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and hospitalization for congestive heart failure.

Drugs most likely to send you to the ER
For people over 65 there is one group of drugs that is responsible for almost half of emergency room visits.

MORE HORMONE BALANCE RESOURCES

Need Help Deciding Which Hormones to Test?
Take the Hormone Balance Test
For Women
For Men

Hysterectomy and Natural Hormones

PMS and Hormone Balance