Aging with Expansion

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…

If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colors
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job,
or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…

~ Martha Madeiros

The problem in middle life, when the body has reached its climax of power and begins to decline, is to identify yourself, not with the body, which is falling away, but with the consciousness of which it is a vehicle.

This is something I learned from myths.

What am I?
Am I the bulb that carries the light?
Or am I the light of which the bulb is a vehicle?

One of the psychological problems in growing old is the fear of death.

People resist the door of death.

But this body is a vehicle of consciousness, and if you can identify with the consciousness, you can watch this body go like an old car.
There goes the fender, there goes the tire, one thing after another— but it’s predictable.

And then, gradually, the whole thing drops off, and consciousness, rejoins consciousness.

It is no longer in this particular environment.

~Joseph Campbell

The Power of Myth The Power of Myth

This morning I was thinking about the movie Sliding Doors.
Have you seen it? It's an older movie about how the trajectory of our lives can be so shifted by the slightest different action.

I feel like I have been making so many plans and decisions based on the needs of sometimes just myself and my husband, and then when making holiday plans taking all the adult kids and their interests into consideration.

There is nothing wrong with being thoughtful of others, but every once in awhile I believe it is really important to create space to think about what your decisions and desires would be, if it were just about you.

What recent situation or decision can you call upon, to run through a 'what if it were just about me, what would I choose or do' filter?

It could be an interesting exercise. I would love to hear what comes up for you.

I was speaking with someone who has RA, so badly she receives monthly infusions of chemo. She is 61 and does not use HRT.
I felt there could be an association with estrogen, and did some research. Seems there could be...

I have attached a study.
https://jme.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/jme/69/1/JME-22-0010.xml

Estrogen-mediated differential protein regulation and signal transduction in rheumatoid arthritis Exploration of the dual and opposing facets of estrogen necessitates a clear understanding to diminish the controversy of estrogen regulation in averting the systemic, autoimmune, joint degrading disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Experimental evidences consider estrogen as a pivotal enzyme to...

Progesterone Benefits

Progesterone is primarily made in the ovaries, however, a small amount is also produced in the adrenal glands. In pregnancy, progesterone is also made by the placenta. The word “Progesterone” originates from Latin. “Pro” means “for,” and “Gesterone” means “gestation.” Progesterone tends to have a relaxing effect, easing stress and improving sleep.

Child-bearing women who have low levels of Progesterone have more miscarriages and uterine fibroid tumors. One of the roles of Progesterone is thickening the endometrial lining to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. If this doesn’t occur due to low levels of Progesterone, or if levels don’t rise after implantation of the egg, then pregnancy can’t be sustained.

As women transition from their child-bearing years towards menopause, they go through a period of perimenopause. It is during this time that Progesterone and other hormone levels begin to wane. This is one of the reasons that women can start to have irregular or heavy periods, and why they may start to have difficulty with sleep. Replacing lost progesterone with bioidentical progesterone can ease and even eliminate those symptoms.

Benefits of Progesterone
Progesterone is sometimes thought of as the miracle hormone. It has a calming effect on both the mind and the body. Depleted amounts can cause mood swings and increased anxiety and/or depression. Progesterone is also classified as a neuro-steroid which means that it stimulates normal brain processes and helps the nervous system to function properly. We recommend taking your bioidentical Progesterone before bed since it has a sedative effect and can help resume normal sleep cycles. Other benefits of Progesterone supplementation include:

Eases anxiety
Promotes memory
Helps to prevent overgrowth of certain types of cells, which can help protect against some cancers including those of the breast or the uterus
Helps to prevent overgrowth of cells of the endometrial lining and prevent endometriosis from forming
Helps prevent fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts
Helps with symptoms of PMS
Increases ability to handle stress
Helps the metabolism by contributing to the use of fat for energy
Assists in preventing plaque from forming on arterial walls
Helps to lower triglycerides
Essential for bone growth
Assists in the proper function of the thyroid gland
Can help to slow down the aging process
Improves insomnia
Improves libido
Reduces or eliminates migraines
Reduces inflammation and joint pain
Regulate menstrual cycles
Reduce hot flashes
Reduce weight gain
Progesterone is one of many hormones that your body produces, and they work together like instruments in a symphony do. Imbalances or deficiencies in one hormone can affect others. Progesterone and Estrogen work together, and if levels of Progesterone are low, this can create a condition called Estrogen Dominance if the ratio of Estrogen to Progesterone is too high. The two hormones also work together to balance the body’s release of insulin and if levels are not optimized, you can have an increased risk for Insulin Resistance or Diabetes.

Bioidentical Progesterone can be administered orally, vaginally, or through a cream applied to the skin. Your provider can help determine what method is best suited for you.

Is it Safe?
Bioidentical Progesterone has many benefits. There can be some confusion around this topic because the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) halted hormone replacement therapy studies which included over 80,000 women, due to safety issues, including an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots. It’s important to understand that the WHI was researching the use of synthetic progestins, and not bioidentical Progesterone.

Another thing that can contribute to more confusion for women is that not all providers have not stayed up to date on current research because they don’t specialize in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). Because of this, some physicians believe that estrogen and progesterone only should be prescribed together if a woman still has her uterus (for protective properties to the uterus) and usually will only prescribe estrogen by itself. However, every cell in a woman’s body has both an estrogen receptor and a progesterone receptor and protective benefits are realized throughout the entire body, and not just the uterus.

A bioidentical hormone is molecularly identical to what is produced in the body. Conversely, Progestin is a synthetic hormone with a different molecular structure. It does not metabolize the same compounds, and instead of providing protective health benefits, it actually has some serious health risks. The most commonly prescribed synthetic Progestin used in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is MPA, or Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, which, as the Women’s Health Initiative revealed, can be dangerous.

After the Women’s Health Initiative did their studies on synthetic Progestins, bioidentical Progesterone (and other hormones) have been studied extensively, and no harmful side effects have been noted. These studies have shown that Progesterone can not only help with unpleasant side effects noted in menopause and perimenopause but can also provide long-term health benefits.