VD Women's Health and Fertility Consulting

27/04/2022

I have recently discovered that advertising herbal treatments is very hard - while it's normal to see s*x related and condom ads, advertising herbal treatments (or attempting to do so) raises red flags on platforms such as Google and Pinterest. Facebook may easily ban an add mentioning the word "va**na". This means that women (or their partners and spouses) do not receive enough information about safe alternatives when it comes to managing chronic conditions such as functional infertility, reduced fertility, endometriosis, fibroids and weight issues connected to insulin resistance. The female reproductive system which is so essential to our health is one of the most responsive systems to herbal treatments. Please note that herbal programs and packages are not designed for acute and sudden conditions but for the management of chronic conditions such as functional infertility, reduced fertility, endometriosis and fibroids. Should you experience acute symptoms such as sharp pain, sudden discomfort, discharge, or bleeding, please contact your GP or Emergency. If you would like more information, please contact me on vdhealthconsulting@gmail.com.

27/04/2022

My consulting business is designed to help and support women dealing with functional infertility, reduced fertility, endometriosis, PCOS, insulin resistance, post-partum or menopausal weight management who would like to consider herbal treatments and/or lifestyle changes. I decided to establish the consulting business when I realised through my own personal experience that women suffering from these conditions receive very little support beyond the initial diagnosis. While the mainstream medical profession tends to offer acute management, not much is offered in terms of managing chronic conditions. This means that women suffering from these conditions often feel isolated, unsupported and imprisoned due to their condition which prevents them from enjoying their life. I am here to tell you that it doesn't have to be this way. Often, we tend to be sceptical when it comes to the effectiveness of herbal treatments. I would like to let you know that when it comes to managing the chronic conditions such as functional infertility, reduced fertility, endometriosis, fibroids and weigh issues due to insulin resistance, herbal treatments and/or lifestyle changes tend to be quite effective. Herbal treatments offered by VD Fertility and Women's Health Consulting are made from high quality herbal extracts. If you would like to consider a different and safe alternative, please reach out to me - I would be happy to support you on your journey to a healthier and happier you. To read my own personal story and book a consultation, visit: vdfertilityandwomenhealth.com

22/03/2022

Endometriosis - hormone therapy

Endometriosis is an estrogen dominant condition which means that estrogen and progesterone (s*x hormones which regulate our period) are out of balance. Estrogen is essential for normal reproductive development in women. Our ovaries make most of the estrogen hormones although fat cells and adrenal glands can also produce small amounts. It is thanks to estrogen that our breasts grow, and our hips become wider. It also plays a role in bone development and hair growth. It also helps to regulate the menstrual cycle, so it has a role to play in getting pregnant. Estrogen can also affect our mood.

A type of estrogen called estradiol regulates the growth of endometrium (the lining of the uterus). In endometriosis, endometrium found in the uterus starts to grow elsewhere in the abdomen. High levels of estradiol can lead to following symptoms:

breast tenderness
fatigue
nausea
vomiting
headache
excessive va**nal bleeding
skin rash
brain fog
weight gain around waist, hips, and thighs
low s*x drive
anxiety
depression
In addition, high levels of estradiol can contribute to following conditions:

PCOS (polycystic o***y syndrome)
breast cancer
non cancerous lumps in breasts
uterine cancer
fibroids (non cancerous uterus growths)
endometriosis
Your GP can test your hormone levels with a blood or urine sample.

Hormone treatments can alleviate the severity of the symptoms associated with endometriosis. They can be prescribed in the form of a pill, an injection, and a nasal spray. Your doctor could prescribe one of the following hormone treatments:

Oral contraceptives or birth control pills
The therapy contains two hormones: estrogen and a progesterone like hormone called progestin. If a woman is at risk of cardiovascular disease or blood clots, progestin-only pills could be prescribed to ease the menstrual flow and reduce pain. A woman takes the hormone containing pill for 21 days, followed by sugar pills for 7 days to mimic the normal menstrual cycle. In some cases, women will take the hormone containing pills continuously, without worrying about the sugar pills in which case the period may stop altogether. In some cases, sugar pills may be taken only for a couple of days every three months which helps to reduce or eliminate the pain associate with endometriosis.

It is important to emphasise that oral contraceptives do not cure endometriosis - they suppress it, so to speak. When treatment stops, endometriosis symptoms may return. Some side effects of taking oral contraceptives may include weight gain, bloating or bleeding between periods.

Progesterone and progestin
They can be taken as a pill, by injection or through IUD. They improve symptoms associated with endometriosis by either reducing or stopping the period. This would prevent pregnancy from occurring.

An IUD can also be inserted - when it contains progestin, it may ease the pain associated with endometriosis in addition to reducing menstrual flow as well as the size of lesions. If you decide to go for this option, you need to be aware that one third of women do not longer get their periods after a year of use.

If taken by injection, these hormones will initially reduce the menstrual flow during the first year of use after which menstruation can stop altogether. After stopping the injections, the period usually returns after a couple of months. It's important to emphasise that woman can still get pregnant on this kind of hormone therapy. Side effects may include depression, weight gain or irregular va**nal bleeding.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapy
This kind of hormone therapy is a modified version of gonadotropins which are hormones produced by the pituitary gland which stimulates go**ds (te**es and ovaries) to increase the production of s*x hormones and stimulate production of s***m and ova (eggs). Main gonadotropins are follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormones (LH).

This kind of hormone therapy sends the body into a menopausal state. They can be taken in a low or high dose as a pill. The low dose pill should not be taken for more than 24 months, and the high dose pill should not be taken for more than 6 months as it may cause bone loss and/or heart complications.

GnRH can also be taken as a nasal spray or as an injection. The most common side effects are depression, joint pain, headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping, and absence of periods. After stopping the GnRH treatment, the body comes out of the menopause, the menstrual cycle resumes, and pregnancy is possible. As with all hormonal treatments, endometriosis symptoms tend to return after the treatment is stopped.

It's very important that women ask their doctor to discuss all of the options thoroughly, so that they could make an informed decision. Considering how hormones can affect us both physiologically and psychologically, it's important to consider all sorts of treatments, including herbal medicine. Your doctor may know very little about herbalism. Therefore, a woman should see a knowledgeable herbalist for more information. As I've mentioned in other blogs, the reproductive system is quite responsive to herbal treatments with regards to chronic conditions such as endometriosis.

22/03/2022

Endometriosis - an invisible disability

Names have been changed.

Clara is a 27-year-old woman who lives with endometriosis on a daily basis. The condition can be so debilitating at times that she struggles to get out of bed.

Endometriosis is a reproductive system condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows on other organs. It can be extremely painful and cause heavy bleeding. In addition, it can cause severe anxiety, reduced fertility or infertility. Endometriosis can impact the person's ability to walk or stand up. When this happens, Clara is forced to use a wheelchair.

The condition can be so debilitating that it can severely impact everyday decision making as well as the quality of life. Endometriosis can be managed with laparoscopic surgery where a surgeon inserts a slender viewing instrument (laparoscope) through a small incision near the navel and uses instruments to remove endometrial tissue and possibly the old scar tissue through another small incision. Laparoscopic surgery does not cure endometriosis. Rather, it helps to make it more manageable and easier to live with.

After surgery, your doctor may recommend taking hormone medication in combination with pain relievers to help improve pain. Hormone therapy can only be used if you are not trying to get pregnant.

"Hysterectomy with removal of the ovaries
A surgeon may also perform laparotomy. The difference between laparoscopy and laparotomy is that the former tends to be minimally invasive, whereas the latter is considered a major surgery during which the uterus could be removed. Surgery to remove the uterus (hysterectomy) and ovaries (oophorectomy) was once considered the most effective treatment for endometriosis. But endometriosis experts are moving away from this approach, instead focusing on the careful and thorough removal of all endometriosis tissue."

A friend of mine who was living in England at the time had hysterectomy in order to deal with severe endometriosis. She was in her thirties back then, and her doctor did not want to perform hysterectomy straight away. He asked her to wait for a year in case she wanted to have more children. She didn't have any and decided to stay that way, so after a year, she was determined to go ahead. The hysterectomy did help her, but it also resulted in early menopause.

"Having your ovaries removed results in menopause. The lack of hormones produced by the ovaries may improve endometriosis pain for some, but for others, endometriosis that remains after surgery continues to cause symptoms. Early menopause also carries a risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) can sometimes be used to treat signs and symptoms associated with endometriosis, such as heavy menstrual bleeding and painful periods due to uterine cramping, in those who don't want to become pregnant. Even when the ovaries are left in place, a hysterectomy may still have a long-term effect on your health, especially if you have the surgery before age 35."

According to a Mayo study from 2018, some of the health risks may be:

14 percent higher risk of abnormal blood fat levels
a 13 percent higher risk for high blood pressure
a 13 percent higher risk for high blood pressure
a 13 percent higher risk for high blood pressure
The study was done on 2100 women all of whom had undergone hysterectomy, with the ovaries not removed. It should be noted that the Mayo study was using retrospective data (using existing data that have been recorded for reasons other than research), so it's hard to determine whether other factors apart form hysterectomy would have contributed to these health risks..

Therefore, it's important to discuss all treatment options with your doctor such as endometrial ablation (a procedure whereby a thin layer of tissue which lines the uterus is removed - this should only be considered if you are not planning on having any children). The reason why a woman may not be able to get pregnant after the ablation is that the egg needs the endometrium in order to implant itself in the uterus. Pregnancies that may occur after ablation are not normal. Endometrial ablation is not surgery, and your health care professional will use an instrument to reach the uterus through the va**na.

Sometimes endometriosis may affect other organs such as the bowel or ureter (the tube from the kidney to the bladder). If this is the case, a woman may require further surgery in future.

"Finding a doctor with whom you feel comfortable is crucial in managing and treating endometriosis. You may want to get a second opinion before starting any treatment to be sure you know all of your options and the possible outcomes." (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354661 #:~:text=Even%20in%20severe%20cases%20of,tissue%20through%20another%20small%20incision.)."

A health care professional should make it clear that there is no cure for endometriosis. Treatment options are designed to deal with heavy bleeding, pain, and infertility. Your doctor should take into account your age, the severity of your symptoms, the severity of the endometriosis itself, and whether you want any children. Please bear in mind that endometriosis could return after the treatment or surgery (with the exception of hysterectomy as it's a radical procedure removing the uterus and/or ovaries.

Clara's major source of anxiety is not knowing how other people, including medical professionals, will react to her condition. In the past, she's come across doctors who did not believe her. The fact that endometriosis is often misdiagnosed and mistreated makes offering proper support and treatment more difficult. Asking for help can be quite difficult, and women with endometriosis can feel quite isolated. Doctors may not take into account how the disease could affect the person in all aspects of their life, including their identity and sense of self.

Endometriosis tends to be quite responsive to herbal treatments. While there is no guarantee, they will not cause any harm, and it's worthwhile giving it a go in conjunction with some lifestyle changes. Herbal treatments tend to be gentle treatments, meaning that it may take some time, for example, a week or a couple of weeks.

Please check ABC Australia for more stories on how women could be affected by a certain reproductive system condition. I have found it a great source of information.

22/03/2022

"I thought you would make a great mother"

When my daughter was born, I contacted a friend in Austria to let her know I had given birth (she herself has three children). She congratulated me and said something quite interesting: "I was thinking of you the other day and said to myself that it was a pity you didn't have any children as you would make a great mother".

I found that statement quite interesting. She did not take into account whether or not I wanted to have children. If I do not wish to have any and wish to devote my life to my career or whatever else I may be interested in, then I would not make a good mother despite her seeing me as caring and motherly at times.

Contrary to the popular belief, it is not children who give our life meaning - there are mothers and fathers who may regret becoming parents even though they love their children. A 2016 German survey by YouGov showed that one in five fathers and mothers said they regretted becoming parents. there is a Facebook group called “I Regret Having Children”, where people post anonymous stories. It has over 28,000 followers.

It is us who give our lives meaning, with or without children. They are not extensions of ourselves. We do our best with our children, and then we let them go to forge their own path in life. According to perinatal relationship counsellor Elly Taylor, the author of Becoming Us, a lot of parents don’t anticipate how significant the changes to their lives will be and do not feel prepared for the challenges of parenthood.

"Some people expect being a parent to make their life happier, or make them more in love with their partner, and we know from research that is not the case. From counselling I know that when a parent can understand the reasons for their feelings and have those reasons validated, it’s almost as if those feelings clear up.”

Regrets can be rooted in something as simple as not having enough support. According to Taylor, "maybe their relationship is suffering. It’s common that having children puts tremendous stress on a relationship and a couple may also need marriage counselling.”

I decided to have a child because I wanted to be a mother. For me, the major advantage of having a child in my forties is that I have no regrets about not having done something or having given something up. I am exactly where I want to be. Parents who do not feel the same need support and counselling.

Do not let anyone talk you or criticise you into being a parent because they think you should or your life would not be meaningful otherwise. Behind closed doors, some people may be jealous of your lifestyle. They may also have good intentions, but we should not assume that we know what is best for others or what should make them happy.

For more information on Elly Taylor's book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Us-Couples-Surviving-Parenthood/dp/099238561X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Becoming+Us+elly+taylor&qid=1562715232&s=gateway&sr=8-2

22/03/2022

"Your heart knows the way, run in that direction."

These words by Rumi are filled with simple wisdom. Even before I become a mother, and especially now that I have become one, I often look at my daughter and ask myself what I am supposed to give her, to pass on. The answer is if I can teach her to listen to her heart, her intuition, her gut, I will have done my job.

Due to romantic Hollywood stories, listening to one's heart is often equated with being compulsive and not thinking with one's head. This couldn't be further from the truth. Listening to one's heart means being faithful to one own's truth and following it as often as possible. It means living at peace with oneself.

For example, when she feels in her gut that a certain job may not be right for her, and she should follow a different career path. Or, when she may feel that the company of certain people should be avoided without being overly concerned how that may be perceived. That she would not be so worried about being liked or accepted by everyone. That she would prefer her own company to the company of a less than a good man. That she would not be overcome by adversity and would be able to decide with confidence whether to persevere or let something or someone go.

In order to learn this, she will need my and her father's guidance. We are ready to provide it. But what about those of us who did not learn this lesson early on? Can we learn it later in life? Is there hope for us? The answer is, yes, we can, and, yes, there is.

The easiest way to do it is to learn to spend some time in quiet every day, with our eyes closed - to meditate. Meditation is so beneficial because it frees the mind from the everyday chatter, and it aids in release of established emotional reactions, bonds, and patterns, so that we can get back to ground zero - our heart - and start living with more joy, confidence, and determination.

"There is a voice that doesn’t use words, listen."

22/03/2022

Killing you softly - the effects of toxic advertising

Author and critic Jean Kilbourne best known for her documentary Killing Us Softly explains how subconscious messages in food and image related advertisements can have a negative impact on our self-worth and our relationship with food.

According to Kilbourne, we can encounter up to 3000 advertisements per day and may spend a total of two years of our life watching commercials. Many of the advertisements we encounter centre on female beauty and weight loss. We are bombarded by idolised images and unwanted advice on how we should look and what we should consume and do to achieve the ideal. Even when we are ignoring the advertisements, their message does affect us subconsciously. We end up comparing ourselves to these images and inevitably fail to live up to them. It is often forgotten that those images are filtered and manipulated within an inch of their life. Kilbourne also called for greater transparency in the use of Photoshop in advertising and fashion spreads

What is worrying is that 50% of three- to six-year-old girls in the USA worry about their weight (unfortunately, it's not just the USA anymore). On the island of Fiji, women and girls started dieting after the arrival of television, whereas prior to it, they had no idea that something was wrong with their weight in the first place.

Food is often promoted as a proxy for human relationships - for example, get a chocolate if you need a lover. Food advertisements promote both bingeing and guilt, thus helping to create a compulsive consumer.

Kilbourne called for a transformation in the way we think about food. “The solution to obesity isn’t to make girls hate themselves,” she said. Instead of focusing on weight or BMI, they should be helped to turn their focus on being healthy and having energy. “If we learn to eat healthy, natural, preferably local food with pleasure, and if we exercise with pleasure, our bodies will get to the weight and shape and size that they were genetically meant to be.”

One thing is for certain: If we truly learned to do this, we would become a more conscious consumer and less likely to be influenced by toxic advertising.

For more information, visit:

Jean Kilbourne appeared at Smith College on September 19, 2019 for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Killing Us Softly, her pioneering documentary film series about media representations of women.

17/03/2022