Why I haven't written lately?

I have been so upset over the misinformation about the health care crisis that I have done nothing but study and arm myself with info. Yes, it is confusing and there is a lot of information and some of it deliberately confusing.

In nurses training we were constantly instructed that the "patient was ALWAYS THE most important aspect of care". We always protected the patient. One of my favorite movies is a movie called "People Will Talk" with Cary Grant.... In it he plays a Doctor and one of my favorite lines is when he says "We make sick people well". That's what I thought we were doing in nurses training.

As I have gotten older and watched the profession that I love change I have not been happy with the changes. We are letting insurance companies dictate what we can and cannot do to help our patients. Good health doesn't seem to be a goal. Ten to fifteen minute visits are designed it seems so we don't get sicker. Insurance companies aren't the only ones. Hospital administrators used to be Doctors also, not just money makers. We MUST put the heart back into health care not just money.

I didn't leave the hospital because I wasn't making enough money but because the money I was making wasn't worth it. I got tired of fighting for what was right and good about our profession. And watching "others" get paid not to take care of patients but to invest money in places where it doesn't belong. You may not remember but Insurance companies never were set up to make a profit. They would pay the claim in a timely way because that money was yours. The hospitals were paid and tests were gotten, surgeries were done and even rides to the hospitals in ambulances were also paid all by insurance companies. NO Questions asked. Just Paid.

Now, the dance is submit a claim, get it sent back to you with questions that are clearly answered by the bill that is submitted. REPEAT until the patient dies or we just get too frustrated to deal with it any more. The money that you pay is their money not yours and you have to justify your NEED of it back. This is why most GOOD Doctors don't want ANYTHING to do with insurance. I'm personally still waiting for two claims that I submitted for two different clients and I have waited two and a half years for the money that I deserve.

My Kumu Huna once said that real fatigue comes from hard work or not getting paid enough for what you're doing. And there is another reason... fighting for something and never getting anywhere.... It begs the question what is insane? Doing the same thing over and over and wanting a different response.

I hope that this has brought questions to you and that you're now not afraid to ask them.

Why do physicians focus on Estrogen?

Estrogen is an important hormone yet it isn't the only hormone that decreases as we age. Thyroid hormones, growth hormones, DHEA, and testosterone all decline with age.

However, research has determined that estrogen affects other areas of the body not just the reproductive areas. Estrogen plays an important role in the production and maintenance of bone and it has demonstrated a protective role in heart health. It also has a positive influence on behavior and moods.

The metabolism of estrogen within the body is a complex subject. The simplified version is that it starts with cholesterol (see, cholesterol is important). Most of the cholesterol in your body is actually produced in your liver. Having a clean, well functioning liver is a good place to start for proper metabolism of estrogen and general good health because your liver is the clearing house for toxins (this doesn't mean you go out and do a liver cleanse. That's a whole other topic).

Estrogen metabolism is also dependent on other factors such as proper cellular levels of vitamins E and folic acid. There is also another subset of estrogen known as Phytoestrogens which are natural hormones found in plants that have a somewhat similar action to those of human estrogen. These are found in significant levels in soy and flaxseed. They have been known to reduce the symptoms of low estrogen without increasing the risk of certain cancers. Because of the risk factors involved in increasing estrogen or taking hormone replacement therapy, it is important that you spend time discussing your choices with your health care professional. As always, my reminder to you is to NOT self-diagnose and/or self-prescribe.