Dear Friends,
It wasn’t long ago that most patients trusted their health-care providers absolutely. They went to their doctors and essentially said, "Here I am. Make me better." They swallowed the pills, endured the treatments, and pretty much left their health up to the doctors and pharmaceutical companies. For many patients, this was enough. But in many other cases, this approach just scratched the surface of the treatment plan that men and women required to become well.

Patients with symptoms such as chronic fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, anxiety, accelerated aging, and stress-related physical complaints don't usually respond well to the quick fix, and today, most are ready and willing to take an active role in their own health and wellness. They are tired of feeling hopeless about their symptoms, and they are hungry for information about what they can do to help themselves. These are the people who have become my patients. 

In 1991, I began seeing patients, mostly women then, who were desperately seeking relief from female complaints such as hot flashes, PMS, low libido, and menstruation problems, to name a few. Many reported that their symptoms had been dismissed by other providers as “normal” or “something to live with” or even “all in your head.”

They didn’t believe it, and neither did I.

On the contrary, I believe that wellness is based largely on hormonal balance, and that when equilibrium is restored, so is health. That is why I began measuring patients’ hormone levels long before the practice began edging toward mainstream medicine. After interpreting test results, I suggest lifestyle modifications, over-the-counter supplements, and, at times, natural bioidentical hormones to return patients to balance. I show them how to improve their diets, reduce stress, and get adequate exercise and sleep. When necessary, I prescribe hormones to treat hormone imbalances.

Restoring balance is a process that can take time and requires the patient’s full participation, but the results have been remarkable. My commitment to providing this type of care has only deepened.

Unfortunately, primary care emphasizing hormonal health isn’t available everywhere, and I am passionate about getting this potentially life-changing care to people who need it. To this end, I have written two books: The Hormone Survival Guide to Perimenopause—Balance Your Hormones Naturally, and Surviving the Teenage Hormone Takeover—A Guide for Moms. The books draw on my experiences with patients in my primary care clinic, Ventana Wellness PC, which combines traditional and alternative medicine with an emphasis on hormonal health.

I have also established an online hormone consulting service, Hormones in Balance, which enables anyone with a computer and a telephone to receive hormone testing and one-on-one consultation and testing no matter where they live.

If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, you owe it to yourself to explore your options. Don’t settle for “it’s all in your head”, or “just a normal part of adolescence”, “what happens to everyone as they age”.

You can feel better, look better, be better. It’s up to you.

To your optimal health,