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Slow Your Clock Down
Original Air Date: March 22, 2007
There may not be a magic pill or injection you can take to stop your body from aging completely, but Dr. Judith Reichman says there are things women can do to slow down their clocks. Dr. Oz talks with Dr. Reichman, author of Slow Your Clock Down: The Complete Guide to a Younger, Healthier You, about suggestions for menopausal and premenopausal women.
- Hormone replacement therapy: Dr. Reichman says she often suggests that patients start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) before age 51, then end or lower the dosage after four or five years. While the medical community has battled over the safety and effectiveness of HRT after some women suffered from strokes, heart attacks and breast cancer after or while taking hormones, Dr. Reichman says many of those women started taking the hormones when they were well into menopause instead of at the first signs. "The pros of what hormone replacement therapy can do outweighs the cons in early menopause," she says.
- Libido: Dr. Reichman says before she prescribes a hormone to someone with a diminished libido, she takes a complete medical history of the patient. Certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihypertensives, antihistamines and some birth control pills, can lower your sex drive, Dr. Reichman says. Fatigue, stress, depression and communication with your partner can also play a part in a weak libido. "It is a very complex issue and it is not a question of, 'Lets check a single hormone, and if it is low, let's throw that hormone at that patient,'" she says.
- Skin treatments: Dr. Reichman says everyone's skin ages differently based on genetics and other factors, such as sun damage. Checking for skin cancer by visiting a dermatologist once a year is something Dr. Reichman says every woman should do. Moisturizing your skin, especially your face, is also a routine Dr. Reichman recommends. "You want to use a good moisturizer after you get out of a bath to maintain the water in your skin," she says.
- Intestinal problems: Dr. Reichman says as women age, many suffer from chronic constipation that can last for three months at a time. "The GI system (gastrointestinal system) is a very important system, and chronic constipation occurs, we think, in at least a third of women," Dr. Reichman says.
- Supplements. Dr. Reichman says women should take a multivitamin and get 1,000 units of vitamin D every day.
Related Resources
- Slow Your Clock Down: The Complete Guide to a Younger, Healthier You by Dr. Judith Reichman
Related Links
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The information provided here is for entertainment and informational purposes. You should consult your own physician before starting any treatment, diet or exercise program. The opinions expressed by the hosts, guests and callers to Oprah & Friends are strictly their own.
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