Weight and appearance now define social and economic opportunities, whereas surname, old school tie and family network used to. Celebrities, movers and shakers and the wealthy are active participants in the wellness revolution today, establishing a beachhead in diet, exercise, vitamins, nutritional supplements and reversing the ageing process. People are actively pursuing healthier lifestyles but don’t have the time for it and there is an upsurge in interest in cosmetic alterations and anti-ageing treatments.

What is wellness? It’s about prevention rather than cure. Curing being the prevail of the medical or the sickness industry. People don’t necessarily choose sickness but can actively choose wellness. The medical industry tends to treat the symptoms, not the underlying problem but very often people have neglected themselves for too long, offering little alternative. Even pharmaceutical companies are more incentivised to spend R & D resources on treating rather than curing ailments, and certainly have little interest in prevention. Because of their economic might they exercise a great deal of influence in the medical fraternity. Health-care funding is a R40 billion+ industry in South Africa alone.

In an increasingly chronic stressful environment, people have less time and look towards “a pill for every ill” solution instead of focusing on the discipline required to establish a sound physical infrastructure. Food, diet and exercise are often neglected. In the USA, 61% of the population are overweight and in ill health. This situation is matched in other developed countries and it is reasonable to assume that a similar picture is emerging in advanced developing nations like ours. The processed and fast food industries have grown exponentially but there is an increasing movement towards healthier lifestyles. This is reflected amongst the wealthier echelons of our population and mirrored by the growth and success of the gym/fitness sector.

Many modern maladies are explained away as a consequence of the ageing process but more and more people will come to realize that stress-related ailments, headaches, body pain, fatigue, arthritis and thousands of other common ailments can be combated by a focus on lifestyle choices. Many existing holistic health practitioners are seen as fringe and also often don’t exploit proven business practices but in the USA, the burgeoning wellness industry represents a turnover of $200 billion pa and some anticipate it will grow to $1 trillion within the next 10 years. Around the world the size of the opportunity is enormous for business minded operators.

Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is a common medical treatment that can relieve the symptoms of menopause. It is also sometimes used to lessen aging symptoms in men. Although it can be helpful, hormone therapy also comes with many health risks. For this reason, every person should discuss the decision to use hormone treatment with their doctor.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that consists of medication prescribed to women by a family physician. The medication is designed to counteract the effects of menopause. These medications contain female hormones like estrogen and progestin, which is a man-made version of the naturally occurring progesterone. Hormone therapy can alleviate many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. Although usually used to treat women, a form of hormone therapy for men is also available to treat low levels of testosterone.

History of the Treatment

Hormone therapy has been around since the 1930′s, when estrogen was used to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. In the 1960′s, doctors found more reasons to use HRT and family physicians began prescribing it more often. Throughout the next ten years, doctors used hormone therapy to treat everything from hot flashes to depression. It was approved by the FDA to treat menopause at first. In the 1980′s it was also approved to treat the loss of bone density. By 2002, it became apparent that hormone therapy can cause serious health problems and the frequency of prescription went down greatly.

Benefits to Hormone Replacement

There are a few benefits to using hormone replacement therapy in the short term. Women seem to gain protection against the loss of bone density, colorectal cancer and heart disease. Studies show that this lowers the chance of fractures and broken bones. The decrease in heart disease occurs when hormone therapy is started at the beginning of menopause. Of course, benefits also include the reduction in menopausal symptoms like mood swings and trouble sleeping as well.

Shortcomings of the Therapy

There are a number of side effects that have decreased the use of hormone therapy medication by family physicians over the past ten years. Taking estrogen medication without progestin increases the risk of uterine cancer. Long term use of hormone therapy is linked to abnormal mammograms, a higher risk of blood clots and an increased chance of certain cancers. For some, the benefits can outweigh the risks of hormone therapy, although family physicians usually recommend it only when menopause symptoms are too difficult to live with.

Hormone replacement therapy has decreased over the past ten years, although it is still an effective treatment for some individuals. HRT can reduce menopausal symptoms and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Still, the side effects and health risks associated with the process make it necessary to carefully consider the therapy before choosing it for long term treatment.