Category Archives: Resources

How to Select an Online Canadian Pharmacy: Tips from an Industry Insider

If you’re taking prescription medicines regularly, say for hormone balancing, or blood pressure, you’ve probably compared prices offered by the big chains like Costco or Walmart with your local pharmacy. But did you also research the cost of meds from Canadian pharmacies online? Perhaps you were concerned about their legitimacy or integrity of products. I certainly was. However, I’ve learned how to order with confidence, thanks to some tips from an industry insider that I’ll share with you here.

When searching online for Canadian pharmacies, you’ll have a lot of choices. However, the only ones you should consider are those that display a seal from PharmacyChecker.com. This is a U.S. Based company, founded by Dr. Tod Cooperman who also founded ConsumerLab.com, an independent evaluator of dietary supplements and nutrition products. (see my earlier article about this company).  They continually evaluate and monitor pharmacies operating online and through mail-order to determine that they are safe to buy from.  Their website offers a robust price comparison feature to help consumers find the lowest priced products. The participating pharmacies pay a fee to apply and have membership status as a verified, trust-worthy business, just as Good Housekeeping runs their well-known “seal of approval” program. … [Read more]

One in Three Women Have Incontinence or Other Type of Pelvic Floor Disorder (And Some Are in their 30s)

One third of all women in the U.S. suffer from some type of “pelvic floor” disorder,  a term that covers a number of conditions ranging from a leaky bladder, frequent urinary tract infections to a more serious “dropping” or prolapse of a pelvic organ. Many women experience early symptoms (they leak urine when they sneeze, for example) but choose not to discuss them with their doctor because they find the subject too embarrassing to talk about or they mistakenly attribute them to normal aging. … [Read more]

I’m Going To The Source for the Most Up to Date Info on Menopause

This week I will be attending the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society where the the latest scientific research on menopause and midlife women’s health will be presented.  I’ll be listening to and interviewing national and international experts on a wide range of health topics we’re all … [Read more]

Sex After Menopause: A Doctor’s “Recipe” for Continuing Enjoyment

Many women over 50 are uncomfortable asking their physicians about health conditions that are affecting their sex lives.  Are you one of them?   It’s not easy talking about a non-existant libido, wimpy orgasms, or vaginal dryness with anyone.  Yet these are common complaints of post-menopausal women. I wonder how many suffer and endure because they are too embarrassed to discuss it with their doctor.
If you fall into this category, I want to introduce you to Dr. Barb DePree. She’s an OB/GYN and menopause care specialist who has a private practice in West Michigan and serves as director of the Women’s Midlife Services at the local hospital there.  You may not live nearby,  but you can ask her anything through her website called MiddlesexMD. It’s a terrific resource. And she’s generous to reach out to the thousands of women who have no one else to turn to for answers. … [Read more]

Need Help Managing Your Menopause Symptoms? Here’s a Tip

It’s a sad truth that many women are frustrated by their doctor’s inability to help them manage their menopause symptoms. Either the office visits are just too short to deal with the complexity of the problems, or the physician just doesn’t have the expertise that’s needed.  Too often women leave a doctor’s office with a handful of prescriptions–  for sleep aids, blood pressure management and anti-depressants — when what they really need is hormone balancing. … [Read more]

An Independent Lab Says Not All Menopause Supplements Live Up To Their Label Claims

If you’re trying to get through the menopause transition au naturel, that is, without the help of hormone therapy, you’ve probably tried several over-the-counter  products containing Soy and Red Clover Isoflavones (an estrogen-like plant compound), Black Cohosh or Progesterone cream to help with common symptoms like hot flashes, or insomnia.  But finding a Menopause supplement that works for you can be a daunting and expensive process because there are hundreds of brands to choose from, all with different formulations and proprietary blends.  Since the FDA nor any other federal or state agency routinely tests supplements for quality prior to sale, how do you know if a product contains the ingredients promised on the label and in sufficient amounts to work? … [Read more]

How To Save Money on Prescription Medicine

Hormone balancing is an expensive proposition. There’s no doubt that hormone therapy and other supplements can put you on an even keel so that you’ll feel normal again. But just how many of us can afford the consultations with medical professionals (Ka-ching!), lab testing (Ka-ching!) and finally, the annual cost of  Hormone Therapy and over-the-counter supplements (Ka-Ching). Even with a good insurance plan, the high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs force many women to go through the menopause transition feeling miserable.

In the course of my research, I’ve discovered some online resources that can really save you money on lab tests and prescription drugs. In this post, I’ll focus just on the medicines and I’ll tackle the lab work in a separate blogpost soon. Here are two ways that you can save on many of your prescription drugs, including hormone therapy. … [Read more]

Serious Minded Blogs By and For Mid-Life Women

When it comes to health and wellness information, there is no shortage of good online resources to choose from. I often start my research at websites like WebMD, Organized Wisdom and Women To Women when I want a good overview or general information about a particular topic.  But I’ve recently discovered three websites that are written by women who share my interest in women’s health in mid-life and aging well. Their selection of topics always seem to coincide with what’s happening to me health-wise, or what I want to know more about. Their commitment to solid research and reporting also inspires me to continue the work I do on this blog and to make it as informative as theirs. So, here are my recommendations for three serious minded blogs by and for our crowd: … [Read more]

Get Free Expert Advice on Menopause Solutions with a Leading Expert on Natural Remedies

Pharmaca, an integrative pharmacy, is hosting a free webinar on Menopause Solutions with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, a recognized expert in herbal medicine and integrative approaches to women’s health. (She’s a trained herbalist AND a physician — a rare combination!) When you register for the April 6th session, you’ll have an opportunity to submit a question for her. I’ve heard Dr. Low Dog speak and if there’s anyone that can give you the straight talk on herbal remedies for menopause related problems such as insomnia or anxiety, she’s the one you want to hear from.  (See my 2009 interview with her here). … [Read more]

Check Your Health and Fitness with These Free, Online Tools

If you’re wondering how healthy you are, there are many online calculators that can help you gauge your status on everything from your Body Mass Index (BMI) to your bone density, and heart health.  But there are a lot of other free online tools that can help you with healthy meal planning, calorie counting and  fitness training.  I found a website that offers a list of 50 Online Fitness and Nutrition Calculators and I’m sure you’ll find some of them to be especially helpful.  Here are a few of my favorites: … [Read more]