Dr. Leita Harris has been delivering health care to women in the Inland Empire in California since 1990. Harris started Nurturing You Women’s Health & Wellness in June of 2015 after 25 years of practicing in multi-specialty groups. Throughout her career, Dr. Harris has found the need to re-examine ‘medicine’ and the methods with which she was practicing. In 2008, Dr. Harris transitioned into a role that allowed her to see only GYN clinic patients and her use of bio-identical hormones in practice began to blossom as she continued at this practice until 2015, at which time she founded Nurturing You.

Haute Beauty expert Dr. Leita Harris shares how female hormone imbalance can be managed with various modes of delivery.  

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The natural part of life for women is dealing with PMS, Menopause, Peri-Menopause, Postmenopausal, and the plethora of symptoms related to a decline or absence of female hormones. As age starts to take a toll on our bodies and we worry about the brutal effects of hormone imbalance, it is in women’s best interest to understand what is about to come their way.

Dr. Harris specializes in stabilizing your hormone levels and getting to the root of why you’re experiencing these symptoms. This imbalance in our bodies is a direct result of hormonal changes that signify a new stage in our lives that is important to be aware of due to the possible physical challenges it can impose on our bodies. Gaining insight into the stages of hormone imbalance and the ways we can regulate these cycles will aid in minimizing life-disrupting symptoms.

What is PMS?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a term that has gained a large stigma around it. The expression is most commonly used in a setting when a woman experiences mood swings. Many believe that PMS is the main cause of a women’s highs and lows of emotions when in reality it is not. Factually, PMS can impose increased stress on women which can develop incidental conditions like anxiety.

PMS can cause physical symptoms like pain, constipation, and fatigue. These are side effects that can put a strain on your external life starting about one to two weeks before your menstrual cycle, generally right after the time you ovulate. Depending on your specific symptoms and how severe they become, your PMS treatment plan may include birth control pills, diuretic medications, dietary counseling, exercise planning, herbal supplement, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is likely that your PMS symptoms could worsen which will result in another form of treatment, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

What is Perimenopausal?

Perimenopause is the period of changes that occurs before you enter menopause. This transitional period, known as perimenopause, can mimic the symptoms of menopause and may require professional medical assistance to manage!

During perimenopause, your estrogen levels rise and fall in uneven patterns throughout the month. Because you can start to skip ovulation, progesterone levels decline. Progesterone is produced after ovulation so an absence of this “calming” and “balancing” hormone in the presence of fluctuating estrogen can wreak havoc on your moods, sleep patterns, menstrual patterns, menstrual flow quality and quantity, and cramping, among others.

Natural progesterone (NOT synthetic progestins), with or without very low dose estrogen support and/or quality, pharmaceutical grade supplements is the preferred solution. Essential oils are another alternative as is CBD.

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What is Menopause?

Menopause is most infamously known for causing those sudden hot flashes that leave you dripping in sweat but there is SO MUCH MORE! As your hormone levels drop and become unbalanced during menopause, you may experience many types of issues including vaginal dryness, mood swings, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, impaired memory and focus, bladder problems, decreased sex drive, and more. A clear sign of menopause is an abrupt halt in your menstrual cycle for a period of 12 consecutive months when there is no other reason to not have your cycles (e.g, endometrial ablation or progestin releasing IUD).

Before these uncomfortable and embarrassing menopause symptoms start taking over your life, find out which treatment options are right for you.

One of the most effective treatment solutions is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) with SottoPelle® pellets. The breakthrough technology behind SottoPelle BHRT involves implanting pellets underneath your skin. This treatment delivers natural hormones directly to your bloodstream 24/7, so you never have to worry about hormonal fluctuations and the continuing return of severe symptoms. Dr. Harris also offers bioidentical hormone in a cream base, gel base, organic oil base, suppositories, and other formulations that can target specific symptoms (like vaginal dryness).

What is Postmenopausal?

The years following menopause are termed postmenopausal. This time frame is a period when your hormone levels remain at a constant low level. Menopausal symptoms may begin to slowly subside and you will no longer experience monthly menstrual cycles.

Many women chose to continue to use hormonal replacement throughout the postmenopausal years to maintain optimal vitality, muscle strength and tone, skin turgor, quality sexual function, bone, bladder, and vaginal health. The choice is yours but there is no need to suffer when options for management are available.