"Managing Menopause"
Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, IFMCP, a functional and aesthetic medicine provider at the Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville is passionate about educating her patients about the benefits of hormone replacement therapy as they hit midlife.
“Menopause is no longer a taboo topic,” says Gularson. “Women should be able to talk openly about menopause and should not feel forced into accepting menopause symptoms as a natural part of aging,” she stresses.
Gularson specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which utilizes medication derived from natural plant sources that act like the hormones your body produces naturally in order to alleviate perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.
“Unlike the hormones used back in the early 2000’s that were thought to have negative effects such as causing cancer or heart disease, BHRT is chemically identical to the hormones your ovaries make, which makes it a safer option for hormone replacement therapy (HRT),” she says.
The FDA’s recent removal of the “black box” warning on hormone treatments for women in menopause has also opened the door for medical practitioners like Gularson to educate her patients about the benefits of HRT for addressing the dreaded hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, hair loss, and loss of libido as we get older.
“The lifting of that restriction was a big win for providers,” says Gularson, who notes that research shows that the benefits of HRT far outweigh the risks for most women, particularly those who are younger than 60 or within 10 years of menopause.
“Women no longer need to suffer in silence,” she stresses. “Yes, aging is normal, but suffering is not. We need to educate women to become curious and ask questions about menopause and the symptoms they’re feeling. We talk to our girlfriends about our periods, our marriages, our birth plans, and other sensitive issues, and menopause should be no different.”
Gularson says she’s excited about finally being able to remove the stigma and shame that comes with talking about menopause and seeing women begin to advocate for their own health care needs. In addition to addressing her patients’ concerns about menopausal symptoms, she also focuses on addressing their diet, exercise, stress levels, and any inflammation issues, in addition to the typical blood tests assessing cholesterol, blood pressure, and the like.
“It’s important to focus on the person as a whole,” says Gularson. “We take a comprehensive approach to treating menopause, including lifestyle changes, personalized treatment plans and, when needed, hormone therapy. Today, options include patches, creams and gels, and oral medications, which can help prevent bone loss, prevent urinary tract infections, and alleviate many of the symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause.”
Menopause doesn’t have to make your life miserable, she stresses.
“If you’re suffering, it’s worth starting a conversation with your provider,” says Gularson. “Some of the things women are doing in their 40s and 50s can actually set them up for success later in life, so they can enjoy their lives and potentially prevent disease when they’re in their 70s and 80s.” She encourages women to address their menopausal symptoms so they can make informed choices about their future health and well-being.
Osteopathic Center for Healing | 3200 Tower Oaks Blvd., #430 | Rockville, MD 20852 | 301-231-5050 | yourbestlifewithjennifer.com
"Breathing Easier"
When it comes to creating a beautiful smile for her patients, Elizabeth Robles, DDS, focuses not only on how they look, but how they feel after their treatment.
Dr. Robles, owner of Modern Zen Orthodontics in Germantown, makes her patients’ overall health and well-being her priority.
As part of her practice, Dr. Robles uses a specialized, holistic approach to orthodontic care that goes beyond aligning teeth and focuses on improving the structure of the jaw, mouth and nasal passages for better breathing called airway orthodontics.
“While airway health is often overlooked by orthodontists, having a healthy airway is the first step toward good overall health,” she explains. Conditions such as snoring, mouth breathing and obstructive sleep apnea can be addressed through the use of airway orthodontics, by gently guiding jaw growth and improving alignment.
Dr. Robles uses a CBCT x-ray scanner to assess each patient’s head and neck anatomy and measure their airways. She can then identify and correct any skeletal or dental issues that restrict the patient’s airflow.
“Because of this advanced technology, we are finding a very strong correlation in terms of airway improvement and expansion,” says Dr. Robles. “We’re also finding that a majority of kids experiencing sleep issues, snoring, mouth breathing or bed wetting have undiagnosed airway issues, which we’re able to significantly improve with airway orthodontics,” she explains.
“My goal is to not only provide straight teeth, but to improve my patients’ nasal breathing and overall wellness,” she says. “These principles of incorporating airway development into orthodontic treatment are central to my practice, and I also work to spread this knowledge through continuing education lectures for other dental professionals.”
Dr. Robles has also moved away from using traditional braces in favor of Damon self-ligating braces, which use less pressure and provide more unrestrained movement of the teeth.
“The self-ligating braces use a self-sliding mechanism to facilitate tooth movement, similar to box cars sliding back and forth on a train track,” she explains. “The brackets don’t place pressure on the arch-wire through colored ties, like traditional braces, which tend to cause more tension and discomfort. With the Damon braces, the brackets slide continuously and allow for more unrestrained movement of the teeth.”
Dr. Robles’ main goal is to provide her patients with beautiful, straight teeth, a healthy airway and improve their overall quality of life.
Modern Zen Orthodontics | 19735 Germantown Rd., Ste. 230 | Germantown, MD, 20874 | 301-900-8010 | modernzenorthodontics.com
"We talk to our girlfriends about our periods, our marriages, our birth plans, and other sensitive issues, and menopause should be no different.” Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, IFMCP, Osteopathic Center for Healing