Hormones Key to Happy, Healthy Heart

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Feb. 10, 2015 - PRLog -- February is American Heart Month.    With cardiovascular disease being the number one killer of both men and women in the US, much attention is given on how to stay heart healthy. An important link often overlooked is that between hormone levels and a happy heart.   Dr. Edmund Rhett of Rhett Women’s Center states, “The one controllable factor in the fight against cardiac risk and disease is something most patients can achieve-weight loss.   Weight loss does not come easy for the majority of those at risk, however.  This is where hormone therapy can help.  By balancing a person’s hormone profile, they will be much more successful in weight loss.”

   Hormones are powerful proteins in the body that control the way a person feels. When there are deficiencies in hormone levels such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone or thyroid, many experience a variety of negative symptoms, including weight gain.   By optimizing hormone levels, women and men will see positive results from efforts to lose weight that have not worked in the past.

  Dr. Rhett says determining if a patient is at risk for cardiovascular disease is as simple as knowing their BMI or body mass index.   He states, “Getting your BMI down to 24 and women's waists under 35 inches (men's under 40) is associated with achieving a significant reduction in heart disease.  In many cases, hormone therapy can help patients reach those numbers.”

 At Rhett Women’s Center, a simple blood draw will help patients determine if they are hormone deficient.  A customized plan is put in place for each patient.   Rhett Women’s Center website has many heart healthy tips and facts as well as more information about hormone therapy.  http://www.rhettwomenscenter.com/hormones/