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The Truth About Hormone Replacement Therapy

Posted on December 1, 2015

WHAT DOCTORS KNOW ABOUT HRT TODAY

When the most common symptoms of menopause—hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and disruptive sleep patterns—cause discomfort, or worse, tormenting pain, women think HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is the answer to relief.

From the 1960s, until the mid-nineties, doctors were liberal with HRT prescriptions to treat these and other menopausal symptoms, such as anxiety, irregular periods, psychological problems, and prevention of bone loss. Until the estrogen hit the fan!

In 2002, the medical world was rocked like an earthquake. A series of government-run clinical trials (Women’s Health Initiative or WHI) on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy was discontinued. Researchers had discovered that long-term use of synthetic estrogen and progestin in HRT increased the risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. Fearful patients called their doctors asking what they should do.

AND THEN THE AFTER-SHOCK
It got worse.
•   Subsequent studies found HRT also increased the risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and asthma.
•   An April 2007 JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) study determined the risk of stroke increased in HRT users by more than 30 percent, and that age or years at the onset of menopause was not a factor.
•   In 2010, new research found that combined estrogen-progestin HRT increased the risk for more severe forms of breast cancer and increased a woman’s chances of dying from the disease or other causes.

DIFFERENT DOCTORS = DIFFERENT OPINIONS
Today’s medical community tends to be divided in its views about prescribing HRT. Cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, feels that younger women who go on hormone therapy because of severe menopause symptoms should not worry that HRT can be “detrimental to their heart.” Dr. Steven Goldstein, MD, professor of medicine at NYU Medical Center, concurs, saying “We have strong evidence to show that if it is less than 10 years since you started menopause, the use of HRT on a short-term basis is not likely to harm you.”

But Julia Smith, MD, director of the Lynne Cohen Breast Cancer Program at the NYU Medical Center describes the controversy as “complex” and “still not fully explained or explainable.”

BIOIDENTICAL COMPOUNDING: AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH
Prescription compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications. When a regular prescription doesn’t meet a patient’s specific health needs, the pharmacist combines, mixes, adjusts or alters the ingredients or physical form of a drug.

Many women choose Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement. With custom-compounding, the ingredients can be plant-based, which some believe are preferable to the synthetic ingredients found in traditional HRT products.

Andrea Dominic, RPh and Steve Hoyt, RPh are licensed pharmacists at San Ysidro Pharmacy in Santa Barbara, CA with more than 20 years experience in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement. San Ysidro Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board, established to ensure the quality of compounded prescriptions.

“Compounding pinpoints the individual patient’s needs,” says Andrea Dominic, RPh. “There is no one-dose-fits-all when it comes to hormone replacement. The levels needed to relieve symptoms can fluctuate and dose adjustments are sometimes necessary. Unlike synthetic hormones, the structure of the bio-identical hormone is exactly the same as what is circulating in the body, so the body knows how to metabolize it.”

CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN AND MAKE EDUCATED CHOICES
Some women may not need HRT. When vaginal dryness is the primary problem, for example, a hormone-free product such as Aloe Cadabra® vaginal lubricant and moisturizer, may be preferable. Aloe Cadabra® is all-natural; made of 95% quality organic Aloe Vera; is estrogen-free; FDA-cleared; and contains 100 percent food-grade ingredients.

“Gone forever are the days when a doctor routinely prescribes HRT for every woman over 50,” says Dr. Smith. “Today, the decision to go on hormone therapy, even short term, must take into consideration a host of individual health and lifestyle factors.”

SOURCES:

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/

http://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/breast-cancer-7/breast-cancer-news-94/hormone-replacement-therapy-new-facts-646066.html

www.aloecadabra.com

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/AlternativestoPostmenopausalHormones.html#sthash.RD7Itig4.dpuf

Aloe Cadabra: The Renaissance Lubricant

Posted on July 26, 2015

Scuba divers love Aloe Cadabra to get their wet suits on

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While Aloe Cadabra is a fantastic lubricant and moisturizer, according to our customers, they’re not limiting themselves. Without any prompting from us, many of you have been generous enough to share other uses you’ve discovered for Aloe Cadabra.

Probably the least surprising due to the aloe base of our product was from one young women who used it to alleviate her sunburn. A couple who recently had a baby told us they used it on diaper rash. Yet another person described how they used it on a really bad “road burn,” they’d gotten from biking. Within a week, the skin was healed.

But Aloe Cadabra isn’t simply being limited to people. One user told us about her dog being bitten in the face by an insect. After giving her pet some Benadryl, she used Aloe Cadabra directly on the bite to soothe away the sting. She’d read online that aloe helped alleviate itching, so she gave it a shot. According to her, it worked swimmingly.

We’ve heard from many that Aloe Cadabra has become their go to hand lotion. It makes sense. While Aloe Cadabra may be called a personal lubricant and its great for that purpose, the ingredients we use make it great for a variety of things. Aloe Vera is widely considered anti microbial and anti fungal. So, it can be soothing on sensitive skin.

Aloe Vera has also been used in medical centers on burns for a long time. And since we’re made with 95% aloe vera, it’s fantastic for that purpose as well. Aloe Vera has also widely been considered to have nourishing, healing attributes for the lips since the time of Cleopatra, and there are folks who’ve shared that they use it in just this way!

As interesting as all these stories were, the most surprising one came from a gentleman who told us he used it to get his wetsuit on and off. Like any curious company, we did a marketing study and found that scuba divers were some of the biggest purchasers of Aloe Cadabra! Why? Well, similar to a condom, a wet suit is made from rubber and can be difficult to get on and remove without the help of a lubricant.

So, no matter what you’re doing or what you’re trying to lubricate or moisturize, keep Aloe Cadabra in mind. When you start with 95% organic aloe vera, despite what the bottle may say or the connotation may be, it might just be the solution you’re looking for. Share with us how you’re using Aloe Cadabra! We’re on Twitter and Facebook, and enjoy hearing from our fans!

NOTE: please check with your doctor is you have a serious medical condition and are considering using Aloe Cadabra in a way other than its “intended purpose.”

Lose Those Winter Blues!

Posted on December 7, 2014

photo provided by photostock/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you ever wondered if the rumors were true? Does the dark and dreary cold of winter truly rev up the sex drive?

If you look around the internet at the various studies and surveys done you’ll find that the answer is mixed. While about 15% say that they absolutely notice that the weather definitely revs up their sex lives (citing reasons like being cooped up alone together and bored), another 15% claim that their drives dry up a bit.

So, the same amount who see a rise in their desire is even with the amount whose desire dwindles, what does that mean? Mathematically? Nothing changed.

Don’t get us wrong, the endorphin rush one receives during orgasm would probably go a long way toward curing the winter blues that often affects people because of limited access to the sun and the impact on our internal chemistry. That flood of chemicals can be a powerful thing, which may explain the rise in passion for some. It’s a way to combat both boredom and depression during the cold, dark winter.

And despite the fact that most associate Spring as the season of new beginnings, relationships included, it’s actually Winter that holds the record for highest percentage of new relationships according to a poll done by the Associated Press.

So maybe sweaters, coats, slacks, and gloves aren’t the sexiest gear in the world, especially when you imagine beginning a new relationship. Still, an excuse to get out of the house, snuggle a the fire, and drink a heated libation of some sort still has an appeal.

What better way to warm up, after all, than to share body heat, conversation, and company? Why not see where the next great eye contact and smile might lead? What could be the harm?

And if you decide to “warm up” with a little passion along the way, remember to make it both a sexy and memorable experience. Aloe Cadabra, with 95% organic aloe in every tube, can help make sure that there is no dryness or discomfort. Just relax, let it do the work, and enjoy the connection.

Corporate Responsibility and Lubricant

Posted on July 13, 2014

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Lubricants have so many helpful purposes besides the obvious. Unfortunately, those who most need it are often the same people who either don’t have the access or the knowledge that not all lubes are “created equal.” They have no idea that although some lubricants may give them the necessary “slickness” in the moment, it’s actually working to against the body’s natural balances or drying them out.

This is one of the many reasons why we’re so proud to be able to support service providers and not for profit organizations who work so hard to address issues arising from things such as chemotherapy, menopause, child birth, hormone disruption, vulvodynia, and other important health and gynecological issues.

In the past year alone, Aloe Cadabra has committed to providing more than $100,000 in donations of its lubricant – aside from offering great educational resources – to various groups and causes. It is part of our commitment to being a responsible Corporate Citizen and one of the things from which we take the greatest satisfaction.

We always have an eye out for other great organizations to support, and we’ve found that our best sources for outreach are those who already know and love our wonderful Aloe Cadabra products. So if you happen to know of a great cause who could benefit from our support, please reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!

Rachel Carson- Honoring a Trailblazer

Posted on June 19, 2014

There’s a strong chance that most everyday people have never heard of Rachel Carson, but there’s no question in my mind that you’ve reaped the benefits of her labor.

Considered to be one of the founders of the Modern Environmental Movement, her book, Silent Spring, drew attention and concerns to the potential damage pesticides like DDT created. Although it was initially met with anger and skepticism, people started to look more closely at the relation between chemicals and the world we live in.

Thanks to her hard work and the efforts of other like minded people, the US Environmental Protection Agency was formed. She was even given the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by Jimmy Carter. She became the change she wanted to see in this world. She also spawned many groups whose focus on health and safety have improved the quality of both lives and ingredients used in all manner of areas.

In our industry, the ripple effects of her efforts can be seen through Environmental Working Group. They publish a reputable list of body care ingredients and formulas along with their toxicity at cosmeticdatabase.org. as well as publishing a wide host of guides on food, cosmetics and other things that will keep us healthy. For us here at Aloe Cadabra, it was pioneers like her who encouraged us to bring natural, organic ingredients to an often overlooked, but very impactful item; lubricants. By the way, we scored the lowest possible score on their index, which is a very good thing.

We’d also like to recognize the World Health Organization who specifically studied personal lubricants and their health impacts and found that high osmolality and incompatible pH levels in many commonly used personal lubricants could cause secondary health issues including epithelial damage. Aloe Cadabra’s Osmolality and pH are both within the ranges they say make for an optimal lubricant. For more details about this report, click HERE.

We’re proud to be part of the movement to make the things we put on and in our bodies safer. And, we’re proud to let you know about two great organizations publishing some great information that can help improve your health and well being.

The Truth About Hormone Replacement Therapy

Aloe Cadabra: The Renaissance Lubricant

Lose Those Winter Blues!

Corporate Responsibility and Lubricant

Rachel Carson- Honoring a Trailblazer

Why Are We the Best?

Who Benefits from Aloe Cadabra?

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