Beth Myers - HERLIFE Magazine

HERLIFE | spotlightMIDLIFEWELLNESSCENTER:Putting The Pieces Of ThePuzzle Together For Patientsby gail k. silverstein | photography bymolly malone photographyHot flashes, night sweats,irritable moods and weightgain—these are just a few ofthe challenges facing womentoday in the prime of theirlives. Internet information can be confusingand contradictory, and traditional medicineis too busy playing a numbers game withpatients. So where does a resourcefulwoman turn when an annual exam isn’tenough? That’s where the Midlife WellnessCenter, with nutritional know-how,hormonal help and wellness work-ups, canhelp.The brainchild of Dr. Brenda Smith,the Midlife Wellness Center was designedwith women’s special concerns in mindand provides extensive health evaluationas well as thorough education. After20 years in the field of obstetrics andgynecology, she perceived a niche thatneeded filling. Women went for theirannual pap and pelvic exam and talkedwith the doctor, but really didn’t havethe time and attention paid to a host ofother issues that accompany women asthey age, according to Dr. Smith. So,eight years ago she decided to fill thatvoid and the Midlife Wellness Center wasborn. Her clients range in age from 30to 60 years and come from all over theglobe, thanks in part to word-of-mouthreferrals from former clients to theirfriends and sisters.“Today’s woman is busier than ever,”said Dr. Smith, “and she needs to feelwell. Unfortunately, the typical healthcaredelivery system usually leaves a womanjust limping along because it doesn’taddress the whole checklist of needs. Atraditional medical practice setting is justtoo fast-paced to address the multiple126 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM