West Newsmagazine 7-11-18

24 I MATURE FOCUS I
July 11, 2018
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
MATURE FOCUS, from page 23
“Water Damaged Showers a Specialty”
Tub to Stall Shower Conversions
Grab Bars/High Toilets/Personal Showers
Floors/Vanities/Barrier Free Showers
®
Tile & Bath Service, Inc.
36 Years Experience • At this Location 27 Years
14770 Clayton Road • 63011
FREE $ 100 TARGET GIFT CARD
636-394-0315
www.tileandbathservice.com
Senior Discounts Available
Visit Our Showroom
Showers Rebuilt-Bathrooms Remodeled
WITH JOBS OVER $ 2,000
Not valid with other offers. Present this ad with final payment. Offer Expires 7-31-18
BRIAN G. QUINN, ESQ.
ATTORNEY AT LAW
• Estate Planning and Elder Law
Veteran’s Benefits, Medicaid Benefits
and Special Needs Planning
• Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney,
Living Will Directives for all stages of life
• Helping families with long term care
planning and crisis situations
• FREE OFFERING -- Elder care
assistance through ElderCareAdvisors
(to take advantage of this offer, call Deirdre @636-395-0877)
• Principal office located in West County
Call our office for a free consultation to discuss your family’s solution
636-394-7242
quinnestatelaw.com
info@quinnestatelaw.com | 14611 Manchester Road
lected by Johns Hopkins researchers shows
that a higher proportion of male to female
sex hormones may also be a culprit.
Although the researchers said that their
observational study could not prove cause
and effect, they said it does suggest that
having a more “male-like” hormone profile
seems to increase the risk of heart disease
and stroke in women after menopause,
independent of other risk factors.
For the new study, the researchers
looked at data from more than 2,800 postmenopausal
women with an average age of
65, who had participated in the federally
funded Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
[MESA]. Researchers initially took
blood samples and measured levels of testosterone
and estradiol [the main type of
estrogen], then followed the participants
for 12 years.
When testosterone and estradiol levels
were compared with instances of heart and
cardiovascular diseases, they found that
higher testosterone was associated with
increased risk while higher estradiol levels
were linked with lower risk. For every
standardized unit increase in the ratio of
testosterone to estrogen, there was a 19
percent increase in the women’s cardiovascular
disease risk, a 45-percent increase in
coronary heart disease risk and a 31 percent
increase in heart failure risk.
“A woman’s sex hormone levels and
ratios of them isn’t something that physicians
regularly check,” said Dr. Erin
Michos, associate professor of medicine
at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine. “Because an imbalance in the
proportion of testosterone to estrogen may
affect heart disease risk, physicians may
want to think about adding hormone tests
to the toolbox of screenable risk factors,
like blood pressure or cholesterol, to identify
women who may be at higher risk of
heart or vascular disease … But this needs
further study.”
Asked why higher levels of male hormones
may affect women’s risk, Michos
The simple step of taking a daily probiotic
may help protect a woman’s bones from
osteoporosis.
said there is ample evidence from past
studies that testosterone can raise a woman’s
blood pressure and contribute to insulin
resistance, which are harmful effects,
whereas estrogen relaxes blood vessels
and lowers bad cholesterol levels, both of
which are positives for the heart and vascular
systems.
Benefits beyond the gut
Probiotics are a popular daily supplement
for adults of all ages to help promote
a healthy balance of bacteria in the intestinal
tract. Recently, Swedish scientists
demonstrated that probiotics also may be
useful in protecting women’s bones against
fractures.
In an experiment conducted at Sahlgrenska
University Hospital in Sweden, women
who were an average of 76 years old either
received a probiotic powder or a placebo
every day for a year. The groups were
chosen at random, and neither the researchers
nor the women knew who received the
active powder during the study.
Is it time for Mom and Dad to move out of their home?
Free consultation to educate you on Independent Living,
Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing
Review communities of with the necessary level of
care to ensure safety and understand care budgets
Recommendations based on preferences and
care needs
Arrange and attend tours to provide peace of mind
Call today for this FREE service
Nancy McClure
Certified Senior Advisor®
(314) 402-6955
www.carepatrolgreatersaintlouis.com