Modern medicine has ensured that as a society we’re living longer. Aging into our late 80s and 90s is routine, but the question then becomes: How will you live?
What quality of life will you enjoy in your later years?
While a variety of factors will help you answer that question – everything from nutrition to your activity level to your genetics – one part of the equation that can be forgotten is hormones, says pharmacist and Hormone Replacement Specialist Michelle Gray.
“Whether during times of stress or menopause or decreasing testosterone, for example, different hormones impact our bodies in different ways,” says Michelle, owner of Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy in Kimberley, who counts women and men from across the East Kootenays among her patients.
“It’s really about having that discussion about their experience,” explains Michelle, a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Specialist, certified by the Professional Compounding Centres of America. “Often people feel what they’re experiencing is a normal part of aging, such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to improve it.”
In some cases, preventive measures can address changes you know will be coming down the road, such as menopause; with others, steps can be taken with custom hormone treatments to reverse the experience.
“If we can optimize our hormones, we can optimize our quality of life,” Michelle explains.
Helping you be well
On May 14, Michelle presents the free online seminar, Optimizing Hormone Balance to Support Your Quality of Life.
Part of Wellwork Kootenay, May 11 to 14, the online conference brings together local healthcare practitioners to help you support wellness at home, with 30- to 60-minute seminars on various health aspects. While the presentations are free, you must sign up to receive the Zoom call links, from the convenience of your own home. Register at wellworkkootenays.com
What to expect
From her pharmacy, Michelle works collaboratively with patients and their physicians to explore HRT treatments and other hormone-balancing strategies.
Patients should allocate at least an hour for the initial comprehensive consultation which along with lab work will help determine the best course of action. “We’ll come up with a plan and review it with your physician, working together to optimize your hormone therapy,” Michelle says.
Having consulted on hormone therapies since 2003, Michelle is well known in the East Kootenays, welcoming patients from as far as Sparwood. “I get a lot of physician referrals, mostly it’s referrals from happy clients,” she says with a smile.
The hour-long consultation, therapy plan and first follow-up are all included in the $150 fee. Test costs can vary, depending on what’s needed.
To learn more about HRT or other treatments, drop into the pharmacy at 417B-304 St. in Kimberley, call
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