The impact of hormones on your physical, emotional, and psychological development is significant. In fact, hormones play a crucial role in various functions of your body, such as regulating sleep, managing stress, maintaining alertness, and promoting happiness. Having a healthy balance of hormones is important for feeling and looking great - especially for women. Unfortunately, when hormone levels fluctuate, several adverse effects can manifest that affect your health and well-being.
One day, you wake up in the morning and attack the day with a smile on your face and a goal in your mind.
The next day, it feels like your emotions are all over the place. Despite sticking to a healthy diet, your weight keeps going up. To make matters worse, hot flashes seem to pop up out of nowhere, making you irritable both at work and at home. The simple truth is that life is hard for ladies after their 50th birthday. That's especially true when it seems like your body is plotting against you every day of the week.
If you're a middle-aged woman and you notice your body going through changes, you should know this is a natural process of aging. It's called menopause - and according to the National Institutes of Health, over a million women experience this transition per year. During this time, it's common for your hormones to start depleting. When that happens, you'll probably notice symptoms that can be challenging to deal with and overcome.
Take a moment and see if any of these signs sound familiar:
Trying to deal with hormone deficiency can be a big ordeal for women and their partners. Thankfully, going through menopause and getting older doesn't mean you have to settle for an undesirable life. Hormone replacement therapy in North Charleston, SC addresses the hormonal imbalances in your body so you can get back to feeling normal. These clinically proven treatments are now available from Better Life Carolinas and can help women just like you reclaim the youthful vigor you're used to having.
Before we explore the many benefits of HRT for women, let's first look at two of the hormones that can fluctuate during menopause - progesterone and estrogen.
As a female, your reproductive health thrives on progesterone and estrogen. Made by your ovaries, these hormones play a major role in a range of functions, such as:
During your childbearing years, estrogen is responsible for preparing the lining of your uterus for a fertilized egg, while progesterone helps prepare and sustain the pregnancy once the egg has implanted. However, as you age, both of these hormones begin to decline, leading to a stage known as perimenopause, which occurs before menopause.
This transition period is characterized by significant changes in your body as it prepares for the next stage of life, where you can no longer bear children. Unfortunately, the years leading up to menopause can be extremely uncomfortable due to these hormonal fluctuations. That's where female HRT starts to make a lot of sense.
During menopause, many women opt for hormone replacement therapy. Menopause marks the end of the reproductive phase, and as you enter perimenopause, your estrogen and progesterone levels decline, and eventually, your body produces a fraction of the hormones it used to. This hormonal imbalance results in uncomfortable symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy restores the depleted levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in your body, helping to alleviate the common symptoms of menopause and reducing the risk of long-term diseases. At Better Life Carolinas, our goal is to provide hormone replacement therapy that ensures healthy and balanced hormone levels for your overall wellness.
Maintaining hormone stability is crucial for women to live a healthy life. This is where Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) comes into play, as it helps in balancing the hormones that would otherwise get altered due to menopause.
At Better Life Carolinas, we recognize that every woman is unique, and, by extension, every patient is different. Therefore, our team of specialists and doctors offer personalized treatment options by combining holistic treatment, nutrition, fitness plans, and more to supplement our HRT treatments for women.
Many women wonder if HRT is the solution to their exhaustion, weight gain, and mood swings. It's hard to say if you're a good candidate for treatment without a comprehensive examination by an HRT expert at our clinic. What we can say is that when a woman's hormones are better balanced, she has a much better chance of enjoying life without the debilitating symptoms that other women experience. At Better Life Carolinas, that's our primary goal - to help you live a healthy life that you love.
Unlike some women's health clinics, money isn't our main motivator. Our HRT options aren't meant to keep you coming back for years and years. They have been developed to help provide your body with the balance it deserves through a patient-focused approach.
The Better Life program by Dr. Barber empowers patients with information about their health and wellness and, most importantly, puts in place a plan for the future. Most of us have a financial plan, but very few have a health plan. Our greatest asset is our health, and setting goals to manage our health plan is vital.
Better Life wants to partner with you to make the right choices for optimal health. For women going through menopause, hormone replacement therapy is often the best choice to reclaim your quality of life. Most of us know we need to lose weight, exercise, eat better, and quit smoking. Unfortunately, very few of us understand how to get out of the rut we tend to fall into. Our experienced team will design custom programs to empower you to make this life change for years to come.
One of the first and most frequently asked questions that our women's health doctors get usually focuses on the benefits of hormone replacement therapy. If you're trying to ease your way into menopause, chances are you're wondering about that too. When combined with healthy life choices like diet and exercise, we're happy to say that the benefits of HRT are both numerous and significant.
By now, this benefit probably sounds like a no-brainer, but it's one of the major advantages of HRT, so it's worth mentioning again. Menopause can often lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms can vary in intensity and can significantly impact your daily routine. Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment option that can help regulate estrogen and progesterone levels, thereby alleviating many of these symptoms.
While the most obvious benefit of HRT for women is relief from menopause symptoms, there's good evidence that suggests this treatment helps improve bone health, too. One study conducted on over 25,000 women aged 50-79 found that HRT reduced the risk of fractures. This benefit is especially important for women who had their uterus and ovaries removed before the age of 45 and experienced "surgical menopause." Such women are at a higher risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.
Your brain's ability to get energy from glucose, your body's primary fuel source, decreases during menopause due to a drop in estrogen levels. As a result, your brain switches to using fats (lipids) for fuel, which unfortunately leads to the harvesting of fat from the brain's white matter. This process produces ketones - chemicals created in the liver - to provide energy. However, starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) before reaching menopause can reduce the risk of this fuel switch and cut a woman's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in half.
As people age, their libido tends to decline, which is true for both men and women. For women, menopause can also cause vaginal dryness, which can make sexual intercourse less appealing. Hormone replacement therapy in Charleston can help boost your libido by restoring the levels of reproductive hormones in your body. When your reproductive hormones are balanced, you can get a boost in sex drive and alleviate problems like vaginal dryness.
As you approach menopause, you may notice that your weight tends to fluctuate more frequently. While this is a common occurrence as you age, it can make it difficult to shed extra pounds. Hormone replacement therapy isn't a magic solution for weight loss, but it can address the hormonal aspect of weight gain. Hormones can make it harder to maintain or lose weight, and hormone replacement therapy can help with that. By combining hormone replacement therapy with a healthy diet and regular exercise, you may be able to manage your weight more effectively and improve your overall health.
The benefits listed above are only a snapshot of what HRT can help you deal with and overcome. Contact Better Life Carolinas to learn about other advantages of hormone replacement treatment. But our women's health services don't end with HRT. Our doctors also provide several pain-free, non-surgical solutions for female intimacy problems.
We're talking about Femiwave Therapy, O Shot, and the Emsella Kegel Chair.
Are you ready to enjoy a normal sex life without having to rely on strange pills or invasive procedures? Femiwave therapy uses pulse waves to improve blood flow to the vaginal area without ever needing to go under the knife. This procedure enhances sensitivity, lubrication, tightens, strengthens, and improves the physical appearance of your vagina and the surrounding area. It has been shown to boost sexual satisfaction and function with no downtime, drugs, or lasers, and the results are long-lasting. The procedure is based on established shockwave therapy and has been backed by clinical studies for years to increase blood flow and restore healthy tissue.
Ideal candidates are women experiencing low libido, urinary incontinence, menopause symptoms such as painful intercourse and vaginal dryness, or women looking to improve their sex life. This procedure is quick and comfortable with no downtime, meaning you can swing by our office when it's best for your schedule and get treatment without disrupting your day.
Women in South Carolina use Femiwave therapy alongside hormone replacement therapy in North Charleston, SC because it is:
While our male patients have enjoyed many benefits from our P-Shot (or Priapus Shot), we know that women deserve to enjoy some fun, too. Better Life Carolinas now provides a powerful treatment called the O-Shot (Orgasm shot) that can deliver incredible results for women. This simple procedure utilizes platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to stimulate new tissue growth, and as a woman's own PRP is used, the O-Shot is completely safe and free of side effects. The health benefits of the O-Shot are numerous, and a revitalized sex life is just one of them.
The O-Shot earned its name by increasing a woman's intensity during orgasm, but it is also a natural approach to treating the following:
The Emsella Chair is a breakthrough innovation for women experiencing urinary incontinence. This common issue affects over 15 million women in the US and can cause embarrassing leakages, loss of sleep, and poor work performance. The Emsella Chair offers a non-invasive solution to this problem without the need for surgery or medication.
The Emsella Chair is an FDA-approved device designed for patients who want to improve their quality of life by addressing the symptoms of urinary incontinence. Sometimes referred to as the "Kegel Throne," this comfortable chair is an excellent option for those who have tried other solutions like medication and surgery but found that they negatively impact their daily lives.
The Emsella Chair uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic technology (HIFEM) to stimulate contractions in your pelvic floor muscles. These contractions can help you regain control of your bladder and improve the strength of your pelvic floor muscles, much like kegel exercises but with greater efficiency. The Emsella Chair is unique in that it targets the entire pelvic floor with thousands of contractions per session, making it a highly effective treatment option for women.
While using the Emsella Chair, you may feel your pelvic floor muscles contracting. This is a normal reaction and indicates that the machine is functioning correctly. You might also experience a mild tingling sensation during the treatment, but it is not painful. After your session, you're free to resume regular daily activities without any downtime required. The best part is that, unlike surgery, there is no need for any medications to manage the pain or grogginess that usually comes after an invasive procedure.
The Emsella Chair is an excellent solution for women of all ages, but it is more commonly used by older women who tend to experience urinary incontinence. There are various symptoms related to urinary incontinence which can be effectively treated with the Emsella Chair.
Some of those symptoms include the following:
As thousands of women across the United States have said, our doctors can help you say "NO!" to urinary incontinence with Emsella Chair treatments.
At Better Life Carolinas, we're proud to be a partner on your path toward better wellness and healthy aging. Our team of women's health specialists and doctors provides constant encouragement, status checks, and recommendations to ensure that you receive personalized and ongoing medical management. We believe that receiving plenty of face-time and individual care from your personal physician is crucial to making a profound difference in your life - both now and in the future.
Whether you're approaching middle age or have already started menopause, our hormone replacement treatments could be an answer to your age management challenges. Contact our office today to learn more about the Better Life Carolinas difference and how our team provides the guidance you need to achieve a healthy life.
Get in touch with us today and let us help you achieve your goals!
CHARLESTON, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Harbor Logistics, a leading provider of integrated logistics solutions, has earned Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) Logistics verification, based on successfully executing a series of actions designed to eliminate potential plastic pellet loss during transport, packaging and storage for its facility at 4033 W. Montague Avenue, North Charleston, SC. OCS, which was founded by Plastics Industry Association in 1991 and is managed in partnership with the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Divi...
CHARLESTON, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Harbor Logistics, a leading provider of integrated logistics solutions, has earned Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) Logistics verification, based on successfully executing a series of actions designed to eliminate potential plastic pellet loss during transport, packaging and storage for its facility at 4033 W. Montague Avenue, North Charleston, SC. OCS, which was founded by Plastics Industry Association in 1991 and is managed in partnership with the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division, is a program that supports companies in their goals toward achieving zero plastic resin loss in operations.
Harbor Logistics’ North Charleston operation is 120,000 sq. ft., employs 60 team members and stores a wide variety of commodities, from yarn and medical supplies to canned fruit and fencing.
This marks the second Harbor Logistics distribution center to earn OCS verification, after the Moncks Corner, SC, facility received the designation in July. Both locations feature a comprehensive range of logistics services designed to optimize supply chains and reduce client costs.
“The entire organization at Harbor’s 4033 facility is proud to earn this certification. We want to be known as an environment-friendly operation and the OCS process is a critical step in our efforts to eliminate plastic pellet loss risk,” said Drew McCall, Vice President of Warehousing for Harbor Logistics.
Harbor Logistics earned OCS verification at its two facilities by completing the following activities:
About Harbor Logistics Based in Charleston, S.C., Harbor Logistics provides transportation, truck/rail transload and warehousing services to a wide range of industrial and commercial counterparties. As the largest drayage provider and one of the largest warehouse providers in Charleston, Harbor offers supply chain capacity via an asset-based model that provides a tailored customer experience. Growth-focused, the Harbor team is dedicated to exceeding expectations, working with like-minded partners, and exemplifying ethical decision making.
Contacts
Ron Margulis
RAM Communications
ron@rampr.com+1.908.337.0020
NORTH CHARLESTON — The wait for the interchange on Interstate 26 between Ashley Phosphate Road and U.S. Highway 78 is over.Charleston County has completed construction for the Palmetto Commerce Interchange, which is intended to enhance commutes by reducing travel times and increasing mobility, says county project manager Mackenzie Kelley.It will open to the public Nov. 17 after a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m.Located between U.S. Highway 78 and Ashley Phosphate Road, the diamond interchange will connect Weber Bo...
NORTH CHARLESTON — The wait for the interchange on Interstate 26 between Ashley Phosphate Road and U.S. Highway 78 is over.
Charleston County has completed construction for the Palmetto Commerce Interchange, which is intended to enhance commutes by reducing travel times and increasing mobility, says county project manager Mackenzie Kelley.
It will open to the public Nov. 17 after a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m.
Located between U.S. Highway 78 and Ashley Phosphate Road, the diamond interchange will connect Weber Boulevard in the Ingleside tract with Interstate 26. The design doesn't extend Weber Boulevard into North Charleston's neighborhoods on the eastern side of the interstate, but on- and off-ramps from the westbound lane will guide traffic to and from the Ingleside development via Weber Boulevard.
The interchange will connect I-26 directly to Palmetto Commerce Parkway and plans also include a 10-foot bike and pedestrian path along Weber Boulevard from Ingleside Boulevard to Salamander Drive, crossing I-26.
The project was completed ahead of schedule, as county officials initially expected to finish the interchange in early 2026.
Construction started in August 2023, and the total project cost is nearly $90 million. It was funded by the 2016 transportation sales tax.
While the project has been generally met with support — North Charleston residents said they looked forward to the new and accessible bike path — residents have raised concerns about traffic noise the interchange will bring.
A sound barrier is outside the county’s scope of work, but the county conducted noise studies that specifically analyzed the Northwood Estates area using models that predicted noise through 2040.
The study determined that a sound barrier does not meet the state Department of Transportation’s Traffic Noise Abatement Policy criteria, so DOT would not approve the construction of one.
Residents of Northwood Estates previously told The Post and Courier that they have asked for a sound barrier for years. North Charleston City Councilwoman Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley, who represents the district Northwood Estates is in, has met with local representatives and state leaders to continue the push for a sound barrier.
She previously told The Post and Courier she thinks the best option would be to construct a 25-foot-tall concrete wall, compared to a wood or metal barrier. Ganaway-Pasley estimates the barrier to cost around $17 million and would have to be a collaborative effort among the city, county and state.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of North Charleston has approved the next steps for a new high school that will renovate the former Chicora Elementary School building.Metanoia, a local nonprofit, has worked on plans for the Cristo Rey Charleston High School for years despite setbacks, including a fire in 2020 that destroyed the historic auditorium.“We’re about to start construction back in 2020. The building had a big fire. We had to go through a long insurance claim and now we’re back at the place of...
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of North Charleston has approved the next steps for a new high school that will renovate the former Chicora Elementary School building.
Metanoia, a local nonprofit, has worked on plans for the Cristo Rey Charleston High School for years despite setbacks, including a fire in 2020 that destroyed the historic auditorium.
“We’re about to start construction back in 2020. The building had a big fire. We had to go through a long insurance claim and now we’re back at the place of finally being able to close on construction and get started with this major project for the neighborhood here,” CEO of Metanoia Bill Stanfield said.
Cristo Rey will serve lower-income students who attend classes four days a week and participate in internships at local businesses one day a week.
“By the time they graduate high school, they’ve already got four years of professional experience of working through these internships,” Stanfield said.
The building has been empty since 2012. Plans call for preserving historical elements during renovation.
“This building just has such a rich history in North Charleston. It served, the first wing of it was built in the 1930s. So many people and families came through this building. So many young people went to school here,” Stanfield said.
The North Charleston City Council provided a statement on the redevelopment project.
“This City is excited to see this project finally come to life after many hurdles including a devastating fire that destroyed the historic auditorium. The auditorium will be rebuilt as part of the creation a new campus for Christo Rey, an innovative college and career-preparatory school that exclusively serves students from families with limited economic resources.”
Stanfield said the school aligns with Metanoia’s mission.
“We deploy a strategy of listening constantly, walking with families to discover their strengths and release their brilliance all the while kind of rejecting the barriers that they may face every day,” Stanfield said.
Construction is set to begin in December, with the school scheduled to open in August 2027.
For more information about the school, you can visit here.
Children interacting with community partners at 2024 "Safety Town" (provided)NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — This weekend, MUSC Children’s Health is teaming up with local first responders to keep kids safe and have some fun while doing it.The event, called “Safety Town,” is free for the community and part of a national effort to raise awareness about childhood injuries, one of the leading causes of death among children across the country. It also comes ahead of National Injury Prevention Day, r...
Children interacting with community partners at 2024 "Safety Town" (provided)
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — This weekend, MUSC Children’s Health is teaming up with local first responders to keep kids safe and have some fun while doing it.
The event, called “Safety Town,” is free for the community and part of a national effort to raise awareness about childhood injuries, one of the leading causes of death among children across the country. It also comes ahead of National Injury Prevention Day, recognized nationwide on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, children in Charleston will get the chance to hop on a tricycle and ride through a miniature city, complete with a fire station, police department, school, and hospital. Along the way, they’ll learn about safety and meet the community partners who help keep families safe every day.
“It just helps us kind of shine a light on the injury prevention work that we do,” said Mary Beth Vassy, MUSC Health Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention coordinator. “But also how important it is to make sure that we are talking with families and trying to work with them to prevent injuries in our communities for our children.”
Vassy says the event highlights a serious issue seen often inside MUSC’s trauma center.
“We see preventable injuries come into our trauma center all the time,” she said. “Oftentimes they do have to do with bicycle accidents, car wrecks, things like that. So this day is really important for us, especially because we are a member site of the organization that founded National Injury Prevention Day, which is the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. So we really like to highlight this day as a member organization, but also because we know that this is affecting our community.”
The event – hosted by MUSC Children’s Health, the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, and Safe Kids Charleston Area – will also include local first responders and community partners who’ll talk with families about their roles in keeping kids safe.
“We have community partners who kind of represent each of the places in Safety Town, so they can talk to the kids more in depth about what their roles are and kind of what that looks like in their specific area,” Vassy explained.
READ MORE | "Charleston officials prioritize pedestrian safety with traffic area DUI checkpoints plan."
From bike safety to everyday decision-making, the goal is to give kids practical tools for staying safe.
“We’re hoping that kids and families just kind of get a better understanding of how to keep themselves safe in different ways around the community,” Vassy said. “We’re also hoping that we can provide bike helmets to some kids who need them, because we know that oftentimes we have kids who are injured on bicycles that come into our hospital that didn’t have helmets on.”
The event will also feature free bike helmets, face painting, local mascots, and plenty of hands-on learning.
“We do have the free bike helmets, we have free face painting,” Vassy added. “We also have some appearances by some local mascots, which will be exciting — along with just some other great community resources that are available.”
“Safety Town” takes place Saturday, Nov. 15, at the North Charleston Athletic Complex at 1455 Monitor St., North Charleston, SC 29405, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It’s free and open to everyone, though registration in advance is encouraged.
Anyone interested in attending should email vassy@musc.edu.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Many federal workers are missing their second paycheck as the government shutdown comes to an end, prompting community organizations across the Lowcountry to organize food drives for affected families.The North Charleston Community Resource Center and Charleston Labor Council are leading efforts to provide care packages filled with chicken, fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and nonperishables for federal workers who continue working without pay.“We’re getting phone calls and phone calls...
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Many federal workers are missing their second paycheck as the government shutdown comes to an end, prompting community organizations across the Lowcountry to organize food drives for affected families.
The North Charleston Community Resource Center and Charleston Labor Council are leading efforts to provide care packages filled with chicken, fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and nonperishables for federal workers who continue working without pay.
“We’re getting phone calls and phone calls and emails after emails. A federal worker saying, ‘I don’t have. I don’t know where to turn to,’” April Lott, the Charleston Labor Council president, said.
Organizations are gathering food donations by the truckload as federal workers struggle to keep up with grocery bills while they have been maintaining their duties at locations like the airport.
Food banks are already stretched thin because of the lapse in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Banks across the Lowcountry are looking to ease as much food and financial uncertainty as much as they can.
Organizations wanted to create something specifically for federal workers, Lott said.
“A lot of food banks are stretched thin with the loss of SNAP benefits as well. But we wanted to do something just for our federal workers to let them know that their community supports them as they support us,” Lott said.
The Charleston Labor Council has held previous food drives with lines wrapped around the building to help those impacted by the loss of SNAP benefits. Based on calls and emails alone, Lott expects between 500 and 600 federal workers to seek assistance.
Residents can donate food at the Community Resource Center until the end of the day Thursday. Volunteers can help distribute food starting Friday at noon.
Federal workers seeking assistance should bring their personal verification card and be ready to line up by 4 p.m. Friday when doors open for distribution. The Community Resource Center hopes they can help every worker who lines up, but will keep their doors open until every box is gone.
“It’s been mentally crushing for a lot of people, but we remember what we do and we remember that we’re here to help the public and that’s why you have federal workers that show up every day to do the work,” Lott said. “Yes, sadly come paycheck there’s nothing there, but this is the community’s opportunity.”
Government workers are not all immediately set to receive pay or backpay; as federal operations slowly return to normal, officials say payments will be rolled out. The timeline depends on the agency.
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