To My Patients, 

Tips for Post Holiday Weight Management

Most patients are discouraged with weight gain during the holidays. Here are some recommendations to consider for the New Year.

First, regular exercise will enhance weight loss as well as provide a new source for energy and focus. To find your “target pulse” rate for fat burning, subtract you age from 220 and calculate 60 to 80% of that number. That is your target pulse rate for weight loss as well as cardiovascular fitness.

Another method is to use a pedometer. Obtain a baseline assessment of daily steps or miles and increase this by about 50% initially. If you rather not use a pedometer, than consider walking a specific number of minutes daily and increasing it each week.

Lifestyle changes are essential to a weight loss program. New eating habits must be incorporated slowly, such as elimination of favorite or comfort foods, and use of lower energy foods as substitutes. Meal replacements may be an effective way of reducing caloric intake.

New Hope for Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)

Result of two randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase 3 trails revealed that the use of a testosterone transdermal patch (TTP) in naturally occurring menopausal women significantly increased the frequency of “totally satisfying” sexual episodes, desire, and decreased distress when compared with placebo. TTP therapy was well tolerated with a slightly higher adverse event of acne and facial hair. These side effects were mild. No one dropped out of the study because of this infrequent and minor side effect.

A separate study looked at TTP treatment compared to placebo in women taking estrogen and who went through a surgical menopause. This study revealed the same significant improvement in these women as in the naturally occurring menopausal women. Improvement usually was seen within one month of therapy.

The FDA recently rejected the approval of TTP for women until more research is available regarding its safety. However, some pharmacies will compound testosterone cream, and a male FDA approved cream for men can be prescribed to women on an off label basis.

Élan Medspa

Check out our new website at www.elanmedspa.com. Established patients may take advantage of the $100 discount for a first treatment on facial photo-rejuvenation, sun spots, hair removal, or leg veins. In addition, new pharmaceutical skin products, including Obagi, are available.

Randy Birken, MD
www.gynfo.com