Georgie Stone, Australia's leading transgender voice The number of Australian teenagers applying to start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has jumped by 360%. In Australia people under the age of 18 must seek permission from the Family Court to begin HRT. The number of applications to the Family Court rose from five in 2013 to 23 in 2016. Sydneys Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC) provides support to families going through the court process. I think it is because there is so much more awareness of transgender issues in the media we have kids and their parents that are identifying exactly with that, ICLC principal, Hilary Kincaid, told The Daily Telegraph newspaper. Australia is the only country that requires transgender minors to getcourt approval for hormone treatment. The court process can costs families tens of thousands of dollars and can be traumatic. In 2016 activism around the issue gained traction as families and groups lobbied to parliamentarians to change the law. Teenager Georgie Stone gained national media attention with her story and led the campaign to change the requirement to get Family Court approval for minors to start HRT. She went on to be named LGBTI Person of the Year at the … Continue reading →

Monday, Feb. 6, 2017 | 2 a.m. The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that 44 million women in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular diseases, and when combined with stroke, these diseases kill an average of 1 woman every 80 seconds. Thats 1 in 3 female deaths annually, said Vanessa Gastwirth, MD, FACC, at MountainView Hospital. While historically considered a mens disease, heart disease kills more women than men every year. Furthermore, the AHA reports that 90 percent of all women have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke. Common risk factors include age, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, genetics and, for some women, hormone levels. Estrogen can affect your cholesterol levels Naturally occurring estrogen tends to raise HDL cholesterol levels the good cholesterol that helps carry away artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. As such, women generally have more HDL cholesterol than men. When estrogen levels peak for women during childbearing years, this HDL provides an extra level of protection from developing heart disease earlier in life. Estrogen has favorable effects on health, including an improvement in cholesterol and on the function of blood vessel lining. However, it has adverse side effects as well, such as causing changes in … Continue reading →

Women treated for subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) during pregnancy are less likely to experience pregnancy loss, a new study shows, but they face a greater risk of complications such as preterm delivery, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.1 While the new research doesnt settle the ongoing controversy surrounding the question of whether pregnant women with SCH should receive thyroid-hormone replacement therapy, it may help identify the point at which treatment tips toward overall benefit and away from risk. Continuing to offer thyroid hormone treatment to decrease the risk of pregnancy loss is reasonable for women with TSH concentrations of 4.1-10.0 mIU/L, said the studys lead author, Spyridoula Maraka, M.D., a research collaborator with Mayo Clinic and assistant professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System. However, given the smaller magnitude of effect in women with lower TSH levels of 2.5-4.0 mIU/L, and in light of the possible increased risk of other adverse events, treatment may need to be withheld in this group. Indeed, given the findings of their study, published in The BMJ, Maraka and her co-authors have expressed concern that pregnant women whose levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) measure in the 2.5-4.0 … Continue reading →

By Matthew Solan Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch Don't think men need to worry about osteoporosis? Think again. Older men have a greater risk of osteoporosis-related fractures than of getting prostate cancer. In fact, about one in four men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis during their lifetime, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. How can men protect themselves and lower their risk of osteoporosis? Here are some strategies: Studies have shown that low calcium intake is associated with low bone mass and higher fracture rates. Vitamin D is needed to help absorb calcium in the body, so you need adequate amounts of each. The Institute of Medicine's recommendations for adults include 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day of calcium until age 50 and 1,200 mg per day afterward, and 600 international unites (IU) daily of vitamin D until age 70 and then 800 IU afterwards. Some of the best sources of calcium include tofu, spinach, greens (collard, turnip, mustard, and kale), and dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and milk. High amounts of vitamin D are found in salmon, sardines, tuna, milk, and mushrooms. If you have a deficiency, or have trouble consuming these foods, you … Continue reading →