Different women experience menopause in different ways. While there are some experiences that everyone can expect to have, for most, menopause is a lonely journey. With such a wide array of potential symptoms, from depression to weight gain to general feelings of unease, it’s hard to create a single form of medication that’s applicable to every woman.

But there is one solution: Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Called BHRT for short, it won’t cure menopause, or even put it off, but it will alleviate those unpleasant symptoms. And though it’s been around for almost two decades, BHRT only recently gained popularity as a reliable and healthy way to combat the natural effects of aging.

Before BHRT prescriptions came along, doctors would prescribe synthetic hormones, which were often designed by pharmaceutical companies. But because these synthetics are foreign to the human body, they carried unwanted side effects with them. What’s more, the synthetics couldn’t be fine-tuned to the body chemistries of individual patients, so there was no guarantee that a given symptom would be addressed.

Unlike synthetic hormones, bio-identical hormones are derived from natural sources, and thus match the formula of those hormones already in your body. BHRT prescriptions are designed to mimic your body chemistry perfectly, which makes the entire menopause experience — from beginning to post-menopause — easier on your body and mind. Since every woman’s body chemistry is different, every BHRT prescription is different. A good compounding pharmacist can work with you and your health care provider to determine the best course of action for you.

So how can you decide whether a bio-identical hormone replacement therapy prescription is for you?

Learn the ropes. All women experience menopause in different ways, but there are some common symptoms that can tip you off that it might be your time. Has it been more than two or three months since your last period? (As a corollary to this question: Are you sure you’re not pregnant?) Do you seem to be gaining weight despite eating right and exercising? Are you having trouble sleeping?

Know your symptoms and medical history. Compile a list of your symptoms to bring to your doctor. Figure out your most pressing concerns, and what kind of changes you’d like to see. Your doctor may ask you why you’re pursuing a BHRT prescription — be prepared to answer her.

Talk to your doctor. If you’re between doctors, this may be the perfect time to find one who’s familiar with BHRT. Since it’s still somewhat new, there may be doctor out there who aren’t well-schooled in it, or who don’t support it.

Learn as much as possible. Read more than just this article. Google is your friend here, and so is your doctor. Before making the final leap, learn everything you can about bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.

D. Michael Kirby is a freelance writer living in California. He writes about health and fitness, home improvement, technology, and a wide array of other topics. One of his clients, Beacon Prescriptions, is Connecticut’s premier compounding pharmacy, with locations around the state.

Visit Beacon Prescriptions here: http://www.beaconcompounding.com

Corsets have been around for a very long time – centuries, in fact, or perhaps even longer. The very first indication of corset usage was discovered at a Neolithic archaeological site in England. The find was a picture of women wearing a corset type piece of clothing made from animal hides. So they’ve definitely been around for quite a while!

Corsets popped up again in the history books at around 1700 BC. The Minoans were quite fond of the style, and it was used on both men and women to tighten the waist. Their corset design left the breasts exposed. The use of corsets continued on throughout history, from Ancient Egypt to Greece.

Throughout the centuries improvements to the corset were made. In the 13th century, corsets were worked directly into gowns, as the era favored a smaller look. In the 14th century, a number of new fabrics began to grow in popularity (more details at http://www.SpicyRelationships.com/lingerie/ ). These fabrics were more free flowing than that which was used before, and corsets were used to provide a tight shape back to the top.

In the 16th century, they even used steel in the corsets. Many noble women were ordered to have a waist size that was not bigger than 13 inches – it was rather extreme, but the demands of fashion often are. This was also a time when the corset began to separate from the gown as well. The look for skirts leaned towards a full, heavy fall, while the top needed to be tight and form fitting. Because of how elaborate the corsets and undergarments became during this time, gowns were often designed to strategically flash the corsets or otherwise reveal them.

The 18th century as a huge time for corset improvement. The main cause of this? A doctor inventing the metal eyelet. This meant that corsets could end up even tighter (much to the chagrin of the ladies, I’m sure). While they remained popular in the 19th century, it wasn’t until the 20th century that Madonna popularized corsets once again.

And today? Today corsets are used for lingerie, outerwear, fetish wear, and just about anything you can imagine! They are definitely a staple in fashion, and just keep getting better and better. The best thing about it? With modern corsets, you can actually breath!

Eden Tuin is editor of SpicyRelationships.com. Whether you need something different in bed, or need to make sure you keep your lover happy while you are abroad, you’ll find it all at http://www.SpicyRelationships.com“>SpicyRelationships.com

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Retro bowling shirts are now topping many lists of sport goods best sellers, and there’s a good reason for that – they look great! An item with a classic ‘American’ feel to it, it now sells around the world, so what’s the history of the bowling shirt, and why is the retro style so popular..?

The bowling shirt originated as something which was efficient for bowlers to wear. The short sleeves and box design meant that the material didn’t interfere with the bowling action, and it wasn’t so tight that it hindered it either. The cotton blend of the material meant that it was comfortable to wear, airy to allow perspiration without any nasty staining! The block colors meant that teams could be easily identified in busy rinks during competitions.

All well and good for the bowlers, but it was in the 1950s that the shirt made an impression outside the confines of the rinks and lanes. With the onset of rockabilly, the youth started to wear these bowling shirts as general casual clothing, and it took off as a cool look, with the possibilities of embroidery of names and logos adding to the fun.

In later years, the mods, who were the arch enemies of the rockers, even started to wear them! They did change the style somewhat, in that they only wore fitted designs as opposed to the original box shape. Always popular in the bowling alleys, the shirt went up and down in popularity outside the rink, but with the rise of internet commerce, the desire to sell to all markets meant a perfect opportunity for the retro shirt to make a comeback.

With its’ classic block colors and design, the retro bowling shirt is typical nostalgic Americana, and people love to look back to a bygone age, when everything seemed so much simpler.

In today’s world of seemingly endless struggles, the retro bowler’s shirt has an important function – it makes people smile! If someone sees you wearing one, they won’t point and jeer, they’ll smile and say ‘cool shirt’, and it’s this simple fact more than anything that has helped the comeback of the retro bowling shirt.

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