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Marla Ahlgrimm on the Prevention of Falling

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Marla Ahlgrimm National Falls Prevention Awareness Day is observed each September to encourage safety and security in the home, notes pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm. As a women’s health leader, Marla Ahlgrimm has analyzed the subject and learned a great deal about alleviating potential risks. Here, Marla Ahlgrimm shares her knowledge about preventing falls with the ZRYLW readership.

ZRYLW: Hello and welcome!

Marla Ahlgrimm: Good morning – how have you been?

ZRYLW: Just fine, thank you. It’s wonderful to speak with you about National Falls Prevention Awareness Day.

Marla Ahlgrimm: It’s an important cause.

ZRYLW: How many people suffer falls each year?

Marla Ahlgrimm: According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, up to 30 percent of people who fall suffer injuries such as head traumas, hip fractures and lacerations.

ZRYLW: That’s troubling.

Marla Ahlgrimm: It’s an issue, too, that we need to examine even for those who are not in the senior demographic.

ZRYLW: In general, what’s the first step in avoiding a fall?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Consulting with a physician is always an intelligent choice. By reviewing medications and nutritional supplements, a physician can help with fall prevention.

ZRYLW: Is there certain information that the physician may require during this appointment?

Marla Ahlgrimm: It can be a great benefit to keep track of instances of falls or near-falls.

ZRYLW: Could your health conditions cause a fall?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Oh, certainly. In fact, some ear and eye disorders increase a person’s risk as a result of compromised balance.

ZRYLW: What specific symptoms should be of concern to the individual?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Some people feel shortness of breath, numbness, joint pain or dizziness when they walk.

ZRYLW: As one method of fall prevention, would it be wise to select a particular brand or type of shoes?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Shoes with slick soles, floppy slippers and high heels can make a person fall, slip or stumble.

ZRYLW: What’s the best choice: Nike, Adidas….?

Marla Ahlgrimm: The brand name does not matter in the long run, but make sure to select a pair of shoes that are comfortable.

ZRYLW: What about socks?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Wear sturdy, properly fitting shoes instead of walking around in socks or slippers.

ZRYLW: What other suggestions might the doctor provide?

Marla Ahlgrimm: With a doctor’s permission, try activities like swimming, tai chi, water aerobics, or walking. Building an exercise routine can improve flexibility, coordination, balance and strength.

ZRYLW: How else can a person improve their health?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Some men and women opt for a physical therapist who can develop an exercise program designed to improve their muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.

ZRYLW: Thanks so much for your insight on this subject!

Marla Ahlgrimm: You’re quite welcome!

Currently residing in Madison, Wisconsin, Marla Ahlgrimm has traveled the country as a guest speaker on women’s health issues. Marla Ahlgrimm is the author of two popular books on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

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A Vision is Born: How Madison Pharmacy Associates Revolutionized the Field of Women’s Health

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Madison Pharmacy Associates’ founder Marla Ahlgrimm saw the need to start a pharmacy specializing in women’s health when she realized her own boss was unsupportive of the work she and her associates were doing to help women manage the symptoms of PMS. “Women are all neurotic anyway and should be on tranquilizers,” Madison Pharmacy Associates’ Marla Ahlgrimm recalls the manager saying.

Still, starting a new business isn’t easy. When she and a colleague decided to found Madison Pharmacy Associates, a Madison, Wisconsin based business focused on women’s health, she found almost everyone tried to talk her out of it. Financial institutions balked at the idea and the Madison Pharmacy Associates founders learned they’d have to interpret state and federal regulations to meet their own business’ specialized focus.

According to Madison Pharmacy Associates’ Ahlgrimm, most Americans had never heard the term premenstrual syndrome or PMS, although research had been done in Europe on the syndrome. Madison Pharmacy Associates focused on developing unique treatments for women dealing with irritability, mood swings, depression, headaches and other moderate to severe symptoms each month.

Because PMS was a new field, Madison Pharmacy Associates had to develop all of the educational materials. The staff at Madison Pharmacy Associates introduced customized natural hormone prescription compounding which is now provided from pharmacies through out the country.

Madison Pharmacy Associates’ Marla Ahlgrimm, R.Ph. recalls the challenges of starting a new business. “Gearing up to start a small business means confronting questions about financing,” states the co-founder of Madison Pharmacy Associates.  “How will I know how to do everything from bookkeeping to managing employees? What if I make a wrong decision?  Will I have the energy to make the business grow?”

Over time, Madison Pharmacy Associates worked through all of these issues and more, becoming one of the country’s foremost leaders in the field of women’s hormonal health. Beginning small—in the early days, Madison Pharmacy Associates was only 700 square feet—Madison Pharmacy Associates gradually added experienced pharmacists, nurses, and health educators who added to Marla Ahlgrimm’s vision.

“In contemplating starting a business, the most important challenge lies in evaluating and following your personal values which, while tangible and immeasurable, not only define your path to success, they insure it,” Marla Ahlgrimm, co-founder of Madison Pharmacy Associates, concludes.

The information in this article has been previously published and is provided as a reference resource by Marla Ahlgrimm, R.Ph. Madison Pharmacy Associates was sold in 2011. Marla Ahlgrimm is also the co-founder and President of Cyclin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The company sells proprietary products for the women’s health market as well as ProCycle PMS and ProCycle Gold products. For more information, go online to www.cyclinpharma.com

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Pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm Explains the Process of Screening for Thyroid Problems

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Marla-Ahlgrimm-Thyroid

As a woman gets older, she may dismiss symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and painful joints as a natural part of the aging process. But Marla Ahlgrimm, founder of Women’s Health America, regularly sees patients suffering from these very symptoms and, in some cases, hormone therapy can return a woman to a happy, healthy life. Marla Ahlgrimm reports that, according to the National Thyroid Institute,

millions of women have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and many more remain undiagnosed. A pioneer in the field of women’s health, Marla Ahlgrimm explains that thyroid related symptoms can mimic some symptoms of PMS and menopause making treatment frustrating if symptoms don’t improve. Several tests are available to identify thyroid problems early and begin treatment, Marla Ahlgrimm says.

The better way to test, Marla Ahlgrimm explains, is to use the sensitive serum TSH test combined with a “free T4 and free T3” test. This is the most thorough and accurate test, and according to Marla Ahlgrimm, it’s sensitive enough to identify thyroid disease even in its earlier stages. “TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone, produced by the pituitary gland,” pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm, co-founder of Madison Pharmacy Associates, states. “TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which regulate the metabolism of fat, protein, and sugar.” Hypothyroidism happens when the TSH level is high, T4 level is too low, or when the T4 level is normal and T3 level is low.

The thyroid testing test can be expensive, but Marla Ahlgrimm points out that the price has decreased over the years. The test involves a blood sample which must be analyzed by a laboratory and most clinic laboratories perform this test. The test should always be done in women of menopausal age, Marla Ahlgrimm recommends, and three main factors should be taken into consideration before undergoing the sensitive serum TSH test: family history, presence of an autoimmune disease, or enlarged thyroid or goiter.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, co-founder of Madison Pharmacy Associates, additional tests are available, such as a “free T4 and free T3” test. But this test measures the amount of T4 and T3 that is “free” or available to act in the thyroid receptors as compared to total T3 and Total T4 where much of the thyroid hormone is bound to protein and unavailable.

Hypothyroidism: Underactive Thyroid

Hypothyroidism has two forms, says Marla Ahlgrimm, primary and secondary. In primary hypothyroidism, the thyroid itself malfunctions, producing too little T4 and causing symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and depression, explains Marla Ahlgrimm. Primary hypothyroidism can be caused by disease or an autoimmune condition, according to Dr. Marla Ahlgrimm. Secondary hypothyroidism has several causes. One can be that the pituitary gland isn’t producing enough TSH. Unlike primary hypothyroidism, the pituitary gland is malfunctioning instead of the thyroid, Marla Ahlgrimm says. While the causes may be different, the results are similar—you may feel lethargic and depressed, among other symptoms. The thyroid test can detect both primary and secondary hypothyroidism, signaling your doctor to do further tests, adds Marla Ahlgrimm.

Probably the most common cause of thyroid deficiency symptoms in aging women is due to subclinical hypothyroidism when TSH is slightly elevated and T4 and T3 are low.

Prescription Options

Pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm says many doctors will prescribe Synthroid, which is a synthetic form of T4 but many others prefer natural thyroid or desiccated thyroid.  One brand is called Armour Thyroid which contains T3 and T4 as well as other thyroid hormone derivatives naturally found in the thyroid gland. Your doctor also can prescribe a customized thyroid hormone prescription prepared by a pharmacist for you. Available both in a prescription tablet and capsule form, thyroid must also be closely monitored, cautions Marla Ahlgrimm.

For more information, contact Marla Ahlgrimm at ahlgrimm.marla@gmail.com

http://marlaahlgrimmonline.com/