Thursday, November 08, 2007

Horses Dying for Menopause

If you're like me, you're definitely concerned about the ingredients in the foods you eat. But are you as equally concerned about the ingredients in the medications you take?

For example, if you take the drug Premarin, does it bother you to know that it is made from the urine of pregnant mares? Do you care that these defenseless creatures are subjected to animal cruelty to help you alleviate your menopausal symptoms?

According to an article written by Gregory McNamee, the process of collecting horse’s urine began in the 1940s when researchers at one drug firm discovered that estrogen taken from the urine of pregnant mares helped to relieve some of the effects of menopause in women. Overnight, an industry sprang up in the northern United States and Canada as hundreds of farms were placed under contract to deliver this urine.

It’s sad to think this process developed a drug that was peddled to our mothers by doctors who swore it was safe and natural---just as natural as feeding a woman a healthy dose of oats and alfalfa. Unfortunately, this process continues today. I invite you to read the entire article by Gregory.

I don't take synthetic drugs for menopause, however, I know many women who do.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did not know this. I'm quite surprised to say the least.

Debbie Stevens said...

I got as far as the slaughtering of their foals and re-impregnated, then stopped! I couldn't stand reading this as I am a HUGE activist for the rights of animals!
I had NO idea this disgusting torture existed????? I can't use any form of HRT for medical reasons, and have had to look for natural alternatives. Why not make this an alternative for EVERYONE by posting this horror story on all blogs! Currently, I am only taking Vitamin E along with Promensil...I pray the 'mad scientists' have not tampered with these!

Bev Mahone said...

Karlyn and Debbie,

Thanks for your comments. As I suspected, there are quite a few folks who don't know of this practice. When it came to my attention, I felt the need to spread the message as best I could so that's why I'm blogging about it and have it prominentnly displayed on my EnjoyYourMenopause website.

63st6U

Carine-what's cooking? said...

Sheez, makes me glad I'm held together by drugs for all of my other various health distresses that do not include menopause.
Of course I am sitting here in a light-headed darvocet buzz, so nevermind.

Bev Mahone said...

Carine,

It makes you wonder what in the world are these drug manufacturers thinking of. Oh, it's the almight dollar---at any expense.

Anonymous said...

I knew that Premarin was made from pregnant mares' urine but didn't realize the rest of the story. Thank you so much, Beverly, for bringing this and other important topics to our attention.

Bev Mahone said...

Eileen,

I don't think most people know "the rest of the story."

Anonymous said...

Debbie, I too take vitamin E. That has worked better than anything else.

My doctor isn't a fan of hormone pills and told me to search various alternatives. Things seemed to get worse instead of better. Weight gain, constant hot flashes, depressed sometimes, but lots of foggy thinking, not getting much accomplished. Afternoons fatigue would hit me so hard I could fall asleep while shopping, or I could even hear my words start to slur. My somewhat ADD became very ADD.

So I had my doctor check my hormone levels and he put me on Prempro, most people I don't prescribe for he says, but you need this, but not longer than 2 years. It helped, but I wasn't happy with staying on the pills esp. when my sister just had breast cancer so I took myself off after one year.

Vitamin E helps me, my sister too, that and exercise. Don't know how Prempro compares to the other, where there "natural" hormones come from, but there has to be a better way. Some of the fogginess is back, not near as bad as before.

Reading a book about eating naturally for Menopause.

Thanks Bev!

Bev Mahone said...

Heidi,

Thanks for your insightful comments. I, too, believe in Vitamin E for several menopause-related symptoms.

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