The Standardization and Manufacturing of Bioidentical Hormones, how can you know about the quality of them?

Dr. Northrup: The way you do that is to know that very good quality bioidentical hormones that are very nicely tested are available in all pharmacies. You read the label, and you make sure that what you're taking is progesterone. Not medroxyprogesterone acetate, but progesterone, and then you look for estradiol. Sometimes 17 beta estradiol. And those are bioidenticals and you'll be fine with those. You just have to sort through what's available in the pharmacies, and all you have to do is read the package insert and it's right there. Or the PDR. The Physician's Desk Reference will tell you.

Is There a Viagra® For Women?

Dr. Northrup: "The answer is no. The reason they don't have Viagra for women is because for women, sex is multi-modal and it involves your emotions and your feelings and all of that stuff. This is Viagra for women—turn yourself on to life. I want you to think of the things that bring you the most joy, that give you the most turn on. It might be funny movies. It might be romance novels.
Dr. Northrup also says all women should practice "self-cultivation", an alternative word for masturbation. You can learn how to rewire yourself for maximum pleasure by connecting all the erogenous zones in your body down to your clitoris and you practice. I'd prescribe three 30-minute sessions a week minimum, and once you're good at it, you can invite someone else in.
If you're still having trouble getting turned on, talk to your doctor and look into getting your testosterone and estrogen levels checked. If you have dryness, (check under what Sheri Recommends) a lubrication gel or estrogen cream can help. Sunlight will often turn a woman on, by the way, because it increases testosterone levels. Not a lot, just a little bit, and it increases serotonin in your brain."

When Will Night Sweats End?

Every woman over a certain age knows about night sweats, including audience member Jeanine. "I'm 76 and I'm still having night sweats. When does it end? When you get in the casket?"
Dr. Northrup says not to worry—she still has them, too! "Have you ever done like a juice fast or any kind of detox or whatever?  Because I think your body is detoxing something to get that wet like that," she says. "People do that after they've had a baby. Any of you had a baby and noticed you had night sweats for a long time? It's like how you detox after a baby. Your body's throwing off old toxins and trying to have you stay really healthy."
Jeanine tells Dr. Northrup she was recently diagnosed with diabetes. "Well, that's interesting. It could be related to your blood sugar," she says. "Blood sugar will cause all kinds of problems like that. All kinds of things that don't seem to be related to it. I'll be very interested to see what happens when you get your blood sugar under control."