I received an email not too long ago from a fantastic woman named Karen. Karen wrote and said… “Dr. Anna, I have a request.  I’ve followed you and a few other doctors for some time now, and whenever they talk about hormones, they always assume I already have a basic knowledge…and guess what?  I don’t!  Most of what they say goes right over my head!  Now, I don’t want to sound uneducated, but I feel like I need to ask the basic questions to really understand what’s going on. So here it goes… What exactly is a hormone?  I know they control things happenin ..read more

All my life, I’ve been incredibly proud of my long, thick hair. Then it happened: Dark hairs on my pillow. My shower drain plugged with clumps of hair. My hair falling out in handfuls. The shine and volume was gone. I was depressed. Was I going bald? The reason for the demise of my crowning glory? Early menopause brought on by premature ovarian failure and extreme stress and PTSD. It has been estimated that by the time we reach the age of 60, roughly 80 percent of women worldwide will be dealing with some degree of hair loss. So if this is happening to you, you are not alone, and there are sol ..read more

There’s really no delicate way to describe the unnerving symptoms you experience when starting menopause.  The intense heat that spreads through your upper body … anxiety like there’s an invader in the room … doom-and-gloom depression … endless sleepless nights … a suddenly accelerated heartbeat … a leaky bladder … weight gain (especially around your tummy) … desert-dry skin (and vagina!). And what happened to that brain of yours that used to be so sharp and quick witted? Unquestionably, menopause forces you into a new strange and scary existence where nothing feels the same anymore, whet ..read more

Ah…today we are discussing a topic that has been quite controversial over the years…as well as very confusing…and that is regarding the safety, effectiveness and protective benefits of hormone replacement therapy. First of all, there is a tremendous amount of research and safety with using bio-identical hormones (that means, not their synthetic alternatives!).  And Anti-Estrogen sentiments that pervade media hype and create unnecessary fear in women is truly an anti-feminine and dare I say misogynistic sentiment!  Estrogen is Female. Estrogen has been shown over and over again to sup ..read more

What you will learn in this post: What causes feelings of annoyance, isolation, and “crazy” The role estrogen and progesterone play in the body Three ways to overcome hormonal imbalances now.     I have a 48-year-old client — a mother of two beautiful children, a successful career woman with a loving, supportive husband — who told me,   “I love Dylan (her husband) to bits, he is the best thing that’s happened to me, and such a wonderful father and supportive and kind man and husband. But I swear sometimes I just want to murder him! I just tell him to stay away. And I f ..read more

So happy to have had the opportunity to spend some time in Barcelona a few years ago… Here I am with two of my daughters enjoying the beautiful weather and sights… This city is filled with amazing beauty, but even on this and any vacation, I have my family’s health on my mind. First thing is how I will keep my daughters protected from the sun! Packing for this trip was a challenge knowing we would spend a majority of our time outdoors, walking the streets of Barcelona and enjoying the sun on the beaches. Sun protection is so important…but getting some sunshine is so great for you t ..read more

“I’m becoming less of a woman.” “I’m over the hill.” “I’m going to suffer through every part of menopause.” Sound familiar? Menopause stimulates negative self-talk, not to mention negative societal connotations. It’s a power-packed combo of physical challenges and mental stressors. It can be a difficult time, I know. But it doesn’t have to be. Many women head into menopause without knowing what is happening to their own bodies. It’s as if everything that comes after menopause is just a bonus because our best lives have already been lived. I find this offensive to the wonderful, dynamic women i ..read more

From time to time, I come across products that I feel are of superior value and I recommend to my clients. If you’ve been referred here from one of my blog’s pages, and don’t see the specific product you’re interested in listed, please email my team at team@drannacabeca.com. For Dr. Anna’s supplement recommendations click here.       Vital Choice Wild Seafood Vital Choice is a trusted source for fast home delivery of the world’s finest wild seafood and organic fare, harvested from healthy, well-managed wild fisheries and farms. Primal Life Organics All natural tooth p ..read more

From fasting to feasting! I hope you enjoyed reading about the significant health benefits of intermittent fasting in my last post. There are so many health benefits related to fasting beyond simply losing weight. Lots of great research supporting it as an amazing lifestyle intervention. You’ll definitely be hearing more about fasting due to the growing body of research showing how it positively impacts so many health conditions.      Now I want to spend just a bit more time on the need to feast as well! Feasting was also mentioned in my last post ..read more

Wow! I am super excited to have been interviewed by one of my favorite mentors… Dr. David Perlmutter! He interviewed me on his podcast, “The Empowering Neurologist“… about what might surprise you relating to hormones and menopause! He is a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. I have known Dr. Perlmutter for many years and have read many of his books and listened to his lectures.  I have been a fan and he has mentored me as well. We’ve been on a scientific board together where I got to know him better. Love his depth of knowledge ..read more