Things got “hot, hot, hot” at First Baptist Church of Peachtree City when Dr. Ron Eaker took the stage to talk about his recent book, “Holy Hormones, Approaching PMS and Menopause God's Way.”

Eaker started his presentation leading the group of close to 200 in “menopause aerobics” to the tune “Hot, Hot, Hot” played by his musical toy gorilla “Mini Paws.”

Using a combination of humor, scientific fact, personal experiences and Biblical references, the self-proclaimed “recovering traditionalist” educated and entertained the crowd on the subject of PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) and menopause.

Eaker said, “I talk about the natural approach to menopause and PMS, but I don't throw science out. My bias is to look at `natural' ways of approaching menopause. My background is in traditional medicine.”

Eaker is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with 15 years of experience in working with PMS and menopause. He is a well-respected advocate of women's health education. Eaker and wife, Susan, have taught numerous seminars on “healing and prayer and complementary approaches to health issues.”

In his recent presentation to local women and medical professionals, Eaker stressed the importance of what he titles the “healing triad” of mind, body and spirit. He also focused on the need for individuality in medical treatment saying, “You can not cook book your approach to health.”

His Bible-based foundation was prevalent throughout his presentation. He said, “There are no `Ten Commandments' of menopause, yet the wisdom and guidance that can be gleaned from both the Old Testament and New Testament can be applied daily to your life.”

Using “Four A's,” attitude, action, aptitude and apothecary, Eaker gave tips and advice on treating the symptoms of menopause and other hormone-related issues.

Citing scientific studies to support his belief, he said, “Attitude is the first for a reason — in my mind, it is the most important.”

He noted that in the Japanese language there is not a word for menopause. “Japanese women have a lot less menopausal symptoms.” He added that while diet played a big role, the country's attitude toward women and aging was also a strong factor.

He quipped, “Menopause is not a disease. It is puberty with experience.”

Aptitude, the second A, is “education, knowledge. Ask questions, talk to others, and take responsibility,” Eaker stressed. “Be partners [with your physician], not victims.” Throughout his talk, Eaker wove the theme of personal responsibility and the need for individuals to take a proactive part in their medical treatment.

He asked the audience to consider how much time they would spend buying a new refrigerator, then urged them to “now take as much time learning about your body.”

Personal responsibility included not just education, but also the need to make healthy life-style choices. He said, “If we could eliminate nicotine, alcohol and obesity, there would not be much for doctors to do other than deliver babies.”

All of the A's were “useless” without the third A, action, he noted. “Action is two fold. It is taking something and doing something and, my bias, exercise.”

He said, “If I told you I had a pill that would make you feel better, act better, lose weight, reduce your chance of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, reduce or eliminate PMS and menopausal problems and do all of this without side effects, would you take it? Of course you would. Well, that pill exists. It's called exercise and it takes about 30 minutes to swallow.”

The fourth A, apothecary, covered traditional and natural or “complementary” approaches to the treatment of menopausal symptoms. He explained the pros and cons of treatment choices, discussing dietary changes, the use of vitamins and herbs, hormone replacement therapies, life-style changes and finding the right doctors. Using real life cases from his practice, he demonstrated the effectiveness of various treatments based on individual personalities, belief systems and physical differences.

The five-hour Conference for Women also was a day of fun and pampering for attendees. Ici Paris gave neck and hand massages, Ulta treated women to a complimentary hand wash treatment and One Magnolia Lane gave moisturizing hand massages. The church's health ministry did medical testing including blood pressure, body fat content and cholesterol tests. Book stores, vitamin vendors and natural food vendors showcased and gave samples of their products, also.

Deborah Wuerslin was the moving force behind the conference. Her efforts to educate women were sparked by her personal experiences. “I don't want ladies to go through what I went through. I wanted to ensure they were educated and knew they had choices.” Wueslin, along with women from “ten or more churches” formed Christian Women of South Atlanta, the sponsor for the Holy Hormones Conference.

Eaker can be reached at 706-733-4427. Eaker's book, “Holy Hormones, Approaching PMS & Menopause God's Way,” can be purchased by calling 800-917-BOOK. Contact Deborah Wuerslin for more information regarding Christian Women of South Atlanta.

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