Dr. Valerie Bonnett Offers Specialized Treatments for Women at MHP
Mahaska Health Partnership
MAHASKA COUNTY – Family Practice Physician Valerie Bonnett, MD, recently joined the Mahaska Health Partnership Medical Group. Dr. Bonnett has a special interest in women’s health, particularly for women of reproductive through menopausal age.
“A lot of changes occur for women during these years,” Dr. Bonnett said. “I practiced obstetrics for most of my 20-year career and although I don’t anymore, I feel I have developed specialized skills to really help women be healthy.”
A strong focus for Dr. Bonnett is utilizing natural remedies in conjunction with traditional medicine. “Natural medicine can mean a lot of things,” Dr. Bonnett explained. “From my perspective, it is kind of two-fold.
“My first priority with my patients is getting to know them; their stressors, habits and lifestyle. From there, we can discuss their symptoms and possible outcomes. I strive to get to the root cause of problems because while traditional methods can be effective, I want to make sure we’re actually treating the issue, not just masking the symptoms,” Dr. Bonnett stressed.
Dr. Bonnett often helps women coping with the side-effects of menopause. “Hormone replacement therapy is widely used to treat the decline in estrogen and progesterone hormones women experience during menopause. By replacing these hormones, it can offset some of the uncomfortable symptoms women can face,” Dr. Bonnett explained.
As an advisor to her patients, Dr. Bonnett strives to address their symptoms in conjunction with their diet, exercise, lifestyle, relationships and stress. “You have to consider all of these factors because they can greatly influence the severity of menopausal side-effects.”
According to the National Institute on Aging, the average woman experiences menopause around age 51. Every women is different and may experience mild to severe side-effects including changes in their monthly cycle, hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping and weight gain.
“During menopause, your body is missing a key ingredient,” Dr. Bonnett explained. “Estrogen is a regulator for the female body. It helps the body process calcium which is important for bone strength, it aids in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and weight. A natural solution would be to replace the missing estrogen and problem solved.
“This is where I counsel patients on the best choice for them related to their family history, severity of their symptoms and daily habits. There are many natural treatments such as meditation, changes in diet and a focused effort to reduce stress that can aid in alleviating some symptoms. In addition, there are hormone therapy options that can be used such as estrogen patches which send the hormone directly into the blood stream, bypassing the liver. It’s very important to balance the hormones in a woman’s body, using the lowest possible dose, to avoid increasing her risk of breast cancer.
“The key is finding the right mix of traditional medicine and natural remedies to help lessen the severity of menopausal symptoms to obtain the highest quality of life,” Dr. Bonnett shared.
Dr. Bonnett is now accepting new patients on the MHP campus in Oskaloosa. She is available Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. For an appointment call 641.672.3360.
Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, look us up on the web: mahaskahealth.org.
