Martha Stewart says medication shes taken for 40 years has kept her body strong

She’s got the secrets to a timeless home — and maybe the fountain of youth, too.Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is known for her impeccable taste, domestic know-how and viral thirst traps that have sent social media into a frenzy.Now, the 85-year-old is pulling back the curtain on her health, revealing the medication she’s been taking for more than four decades that she believes has helped keep her body strong.“I’ve been on estrogen since I was like 42 years old, I think,” Stewart said at a September event hosted by her skincare brand, Elm Biosciences, per The Daily Beast.“I think that’s very helpful.”A form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), supplemental estrogen is used by many women in midlife as their bodies’ natural production declines during the menopause transition.The treatment is commonly prescribed to ease symptoms of the so-called “change of life,” including hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal discomfort.It can also help protect against bone loss and fractures by reducing the risk of osteoporosis, which becomes more common after menopause.But HRT has had a rocky reputation — and for years, fears about its potential risks kept many women away.In 2002, a major study raised alarms by suggesting HRT could increase the risk of serious health problems, including breast cancer, in postmenopausal women — spooking patients and making doctors more reluctant to prescribe it.A year later, the FDA slapped a “black box warning” on many estrogen pills, patches, injections and creams, warning of increased risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia and certain cancers.Afterward, HRT use took a nosedive.Stewart, however, stayed the course — and credits the hormone with helping her maintain her strength.“Other doctors were saying, ‘Oh no, it causes cancer’ and all that other stuff,” she said.

“I’ve been on it, and I think that has helped me keep my strong bones and a strong body.”She may have been onto something.In recent ...