I Got All My Sisters And Me…

Last week, I posted a piece about the importance of friendships and social support to our lives. Researchers agree that during the menopausal transition, the ability to nurture and nourish ties, coupled with overall satisfaction with that work, significantly predicts well-being.

A subset of 334 women from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study were evaluated over a period of 8 years to determine the association between factors such as frequency and severity of hot flashes, hormone levels, number of negative life events and resources pertaining to mastery over and satisfaction with social support and overall well-being.

Study findings showed that for the majority, the menopause transition itself was not a predictor of well-being. Rather, when considered within a broader life context, one primary factor stood out – personal resources as they pertain to social support.

Undoubtedly, menopause can wreak havoc on our lifestyles, the way that we feel about ourselves and at times, the ability or inability to cope. ‘Tending and befriending,’  nurturing our personal relationships,  communicating to one another when we need help, finding a shoulder to cry on or simply offering a hug not only reaffirms who we are but can also provide an essential foundation to see us through.

One of my favorite Aristotle quotes is this one:

What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies.

Cherish your soul today.  Call or email a friend. Reach out to a family member you’ve not spoken to in awhile. Say hello to that neighbor you’ve been meaning to talk to but never find the time to. Mostly, take the time to well, take the time. You’ll be glad you did.

Carrying the Torch – Spanx A Lot L’eggs!

Who says that this blog has to be serious all the time?!

The other morning, Fighting Mad Mary posted a video featuring her friend GloZell (star of the You Tube series, ‘Ghetto Gossip’), trying to squeeze her frame into a pair of spanx capri. For those of you who are unfamiliar with spanx, it was clearly invented by a man because no sane woman would ever do that to another female.

Fellow blogger Gnightgirl, followed by blogger, friend, and sister-in-law Blanche, picked up the video yesterday. She is followed by BBFF Amy, and the challenge is on.

Sisters – who is going to carry the torch next? We all need to laugh as much as we need to cry. In this particular case, you may do both as you watch GloZell attempt to deal with the challenge at hand.

Spanx a lot L’eggs.

This one’s for you GloZell (and Mary and Lori and Wendy and Amy)!

Happy Friday!

Soy! Oh Boy!

It’s Wednesday, meaning that it’s time for me to debunk a popular myth about menopause or provide you with a bit of inspiration for hump day.

Tongues have been wagging a lot about soy isoflavones (plant-based compounds with estrogen-like properties)  with the most disturbing reports linking high doses to genetic damage and stimulation of estrogen receptors to promote breast cancer.

So, do you need to be worried if your current menopause diet includes lots of soy? (You can read more about the potential benefits of soy here.) Evidently, the answer is NO!

According to a newly published study in the Menopause Journal, unconjugated forms of soy isoflavones are safe and well tolerated at daily doses as high as 900 mg/day. (Unconjugated forms are more readily absorbed into the bloodstream.)

In this study, researchers administered soy isoflavones or placebo to 30 postmenopausal women for 84 days.  The goals of the study were to measure DNA damage, cell death and any changes that would indicate that estrogen was stimulated (which might lead to tumor growth). The researchers found no indication that high (900 mg) daily doses of soy caused DNA damage, increased cell death or affected estrogen. What’s more, any side effects (ocurring in only 1 woman) were mild or moderate in severity.

Granted, the study population is quite small and more data are needed to confirm these findings. Neverthless, the researchers do conclude that despite the considerable debate over the negative, estrogen-related effects of soy isoflavones, findings suggest only minimal effects.

If you are currently using soy isoflavones as a strategy to combat vasomotors symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, eat with ease. It appears that you are not increasing your breast cancer risk. Nevertheless, as my grandmother used to say “everything in moderation.”

Happy News for Wednesday!

[Cross-posted at EmpowHer.com]

Bones Bones Bones…Again!

Something is in the air. Is it the moon moving into Virgo? The end of August, when fruit is ripe and bursting on the vine? What IS IT about late summer that makes me want to hold onto the old and challenge the new?

I’ve uncovered more news about bone loss as it relates to menopause. Early data suggest that fruit, namely Korean raspberries (better known as Rubus coreanus) may hold an important key to preventing bone loss.

Results of a study in rats that appears in the Menopause journal suggests that Rubus coreanus extract prevented bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency by enhancing the function of cells the form bone (osteoclasts) and promoting the death of cells (osteoclasts) that cause bone to break down.

The researchers caution that more study is needed but point to the mineral compositon of Rubus coreanus, which contains potassium, magnesium, and vitamins D and B2. They also suggest that Rubus coreanus extract improves bone density through an antioxidant effect.

L’Chaim

“Life before death.”

My mother told me a story yesterday when we spoke. She said that years ago, a dear friend’s mother died the day before the friend’s daughter was getting married. In Judaism, those who pass are typically buried with 24 hours. This is dictated by the Torah. Kabbalah teachings also suggest that immediate burial brings closure to the soul in terms of its relationship to the physical body, thereby allowing it to pass over. In this particular situation, the rabbi told my mother’s friend to have the wedding first, and then the funeral.

Life before death.

Although my mother told me this story within another context, I relate it to connections and their growing importance in our lives as we age.

Data from a study published in Psychological Review in 2000 suggests that women’s inherent response to stress is to ‘tend and befriend’ rather than ‘fight or flight;’ in other words, there is a biologically-defined strategy or pattern that involves caring for offspring, joining social groups, and gravitating towards friends under stressful circumstances. This is driven, at least in part, by the release of the hormone oxytocin, which coupled with endogenous opioids and other sex hormones, promotes maternal behavior as an alternative to the male-oriented fight and flee response.

Findings from the Nurses Health Study have also shown that friendships help prevent the development of physical impairment and facilitate a more joyful existence. What’s more, having a strong social network can lower blood pressure and heart rate and improve cholesterol levels.

Our community is ever more important as we begin to lose family members to illness, our children begin their own journeys and our hormones start to wreak havoc on our bodies and our minds. Nature has provided us with a built-in prompt to maintain those ever important bonds. Our inherent tendency to nurture completes the picture.

It appears that as women, we possess the strongest alternative strategy to aging in existance. Our friends.

L’chaim.

A Balancing Act

One of the biggest challenges of life is to keep it all in balance, right? This is ever more important as we age and our bones start to thin. Postmenopausal women are three times likelier to fall than men who are the same age. This is due, at least in part, to declining estrogen levels, which not only affect postural stability but also the speed at which spacial information is processed by the brain.

Researchers now say that moderate amounts of exercise may significantly improve balance in postmenopausal women who suffer from osteoporosis.

In this study, 28 postmenopausal women participated in twice-weekly, 30 minute sessions on the treadmills over a month-long period. At the study’s end, significant improvements were seen in all balance tests.

The researchers say that this suggests that exercise is valuable in younger postmenopausal women for reducing fracture risk, risk of falls and reaction time. Walking at a fast pace is one of the safest ways to achieve results.

Check out these earlier posts for additional tips on how to achieve better bone health.  I don’t believe that any of us will end up on a double high wire after an intensive treadmill workout but I do believe that we can all benefit from improved balance!

Wednesday Bubble – For $$$, You CAN Iron Out Those Wrinkles!

[credit: CartoonStock.com]

Wondering if you should spend that $200 on the latest skin cream to combat aging skin? The Fountain of Youth is evidently achievable. But not that cheaply.

Researchers have been spending time on wrinkle removers and there’s a review in the May issue of The Archives of Dermatology that actually lends credence to certain ‘wrinkle removers.’

The researchers say that the following treatments (which actually stimulate the production of new collagen – even in wrinkled photodamaged skin) can substantially improve the appearance and health of aging skin:

1) Prescription-strength topical retinoic acid, (e.g. Retin-A) which can produce new, undamaged collagen in skin that undergoes natural aging and aging due to UV ray exposure. According to an article on this very topic that appeared in yesterday’s New York Times, it’s best to use concentrations between 0.2% and 0.6%.  Be aware that at these concentrations, topical retinoic acid can cause a rash. Women must also avoid sun exposure as this can exacerbate rashes.

2) Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing is procedure that uses thermal energy to damage the superficial, thin layers of skin. Ths stimulates a wound healing response that allows the production of new collagen, thereby improving skin’s appearance. However, wrinkles do not disappear immediately and several treatments may be required. What’s more, the 10 to 21 days  healing period following laser resurfacing  can be arduous, with swelling and pain, and weeping or oozing skin quite common.

3) Hyaluronic acid dermal filler. A dermal filler is injected directly into the skin and cause it to stretch. Fibroblasts respond by producing more collagen and less collagen-destroying enzymes, theoretically resulting in a smoother appearance. Dermal fillers have traditionally used collagen but data suggest that hyaluronic acid fillers last longer (i.e. ~ 6 months). Side effects include allergic reactions, lumpiness, needle marks, and pain with the injection.

The bottom line? OTC creams may soften wrinkle’s appearance but if you’re looking for a more permanent, effective solution, you need to see a doctor.

You can learn more about collagen and aging on this page.

Orgasmatron

[Woody Allen, Sleeper 1973]

Remember the Orgasmatron from Woody Allen’s Classic, “Sleeper?” Seems that there’s a new device that’s going to give Woody a run for his money (no pun intended!).

An ad for Slightest Touch, an orgasm electronic enhancement agent, arrived in my inbox this morning. Hey, when over 11,000 women say that ’sex has never been better,’ well, ya gotta wonder right? But I am especially intrigued by the idea that your orgasm will be so powerful that you should take electrolytes beforehand.

A painless electrical pulse travels up the leg’s nerve pathways to the pelvis, creating peak arousal. (Note the electrode patches around the ankles).

This device started as a foot massager (pretty kinky, eh?).  While it failed miserably at its orginal intention, subjects tended to get all hot and bothered during the experiment!

Hmm. Is this the answer for sexual desire and dysfunction issues in menopause?!

[Crossposted on Blogher]

That Old Black Magic

Remember black cohosh? That wonderful herb in the buttercup family of plants that is commonly used  to address hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats and other vasomotor symptoms? Black cohosh has been used in traditional folk medicine for centuries and was introduced to the settlers by Native American Indians, who incorporated the herb into their traditional medicines for women’s ailments.

I’ve discussed the utility of black cohosh for sleep and other disturbances in a previous post.

Personally, I’ve been using a standardized black cohosh formulation in combination with some Chinese herbs, (as recommended by acupuncturist and Chinese medicine specialist Elaine Stern)  with great success for many months now. Hence, I am a huge fan. And in my book it is that ‘old black magic.” Still, I believe that it’s important to address warnings that link black cohosh to liver damage. Here’s what you need to know:

Based on recent statements that have been recently issued in Australia and the United Kingdom, The U.S. Pharmacopeia’s Council of Experts extensively analyzed data from 30 case reports, side effects reports and other sources to evaluate the association between black cohosh and liver damage.  They concluded that there was enough evidence from case reports to suggest a possible link and proposed that a cautionary statement be included on manufacturer labeling.

So, what’s the bottom line? Overall, there are been few reports of liver damage but they have provoked enough concern to raise a red flag amongst several regulatory agencies worldwide. Here, the U.S, the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements says that millions of people have safely used black cohosh without any apparent negative health effects.

As always, if you choose to go the herbal route, speak to an health professional who is well-versed in herbal medicine first. Try to select standardized formulation (it usually says it right on the label), which can help to insure that optimal and safe manufacturing processes have been followed and that you’re getting a pure form of the herb. Finally, be aware of potential side effects. In addition to liver damage, black cohosh has been linked with headache, dizziness, visual disturbance, constipation and intestinal discomfort, mostly at higher than recommended doses. Finally, remember that herbal medicine is medicine, and like Western preparations, requires vigilence, common sense, and can result in adverse effects if not used correctly.

Domino Effect

I’ve been writing about sex alot lately. Sexual dysfunction, sexual desire, sexsexsexsexsex. If you were Freud, you’d have a field day!

Seriously though, a new research study in an advanced publication of the journal Menopause suggests a strong link between symptoms of vaginal atrophy (thinning of the vaginal and vulvovaginal tissues due to declining estrogen levels) and sexual dysfunction. Sort of a domino effect, if you will.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina examined 1,480 sexually active postmenopausal women, 57% of whom had symptoms of vaginal atrophy. They then asked the women about their sexual experiences; more than half (55%) also had symptoms of sexual dysfunction. In fact, the study findings revealed that women with sexual complaints had almost 4 times the risk for vaginal atrophy.

These study findings suggest a strong overlap in these conditions. This implies that if you treat symptoms of one condition, you may be able to relieve symptoms of the other. The challenge will be to find a natural and effective treatment rather than rely on the old standby – estrogen or the novel standby – SERMS.

I am going to continue to explore this topic until I find a reasonable non-pharmaceutical or estrogen-based alternative for this problem. So far, I’ve not stumbled across anything that has some good research behind it. If you know of an alternative, do drop me a line.