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Monthly Archives: April 2008

A Preoccupation with Memory Loss

by on April 30, 2008

It’s a sign of the times. Every one is talking or writing about middle-age memory loss, or so it seems. I doubt that anyone who is 25 years old has noticed the same thing, of course. They probably didn’t notice when vibrantBrains, a “gym” for improving memory function, opened recently in San Francisco. And they certainly weren’t interested in a lecture there last week by Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, the author of “Carved in Sand: When Attention Fails and Memory Fades in Midlife.”

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Sleepy Woman

The Most Common Menopause Symptoms

by on April 27, 2008

A study was conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing  to determine the most common as well as the most severe symptoms of menopause.   The findings?

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Menopauseland

A Trip to “Menopauseland” Is In Our Future

by on April 22, 2008

I guess if ED can be talked about in TV ads, so can menopause. The company that makes Estroven, a natural OTC supplement that claims to alleviate menopausal symptoms, will soon launch a $20 million TV, print and online advertising campaign beckoning us to visit Menopauseland. They describe it as a “cool and calming destination… lush instead of flushed,”  presumably where you can enjoy life symptom free - if you take Estroven, that is.

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Belly Fat

The Perils of Belly Fat Explained

by on April 20, 2008

An interesting article was just published on the Mayo Clinic website about why it’s so important to control the amount of excess abdominal fat that women (more than men) experience with age.   The authors explain that “it’s not just the stuff out front that you can grab with your hand – but it’s the deeper fat you can’t see that’s really a cause for concern.”

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Vibrant Brain

Rx for Memory: Circuit Training For the Brain!

by on April 15, 2008

A new gym has recently opened here in San Francisco that’s perfect for any one who thinks their memory is getting a bit mushy with age.  It’s called vibrantBrains and their focus is on building our mental muscle to improve and maintain memory and attention as we age.

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Mammogram

ANOTHER Risk for HRT Users?

by on April 10, 2008

Researchers have uncovered another risk for HRT users. In this case, post-menopausal women who are taking Estrogen only (only women who have had hysterectomies can take this type of therapy) are actually doubling their chances of getting non-cancerous breast lumps.

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Foot Problems and Menopause: Is There a Connection?

by on April 8, 2008

Bunions, hammertoes, corns, Morton’s neuromas.  Ouch!  When we reach our 40s and 50s,  many women learn the hard way what these foot conditions mean and wonder why they’re having these problems all of a sudden.  Is it punishment for all those years of wearing high-heeled shoes with pointy toes?  Or, can we blame it on Menopause (like everything else that’s out of kilter)?

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Is There Non-Hormonal Relief for Hot Flashes on the Horizon?

by on April 6, 2008

Can an anti-seizure drug help reduce hot flashes in menopausal women? That’s what researchers at the University of Toronto wanted to find out when they conducted a study involving 200 women, aged 45-60, who were having at least 14 hot flashes per week.  Half of the women received Gabapentin, a drug used to control certain types of epileptic seizures; the others received a placebo.  The results are encouraging.

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Woman Sleeping

Can Too Much Sleep Cause Weight Gain?

by on April 3, 2008

At the top of the list of menopausal symptoms women complain about most frequently is the inability to have a decent night sleep,due to hot and cold flashes, and weight creep.  The research to date has shown how sleep deprivation can be a factor in weight gain at any age.   But apparently, too much sleep can be just as bad if the results of a six-year Canadian study holds water.

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Edamame

10 Foods with High Amounts of Phytoestrogens

by on April 1, 2008

If you are experiencing menopausal symptoms typically associated with estrogen deficiency, such as hot flashes, mood swings, and food cravings, you may want to try increasing the amount of plant-based hormones – or phytoestrogens - in your diet.  Phytoestrogens are chemicals that are found in plants that may act like the estrogen produced naturally in the body.  Consider adding these foods to your weekly visit to the farmers market or grocery store.

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