Category Archives: Health & Wellness

If You Do These Three Things, The Menopause Years Will Be Easier

Ten Holiday Gift Ideas For Insomniacs

Since a good night’s rest is the cornerstone of optimal health and even positivity, I thought I’d offer up some suggestions for holiday gifts that an insomniac would really appreciate.

1. Consider trying a soundtrack from Pzizz (left), which calls itself “your personal sleep and relaxation assistant.” The tracks are different every time you listen to it and you can control how long to let the audio play. Export a program to your smartphone or IPod and keep it by your bed at night. It can help you decompress on business trips too.

2. If a short late afternoon nap is all you need, consider the Power Nap Kit from At Peace Media. It features three voice-guided power-nap sessions (disc 1) and three music-only power nap sessions (disc 2).  The kit includes a 44-page booklet about sleep, stress and power naps. It just might be the tool you need to help relax and rejuvenate you.

3. The Nightwave Assistant might work for you too. It’s a small appliance (the size of a cell phone) that projects a soft, changing blue light on the ceiling of your darkened room. By synchronizing  your breathing with the light, your body and mind are supposed to fall into a state of relaxation that promotes sleep. It’s worth a try if you’re sleep deprived. If it works, it’s small enough to travel with.

4. Alternatively, have you tried aromatherapy?  21drops, a line of blended essential oils, claims their Sleep product (#18) will calm a racing mind and settle your restlessness so you can get a good night’s rest. You apply it to your temples, wrists and back of neck and even under your nose.

5. Another prescription-free approach to better sleep can be found in The Republic of Tea’s “Be Well” line of red, caffein-free teas.  Their “Get some ZZZs” (#5) is an herbal blend of sleep-promoting Rooibos, Chamomile, Passionflower and Valerian. You’ll also find it in their Sleepytime Gift Set, which also includes pillow spray, an eye mask and ear plugs.

6. Perhaps relaxing music is more your thing. Dr. Machelle Seibel’s Healthrock series of music CDs includes “Sleep Tight,”  featuring 46 minutes of soothing, peaceful music that can make falling asleep easier. Dr. Seibel, who is director of the Complicated Menopause Clinic at the University of Mass., composed the music himself with his sleep-deprived menopausal patients in mind.  You can preview the music and then download the album, or order the CD directly from his website.  Also, check out his “Relax” CD featuring instrumental music that he also composed and performed, to help you wind down in the evenings after a hectic day.

7. If hot flashes are keeping you from getting a restful sleep, consider trying a new comforter this winter. Mulberry West makes silk-filled, cotton comforters that they claim offers a lightweight “veil of warmth.” As explained on their website, silk is a porous and natural fiber, which adjusts to temperature fluctuations and is known for strong ventilations.  If you’re throwing off covers every night, this might be a good solution for you (and your partner).

8. Meditation, even for 5-10 minutes a day, can have a profound effect on stress reduction and sleep quality.  If one of your new year resolutions includes a commitment to carving out more time for yourself, I highly recommend Dr. Joan Borysenko’s The Beginner’s Guide to Meditation, or her more recent Stress Less CD featuring two meditations created to “help reduce stress, improve sleep and create optimal health and energy.”  Dr. Borysenko, a pioneer in mind-body medicine and the author of 14 books, will be leading a weekend program beginning Jan 27th at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts. In addition….

9.The Kripalu center will hold a four-day workshop, beginning New Year’s day, on Gentle Yoga and Mindful Eating. Both of these programs are a fabulous way to help you start the year on the right foot. I’ve been to Kripalu and can tell you that the view of the surrounding hills and lake are worth the trip alone – even in winter.

10. If all else fails there’s always the latest edition of War and Peace, Tolstoy’s 1440-page epic novel with a new English translation that makes it a bit easier to get through. Sometimes just looking at such a massive book makes you tired enough to sleep.

Need Help Managing Your Menopause Symptoms? Here’s a Tip

It’s a sad truth that many women are frustrated by their doctor’s inability to help them manage their menopause symptoms. Either the office visits are just too short to deal with the complexity of the problems, or the physician just doesn’t have the expertise that’s needed.  Too often women leave a doctor’s office with a handful of prescriptions–  for sleep aids, blood pressure management and anti-depressants — when what they really need is hormone balancing. … [Read more]

Three Supplements That Can Help Banish Belly Fat

In her excellent book about the connection between stress and Belly Fat, Mastering Cortisol: Stop Your Body’s Stress Hormone from Making You Fat Around the Middle, Marilyn Glenville PhD, a leading nutritional expert in Britain, suggests a number of supplements — vitamins, minerals and herbs — that can help women lose “that bulge,” as she puts it.  Two of the three listed below offer the added benefit of promoting calmness, which can help us sleep better too. Here, taken from her book, are her recommendations. (But, please, consider this good information to review with your own physician to make sure they’re beneficial for you):

… [Read more]

Your Risk Factors for Stroke May Be Higher Than You Know

Do you know if you are at risk for a stroke?  If you think you’re not old enough to suffer this fate consider the fact that stroke, which is caused by a sudden loss of blood flow to the brain, is the number three cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the U.S.   The two most important risk factors are hypertension (high blood pressure), which damages arteries so they clog or burst more easily; and high LDL Cholesterol, a fatty substance in the blood, which builds up plaque on artery walls, causing arteries to narrow.   Because blood pressure and LDL cholesterol markers rise as estrogen declines, midlife women should be concerned.

So, to find out what you can do to reduce your risk of stroke, start by reading the April issue of Consumer Reports onHealth Newsletter , which devoted its cover story to new guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association for preventing a first stroke. As they explain, controlling your blood pressure and keeping your LDL cholesterol in a healthful range, through lifestyle changes and/or medication, can reduce your risks by a third.  I asked Dr. Orly Avitzur, a board-certified neurologist and medical advisor for Consumer Reports Health, how diet also influences our risk of stroke: … [Read more]

When It Comes To Heart Health, Know Your Numbers!

The number of women who have heart attacks increases dramatically once you turn 55, especially after menopause. There are many factors that affect your risk for heart disease and stroke. Some, like age, race and family history, you can’t control. But others, such as obesity, stress, smoking and cholesterol, you can.  If you are at risk, for any reason, take your heart health seriously. Begin by  knowing what your numbers are.
… [Read more]

Kegel Exercises- There’s an App for That!

Stress urinary incontinence (the loss of bladder control) is not just a problem of the elderly. Multiple child births, obesity and hormonal changes can make the pelvic muscles weak and flabby in our 50s. It can range from occasional leakage when you cough or sneeze, to having to urinate so urgently that you can’t make it to the toilet. One friend of mine said she’s fine until she sees a toilet, then she can’t pull down her pants quickly enough!

If it’s an occasional problem that doesn’t interfere with your life, your physician will probably recommend pelvic floor muscle training, also known as Kegel exercises. Many women have trouble isolating the proper muscles needed to perform the exercises correctly but, as with every other problem, there’s an app for that. … [Read more]

What To Do About “Sandpaper Sex”

One of the most common but least talked about symptoms of menopause is vaginal dryness and pain.  Common menopause symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia and brain fog are easy to complain about with your friends. But THAT? A lot of women are even reluctant to talk about it with their doctor.  I have to admit that I haven’t wanted to bring it up on this blog, but lately I’ve been receiving a lot of emails from PR people promoting personal lubricants as a remedy for “sandpaper sex.”  Ouch. So, here goes. … [Read more]

The New Vitamin D Dosage Guidelines: Now What?

The Institute of Medicine panel that has been deliberating for several years over how much Vitamin D we should take finally issued their guidelines this week and though it was increased to 600 IU daily  for Americans and Canadians up to age 70 (up from 200 in 1997), it was much lower than what many doctors and medical groups thought they would and should recommend. There doesn’t seem to be any squabble over the importance of vitamin D to our health.  It is essential for bone health and there is ample evidence to suggest that  it can help prevent the development of some cancers (breast, prostate, colon); contribute to cardiovascular health; and stimulate immune responses to infectious diseases. The debate is about how much is needed to realize vitamin D’s full benefits. … [Read more]

There’s Help For Women with Overactive Bladders

An estimated one in three women are plagued with an overactive bladder, which can occur during pregnancy, after childbirth and during the menopause transition. Symptoms range from ultra-frequent and urgent urination; leakage caused by a mere sneeze or cough; frequent urinary tract infections; and urine retention – not being able to completely empty your bladder. Symptoms can appear in your 30s, but it’s a more common problem as we age. Though there are several treatment options that can make life more normal for those who suffer from this type of disorder,  it unfortunately remains a subject that women find too embarrassing to discuss openly, even with their physicians. … [Read more]