Oxidative Damage: You may have heard about “free radicals,” which Bowden describes as “dangerous molecules created from oxygen that attack your cells and damage your DNA and slowly wear you down, aging you from within.” He recommends eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, all high in ANTI-oxidants.  Berries, apples, prunes and green leafy vegetables are especially good for you.

Inflammation: We need some inflammation to heal an injury or irriation, but too much can be detrimental to  your health. Bowden explains that inflammation  ”damages the vascular walls and is a factor in every single degenerative disease including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer and obesity.”  His prescription includes supplementing daily with fish oil, “one of the great natural anti-inflammatory agents on the planet.”  He also recommends getting a high-sensitivity CRP test (C-Reactive Protein) the next time you have blood work done.  ”It’s the most reliable measure of inflammation now available.

Glycation: The third “horseman of aging” occurs when sugar molecules “glom onto protein or fat molecules, causing “sticky proteins that gum up the works and age your body and all its systems.  These sticky proteins accumulate everywhere in your body and are implicated in many of the diseases of aging,”  he explains.  Bowden recommends supplementing your diet with Carsonine, which he describes as the “ultimate anti-aging nutrient” to help prevent glycation from happening in the first place.

Stress:  Another insult to our bodies, says Bowden, is “any physical, mental or emotional factor that causes mental tension or bodily harm.” Stress produces hormonal reactions that can be detrimental to our health in many ways and make recovery from illness much more difficult.  His prescription includes meditation, relaxation, recuperative sleep and gentle excercise such as Yoga or Quigong.

Before you take any supplements, I urge you to consult an integrative medicine specialist, or naturopathic doctor to help you determine which supplements you should (or should not) be taking and in what dosages.

For example, the EWG suggests that we should avoid using the following products:

• Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA, and BHA acids
• Hair dyes with ammonia, peroxide, p-phe- nylenediamine, diaminobenzene; all dark permanent hair dyes
• Liquid hand soaps with triclosan
• Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde
• Skin lighteners with hydroquinone

And we should downright avoid products that contain these ingredients:

• DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea toxic contaminants
• Fragrance and dyes
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone
• Parabens or “-paraben”
• “PEG” and “-eth”
• Sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate
• Triclosan and triclocarban
• Triethanolamine (TEA)

If you’re concerned about the health and beauty products you’re using, visit the EWG’s Cosmetics Database.  I found, for example, that Almay’s Pure Blends line of makeup has a “moderate hazard” rating of 3 or 4 – not too bad but I would have expected a “low hazard” rating of 1 or 2 for a product that is billed as 97.4% “natural.”  On the other hand, Almay’s Anti-Aging Cream earned a “health hazard” score of 7.

Last year, The EWG added a database for sunscreens, including lip balms and daily moisturizers. Before buying more of your favorite brand,  first look it up on this database to make sure that it’s doing more good than harm.

If you have a favorite beauty product – such as make-up, moisturizers, or sunscreens – that has earned a good rating on the EWG’s  Cosmetics Database, let us know in the comment box below.

I took the test myself and it looks like I could live to..yikes, 102.  I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but it indicates (at least statistically) that what I’m doing now to promote well-being — like exercising, monitoring blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and surrounding myself with good friends, just might prolong my life.  In the follow-up advice, I was informed that I could add a quarter of a year to my life if I move to a place where the air quality is better;  three quarters of a year if I do brain strengthening activities to help delay or escape memory loss; and another three months if I make an attitude adjustment about my own aging!

Two 90-minute sessions are scheduled each Saturday on the Hay House Radio website; the first begins at 9 am (pacific time);  the second at 11am.  This Saturday’s program will begin with Wayne Dyer, Ph.D., on Changing Lifelong Thinking Habits;  followed by  Dr. Christiane Northrup, whose topic is  Creating a Life of Unbridled Joy.

The cost to tune into all eight programs is only $20, a fraction of what you would have paid to attend the San Diego “I Can Do It” conference where these sessions were originally recorded.  When you register for the first lesson, you are automatically enrolled in the rest of the series.  So it pays to register early. To see the complete event descriptions, and log-on information, visit the Hay House Radio website.

Apparently, what’s most critical in evaluating whether you’re really fit or just acceptable is not your BMI score, the traditional measure for obesity,  but how much body fat you’re carrying around. If you don’t have access to a gym that has equipment for measuring your body composition, a simple way to estimate if you are really fit is to measure your waist or use a metric called the waist-to-hip ratio (are you an apple or pear?).  Many research studies have proven that fat stored around the middle (a particular problem for post-menopausal women) doubles the risk of death from stroke, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Why? Dr. Joann Manson, a Harvard endocrinologist explained in an NPR interview that “abdominal fat cells tend to be more active in producing hormones and chemical  messengers that cause inflammation throughout the body.”

So, if you’re on a weight loss diet, be sure to include exercise, particularly weight training, to ensure that you’re building lean muscle as you lose weight. And don’t think you’re sitting pretty just because you’ve reached your ideal weight. If your percentage of body fat is still high, you’re not fit, you’re just at a (barely) acceptable level.

There are two facts about cholesterol that mid-life women should be concerned about: the first is that too high a level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol (the bad kind) in your blood stream increases your risk of heart disease; and second, a woman’s LDL cholesterol rises markedly – as much as 10 percent – during the year before and after menopause begins.  In today’s “Heart Beat” column in the Wall Street Journal, reporter Ron Winslow writes about a “provocative” research study that’s exploring the connection between declining estrogen levels and rising LDL markers.  The article underscores the importance of;

• Knowing your numbers when it comes to cholesterol (LDL under 100 is optimal)
• Getting enough aerobic exercise (it is a crucial weapon in responding to the impact of menopause on heart risk)
• Eating a low-saturated fat diet (high in fruits and vegetables) and,
• Monitoring your blood pressure(120/80 is ideal).

This is a good article to read and take to heart!

Calcium chewies are the best known product in a growing category of “functional foods,” or nutraceuticals, which contain nutritional supplements and bioagents of foods such as anthocyanins (from berries) or beta-carotene that some research has shown to prevent or treat disease or illness.  We’re all accustomed to taking daily supplements like fish oil or calcium.  But there’s a growing industry of manufacturers that are wrapping these beneficial ingredients with delicious-tasting chocolate or concentrated fruit making them more appealing and convenient to consume.  Some claim to prevent urinary tract infections, while others are supposed to help ward off respiratory tract infections.  I don’t know if there’s any conclusive evidence to support all of the claims, but since they’re like small treats, I don’t think you’ll mind doing your own research to see if they work for you.  Here are a few products that you might want to try: 

Great Lakes Cranberry Softgels – The makers of these fruit softgel capsules say that cranberries are among the leading fruits when it comes to antioxidant content and they support healthy urinary tract function and maintain healthy cardiovascular function.  The whole fruit is used in the manufacturing process- including the skin and pulp, which is where the beneficial proanthocyanidins are found. (See my earlier blogpost on how Cranberries can help prevent but not cure UTIs)

Respiratory Guard is a blueberry-flavored lozenge that claims to deliver a consistent dose of elderberry extract, thanks to the company’s “unique extraction technology.” Elderberry seems to be one of those wonder fruits.  A web search revealed that it’s used for its antioxidant activity, to lower cholesterol, improve vision, boost the immune system, improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsilitis.   For more information about this product, visit their website.

Adora Calcium – You’ll have to hold back on eating the whole bag. This is great-tasting chocolate calcium chewey packed with 500 mg of calcium and 100 IU of Vitamin D in each chewey. You won’t mind eating two or three a day to get your daily requirement of Calcium.

Roasted Golden Flax Seeds - I’ve been using Flax USA’s high-quality golden ground Flax Seed for a few years. Now, the company is roasting seeds that can be eaten whole. (think sunflower seeds without the spitting).  They say that this high fiber snack offers 3800 mg of Omega-3s.  (See my interview with Stephanie Stober of Flax USA here).

Dreamerz Milk Chocolate Pillows- If you need help in falling asleep from time to time, treat yourself to another chocolate. Each “pillow” contains .3 mg of Melatonin and 80mg of GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid), a natural calming agent in the brain.  Dreamerz is also available in a Pomegranate Blackbery flavored powder that you can mix with water.

Finally, the makers of Oxylent say that their “delicious and refreshing daily drink” contains a blend of nutrients including a full range of B vitamins to support adrenal health and immune and nervous systems and 1000 IU of natural Vitamin D for bone and heart health.If you’ve discovered other nutritional treats that seem to work for you, let me know in the comment box below.  I’ll post an update with your input.

Dr. Kavaler,  one of only 500 female urologists in the U.S. specializing in female urinary tract issues recommends the following to control or prevent the recurrence of UTIs associated with menopause:

• Stay Hydrated – this promotes regular urination and flushes out bacteria from the urinary tract
• Take Vitamin C – Take about 1,000 mg of vitamin C throughout the day to help inhibit the growth of some bacteria by making sure you have an acid urine.
• Lubricate – As estrogen declines, vaginal dryness increases. Make sure to be properly lubricated during sexual activity to decrease friction in the vagina/urethral areas.
• Take an Antibacterial – Dr. Kavaler, a spokesperson for Cystex, recommends this brand since it is the only OTC urinary tract medication that contains methanamine, an antibacterial agent that attacks bacteria and helps prevent it from adhering to the cell wall lining of the bladder, as well as a pain reliever.
• Strengthen Your Core- Often, a lazy bladder (unable to empty urine properly) occurs due to lower back problems, so consider doing exercises to help strengthen your back and stomach muscles.
• Answer Nature’s Call  – Urinate as soon as you feel the need to in order to eliminate unwanted bacteria.

For more information about UTIs, read Dr. Kavaler’s book,  “A Seat on the Aisle, Please!: The Essential Guide to Urinary Tract Problems in Women. “  Her website also offers an informative Q&A that will be helpful if you want some quick answers.

Women use products every day that are regulated by the FDA including cosmetics, medicines and  hormones. But does an “FDA Approved” claim mean that it’s safe and effective?  In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Lost in Translation- FDA Drug Information That Never Reaches Clinicians,” two researchers at Dartmouth wrote that;

“FDA approval does not mean that a drug works well.  It means only that the agency deemed its benefits to outweigh its harms.  Much of what the FDA knows about a drug’s safety and effectiveness is not included on the label. You really need to know more to see whether it’s worth the cost.”

So what does this mean for mid-life women whose physicians recommend hormone therapy to manage hot flashes, biphosphonates to prevent bone loss, sleeping pills to help with menopause-related sleep disorders and perhaps a little Zantac for heartburn?  You have to do your own, thorough research, including monitoring updated FDA information, and know what the side effects and possible consequences are of taking the medicine.

For example,  read the FDA alert on biphosphonates, which addresses the association between drugs like Actonel, Fosamax and Boniva with severe musculoskeletal pain.   My previous  blogpost about the possible connection between common acid suppressing medications and hip fractures, is another example.

With so many drug-makers promoting their brands in television commercials, it’s easy to be lulled into thinking that a remedy is only a prescription away.  Many physicians are quick to prescribe as well. Until the FDA requires fuller disclosure about clinical trial results and more oversight on labeling (right now, the drug-makers write their own labels emphasizing the benefits, not the harms) do as much research as you can before taking any medicine and ask your doctor if it’s really necessary to take it.