health:
Does the treadmill make you tremble or are you revved up and ready to hit the gym? Tell us about your love/hate relationship with getting or staying healthy.
In the News
Exercise Caution in the Heat
Serious injury can result from excess exercise in the summer heat
-Julie Ryan Evans
No other season inspires fitness like summer-the layers are gone and there are shorts to sport, sundresses to bear and hello, bikinis.
But keeping fit in the summer isn't without challenges, especially if you prefer to work on your bikini body outside the gym. The soaring temperatures can be dangerous if you're not prepared.
The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) recently issued recommendations to help guard against illness related to warm-weather activity:
• Don't start at full tilt. Gradually increasing the intensity and duration of activity helps ready your body for the heat.
• Take rest breaks. Add them to the activity and get adequate rest between bouts of exercise. Good sleeping habits also cut your risk of heat-related trouble.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water or sports drinks well before and throughout physical activity in the heat. If your urine turns a darker color - more like apple juice than lemonade - that's a quick indicator of dehydration.
• Timing helps. When possible, exercise during the cooler portions of the day - early morning or late evening.
Back off at signs of trouble. If you don't feel well, reduce the intensity or length of your activity, for example, walk instead of run. If you have symptoms of an illness (e.g., fever, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, etc.) don't exercise at all. These conditions can decrease your body's tolerance for heat and increase your risk of a heat illness.
Even if you think you are prepared, always listen to your body. If you start to feel ill or strange, stop immediately and seek medical attention.
To read more about heat-related illness including some signs to watch for, visit Healthday.com for the complete article.
Be careful out there!
In the News
Skip the Sunscreen?!!
Study shows dangers of Vitamin D deficiency
-Julie Ryan Evans
We've been warned, lectured and scared straight past the baby oil to SPFs higher than we can count. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen has been the mantra of health officials everywhere. Until now.
Now it seems all that sunblock is also blocking the very rays that make our bodies produce VERY vital Vitamin D. In a recent U.S. News and World Report article, Deborah Kotz quotes research from the Archives of Internal Medicine that shows "those with the lowest vitamin D levels have more than double the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes over an eight-year period compared with those with the highest vitamin D levels."
For those in the Northern United States, summer is the time to stock up on a healthy amount of rays. Kotz states, "If you're fair skinned, experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun-in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen-will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin." For others supplements may be necessary.
She also interviews Robyn Lucas, an epidemiologist at Australian National University who has found that "far more lives are lost to diseases caused by a lack of sunlight than to those caused by too much." You can read the entire, enlightening article here.
Do you think you get enough sun or have you been scared into the shade?
In the News
Drunkorexia
Eating less to drink more
-Julie Ryan Evans
Do you ever eat less so you can drink more alcohol and not pack on the pounds?
If so you might be what has been coined a Drunkorexia. And while it makes sense in theory to limit the overall number of calories ingested-whether they be liquid or solid-it's also apparently quite dangerous to tip the scales into the too tipsy direction. From short-term effects like doing stupid things and passing out in strange places to some serious long-term effects, too much alcohol and not enough food can be a particularly damaging combo for women.
The CBS article states: "Women's bodies have more fat, which absorbs alcohol, and produces lower quantities of an enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol, putting them at higher risk for blackouts and cirrhosis."
They also quote addiction expert Becky Flood, who says that "two years of women's drinking equals 10 years of a man's."
So before you go out for a night on the town, make sure you eat a sandwich or something to pad your system. You can always hit the gym in the morning, when hopefully the extra food will also help prevent a nasty hangover.
Once again, the moderation mantra my dear!
In the News
Ricki Lake Reamed for Promoting Home Birth
Would you give birth in your bathtub?
--Julie Ryan Evans
So apparently the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association are up in arms about Ricki Lake's promotion of home births.
After one hospital birth, she chose to have her second 
son at home, which she documented in her film The Business of Being Born. And the docs don't like it, which made they known in a recently released statement that singles Ricki out.
Personally, I'm all for all the medical invention and PAIN MEDICINE I can get, but I totally understand and respect a woman's choice to do otherwise. For goodness sake, women did it for hundreds of years.
And according to the Citizens for Midwifery, there are many benefits to home births, such as a reduction in:
• the risk of infection
• risks from unnecessary interventions
• maternal morbidity rates from complications and interventions
• risks from errors in hospitals
• interference in bonding and breastfeeding from hospital policies
• risks from poor staffing levels in hospitals
• the risks of tampering with the baby
While there's heated debate over the topic in general, there does seem to be some consensus that home delivery is best for mothers without risk factors, and there are precautions that can be taken to ensure the best outcome, such as these offered by Parents.com.
Have you had a homebirth, and if so what was your experience like? If not, would you in the future?
100 Calories: White Girl with a Fat Ass
-Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons, Divine Caroline
Recently house-sitting for a friend of mine, I discovered the concept of 100 calorie snack packs. This is where basically any junk food in the world is pre-portioned out for you into individual 100 calorie packs. I will spare you the obvious commentary on how that's essentially paying more for less. I won't say how all that extra packaging is bad for the environment. Or point out how easily one could then apply Garfield's theory (yes, the cat) that eating a whole pie one slice at a time actually has far less calories than consuming said pie en masse. What struck me was how embarrassingly ideal these 100 calorie packs are for me. I am someone who has always had trouble with portion and control when it comes to food. And well, life. How much to I wish this concept could be applied to other areas of life.
How about a vodka pack that only gives you 100 minutes of a hang over?
Or a smoking pack that may risk only 100 hours of cancer? Okay, that still doesn't seem worth it. But I've never been a smoker. I can't fathom paying that much money for something that goes into your mouth but you can't swallow.
What about a 100 kisses pack that guarantees the exact right amount of fun without any heartbreak? I'd buy those in bulk. Wait ... read more...
In the News
Tomato Terror
Which ones to eat, which ones to avoid
-Julie Ryan Evans
I've been waiting and waiting for all the terror over tomatoes to pass, but so far no all-free flags have been flown. So I'm still leery of what used to be one of my favorite healthy summer treats...with fresh mozzarella, basil, good olive oil...yum.
Instead of knowing which ones to buy, I've just been avoiding them all together. And frankly, I'm starting to miss them.
Shape, however, ran a recent article that has some great tips about which varieties to eat and not to eat--both at home and at restaurants. I would have never even thought of the tomatoes in the salsa or in the guacamole, but as they point out, the contaminated ones could be in there too! Things like cooked tomato sauces and catsup are, luckily, OK.
In the News
Yes! More Reason to Crack Open That Cab!
We'll drink to that!
-Tracy Morris
Admit it -- we are ALL running around looking for the Fountain of Youth. What better form could it possibly take than in glowing, glimmering shades of crimson?
Just as we learned to recognize (if not understand) terms like "endorphins" and "SSRIs" and "Omega-3 fatty acids," we'll soon all be chatting about our sirtuin levels. Sirtuins are protein agents in human bodies; there's some thought that these little babies might be activated and then increase the body's tissue preservation mode. In short, rev up your sirtuins and your body's natural aging process vis a vis degenerative diseases might slow down.
Here's the kick: resveratrol is one of the naturally occurring compounds that activates sirtuins. Guess where you can ingest a little resveratrol?
One of the critical unanswered questions, of course, is just how inebriated will we need to be before the age starts falling off. Gene studies on mice are underway (and such happy little mice they must be!) and the NIH has been watching some long-lived rhesus monkeys with varying results. It could be that Faithful Followers of Reasons to Drink Red will succumb to the ill effects of alcohol before there's enough impact on the sirtuin side of things.
But hope springs eternally garnet!
In the News
How fit does the President say you are?
New test introduced for adults
-Julie Ryan Evans
Remember gym class each year in grade school, taking the (dreaded or much anticipated, depending on your athleticism) Presidential Physical Fitness Test? I don't remember how I did on it, but I just remember it being so public--like everyone knew if you sucked or not.
Well, the test now has a grown up version, and you don't have to go back to school to take it. You can take the President's Challenge Adult Fitness Test online in the privacy of your own home. You're tested on things like muscular strength, flexibility and endurance; which means you have to do exercises like a timed run or walk, sit ups, pushups and toe touching. It comes with pretty extensive, explanatory directions and gives you your results immediately.
I haven't yet taken it in full yet, but I'm incredibly curious to see how I stack up against other adults. I guess I'm also a little scared I won't come out as fit as I think I am. Especially since I run quite regularly, and I plugged in an estimated time for a 1.5 mile run of 13.5 minutes (I typically run about a 9-minute mile, which I THOUGHT was pretty respectable) and it said that's only in the 70th percentile, which pissed off the competitor in me to think that 30 percent of women my age can run faster than that?! Of course, if I was JUST running 1.5 miles I bet I could do it way faster...and I will when I go to do the test for real.
And maybe that's the good in this test, to inspire us to compete to be better to become fitter. But first we've got to get people up off the couch to actually take the test.
Let us know what you think about the test, and if you take it, what were your results?
In the News
This Little Piggy Had a Heart Attack
What do you toenail clippings say about you?
-Tracy Morris
The next time your doc asks you bare it all in the exam room, don't be surprised if she starts coming at you with toenail clippers.
The Nurses' Health Study - a long-running research project that used a humongous cohort of women nurses to examine everything from hormone replacement therapy to nutrition - has now decided that (and I really get queasy when I write this) toenail clippings are a great way to measure how much nicotine is in a person's body.
The reasoning is that because toenails take a while to grow, they're a better marker than urine or saliva when it comes to estimating someone's level of exposure to tobacco smoke.
In this particular study, they used the - ugh - clippings to correlate nicotine content with diagnosis of heart disease. Yes, lots of nic in your toenails equates to a greater likelihood of high blood pressure, diabetes, and family history of heart attack.
Why does writing about toenail clippings bug me out so? Oh, that's a sordid personal story for another venue. But I dare anyone to read this article, which includes such sentences as "the 905 women who had been diagnosed with heart disease had twice as much nicotine in their toenails..." without at least cracking a smile, if not the type of shiver you get when eating brussel sprouts.
I think the ramifications for these findings are even greater...
Foot fetishists can rejoice in a prospective new line of work.
In the News
Add Booze to Your Berries
And not just for fun- they're better for you that way!
-Julie Ryan Evans
A recent study from Thailand says that alcohol can make berries not only longer-lasting, but healthier for you. Apparently soaking them in grain alcohol ups the antioxidant values of fruits like strawberries and blackberries. So bring on the booze!
For a yummy and healthy summer treat, check out this recipe for blackberry and vodka sorbet with mixed berries.
In the News
Cheers to that!
More reasons to drink wine
-Julie Ryan Evans
I love reading good news-especially when it gives me good to cause to open a bottle of wine. Not that I really need a good cause to do so, but still...
In addition to the heart benefits that have been touted lately, a recent Scandinavian study found that consuming vino helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis.
And get this--while most of these kinds of studies caution that moderation is best, THIS study says the more the better!
And I quote: "People who had a moderate alcohol consumption were 40 and 45 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis compared with people who did not drink or drank only occasionally, it found. Among those who had a high consumption, the risk was reduced by 50 and 55 percent respectively."
I'll drink to that!
Seen and Heard
The Ugly in your Beauty Products
Site shows dangers of primping products
-Julie Ryan Evans
I'm a serious product junkie. Ask me about any lipstick, moisturizer, hairspray or conditioner and I can probably give you a personal review. Beauty booty is among my favorite indulgences-hey, it always fits, unlike jeans!
But my innocent indulgence doesn't seem so innocent after I came across this site: cosmeticsdatabase.com. They rate a slew of cosmetics, hair care products, perfumes and other of my favorite things on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most harmful to your health. Then they tell you all the terrible things they're linked to.
Since I tend to buy primo products (I know they say the drugstore stuff works just as well, but I don't buy it-pun intended!) I thought mine would fare pretty well. I thought very wrong!
My Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray got a 5! It says it's linked to: cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity; violationships, restrictions and warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity..." and more! Holy hairspray!
Oh and my new-found love-Laura Mercier Cream Brulee lotion (heaven! Seriously I want to eat my arms when I wear it.) got a seven!!! Interestingly, almost all the concerns are the same, but the level of severity varies.
Even Origins (which sure looks and sounds healthy), didn't make the grade-their Once Upon a Shine Lip gloss got a seven! Prescriptives Eyelash Curler Shaping Mascara-a seven too!
A lot of things I do use aren't on their list. There's a place you can add them, but I'm thinking no. I'd rather go back to my ignorant beauty bliss! As it is, I'm never going to look at my cosmetics bag the same way.
Do you research your beauty products for their health affects?
In the News
Do you Lie about your Weight?
It's OK we do too!
-Julie Ryan Evans
Canadian health officials are up in arms about new statistics that show Canadians are lying about their weight.
I'm not sure why they're so surprised--doesn't everyone lie about their weight? At least women? 
If asked, even by a doctor or nurse, I always give the number my weight SHOULD be. The REAL number just out there like that--no way. It's just not descriptive enough, and it just sounds so awful without my describing my muscular legs, monthly bloat, the necessary ice cream splurge the night before whose evidence will surely be gone soon and shouldn't be counted.
So I asked some of the other Bettys if I'm alone in my weight charade. Here's what they had to say:
Stephanie, a.k.a. Manic Mommy : Five months ago I went back on Weight Watchers and have since lost 21.8 pounds, but I still don't like the actual number the scale says. It just SOUNDS high! I'm 5'9" and currently weigh 166, and that is NO LIE. My license says 150, which still sounds high, doesn't it? In the past I would totally lie, but now, like if I'm donating blood, or entering the number into the treadmill machine or the stairmaster at the health club, I don't want to lie because I feel like it's bad karma, and that if I lie, then those extra pounds will sneak back on. Plus, right now I am proud of the fact that I've lost the weight and I think I look OK, so the number isn't bothering me too much these days.
Nicole: Here's my problem - I don't lie intentionally, I seem to actually think I weigh about 5-10 pounds less than I do. I took a quiz in a magazine recently that said you should hold your arms out parallel in front of you and widen or narrow the gap between them to align with what you believe to be the width of your hips. Then you lower your arms and see how delusional you are about your body. Apparently I am under the impression that I'm Kate Moss because my arms hit right in the middle of my thighs about, oh, at least six inches in from my hips. WHOOPS! Supposedly this translates to a positive body image, but it also seems to suggest that I'm totally unaware of my size and will probably be one of those women on Springer, claiming I had no idea I was pregnant - "I just thought I'd been eating too much bread."
On the flip side, my driver's license does say 125....but I'm actually only that weight between July and November. The rest of the year I'm cushioned by the winter layer. I keep hoping I'll go into hibernation and make good use of that.
April: I lie about my weight on the ELLIPTICAL machine at the gym!
Jill: I used to have a weight complex, and I would say I was 10 pounds lighter than I actually was. Then I realized that I wanted to show women that it's okay to weigh more than people thought was OK or thought you were, because then I might encourage people to be less self conscious about it. Now I openly admit my actual weight, and people are always really surprised. I'm just really glad that I'm comfortable enough with my weight now to admit it to people. Everyone has a different shape, so we all aren't going to be the same size or weight. We have to be confident about our own unique size and show the world that we're not afraid to be honest about it!
The Tipping List
Breathe Easy
Asthma Sufferers Wave Goodbye to Certain Inhalers
-Tracy Morris
You're probably all ready to switch the televisions in your world to HDTV, (unless you're like me and thinking this may be your cue to pitch the boxes altogether.) Did you also know that 2009 heralds the end of certain types of asthma inhalers?
We wave goodbye now to readers clicking to a different story (not everyone has asthma, fortunately,) but for thousands of you, this is news that might literally affect every breath you take.
Getting environmentally righteous sometimes means a little personal sacrifice, and in this case, it's your CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) inhaler. A lot of patients don't know about this coming change, which has some people worried. CFC-free inhalers are already out there. Instead of the ozone-depleting CFC for propellant, the green-friendly ones use hydrofluoroalkanes (HFAs), and they're labeled that way. They'll still deliver the goods - for those of you still reading who aren't lucky enough to have asthma, these little breathing babies will literally save your life when under attack - but there are a few problems with the change.
For one big thing, the new ones are all brand name (not generics, like CFC pipes), which means they'll take a larger chunk off your debit card. Another problem: while HFAs indeed deliver, they do so with a finer mist, meaning they're more prone to clogging up. Also, HFAs must be pumped and primed more than CFCs, and a lot of users will mistakenly believe they're not getting that airway-opening blast they need. Potential results: a lot of full canisters being tossed in the garbage and/or a lot of over-dosing.
Prescribing health practitioners need to do a bit of patient re-training on how to use the virtual lung life preservers. The rest of us need to start stockpiling our greenbacks to hand over to the pharmacist.
Woman to Women
Oh, Look. There Goes That Brutal Phobia of Mine...
Mindfulness Meditation and Psychotherapy
-Tracy Morris
Meditation: a loaded word. For many, it conjures up images of turban-wrapped heads balanced statue-like on unnaturally erect spines, mouths forming "Ooooohm," and of course, the sitting legs crossed in - what was that politically incorrect phrase we learned in Kindergarten? Oh yes, "Indian style."
The New York Times brings to our attention the growing use of mindfulness meditation by psychotherapists. Why look, there's a graphic of a professor-ish man (perhaps meant to resemble the article's author?) assuming the pose that pops into our minds... And we're back. And breathe in... read more...
The Tipping List
Sun Goddess
Sun-kissed AND sun-smart
By: Paige Herman-Axel
OK, so maybe you don't wear sunscreen each and every day like you should, but there's no time like the present to start, especially since the sun's damaging rays are about to be at their peak.
A little food for thought: There are two types of nasty UV rays. UVA rays cause visible signs of aging like wrinkles while UVB rays are responsible for sunburns and skin cancer, which is why you should always choose a product that offers protection from both.
These picks will have you covered...
Body
Whether you're exercising, hanging out by the water, or just spending a day at the park enjoying the summer sun, don't forget to apply sunscreen about a half-hour before heading outside. The biggest mistake most of us make when it comes to sunscreen is not applying enough, so be sure to douse yourself from head to toe, and reapply as necessary-i.e. after swimming or sweating. One to try: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 45 even sprays upside down to help you get those hard to reach places. $9.99, drugstore.com
Face
The fight against aging is an uphill battle, and the most important weapon in your arsenal is sunscreen. In an effort to prevent wrinkles, discoloration, and of course irritation and blemishes (not to mention SKIN CANCER!), you may want to try a facial sunscreen that uses titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as its active ingredients for superior UVA protection without the risk of side effects. One to try: DDF Organic Sun Protection UV Moisturizer SPF 30 also contains an antioxidant complex to further protect the skin from damaging-and aging-free radicals. $28, ddfskincare.com
Self-tanner
Sure, most of us look and feel better when we have a golden glow, but this is one time when it's good to fake it. Self-tanners have come a long way, and the orange, streaky look of yesteryear is history. For the most even application, give yourself a good scrub-down with a loofah or washcloth (no oil-based scrubs) before hitting the bottle. One to try: St. Tropez Ultimate Tan AeroBronze is an ultra-fine aerosol mist that makes it easy to reach your back and other elusive areas, and it dries in just 60 seconds so you can spritz and go. $36, sttropeztan.com
The Tipping List
EW, You Smoke?
Peer Pressure Can Make Us Healthier
By: Tracy Morris
A study released in May 2008 by the New England Journal of Medicine says that relationships and whether or not those friends and loved ones quit smoking has a lot to do with our own nicotine obsessions.
In other words – if all the cool kids are quitting, so might we.
The closer you are to someone – and the researchers mean emotionally, not geographically – the more influenced you are by their choice to cut the butts out of their life.
Love partners have the biggest impact: if one gives up smoking, there's a 67 percent chance the other will, too. Friends who are quitters will decrease their friends' chances of smoking by 36 percent. Siblings and co-workers snuffing out their cigs have influence on us, too.
So after it steers lots of us toward the things that kill when we’re in high school and college, peer pressure works to make us healthier.
Just don’t let that news whitewash those red flags you see waving around Mr. I Want Him To Be The One. If he smokes now and you don’t, you can’t count on that arrangement changing. Unless you could convince his best friend, his brother, and his co-workers to quit…
In the News
Are you Dense?
Mammograms may not be enough for women with dense breasts
By: Julie Ryan Evans
Do you know how dense your breasts are? Did you even know you SHOULD know?
I was shocked recently when I went in for an annual exam and my gynecologist handed me an order for a mammogram. My hypochondriac head went into overdrive about what she found during her exam. Why should I - light years away from being 40 (ok maybe not light- years, but still)--need a mammogram?
Turns out they like women in their 30s to get one so they have something to compare it to when you start getting them regularly in your 40s. So OK, that sounds like a good deal, except I'm scared to do it. Scared of the pain, but also scared they're going to find something that I don't want them to. But I will go, because I know mammograms can save lives.
Unfortunately, it seems they're not as good of detectors as I've naively believed they are. Deborah Kotz over at U.S. News and World Report captured some recent data and statistics that I find startling.
For example, she quotes a recent study in the Journal of American Medical Association that says, "mammography can detect only about half of all breast cancers in women with dense breast tissue. By combining a mammogram with ultrasound, the success rate jumps to about three quarters."
It appears that this is one case in which fatty is a good thing. "...most of us never hear that the density category marked on our mammogram determines how reliable the screening is," Kopf states. "For example, in someone with mostly fatty tissue (known as category 1), mammograms are about 98 percent successful at finding tumors, JAMA study leader Wendie Berg tells me. She's a radiologist specializing in breast imaging at the American Radiology Services at Johns Hopkins in Lutherville, Md. For women with somewhat fatty breasts (category 2), mammograms can reliably detect about 80 percent of tumors. Those with dense breasts (category 3 or 4), however, have only a 50/50 shot at having their tumor detected before it's palpable on a physical exam."
Frankly, I have no idea how dense my breasts are, and I guess that's one more reason to go check this mammogram off my list of to dos. It's honestly the one time in my life that I'm hoping to see the word "fatty" next to my name!
Do you know how dense your breasts are? Have you had an ultrasound with your mammogram?
In the News
Are Wii fit yet?
Video games might be good for something after all
By: Julie Ryan Evans
I'm probably going to get in trouble from my husband for that subtitle, as he works in the video games industry, but it's no secret that video games get a bad rap for warping the minds of our young, inciting violence and a host of other crimes. And really, have you seen Grand Theft Auto 4?
But finally - a virtuous video game! Meet Wii Fit, Nintendo's interactive video game in which you can do yoga and hit the slopes from the comfort of your living room. U.S. News & World Report blogger, Katherine Hobson, recently posted about this growing "exergame" trend and its evolution.
Personally, I'm all for it when it comes to kids--get them up, get them moving. Especially if they're already hooked on gaming, then why not slip in some exercise? So I say go Wii!
But would I do it? I wouldn't have considered it before talking to my friend Kelly who LOVES hers (she scored an early copy!). While she originally got it for her kids "as a great alternative to the ‘zone out' vibe of many games," she says she's actually dominating the play time.
"It was a bit difficult to see my mii reflect my actual self, just over the ‘normal' limit...and looking a bit um...what is that called, plump? Yikes!" Yikes is right! "But, after the reality set in and I was able to set goals, as it weighs, tracks your BMI, time working out, and goals you can set for yourself, I fell in love with it. My 4-year-old daughter and I do yoga together in the morning, while my 6-year-old son enjoys the running, skiing, and aerobic games."
While Kelly does supplement the wii training with cardio and weights (go Kelly!) she really likes wii for monitoring her progress, increasing balance and flexibility, and for motivating her on individual forms of torture exercises like sit ups.
So I'm a wii bit intrigued (sorry, I couldn't resist). Perhaps this would be a good addition to my workout... as long as it doesn't motivate me to start pimping my ride and stealing cars.
So what about you--do you do Wii Fit? Do you like the idea of exergaming?
Woman to Women
Peri-What?!
Just When You Thought You Had a Handle on Life: Perimenopause
By: Tracy Morris
Recently I interviewed a fertility specialist about women who've waited too long to get pregnant. We all know someone who's done it. Some of us are the unwitting victims of our own attempts at waiting for "the perfect time" to have a baby. Then -- bong! -- we find out time's up.
The doc sees a lot of Mama Wannabes in their late 30's, 40's and even 50's. He and I were talking about the most readable, easy-on-the-ears ways to translate the harsh reality of biological time to these women. He used the word "transition" a lot, referring to a process that takes place over time. Then it dawned on me - how many women understand that they don't simply wake up one day (or one month, or even one year) and suddenly, there're no more worries about Aunt Flo's visits?
Welcome to the Wacky World of Perimenopause!
It usually starts around late 30's/early 40's without so much as a knock on the door. It can take as long as 10 years before you can finally strike feminine hygiene out of your budget. In the interim, the key phrase for you to hold on to with whatever shred of sanity you can muster is "Expect the unexpected."
Think your body is heading toward Perimenopause Playland? Maybe you're smack dab in the middle and don't even know it! Some resources to help you survive (I won't even mention the glowing euphemisms about this "time of life"... it is what it is...):
Perimenopause by WomensHealth.gov: The bing-bang-boom approach. No pretty references to your "transitioning" toward being a wizened crone here. Just the straight facts.
Perimenopause: Pathways to Change: Get over "Pathways." Ignore how often they use "transition." A decent basic source of info from the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals.
And when all else fails - may we recommend a nice glass of Merlot and some dark chocolate?
In the News
Remembering Moms and Children
Lighting virtual candles in tribute brings healing, raises funds
By: Mary Beth Sammons
Everywhere you look for the weeks leading up to Mother's Day are gift-lists, advertisements for flowers and presents for Mom, articles about Moms... It's a lovely holiday, but for those who have lost a mother, and for mothers who have lost a child, Mother's Day can be a sad and emotional reminder of loss instead of the celebration it is meant to be.
This Mother's Day and throughout the month of May, Memory-Of.com offers a meaningful way for you to pay tribute to and honor your mother or child and, at the same time, make a difference by helping two charities that make a significant impact on the lives of women and children.
As part of the Mother's Day of Remembrance campaign, those who want to honor a mother or child who has died can light a virtual candle on the site. Every time a candle is lit for a mother, one dollar will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help raise funds for and awareness of the fight against breast cancer. When a candle is lit on behalf of a son or a daughter, the same amount will be donated to the First Candle Foundation, which generates funds to save babies' lives.
For children and grandchildren who have lost mothers >>
For mothers who have lost children >>
In the News
Step Away from the Scissors
‘Female Snip' great...for men!
By: Julie Ryan Evans
Women are responsible for so much when it comes to sex, carrying and delivering babies (don't even me started on raising them!). When we don't want one, we have to take The Pill; when we do, we have to vomit our guts out, contort our bodies, push the babies out of an incredibly small orifice, and then let said babies suck every last bit of shape and gravity out of our breasts while breastfeeding.
So after all of that, the one thing men CAN do-get snipped ("payback" is how some of my friends tout their husbands' vasectomies) -is now about to be passed off as yet another responsibility for women. "Female Snip" to Transform Women's Lives" read the headline in a Scottish publication.
Well, by Scott, we women don't need our lives transformed anymore. Take a look at our stretch marks, we've had our share of transforming!
So while I get that it's a much less invasive procedure than tube tying with less recovery time, a vasectomy isn't invasive at all and requires NO recovery time-for the WOMAN! I'm sure many dollars and much research (probably done by men!) went into developing this procedure, and for some it may be the answer. But for my money, I'd rather see them put their efforts toward figuring out how men can get more involved in the procreation cycle instead of trying to figure out how to remove themselves even further from it.
Tipping List
Running out of Room
What to do with your old shoes
By: Julie Ryan Evans
Just the other day I brought home my brand new running shoes. I took them out for a four-mile spin, then went to put them back in my closet-next to the pair I had just retired...and the pair before that...and... you get the idea. There in my closet, six pairs of running shoes looked back at me.
My reasons for saving them are primarily sentimental-I remember where I ran in them, the progress I made. I also keep them as backups, in case the new ones start hurting my feet (I've never bought the same pair twice).
But there's another reason to not just hurl out the old every time you get the new. Hello, the environment!
Brooks has provided a great list of tips of how to do the most good and least bad with your athletic shoes. When they're ready for their final resting spot, you can take comfort knowing they led good lives...
