Posts made in October, 2008

BitchBuzz

Posted by Liz on Oct 14, 2008 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

is about being passionate, opinionated, honest, and ironic. Funny, sexy, and all that good stuff.

So when Cate Sevilla, editor of BitchBuzz sent me an email with a link to World Menopause Day (October 18), well, I had a few things to say.

Check it out here.

I’d love your comments, criticisms, and opinions. Let’s talk!

Survey says…

Posted by Liz on Oct 13, 2008 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

I created an informal poll last week after reading two studies that suggested a seasonal timing to menopause onset and symptoms.

It turns out that the poll mimcs the results found in the studies, ie, that symptom onset is more frequent in winter.

Hmm. We are truly in tune with the tides and cycles. It’s kind of strange, right?

BTW…my BBFF Amy, is taking an informal poll on divadom…Aretha or Tina? Check it out!

HSDD

Posted by Liz on Oct 11, 2008 in sexual health | 0 comments

Bet you didn’t know that they actually named the lack of sexual desire that often accompanies menopause.

I certainly didn’t. But, HSDD, or hypoactive sexual desire disorder, (which is defined in DMV IV as “diminished feelings of sexual interest of desire, absent sexual thoughts/fantasies, or a lack of responsive desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulties, and is not caused by a medical condition or drugs, reportedly affects 1 in 10 women.)

On the other hand, about 70% of women report some decline in sexual desire after menopause. So is HSDD different than the natural decline of sexual “health?”  I don’t see researchers making a distinction.

I’ve written about sex numerous times since starting this blog. In fact, I did examine the role of testosterone in sex drive in an earlier post. (You may recall that testosterone, while primarily a male hormone, also plays a role in driving sexual desire in women.)

Researchers are actively studying the safety and effectiveness of a testosterone gel called LibiGel, which when rubbed on the upper arm once a day, evidently raises blood testosterone levels and improves sex drive without causing any serious side effects. What’s more, testosterone gel reportedly does not cause the hair growth and acne often associated with testosterone pills.

I’ve got no argument with the use of testosterone gel; heck, if it’s going to restore sexual desire regardless of declining hormones, I’m all for it. But do we need to call it HSDD, which for all intents and purposes, classify it as problem and not as a natural part of the transition that we call menopause?

I dunno; it feels a bit clinical to me. What do you think?

To everything…there is a season

Posted by Liz on Oct 9, 2008 in general | 4 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNopQq5lWqQ&feature=related]

The severity of menopause symptoms are associated with the season in which you are born.

Sounds pretty far-fetched right?

Evidently, it’s not.

A few years ago, Italian researchers conducted a study of 2,541 women who were undergoing menopause and not taking HRT. Information was collected on physical, vasomotor (i.e. hot flashes, night sweats) and psychological symptoms (e.g. anxiety, depression), which were then rated by severity and grouped by the season of birth. The researchers also controlled for factors that could potentially interfere with the study results, including age, number of years in menopause, body mass index, education, occupation and smoking habits.

The findings, which were published in the Menopause journal in 2006, demonstrated a relationship between season of birth and menopause symptoms. For example, women born in Autumn had the least severe symptoms while women born in Spring had the most. This same association held true for anxiety and depression and physical symptoms.

This got me thinking. If season of birth affected how severe menopause symptoms were, could it also affect when menopause started.? So, I delved a bit deeper.

Turns out that a study published in the journal Maturitas in 2006 shows that menopause onset is also seasonally-regulated.  Among 2,436 women studied, the onset of menopause was significantly more frequent in Winter (32.5%) than in Spring (20.8%), Autumn (20.3%) and Summer (26.2%).

I’m taking an informal poll on menopause onset and its relationship to seasons. I’d love your feedback and participation so please, spread the word!

[polldaddy poll=”981919″]

[polldaddy poll=”984809″]

Wednesday Bubble: Jump Out of Your Own Shadow

Posted by Liz on Oct 8, 2008 in Inspiration | 4 comments

[Image:  Underwood, Philly Shadow, quilted silk]

Time for a bit of Wednesday inspiration.

On tap is a post that I am dedicating to author Patti Digh, whose wonderful ‘soul-help’ book ‘Life is a Verb‘ has been inspiring and challenging me for about a month now. If you’ve not heard of Patti or her book, I encourage you to take a look; her writing is fresh and the book is something you’ll revisit over and over again.

I hope to interview Patti for an in-depth exploration of her vision, as there are a few chapters that seem to be to be directed to mid-life. In the interim, here’s perfect little taste, an amuse bouche if you will.

“Today – not tomorrow – is the day to jump,” writes Patti Digh.

How often do we stall in a comfort or discomfort zone because we do not trust ourselves and our instincts?

We stay in an unhappy relationship rather than facing the truths underlying that unhappiness. We remain in uninspiring careers, live in a place we’d prefer not to live, continue to forge new relationships that are unhealthy or put x off ‘until tomorrow’ because, as Patti writes, “we need more data…about how and where and with whom we will land.”

How often have you found yourself looking for the “more” before cashing in your chips?

I believe that fear of the unknown can and should be turned into excitement about what’s just around the corner. This may sound odd coming from me; those who know me best will attest to the fact that I don’t “do” change well and never have.

And yet, I started my own business when many were encouraging me to stick with the old and seek another job in a field that I found very stagnant and stale. I left my home – NYC – after 20 years and moved to Maryland (even though I was terrified and tearful and completely sure that I was out of my mind). I finally took the carrot that my Ex had been dangling in front of me for months and ended an unhealthy and unhappy relationship.

At times, the road has been hard and painful and heart wrenching.  But every single time that I’ve trusted my deep instincts, my gut feelings, and finally said “enough,” I’ve landed on my feet, happier, more fulfilled, and hopeful.

There is no better time like right this second to place fears about the unknown into a small box and close the lid. Remind yourself that the fabric of life is interwoven with all that is good and bad, that the small challenges are what forge growth, and that it is very possible that you are, as Patti writes, “casting your own shadows.”

So today, I am challenging you to take a leap of faith, and ‘jump out of your own shadow.’ Do something outside your normal comfort zone. Visit a new place that has been on your list of “must sees.” Volunteer at a non-profit organization whose activities stoke your creative fires. Join an alumni group and start networking for new career opportunities. Say hello to the cute guy at the gym who smiles at you everyday. Or better yet, try a social media community such as Twitter or Linkedin and take inspiration from what the rest of the world is challenging themselves to do. Take a class, set some limits… trust yourself.

Patti Digh says to remember that you are never more than three minutes from the ground.

Jump.

Bet you’ll be glad that you did.