Posts made in November, 2009

Wednesday Bubble: Equol-ity

Posted by Liz on Nov 4, 2009 in herbal medicine, hot flash | 0 comments

Not bursting this one. At least not yet….

Last January, I shared some news on a key component in a type of isoflavone known as Daidzein. The component, S-equol, is produced by some people by the bacteria that lives in their intestines after eating soybeans and soy foods. Japanese women who produce S-equol naturally have been shown to have milder menopausal symptoms.

No wonder I was excited to see more information about S-equol coming out of September’s North American Menopause Society meeting. This time, researchers asked 320 postmenopausal women complaining of at least one hot flash a day to take a 10 mg equol supplement or a placebo tablet for 12 weeks. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated before and after taking the equol supplement, both by questionnaire and by a visual scale.

The findings are encouraging, as it appears that taking a daily equol supplement significantly reduced the frequency of hot flashes by as much as 58%. Women taking the supplement also reported declines in neck and shoulder stiffness. What’s more, no side effects were reported. However, while menopausal symptoms scores improved overall, S-equol did not appear to affect night sweats, mood issues or quality of life.

Obviously, S-equol is not yet available for mass consumption and only time will tell if these benefits can be duplicated in larger groups of women. Still, it’s nice to know that plant-based compounds are slowly proving their worth in the quest to find non-pharmaceuticals to alleviate menopausal symptoms. I’m all for equality when it comes to solutions for menopause and equol has my vote so far!

The Roundup: November news and tidbits

Posted by Liz on Nov 30, 2009 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

[Credit: Special thanks to artist Darryl Willison of whimsicalwest.com. Please visit his site and support his work.]

Time for November highlights. A new feature, a few guest posts and lots of controversy in this month’s mix:

• Introducing….It’s raining men. It’s a new month and a new feature on Flashfree. I am looking for men to lend their perspectives. Here’s one guys’ take.
• Wednesday Bubble: Equol-ity. Can the plant-based S-equol alleviate hot flashes? The evidence continues to mount in its favor.
• Oh, baby – a new glam parent is born. Forty Weeks’ Julia Beck provides some important tips for Boomer grandparents on breastfeeding and support.
• Be still my heart. When it comes to heart disease, knowledge is power. Heart attacks are on the rise in midlife women. Wondering why?
• Wednesday Bubble: Bifocals, babies, hot steamy flashes of perspective. It is enough. Author Patti Digh graces the pages of Flashfree with her insight and wisdom: time to call in the dumpster.
• Hip fracture, early menopause and age. Researchers show that early menopause is not a risk factor for hip fracture. Here’s what you can do right now to keep your bones in good shape.
• Viva la sweats! Forget the sheets! Who knew that night sweats might actually save your life?
• Wednesday Bubble: One pill makes you…. Coming to bedrooms soon: the new Viagra-like compound for women.
• Dem bones were made for dancing. Who says you can’t have fun while boosting your bone health? ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ are you listening?
• New Flash! Just a spit away… Is comprehensive non-invasive testing on the horizon for women? Researchers say that your saliva may hold important clues to illnesses as you age.
• Wednesday Bubble: NutraFem promises much. Will it deliver? There’s a novel multi-botanical on the market and it’s looking promising for controlling hot flashes and night sweats.
• Battle of the middle-aged bulge: pick your poison. That abdominal donut may cause you to lose your mind, if you don’t have a heart attack first. Time to get moving!