Posts by Liz

The social ties that bind…life

Posted by Liz on Aug 6, 2010 in emotions, women's health | 0 comments

[Henri Matisse, Dance II, Late Summer 1909]

Research has shown that social support networks are essential to our overall mood and well-being, especially as we age. Now, it appears that social support, i.e. relationships whether it comes from friends, partners or other family members, can actually prolong our lives.In fact, researchers who analyzed 148 studies in over 300,000 men and women say that  people with strong social relationships are as much as 50% likelier to survive than individuals without them or whose relationships are poor. Moreover, having good social relationships may be as beneficial as quitting smoking, while bad relationships can more harmful than being obese or sedentary.

While these findings certainly don’t mean that poor habits and risky behavior can be wiped out by having strong relationships, they do imply that social support is critical to more than our mental health. Still, the researchers say that over the past 20 years, there has been a three-fold increase in the number of Americans who report having no confidant and that globally, people are actually becoming more isolated. This runs counter to the proposition that social networks á la the web foster stronger social connections. Although this may be true for the some individuals, it isn’t for others and the quality of these online relationships appear to have quite an impact on our health.

So, what is social support exactly?

Social support is actually multifaceted and highly individual. It deals with how we perceive the support we receive, be it emotional, informational, tangible or intangible (such as a sense of belonging), the size of our networks and how they are defined (e.g. marital or intimate relationship status, number of social contacts,  degree of active engagement in activities or relationships, and whether or not we live or alone or with others) as well as an integration of the two. People who were able to successfully integrate the two were actually shown to have a 91% increased likelihood for surviving longer.

One of the most striking things about this report is the fact that the researchers believe that the estimates on the benefits of the social relationships in terms of having a longer life may be conservative. However, they do caution that many of the data they looked at did not account for the quality of the relationships, an important and risky variable.

The bottom line, it seems, is something that women have known all along: strong, quality friendships are critical to our emotional health and well-being. However, we’ve not been able to link that to lengthier survival…until now. As always, keep it real, go for quality not quantity and keep sowing those seeds. Who knew that the social ties that bind us are truly life?

Wednesday Bubble: protein, weight and bones – keep it in balance

Posted by Liz on Aug 4, 2010 in bone health, diet | 1 comment

Weight loss improves health, right? Well, yes, and no. Because it turns out that weight loss also increases the rate that the bone loses density, so in midlife and menopause, weight loss can be a double-edged sword.

In two recent studies published in the online edition of the Journal of Gerontology, researchers are reporting that women already at risk for osteoporosis due to their age and menopausal status may want to pay attention to what they eat when they try to lose weight. In fact, consuming large amounts of protein derived primarily from animal sources, e.g. lean meats like pork, beef and chicken, may negatively impact bone density and in turn, further increase osteoporosis risk.

Here’w what you need to know:

• In the first study, women between the ages of 43 and 80 reduced their daily caloric intake by 750 calories. Over three months, about half of the women ate meat-free diets that derived about 18% of their daily protein from vegetarian, dairy and egg sources and other half, ate diets comprised of about 30% protein derived from lean pork.

• In the second study, women between the same ages consumed about 1,250 calories a day in five meals over nine weeks. While the bulk of these calories were from a vegetarian diet, women were asked to eat either 250 calories of carbs daily (shortbread cookies, sugar coated chocolates), chicken (plus 10 grams of butter) or the equivalent in fat/saturated fat but as beef.

• Although women in the first study lost about the same amount of weight (~19 lbs), those eating animal protein has a 1.4% greater loss of bone mass. Likewise, in the second study, all the women lost weight but those women eating animal protein sources lost significantly more bone mass compared to women eating carbs.

• Women in both of these studies were considered overweight or obese based on their body-mass indices (BMI).

Importantly, many of the today’s popular diets for weight loss (e.g. South Beach, Atkins) emphasize increased intake of protein over carbohydrates (although the former also emphasizes good versus bad (i.e. glycemic index) carbs. What this means is that while you are cutting back, you may also be losing more bone mass than you normally would with weight loss.

Consequently, one of best approaches for women who are going through menopause and trying to keep the weight off may be to increase the daily  amount of so-called “good fats,” which as my friend Mollie Katzen, suggests should include nuts, avocados and fatty fish like salmon. Many of these foods are also good sources of protein and while not necessarily working to build bone, may stave off bone mass loss while you are trying to lose a few pounds or maintain your current weight.

At the end of the day, it’s all about balancing the good, the bad and the ugly. Our skeleton is fragile and it’s critical that we do all we can to keep it in one piece.

Want to learn more? I’ve dedicated several posts to osteoporosis, bone loss and bone health.

FDA: Keep children away from topical hormone spray

Posted by Liz on Aug 2, 2010 in HRT | 0 comments

Do you remember the post back in June about topical hormones, i.e. transdermal sprays, lotions, gels and patches harming your pets?  Evidently, they may also be harmful for your children as well. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has just issued a warning that children should not come in contact with any skin area where Evamist®, a low dose estrogen spray for menopausal symptoms, has been applied.

Similar to reported side effects in animals, the FDA is review reports in children between the age of 3 and 5 years of age who have developed signs of premature puberty following unintentional exposure after a caregiver uses Evamist (the spray is applied on the skin on the inside of the forearm between the elbow and wrist). They include:

• Nipple swelling and breast development/mass in young girls
• Breast enlargement in young boys

The FDA is now saying that exposed pets, especially small animals, who lick or rub their owners’ arms while being held may develop similar symptoms aw well as swelling of the vulvar.

To quote the FDA: “Keep kids and small pets away from skin sprayed with Evamist.”

Yet another reason to stay away from use of hormonal agents and drugs during menopause.

Writing your way through change. A guest post by Joanna Paterson

Posted by Liz on Jul 30, 2010 in Inspiration | 6 comments

Are you a ‘Writer’ or a ‘writer?’ Join guest author Joanna Paterson as she finds a bridge between the two as they relate to midlife, a sense of self and community. You might be surprised at what you discover…

Heroes – in myth, literature, and real life – take journeys, confront dragons (ie problems) and discover the treasure of their true selves. Although they may feel very alone during the quest, at its end their reward is a sense of community; with themselves, with other people, and with the earth ~ Carol Pearson

Maybe it was leaving work in the corporate world as I turned forty, maybe it was having my son early and trying to learn how to deal with the transition to life post active motherhood at the age of thirty nine (five years on, still trying), maybe it was a deep-rooted need to spend time figuring out patterns and meaning before I moved properly into the second half of my life, maybe it was some or all of these, but in any event, learning how to navigate the midlife has defined and shaped my experience over the last seven or eight years.

I love the quote from Carol Pearson about confronting dragons, because to me it sums up so much of what the midlife is about.  It’s the invitation to take that journey, it’s having the courage to confront dragons including those that appear to be of your own making, and in essence it’s about discovering the nature of your true self.

For me, writing is a core element of that last bit, the discovering of the nature of yourself.  (It can also be a useful companion when you’re feeling just a wee bit scared of the latest dragon 😉

Getting started comes more easily with a bit of structure and support.  Even something as simple as linking your words to things you see when you’re out and about can help to get you into the flow. Currently, I’m teaching classes at the Mid Life Journal that will guide women into exercises that entail writing, walking and photo-taking to help them get used to reflecting on what they’re seeing, noticing, and writing about.”

But, what if you’re not a “Writer” but a “writer?’

Writing can take many shapes and forms and you don’t need to be a Writer with a capital W to get a deep sense of satisfaction from your words.  You can write just for yourself in a journal.  You can pen poems.  You can start writing short pieces of nonfiction from a chapter or just a moment of your life.  They might not go anywhere, you might not share them, but the act of writing can help you take stock, and gain perspective.

With the advent of blogging and social media you can also write some of your experience online.  Write it, and share it.  The great thing about this kind of writing is that it doesn’t need to be polished (in fact the more polished it is, the less well it works), it just needs to express some aspect of you, from the heart.

That’s where the magic comes in: from the sense of connection you can get not just to your own words, but to your own self.  And that’s also where the deep sense of connection with others comes from as you share your words, and a bit of your story, your self, your world.  It’s that reward Pearson talks about at the end of the quest: a sense of community; with yourself, with other people, and with the earth

It’s the reason I write, and the reason I coach and mentor others to tap into the power of their own words.  It’s also the reason I want to spread the word about writing: because I think it offers such a simple yet powerful way to get past the dragons, and then to make connections, with each other, and our selves.

Have you found ways to write your way through change?  I’d love to hear your experience – it’s a great way to connect!

About the author…

Joanna Paterson is a journal and writing coach who helps people tap into the power of their own words. You can find out more about creative ways to get through the middle of life at The Mid Life Journal.

Wednesday Bubble: Are you an addict?

Posted by Liz on Jul 28, 2010 in emotions, Inspiration | 6 comments

The other night, I came to an important realization, one that pretty much bursts the bubble that I’ve built around myself and who I think I am.

I have an addiction. I am an addict.

There! I said it.

I’m not addicted to illegal drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, prescription pills or sex.  I’m not addicted to clothes shopping, sweets, food or possessing the latest, greatest, newest, awesomest shiny object. I’m not addicted to drama (although some folks in my life may care to differ with that statement!). Rather, I have become addicted to the one thing I never thought I’d be addicted to:

Convenience.

I’m addicted to convenience to the point that when something becomes a bit inconvenient, I don’t function properly. I lose perspective and the ground becomes rather shaky under my feet. My head swirls and my emotional self takes over my intellectual self and it’s a race to the finish. Inevitably, the emotional self wins.

Like many folks in my neighborhood and surrounding county, the power source to my home failed this past weekend. It was hot and sweltering, the food in my freezer and refrigerator spoiled and ready access to the internet and entertainment was all but taken away from me, except via my cell and the kindness of friends and family. It became difficult to work and juggle my daily responsibilities. And for several days running, I found myself frustrated, aggravated and hot, heated to just under boiling point. Even more importantly however, for several nights I found myself in the dark…both literally and figuratively…until the wee hours of the night wake-up call when my lights were suddenly all ablaze and the fans a-whirring and my head, no long spinning.

Should I look at the restoration of power as a simple act of none other than Pepco?  Or, should I take it as a sign that it’s  time to wake up and acknowledge that I have gotten to the point of allowing my addiction to run my life, that little inconveniences, even when they pile up, are not necessarily worse than spilt milk. After all, folks in NOLA lost power, their homes and their dignity during Katrina. In Haiti, most still live in makeshift tents. Who am I to complain about a few inconveniences?

Midlife is full of challenges: aging, physical changes and financial issues. For women, these challenges can be exacerbated by yo-yo-ing hormones, so much so that small piles can easily look ginormous. But part of navigating the change is learning how to navigate the bumps and demons and small piles and emotional turmoil.

I’m learning, truly I am. But lifelong addictions can be difficult habits to break.

For now, simply admitting that I am an addict feels like a big step forward.