The Roundup: September News and Tidbits
[Credit: Special thanks to artist Darryl Willison of whimsicalwest.com. Please visit his site and support his work!]
Because October starts tomorrow, I’m replacing this week’s Wednesday Bubble with the monthly Roundup. Here’s an overview of September’s post in case you missed one or want to revisit it.
Enjoy!
- Wednesday Bubble: Big dietary changes one small step at a time. A guest post by Miz Fit – Carrying around a “freshwoman forty” (or ten)? Fitness expert and author Carla Birnberg shares some tips on how to change your habits, and your body.
- Cougar 101: Pimp your hide -The Cougar Convention hits the West Coast with a roarrrrr. See what a bit of botox, plumped lips and a nip and tuck yield.
- Sinking your teeth into…osteoporosis – Time to bone up on osteoporosis as researchers now link the disease with tooth loss.
- Wednesday Bubble: Turmeric… too good to be true? – Is this Indian spice hiding some important benefits beneath its yellow facade?
- Overworked, overextended, overstressed and underserved – A global survey reveals that women are not only busier than ever, but they are also shouldering a burden of extreme proportions. What can we do to change this burgeoning problem?
- A is for adiposity, F is for falls, M is for muscle weakness. Together they spell “D” – Research shows the Vitamin D is more important than ever for postmenopausal women: what you need to know.
- Wednesday Bubble: the best medicine – A laugh a day keeps disease at bay. No kidding.
- Calcium conundrum: which supplement should I choose? -When it comes to preventing bone loss, calcium supplements are all the same. Or are they?
- More on breast cancer and HRT – Time to take this killer off the market. More bad news for women who use HRT.
- Wednesday Bubble: Blame it on – Hormones. Women are suicidal and more unhappy than thirty years ago. The reason? Must be menopause.
- Keep it greasy – with Zestra® – Feeling a bit hot below the belt? Despite all the hype, this sensual oil is unlikely to improve your sex life. Or your aroma.
The roundup: August news and tidbits
[Credit: Special thanks to artist Darryl Willison of whimsicalwest.com. Please visit his site and support his work!]
One of my dad’s favorite sayings (in response to the question, “what’s going on,”) is “there’s a lot going on.” And in August, there was!
For your perusal, the highlights:
- Solitude – It takes courage to allow oneself to be deeply loved….a brief (and highly personal) exploration of the difference between solitude and isolation.
- Reaching the gentler sex: why marketing to women requires a holistic approach. Guest post by Andrea Learned – A glimpse into why we need to act holistically in our lives and our careers; as women, it’s an essential part of our fabric.
- Better living through chemistry – your aging skin – Dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology weigh in on why HRT is not your best bet for improving your appearance.
- Buyer beware: on snake oil, menopause and Michael Jackson – What a trifecta! A treatise on snake oil treatments for menopause and why you might want to avoid the big tent at all costs.
- Midlife metamorphosis – Midlife is not a four-letter word, even when it comes to men….a glimpse into the male psyche, and the challenges our partners face as they age.
- Cheers! (Please don’t let me burst this one!) – One of my favorite Wednesday Bubbles – can red wine increase sexual desire?
- Giving voice – Damn those hormones! Data suggest that our voices may be subject to change, along with the rest of us.
- Transition without tears – Once again, advertisers show why Big Pharma doesn’t get it!
- Maca What? – Peruvian Maca looks promising for menopausal symptoms, or does it?
- Beer boosts bones – An alliterative glance at beer and how it might provide support of bones, in moderation of course.
- What’s your chill factor? – No more fighting over that remote, at least when it comes to hot flashes. Wirelessly chill your sleep.
- Cool like dat – Drink your menopause away…once daily! Seriously?
- Battle of the bulge – Researchers reveal the culprit behind the extra 5 lbs you’re carrying.
The Roundup: July news and tidbits
[Credit: Special Thanks to artist Darryl Willison of Whimsicalwest.com Please visit his site and support his work.]
A lot of interesting going-on’s during the month of July make for a wonderful roundup. Peruse and enjoy!
- Weathering your hot flashes – Where you live may influence how much you flash; here’s why.
- Acupuncture and hot flashes: a winning combination -Finally, researchers have figured out how to apply Western scientific methodology without diluting the core of Eastern philosophy. The result is a win-win for women with hot flashes!
- Sexuality during menopause: blurring the lines -When we think about sexuality during midlife, are we excluding the role that our emotional experiences, culture and how we relate to one another play?
- Men. Oh. Pause. Rewind. – Guest blogger, author, screenwriter and editor Amy Ferris shares an excerpt of her new book: ‘Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis’ and provides a glimpse into her midlife rollercoaster.
- Menopausal Magnestism – Can’t have the heat of summer without some humor. This new product will ignite and delight you!
- Close to the bone – Can certain types of isoflavones prevent bone loss as well as hormones or bisphosphonates?
- Three’s a charm…breast cancer, lung cancer deaths and ovarian cancer – HRT is linked to increases in ovarian cancer. When does the madness stop?
- What did I forget/hear/see/say… – Researchers say to think twice before gaining weight during menopause. You may lose more than your figure!
- Early menopause and lung cancer – Have you had a hysterectomy? You may be at risk for lung cancer – read more.
- Menopausal pregnancy? – Dr. Frankenstein would’ve had a field day: a provocative tale of midlife pregnancies and ovarian transplants.
- Just the facts, Jack – Is the Hot Flash Relief Program doing a mind meld on you? Here’s a few tips on how to discern comparative data.
The Roundup: June’s News and Tidbits
[Credit: Special Thanks to artist Darryl Willison of Whimsicalwest.com Please visit his site and support his work.]
I’ve decided to start a new monthly feature — The Roundup.
Developed for my dear readers who only visit this blog periodically, The Roundup will provide an ‘at-a-glance’ overview of the month’s posts. The goal? To help you save time and access the posts you care most about.
I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts about this new feature so please, share your comments.
Hence, without further ado, here are June’s highlights:
- More news on the HRT front: lung cancer – Preempro shown to increase the risk for death among women who develop lung cancer.
- Something for da guyz – Writer Dana Jennings shares his personal experience with hot flashes. Yes, “his!”
- Gal pals – your second self – Emotional closeness boosts progesterone levels. Can friendships help in ways we’ve never imagined?
- She’s so hot and it’s so cold – A new book lays the groundwork for how western medicine has turned menopause into a disease, and what we can do about it.
- Age ain’t nothing but…. – Is it possible that some of the symptoms we associate with menopause are actually associated with aging?
- Feeling irritable? – Researchers finally pinpoint the exact hormones responsible for irritability towards others during menopause.
- Early menopause, part I – Ever wonder about the distinction between early and regular menopause? Here’s a brief primer.
- A panacea for aging skin? An anticancer creams fights wrinkles. But should you try it?
- Hot, hot hot! – Did you start and then stop HRT? Your hot flashes are likely to return.
- Are you rubberstamping the cougar narrative? Meet Lina, a hot Brazilian 73-year-old who is defying boundaries in more ways than one.
- Flava flavonoid – Good news for all you berry lovers. Tastes good and good for you…in ways that you could never imagine!
- Something to chew on – menopause gum – A one-stop shop for gum chewers? Or another scam?
Shaken. Not Stirred.
I have been inspired by my friend Gini Dietrich’s weekly Gin and Topics posts over at Spin Sucks, so much so that I’ve decided to up the ante and bring back a Roundup-like feature to Flashfree (if you’re unfamiliar with the Roundup, think monthly highlight recaps. You can find them here.)
Shaken. Not Stirred is intended to highlight a few choice finds that I believe are worthy of mention in this space. They might not warrant an entire post, but they’ve shaken me up in one way or another to break (or pause, if you will) from our normally scheduled programming and deliver information in a format that is distinct from what you’ve come to expect. In that vein, this feature won’t appear on a regular schedule as I do believe that into every blog should flow a bit of the erratic; after all, that’s what keeps things lively, right?
So, without further ado… I bring you the Shaken. Not Stirred.
Bottom’s up!
- There’s a new kid in town and you may want to get to know him better. So you chat about him online with your other online pals, weigh his pros and cons. And then decide collectively whether or not to befriend him. That’s what the new patient portal Treato is doing. Only this time, the new kid is a medication you might be considering taking for your menopause-related depression and you’re not sure about its side effects. Can you find someone just like you to talk to about it, read/hear their experiences, obtain advice from a medical expert who might be weighing in and then make a more informed decision? Treato is doing just that in one consolidated location. Granted, I’ve not thoroughly vetted the site for accuracy and like any medical information that circulates on the web, ‘whatever is received’ requires vigilance on the part of the user. But I am a huge advocate of leveling the healthcare playing field and patients should be participating in their healthcare. Check it out. And let me know what you think.
- Who knew that weight loss could be so easy? One pair of Zaggora HotPants can help you zap away that unsightly cellulite. How? By incorporating “a comfortable bioceramic material that emits infrared rays to help wearers naturally and efficiently amp up weight-loss regimens. The shorts’ Celu-Lite technology smoothes thighs and other dimple-prone areas by galvanizing the skin’s internal zamboni to promote a deep warming of body tissues and promote lymphatic drainage. This process boosts sweating by up to 80% and aids in eliminating the toxins responsible for cellulite. Gotta give the company props for the term ‘internal zamboni’ but the reality is that nothing has been scientifically proven to rid the body of cellulite.
- Since we are on the topic of do’s and don’ts, why not end this week’s Shaken. Not Stirred with a bit of alcohol-related news? My guess is that many of you have seen the news about drinking and breast cancer and are as confused as I’ve been. My friend Elaine Shattner, over at Medical Lessons Blog, has done an excellent job distilling the facts down to ‘what you need to know,’ much better than I ever could have. Like me, Elaine (who is a trained oncologist, among other things) agrees that women no longer need to be stigmatized by their decisions, writing “Women, in my experience, are generally more vulnerable to the put-downs of others. And so my concern about the BC-alcohol link is that this will, somehow, be used, or have the effect of, making survivors or thrivers or women who haven’t even had breast cancer feel like they’re doing the wrong thing if they go to a party and have a drink. And then they’ll feel badly about themselves.” Do yourselves a favour: read this post.
And if you would, can you do me a favour and weigh in on Shaken. Not Stirred?
Yay, nay or meh?
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