Posts Tagged "menopause"

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Posted by Liz on Sep 3, 2008 in Meditation/mindfulness therapy, stress, women's health | 1 comment

[Credit: Sailingscuttlebutt.com]

A friend wrote to me recently and mentioned that a clinical psychologist had told her that she is seeing more and more patients who are entering early menopause. The cause? Apparently, stress has something to do with it.

Another myth to debunk? Or is there something to this?

I found two studies in the American Journal of Epidemiology whose findings appear to suggest a role for stress in predicting an earlier age at menopause. Yikes!

In the first study, published in 1997, researchers sought to identify factors that might determine age at which menopause would start. They studied the effects of demographics, reproduction history, number and length of stressful events (i.e. those occurring within the last 6 months and those lasting longer than 6 months) and other health factors. 185 women were studied for approximately 8 years.

The findings showed that earlier age at menopause was associated with women reporting irregular menstrual periods in their 40s, who smoked, were African Americans or on diets. More importantly, however, stress predicted earlier menopause in both women who were African American and in women who reported having irregular periods.

In the second study, published in 2007, French researchers examined the potential role of occupational factors in determining the age at which a woman started menopause.  Using several statistical models, the results showed that among the 1,594 women studied, earlier age of menopause was associated with having a high-strain job and difficult schedules. Additionally, earlier menopause was associated with smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day.

Taken together, these data, in more than 1,600 women, show that there are indeed, certain factors that play a role in prompting an earlier menopause. Stress clearly has a part to play.

I’ve written previously about stress and its role in menopausal symptoms, as well as steps that can be taken to lessen stressors in our daily lives.  They include yoga, acupunture, reiki, deep breathing exercises, and of course, meditation.

While we might not be able to alter the course of history, we might be able to insure that the path is a bit smoother going forward. In this particular situation, being an early bird is indeed, a good thing for years that follow.

Ch Ch Changes

Posted by Liz on Sep 1, 2008 in heart disease | 2 comments

Among the many changes that occur during menopause, one of the most potentially dangerous is actually being attributed to testosterone rather than estrogen.

Results of a 9-year study study published in the July 28th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine show that the key hormonal change associated with developing the metabolic syndrome is the steep and progressive domination of testosterone. What’s more, this increase occurs independently of aging and other potential confounding factor (such as smoking, body mass index, ethnicity, marital status and education).

(Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe the cluster of risk factors (e.g. abdominal fat, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and insulin resistance) that increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. It affects up to a third of women after age 55.)

Study participants included 949 women recruited from the ongoing  Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, which is examining factors that affect health and quality of life in women during their middle years.  Women were either premenopausal or in early menopause, and had never used HRT.  Overall, women were shown to have a 1.45 times greater risk of developing the metabolic syndrome in perimenopause and a 1.25 greater risk after menopause.

So, let’s do the math.

1. Metabolic syndrome is closely associated with high blood pressure, obesity, and insulin resistance.
2. Menopausal women are at increased risk for abdominal redistribution and weight gain.
3. Regular exercise/physical activity and a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and low in saturated fats, are essential.

With regards to the predominance of testosterone, well, that’s just one more hurdle to overrcome. In the coming weeks, I’ll see if I can find a few evidence-driven tips to counteract this imbalance. In the meantime, we’ve got yet another reason to keep moving!

I Got All My Sisters And Me…

Posted by Liz on Aug 31, 2008 in women's health | 2 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ2L4iPvdIk]

Last week, I posted a piece about the importance of friendships and social support to our lives. Researchers agree that during the menopausal transition, the ability to nurture and nourish ties, coupled with overall satisfaction with that work, significantly predicts well-being.

A subset of 334 women from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study were evaluated over a period of 8 years to determine the association between factors such as frequency and severity of hot flashes, hormone levels, number of negative life events and resources pertaining to mastery over and satisfaction with social support and overall well-being.

Study findings showed that for the majority, the menopause transition itself was not a predictor of well-being. Rather, when considered within a broader life context, one primary factor stood out – personal resources as they pertain to social support.

Undoubtedly, menopause can wreak havoc on our lifestyles, the way that we feel about ourselves and at times, the ability or inability to cope. ‘Tending and befriending,’  nurturing our personal relationships,  communicating to one another when we need help, finding a shoulder to cry on or simply offering a hug not only reaffirms who we are but can also provide an essential foundation to see us through.

One of my favorite Aristotle quotes is this one:

What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies.

Cherish your soul today.  Call or email a friend. Reach out to a family member you’ve not spoken to in awhile. Say hello to that neighbor you’ve been meaning to talk to but never find the time to. Mostly, take the time to well, take the time. You’ll be glad you did.

A Balancing Act

Posted by Liz on Aug 22, 2008 in bone health | 0 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8_qFFy6R6Q]

One of the biggest challenges of life is to keep it all in balance, right? This is ever more important as we age and our bones start to thin. Postmenopausal women are three times likelier to fall than men who are the same age. This is due, at least in part, to declining estrogen levels, which not only affect postural stability but also the speed at which spacial information is processed by the brain.

Researchers now say that moderate amounts of exercise may significantly improve balance in postmenopausal women who suffer from osteoporosis.

In this study, 28 postmenopausal women participated in twice-weekly, 30 minute sessions on the treadmills over a month-long period. At the study’s end, significant improvements were seen in all balance tests.

The researchers say that this suggests that exercise is valuable in younger postmenopausal women for reducing fracture risk, risk of falls and reaction time. Walking at a fast pace is one of the safest ways to achieve results.

Check out these earlier posts for additional tips on how to achieve better bone health.  I don’t believe that any of us will end up on a double high wire after an intensive treadmill workout but I do believe that we can all benefit from improved balance!

Orgasmatron

Posted by Liz on Aug 18, 2008 in sexual health | 2 comments

[Woody Allen, Sleeper 1973]

Remember the Orgasmatron from Woody Allen’s Classic, “Sleeper?” Seems that there’s a new device that’s going to give Woody a run for his money (no pun intended!).

An ad for Slightest Touch, an orgasm electronic enhancement agent, arrived in my inbox this morning. Hey, when over 11,000 women say that ‘sex has never been better,’ well, ya gotta wonder right? But I am especially intrigued by the idea that your orgasm will be so powerful that you should take electrolytes beforehand.

A painless electrical pulse travels up the leg’s nerve pathways to the pelvis, creating peak arousal. (Note the electrode patches around the ankles).

This device started as a foot massager (pretty kinky, eh?).  While it failed miserably at its orginal intention, subjects tended to get all hot and bothered during the experiment!

Hmm. Is this the answer for sexual desire and dysfunction issues in menopause?!

[Crossposted on Blogher]