tagged: healthy living

Yes, Virginia, there IS Life after Menopause

Posted by Amy Lorenti on Nov 30 in Healthy Aging, Lifestyle, Women

After a woman’s hot flashes end, which is just about the time she thinks the worst is over – WHACK! Reality strikes. Unfortunately, not all those symptoms go away when menopause starts to lose steam because they are simply part of the aging process. The situation is not all gloom and doom, however. If we keep a sense of humor about getting old [yes, I went there], we have an excellent chance of feeling (and acting) younger than our chronological ages.

Susie McGee, in her article “How to Increase Your Metabolism Post Menopause” tells us,

“Most women need to increase metabolism post menopause in order to battle weight and overall health issues. As women age, lean body weight decreases while fat weight increases. This is largely due to hormonal changes in the body, although genetic and even environmental factors can also play a role in your metabolism.”

Consider This:

SMOKING IS NOT YOUR FRIEND:  “Postmenopausal women who smoke cigarettes have higher androgen and estrogen levels than nonsmokers” Susie reports. Tobacco smoke can trigger hormonal mechanisms that influence chronic diseases (not to mention its toxic and carcinogenic effects) – and a lot of smokers end up wearing dentures. Ugh.

STRIVE FOR LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE: Cut out sugar-sweetened drinks (soft drinks, fruit drinks, lemonade and punch drinks sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup). Lower blood pressure can decrease death from stroke for women by 8% and coronary heart disease by 5% (per a Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health Study which included 810 adults age 25 to 79 who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure or pre-hypertension).

GET YOUR HEART HEALTHY: Eat 6 servings of whole grain a week to help high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease.

BUST UP THAT BELLY FAT: Time for a low-carb diet to head off diabetes. Here’s why: As you approach menopause, the ovaries gradually stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Both affect insulin which is the hormone produced by the pancreas that delivers glucose which is essential for every cell in the human body.

YOU’LL GET LOTS OF MAIL FROM AARP: Face it, girlfriends – we are no longer “juniors”, have blown right past “mature adults” and are now arriving at the door of “seniors only.” Ouch. Though some of you may not have made it through menopause yet, we can choose to look on the bright side of what’s waiting for us when we get there; senior discounts and early bird specials! Yipee.

IT’S TIME TO GET WITH DR. OZ & DR. ROIZEN’S ANTI-AGING SUGGESTIONS: Eat 5 servings of antioxidants a day in brightly colored foods like blueberries, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes and acai; drink green and white tea, consume lots of fiber, get enough omega 3 fatty acids and olive oil; use vitamin supplements; get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week – both cardio and strength training; take up prayer or meditation; get a full night’s rest and have monogamous sex 2 or 3 times a week (finally – something fun).

Speaking of sex, it can also be just as fulfilling after menopause as before. Sometimes even better! If you need a little boost in the desire department you can try one or more of these great products from DreamBrands:

• Add Lib – a natural supplement for women that increases energy, mood and desire
• [G] Female Stimulating Gel – helps arouse, accelerate and intensify sensation and pleasure
• The Natural – a premium all natural personal lubricant designed to feel just like you – does NOT contain parabens or petroleum-based glycols, so it’s never messy or sticky.
• Sensual Massage – features medical grade silicone for a smooth bodyglide and long-lasting lubrication

Posted By Amy Lorenti

Amy Lorenti considers her greatest “defy maturity” moment to be when - at the age of 50 - she adopted a baby boy and became a full-time mom for the first time. “I believe you can do whatever you want to in this life as long as you are healthy. Raising my son – an active, smart and funny kid by all accounts - allows me to feel young every day.” Amy has worked with some of the most successful companies in the world to help them effectively reach their target markets – both the young and not-so-young. She owned and operated two marketing communications companies, was chief public relations officer for an award-winning advertising agency and director of marketing and public relations for a publicly-held international company focusing on the consumer fashion market. Amy is not only a single mom to a 4th grader, but an author and blogger, a designer, an unapologetic nerd, an avid reader and a novice painter who prides herself on defying maturity every single day.

Posted on November 30, 2011 at 5:37 pm