Interested in sponsoring an issue of
The Menopause Minute®?
Or, if you have a desire to write, we'd love to print your article!
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Our experts Dr. Mary Jane Minkin,
Dr. Mache Seibel,
Nurse Barb,
Dr. Michael Goodman,
Dr. Verna Brooks-McKenzie, Dr. Murray Freedman,
Francis Barbieri, Jr. DDS, Liz Allen, Dr. MeLanie Modjoros,, Dr. Natalya Danilyants, Dr. Paul Mackoul, Dr. Barb DePree, Pam Rand RD, LDN, CDOE, RYT, and
Karen Giblin field questions from our members.
Submit your question.
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Dear Red Hot Mamas,
I've been experiencing migraines. Is there anything you recommend? I am 48 years old. Thank you in advance for helping me.
Bobbie
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Dear Bobbie,
Migraines are quite common in women your age. But, you should see your doctor if your migraines persist. It might be a good idea to keep a headache diary and record when your migraine occurred and what might have contributed to the migraine. For instance, prior to the onset of the migraine were you experiencing emotional stress? Or, was there a particular food or drink that could have triggered the migraine?
Here are some foods that may trigger migraines:
- Cured meats (salami, pepperoni, bacon)
- Aged cheese (gorgonzola, Roquefort, camembert)
- Caffeine (coffee, tea, cola)
- Alcoholic drinks (red wine, beer, whiskey, champagne)
Remember to try to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep causes fatigue and may trigger a migraine. Self-care measures sometimes ease the pain. Try, resting in a dark, quiet room, practice muscle relaxation exercises (meditation, yoga); and exercise daily. And, try to control stress.
Your doctor may recommend a preventive medication based on the frequency and severity of your headaches. Your doctor can help find the right medication for you.
Good luck to you and thank you for writing to Red Hot Mamas.
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FROM THE EDITOR...KAREN GIBLIN
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"Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat"
 Dear Red Hot Mamas,
Hello summer! The dog days of summer have begun. Our barbecues may be working on overtime and our pale legs have finally seen the sun. And, hopefully, our gardens are flourishing and are in full bloom.
While the temperature outside soars, here are some tips to help keep your internal thermostat down:
Stay healthy, eat right and stay hydrated.
Choose the right foods. Staying hydrated and getting the right nutrients can make summer living a breeze. Summer can take a toll on your body! Skin can become dry and damaged from the sun, chlorine and saltwater that it may have been exposed to.
You can help out your dry skin by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are a great choice. Why not make a tropical treat by skewering fruit on fancy toothpicks and arranging them on a platter, just like they do in Hawaii. Or, make a delicious smoothie blending fruits together. I love to put my smoothie in a glass with a cute little cocktail umbrella in it.
Eating fruits and vegetables are not only good for your skin but it can help ward off heart disease, stroke, control blood pressure, cholesterol and even prevent some types of cancer. It may also guard against cataracts and macular degeneration. Fruits and vegetables tend to have high water content. And, upping your intake of water in the summer is a great idea to help meet your hydration needs.
So, don't forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Thirst is not a reliable measure of hydration. In the summer months, women should drink 8 to 10 cups of water to prevent dehydration. And, if you exercise, drink 2 cups of water two hours prior to your workout and then drink an additional ½ cup for every 15 minutes of activity.
Try to maximize those final lazy days of summer and visit those farmers markets. Take advantage of the sweet savings on seasonal fruit. Pick out fresh, wholesome ingredients to make for dinner.
Make the most of the final moments of August. Invite your friends for a potluck barbecue in the back yard and have some fun. And, don't let the heat beat you this year!
Good health to you all,
Karen Giblin
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"Red Hot Mamas North America, Inc. has won the 18th annual 2016 Spring Digital Health Awards program. Our website,
www.redhotmamas.org, has won this award for two consecutive years 2015 and 2016.
"We were honored to be selected as a winner among 500 entries judged by a panel of distinguished experts in digital media" said Karen Giblin.
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HEADLINES...MORE RHM NEWS
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Looking for menopause health information,support and a little fun in Knoxville,TN.? We hope to see you at the Red Hot Mamas program.
Here are the details!
August 25, 2016
University of Tennesee Medical Center
The Heart Hospital Conference Roon
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, Tennessee
Guest Speaker, Karen Giblin presenting "Yes! It's Hot in Here. In Charge of Change"
5:15-6pm- Menopause Chill Out- food and fun
6-7pm- Karen Giblin will present
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RED HOT MAMAS WELCOMES OUR NEWEST EXPERT TO THE RHM ADVISORY BOARD
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Pam Rand RD, LDN, CDOE, RYT
is recognized throughout Rhode Island as a leading authority and practitioner in the field of nutrition education, Pam has dedicated over 30 consecutive years to counseling individuals of all ages from all walks of life for all manner of dietary concerns. She has over ten years of clinical experience, with a focus on cancer and heart disease as well as an extensive tenure with numerous private institutions for drug and alcohol rehabilitation and mentally challenged. Pam enthusiastically conducts wellness programs offering yoga and cooking demonstrations throughout Rhode Island. Pam's expertise is as a Public Speaker and Educator, Individual Counseling Group and Family, Nutritional Therapy Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educator, and Registered Yoga Teacher.
Pam is the author of
YoGuides, book and CD.
YoGuides is a personal wellness tool for use at work, home and school using breathing, exercise and guided imagery techniques which require absolutely no previous yoga experience.
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WHO'S USING VIBRATORS: SURVEY RESULTS
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Contributed by Dr. Barb DePree
Red Hot Mamas Medical Expert
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The times they are a-changin'. At least that's what I
think
we're seeing with the results of a survey we at MiddlesexMD conducted.
We asked readers of our website and newsletter to respond to several questions about whether and how they use vibrators. Granted, our sample size is small and not exactly random, since it comprises
MiddlesexMD readers, and we're a forum on sexual health for midlife women. The responses were skewed, as I'd expect, toward women in peri- and post-menopausal middle years, from 50 and 70.
That said, there's a lot to be learned from the stats. An interesting place to begin might be in what I interpret as a generational and cultural shift in attitudes and comfort level toward using a vibrator. Those are the cracks within which I think the times might be changing.
There's a lot of anecdotal and scientific evidence that vibrators have gone mainstream in the past decade or so. In a 2011 study co-authored by Debby Herbenick, PhD., director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University, over half of the 2000 women between the ages of 18 and 60 who were surveyed had used a vibrator and felt positively about both sex and their vibe.
In our survey, about 80 percent of the respondents under 60 have used a vibrator alone at least "rarely" and over half have used one with a partner. Of the respondents over 60, about 68 percent have used a vibrator alone and 37 percent with a partner. That means about twice as many women over 60 have never used a vibrator alone compared to women under 60. In our much smaller subset of women under 50, all report using a vibrator at least rarely.
Granted, these numbers may be less revealing since our respondents cluster around the menopausal years and are women who are interested in their sex lives. But I think they do reinforce a sense of the cultural shift that has occurred.
Those of us who came of age during the rollicking 1960s and 70s may have partaken of, um, many things, including the sexual freedom of birth control options and evolving cultural morés. At that time, however, vibrators weren't really on the radar. We were still striving for the elusive simultaneous orgasm (vaginally and without help). And what the heck was wrong with us if we couldn't manage it?
"...by the 1970s, scientific publications stated that vibrators were harmful and never to be used by 'normal' women," writes Lauren Streicher, MD., associate clinical professor at Northwestern University's medical school in a recent blog post.
Well, guess what? The times have certainly changed since then. By the time Charlotte fell in love with her "rabbit" (a vibrator for both clitoral and vaginal stimulation) on the first season of
Sex in the City in 1998, vibrator use had gone mainstream. Now, guys use them; partners use them; same sex couples use them. Far from being stigmatized, vibrators are associated with a whole bunch of good things, including a more robust sex life.
Some of us older gals may have missed the memo, but we're catching up. That's what our survey suggests: younger women use vibrators more, but our over-60 cohort is coming of age, so to speak. That's a good thing, because vibrators are most critical during those drier, less sensitive, post-menopausal years. We're not ready to give up on intimacy or satisfaction--whether because of our own loss of sensation or our partner's loss of agility--and we don't need to.
So don't be surprised if your doctor prescribes a vibrator just to keep your downtown tissues healthy, as Streicher did for one of her 70-year-old patients, who had to adjust her hearing aid to make sure she understood correctly.
Dr. Barb DePree gynecologist, NAMS certified menopausal provider and founder of the website middlesexmd.com
, a website for promoting women's sexual health.
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"PEARLS" FOR THE (PERI-) MENOPAUSALLY INCLINED: VITAMIN D FOR DEPRESSION, FATIGUE, AND SKIN WRINKLING
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Contributed by
Dr. Michael Goodman
Red Hot Mamas Medical Expert
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More on Vitamin D
"Effect of isolated vitamin D supplementation on the rate of falls and postural balance in postmenopausal women fallers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial."
This study, by L.M. Cangusso et al from Sao Paulo Brazil and published in the March 2016 issue of the journal Menopause studied the balance and rate of falls in 180 postmenopausal women aged 50-65 years, evenly divided into 2 groups: Vitamin D3 1000 IU supplementation vs. placebo. Women were studied after 9 months. Vitamin D levels in the treated group rose from a baseline of ~ 15 to ~ 27/28 (control group stayed ~ 14-17.) The occurrence of falls was >46% higher in the "control" group; women not on vitamin D supplementation were 2 times more likely to fall, having greater "sway" and "lateral oscillation."
This study is but another in a long list of research showing that a minimum of 1000 IU Vit D, better 2000 IU, and possibly 5000IU of this easy to obtain and inexpensive supplement pays enormous benefit not only in helping build new bone, but in cardiovascular system (see my blog earlier this year), and now in postural balance and fall prevention as well. Take-home?? Backed by reliable evidence-based research, I recommend Vit D supplementation at a dose of 1000-2000 IU minimum daily.
Less wrinkles, better skin as we age
"How to erase years from your face."
Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, of New York City, writes in BottomLine Personal magazine, about the field of psychodermatology, a new field based on research showing that chronic stress and other psychological issues, especially when combined with lowered estrogen can trigger or exacerbate skin changes, which may be reversible using emotional and other lifestyle changes.
Dr. Hafeez goes on to explain that stress can cause blotches, itching, redness and acne, inflammatory changes driven by the rises in the adrenal hormone cortisol that stress induces. This inflammatory rise damages tissues and capillaries that are readily apparent. Stress also increases blood flow, and the tiny capillaries under the skin become engorged; the dark circles some women notice under their eyes are actually blood vessels visible through the skin. Additionally, lack of sleep causes fluids to accumulate under the eyes and makes your face appear puffy and tired. Repeated expressions such as frowning and worrying produce lines that can etch themselves permanently in your face.
Estrogen is largely responsible for the differences in appearance between young women and older ones. Women who are frequently stressed tend to develop dryness and a loss of skin elasticity.
- De-stress the best you can. Take "mini-vacations such as a lunchtime walk, listening to a favorite song, doing a short meditation to provide a break from stress.
- Avoid sugar in all its forms, including simple carbs, alcohol, highly processed foods, cake, and cookies.
- Take estrogen supplementation/replacement therapy
- Drink more water. People who stay hydrated tend to have plumper, younger-looking skin
Dr. Michael Goodman specializes in labiaplasty and other vulvovaginal aesthetic surgeries, peri- menopausal and sexual medicine, lifestyle enhancement, bone densiometry, pelvic ultrasounds and both routine and difficult gynecologic issues.Stanford University trained in obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Goodman is also a critically acclaimed author and pioneer in the development and advancement of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Through his private practice and writings he focuses on patient education and involving patients in the therapeutic decision-making process.
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SO MR., HOW CAN YOU HELP HER HAVE BETTER SEX DURING AND AFTER MENOPAUSE?
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Contributed by
James Smith
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For menopausal women, not only is getting aroused for some steamy penetrative action a challenge, but having penetrative action is a challenge itself. It bloody hurts - pun intended. Nonetheless, a number of them still want it. Well, who doesn't?! And being the man in the relationship - who's not undergoing as drastic changes as his female counterpart - it's your responsibility to make sure that your lady love in menopause still get the best of sex... and the best of you. So here's a guide for the men on how they can still have healthier sex lives with their wives during menopause.
Talk about it
Well, assuming that the two of you have been together since quite a bit of time, that shouldn't be too hard, no? Step 1: if you want to keep your sex life up and about during and after menopause, talk to her about it and about the changes she's experiencing! Don't try to read her mind because that's not going to get either of you anywhere. Talk to her about her menopause. Talk to her about her health and maybe
what she should be eating. Talk to her about how her menopause is changing her body and affecting her sexual desires. That way, you'll understand her better, and she'll realize that you do care and you do love her. Just one thing; do more talking and less dishing out advice; the latter just might not end that well, you know (lol)!
Make her feel beautiful
The one thing that women dealing with menopause expect from their husbands is to 'stop being such a dick!' Instead of picking on how moody she's become and how she's avoiding you in bed, just sit back for a moment and understand that her body is going through some major changes and those changes take a toll on everything that surround her. The fact that she's shedding off a big part of her sexuality with menopause, coupled with an aging body and the 'distinct' menopausal body odor, it's more than likely that her self-esteem is going to hit rock bottom. That combined with a drop in libido is also going to affect her willingness to be ready for some sexual activity with you in bed. If you want to maintain a healthy sex life, you need to help her get out of these symptoms and boost her confidence so that she feels better about herself and her sexuality. That way, the two of you can have more fun in bed. Be cheesy, tell her that no matter what the world says, she's still
young & beautiful!
Maybe it's time to experiment
Maybe it is! Alright, the dryness down there and the thinning of her vaginal walls makes having sex rather uncomfortable and painful. Not surprising that she doesn't want you between her legs anymore! This is probably the best time for the two of you to explore newer ways of experiencing sexual intimacy. Try extending foreplay by indulging in a lot more kissing and cuddling as opposed to jumping straight into penetrative sex. Or delve into the untapped world of sexual enhancement products such as dildos and lubes. Or maybe grab some
cute wearables from an online boutique and roleplay a date night before jumping into the backseat to relive a teenage dream. I'm pretty sure you've read Fifty Shades of Grey, but have you tried reading with her in bed? There's only so much that you can do if only you stop thinking 'holes and target practice!'
Keep a tab on your own sexual performance
As a male, you go through menopause as well, but it's obviously a lot different than what your wife goes through - well, obviously! Nonetheless, there's a very good chance that when your Mrs. Is on a sexual low, you too could be experiencing a drop in your desire to down to some dirty, sweaty business. As a side note, make sure that you've got your balls in the right court for some action before you go around complaining about how she's the one who's having issues. It's very important for men in relationships to realize that their libidos and sexual performance have a profound impact on the performance of their partner. And if you don't come to terms with this little fact, the two o you are probably looking at a very long dry spell for the foreseeable future. Now you wouldn't want that, would you?
Keeping having sex
That's probably the most important bit of it! No matter what you, never stop having sex. That's the only way the two of you are going to get past this dry and painful patch. Talk all you want, seek all the help you need from a counselor, improvise with your sexual activities, do whatever you do, but just don't give up on some good old fashioned husband-wife sex. Think about it as much as you can to get aroused, schedule some time in your weekly routine for some penetrative sex, whatever you do... JUST DO IT!
James Smith is a passionate Health and Lifestyle blogger who loves to write about trending topics. He is a featured author at various fashion blogs.
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