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Ask the Experts
Our experts Dr. Mary Jane Minkin,  Dr. Mache Seibel,  Barb Dehn RN, MS, NP, FAANP,  Dr. Michael Goodman,   Dr. Verna Brooks-McKenzie, Dr. Murray Freedman, Francis Barbieri, Jr. DDS, Dr. MeLanie Modjoros,, Dr. Natalya Danilyants, Dr. Paul Mackoul, Dr. Barb DePree, Pam Rand RD, LDN, CDOE, RYT, Dr. Rupen Baxi, and
Karen Giblin field questions from our members.
Submit your question.

Your Questions Answered
Dear Red Hot Mamas,

I've been an avid follower of yours for years and I wanted to submit my question to you.  Can you give me some advice as how to cut costs on the medicines I take?  I know I need these medications, but they are getting quite expensive.  

Thank you.
Serena

Dear Serena,

Thank you for writing to us.  Here are some tips that you might employ to lower costs of the medicines you are taking:
  • Tell your clinician if you are worried about the costs of the medication he/she has prescribed as there might be a less expensive alternative.
  • Ask your clinician for samples of the medicine he/she has prescribed.
  • If you are a senior citizen, there might be a discount out there for you.
  • Shop prices from different pharmacies.  Prices vary at different stores.
  • Explore mail order options.  Just remember that when ordering through mail order, it may take a few weeks before you receive your medicine.  So, you may want to buy your medication in larger amount.  Sometimes buying in bulk will cost less money in the long run.
Hope this information is of help to you.

Red Hot Mamas Experts

For the newest and latest menopause information visit  www.redhotmamas.org
FROM THE EDITOR...KAREN GIBLIN 
"It's a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do"
-  Walter Winchell

Dear Red Hot Mamas,

As we get older, some of us are challenged by unwanted health conditions that our clinicians need to treat with medicines.  If you are taking more than one medication, it's important for you to talk to your clinician about drug interactions and how these medications react to one another to avoid unwanted reactions.  For instance, alcohol and many medicines don't mix well.   And, even certain foods or non-alcoholic drinks may interact with medicines we commonly take. 

To help prevent problems with medicines, it's important to know about the medicine you take and how it might make you feel as you may have to make changes in your diets or routines in taking those medications. 

If you are one of us who regularly take medicines, it's essential to stay in touch with your clinician asking such questions as to whether your clinician feels the medicine is working, whether you absolutely need to take it, and even if there are things you can do on your own like diet and exercise, to cut back on some of the medications you are taking.  

Your diet and exercise programs may make a big difference in the way your medications work, so you need to discuss this important aspect with your clinician.

Your pharmacist may be of big help to you, too.  If you buy your medication from one store, pharmacists keep track of the medications you take on their computer.  The pharmacist can be a good source for you to discuss your medications and should give you verbal and written information about your medications and special instructions in how to take it. 

And, in closing, medicines play a vital part in treating an illness.  However, you need to learn about all of the medicines you take.  And certainly, talk to your clinician about any unexpected symptoms or changes in the way you feel if you are taking medications to avoid possible problems.

Good Health to You All,

Karen Giblin

RED HOT MAMAS AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
We hope that you are having a great summer so far.  Our organization, Red Hot Mamas,  has gotten off to a fabulous start and w e are pleased to announce that Red Hot Mamas has won and received recognition for the following:

The Digital Health Awards 2017 Merit Award

Red Hot Mamas has won the Merit Award from the Spring 2017 Digital Health Awards. We are thrilled to receive this award.
 
The Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), organizer of the  Digital Health Awards, is a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields.  Other HIRC programs and services include the National Health Information Awards, National Women's Health & Fitness Day and professional consumer health consulting and research services.
 
Healthline.com Best Menopause Blogs of 2017!

The Red Hot Mamas was included in their list as being one of the most up-to-date, informative, and inspiring blogs that aims to uplift readers through education and personal stories. We are so happy to have made their list!

To see entire list please visit Healthline.com 
 

Feedspot.com's Top 50 Menopause Blogs
 
The Red hot Mamas has been selected by  Feedspot.com  panelists as one of the  Top 50 Menopause Blogs  on the web!



4 TIPS IF ESTROGEN'S NOT FOR YOU 
Contributed by Dr. Mache Seibel
Red Hot Mamas Medical Expert
 
As the author of The Estrogen Window, a #1 best selling book on how and when to take estrogen safely, I've spent a lot of time researching estrogen therapy. But you and I both know that there are a lot of women who either won't or can't take estrogen. So what's a girl to do?
 
For that reason, I talk about estrogen alternatives in my Estrogen Window book.  What I want to share with you now is a philosophy of how to think about alternatives to estrogen.
 
Estrogen has the ability to impact just about every organ in your body. And menopause affects just about every organ in your body. that's one of the reasons it can be very helpful...or worrisome for some women.
 
But alternatives to estrogen tend to focus on one part of the body or another.
 
So tip #1 is
 
1.  Take care of the SUM of you and not just SOME of you.  It's likely you're going to need more than one estrogen alternative to get you through menopause or you're likely leaving some of you unprotected.

Tip #2 adds to the confusion of treatment with estrogen alternatives.
 
2.    Everything works for someone and nothing works for everyone. Almost every treatment and occasionally even placebos will help your symptoms for a short while.  Clearly, I'm talking about placebos possibly helping symptoms such as hot flashes, not osteoporosis.  My point is that something that helps your hot flashes may not help your bones, bladder, brain, etc. So, you're not taking care of the SUM of you.
 
3.    Things may need treatment even if you don't have symptoms. To take care of the SUM of you, you need to set up a framework of treatment with your healthcare provider.  Even if you aren't having a problem with some part of you, it still needs protecting.  An example is osteoporosis, which is often silent until you break a bone.
 
4.    The fourth tip is my approach to taking supplements that are treatment for symptoms of menopause.  Most supplements aren't regulated by the FDA and few have had clinical trials to support how effective they are.  But whether they are studied or not, these guidelines will help you.
 
  • Try one thing at a time.  Otherwise you'll never know which one is helping you.  I'm a firm believer of seeing how much benefit one thing offers you; otherwise you'll end up taking many things you don't need.
  • Try a 2-3 month trial.  Supplements are medication and it takes time to determine if they are effective.  By three months, you should be feeling the results of what you're taking.  If it hasn't helped by then, stop taking them and move on to the next option for 2-3 months.
  • Take them in divided dosages.  Most supplements don't last more than 12 hours in your bloodstream so repeating the dose keeps more even blood levels.
  • Set achievable expectations.  Even the most effective supplements/herbs/remedies typically don't eliminate the symptom they are taken to treat.  They tend to improve the symptom so it's more tolerable.  And that may be enough to allow you to feel better.
5.  Take the menopause quiz. Do you know how much your menopause symptoms are impacting your health or your life? Find out with this interactive 2-minute quiz and get your score back immediately with follow up tips to help. www.MenopauseQuiz.com .
 

NOW OR NEVER
Contributed by Pam Rand RD, LDN, CDOE, RYT
Red Hot Mamas Medical Expert
When you reach your 50's and 60's and your knees, hips, ankles, neck and back are talking to you constantly, (especially in the morning and night), something has to change!  Of course you all know by now, food and yoga are MY answers but there are other REALLY smart researchers out there who have actually PROVED that what we eat makes a huge difference in total health, pain and suffering.

The arteries and blood vessels leading to our heart and brain need to be clear and flexible.  No one pill, potion or powder will save you, those things are only a bandaid.  The cause of stiff and clogged vessels need to be addressed if you want to be alert mentally and mobile physically.  The solution is within you;  take the bull by the horns and start over.  Tastebuds can be re-educated. Alter the old recipes or start over with a bunch of NEW plant based recipes that are medicinal and taste good...you could make yourself feel better in days; hard to believe but completely true.  Less animal products because they inflame and more plants because they are ANTI-inflammatory.  You may even save money during this 'do-over', woohoo! Doctors visits, medication and time out of work is EXPENSIVE.

I have been inspired by so many ordinary people from Peace Dale, RI who are altering their eating and exercising behaviors for their heart sake and losing visible fat on their waists and invisible fat in their arteries!   Age creeps up on us but nothing looks as good as healthy feels.   Of course these people work diligently to make health happen and continue to be mindful going forward.  What did they do?  Less animal protein; not just red meat, but less chicken, pork, fish and little to NO dairy...that means cheese and ice cream!  Also, they rarely eat processed meats or snacks, if at all.   So how can you change what all of us have been conditioned to eat from day 1 by our parents, aunts, uncles and friends...not to mention, the dietary guidelines that have been circulated throughout the country as our 'model for health'.    It takes big money to get on that government publication, not the kind of money a local organic farmer has!  I fell for it myself back in the day and I'm a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Pete's sake!

Eating behaviors can change.

Tastebuds can be re-educated and going cold turkey does mean WORK and practice.   I've heard many people say, 'I want to enjoy my life and I'll eat what I want'... of course you do; so do I but I CANNOT have ice cream, snacks or cheese in the house because it calls to me when I'm tired, mad or sad.   I'll eat these 'risky' foods outside the house...a kiddie size cone is plenty!

Assess your OWN daily eating behaviors and if you need help see a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for advice on tweaking your day to day meal plan.  Everyone of us is different and what works for one is not always the answer for another.

Ice cream and cheese makes us feel full and satisfied, but so do fruit sorbet, avocado, nuts and seeds.   Cashew cream is something I never dreamed of making to replace cheese sauce but it's easy and tastes so good...here's a good savory recipe Cashew Cream Pasta Sauce  
and here's a dessert sauce  Cashew Cream Parfait

Enjoy the journey and don't forget to get out and dance a little...

 
The information provided within this newsletter is intended for informational purposes only, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice or examination. Always seek the advice of your clinician.

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