After menopause

 
 
 
 
You've heard of peri-menopause and post-menopause. 
Now we're going to talk about 
 
After the Pause

If you're done with ALL the Pauses and have questions about OTHER issues such as:


Don't worry....there's still lots of humor!

 

IMPORTANT! Dr. Lee Berk and fellow researcher Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University in California have been studying the effects of laughter on the immune system. To date their published studies have shown that laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.

 

 

 
From dr. weil.com: Cutting Carbs to Reduce Inflammation
 
 A low carbohydrate diet might not pare more pounds than a low fat diet, but Swedish researchers found that it works better to lower inflammation in individuals with  type 2 diabetes. Over the two-years of a clinical trial with 61 type 2 diabetes patients, investigators at Sweden's Linköping University found reduced levels of inflammatory markers only in those who followed a low carb diet. When the trial began, the patients were randomly assigned to either a low carb or a traditional low fat diet and were given menu suggestions and advice by a dietician.
 
At the outset of the investigation, levels of inflammation in the diabetes patients were found to be significantly higher than those of healthy individuals without diabetes. However, after six months, inflammation was significantly reduced among the patients on the low carb diet; no changes were seen in the patients who had followed the low fat diet. Both groups lost about the same amount of weight, 4 kilograms (about 8.8 pounds). Inflammation is believed to be a primary contributor to the higher risks of heart disease and other complications seen in patients with type 2 diabetes.

 


Are you a Grandparent? Then you might just relate to these toons! 
                           


Out walking Alzheimer's

Taking a regular, daily walk is good for physical health, and now it appears that it may slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and ward off mental decline as well. The amount of walking needed to realize these benefits to the brain is more than just a stroll around the block: researchers from the University of Pittsburgh concluded that to guard against cognitive decline, you've got to put in an average of at least five miles a week, every week, for about 10 years. The investigators analyzed data from an ongoing 20-year study looking at the weekly walking patterns among 426 seniors. At the start of the study, 44 of the participants already had Alzheimer's and another 83 had mild cognitive impairment (in half of all cases, this disorder eventually progresses to Alzheimer's).



 
 
 
Are relationships/dating/love/sex different After Pause?
Yes! Absolutely! For one thing there's less pressure to always please someone else. We can finally think of ourselves first and if our partner doesn't get it......who's problem is it? Not mine! I guess this comes from so many years of giving, giving, giving and compromising and conceding our beliefs to keep the peace and find some kind of balance in our daily lives as well as beating our heads against the perverbial wall trying to figure out how the other person "felt" about us. I was always looking for confirmation that I was loved and was constantly looking for the same kind of love that I was giving.....well, that's another good thing about being "a certain age", I can recognize the qualities that I want in a partner much faster than I did years ago. 
 

 


 




 

When I started this website almost 16 years ago, there wasn't much about menopause on the internet and I spent most of my time trying to help women navigate through the early signs of "the change", from the first missed period to the very last period they would ever have!

There is so much more information available now that women have been able to find the answers they need by simply touching their keyboard or opening a book. What I'm finding now is that many women don't really know what comes AFTER the PAUSE! So I figured it was time for "Minnie" to show them that there IS life after menopause! :) 

In this section of the website we'll talk about the kind of things we deal with after the hot flashes are over. We've managed to feel back in control of our lives and now most of the symptoms we deal with have nothing to do with menopause, but a lot to do with the aging process. I'm not saying it's all going to be great and certainly nothing will go back to what it was, so be ready to hear some information that you're not going to like. My best advice, just like with menopause, is to keep your sense of humor handy! You'll need it!

 


 


Get your Free Samples
 

What is Overactive Bladder?

How often do you use the bathroom in a typical day? Is it more than seven or eight times -- and you can't wait? Are you getting up more than once or twice a night to urinate? You may have overactive bladder. At least 30 million Americans suffer from OAB. The need to urinate urgently at unpredictable times can cause problems with your career, social life, and relationships. Read More..... 
  
  
  
  
 

 



How to Increase Your Metabolism Post Menopause By Susie McGee, M.Ed

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. What can you do to increase your metabolism if you are of post menopausal age? Keep reading for some excellent tips and advice. 
 

Smoking after menopause may increase sex hormone levels 
Postmenopausal women who smoke cigarettes have higher androgen and estrogen levels than nonsmokers. The highest sex hormone levels are in heavy smokers, researchers reported in a recent study.

“The observed increase in sex hormone levels with cigarette use suggests that tobacco smoke, apart from its direct toxic and carcinogenic effects, may also influence chronic disease risk through hormonal mechanisms,” Judith Brand, MSc, of University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, said in a press release issued by The Endocrine Society. “The good news is that the effect of cigarette smoking appears reversible, as an almost immediate reduction in sex hormone levels was seen in women who quit using cigarettes.” Read more......

 

WHAT ABOUT DENTURES?

Believe it or not I've had to get dentures (in my 50's), so I want to share some of my experiences with those of you who are facing this decision or being forced to go this route. 

There were several reasons why I got to the point of getting dentures, smoking and lack of insurance being the main ones. I have created a blog page (that was forgotten for more than a year) so now I will share it with you and hopefully help get you through it. It's also a place where you can talk about getting, having, wanting dentures without embarrassment!

I have some links on the blog to help you find a denturist and a message board that has nothing but denture wearers (or soon to be). There's a LOT to talk about, that's for sure! 
 

 




  
 

DO YOU HATE THE WORD....SENIOR?

It's never really bothered me, but we really DO need a word to identify our status, so I've finally figured it out. We're BOOMIORS!! Just pronounce it like Juniors or Seniors. 

Of course if you plan on using your AARP card for discounts, you'll have to claim to be a Senior, but you'll know in your heart that you're not there yet! LOL 
 

 



I want you to contribute to this section so that those who are asking "how long does this last", " when will I feel like ME again" and "when is it over?", will get a clearer picture of life after menopause.I will be sharing some comments I found on the internet about "after the pause"..... Send me your thoughts about this stage of life so I can share them....

"Women are now free to enjoy their changing bodies, and can live an abundant and joyful life. There is life after menopause, and you may find it far more exciting than you thought possible!"

 



Are you looking for ways to get healthy and peel the years off your body? Dr. Oz and Dr.Roizen are back with the ultimate anti-aging checklist. Don't wait until you're falling apart -change the way you look at life and start your path to health today. You'll feel better, lookbetter, be healthier and could actually live longer! Dr. Oz's Anti-Aging Checklist

 



A New Way to Lower Blood Pressure 
Cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks. A study from Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health found that reducing daily intake of sweetened beverages may lower blood pressure enough to decrease deaths from stroke by eight percent and from coronary heart disease by five percent. The trick is to eliminate an average of two servings a day of soft drinks, fruit drinks, lemonade and fruit punch drinks sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. The study included 810 adults age 25 to 79 who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure or prehypertension.  
Read more... 


Significant Cardiovascular Benefits for Postmenopausal Women

Eating a serving of whole grains, such as quinoa, at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

A 3-year prospective study of over 200 postmenopausal women with CVD, published in the July 2005 issue of the American Heart Journal, shows that those eating at least 6 servings of whole grains each week experienced both:

Slowed progression of atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque that narrows the vessels through which blood flows, and 
Less progression in stenosis, the narrowing of the diameter of arterial passageways.

The women's intake of fiber from fruits, vegetables and refined grains was not associated with a lessening in CVD progression.



For those of us dealing with the dreaded "belly fat", this article has some good info for post menopause, as well as menopause. Please be aware that if you don't do something about this now, you will very likely end up with diabetes.....it has happened to me and now I'm hoping to reverse the condition with diet, exercise and medication. I walk a mile a day, I'm eating a very low carb diet and am now taking Metformin. I've lost 21 lbs in the last 3 mo., but still want to lose another 20-30 lbs. Here's a good article for "Fitness after 50". Take action now! Dee 


We all know that menopause changes our lives, but what if you already have health issues to deal with along WITH menopause? Or what kind of health problems can develop after menopause? It's really a matter of "what comes first, the chicken or the egg"?

One of the issues that could develop is diabetes. Here are some great links about it:

Could the food industry be a diabetes advocate? 
Mayo Clinic

How menopause affects diabetes

As you approach menopause, ovaries gradually stop producing the hormone estrogen and progesterone. Both of these hormones affect insulin which is the hormone produced by the pancreas that deliver glucose which is life sustaing to every cell in the body.

More information here



Babyboomers Taking Care of Parents 

Are you one of the 13 million babyboomers who are taking care of elderly and ailing parents? According to a 2005 survey from Campbell-Ewald Health, 25%  
of them are living in the same household as their parents.

 

 

Gaining Weight  
AFTER the Pause

Is there Sex AFTER  
the Pause?



Products "Minnie" likes!
  • Worishofer Shoes
  • Playtex Bras
  • Elastic!
  • Electrology!
  • Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans


Your Menopause Journal 
Great journals for keeping track of your thoughts (and doctor appointments!). You'll be so glad you did! I will go so far as to say this may be the #1 tool for getting through the 10 years  
AFTER the PAUSE! 
 

LAUGHS TO GO!!

Take this 
hilarious book to  
work to read at lunch 
or to read at the  
doctor's office or 
keep it handy in 
the bathroom!

Click here to order Laugh your way through Menopause!



 
Learning to breathe  
to reduce stress!

 


Sites I like

Boomer Living

Vibrant Nation

Healthy Lady

 Flourish Over 50

AARP 
  
 

As We Change - Activewear

From WebMD: "Hormonal changes after menopause may change the way that your body breaks down and stores fat, leading to more fat accumulating in your belly."

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