My Menopause Magazine
N 42 o
How To Keep Your
Bones Strong
Get Ready for
Surgical Menopause Menopause and
Migraines
Summer Bock
Keeping Your GUT healthy in Menopause
+
A New Hot Flash Hack Is on the Way Estrogen Lowers Alzheimer’s Find Out How Long To Take It
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The Hot Years
No 42
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My Menopause Magazine
In this Issue: Summer Bock Keeping Your GUT healthy In Menopause
Get Ready For Surgical Menopause
A New Hot Flashes Hack Is On The Way
Menopause Spirit - Change is the only Constant Hari Kaur Khalsa
How to Keep Your Bones Strong
Tangy Coleslaw Recipe
Menopause and Migraines
Estrogen Lowers Alzheimer’s Disease
7 Things Time Has Taught Me
Editorial
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The
Autumn Issue Time is flying by...it’s already September. And we’ve got some great information to help guide you in the rest of the year.
O
ur featured article for this issue is with Summer Bock, a fermentationist. A What??? Yes, she’s an expert on fermentation and is going to share what foods will help your gut bacteria help you stay healthy and happy. In this issue you’ll discover a new Hot Flash Hack that is in development to help you get rid of those pesky hot flashes without using estrogen. You’ll also learn how taking estrogen can lower your risk of dementia, how to keep your bones strong, tips for treating migraines, exercises, yoga, and a lot more. There’s a lot of great content in store for you in the September issue of The Hot Years.
If you’ve got topics you’d like to see covered, or a personal story you’d like to share with our readers, don’t be shy! Tell us or share it with us at info@ MyMenopauseMagazine.com. And don’t worry about confidentiality. We never share names or use your name unless you expressly tell us that it is OK with you. Enjoy this issue! Yours in good health, Dr. Mache Seibel Dr. Sharon Seibel
Editor
Associate Editor
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Summer Bock
Keeping Your GUT Healthy in Menopause Summer Bock is a gut health coach and a fermentationist who is a national expert on “the gut.” She shared her thoughts on the gut and how it impacts health in an interview with Dr. Mache.
Dr. Mache Seibel: There’s a lot of talk lately about gut bacteria and the microbiome. What is the microbiome actually? Summer Bock: When people say the microbiome, the scientific term actually means the entire genetic profile of all of the microorganisms in your gut. It’s not just the microorganisms
themselves; what we really mean is this ecosystem of about two to three pounds of bacteria and sometimes yeast, and sometimes other organisms that live and hang out and thrive in our large intestines. Dr. Mache: When you think about how much one bacteria weighs, three pounds is a lot of bacteria.
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Summer Bock: It is a massive quantity, and the amount of bacteria and the metabolic activity that they are doing within your gut is equal to the liver. So now they’re calling it the second liver. Dr. Mache: With all these bacteria, how do we know if our gut is or isn’t healthy.
Summer Bock: This often means there is a state of dysbiosis where there isn’t the right balance of bacteria in the body anymore, usually after taking antibiotics. But it can also happen from taking birth control pills, steroids, other medications that can disrupt the microflora of the gut. Pesticides and herbicides on various foods and in the soil that are on our food can also destroy this balance of good bacteria in our gut.
Having the right bacteria in your gut also helps to create peristalsis
Summer Bock: A really good way to tell is how well your digestion is working. It’s how easy you want your stool to be. So many people say, “I thought what I was doing was normal.”
Signs of A Healthy Gut 1. Going to the bathroom one to three times a day 2. Bowel movements effortless, easy, take less than a minute 3. The clean break. There shouldn’t be any residue on your toilet paper Dr. Mache: I see a lot of women who are in the perimenopause and menopause, and it’s not uncommon for me to hear people say I go every other day. And some people say I go so many time per week. What could you have to worry about if that sounds like you?
One key component of what bacteria do in the gut is called making bioconjugates. They digest and metabolize bile (secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder) and make this sticky substance that actually coats everything and allows the food to slip through your intestines easier and more quickly. Having the right bacteria in your gut also helps to create peristalsis (the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine or another canal, creating wavelike movements that push the contents of the canal forward). A lot of women are doing the keto diet right now. They’re very excited about another weight loss diet. But going low carb may actually lower the
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diversity and the number of bacteria in the gut. Bacteria feed on carbs. Eliminating or reducing carbs to such a drastic amount may not be feeding the microbiome enough and this decreases urate and butyrate production, which help to increase peristalsis. Slower peristalsis reduces fermentation in the gut and lowers the nutrients that come from the process. The gut bacteria are also making some very important bacteria bacteriocins, which are anti-microbial byproducts. Natural antibiotics. They’re killing off pathogenic organisms, keeping bad bacteria from taking over your gut. Dr. Mache: So these good bacteria are actually part of your body’s ecosystem for keeping you well and digesting your food, and other helpful things. Summer Bock: They are one of your major defense mechanisms in your body. Not only do they keep bad organisms from growing internally, they also modulate your immune response. Autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or the various skin disorders like psoriasis are actually triggered and started from within the gut. So having an imbalance in the gut changes immunity and it starts to backfire and you become autoimmune
The gut bacteria are also making some very important bacteria bacteriocins, which are anti-microbial byproducts over time. It’s the difference between going to the bathroom a couple times a week versus a couple times a day. Dr. Mache: So if people aren’t having frequent bowel movements that come out as you said “clean,” where you don’t need tons of toilet paper, that could represent an imbalance. What can people do to make it better? Summer Bock: The number one recommendation is for people to take probiotic supplements. And while I think
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probiotic supplements can give some immediate benefit, I have some better alternatives. 1. Daily fiber. Start thinking about fiber as feeding the bacteria. Eat between 35 - 55 grams a day. You can get that through your vegetables, grains like white rice, or brown rice, or wild rice. 2. Natural prebiotics. Examples of foods and starches that act as prebiotics are leeks, asparagus, beans, legumes, banana, garlic, sweet potatoes, squash, and onion. These are fantastic foods to make sure you’re getting regularly. You don’t need all of these every day. Just rotate through a wide diversity of vegetables, legumes and some fruits. 3. Fermented foods. They have naturally occurring probiotics and a more balanced ecosystem, and we’ve eaten these fermented foods for thousands of years
as humans. Some of my favorite ones are kimchi and sauerkraut, hands down the best ferment that you could bring into your diet. I also recommend dairy kefir and coconut water kefir. Kefir is delicious. You can put it in smoothies, you can put fruit on top of it. I prefer dairy kefir over yogurt. I don’t think yogurt has enough probiotics and it’s not the diversity that you need. Another favorite is natto. It’s a soybean ferment. Natto contains some enzymes that are absolutely delightful for your cardiovascular system and helps with digestion. My final recommendation is miso that has been fermented for six months or longer. These are usually the dark miso’s like red miso. Find the one that really resonates with you. Start with a couple teaspoons or a couple of bites a day and work your way up to a couple of ounces with each meal.
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But the more you take antibiotics, the more difficult it is to bring the bacterial balance back Dr. Mache: How long do you eat these foods after going on an antibiotic? Summer Bock: Antibiotics are an amazing discovery. And they’ve saved millions and millions of lives. They’re powerful, and I’m really grateful that we have them. But the more you take antibiotics, the more difficult it is to bring the bacterial balance back. So you end up with dysbiosis, an overgrowth of imbalanced bacteria. The walls of intestines are thin, and well digested molecules of your food can pass right through into your bloodstream. And when you have the a lot of the wrong bacteria growing, they create toxins as metabolites that get absorbed into the bloodstream, causing irritation and inflammation. That blood then goes to the liver and gets filtered. Your liver is like the water treatment plant for these bacteria and you’re inundating your body from the inside out with all this toxicity. Dr. Mache: This is what people call “leaky gut.” And you’re saying that when you get the wrong combination
of bacteria in your intestines, molecules get into your bloodstream and spread the inflammation around. And that leads to not feeling well and can even set up autoimmune diseases and other kinds of conditions that are hard to diagnose. Summer Bock: Exactly. Even symptoms like brain fog and low energy. You don’t really feel like you need to go to the doctor, but you know you should feel better. But when you clean this stuff up, it changes. Make sure that you’re using antibiotics only when you really need them. Don’t take them for viral infections. They can’t do anything with a virus. And all you’re doing is destroying the ecosystem that over time will make you stronger against that virus. Dr. Mache: Antibiotics can also disrupt the bacteria in the vagina. Is there anything you can do preemptively to help make that issue not be as bad? Summer Bock: Like I said earlier, for gut and vagina, use the rebuilding protocol where you’re getting good fiber, certain starches that act as prebiotics, and the fermented foods. Another key factor is the soil that your food comes from. It’s filled with microorganisms. And those microorganisms are actually meant for you to consume
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by eating food grown in healthy dirt that has its own microbial balance. Fresh picked food that’s grown in great soil gives your body those good bacteria. It is as simple as eating a freshly picked apple right off the tree or a blueberry right off the bush. I think most of us just go to the grocery store, buy our food, come home, and eat it, not realizing we’re missing this invisible interaction. I always recommend people go to farmers markets, buy the freshest, healthiest food that you can, and create a list of what you’re eating. Try to get 100 different foods into your diet each week.
One last thing. How does transitioning beyond reproductive years impact your gut and the food that you eat? Summer Bock: As you get older, different kinds of bacteria live in your gut. The bacteroides and clostridium start to dominate versus when you’re a young adult, you tend to have the firmicutes, which we call “the firm and cute” bacteria dominating. So the “firm and cute” bacteria are less dominate as you age. Dr. Mache: Is that partly because of pH? The intestines get more alkaline and less acidic as we get older.
Summer Bock: Dr. Mache: Absolutely. Gut Go to farmers markets, You’re indirectly pH has a mamaking a pitch jor influence on buy the freshest, for organic foods what kind of bachealthiest food that you to avoid pestiteria grow in the can, and eat 100 different cides killing some gut. As you get foods each week of the bacteria in older, you need the soil that are to support your good for you, digestion and pH and getting pesticides into the food more. I recommend using products source, like Roundup. Roundup kills like herbal bitters to stimulate your vabacteria by affecting the gut of the gus nerve and increase saliva. That bacteria. When you eat the Roundup helps digest your food in your mouth on the food, your own intestine starts so you’re chewing more fully. With the to suffer. Organic foods don’t have bitters, it creates a little bit of a mucus pesticides. layer, so things slide down more easily.
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It’s also going to help with the pH, so that you’re getting that right pH for the right bacteria to be growing. So when people are 40 years old and older, they need to be doing bitters with each meal. Examples range from greens like arugula, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, dandelion greens, radicchio and kale, to grapefruit and cranberries and herbs like mint and yellow dock, and apple cider vinegar.
trogen much better. It’s one of the reasons I was really excited to talk to you, because I think that this information is really critical. Summer Bock: It is critical. We call it the estrobolome in microbiologyland. It is that group of organisms that actually break down and excrete estrogen.
You also have to be aware of all the estrogen-like molecules that are in our environment today. Plastics make cerDr. Mache: Is there any impact of the tain estrogenic products called xengut in terms of hormone levels? oestrogens. They act like estrogen Summer Bock: The estrobolome is that in the body. So We still have so much to learn group of organisms that we need all the help that we can about the interactually break down and get to be breakactions between excrete estrogen ing this stuff bacteria and down and getting hormones, but it our of our syswe do know that tem. And this goes back to how many there are bacteria in the gut that are times a day are you pooping. If you’re definitely affecting our estrogen mepooping one time or less per day, tabolism and our thyroid metabolism. you’re probably not regulating your reproductive hormones properly. I really want people to start thinking about food in terms of feeding your Dr. Mache: Are there any points you’d bacteria. We want our bacteria to do like to make in closing? the work of balancing out our hormones. So, let’s feed them the foods Summer Bock: I would just like to they need. briefly mention stress. Stress is so impactful on gut health. You can be eatDr. Mache: There is a growing body ing perfectly, and if you’re stressed out, of information that if your microbiome whether it’s past trauma, emotional is healthy, you actually metabolize es-
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stress, or physical stress, you’re running in a more sympathetic dominant state, and that just means that you’re in fight or flight more of the time than you should be, and you’re not digesting your food properly. You have to be in a state of rest to digest. You have to be calmed down in order to actually digest your food. And the evidence is that when you’re stressed out, it can change what bacteria are growing and in what amounts. So, if you could do one thing for your body, manage stress. I was super sick. My whole journey with this started with my own health problems where I just had horrible digestion, panic attacks. I had flushing and hives breaking out of nowhere. Environmental allergies. Food allergies. It was a crazy time and I was miserable. I went to my doctor, and they’re like, “You’re fine. You’re so healthy.” I’m like, “No. No. This is not health.” I learned over the years as I healed my body and got stronger, that for me, stress played a really big factor, and
Notice what’s stressing you out, and see what you can change
I’ve had to learn or maybe unlearn stress. I’ve had to learn calmness, relaxation, joyfulness, happiness, and now I understand how crucial and important it is that everything feels good. I set my life up in the way that really works for me on a deep level. Because if I’m off of that level of fulfillment, and I start getting stressed, and resentful, and grumpy, and complaining, and all of that stuff, it actually can become a trigger for me to not feel well physically. And I think maybe not everybody’s as in touch with this. But if you’ve been as sick as I was, you get more aligned, you get more aware and in touch with that kind of thing. If I could give you one simple thing to look at, that you could start right now, it would be to just look around your life, your home, wherever you’re sitting right now, and feel your body. Notice what’s stressing you out, and see what you can change. And see what you can do even right now that will help to start to alleviate that. You’re probably a thousand decisions away from it being better, but you’ll get there if you keep making right decisions towards feeling good. That’s going to help all the bacteria in your gut start jumping for joy. Visit Summer Bock or read her blog at www.summerbock.com or on Instagram at Fermentationist.
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Get Ready For
Surgical Menopause
If your ovaries are removed while you’re still having periods, that’s surgical menopause. And it’s not the same as natural menopause. It’s a whole different beast!
C
old Turkey Menopause! If you went through surgical menopause or know someone who did, you most likely know what we’re talking about. The abrupt and intense experience that occurs with the sudden withdrawal from estrogen after the ovaries are removed. It has a huge impact on a woman’s physical, psychological, and emotional health. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Now a recent study from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alber-
Surgical menopause has a huge impact on a woman’s physical, psychological, and emotional health
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ta, Canada reveals that with adequate education and support, much of what is negative can be prevented. Surgical menopause is the removal of both ovaries before a woman has gone into natural menopause. Ovaries may be surgically removed due to malignant or benign conditions of the ovary, or at the time of benign hysterectomy either to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, or because a woman has a genetic predisposition to ovarian and/or breast cancer. Many women with the BRCA gene or other hereditary conditions are counseled to have their tubes and ovaries removed between the ages of 35 and early 40’s depending on their situation.
Women with the BRCA gene or other hereditary conditions are counseled to have their tubes and ovaries removed between the ages of 35 and early 40’s 3. Women had to “be their own advocates” and seek support from within the healthcare system and outside to cope with their health issues 4. Women expressed a need to learn more about the symptoms of surgical menopause, treatment options, resources, avenues for support, and stories of similar experiences, preferably before surgery.
This study was published in the July 2018 issue of the journal Menopause, and it explored how women who are about to have their ovaries removed make a decision on what treatment to use after surgery. Ninety-seven percent of the women had their uterus removed (hysterectomy) at the same time.
Here’s why these findings are so important. When both ovaries are removed before natural menopause, menopausal symptoms start immediately; symptoms like hot flashes, sensitive bladder, loss of desire, sleep disturbances and mood swings.
Here are the key findings of the study: 1. Woman shared that the experience was worse than their expectations 2. Women believed they were not given adequate support to prepare them to make therapy decisions
And if it isn’t treated, especially if surgical menopause happens before the age of 45 years, it increases the risk of thinning of the bones (osteoporosis), heart disease, cognitive impairment, suicidal thoughts and even earlier death.
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The table below from Dr. Mache’s best selling book, The Estrogen Fix, shows that the average age of hysterectomy is 46.1 years. By 54, one third of all women will have had a hysterectomy. Most of the women who have a hysterectomy before age 46 will have gone through early menopause. Almost all the women in the study felt they didn’t have prompt access to support for their menopause symptoms after their surgery. As one woman stated, “Nobody ever said anything about therapy to me. Nobody ever suggested hormone therapy to me, nothing until, like I said, the symptoms got so bad that I went back to the gynecologist and went please help me, do something, [cause] this is all the symptoms of menopause that you said would come but you didn’t tell me what to do about it.”
Hysterectomy Rates per 1,000 Women in the United States AGE RANGE
HYSTERECTOMIES/ 1,000 WOMEN
45-49
9.7
40-45
9.6
35-39
6.5
50-54
5.6
By 54, one third of all women will have had a hysterectomy. Most women who have a hysterectomy before age 46 will have gone through early menopause Another woman in the study said, “I had to fight my GP and actually switch GPs [because] nobody wanted to do a referral... And there are actually doctors to help you…” So if you need surgery to remove both of your ovaries before natural menopause, get the information you need before the operation. And if your doctor or healthcare provider isn’t helping, get a referral to another practitioner who is experienced treating surgical menopause. The goal is to have a plan in place before surgery. Discuss treatments and options and if you can’t take estrogen, what treatments are available for you to lower your symptoms. It’s the absolutely best way to prevent unnecessary suffering that can affect your physical, psychological, and emotional health. Let’s put an end to Cold Turkey Menopause!
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Hot Flashes Is Hack On The Way A New
A new type of treatment is in the pipeline to treat hot flashes. And it’s not estrogen. Keep an eye out for this new treatment option.
H
ot flashes are the most bothersome symptom of menopause. And over 70% of women have them; 10% say they’re intolerable.
Estrogen works great to improve hot flashes, but not everyone is interested or able to take hormone therapy. Lots of other treatments have been tried including antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and herbal remedies to name a few. Now the August 2018 issue of the journal Menopause has an article about a whole new approach to hot flashes. And while it’s still experimental, there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing this and similar products around in the next year or two.
Over 70% of women have hot flashes; 10% say they’re intolerable
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First of all it’s not an estrogen or any of the treatment types mentioned above. It’s a neurokinin 3 receptor antagonist and that’s a whole new approach to hot flashes. A what!!! I knew you’d ask that! We’ve known for a while that there is a part of the brain called the hypothalamus that regulates temperature. And when estrogen levels get lower in situations such as perimenopause and menopause, a special section of the hypothalamus where neurokinin 3 is located triggers hot flashes. So what if you could give a pill of neurokinin 3 antagonist and make those hot flashes go away? Would it work? In this study of 45 women ages 40 to 62 years, the neurokinin 3 antagonist lowered the frequency and intensity
The neurokinin 3 antagonist lowered the frequency and intensity of the hot flashes by up to 72% in just 3 days
of the hot flashes by up to 72% in just 3 days, and improved quality of life. There is some evidence this new medication may improve high blood pressure as well. So stay tuned. We’re following this new medication. And if the studies continue to show benefits like we’re seeing early on, there may be a new hot flashes hack available in the foreseeable future.
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Menopause Spirit
Change is the only
Constant
Hari Kaur Khalsa
Moon Centers are a basic teaching of Kundalini yoga. Hari Kaur Khalsa explains what they are
O
ne of the basic teachings of Kundalini yoga is the Moon Centers: for a woman to be a woman. In other words, when a woman understands her basic nature of cycle and fluctuation, she finds her power. In the metaphor of the feminine kundalini - the “coil,� or the potential energy that is ready to transform, transition, and become creative at any moment - we can see that the power of potential and fluctuation is the power of a woman to uplift herself and the world.
When a woman understands her basic nature of cycle and fluctuation, she finds her Power
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The Moon Centers, as taught to me by Yogi Bhajan, address specific cycles of the feminine energy. These teachings are rooted in the universal ancient wisdom; a wisdom story that supports women through every phase of life, including the profound shifts both physical and psychological of menopause. Women are always changing, like the phases of the moon. This yoga story for women can help you become aware of the phases of your emotions throughout your life. You might have noticed that there are some days when you feel on top of the world and other days you feel the opposite. These fluctuations are a natural part of your cycle. From the moment you are born and throughout your menopause, every woman shifts and experiences heights and depths of emotions and sensation. These shifts are a gift; providing creativity and responsiveness to protect the child in the womb, to be the caretaker of generations, and to find the wisdom in life. The amazing story of the Moon Centers is especially seen during menopause. Even with the huge physical shifts that happen, the story teachers that every woman still goes through the same monthly changes despite no longer getting her period! We do not lose our femininity - we can become more subtle and more wise if we are willing
The Moon Centers, as taught to me by Yogi Bhajan, address specific cycles of the feminine energy to become aware. The wisdom of the feminine is that to enjoy our lives and to find our healing we learn to allow the fluctuations of our cycles. In this awareness and allowing is our power. Ignite the meditative and observing mind to see the power of change, as change is the only constant. Through creating a still point through meditation, contemplation, and relaxation, you can observe your fluctuating nature like a surfer observes the ocean, and ride the waves of your cycles. The power of a woman’s awareness and cycling energy directed toward goodness and love and compassion is unmatched! Study the Moon Centers with Hari ONLINE and join women of all ages in creating awareness and happiness whatever stage we are in. With this link you will receive a special discount gift from Menopause: the Hot Years magazine Resources: A Woman’s Book of Yoga by Mache Seibel, MD and Hari Kaur Khalsa - Penguin 2002
Best Selling Book Offers Yoga for Women
Throughout her Life Cycles Here is what you will find in the book: How to use breathing, postural, and meditation exercises to optimize your health, and how to adapt them into busy schedules.
Specific sections and activities for general female health, menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, perimenopause and menopause, natural beauty, and self-healing.
Explanations of yoga exercises and meditations accompanied by their benefits.
How to utilize yoga for improved sexuality and intimacy
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How to Keep
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Bones
Your
Strong
W
omen rightly worry about breast cancer. But many don’t realize a healthy 50 year old woman is just as likely to die from a complication of osteoporosis as she is from breast cancer. Discover how to keep your bones strong in this interview with Dr. Simon at the Annual Meeting of the North American Menopause Society.
Dr. Jim Simon: Unfortunately, there’s no way to know if your bones are melting away underneath you, unless you get some kind of testing. It’s one of those silent disorders, like high blood pressure, that doesn’t really give you a warning until something really bad happens. In the case of high blood pressure, it might be a stroke. In the case of low-bone density or loss of bone, it might be a fracture, even a hip fracture. Dr. Mache: So you don’t realize anything’s happening until some traumatic thing happens and you break a bone. Dr. Simon: Correct. It’s a big problem.
Dr. Simon is a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington D.C. and the Medical Director of Women’s Health and Research Consultants, an independent research facility, also in Washington.
Dr. Mache: Are some women at higher risk than others?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to know if your bones are melting away unless you get some kind of testing
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Dr. Simon: The woman at high risk is an elderly Caucasian or Asian woman who’s thin, has a sedentary lifestyle, and who currently is, or historically was a smoker, and who drinks more than a glass of wine or hard drink a day. But even without those risk factors, a white or Asian woman who has a family history of osteoporosis, or who had no menstrual cycles when she was younger, or who has previously had a broken bone or two during their more youthful time in their lives is also at risk. Dr. Mache: How would a woman test to know if she is at particularly increased risk? Dr. Simon: Well, this is actually quite straightforward. It’s called a bone density
test or a DEXA scan. That’s sometimes abbreviated DXA. It’s a painless test that delivers a very, very low dose of radiation. When I say a very low dose, a lot of people are scared because it is radiation. But it’s about as much x-ray radiation as you get flying across country in an airplane. The results are highly predictive of whether or not you need treatment and whether or not you have low-bone density. And if you don’t, you can redo that scan it in three to five years, and know if your bones are headed in the wrong direction. In other words, getting thinner and weaker and more likely to break. Dr. Mache: At what age should you get a bone density? Dr. Simon: There’s a bit of controversy about this. Some of the medical societies have suggested getting your first bone density test at around age 65. I think it’s much better to get a good baseline test at around age 50, when the menopause changes are happening and when it’s more likely to pick up
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someone at risk. If you are a person with low-bone density, you could make some lifestyle choices or choose to take some medication to help you keep the bone you have because you already have lost some and we want you to hold onto what you’ve got. Dr. Mache: What type of treatments would you suggest? Dr. Simon: Lifestyle things that everyone should do, both men and women, include getting adequate calcium and adequate vitamin D in your diet. Those can come either from dairy products or foods fortified with calcium or vitamin D. (MMS - or those who do not get enough from diet, can take supplements.) In addition, weight-bearing exercises are very helpful for keeping bones strong. Not all exercise is weight-bearing. I’m a former swimmer, and swimming is great aerobic exercise, but it’s not weight-bearing. It’s good for your cardiovascular system, not so much for your bones. Good examples of weight-bearing exercises are walking, jumping, calisthenics, and even bouncing on a hard floor. These have all been shown to stress the bones enough to help them be maintained. Dr. Mache: And, in terms of medications, that’s really a whole long dis-
cussion so we won’t do more than mention it, but if lifestyle and so forth doesn’t work, then there are medicines that people can take. Dr. Simon: Yes. The important issue is that there are medicines that you can take that prevent bone loss. And some may have other advantages for that particular woman. For example, there are medications such as raloxifene and tamoxifen that can reduce one’s risk of breast cancer by as much as 50%, and prevent bone loss. This is an amazing thing. Whether you take it for breast cancer risk reduction, or to prevent bone loss, or both doesn’t matter because you can get a twofer regardless. There are a number of other medications that are also approved by the FDA for preventing bone loss, and they too may have additional advantages for that patient. Dr. Mache: It sounds like the most important thing is for women to get a bone density. Dr. Simon: Get a bone density test. Have a conversation with your practitioner about what the test means, not only for today, but for the next three to five years, and take some preventive action to make sure that if your bone density test indicates you need some help, your bones stay strong.
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Tangy Coleslaw
3 pounds cabbage 2 carrots 4 celery ribs 1 small daikon radish 3 parsley sprigs or fresh nettles leaves 1 onion 4-5 tablespoons ginger 4-5 tablespoons turmeric fresh (1T dry) 2 garlic heads 3-4 tablespoons sea salt
inflammatory response and the liver. Ginger helps soothe digestion and guides the medicinal effects of the other foods deeper into the cells. Nettles are a nutrition tonic herb.
Celery is known for its high levels of naturally occurring sodium. This helps rebalance electrolytes and blood. Daikon is noted for its weight loss powers. Parsley supports the kidneys. Turmeric works to support the body’s
2. Add salt and mix throughout using your hands to massage the mixture.
STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS 1. Chop the vegetables into similar sized chunks or shreds into a bowl.
3. Begin packing into a one-gallon crock or jar. Use your fist or a wooden tamper.
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10. Taste it after a week and see if you like it. You can let it ferment as long as you want, but most people prefer 2-4 weeks of fermentation time in small one-gallon batches. When it is too young, it still has a carbonated feeling on your tongue. This will disappear after about a week of fermentation. 4. Create an anaerobic environment by getting all air bubbles out as you pack it down. 5. Push until the brine starts to rise to the top of the veggies. 6. Place a saucer or plate on top of the vegetables. Try to get one that fits as close to the edges as possible. 7. Put a weight on top of that. A jar of water works well. 8. Cover with a cloth so no bugs get inside. 9. During the first week, push it down daily to help keep the veggies under the brine. Sometimes it takes a day or two to get the brine to stay above the veggies. This will help prevent mold from forming.
11. The best temperature to ferment sauerkraut is 55-70 degrees. Put it in a pantry, root cellar, cupboard, or on your kitchen counter. If it gets below or above this temperature it will be fine, but the best flavors develop within this range. 12. When it is ready, scrape off the top layer and enjoy the fresh healthy goodness below. Note: If mold forms, not all is lost. This is a test of your senses. Scrape off the mold and compost it. If the sauerkraut underneath smells okay, taste it. If it tastes off, spit it out! Don’t know how to make sauerkraut and want to learn how? Summer is offering her making fermented veggies online workshop in addition to the Gut Health Quiz. This workshop includes the above recipe. Here is your URL: https://summerbock.com/ferments-hotyears
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Menopause and Migraines I
f you’re a migraine sufferer, you know how debilitating they can be. And they’re three times as likely in women as in men. Migraines can put the kibosh on a perfectly nice day by causing • Headaches of long duration • Moderate to severe pain • Photophobia - you don’t like light • Phonophobia - you don’t like loud sounds • Nausea and vomiting According to the North American Menopause Society, about 17% of all women have migraines. But that number rises to approximately 30% as women enter perimenopause in their late thirties and early forties. As you can see, this is an important and widespread problem. And although migraines tend to improve after perimenopause and after menopausal symptoms have past, migraines can make perimenopause
an even rougher time. Specially if you’re also suffering from anxiety, depression and sleep problems, which worsen migraines. Women with migraines who have their ovaries removed while they are still menstruating (surgical menopause) have a particularly difficult time. The rapid loss of estrogen sends migraines raging. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP CONTROL MIGRAINES? If you’re in perimenopause, keep a migraine diary and jot down when in your cycle the migraines occur. Many women who have migraines report that menstruation triggers them. This is believed due to the fact that some women metabolize estrogen faster than others. Women who fall into that category have a rapid estrogen drop at certain points in their cycles. For some women this occurs 2-3 days before their menstrual period. For others it occur just after the period begins.
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If either of these patterns occurs in 2 out of 3 cycles, it’s a menstrual migraine. As menopause approaches, things are a bit different. Periods are more irregular or stop altogether, and because women are older, they may have other health conditions such as heart disease. All that changes treatment recommendations.
If you’re in perimenopause, keep a migraine diary and jot down when in your cycle the migraines occur
HERE’S WHAT THE NORTH AMERICAN MENOPAUSE SOCIETY SUGGESTS FOR TREATMENTS. Acute Treatment
When to Start Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs NSAIDs *Triptans Transdermal estradiol (0.1mg)
2 to 5 days before menses 2 to 5 days before menses 5 to 7 days before menses till cycle d 2
Prevention Rx beta-blockers, topiramate, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, SNRIs, magnesium Migraines Avoid estrogen-progestin oral conwith Aura traceptives. OK to use hormone therapy with or without aura Integrated Rx Relaxation, Cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback *Can be used in perimenopause and menopause in the absence of cardiovascular heart disease (CVD) or risk factors for CVD
Migraines are a very common condition affecting women and symptoms and treatment depend on whether you are cycling, in perimenopause or in menopause. Talk with your doctor about what treatments might work best for you.
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Estrogen Lowers Alzheimer’s Disease Are you wondering whether hormone therapy effects your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease? Then read this article to get the latest information on estrogen and Alzheimer’s Disease.
A
re you avoiding Hormone Therapy (HT) and estrogen because you’re worried it causes Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? Then you need to know about a really important study that will melt your doubt. We’ll get to that study in a minute. But first the bad news and why you may be worried about HT and AD in the first place. The bad news came from the infamous Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study that was published in 2002. That study found that if you wait until you are age 65 and older to begin hormone therapy (HT), it did increase the risk of AD.
But what if you start HT sooner, right after menopause begins in the time frame Dr. Mache calls The Estrogen Window? This is the start of the good news: When those same WHI patients were re-evaluated and only compared to those who started HT between the ages 50 to 59, and excluded the ones who started after age 65 years, HT did not increase the risk of dementia. And there’s even better news you need to know that changes everything. The study came from the journal Neurology 2017;88(11)1062-1068 and was conducted in Finland. Researchers followed over 8,000 women for over 25 years. They evaluated the women’s ages, their weight, whether or not they drank alcohol or smoked, their work, how much they exercised and how many kids they had. They also looked at whether or not they used HT and for how many years they took it.
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didn’t raise or lower the risk of AD. But another study called The Cache County (Utah) study also found that if you start HT early in menopause and continued it for 10 years or longer, there was a significant reduction in AD risk compared with women who took a placebo. For those who took HT for up to 5 years, there was no increase or reduction of Alzheimer’s disease. Taking HT for 5 to 10 years was associated with an 11% risk reduction of Alzheimer’s disease, but it did not achieve statistical significance.
While the North American Menopause Society doesn’t recommend taking HT solely for the prevention of AD, it does recommend taking it to treat your menopause symptoms. And if you take it for 10 years or more, it seems to be beneficial for your cognition too.
But the women in the study who took HT for more than 10 years, had a statistically significant 47% reduction in risk of AD.
So if you want to take HT for menopausal symptoms but you’re worried about HT causing AD, stop worrying and start HT.
This study from Finland adds a lot of important information to what we know about AD and HT.
The trick is to start it soon after going into menopause, and staying on it at least till the age of natural menopause (age 51) if you go into menopause earlier than that, either naturally or surgically. There’s a lot more information about this in The Estrogen Window book.
There were three earlier well done studies where subjects started estrogen in the estrogen window and continued taking it for less than 7 years. It
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Balance Ball Dead Bug
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This is a great exercise for combating resistant belly flab! With just a little practice, you can perfect the technique and start seeing results with just minutes per day. Here’s How To Perform a Dead Bug: 1. Lie on your back holding a balance ball with your hands and legs. 2. Continuing to hold the balance ball with your opposite hand and leg. 3. Squeeze and balance or balance the ball with your inactive leg and hand while your other arm and leg perform the rep. This tension works your abs and keeps your back flat on the ground. Kimberly Doehnert, MBA, IFBB Figure Pro Creator of Contest Prep Secrets www.kimberlydoehnert.com
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Things Time Has Taught Me
o you remember a children’s song called, My Grandfather’s Clock? A child sings about a grandfather clock that was bought on the morning his grandfather was born. It tick-tocked every second of his life, only to stop ticking forever, 90 years later, on the day his grandfather died. (Click here to listen to Dr. Mache narrate this over original music) We all think about time. Time flies; third time’s a charm; time out; make up for lost time. Beat the clock; clock in; clock out; working against the clock; the clock is ticking. I agree with Albert Einstein who said, Time is an illusion.
Each day we get a new chance for a fresh start, to reset the clock. After all, there’s little we can do about yesterday, and we have no guarantees about tomorrow.
Mache Seibel, MD
But today is the time we are in. And every day can be a magical day. Here are 7 things that time has taught me. Which of these are parts of your day? 1. Spend a few waking minutes thinking of something you’re grateful for 2. Accomplish the most important thing you have to do first 3. Learn something new 4. Do something you enjoy 5. Call someone you care about 6. Do something positive for someone else, even if it’s only sharing a smile 7. Think of one thing you’ve done you feel proud of As fashion designer Coco Chanel once said, “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” I would add, “Each day already has doors, waiting to be entered if you choose to open them.”
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So many women I’ve talked to see menopause as an ending. But I’ve discovered this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else. Oprah Winfrey
CLICK HERE to celebrate Menopause Awareness Month, listen to this original song by Dr. Mache called “Red Hot Mama.” You can find this song and other similar health songs at healthrock.com/music/amp-up-your-health-3-cd-set Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is complete and accurate. However, neither the publisher nor the author(s) is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this magazine are educational and not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding health require medical supervision. Neither the authors nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss, injury, or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this magazine. The opinions expressed in this magazine represent personal views of the author(s) and are not a substitute for medical care. All content in this magazine is Copyright © HealthRock, LLC
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