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Menopause and the Workplace
How to Make it Better
N 45 o
Estrogen and Breast Cancer
What you need to know
What Men Know About Menopause
Belinda Rosenblum Midlife Money Management
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Yoga and Meditation for Menopause
How Your Genes Affect Menopause What You Don’t Know About Salt - But Should
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Menopause and the Workplace
How to Make it Better
Estrogen and Breast Cancer
What you need to know
What Men Know About Menopause
Belinda Rosenblum Midlife Money Management
+
Yoga and Meditation for Menopause How Your Genes Affect Menopause What You Don’t Know About Salt - But Should
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The Hot Years
No 45
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My Menopause Magazine
In this Issue: Belinda Rosenblum Midlife Money Management How to prepare for menopause
Menopause and the Workplace How to make it better
Estrogen and Breast Cancer What you need to know
How Your Genes Affect Menopause
What You Don’t Know About Salt - But Should
Yoga and Meditation for Menopause
Captain Grunty’s Codfish with Artichoke Hearts and Asparagus
Editorial
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I
n this issue of The Hot Years we’re sharing some information both for physical and for fiscal wellbeing. You’ll be treated to a clear discussion on how to prepare for menopause financially by OwnYourMoney.com founder Belinda Rosenblum. There are two important articles with Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director of the North American Menopause Society, on how menopause is impacting the workplace and how to think about estrogen therapy as on option for menopause. If you’re feeling puffy, or your jeans are too tight, it might be the extra salt you’re eating. Find out where it’s hiding. You’ll also discover how your genes determine when you’ll go
through menopause, and what men do and don’t know about menopause. There’s a delicious seafood recipe, exercises for the workplace, a meditation and more. Enjoy this issue of The Hot Years. And please share it with your friends and loved ones. Yours in good health,
Dr. Mache Seibel
Dr. Sharon Seibel
Editor
Associate Editor
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Midlife Money My Menopause Magazine
Management Wondering how to prepare for menopause financially? These tips will help put money in the bank. Dr. Mache Seibel: For many women, menopause is not the only “M” midlife word that is important. Another one is money, and how to save and optimize it. Belinda Rosenblum, a CPA and a money strategist shares tips to take the worry and fear out of money. Belinda’s company is OwnYourMoney.com. She is also the co-author of Self-Worth to Net Worth. If she’s not talking about financial freedom, Belinda is likely enjoying the sunshine and chasing after her marathon running husband, stepdaughter, and two spirited toddlers.
Dr. Mache: Why is it so difficult for many of us to manage money? Belinda Rosenblum: The challenge that I see is that we put a lot of meaning into money. We don’t just look at money as an exchange of value. We put much more stress and meaning around it. We get really confused why we keep getting the same results. Dr. Mache: So people have attributed an emotional connection to money instead of
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seeing it as just a commodity that we can manage. And that gets tied up in things that are more than just the actual value of the dollars. Belinda: For example, there was one woman, Tina, who grew up in poverty. She grew up with this feeling of scarcity. There’s never enough-ness. She was building credit card debt, and she had loan debt, and there was this moment when we were working together when I had her realize that she did not have to keep recreating her past. Until she took control, until she educated herself, that was the path that she was on. The goal was to help her to look at finances from a different perspective. How can you add in regular money days? How can you start tracking your money? How can you involve your husband and family in this new approach to money? It’s up to us to take control and to recognize that we can actually love and accept our parents without having to accept and continue their beliefs around money.
Dr. Mache: So you’re saying that many times people have observed their parents, who may be great parents, but not necessarily great money managers. When you talk to women about how they could begin to incorporate a strategy, what are some things that you could suggest that would help them if they’re feeling pressure and stress struggling with their finances? Belinda: First, when you feel stressed and struggling, recognize that there’s so much more in your control than you may realize. It’s easy to feel like a victim, or just helpless. This is what I’m earning. This is what my bills are. But I want you to stop that right now. I want you to stop settling, stop tolerating, and let go of that resignation because there’s so much that you can do. And it starts with making a commitment to know your numbers and to take action.
We don’t just look at money as an exchange of value. We put much more stress and meaning around it.
I talk about a four-step plan that we cover inside our Moneymaker Academy. And really, no matter what pro-
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gram you take with me, I want you to have a clear understanding of your personal finances because everything flows off of that. If you’re working, you need to understand how much you need to be earning from your job or business to pay the bills. Otherwise, when you make more, you spend more, which is very tiring, frustrating, and confusing. I think of it as a fourstep money roadmap. 1) Mindset and earning. We need to get our own money mind so we are willing to look at the bills, look at the
numbers, and let go of that fear and scarcity around it. Once we can, we can be realistic about our earning and say, “Wait a second. Could I be earning more in the marketplace?” Or if you’re staying at home, you know when to go back to work. Or maybe you’re even at the grandparent age and you want to find a way to retire. 2) Tracking and spending. Do I know where my money is going? How much is coming in? How much is going out? And how do I take control of that cash flow? A lot of times people think, “Oh, I just have to cut back more.” My approach isn’t necessarily cut back. It’s spend on the things that you most value. Build a plan that is aligned with your values, aligned with where you want to be spending your money more consciously.
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What you’re not measuring you can’t monitor. That’s why you want to track your money 4) Saving and Investing. People come to me and say, “I want to know how to invest.” I tell them, “Well, I am not your financial advisor in the traditional sense. I’m not going to teach you how to invest or what specifically to invest in. But instead of $100 to invest, I’ll help you find $1,000 to invest. I don’t think that traditional budgeting works because the vast majority of people don’t want to track every item every day or every month. So I want you to initially figure out where your money is going. The next step is actually to know the three to five items that have the most variation. It’s the Pareto principle, which is also called the 80-20 rule: 20% of what we do yields 80% of our results. So we want to be looking for the 20% that can have the maximum results. 3) Credit and Debt - Understanding your credit score, how to maximize your credit score, and how to reduce any debt that you have.
That’s why I teach these four steps in this order. We’re finding the money, then tracking the spending, we’re using some of it to pay down our debt faster, and we’re starting to save and invest in a whole new way. Dr. Mache: I’m really taken aback by how much finances is like weight gain and weight loss. Instead of calories in and calories out, it’s money in and money out. And then you ask what foods are you consuming, and what can you cut back on? And what are the things that you really want to eat to optimize the value and the quality of your life, health, and
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weight? You’re saying something very similar about money. Belinda: There’s a lot of similarities between health and wealth, for sure. Particularly when it comes to food, weight and exercise. What you’re not measuring you can’t monitor. That’s why you want to track your money. Because most people have no idea how much money is going in and out of their accounts. If you want just a little quick and easy way, look at your bank statement. People fly right by this and don’t even look at it. There’s a little summary on the top: total money in; total money out. That will at least give you a decent idea of whether you’re getting ahead, staying even or getting behind. My husband and business partner, Marc, has lost 140 pounds. And he makes correlations between weight and finances all the time. He had to
make a very clear commitment to make a change. Then it became a shift in his daily habits; a shift in his identity. My company’s called Own Your Money because it’s about stepping up to the sense of ownership and responsibility. When you feel like, “Yes, I can do this.” That’s the shift we’re making. Dr. Mache: I hope that this interview has inspired you to want to learn how to use money as a tool in your life instead of feeling like you’re the one being controlled by your money. That’s what owning your money is all about. Visit OwnYourMoney.com/quiz for a free quiz to discover how well you are managing your money?
Menopause Quiz:
Your personal menopause assessment
Find out how much your menopause symptoms impact your health, your happiness and your life.
Visit MenopauseQuiz.com to take the free Menopause Quiz. It only takes a minute, then watch your email for your results and some suggestions on next steps to support you. Your menopause mentor, Mache Seibel, MD
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How Menopause
Affects Women
At Work
There is a silent ceiling in the workplace that doesn’t get talked about. It should. Find out why... Dr. Mache Seibel: I have the distinct privilege of speaking with Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and Professor at the University of Virginia. She’s a leading expert in the field of women’s wellness and menopause. How big of an issue is menopause for women in the workplace? Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton: By 2024 there will be 55 million women who are menopausal in the workplace. That’s larger than the number of
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young women. So it’s a big issue. As women are living longer, they’re staying in the workplace longer, and that number is continuing to increase. It’s not just the baby boomers. It’s the fact that women are working longer. Dr. Mache: Women can go into menopause before age 45 or even before age 40, so the symptoms can start many years before that. A lot of women may be unaware that they are being affected by menopause. How does this impact companies?
Companies are losing people from the workforce. It’s costing money to train new employees, for hiring, for absenteeism, or even just for insurance Dr. Pinkerton: The companies have issues that they’re not even aware of: absenteeism, women having medical issues, needing more medical appointments. Many might want to go parttime because they have issues that they don’t want to talk about.
Across the board, men, women, employers and employees don’t understand that there’s a transition through perimenopause which might include heavy bleeding, migraine headaches, stress, and depression. Then there’s the actual menopause with decisions about hormone therapy. Companies are losing people from the workforce. It’s costing money to train new employees, for hiring, for absenteeism, or even just for insurance for the type of medical tests that they might need. Dr. Mache: I’ve read reports that estimate the workplace cost of hot flashes alone could be costing the country as much as 14 billion dollars a year, not to mention the lost productivity, loss of happiness in the workplace, women dropping out of the workforce. And then there’s the cost to women themselves. It can also be challenging because women dealing with menopausal symptoms may have to report to younger women who haven’t been through menopause and may be unaware. And reporting to men about menopause who are unaware of the issues is also a potential problem. Dr. Pinkerton: Handling menopause at work has to be about educating the employees, their employers, and also the employee assistance groups. For
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Handling menopause at work has to be about educating the employees, their employers, and also the employee assistance groups example, at the University of Virginia, we have a PDF that is given out that talks about what perimenopause and menopause is and it gives resources. Because if you’re having a problem at work, if you’re irritable, if you’re losing work time, and you are sent to employee assistance and they don’t know what it is, then how can they help you? Dr. Mache: So it’s kind of a Catch-22. You have millions of women in the workplace. They’re at a time of life when they are at the peak of their wisdom and experience, and they’re being affected by these personal, physical, natural transitions that are underappreciated, sometimes by the women, but definitely by the workplace. And that’s costly to both the workplace and the women. So education and giving them resources and
offering them ways to improve the symptoms has the potential to make everything a whole lot better. Dr. Pinkerton: Talking about it also normalizes it. If you’re pregnant, once you have let people know, everybody understands that you go through a prenatal course, and then you have a baby, and then you have a postpartum course, and then you come back and juggle work and children. What people don’t understand about menopause is that sometimes you can’t take the treatments that make hot flashes go away. Sometimes you have breast cancer and you need to be on treatment that doesn’t work quite as well. So letting it be a normal part of menopause is being able to talk about it. Women are embarrassed. They don’t
Women are embarrassed. They don’t want to say I need to go to the doctor because I’m having heavy bleeding, or because I have hot flashes, or because I can’t sleep
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want to say I need to go to the doctor because I’m having heavy bleeding, or because I have hot flashes, or because I can’t sleep. The more it can become a part of the culture, the better it is. We can talk about hot flashes as power surges, that’s good. But who wants to talk about heavy bleeding or marital issues that are coming about because you have vaginal pain or pain with intercourse.
So it needs to be talked about and there are, for example, menopause cafés and menopause support groups, or having specialists come and talk to the employees and the employers, and that puts it all on a level playing ground. Margaret Mead, the anthropologist said, “There’s no greater power in the world than the zest of a postmenopausal woman.”
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Estrogen and Breast Cancer What You Need To Know
Is estrogen safe? Does it cause breast cancer? To find out, read on… Dr. Mache Seibel: Both women and many of their doctors worry that estrogen causes breast cancer. Is it true? To answer that question, I’m speaking with Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director of the North American Menopause Society, Professor of Ob/Gyn at the University of Virginia, and one of the leading experts in the country on menopause. How do you broach the topic of breast cancer and hormone therapy with women? They are already coming in nervous and worried, or may have already been to a doctor or two who have caused them to feel worried, even if they don’t have any risk factors.
Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton: The first thing we always talk about is do you need hormone therapy? How bad are your symptoms? Do you have bone loss? Then we start to say, okay, if you might be a candidate for hormone therapy, do you have risk factors like: • A first-degree relative on either side of the family who’s had breast cancer • Dense breasts • A prior high-risk breast biopsy that showed atypical hyperplasia or lobular hyperplasia
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Once we figure out their actual risk, we can start to talk about the pros and cons of hormone therapy. Dr. Mache: What would you say are the key factors in terms of patient selection? I know one factor has to do with whether a woman has had a hysterectomy or had her uterus removed or not.
cancer, and we even have a progesterone-free treatment (DuaVee) for women with a uterus. So we have lots of options even for people who are at higher risk. If they don’t have a uterus, their risk is down. If they do have a uterus, we have to think about how to minimize the risk. Dr. Mache: When you talk about the risk in women with a uterus, does it matter if the estrogen is bioidentical versus conjugated, which was the type of estrogen used in the WHI?
Dr. Pinkerton: The large Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study that came out in 2002 scared so many people. They initially found that estrogen and a synthetic progesterone increased the risk of breast cancer Women who had in women who had their uteruses out a uterus; an extra 8 actually had seven women per 10,000 fewer breast cancers women. So a rare risk, but a scary risk. when they were given
Dr. Pinkerton: When they did the WHI, which used conjugated estrogen and synthetic progesterone, there were eight extra breast cancer cases among 10,000 conjugated estrogen. women over five But women who had If you have had a years. It’s a very rare their uteruses out hysterectomy, your risk. We now have actually had seven longer-term studies fewer breast cancers risk isn’t increased. using both estradiol when they were given (bioidentical estroconjugated estrogen. gen) and conjugated estrogen, showIf you have had a hysterectomy, your ing that you can minimize that risk, risk isn’t increased. not take it to zero, but make it much smaller if you use a micronized proToday we don’t use that synthetic progesterone. So even though there’s a gesterone very much. We have natmyth that you need to be on bioidentiural micronized progesterone which cal compounded estrogen to decrease doesn’t increase the risk of breast
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your breast cancer risk, there’s actually no proof of that. The truth is low-dose is better than high-dose, and minimizing the progesterone is important. Dr. Mache: If a woman takes a bioidentical estrogen and micronized progesterone, I’ve heard the breast cancer risk is about the same as a woman not on hormones but with naturally dense breasts, or who drinks a glass of wine a day. Do you agree with that?
Even though there’s a myth that you need to be on bioidentical compounded estrogen to decrease your breast cancer risk, there’s actually no proof of that Dr. Pinkerton: The biggest risk is either a family history or if you have genetic risk. There are a whole lot of very small breast cancer risk factors: being sedentary, drinking more than seven glasses of alcohol a week, cigarette smoking, taking hormone therapy, or not exercising. All of those are comparable small risk factors. Dr. Mache: That’s helpful for women to know. Someone smoking, eating
poorly, not exercising, and leading a less than optimal healthy lifestyle may actually be putting herself at greater risk of breast cancer than if she had taken hormone therapy, felt better, and gone out and done things that without hormones, she might not feel up to doing. Dr. Pinkerton: That comes to the basic issue of women and menopause. When you’re stressed, tired, or have metabolic changes, you start to gain weight, not sleep well, and not eat well. And if you add hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disruption, then we have women who are really unhappy and potentially having unhealthy habits. If they’re a good candidate for hormone therapy, we give them a low-dose, low-risk hormone therapy. Their hot flashes get better, their sleep gets better, they cope with their stress better and overall, the quality of their lives improves without significantly increasing risk. Dr. Mache: For women who do have breast cancer, are there any women who might be able to take hormone therapy. And I realize it’s a very individualized situation. Of course, everything is a risk and a benefit. Dr. Pinkerton: If you look at contraindications to hormone therapy, breast cancer and uterine cancer are the
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Being sedentary, drinking more than seven glasses of alcohol a week, cigarette smoking, taking hormone therapy, or not exercising are all comparable small risk factors. big one and two. However, if a woman has a very small breast cancer or an estrogen-negative breast cancer, and they’re five years away from their breast cancer and they have intolerable hot flashes, we might think about estrogen to improve their quality of life. It means we’ve already tried the non-hormone options like low-dose antidepressants or gabapentin, acupuncture, or hypnosis. We are more comfortable with vaginal estrogen than systemic estrogen. So
the answer is yes, we might consider it, but we have to take it on a one-onone basis. Dr. Mache: By your saying that, it puts into perspective that estrogen is not like choosing between feeling better and death. It’s a mild risk for the majority of women (who don’t have breast cancer), but a risk worth talking about with your healthcare provider as you reach this time of life. Dr. Pinkerton: Yes. Don’t assume estrogen is bad because of that large study that scared everyone. Using low-dose hormones if you’re under 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits exceed the risks. Taking hor-
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mones, you might improve your quality of life, lower your risk of heart disease, and be less likely to die if you take hormone therapy than if you don’t.
Dr. Pinkerton: Sloan Kettering did a great study showing that women who have a BRCA gene who have had their ovaries out are candidates to take hormone therapy.
If a woman has a very small breast cancer or an estrogen-negative breast cancer and five years away from their breast cancer, and they have intolerable hot flashes, we might think about estrogen to improve their quality of life.
Starting hormone therapy at the average age of menopause or at the time the ovaries were removed prevented health risks of bone loss, heart disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s without increasing the breast cancer risk. So again, if you have the BRCA gene, talk to a menopause specialist to see what’s best for you. Having your ovaries out early decreases your risk of breast cancer, but it also gives you some health risks unless you take hormone therapy.
Dr. Mache: So starting hormones closer to the start of menopause is a real plus in terms of lowering your personal potential risk of breast cancer. Dr. Pinkerton: You’ll also be getting the benefits potentially on your heart and your brain. Dr. Mache: The last question I want to ask you is about the BRCA or breast cancer gene. We know it also can also increase the risk of ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer. But in terms of the breast, are women who have the BRCA gene able to take estrogen?
Dr. Mache: One thing that makes menopause even more challenging is that many women struggle with finding a healthcare provider knowledgeable about treating menopause. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) lists NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioners (NCMP) who are up to date on the best current treatments. Can you tell us how to find a NAMS certified provider? Dr. Pinkerton: Visit menopause.org and put in your zip code. You can usually find providers within 20 to 50 miles of where you live who are certified menopause specialists and who are really excited to try to help menopausal women navigate this time.
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Exercises
Z
umba Gold co-creator Josie Gardiner shares easy-to-do exercises for the workplace. They take less than a minute and can be done throughout the day at your desk or elsewhere to keep your body fit and fabulous. Share these videos with your co-workers and turn work into a workplace! Click Here to find out more about Josie’s books and videos.
EXERCISE VIDEO 1: Leg Lift to Strengthen Hip Flexors
EXERCISE VIDEO 2: Alternating Lunges For Your Back
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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What You DON’T KNOW
About Salt But Should
Most people don’t realize how much salt is hidden in almost everything they eat
Ј
immy Buffet sings about his “lost shaker of salt,” in his song Margaritaville. But he’s not the only one adding in too much salt to his diet. With a daily intake recommendation of less than 2,300 milligrams (about one teaspoon), and people with certain medical conditions needing to consume far less, most people are 48% over their limit, consuming about 3,400 milligrams daily. And all that salt isn’t coming from getting carpal tunnel syndrome after shaking on too much of the white crystals. Almost 80 percent of what is consumed comes from processed and packaged foods, which can be high in sodium even if they don’t taste salty.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, processed foods with high salt include: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Frozen meals Canned or pickled foods Snack foods Deli meat Cheese Condiments, sauces and dressings Breads Cereals Soda (including diet soda)
Studies show that cutting down on the amount of sodium you eat can lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of stroke, heart failure and other health problems. In fact, according to the CDC, researchers have estimated lowering U.S. sodium intake by about 40 percent over the next decade could save 500,000 lives and nearly $100 billion in healthcare costs.
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A lot of popular foods also contain large amounts of salt. The CDC has called the foods below the “Salty Six:” 1. Breads and rolls – one piece can have up to 230 mg of sodium 2. Pizza – one slice can have up to 760 mg of sodium 3. Cold cuts and cured meats – Two slices of bologna have 578 mg of sodium 4. Poultry – especially chicken nuggets. Just 3 ounces have nearly 600 mg of sodium 5. Canned soups – one cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 mg of sodium 6. Sandwiches – consider the bread, cured meats, processed cheese and condiments, and sandwiches can easily surpass 1,500 mg of sodium What Can You Do About It? There’s only one to lower the amount of sodium in your diet when almost everything you eat has sodium in it - read and compare the ingredients label on everything you eat. It will take time at first, but in a short while you’ll already know what brands are best for you. If you do buy packaged or processed foods, choose ones labeled “sodium-free” or “very low sodium.” Click Here for a list of low salt options from the Department of Health and Human Services,
And remember, the amount of sodium listed on the ingredient label is for a specific serving size. If you eat more than the listed serving size, you’ll be eating more sodium. The good news is that after eating less salt for a while, your taste buds will adjust. There are salt substitutes like NoSalt. And there are an endless number of herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, onions, garlic, ginger, and thyme. You can also add the tangy taste of lemon. In addition to being healthier, according to the American Heart Association, you may look better too! Extra sodium can make your body retain water, which can make your face feel puffy, cause bags under your eyes and swelling in your fingers, and make your jeans tighter. Don’t let salt hide from you! Read and compare ingredients labels.
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Menopause Age is In Your Genes
My Menopause Magazine
If you’re wondering why you entered menopause earlier or later than other women, blame your mother! Age you have children connected to how long you live. Menopause is defined as one year past the last menstrual period, or on average about age 52. But some women go into menopause at age 60, and 5-10 percent of women naturally go into menopause before age 45.
ta-analysis of several larger studies, including the Long Life Family Study, the Health and Retirement Study, and the Framingham Heart Study.
Lots of things can influence when a woman will go into menopause: smoking, chemotherapy, and an elevated body mass index (overweight or obese) all speed up the process.
• Women who were able to have children beyond the age of 40 years were four times more likely than average women of living to 100 years or older • Women who had children at age 35 years or older were 1.5 times more likely to live past 100 years • New genetic markers suggest when you’ll go into menopause • Later menopause is associated with slower aging
But the number one thing that determines when you will naturally go into menopause is your genes. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Your genes (and your mom’s genes) play a huge role in so many aspects of your health, including when you will enter menopause. They may also be linked to how long you will live. The study, published in the June 2019 issue of the journal Menopause, identified genetic variants associated with the delayed age of menopause based on how long family members lived. The findings were based on a me-
Here’s a snapshot of what they found:
So, if your mother experienced her menopause early, chances are you will also begin the transition earlier in life. If she transitioned into menopause later, chances are good you will too. And it seems these same genetic markers are linked to how long you will live. We’re going to be knowing a lot more about ourselves in the years to come based on new genetic information.
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Kundalini Yoga and Meditation for Menopause Hari Kaur Khalsa
D
uring menopause, our systems can fluctuate wildly for weeks, and then stabilize again. As a yogi for many years and a teacher and trainer for almost 3 decades I have found kundalini yoga to be the perfect fit for women in menopause to find stability in the midst of moving emotions.
Kundalini yoga and meditation focuses on your nervous system and your glandular system. Because there are no hands-on adjustments during classes, the physical and meditation practices are under your control, as rigorous or as gentle as you need to serve you. In addition to building awareness of the physical and mental states, you can also enjoy yoga
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classes as a community of support, humor and uplifted spirits.
Dedicate yourself to your inner Happiness, with a big “H” – like joy. You can achieve it by practicing yoga, meditation, qi gong, and exercise.
Yoga classes assist us in working hard physically and mentally to reThese practices can create a Big Haplease deep emotions that can acpiness that does not fluctuate. You find company hormonal fluctuations, it within yourself when you take the time while allowing humor and a common to take care of yourself. There are no sense approach combined with restshortcuts here so don’t buy into them. ing when we need to, without judgInstead find the time, schedule the ment or competition. No wonder time, and enjoy every day – no matter Kundalini yoga is trending for women how difficult it may be to arrange your of all ages, and especially attractive schedule or say “no” to another project. for women experiencing peri-menoI must constantly pause, and and daily renew post-menopausYoga, meditation, and my dedication to al symptoms. exercise keep me positive my practice and Having been dito my well being and radiant no matter agnosed with time, because what the challenges, uterine cancer 7 the outside is alincluding keeping my ways telling me years ago requirweight normalized, and my that I don’t have ing a full hysterthe time. Truth is, ectomy at aged wellbeing stable time is what we 56, I was quickly DO have. From thrust into menomy heart to your heart, find the time to pause. I depended on my practice of enjoy yourself, with yourself, and withyoga, meditation, and exercise to keep in yourself. Be kind to your body with me positive and radiant no matter exercise, and find calm in your mind what the challenges, including keeping through meditation and relaxation. Go my weight normalized, and my wellbedeep. The Hot Years ARE deep, we ing stable. are wise and we know it. There is no one better to invest time into than you. Self-care is not an option for us. We Dive into yourself with self-care every are in a self-care revolution now with day and enjoy the benefits. Sweat and more products and companies dedlaugh every day. icated to self-care than ever before.
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Here are the simple meditation affirmations that with repeated practice, I have found bring great benefits. Practice them daily and give them a chance to work. Dedicate yourself to your Happiness. Meditation for Love without Attachment, For Kindness, Forgiveness, Sweetness, and Knowing that Light is Within You
severe and simply repeat the words aloud, or read them, you can change your mental state. If you repeat these words often enough, they become part of your reality. Before you do this meditation, you may want to record the verbal part of the meditation, or have a friend read it to you. If you read it often, you may memorize it! You can refer to this during the day to uplift yourself and to dive deep into your truth and wisdom. Sit in Easy Pose (Sit up straight with your legs in front of you. Then, cross your legs in front of you at the shins. With your knees wide, place each foot beneath the opposite knee). Place your left hand with your thumb touching your index finger (a yoga hand posture for wisdom) and rest it on your left knee with your arm straight. Use your right thumb to cover your right nostril and begin to breath deeply through your left nostril. Concentrate at the top of your head. Take a vow for yourself:
This meditation uses the power of visualization to help you feel light, happy, and create a sense of inner strength. With a strong inner light, you can communicate from your heart and bring honesty to your relationships. You may find it difficult to do this when you are feeling negative, but if you per-
“After this day, if I have had any negativity toward any conscious soul, consciously or unconsciously, I now forgive and I am kind to the whole universe. I am I am, and I am a kind being. I am I am I am a beautiful being, a great being, a truthful being.
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Kindness and love, I am filled with it. That is what I am. All love, all smiles, I am I am. I came to go, I go to come. I brought nothing. I will carry nothing. Therefore I am a free being. I don’t want any attachments. Attachments will make me heavy. I want to be light. I am I am I am very light, light, light lighter than a feather, lighter than a rose petal, lighter than anything in this room, lightest of the light, lighter than light, completely light. I am a living truth. I am a living reality. Light is within me. Let me go within and see light. I am a pure manifestation of light.” Now inhale, exhale, and relax. The time of this meditation is however long it takes to speak it. Meditation for the Blossoming of Your True Self This simple meditation is extremely relaxing. When you feel worried or stressed, take a moment to call on your inner resources using this meditation, and feel exalted.
When you feel worried or stressed, take a moment to call on your inner resources using this meditation, and feel exalted
Sit in a comfortable meditative posture with a straight spine. Bring your hands in front of your throat center. Place the base of your palms together and form your hands and fingers into the shape of a flower in full bloom. Your fingers will open and spread apart and your hands will be cupped. Now keeping the base of your palms touching, gently allow your fingertips and thumb tips to touch, as if closing the flower, and then open again as if the flower is once again blooming. Continue opening and closing the flower. Close your eyes and feel “I am infinity. I am the rose.” Feel as if you are blossoming, opening up. For more information visit Harinyc.com.
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The Hot Years
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My Menopause Magazine
Captain Grunty’s Codfish with Artichoke Hearts and Asparagus
T
Anthony DiBenedetto
his is a delicious and healthy entrée that contains the entire meal in one casserole dish. It takes only minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake. Great for entertaining! Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients: ¼ cup virgin olive oil ½ cup breadcrumbs, (4/5 plain) and (1/5 seasoned), mixed together ¼ large yellow onion sliced and separated into rings 2 pounds cod loins cut into serving sized pieces, moistened and patted dry 10 Campari tomatoes cut in half 2 (6 ounce) jars Progresso artichoke hearts in olive oil 1 bunch asparagus with woody part trimmed, rinsed under cool water Preheat oven to 385 degrees. In a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish,
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My Menopause Magazine
drizzle 1/8 cup of olive oil on bottom of casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixed breadcrumbs over the olive oil. Take the onion rings and place them next to each other on the breadcrumbs to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.
ly around the fish servings. Stack the asparagus next to each other across the casserole dish above the fish, tomatoes, and artichokes. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the asparagus. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dish.
Place the cod loin pieces over the onion rings to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle another 1/3 of the mixed breadcrumbs over the cod. Space the tomato halves around the fish servings. Place approximately 1 ½ jars of the artichoke hearts even-
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil, bake for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes depending on how thick the fish servings are. Serve immediately.
The Hot Years
The Hot Years
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My Menopause Magazine
What Men Know About Menopause Wonder what men know about menopause and how do they feel about it? Read on...
A
new study published in the June 2019 issue of the journal Menopause asks the question, What do men think about their partners menopause? How aware are they? What do they understand about what their partner is going through? To find out, the researchers developed a 35-question online survey for men who had a female partner between the ages of 45 and 64 years who had at least one of the following symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, sleepless nights, difficulty sleeping, low libido, mood swings, pain during sex, or vaginal dryness. The couples either lived together full time, or, if they lived separately, they lived together regularly at least twice a week. Sixty-three percent of the men were aware of their partner’s symptoms, with difficulty sleeping and lack of energy among the most common symptoms. But only 26 percent thought it was due to menopause. Twenty-two percent thought is was due to aging.
Seventy-seven percent of men said the symptoms negatively affected them, seventy percent said the symptoms negatively affected their partner, and fifty-six percent of men said menopause symptoms had a negative effect on their relationship with their partner. Three quarters of the men talked with their partners about their symptoms and believed they were influential in their partner’s decision to seek treatment or make lifestyle changes. So most men realize that something is definitely going on with their wives, and what is going on is affecting them, their partners, and their relationship. But the men don’t realize all of this is due to menopause. Sounds like the men and the women in and around menopause need more health information to improve their menopause experience. The good news is that this is achievable.
The Hot Years Musing
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The Memory Museum
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My Menopause Magazine
Mache Seibel, MD
Click here to hear me narrate this musing over a bed of original music. Piano, Ben Schwendener.
M
y mother is a collector. At 94 her memory is still good, but occasionally a fact or two might slip away. But she has a technique to counter that. I call it “tagging.” She “tags” an object with a memory from an earlier time. Like the set of dishes my father gave her on their first anniversary, the ceramic liquor bottle they bought on a trip to Italy, or the lunch kit I used when I was in 6th grade. It’s her algorithm: A time; a place; an object. You can imagine that at 94, there are lots of memories – and lots of objects tagged to them. When you think about it, it’s how a museum works. Objects are on display from a person, time or place so the public doesn’t forget… It works well as long as there is room. But what happens when a museum or a person has to downsize. Go from “3x” or “2x” space to “1x” space.
You can auction off an item, but what of the memory tagged to it? You can give away an object, but does the attached memory fit with its new owner? My wife and I just completed moving my mother from her condominium to an independent living facility. Half the items wouldn’t fit and had to be sold, or given away. One auctioneer told us how the value of the memory often was far greater than the value of the object. The things mom valued most made the trip with her. And quite a few of the next level down did as well. But rooms full of memories don’t like being stirred up. It’s confusing. It jumbles the story; mixes happy and sad; past and present; fact and fiction. Eventually the memories settle, and like stirred sand, allow the water to clear again. Everyone’s life is a memory museum. What’s in yours?
Hot Years Quote
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You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. CS Lewis
CLICK HERE to hear A Dateless Saturday Night, from the Musical Comedy, Male, Female, eMail, written by Dr. Mache and piano performed by Ben Schwendener. You can find this song and other health songs at www.HealthRock.Bandcamp.com. 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 Š HealthRock, LLC
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What you need to know
What Men Know About Menopause
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