Suffering from Hormone Hell? Struggling with Your Weight, Sex Life, and Moods? Check out the Foods and Tips to Combat the Crap Caused by Peri-Menopause and Menopause

What Now?

So, you’re forty something and beyond and ready to make a change for the hormonal better.

Great! Every woman on the planet will suffer from hormonal changes, and as we age, the symptoms increase as our estrogen levels decrease.  

Now, what the hell do we do as we all experience our own unique changes that usually suck in a huge way, and we would love to toss in the trash.  Let’s get down and dirty and brainstorm about foods that may reduce symptoms, natural alternatives, and other ways to experience relief from the hormone party crasher.   Many of us are lost in the dark when it comes to hormones and what to do, and many times when our plug gets pulled during this process, we are left holding the chord saying to ourselves… what has happened…really??? And not realizing that the hormone party has begun.

Did I have you at hormone?  Then read on.

The first step is to realize that you are not going crazy, and now may be a great time to

head to the gynecologist for a full blood panel that includes your Follicle Stimulating Hormone Test, and a chat to discuss the symptoms that you are having.

Some of the symptoms caused by hormone horrors include mood swings, damn those night sweats, disturbed sleep, anxiety, loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, inability to orgasm or struggle to get there, hot flashes, depression, food cravings, and weight gain.  What the hell is going on…this list would be enough to scare any woman into feeling overwhelmed about life, self, and pissed off that her ship has wrecked in the harbor, and now stalled waiting for some sort of miracle.  Unfortunately, when our hormones have gone crazy, it is necessary to take control of our bodies and begin taking steps to turn that boat around and get it sailing again.

Once it has been determined that your hormones are indeed the culprit of the crap, researching the best methods of relief that work for each woman is a great beginning.  There are foods, natural supplements, creams, hormone therapies and an abundance  of options to come to the hormonal rescue.  But the choices for relief may feel overwhelming and not knowing the right decision to make may seem difficult. 

Options, Options

 

Nutrition

Let’s start with the most natural way to start bringing our hormones back into some sort of balance.  Studies have shown that certain foods like watermelon and pumpkin seeds can boost our libido, and  eating foods containing fiber, antioxidant s, lean protein and healthy fats in our daily nutritional intake help set the stage for happier hormone balance in the body.  Check out Dr. Christiane Northrup’s  Hormone Balancing Food Plan on Food Matters for more detailed information.

Hormone Replacement

Bio-identical hormones and Hormone Replacement Therapy are two differing methods that can reduce the bothersome symptoms of hormone imbalance.  Bio-identicals have been termed “natural” and generally provided by a natural path or holistic doctor, whereas hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are prescribed by a medical doctor and in a variety of forms to include pills, creams, gels, and vaginal inserts that are not battery operated.  The "bio" route seems to be the most accepted by women trying to stay away from synthetic hormones and the belief is that the risk of cancer is reduced with identical hormones. However, hormone therapy is such a personal decision, with every woman experiencing different symptoms and side effects to therapy. Be an informed healthy person on the subject before jumping into the big ass pot of hormone relief. 

  

Creams and things

One of the worst symptoms of hormone imbalance is the “dry vagina” and that alone can send the libido tail tucked and becoming the forbidden area.  When it comes to being a female, trying to remain sexual, and feel sexy while our bodies are fighting our wants, can become an ongoing chore and we frantically search for answers to plump up, lubricate, and bring ourselves back to life in the bedroom.   Lubricantsto the rescue! The store shelves are packed with all sorts of slippery glides that can make life in the bedroom much more enjoyable and stocking up can be a great idea once you have found your favorite.  Natural ways to lubricate down under can be done by massaging extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil directly on the labia, and in fact, extra virgin coconut oil works fabulous as a sexual lubricant, so bring that kitchen item into the bedroom ladies.

Opting out

Some gals sail through hormonal changes and choose not to partake in therapies and I for

one am happy for those healthy wonder women.  Some that experience slight symptoms may also choose to ride out the storm, and the great thing about our bodies as we go through this journey of hormonal change, is that we do have the choice.  

What women want and what we get

Women want to be women, to feel confident about their bodies physically and sexually, and when hormone hell tries to put a damper on her natural way of being, it is time to become an informed woman ready to make decisions and choices to maintain a healthy vibrant body for a lifetime.  Watermelon and pumpkin seeds, along with a great lubricant may become a best friend during this journey, in addition to a choice to use bio-identical hormones or HRT for relief and bringing the body back into balance.  Whatever choice is made, it is really all about living a quality healthy life in every way and not allowing the journey through hormone imbalance to take what is yours…a fulfilling and satisfied life.

Darla Leal, Contributing Writer

Nationally recognized and published fitness expert, master trainer, consultant and coach, Darla has been training clients in her private fitness studio for several years,  is a feature writer for Natural Muscle Magazine and has appeared in other publications and books.  When Darla is not coaching or consulting, she can be found in the kitchen creating and modifying recipes, her passion and therapy.  She also enjoys a nice glass of wine and dark chocolate with her hubby, and taking off on weekly boat trips during the hot summer months.  Darla is the In Your Face MOTIVATOR on her Stay Healthy fitness Blog and Facebook and has a passion to reach as many people as she can to adapt a healthy LIFESTYLE.  Her favorite book is the Bible and quote: “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” Her motto: Stay Healthy!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

Stay Healthy~ Darla 

 

 

 

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Got Salt? Yoga, the immune system, and the problem with some scientific studies

by Nina

Currents in Salty Water by Brad Gibson

So I’ve been seeing these articles about a particular scientific study circulating in the blogosphere that claimed the study was proof that yoga improved your immune system system. One example is from Can Yoga Boost Your Immune System? at salon.com, which claimed:

“This latest study confirms those findings, links them to the body’s immune system, and suggests this effect may be instantaneous.”

Naturally, as a dedicated yoga blogger, I decided I needed to check these articles out because I need to share the good news with our readers, too, right? But my initial readings left me scratching my head a bit (for example, “a comprehensive yoga program rapidly produces internal changes on a genetic level”), so I decided to consult with my handy scientist co-bloggers to find out more, specifically what the relationship is between changes in gene expression and the immune system.

Dr. Ram Rao put it this way:

“The article describes effects of Yoga on genes that influence the immune system. There are so many factors that affect gene expression (environment, diet, pollutants, stress etc) and so the authors looked to see if Yoga did the same.”

That makes sense, right? So far, so good. But Dr. Brad Gibson said it this way:

OK, what they were measuring was gene expression profile changes in PBMC.

"Right before and after each regimen, 20 ml blood was drawn, PBMCs were immediately isolated, total RNA was recovered and used in gene expression profiling experiments interrogating >47,000 independent transcripts in two hybridization runs"

First, PBMCS (according to Wikepedia) are "peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) is any blood cell having a round nucleus. For example: a lymphocyte, a monocyte or a macrophage. These blood cells are a critical component in the immune system to fight infection and adapt to intruders."

So, what they are suggesting is that the observed changes in the gene expression profiles in blood immune cells (PBMCs) in Yoga practioners is correlated with an improved immune function. However the second bit is pure speculation.  They see a change, but it's anybody's guess if this represents a better or healthy immune system.  They provide some guesses, but….

Okay, I admit it, that phrase “the second bit is pure speculation” was a bit disappointing. I’d just wasted my time (and theirs) on an idea for a blog post that I couldn’t really use because, after all, on this blog anyway, we try to back up our claims with good science. But a few days later I realized I actually had more of a contribution to make on the topic than some of the other blogs because while everyone else was simply parroting some kind of good news about yoga they didn’t really understand, I had an actual real-life scientist weighing in on the significance of the study and he said to take it with a giant BUCKET OF SALT.

However, before writing the post, I decided to do a bit more research by looking an the original scientific journal article that everyone was quoting from Rapid Gene Expression Changes in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes upon Practice of a Comprehensive Yoga Program—you know, just in case. And here is the abstract from the study:

One of the most common integrative medicine (IM) modalities is yoga and related practices. Previous work has shown that yoga may improve wellness in healthy people and have benefits for patients. However, the mechanisms of how yoga may positively affect the mind-body system are largely unknown. Here we have assessed possible rapid changes in global gene expression profiles in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in healthy people that practiced either a comprehensive yoga program or a control regimen. The experimental sessions included gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation (Sudarshan Kriya and Related Practices – SK&P) compared with a control regimen of a nature walk and listening to relaxing music. We show that the SK&P program has a rapid and significantly greater effect on gene expression in PBMCs compared with the control regimen. These data suggest that yoga and related practices result in rapid gene expression alterations which may be the basis for their longer term cell biological and higher level health effects.

Whoa, I’m thought, somehow we went straight from “wellness” and “benefits” to specific claims about the immune system. Then there were all those vague words like “suggest” and “may.” But, of course, I’m not scientist, so again, I consulted with Brad. Here is what he said: 

Look at their last sentence:
"These data suggest that yoga and related practices result in rapid gene expression alterations which may be the basis for their longer term cell biological and higher level health effects."

That is, they don't know whether the change in gene expression patterns they observed has anything to do with the yoga practice, let alone a more healthy immune system.  This is a general problem of small correlative studies of this type.  At best I would say this is an intriguing pilot study (low N, not really statistically significant enough to establish even correlation), which will need considerably more work to establish:
(1)  'causation' (i.e., yoga practice causes these genetic expression changes as opposed to some random or other variable that wasn't accounted for)
(2) 'benefit' (the expression changes that are observed are actually beneficial and lead to an improved immune system)
(3) 'mechanism' (why these gene changes lead to a more healthy or robust immune system).

My translation? The number studied was so low that correlation couldn’t be established. Causation definitely was not established. And then there was a bunch of speculation. So, yes, get out the salt everyone, and sprinkle liberally! (For you non-American readers out there, we have an expression “take it with a grain of salt” that means you should be skeptical about something. So I like to joke about buckets of salt, when I think a lot of skepticism is warranted. And, as much as we love yoga, this is not the first time we’ve looked at scientific studies of yoga that indeed warrant quite a bit of skepticism.)

Note: I’m pretty sure that yoga is good for the immune system, however. Stress compromises the immune system—this is known medical fact—and yoga reduces stress. Spending more time in Rest and Digest mode (where your body restores itself) rather than Fight or Flight mode (where your body depletes itself) is therefore good for your immune system.

Healthy Greek Chopped Salad

Hi everyone!  It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home and I’m excited to be back here at Honey We’re Healthy sharing another healthy and delicious recipe with you.

Warm(ish) weather has finally arrived here in the Boston area, where I live, and we celebrated last weekend by bringing our outdoor dining table out of hibernation and having dinner on the deck.  

We grilled some marinated steak tips, had my favorite crispy oven potatoes (both recipes on my blog this week!), and big bowls of this Greek chopped salad with creamy yogurt dressing.  It was so fresh, colorful, and tasty and just the perfect kickoff to al fresco dining season here in the northeast.

Greek Chopped Salad

1 seedless cucumber

1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

4-5 radishes, cut into quarters

1 c. black olives, halved or quartered

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Creamy Yogurt Dressing

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

3 tbsp. Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

ground pepper to taste

For the cucumbers, cut off the ends, then cut lengthwise in half and then half again.  Chop and add to a medium bowl.  Add tomatoes, radishes, olives, and feta.  Season with salt and pepper.

For the dressing, whisk all ingredients until well blended and pour over salad.  Toss gently and serve.

* * * * * 

Thank you for this post from contributing writer, Jennifer, of The Chronicles of Home.  You'll definitely want to check out her blog for more amazing recipes, beautiful home decor, and easy-to-follw DIY projects!

Healthy Spirits: New Arrivals CASTRO

1. Hopfenstark Boson De Higgs (Berliner Weisse brewed with saison yeast & smoked malt)

2. Knee Deep Simtra

3. Knee Deep Hop Shortage

4. Knee Deep Hoptologist

5. Belgo Hoptologist

6. Brouwerij West Dog Ate My Homework (saison with blackberries)

7. Upright Seven

8. Dieu Du Ciel! Equinoxe De Printemps (scotch ale w/maple syrup)

9. Adnams Broadside

10. Leipziger Gose

11. Epic Epicurean (Imperial Oatmeal Stout w/figs, coconut and coffee)

12. Calicraft "Chez Panisse" Saison

13. Russian River Redemption

14. Port Brewing Midnight Expression Black Lager

15. Uinta Cockeyed Cooper Barleywine

16. Uinta Labyrinth Imperial Stout

17. Brash Item Nine American Wheat IPA

18. Brash Texas Exile Oatmeal Coffee Porter

19. Brugse Zot Blonde

20. Brugse Zot Dubbel

21. Clown Shoes Muffin Top Hoppy Triple

22. Hofbrau Munchen Maibock

23. Ale Industries Golden State of Mind (witbier with chamomile)

24. Ale Industries Spring Fling (brown ale w/coffee and cacao)

Healthy Spirits: Parabola and Framboise De Amorosa

We have a very small amount of Firestone Parabola and Lost Abbey Framboise De Amorosa at both shops. They will be behind the counter, available by request only. Limit 1 bottle of each per customer. Club members may reserve by phone.

**SOLD OUT**

Yoga and Pain Management

by Shari

Since I have been on a “pain alert” myself for the past 10 days (a very cranky knee is having trouble settling down), I thought I would discuss the difference between acute and chronic pain, and how yoga may assist in pain management.

More than 115 million people nationwide (1 in 3 Americans) suffer from some type of long-term pain, according to the Institute of Medicine. People often try to alleviate pain with conventional therapies and medications. According to the CDC, narcotic pain medication addiction and overdosing accounted for over 16,651 deaths in 2010. When conventional treatment fails, people will often turn to complementary medicine techniques, and yoga is often tried to alleviate pain symptoms.

I thought I would first define the difference between acute and chronic pain. An acute injury will typically resolve within three months of the body’s normal healing process. Chronic or persistent pain is pain that lasts more than this time frame. Acute pain is associated with tissue damage. Pain (nerve) receptors are activated with an acute injury because the body is trying to protect the damaged area - this minimizes usage so normal healing can occur.

But with chronic pain, the brain’s perception of the cause of the pain changes. The inhibitory mechanisms of the central nervous system become faulty, and we may avoid physical activity because we have learned “If I do this, it will hurt.” We may be afraid that, because we are in pain, activity will further damage or injure the area. But generally the tissue damage is healed after three months, and avoidance of physical activity is therefore no longer beneficial in the healing process.

However, the brain may now remember stress and pain in an exaggerated way, as if it were in a continuous sympathetic feed back loop of fight or flight. So some of us can become hyper vigilant about everything that causes pain. But one of the beauties of yoga practice is how helpful it can be for people both in acute and chronic pain!

Physical asana has properties of both squeezing and soaking areas of the body. Compressive forces, with and without weight bearing, and long restorative poses move fluid, assisting the body to decrease edema in a joint after an acute injury. Decreasing the edema reduces the pressure on nerves and muscles, resulting in a reduction of pain symptoms. (However, it is key to understand how much can you can move your cranky joint and when you need to stop, so see When to Stop Practicing Yoga for information.) Along with the practice of physical asana, long relaxation poses and Savasana can help because of their restorative qualities and the way they quiet the sympathetic nervous system while stimulating the parasympathetic system (the relaxation response). And at this time, modifying the asanas that you regularly do is important. This way, you can still get the benefit of the asana with modifications, and then as the injury heals you can slowly bring the full asanas back into your regime.

For chronic pain the “prescription” is a bit different. Chronic pain is a global body phenomenon. When your body is in chronic pain you walk differently and you may even sit differently. Your attention is often directed to the painful region because keeping it still may make it worse and positional change needs to be frequent. The individual may be chronically exhausted because the ability to sleep well has been affected. There may be difficulty in completing tasks in a timely manner so things “start to slide” and don’t get done. Because energy is limited, the individual may rush through tasks to get things done and then be in more pain because they hurried. It is a terrible wheel to be on and difficult to get off onto solid ground!

In my own practice and teaching of yoga, I try to share with my students how yoga helps to focus the mind, quiet the breath and improve the mental focus. Yoga meets us where we are NOW. Yoga is nonjudgmental and everyone can do yoga. Yoga teaches us self-awareness. Yoga gives hope where there may be no hope.

Simple grounded breathing while you sit on a chair or lie in bed in your position of comfort is a great way to start. Set a timer and do simple breathing for three to five minutes. Notice how this may affect your mind and sense of self. Progressing to GENTLE range of motion of all body parts within your ability and not pushing yourself is beneficial. You can even do your range of motion activities in your position of comfort. Notice your pain levels (0-10) at start of practice and then again when you are done. If your pain levels stay the same, you are teaching your body NOT to be afraid of movement. Once your confidence has improved, then you might be ready to join a local class. Look for instructors who will be sympathetic to your pain but not overly solicitous. Make sure the teacher understands that you will stop when you need to, not necessarily when the teacher tells the class to release the position. Try to set aside five minutes a day to practice your own breathing awareness and your own Savasana. It becomes your sacred time to care for yourself.

Remember, the results may be slow in coming but persistence and gentleness are the keys to relieving and managing both acute and chronic pain.

Note: For my achy, swollen and hot knee, I am trying to work with my available range of motion, not moving too much into pain but inching into the pain and then backing up and repeating multiple times trying to make the available movement  smoother. Also, stretching related areas like my hip flexors, hamstring muscles, gastroc/soleus is really helpful for pain relief of my knee. In the standing poses, I’m working with gentle isometric contractions but not going into my full knee flexion (bending)—pumping a lot. I’m doing a lot of passive inversions like Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall pose) and Chair Shoulderstand, with pumping from my ankles. And, finally, modifying poses, for example, for Virasana (Hero pose), which I was previously able to do without any props, I now use two blocks stacked up high because I have just about 100 degrees of flexion (ability to bend the knee). And, lastly, cautious, aware walking. Patience is the crux though I am not a very patient individual.