Menopause Gang Newsletter No. 55 - Summer Issue

Our Motto is…we will survive…

The

Menopause

Gang

Newsletter

Summer 2014 No. 55

The Best Kind Of Retirement - On Your Terms

By Pauline Girling (sitting to the right of the statue)

Did you know that retirement doesn’t have to mean winding down! Even though retirement is a huge transition with a steep learning curve, just don’t put yourself under pressure by rushing into anything or everything. If you haven’t yet retired, accept that it will take time before you find where you be-long at this time in your life, so be gentle and patient with yourself.

You’ll find that in general the world seems to think that, once you decide to retire, your brain turns off, your body shrivels up like a prune and you become invisible! People may expect you to slow down and the danger is that, sooner or later, you may be tempted to give in to their expectations. Don’t do it!

You can prove them wrong—it’s not that difficult! First, try changing your language! Stop telling yourself and everybody else that you’re retired. Instead think of it as the process of re-discovering who you really are and what you have to offer by re-focusing and if asked “what are you going to do now you’re retired?”, just smile and say you’re working on re-inventing yourself! These kinds of powerful words can paint pictures in people’s minds and it affects the way they see you—and how you see yourself.

Then, seek out something to do that will give you a sense of purpose because keeping busy and having a purpose are two entirely different things. Most importantly, develop a social network. Put yourself out there so people can find you and you can find them. Start the ball rolling! And this is absolutely the perfect time to experiment with new interests and activities. Some of them you will enjoy and some you won’t but it’s all good information, and because it’s all about experi-menting you can step away from the ones you don’t enjoy without feeling guilty or obligated! Trial and error is a great way to find out what you enjoy doing and where your pleasurable interests really are. You might even surprise yourself and find a new passion. But the key to enjoying your new found time in retirement is always to be kind and patient with yourself.

It is four and a half years since I officially retired and during that time I have been consciously trying to “reinvent” my-self...because this is the only way that I can discover what I enjoy doing in my retirement.

For me “stepping out of my comfort level” has taken on a whole new meaning because I have joined a senior tap danc-ing team and have discovered that tap-dancing like aging, is not for sissies! All my fellow tappers in the class, some ex-perienced and some beginners, range in age from 57 to 82. We hoof our way through one song after another when we meet at our weekly class. The mental concentration needed to learn new steps is intense. When our teacher shows us how to string together two or three of these steps into a routine and we eventually sense ourselves tapping in unison, we are absolutely delighted and the feeling of achievement is unbelievable. So now we are all working hard and keeping our sights firmly on our first performance (at a retirement home) planned later this summer.

So it’s never too late to make the decision to retire and to start to enjoy the opportunities that this unique time offers. It’s all down to you to make a difference in your own life because you are the controller of your destiny. Aim to make the most of your precious retirement.

Lise Fox — Publisher The Menopause Gang Newsletter

Contact: (441) 297-0928 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.themenopausegang.com

Editor

Carole Sousa

Contributors Caroline Ivaliotis

Monica Jones Trish Wan

Pauline Girling

Tales from Trish………………………………….

5 Surprising Signs Of Dementia………………..

Lines from Caroline……………………………...

Bda Cancer & Health Center Home Page ……

Divine Natures And Inspirations………………..

Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women……….

Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women Cont’d.

Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women Cont’d.

Divine Natures And Inspirations Cont’d……….

5 Surprising Signs Of Dementia Cont’d………

Our Motto is…we will survive…

Inside this issue

Thank you Pauline Girling for showing us that retirement is not the end of the road. (Cover Page)

Menopause Corner

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Disclaimer:

The information set forth in this pamphlet is not in ANY way (either written or implied) to substitute for and/or give medical advice to any person who reads this. It is only intended to “share the emotional aspect of going through menopause”. The Publisher

Tales from Trish (Driven to Distraction) underlines the impor-tance of using common sense when dealing with the technology explosion. (Page 3)

5 Surprising Signs Of Dementia — There’s growing evidence that changes in the way we walk, chew, sleep, and feel may be subtle early indicators of dementia. (Pages 4 & 11)

Lines from Caroline — Yoga is one of the most popular alterna-tive medicine prescriptions in the western world. (Page 5)

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Divine Nature & Inspirations (Thinking Slim) Monica Jones writes about her battles with achieving her weight loss goal at 61. (Pages 7 & 11)

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Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women — What’s behind this alarming trend and what can women do to protect themselves from having a heart attack in middle age? (Pages 8, 9 & 10)

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Our Motto is…we will survive… 3

Tales from Trish DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION During my 5 years in Bermuda I watched tourists wobbling down Middle road on bikes that they could then hire without a driver’s li-cense or riding experience. Spotting riders with a broken leg in a cast, crutches aboard, kiddies propped up behind the handlebars, giant packages and even an entire drum kit being transported by a kilted bandsman left an indelible impression. Road rules vary worldwide: in Bali bike-riding tourists colliding with another vehicle or person can find themselves in gaol. Vietnamese families of 5 pile onto mopeds which may also be mobile shops or carriers of coffins and funeral wreaths. In Australia it’s illegal to text or talk on mobiles while driving and fines apply. Unlucky jay-walkers may be fined or warned but recently the dangers of pedestrian multi-tasking were recognized, generating a proposal for on the spot fines, but is this taking the nanny-state a step too far? Australian authorities have linked distraction behind the wheel to devastating loss of life and injury. Multi-tasking has been recognized as the major form of distraction behind the wheel: applying makeup, painting nails, reading, smoking, changing radio stations or CDs, consuming snacks and drinks, carrying unrestrained pets, having an argument, retrieving dropped items and most importantly using a cell phone for text or talk. All may contribute to accidents. Why take the risk? On the day of our son’s recent marriage my husband’s cell phone caused endless trauma when incoming and outgoing calls couldn’t be heard on either end. My phone was stashed in a carry bag that I’d left with him while I went elsewhere. Drama! The cell phone — or mobile — has become the symbolic piece of technology used by Buddhist monks in Tibetan China, ethnic tribes in the mountains of Vietnam and in every remote location on earth. Statistically from 1990 to 2011 worldwide mobile phone subscrip-tions grew from 12.4 million to over 6 billion. Amounting to 98 billion downloads over the past year, 800,000 apps are available ac-counting for 80% of time spent on cell phones. My smart phone was a mysterious object — why did it type ‘s’ when ‘p’ was pressed and when the call had ended why was it still live to the caller, resulting in a huge bill? When a Swedish-made phone with an intuitive menu designed for seniors became available in Australia, my problems were solved. It makes and receives calls and texts, has a radio, camera, calendar, calculator, notepad, alarm and keeps my personal details for emergencies. It does everything I want (except for making coffee) and nothing more. While some friends in my age group continue to curse their smart phones, others have followed my lead to simplicity. Sydney’s inter-urban trains have introduced quiet carriages for long distance commuters where loud music, conversation and mobile usage are discouraged however, on most public transport a cacophony of languages is shouted into cell phones to arrange social lives, seek new jobs, clinch deals, debate over chops or pizza for dinner, or advise the approach of their destination. Spare my ears! Distraction occurs when commuters continue reading emails, checking apps, talking into their shoulder or crossing four lanes of traffic riveted to their phones. In eateries and stores folks check information being divulged by their phones or initiate calls best made at a more private time. The flickering green light when another’s phone was of more interest than a movie is doubtless why a man in the U.S. recently shot a fellow theatergoer. Technology has brought a new way of life — information overload, on call 24/7, sleeping with the ‘enemy’ under the pillow, access to TV, social media, games, apps and emails at the touch of a finger and agitation when the battery is flat. I’m old enough to remember the days of pay phones, party lines and prank messages asking my colleague to call Mr. Lyon at the Zoo but count me amongst the few who’ve happily been well and truly left behind by this technology explosion. My ring tone is the one that sounds just like an old fashioned telephone. Hullo, is that you?


5 Suprising Signs Of Dementia by Alysha Reid, Everyday Health Staff Writer

Contact Tracey Caswell

to purchase these books at:

Email: [email protected]

A new study found that difficulty chewing may signal dementia. But anything from your BMI to your mood could be a sign that you’re developing this progres-sive loss of cognitive functioning.

There’s growing evidence that small changes in the way you walk, chew, sleep, and feel may be subtle early indicators of dementia.

Dementia is characterized by the progressive loss of cognitive functioning as brain cells are destroyed. Major symptoms of dementia include personality changes, memory loss, neglecting to maintain per-sonal hygiene, and trouble with speaking and social-izing. While Alzheimer’s disease is the most com-

mon cause, dementia can also be triggered by a stroke, long-term substance abuse, Parkinson’s disease, severe head injuries, and other health conditions. But long before you show obvious signs of dementia, certain changes in your be-havior could signal that you may have the condition.

One: Trouble Chewing Hard Foods: The act of biting into an apple may predict your odds of developing dementia, ac-cording to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). Researchers at Karolinska In-stituet and Karistad University in Sweden studied a sample of 577 people aged 77 or older and found that those who had trouble chewing hard food such as apples had a much higher risk of mental decline. The Swedish researchers offered one possible explanation. Since chewing is difficult when you have few or no teeth — which may be the case for some older people — they chew less, which reduces blood flow to the brain and therefore may put you at higher risk for de-mentia.

Two: Slow Walking: Your walking style could predict your dementia risk, according to a report presented at the 2012 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Several studies presented there found a correlation between walking abnormalities and signs of cognitive decline on neuropsychological tests. Another study presented at the conference analyzed the at-home walking behaviors of 19 older subjects using motion-sensor technology. They found those with a slow pace had smaller brain volumes, which is often true of people with dementia.

Three: Trouble Sleeping: More bad news for night owls. Your sleep cycle now may lead to dementia later. In a Decem-

Continued on page 11

Our Motto is…we will survive… 5 Lines from Caroline Yoga………..The New Medical Prescription

The medical profession has made yoga, an ancient form of medicine originating in China and India, one of the most popular alterna-tive medicine prescriptions in the western world. Medical doctors are prescribing yoga to treat and prevent the symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and arthritis. Yoga can improve almost any condition by enhancing circulation and drawing fresh blood to weak areas in the body. The opportunity to experience different styles of yoga is available to everyone. Classes are offered in health clubs, hospitals and retirement homes. Many communities are home to specialty yoga studios. Instruction can also be found on television, the internet or CDs. Now it’s time to choose a yoga style that compliments your needs and personality.

All forms of yoga are derived from Hatha yoga. This practice was developed to train monks to be able to sit patiently and comfortably for many hours of meditation. A yoga class titled Gentle Yoga often describes a class with asanas (poses) that offer non-strenuous stretching exercises, calming breath instruction and a short meditation. This type of class is a great place to start experiencing the benefits of yoga.

When balance or getting up and down from the floor is a challenge, Chair Yoga, approved by the Arthritis Foundation to reduce ar-thritic pain, is a wonderful option. All poses are performed while seated in a chair or standing with the support of a chair. It aids the heart by increasing circulation. Breathing exercises enhance lung function and following the teacher’s instruction can improve mental clarity. People who are seated behind a desk all day can benefit from practicing this form of yoga while at work.

Other specialized, gentle yoga practices that may not yet be available in the local gym or hospital but are worth seeking out in yoga studios are Qi Gong, Yin Yoga and Kundalini Yoga.

Qi Gong when practiced regularly can heal and strengthen every system in the body. It involves gentle body movements that mimic things found in nature. For instance, flowing water, wispy wind and the graceful motions of animals. Birds, bear, monkeys, tigers and deer are often emulated. The movements stretch and strengthen muscles, improve balance and flexibility, reduce inflammation in the joints, improve the immune system and removes harmful toxins from the body. In 2010, a study in the New England Journal of Medi-cine reported that fibromyalgia patients who practiced Qi Gong had a significant improvement in mood and sleep as well as reduction in pain. Other studies measuring the effect of Qi Gong on people with Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, diabetes and hypertension also reported positive results. Deep breathing exercises are also practiced to reduce stress, improve sleep and cognitive ability.

Yin Yoga is a passive floor based practice. Its main purpose is to support and strengthen joints, connective tissue and fascia. It pre-vents arthritis and relieves arthritic pain. This practice has many benefits but requires patience; only four or five positions are per-formed in a class and each one is held for up to five minutes. Blankets, bolsters and blocks are used to enhance comfort. Connective tissues, which support the joints in the body, require long periods of stretching exercises in order to be strengthened as opposed to muscle which is developed by quick rhythmic motions (Yang exercises) such as aerobics, walking and weight training. Due to the pa-tience required to stay in one position for a period of time, an appreciation of the benefits of Yin Yoga may require a second or third class. This practice will promote healthy hips, knees and ankles and reduce connective tissue atrophy.

Kundalini Yoga was developed in Northern India, Tibet and Nepal. It promotes a healthy spine, relaxation and a profound sense of well-being. A typical Kundalini class of specific exercises that nurture and heal individual body systems. For instance, one class may be designed to energize and balance the nervous system. Other lessons may support the digestive system or adrenal glands. Each system of the body responds to its own movements, breathing, meditation, hand positions and mantras. All are designed to raise the body’s energy to higher frequencies and heal the entire body. Kundalini Yoga is one of the most unique and interesting styles of yoga.

Yoga provides an opportunity to heal the body by harmonizing one’s mind, body and spirit. There are so many forms to explore. Starting with a gentle practice can bring calmness and health into your life as well as help to prevent disease. Fill your yoga prescription today.

BERMUDA CANCER & HEALTH CENTER HOME PAGE



Divine Nature And Inspirations By Monica Jones

Thinking Slim

I’ve been on so many diets so many times and they’ve all failed. Well I failed.

Every time I declared that this time. This was it. I was going to lose weight.

I wasn’t mega big. But my 125 lb frame had increased through illness and menopause to 160 lb. and most of the extra weight was around my waist. I hated my new look. I hated the way the lumps and bumps seemed to jump out in front and behind. Whichever way I looked at my body all I could see was flesh I didn’t want to have. Flesh I never thought I’d have.

I tried every way to lose weight.

I read articles about losing weight which said eat less and exercise more and just sighed. Yes I understand. But my starving self just heard “stop being a fat slob and go out and exercise all day and night and you’ll look amazing but be miserable!” Great! I can hardly wait to get started!

When I went on a diet saying I’d eat less and eat healthy it would take about five minutes before I’d be starving! I’d tell myself that I deserved food. That I could eat what I want to eat. That I had to eat to survive! A childhood memory of dire hunger gnawed at my soul.

Off to the cupboard I’d head to chow down on cartons of salted peanuts and macadamia nut brittle ice cream telling my-self that I needed, deserved and had to have these foods — and nobody could tell me what I could and could not eat.

Remorse would kick in and I’d beat myself up and then head back to the cupboard for another round.

You get the sad and sorry, sick picture?

So what changed? I realized through coaching and other personal development courses that I needed to be kind to my-self. To talk nicely to my body. To thank it for doing such an amazing job despite much abuse from moi.

I started a daily practice of being kind to myself. I decided to start a love affair with me and my body. So I started saying I love you to me, to my body. To thank it for being slim. To admire it for being healthy and slim. And I told myself that I would not go on a diet, but I would nourish and nurture my body with healthy food, with food that truly made me feel good.

I tried smoothies for a week., and I felt good so I continued.

No diet. Right. No diet. But healthy eating with whole grains, lots of vegetables and less fruit.

I started asking myself how I felt after eating certain foods. I definitely feel better when I eat three or four vegetables at each meal. I find tomatoes, avocados, spring onions, carrots and spinach, easy vegetables to stick on my plate.

I’d discovered a while back that my body seems to be better adjusted when I eat brown rice and beans rather than white rice and potatoes, less processed sugar.

Monica Jones is a Bermudian artist and writer. Monica paints in pastel, charcoal and encaustic. She lives in Bermuda with her husband Arthur (lifelong sweetheart and supporter) and three ducks. Monica has three children, two grandchildren, a son and daughter-in-law and grew up in Paget, Bermuda.

Contact info: email [email protected] if you would like to receive regular newsletters from the author and be added to the mailing list.

Cell: 441-332-2753…Website: http://www.monicajonesartist.com

Copyright Monica (Smith) Jones



Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women By Charlene Laino WebMD

“I never thought it could happen to me.”

That’s how Rose Rench reacted when doctors told her she was having a heart attack. At age 46, Rench was bewildered when she suddenly couldn’t catch her breath while out for a walk on a sunny spring day. “I was young, I was 130 pounds, and I’d quit smoking a month before. I was healthy. But I couldn’t breathe.”

Rench tells WebMD that she somehow drove herself home, but couldn’t rest; her mind raced as she tried to gasp for breath. “I thought maybe I was having an asthma attack, though I’d never had asthma before. But I never thought of a heart attack,” she says.

Rench drove herself to the emergency room, where tests showed an 80% blockage in two of the arteries bringing blood and nutrients to her heart. She immediately underwent a procedure to open those clogged arteries and keep them open with stents, which are tiny mesh tubes used to treat blockages.

Rench’s story isn’t as rare as you might think. A recent study shows that heart attacks are rising among middle-age women, who have long been thought to be protected against heart disease — at least until they reach menopause and lose the protective effect of the hormone estrogen.

What’s behind that alarming trend — and what can women do to protect themselves from having a heart attack in middle age? The answers, heart experts tell WebMD, are all about raising awareness and taking action.

Heart Attacks Rising in Middle-Aged Women

Here’s a quick look at the rising heart attack rate among middle-aged U.S. women.

That trend, reported in 2009, is based on more than 8,000 U.S. men and women aged 35-54 studied between 1988-1994 and 1999-2004.

During both time periods, heart attacks were more common among men than women. But men’s heart attack rate dropped from 2.5% to 2.2%, while women’s heart attack rate rose from 0.7% to 1%.

In short, heart attack rates headed down for men, and up for women.

Why? Men had a few things going for them. Their blood pressure dropped, their HDL (“good”) cholesterol improved, and they were less likely than women to smoke.

“The lower rates of smoking, improved blood pressure levels, and improved HDL among men suggest that educational campaigns aimed at men are working,” says researcher Amytis Towfighi, MD, of the University of Southern California.

But women showed only one positive trend: an improvement in their HDL cholesterol level. They also had two major drawbacks: a higher rate of smoking and an uptick in diabetes, most likely because of obesity.

Heart Attack Hazard: Obesity

About 35% of U.S. women are obese, according to the CDC, and those extra pounds pack a cardiovascular threat.

“We used to think obesity was a risk factor simply because it is associated with established risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes and high cholesterol levels. But now we recognize that by itself, it increases risk,” says Mar-tha L. Daviglus, MD, PhD, professor of preventive medicine and medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.

Heart Attack Hazard: Missed Diagnosis

The rise in heart attacks among middle-aged women may be partly due to the fact that doctors are getting better at diag-

Continued on page 9


nosing them.

In 2003, a study published in Circulation showed that female heart attack patients may not suffer the typical symptom of acute chest pain. Instead, they were more likely to have weakness, breathlessness, and fatigue. Nausea, dizziness, feel-ings of indigestion, and back pain were also linked to women’s heart attacks. Doctors and heart organizations got the message out that women’s heart attack symptoms can differ from men’s heart attack symptoms.

Then in 2009, a Canadian study of 305 men and women showed that both sexes were equally likely to report chest dis-comfort and other typical heart attack symptoms.

The issue still isn’t settled. “But we’re pretty much coming around to realizing the symptoms can be similar,” Rita Red-berg, MD, MSc, director of women’s cardiovascular services at the University of California, San Francisco, tells WebMD.

The bottom line, experts say, is that women should tell doctors about all of their symptoms.

“A bigger problem is that women are less likely to think they’re having a heart attack and seek care,” Redberg says.

Take Rench, now 52, for example. Since her first heart attack, she has had two others, yet still failed to recognize the symptoms when they first struck.

“I was doing aerobics when I felt a pain in my chest and thought I had just pulled a muscle,” she says of her second at-tack. When she had her third heart attack, which occurred in 2009, “I was cleaning house and I felt butterflies in my stomach, flutters in my chest. But I continued cleaning for hours,” she says. It wasn’t until that night, around 9 p.m., that Rench finally went to the emergency room.

If you think you may be having a heart attack, act right away, Daviglus says. “If you have pain, breathlessness, or other symptoms, call 911,” she says. “Women tend to dismiss pain, saying ‘This will pass. It’s probably nothing.’”

And although Rench drove herself to the hospital when she had her first heart attack, don’t do that yourself. Call 911 in-stead; this is no time to get behind the wheel.

Heart Attack Hazard: Stress

Stress may also be driving up the heart attack rate in middle-aged women. But maybe not in the way you think.

Think of stress as a tipping point — one that tilts away from healthy self-care. “Stress is the last drop that fills the glass of water,” Daviglus says. “By itself, I don’t believe stress can cause a heart attack, but it does mean self-care goes to the bottom of the list. Trips to the gym, and healthy, home-cooked meals take backstage. And women may not take the time to get regular checkups” if they’re too stressed to tend to themselves, she says.

A stress-free life isn’t realistic. But your response to stress may matter more than the stress itself.

“It’s not so much stress but how you deal with it. If you eat or drink too much to deal with stress, that is going to increase your risk,” Redberg says. “But if you walk, take Pilates, do deep breathing, or have other positive coping mechanisms,” you’ll be helping your heart health, she says. Build your stress management skills, because you probably won’t be able to get rid of all your stressors.

Heart Attack Hazard: Unrecognized Risks

Another threat to middle-aged women’s hearts is a gender gap in recognizing and addressing risk factors that can be prevented — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and smoking.

Rench had a risk factor she couldn’t help: Her family history of heart disease. She says that before her heart attack, she

Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women (Continued from page 8)



told her doctor that her parents and two brothers had died of heart disease and asked if there were steps she should take to prevent having a heart attack herself. Her doctor replied, “Women do not have heart attacks before age 50.’ End of discussion,” recalls Rench, who switched doctors after that.

“We need to do better at recognizing and treating risk factors in women,” says Erin Donnelly Michos, MD, MHS, assistant professor of medicine in the cardiology division of John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Consider this: Studies have shown that men have their cholesterol checked more frequently and treated more aggres-sively than women. Men are also more likely to control their high blood pressure, and to get aspirin, beta blockers, and cholesterol-lowering statin drugs if they have a heart attack.

So far, data don’t show that women are at greater risk than men for heart disease. “But if we don’t take care of the prob-lem, women will be showing up with higher blood pressure and higher cholesterol levels — and higher heart attack rates — than men, “ Daviglus says.

If that frightening prospect sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before — with lung cancer. For years, lung cancer was more common in men than in women. But as more women started smoking, their lung cancer rates rose, narrowing that gap.

Delete Your Heart Attack Hazards

Here are five things women can do to avoid a middle-aged heart attack:

Recognize your risk. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among U.S. women. Awareness about heart disease in women is rising, but still has a way to go. “As with any educational process, we have to keep reminding women — and doctors — over and over,” Redberg says.

Know your numbers. “You should know your BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL choles-terol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, as well as your family history,” Michos says. “And you know the target lev-els for women your age.”

Michos says she’s had patients who were shocked to learn their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers were off target, often because they had no idea what their optimal levels were. “They just assumed they were not at risk. You need to know the target. If you’re not on target level, make an appointment with your doctor and go over each risk factor,” Michos says.

Consider getting an ECG. Daviglus suggests that people with one or more heart disease risk factors — such as family history of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol readings, tobacco use, excess weight, poor diet, and physical inactivity — get an electrocardiogram (ECG) in their 40s. “If it’s normal, you don’t have to have one every year. But that gives doctors a baseline to compare to in the future — much like your first mammogram,” she says.

Upgrade your health habits. You’ve heard it before. Eat right, exercise regularly, and don’t smoke. Some tips:

Start small. “Small changes are easier than big ones,” Redberg says. She suggests adding a piece of fruit or an extra serving of vegetables each day. Watch portion size, especially if you eat out a lot. Read food labels to check on calories, fat, and sodium.

Walk. “Take 10,000 steps a day, park a little farther away, take the stairs instead of the elevators,” Michos suggests. “Walking 30 minutes a day will lower your heart attacks risk 50% compared with no walking. That’s huge,” she says.

If you smoke, quit. Don’t hesitate to seek help, and keep trying as many time as it takes.

Take a holistic approach: Not all causes of heart disease have been defined. Stress, poor sleep, and periodontal dis-ease, for example, are increasingly being recognized as contributors. Attending to your health in general is a good bet all around.

Heart Attacks Hit Middle-Aged Women (Continued from page 9)


I had no substances that I “banned” from my diet. Why? Because I go to immediate rebellion and binge. So no bans for this rebellious 61 year old! I don’t buy nor keep peanuts or ice cream in my home. I do have treat days when I eat them and anything else I fancy including Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise!

My husband read The Four Hour Body by Timothy Ferris (http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog#) and pointed out some sections that were useful. As a result I snack on almond butter, avocados and a few corn or lentil chips.

So here I am now, still thinking thin. Thinking slim and grateful for a body that’s a size smaller and 20 pounds lighter.

My goal is to get to 135 pounds, but I don’t let myself think about it too much as I seem to do better when I just think slim, thank my body for doing a beautiful job of keeping me here and thank it for being healthy and enjoying healthy foods.

Oh, and the other thing I’ve done is to give away clothes that are too big. The last thing I want to do is give myself the chance to grow back into them.

So ladies and gentlemen let me be clear I’m no expert, but I do know this, that if I’m kind to myself and kind to my body, that goes a long way to helping me achieve my goal of being slimmer at 61.

Divine Nature And Inspirations (Continued from page 7)

5 Surprising Signs Of Dementia (Continued from page 4)

YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN MENOPAUSE WHEN….

You take the empty roll of toilet paper and put it in the fridge instead of the trash…..

YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN MENOPAUSE WHEN….

You try to use your computer mouse with your iPad and wonder why nothing is opening, and you get ex-tremely agitated that it’s not working….

ber 2011 study published in Annals of Neurology, 1,300 healthy women over the age of 75 were followed over the course of five years. By the end of that time, 39 percent had developed some form of mild cognitive impairment or de-mentia. Researchers found that women with weaker circadian rhythms (those who performed less physical activity early in the day) where 80 percent more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia than women who were active early in the day.

Four: Carrying Extra Pounds: Being overweight is linked to many health dangers — including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. But one study, published in May 2011 in Neurology, linked a high BMI to a higher dementia risk. In an analysis of 8,534 twins aged 65 and older, it was noted that 350 were officially diagnosed with dementia and 114 with possible dementia. When researchers tracked their BMIs from 30 years earlier, they found that those with dementia or possible dementia now were 70 percent more likely to have been overweight or obese back then.

Worried that your extra weight could lead to cognitive decline later on? The answer may be to start a workout program. A July study presented in the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference concluded that exercise may protect the aging brain.

Five: Being Depressed: Feeling blue isn’t only bad for your emotional well-being — depression can take a toll on your brain health, too. A study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry evaluated the medical records of more than 13,000 California residents over the course of six years. Those with late-life depression had double the chance of devel-oping Alzheimer’s disease, while those with both mid and late life depression had more than triple the risk of developing vascular dementia.

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Menopause Gang Newsletter No. 55 - Summer Issue