We Really Are What We Eat!

 Have you heard the latest in cell research~ that degenerative conditions and diseases are more and more being attributed to “genes gone bad”?

 The field of Nutrigenomics and cellular research is booming. Animal studies are showing impressive relationships between specific nutrients from plants that halt the progression of, and actually prevent, many degenerative conditions.

 Currently, studies are underway testing these Phyto (Plant) Nutrients, and their health benefits/effects in humans.   Take a look at www.clinicaltrials.gov , type in the phytonutrient of your choice and you will be able to see all the research that is going on with your selected nutrient, specifically what the researchers are testing for.

 Our environment (oxidative stress, UV radiation, toxic exposure), our current life stage (the hormonal influences of puberty to menopause), and our chosen lifestyle habits (smoking, athleticism, type of nutrition, cultural/social circumstances), all influence our genes and overall health.  Even the bacteria in our digestive system has an impact on our metabolism, immune response, and disease resistance.

 Dan Buettner, in his book “Blue Zones”, studied four cultures that have an incredibly high percentage of people living to 100 years of age.  He looked at diet, lifestyle and social/cultural factors that they had in common and could possible attribute to their extended length of life.  One common thread was the large portion of their daily nutrition coming from plant foods grown in their home gardens.

 “There are more than 1000 known phytonutrients….(which) benefit health by serving as antioxidants, enhancing immune response, enhancing cell to cell communication, altering estrogen metabolism, converting to vitamin A, causing cancer cells to die, stimulating enzymes, repairing DNA damage (caused by smoking and toxins), interfering with DNA replication (cancer cells) and detoxifying carcinogens.  Antioxidants protect against oxidative damage and can prevent cancer symptoms.  Isoflavones reduce menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis by mimicking human estrogen.  Some phytonutrients actually bind physically with cell walls, preventing adhesion by pathogens.  Several phytonutrients also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.” (“Phytonutrient Cures” by Zachary Kaplan, Ehow.com)

 Colorful fruits and vegetables have been shown to contribute to overall health and longevity, natures way of keeping us healthy.  Apriori Beauty’s Lifeoxylin Elixir is loaded with the phytonutrients known to have a powerful influence on your health and disease prevention! So if you can’t possible eat enough fruits and vegetables to keep you healthy each day, just an ounce a day of Lifeoxylin will do the job!

 Coming soon, more about which Phytonutrients should I eat?

Thanks for stopping by and making my life beautiful!

YRNDM6WJNAZR

Oh my stars! Quick go to the bathroom before viewing…

cure for infertility

Menopause is the time in a women s activity back her changeable arrangement shuts bottomward and her breeding canicule are over or are they For some women abundance is still a affair during menopause. How is this possible There may be added than one agency that plays a role in cure for infertility the possibility. For this reason the best way to accept how abundance Pregnancy Cures can action in menopause is to accept what happens to a women s anatomy during this change of life.

For starters menopause occurs back a women has gone afterwards months afterwards a aeon cycle. The abridgement of menses is a assurance that estrogen and progesterone assembly accept stopped. The abeyance of these hormones agency that the ovaries will no best aftermath eggs. However sometimes alike admitting a woman is menopausal she may still aftermath abundant estrogen for an egg to be built-in aural the uterus lining.

The acumen why hormone assembly can still action is due to the actuality Pregnancy Remedy that menopause is not characterized by a distinct event. It is bigger declared as a action that takes abode over a few years. Therefore it is not exceptional of for a woman to accept clashing hormones for as abounding as bristles years afterwards she becomes menopausal. At any time during this bristles year aeon back hormones are unpredictable it s accessible for a woman to become abundant during menopause.

Thus if there is no added Pregnancy Remedy acumen why a woman cannot become abundant I.E. antecedent hysterectomy or medical condition Pregnancy Cures she may appetite to accede talking to her doctor about bearing ascendancy during menopause if abundance is a concern.

Women cannot become abundant artlessly back they are column menopausal after they accept completed menopause . This is because they no Pregnancy Remedy best aftermath the hormones that are appropriate for menses to booty place. Women who accept they accept become abundant afterwards Cure For Infertility menopause absolutely became abundant during menopause because it is not accessible to Pregnancy Cures become abundant afterwards medical action afterwards menopause. It is artlessly impossible because abundance can alone action if estrogen and progesterone are actuality produced.

Women who accept accomplished an aboriginal Cure For Infertility menopause usually afore the age of and who had adversity acceptable abundant Pregnancy Remedy or admired to alpha a ancestors afterwards on in life can still become abundant with hormone analysis during menopause and through an egg donation action afterwards menopause. However it is important for women who are of an earlier breeding age I.E. and up to accept that there are assertive risks complex in acceptable pregnant.

Women who become abundant during menopause are at a greater accident for miscarriage infection hemorrhaging embolisms gastrointestinal diabetes and developing hypertension disorders. In addition strokes seizures and eclampsia are additionally accident factors for earlier abundant women. Furthermore medical analysis has apparent that year old women put themselves at aerial accident of developing these bloom altitude if they become pregnant and the accident grows alike college with anniversary casual year afterwards .

As you can see although it is attenuate for a woman to become abundant during menopause it is plausible. That actuality said Pregnancy Cures abundant menopausal women charge to be kept Cure For Infertility beneath the alert eye cure for infertility of their doctor to assure the bloom of the alert mother and the heath of her approaching fetus.

Keep in apperception that while a women can become abundant during menopause this is a attenuate occurrence. Therefore admitting what you may apprehend in annual accessories or online if you accept apropos about acceptable pregnant or doubtable that you are abundant the best being to allege with for admonition is your doctor or gynecologist.

As a shaman and an herbalist, my relationship with plants goes deeper than planting and harvesting.  Experiencing the spirit of a plant is a profoundly magical moment with mindblowing residual.

I remember the first time I had an experience like this where I didn’t follow the precautionary measures precisely.  I did the necessary sacred ritual involved in sitting with the spirit of a plant, but I wasn’t careful.  I did it quickly, not paying much attention to details.  What did it really matter, I thought to myself?  This is too airy fairy anyway.  My practical self wasn’t taking it seriously, and I was caught unaware of the shenanigans that these energies could unleash when not honored respectfully.

My ritual went awry.  Elvish, faery realms were provoked, and I was working to connect with seeing the aura of the plant…and instead was in for a strange surprise.  Out from behind me leapt a devilish little being who had other things in mind.  It was messy and confusing.  I stopped the whole thing prematurely and went to my teacher perplexed.

She asked me a few questions about how I created the sacred space…and much to my surprise, she targeted exactly what I had done carelessly.  Yes, this kind of thing did happen when one wasn’t careful.  I had learned some important points in my career as a plant spirit worker.

From there I learned to be careful, respectful, and to take my work more seriously.  I learned to communicate with the plants, to always leave the grandfather growing, to inquire to see which plants wanted to work with me to heal someone, and to be in a subtle yet powerful partnership with the energies that most people never even know exist.

Far more goes into creating my products than meets the eye.  With aromatherapy, I tune psychically into the essential oils and work both kinesthetically as well as energetically.  I work with spirit guides to determine my choices about what will be the best oil for a person if there are more than one logical oil to choose.  If I am creating an herbal salve, the first step before even harvesting the plants is to drum in the spirits and sit in sacred space communicating with the plants.  Only then do I begin to harvest, following my instructions and taking care to only choose the plants that are volunteering to go with me.

Then the extraction process ensues,  followed by mixing and blending carrier oils and such, and then come the organic essential oils for my targeted product.

What has made the biggest impact on me in terms of this work has been the amazing healing benefits of these products on people who have already tried natural products that are similar.  There really is something about the energies that go into something, as well as the partnership with spirits of all living things.

http://www.goddessoceana.com

3018654    การปฏิบัติในการดูแลรักษาสตรีวัยหมดระดู    Practical Management of the Menopause

การปฏิบัติในการวินิจฉัย และการสืบค้น ข้อบ่งชี้ ข้อห้าม และภาวะแทรกซ้อนจากการให้ฮอร์โมนทดแทนในสตรีวัยหมดระดู

(Practical aspects in the diagnosis, investigation; indications, contraindications and complications of hormonal replacement therapy in menopausal women.)

(3018654 จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)

That age old battle of the bulge just got more challenging.. Researchers are saying that middle-aged women who store fat around their mid section are twice as likely as their peers to develop dementia in old age. Yikes! More reason than ever to lose that belly fat, right?

Starting in 1960, researchers looked healthy and lifestyle risk factors in 1,462 women and then at various intervals for 32 years. They found that women who were broader around the waist than the hips by the time they reached middle-aged more than twice the odds of developing dementia if they lived beyond 70 years. However, a higher body-mass index did not infer a similar risk.

Whether it’s associated with aging, testosterone or declining physical activity, weight gain around the midsection has been linked with the metabolic syndrome, which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.

So, we’re left with a choice – heart attack, stroke or losing our minds….Or, better yet, move your body. Exercise, start eating healthier and being more mindful of what’s going in and what you are putting out. Granted, we may not be able to fight the inevitable but we can at least try to stave it off or control it as much as possible. The bulge around the middle is the hardest area to attack. But it’s not impossible.

I’d love to get some fitness experts to weigh in on this. Anyone?

Dear Venus,

I have never had a problem with being dry before. I was always somewhat proud of the fact that I could turn on the waterfall below as quick as a touch of a hand. Lately though I have been needing to use lubrication during intercourse because I have been extremely dry.

Please help

Desert Dry

This is a very common problem among us women so please don’t worry yourself. The answer could be as simple as something new you may have eaten or maybe even medication you may be taking. There is no shame in having to get  just a little assistance in the “waterfall” department so relax and enjoy the moment. Have fun with some of the new and hot lubricates they have out there.

 Signing out,

Venus

I grew up listening to Oldies, and to this day I still enjoy a sugary doo-wop song or something that emerged from Motown at the height of its glory.   I love The Platters, The Fleetwoods, Martha & the Vandellas…pretty much anything from the American Graffiti Soundtrack.   There’s another song I’ve been thinking about today though.  Do any of you remember the song Raindrops by Dee Clark?  Dee tells us that since “a man ain’t supposed to cry, it must be raindrops…falling from my eyes.”

That about sums up my day.  I am, apparently, either a hormonal mess or suffering from early seasonal depression.  The littlest things have made me all choked up–barely able to complete sentences without betraying myself.  I may need help. Today I got teary-eyed from:

1.  Seeing a Lowe’s commercial in which mom and dad were working hard to prepare their home for the holidays.  Since their daughter couldn’t return home to be with them, the parents used a laptop web-cam to show her around the house, proudly displaying their remodeling efforts via Skype.  When mom says, “And just wait to see what we did outside!” she opens the door to find daughter secretly waiting to surprise them.  Aww! Sniff, sniff.

2.  Today we had to borrow my parents’ 1985 Chevy Suburban to haul some wood [that's a blog entry for another time].  This is the vehicle of my youth–of all the trips to Minnesota to see Grandma and Grandpa–my 5th grade venture to Washington DC before Grandpa died:  it all happened in that car. Now, with over 250,000 miles on it [!!] and still running strong, I hopped in and felt like I was in a time warp.  To top it off, my dad still had all his mixed tapes from those trips in the blue auto-organizer–the one that sits on the hump on the floor in between the driver and the passenger.  My oldest son was along and I thought I should do my family duty by indoctrinating him into the world of “Real Country.”  That’s right–”Real Country” capitalized and used as a proper noun.  Songs by the old masters.  People who have names like Hank and Lefty.  Tammy and Loretta. You know the type.  Tennessee twang from the 1950’s and 60’s. This was the soundtrack of every 12 hour trip I ever took, and it didn’t take me long to learn all about drinkin’ and cheatin’ and “layin’ you down.” Subtle education, really.

Anyway, I put the tape in so I could point out the fiddles and steel guitars to my son, and I started crying! Not sobbing, runny nose cry, but please-don’t-ask-me-to-talk-because-I’ll-blubber-and squeak-cry.   I’ll admit that I have so attached those songs to the person of my father that part of me was wondering how I’ll ever listen to them after he’s gone.  And that’s what I was thinking about.  Going to get a pile of wood for Bob Vila my husband, and thinking about how I’ll ever live without my dad.

3.  I had to stop at the grocery store for a bag of roma tomatoes this morning.  I’ve had a hankering for guacamole.   [I mean, how can you get through vacation without plopping on the couch next to your husband and plowing through a bowl of homemade guacamole with copious amounts of tortilla chips?]   As we were leaving the store we were met with the ubiquitous Salvation Army bell ringers.  I grabbed the loose change from my sweatshirt pocket and dumped it into the red can, feeling a bit sheepish that I wasn’t able to produce more.

On the way to the car, A asked me who the people were and why they were standing there ringing a bell.  True to form, I could barely formulate my answer about all the needy people that ache for help, especially at Christmas, without swallowing my tears.  By this time of the day I was fairly certain I may be going into menopause.

4.  In the same vein, Angel Tree commercials are now airing, reminding able givers to consider pulling an ornament off an Angel Tree and providing an unwrapped gift for a child this Christmas.  The announcer said that West Michigan alone has 30,000 wishes to fill this holiday season.  30,000 kids with nothing under the tree?  I’m crying again.

5.  Don’t call your shrink–this is the last one.  Tonight on NBC World News with Brian Williams, his “Making a Difference” segment highlighted the work of a non-profit organization called RAMP:  Rockin’ Appalachian Moms Project.  Seeing how one person can so powerfully change the trajectory of so many people’s lives amazes me.  It truly makes my heart beat a little faster.   So I sat and watched Amy, a mother of four from Connecticut, run a ministry that has delivered over a quarter of a million dollars of aid to one of the poorest places in our nation.  Heaters, clothes, food.  I sat and thought about how I never have to worry about those things.  How my needs are met and met and…exceeded.  And how the people of Appalachia don’t have heat.  And it moved me.

As we enjoy the quiet warmth of our own homes this Thanksgiving Eve, I invite you to send up your prayers of gratitude to the One who loved us so much that He Gave. And if you need a place to start, take 2.5 minutes and see what’s happening in Appalachia.

Good thing they’re predicting more rain tomorrow.  I might still be singing that song.

At Our Bodies Our Blog today, I have a bit about the outcomes of some recent lawsuits related to Prempro (estrogen+progestin HRT) and breast cancer. Earlier this week, I pointed to a recent issue of the journal “Clinical Risk” which is focused on cosmetic surgery risks and regulations. Christine has posted about a Time magazine article on a sex drive drug for women in which OBOS co-founder and director Judy Norsigian is quoted; Judy is also featured in the current issue of Vanderbilt University Medical Center newsletter The Reporter, following her visit to Nashville and talk at Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing.

People consistently comment on my skin.  They remark that I have hardly any wrinkles and my skin is beautiful.  Thank you Peeps!  I suck in compliments like a sponge and absorb as much pleasure as possible from each and every one.  I highly recommend learning to receive a compliment, as it is a true gift to the giver.

That said, I have decided to divulge my “secrets” for beautiful skin.  With a background in cosmetology, yoga, herbalism and aromatherapy…not to mention a mother who had a penchant for vitamin supplementation, I now give you the full monty on how I do it.

10 pointers from a tantric yogini that will keep your face dewy, fresh and lovely all winter:

1.  Drink plenty of water daily and take your vitamins.

2.  Never use really hot water on your face, only warm or cool.  Your skin will retain its moisture better, and besides, hot water is just too harsh.

3.  Eat your MUFA’s…monounsaturated fatty acids…flax seeds, avocado, olive oil, dark chocolate, evening primrose oil, cod liver oil, nuts and seeds.  Nourish your skin from within and get healthier while you’re at it.

4.  Retinol is the only stuff that has been proven to make a difference in diminishing lines and wrinkles over the counter.  When you use it, be sure to use sunscreen as well to avoid burning this newly sensitive skin.  You can purchase a retinol cream for about twenty bucks at the drugstore without a prescription.

5.  Vitamin C is key for gorgeous skin.  Find a vitamin C serum or cream and use it to continue to help the old skin cells fall away to reveal the fresh new skin underneath.  You’ll be amazed after only a few weeks at how much fresher and vibrant your skin looks.

6.  Once in a while, warm up some sesame oil after you’ve cleansed you face and gently massage in upward circular motions.  Deeply moisturizing and detoxifying, and leaves your skin oh-so-soft.  Also a great detox.  Use the organic, untoasted sesame oil, or try virgin olive oil, apricot kernel oil, or avocado oil if you want varied moisturizing and vitamin effects.

7.  Practice yoga.  Your circulation will benefit, your body will detox naturally, and the relaxation will unfurl your brows, causing less wrinkles.  Speaking of yoga, tantrikas know that a practice of self pleasure will keep your skin glowing and prolong your life.  Continue to work with the chi, folks.

8.  Do a weekly steam facial with herbs, a pot of boiled water, and a towel over your head.  Follow with a mask from the kitchen.  Avocado mashed with yogurt, or oatmeal or just mashed strawberries work well.   Eggs make great facial masks if you apply yolk first, let dry, and then whites over it and let dry.  My favorite one is honey with a drop of rose essential oil for intensive moisture.  Honey is a natural humectant and your skin will be softer than you can imagine afterwards.

9.  Sleeping Beauty was gorgeous cuz she slept so much.  Get yourself enough beauty rest, darlings.  Oh, and did I mention fresh air and sunshine?  That too.  Mother did know best.

10.  Last but definitely not least, try out some of my seriously gorgeous facial elixirs and bask in the exquisite sensory experience…essential oils are my secret to young skin.  Indulge in a special blend by me and put your best face forward!

Not gonna burst this one. At least not yet. Because there’s a new botanical formulation in town and the evidence supporting its effectiveness looks pretty strong!

Nutrafem® is a supplement containing a proprietary blend of phytoestrogens – namely Eucommia ulmoides bark (a deciduous rubber tree whose bark has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine practice for centuries) and Vigna radiata (mungbeans).

In a study that appears in the Advanced Online Edition of Menopause, Nutrafem was shown to reduce the number of hot flashes and night sweats that women were experiencing by 26% over a 12-week time period. What’s more, among the 156 postmenopausal women studied, symptoms were reduced in almost half of the women. At the start of the study, participants were reportedly experiencing at least 21 or more hot flushes or night sweats weekly, and at least a third of these were described as being severe to moderate.

Earlier studies have also been favourable, suggesting that Nutrafem also leads to significant improvements in general health, body aches/pains, energy and fatigue, and emotional wellbeing.

This formulation appears to be safe and reported side effects during use have been minimal. Importantly, both of the key ingredients have a long history of as food or herbal medicines; the mung bean in particular has been used to address effects of radiation during breast cancer therapy, such as headache, fatigue or sleeplessness. Additionally, while Nutrafem appears to activate estrogen receptors, it does not promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells.

I have high hopes for Nutrafem. Have you tried it?

The Government Got It Right

November 24th, 2009

A change in the sensitivity of your breasts, other than pain, might be a symptom of menopause, but it also might be something more severe. It could be mastic breast tissue, cysts, breast disease, or even neuropathy related to multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia. It can also be a warning sign of breast cancer.

The new government recommendations on breast cancer screening were surprising to many doctors, but I happen to agree with them. The government is currently recommending against regular mammography tests for women aged 40 to 49. The guidelines also downplay the effectiveness of self-examinations and advise that women aged 50 to 74 years receive mammograms every other year.The change in early detection direction came from a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force comprised of a government panel of doctors and scientists. They concluded that early and frequent screenings by mammography often lead to false alarms and unneeded biopsies without substantially improving a woman’s odds of survival.

I agree with these new guidelines. First, I have not been a fan of mammograms for some time. I find that mammograms are not nearly as effective in detection as some other tests, like MRI’s and ultrasounds. I also have found that even when I teach my patients how to complete a manual breast exam, they are less than effective.

I support the new guidelines because I think it will lead to better testing. The ultrasound is a better screening procedure that’s safer and easier and picks up things fast. I believe that women should receive ultrasounds every year as part of their routine medical exam, beginning at an early age. If needed, MRI or PET scans can detect lumps and bumps better than any mammogram ever could.

Dr. Eric Braverman

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click here for map to Dr. Joe’s office 

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Click Here To Read Study

PLEASE PASS IT ON…

risk-of-vertebrobasilar-stroke-and-chiropractic-care

Moisture wicking sleepwear. I hate to be hot. When I’m hot, I get super cranky. It’s just not negotiable. If I’m hot and icky at night time, or over night …. look out ’cause not even chocolate and coffee will fix the lack of a good nights rest. Night sweats can happen for many reasons. Menopause is not the only cause of night sweats. Reasons, including, but not limited to: pregnancy, medications, thyroid conditions, diabetes, obesity, chemotherapy, sleep apnea, and anxiety. Most commonly for women, over the age of 40 (or any age) is the onset of menopause, which is basically changes, ‘causing hot flashes, and night sweats. Therefore, I am now introducing you to Cool-Jams.

Men can also experience night sweats due to hormonal changes, called Andropuase. Avoid spicy foods, cut affeine, steer clear of sweets before bedtime, because sugar increases your metabolism and in turn generates heat. Many reasons, and many causes.
You can learn much more from the Cool-Jams website About Night Sweats.

Anita Mahaffey founded Cool-Jams in 2006. As a ten-year brain cancer survivor, Ms. Mahaffey knows all about the side effects of treatment. She’s certainly no stranger to hot flashes.

Keeps Your Body Temperature Consistent

Wrinkle-free

Wicks away moisture

Static-free

Machine Washable (special washing bag provided free with each garment)*

Shrinkage resistant

Strong and Durable

Snag resistant

Lightweight

Quick Drying

Perfect for travel

Anti-pilling

Anti-bacterial treatment

Cool-Jams has options. Not just long sleeves. They carry, shorts, cami’s, tanks, capris, petite sizes, plus sizes …. I feel safe saying they have something for everyone! Running around the house in Cool-Jams is oh so cozy, sleeping in them is just as wonderful. The pajamas move with you, not against you.

Cool-jams Sleepwear controls the body’s temperature as you sleep, so you’ll have a perfect sleep every night… SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!!!

Learn More About The Cool-Jams Charitable Giving Program.

The folks over at Cool-Jams is offering one NetWorkingWitches reader a pair of Cool-Jams of their choice, limited to in-stock available size/color/style. Choice of pajama or nightgown. U.S. Residents only, Must be over the age of 18.

WIN IT

MANDATORY Entry – Visit, Cool-Jams, and tell me the size, color, and style that you will choose if you are the winner, or tell me something from the Cool-Jams site that you learned.

Extra Entries: The mandatory entry MUST be completed or no extra entries will count. They can, and will be deleted, 1 entry unless specified otherwise below. You MUST leave a separate comment for each entry, otherwise it will count as one entry.

EXTRA Optional Entries

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~  Follow Networking Witches , WinterWitch and/or RedNeckWitch on Twitter (1 entry for each followed) And please send the below tweet.

~  Twitter this giveaway feel free to copy and paste this:  (You can tweet daily But you MUST leave the link to your tweet) @NetWorkingWitch Win moisture wicking PAJAMAS! No more night sweats. http://wp.me/ppVmm-Ot Ends 12/08/09 RT Daily w/link

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~ Digg this post, and leave a link to the Digg, and your username.

This giveaway will end on 12/08/09 at 11:59 PM CST.

I was sent a Cool-Jams sample for review, I was not paid any monetary compensation for this review. This post is my opinion and should be taken as just that. Having received samples has no impact on my personal use, experience, or like for any product.

More bad news for hormone replacement drugs. More women should turn to natural menopause relief

Pfizer Jury Awards $28 Million Over Hormone Drugs (Update2) – Bloomberg.com

By Sophia Pearson

 

Nov. 23 (Bloomberg) — Two Pfizer Inc. units were ordered to pay a total of $28 million in punitive damages to an Illinois woman who developed breast cancer after taking the companies’ menopause drugs.

Wyeth should pay $16 million and Pharmacia & Upjohn $12 million to Donna Kendall of Decatur, Illinois, a state-court jury in Philadelphia said today. The jury ruled Nov. 20 that the units owed Kendall $6.3 million in compensatory damages.

The verdict brings to more than $165 million the total awarded in cases linking hormone-replacement drugs and breast cancer since they began going to trial in 2006. More than 6 million women have taken the medicines to treat menopause symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings.

“Neither the awards of punitive damages nor the liability verdicts were supported by the evidence or the law,” Pfizer spokesman Christopher Loder said in a phone interview. “We plan to challenge both decisions in post-trial motions and, if necessary, through an appeal.”

Until 1995, many patients combined Premarin, Wyeth’s estrogen-based drug, with progestin-laden Provera, made by Upjohn. Wyeth combined the two hormones in Prempro. The drugs are still on the market.

New York-based Pfizer, the world’s largest drugmaker, completed the $68 billion purchase of Wyeth on Oct. 15. The company reported 2008 net income of $8.1 billion on sales of $48.3 billion.

Pfizer rose 26 cents to $18.62 at 2:32 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

The case is Kendall v. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., 040600965, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sophia Pearson in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court at 7613 or spearson3@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: November 23, 2009 14:45 EST

menopause, pfizer,

Mesdames, êtes-vous incommodées par des bouffées de chaleur?

Dr. Julien Lévesque, chiropraticien — La ménopause. Au fil des années, le corps ne cesse de se modifier et de se transformer. Cela fait partie de notre évolution bien que plusieurs personnes s’en passeraient bien. À partir de la mi-quarantaine, le corps féminin exprime une série de symptômes qui est spécifique à la ménopause. Trois phases se succèdent; la pré-ménopause, la ménopause et la post-ménopause.

La transition vers la ménopause, c’est-à-dire la pré-ménopause, peut se reconnaître aux signes suivants: chaleurs, sensibilité des seins, accentuation du syndrome prémenstruel, diminution de la libido, fatigue, règles irrégulières, sécheresse vaginale et inconfort pendant les relations sexuelles, fuites urinaires, changements abrupts d’humeur, etc. La sévérité des symptômes et leurs conséquences sur la qualité de vie peuvent être en étroite relation avec le niveau de stress et l’état de santé général.

Voici quelques signes et symptômes spécifiques à la ménopause;

Les bouffées de chaleur: Il s’agit du symptôme le plus fréquent, dû à l’arrêt de la production d’estrogène par les ovaires. Les bouffées de chaleur se manifestent par une sensation de chaleur parfois accompagnée d’une rougeur de la peau, qui commence au niveau du visage et du cou, puis s’étend vers le thorax et les épaules, et éventuellement se généralise. Chez certaines femmes, les bouffées de chaleur s’accompagnent de sueurs intenses (notamment des sueurs nocturnes). Elles sont sans danger mais peuvent être très incommodantes.

- Les troubles vaginaux: La carence en estrogène peut rendre la paroi vaginale plus fine, plus sèche et moins “élastique”. Les rapports sexuels peuvent ainsi devenir inconfortables.

- Les troubles urinaires: Le contrôle de la vessie peut être moins bon, ce qui peut provoquer de petites fuites urinaires, en particulier lors d’efforts (éternuements, rires, etc.). Il est important de s’occuper de ce problème d’incontinence dès qu’il apparaît afin qu’il ne s’accentue pas.

- La prise de poids: Souvent, au moment de la ménopause, les femmes prennent du poids et trouvent qu’il est plus difficile qu’auparavant de perdre ces kilos. La ménopause entraîne une modification dans la répartition des graisses : elles s’accumulent plus fréquemment au niveau du ventre qu’au niveau des cuisses et des fesses.

- Les troubles du sommeil (insomnie; difficulté à s’endormir ou longues épisodes de réveil au cours de la nuit).

- Les changements d’humeur, l’irritabilité, l’anxiété, les affects dépressifs.

- Une diminution de la libido

- Modifications de la peau; la structure et la texture de la peau sont influencées par les hormones sexuelles et par des modifications biologiques plus générales liées au vieillissement. Après la ménopause, la peau devient plus fine et plus fragile.

Comment votre chiropraticien peut-il vous aider?

Votre chiropraticien peut vous aider à diminuer ces symptômes par les conseils alimentaires, les ajustements chiropratiques, l’écoute et par la communication. Par exemple, si vous voulez réduire la fréquence et l’intensité des bouffées de chaleur, il faut réduire la consommation de viandes, d’alcool, de caféine et privilégier des produits laitiers faibles en gras. De plus, si vous voulez réduire l’intensité du stress dans votre vie, réduire les tensions musculaires et augmenter votre niveau d’énergie, les ajustements chiropratiques Network sont une solution très efficace et naturelle. Si vous avez des questions, parlez-en avec votre professionnel de la santé en chiropratique et il se fera un plaisir de vous venir en aide.

Le Dr. Julien Lévesque est chiropraticien à la Clinique MainTenant située au 1477 boul. St-Joseph Est, Montréal, (Québec) H2J 1M6. Vous pouvez communiquer avec lui au  514-910-7644. Si vous désirez en savoir s’il peut vous aider et sur sa pratique, visitez www.chiroenergie.ca.

Wine

Moderate alcohol intake—in any form, not just wine—is associated with a 25 to 30 percent reduced risk of heart disease in women, according to Rimm.  “Alcohol raises HDL, or good, cholesterol levels”, says Dr. Apstein.  “Like aspirin, it also thins the blood a little, so it protects against clot formation, which is one cause of heart attacks and stroke.”  Young women who drink moderately may also be less likely to have high blood pressure, says a recent study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Much of the research in this area looks at men or postmenopausal women, but studies haven’t confirmed alcohol’s protective effect in young women.  “Still, heart disease doesn’t develop overnight, so it’s reasonable to assume that drinking moderately before you hit menopause can help lower your risk down the road.” – Bree Scott

Visual source:  usyd

Just entering the latter part of my 40’s, I have begun to enter that newest phase of being a female.  My doctor calls this new phase “peri-menopausal”…  I don’t really know what “peri” means as a medical term, but in real life terms “peri” means… aggravating, bothersome, annoying, troublesome, vexing…I.E.: ”Fucking-pain-in-the-god–damn- ass”-pre-menopausal.

So let’s talk real… I’ve been having a period since I was 11.  Yes…early bloomer in so many wrong ways….  WTF ever…  So, for over 30 years, it’s been an inconvenient, yet predictable part of my life.  3-1/2 weeks go by, I get cramps for a day, bleed for 4 or 5 , and it’s a done deal for another 3-1/2 weeks.  But a couple years ago, things started changing a bit.  First, I started to decrease to just 3 or 4.  It continued to dwindle over the next few months until I was down to just over 2 days.  Woo-Hoo!!!  Who wouldn’t like that???  Eventually I was left with a day of cramps but no period to follow.  Not my favorite, but the no muss-no fuss aspect has its appeal.  Finally one day I was at the grocery store, passing by the tampon display, and realized I hadn’t restocked my supply in what seemed like a very long time…  Standing at the display, I counted backwards to the last time I’d needed them… Holy shit…it was nearly 6 months!!! 

Free at last – Free at last!  Fuck you Playtex & your God-damn labia pinching super-glide applicator!!!  They never once were a super glide… Fuck you Kotex & your God-damn pube pulling self-sticking panty shields!!!  And Fuck you OB & your God-damn strings that wick bodily fluids into the wearer’s underwear without absorbing a fucking drop!  I was a happy woman… I giggled and danced a little jig right there in the aisle…  causing the young man standing close by to move quickly away from me…  OMG…within a week, I had a freaking period…  NOT one of those 1 or 2 day MF’s either.  Apparently my uterus had not stopped doing its thing, just simply saving for a rainy day….  I had 3 days of cramps and 6 months worth of period over about a 9 day time span…   Mother Nature can be such a raving bitch…  Moving forward, I vowed a couple of things… I will only pass the feminine hygiene display if I need feminine hygiene products,  I will approach those product displays with only the deepest reverence and utmost respect…  Also, I will never again curse feminine hygiene product makers in public or private as I had learned my lesson…

Now for the past 6 months I’ve honored my vows, avoided the tampon aisle, been respectful etc. and my menstrual life has once again returned to uneventful.  The dwindling process resume and I went back to having periods that are sporadic, short-lived and sparse…   Life is good…but then I forgot… Shit!!!  While grocery shopping…  I must first point out and ask what genius’s idea it was to arrange the feminine hygiene products on the same aisle as coffee or deeply desired espresso… which for me, is a requirement of life as important to air and wine…  I decided it was silly of me to go all the way around the hygiene product aisle to get to the other end to get coffee, so I cut through… Dumb Ass…  Seeing the tampon & maxipad boxes all lined up, I again realized it had been some length of time since I’d needed to re-supply…  Outwardly I remained respectful & polite, inwardly, I must admit I had just the teensiest of  Ha Ha… moment…  That was all it took… you idiot!!!

The next day, Monday, I was sitting at my desk talking on the phone when, with absolutely no warning, I felt something go bluuurrp…you know…down there.  I knew immediately this was not good…  I finished the phone call and headed to the rest-room squeezing my you know what shut…  Oh My God!!!  It was bad…it was really really bad…  It looked like someone had bled a sacrificial goat into my underwear…  Was I wearing light-colored pants???  Did I even have to ask???  They were khakis of course…   Had it bled through my underwear into my pants???  Hello…of course!!!  Badly I wondered… Not too bad from the volume/area/stain size standpoint, however from a placement/location standpoint, it was fucking stellar…  Somehow, because of the way I was sitting, because of the way my pants fit, or because I fucking pissed off the Period Goddess again, I had managed to channel the flow forward so it made a big red blotch right at the base of my pant fly… It was only 10:00 am…

I cleaned up as best I could, & went looking in the bathroom cupboard for the supplies to catch any further leakage.  In the past, I always kept a small stash of tampons at work.  However it hasn’t been all that necessary for quite some time now, and I didn’t have anything…  Fortunately, one of my lovely 20-something year-old co-workers had a box of panty shields in the cupboard.  It was an emergency and I figured I could replace them later, so I opened her box, and learned a new thing…  Did you know they make panty shields for THONGS???  They’re normal width in the front, and taper to string width in the back…with wings…  Who knew and most importantly….WHY???  How fucking useless is that???  Being desperate, I made do…  I laid the first one in, front to back & then the second one, back to front so that together, they almost made one whole.  I made it through the rest of the morning by staying at my desk, or carrying papers, and file-folders in front of me.

At lunch, I zipped home where I scrubbed the spot from the crotch of my pants, and threw them in the dryer to dry.  Unfortunately…“the thong panty liners” didn’t stick very well to my “non-thong panties”…   Instead, they are curled, twisted and have attached themselves directly to my hairy lips… both right and left!!! Removing the liners gave me a free partial Brazilian job, as they ripped out thong shaped swaths of pubic hairs…  I took a quick shower and checked on my pants…  The stain had been transformed.  It was now a large ring around the whole crotch of my pants where they had been wetted when I scrubbed them.  I decided perhaps it was time for plan B…change pants, and just freaking deal if anybody asks why if they are stupid enough to not see the glaring eyes and flaring nostrils…

Night sweats, Insomnia, Hot Flashes, Moodiness, Irritability, Memory Lapses,  Brain-farts….all predicted, and all now accounted for. However, my friends, you left some stuff out.  Nobody bothered to tell me that walking down the tampon aisle at the grocery store will make your periods start. Nor did anyone say that after 30 plus years of practice in how to deal with having a period, that I’d suddenly become incompetent…  It makes me wonder what else was left out of the stories that I am yet to experience… it this some secret society you can only enter into thru trial by fire…well fuck you…  As for me, I am back to making sure I stay away from the feminine hygiene aisle, being respectful toward the patroness saints of the menses…  I’m hoping that will keep me relatively free of unpleasant surprises for the next bit-o-while.  I am passing this along for you 20 & 30 something’s so you have something to look forward too…

Ciao Bella… A Peri Sarah B…

Jessica Morowitz

Premarin® is a hormone replacement therapy drug manufactured by Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals.  The drug is widely prescribed to an estimated nine million women to help them cope with the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats.  Premarin® gets its name by virtue of what it is made from—PREgnant MARes’ urINe (PMU).  That means that in order to manufacture this drug, Wyeth needs a constant supply of pregnant mares.

It is not surprising that the conditions these mares experience are not unlike those experienced by animals raised for food in factory farms.  According to the Humane Society of the United States, the mares enter the barns in September, and remain tethered in their stalls until March or April.  The stalls are very narrow, and do not allow the mares to turn around or move more than a step or two in any direction.  While inside they are constantly hooked up to a collection system that even further restricts their movements, and can make it uncomfortable to even lie down.  Moreover, the mares are often denied access to an adequate supply of water in an effort to concentrate the hormones in their urine and increase profits.  Typically, the mares will be ‘in production’ for about eight or nine years consecutively, getting pregnant and giving birth year after year.

What is just as bad if not worse than the way these mares are treated, is the inevitable by-product of all these pregnant mares—the foals.  Sadly, they are usually weaned from their mothers too early, at around three or four months of age instead of six months.  This is due to the nature of the production system.  The mares are usually bred-back right after giving birth (within a few weeks), and need to move back into the barns in September to begin urine collection.  Like the fate of many of the mares when they are no longer able to produce, these foals are often sent to auction.  From auction these horses often find their way to into feedlots, and eventually slaughterhouses.    While there are a few rescue organizations out there dedicated to the adoption of PMU mares and foals, there are not nearly enough of them to keep up with the estimated 40,000 PMU foals born each year.

An alarming New York Times article written in early August revealed that ghostwriters paid by Wyeth “played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women.”  The articles were published between 1998 and 2005 and of course emphasized the benefits and down-played the risks associated with hormone replacement therapy.  These articles most likely played a role in the nearly $2 billion in sales experienced by Wyeth in 2001.  But shortly after in 2002, a “federal study on hormone therapy was stopped after researchers found that menopausal women who took certain hormones had an increased risk of invasive breast cancer, heart disease and stroke.”  When a story like this comes out that shows how a pharmaceutical company, like Wyeth, is willing to put human lives at risk to turn a profit, should we even be surprised that the welfare of the tens of thousands of horses they rely on and exploit each day does not factor into that equation?  Of course not.

Part I: Female

The problems:

1. Pelvic organ prolapse. I had surgery to shape things up again, but it was only partly successful.
2. Thinning and drying of labia and vaginal membranes due to menopause.
3. Incomplete spinal cord injury, causing incontinence but also loss of sensation.
4. Low libido, secondary to both menopause and chronic medical problems including sleep disorder and pain.

The solutions:

1. Pick a man who is tolerant of physical problems.
2. Estrogen supplements, small-dose intravaginal suppository. This helps with thinning membranes, dryness, but also muscle function and sensitivity to stimulation.
3. The same exercises that treat incontinence (pelvic floor contractions) also rehabilitate the vagina for sexual activity.
4. Allow extra time to receive stimulation in foreplay, set aside times for sex even without desire, and engage in plenty of non-sexual affection.

It helps if you really enjoyed sex when you were at your sexual peak. If you never did, letting it slide out of your life is easy to accomplish, though it deprives both you and your mate of a healthy expression of love and a pain-reducing source of endorphins.

———
Check out an excellent short article on sex and menopause by Jane Brody of the New York Times.

Mature Love

You weren’t expecting the next post to be about mature love, were you.

Definition: Mature love is the type of love you see in long-term marriages. When you are together because you want to be together and not because you need to be with one another, you have a mature love.

Signs of mature love include acceptance, emotional support, commitment, calmness, respect, caring, kindness, friendship, and consideration.

From about.com

But yeah. It’s the whole enchilada.

He says to me, over and over, that he loves me. That I’m beautiful. That my eyes are so sensual. That I thrill him.

I don’t know if he means it that way, but to a woman that stuff is foreplay.

Use It or Lose It

We frequently hear, in various contexts, the adage “use it or lose it.”   This appears to be true with regard to playing piano, speaking a foreign language, or performing sexually.  But I would like to offer hope to the millions who may feel they have already lost it, where sex is concerned.

My mate was widowed after nearly 45 years of marriage.  The last 20 or so were without sex.   In recent years he had nearly given up even masturbating, finding that he had little genital sensation, difficulty maintaining an erection, and seldom ejaculated.  It didn’t help that he was on blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications.

Then he met me.

I had given up hope of finding a relationship that wasn’t transitory or degrading, and acquiring a disability seemed to reduce the number of potential partners.  Some acted as if a spinal cord injury were contagious, others hesitated to be seen in public with a woman using a walker to ambulate.   I suspect that for others, a mix of pity and scorn for the broken and impaired made me a non-starter.

As I neared menopause, in my mid-fifties, it mattered less and less.  My libido was dwindling, which felt like something of a kindness in view of my scant supply of sex partners.

And then I met him.

More in the next installment…

I’m hormonal as hell.  Menopause sucks scissors.

I’m hot flashing and night sweating and crying and bitching and yelling and blaming and wanting to kill something.

I’m fat and bloated and hot and cold and horny and you better not touch me and then I’m happy and sorry and apologizing and crying and eating all the chocolate and drinking all the beer and wine and crying more.

I want your attention and you better give it to me but you better leave me the hell alone if you know what’s good for you after you give me more chocolate and wine and tell me that I don’t look fat and that’s an order.

I love you all.

Ladies, have you ever noticed how you get food cravings every time your period is near? There is a very valid scientific explanation for this. Our menstrual cycle is governed by hormones produced primarily by the ovaries. Two of the most significant hormones are estrogen and progesterone. During the menstrual cycle, these hormones reach a peak or a threshold which corresponds to the time the egg is released (or ovulated in technical terms). After the egg is released, these hormones drop their levels.

When that happens, it creates a signal in the brain that makes you feel hungrier thus prompting you to eat more food. At the same time, the body starts to store the excess calories from these additional food intake as adipose tissue or fat. Why does the body do such? Well, it is part of its preparation for pregnancy. You see, when the egg is released, the body normally assumes that it would be fertilized. In the same way that the uterus is prepared with blood-filled tissues for implantation (these are the ones that are shed and expelled as “mense”), the body also prepares the energy source that the growing embryo, or baby, would later on require.

Now what happens during menopause? The ovaries stop releasing eggs and producing hormones. That’s why during menopause, women no longer have their monthly period because the uterus no longer needs to prepare for any implantation. However, the food cravings remain. With the ovaries no longer producing estrogen and progesterone, the brain identifies that there are low levels of these hormones. The stomach then has difficulties when it is full. At the same time, the body cells need lesser calories to burn. As such, all the excess food intake is stored as fat.

But it does not mean that a woman automatically becomes obese when she enters menopause. Remember that a person becomes fat only when the body fails to burn all the calories it consumes. So an active lifestyle and regular exercise would still help the body burn all those calories, even if you do take in more than the usual.