Power Surge + Hot Flash = Insomnia

It happens just about every night.  After reading for about a half hour, I’m finally sleepy and relaxed. I turn out the light and sink into my down pillows and high thread-count sheets. I’m just falling asleep when, wham – it happens. It feels like my body has been plugged into an electrical socket and… who turned [...]

Exercise Doesn’t Alleviate Hot Flashes After All

Contrary to what we’ve read (and hoped was true), exercise is not a cure for hot flashes, according to a study whose results were just published in the January issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.  Researchers had hoped to prove that exercise could be an alternative to HRT for women suffering from hot [...]

Recommended Reading: “Women, Weight and Hormones”

As we wind up the holiday season, and resolve to shed the pounds we’ve gained from all the over-eating, this seems to be a good time to talk about the connection between weight gain and menopause.  I’ve been reading Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet’s excellent book, “Women, Weight and Hormones,” in which she explains the crucial role [...]

Those Lucky Chimpanzees?

The intriguing headline on the Science Daily Website, “Male Chimpanzees Prefer Mating with Old Females,” is just too good to not to comment on.  Apparently, female Chimpanzees do not experience Menopause as humans do and as a result, older females were more likely to be approached for copulation.  What’s more, “they copulated more frequently with [...]

What’s in a Name?

There’s something about the word Menopause that sounds…well, old.  I went to a BlogHer gathering a few days ago and while I’ve become accustomed to being one of the older people at any tech event here in San Francisco,  I felt particularly matronly as I told other, younger attendees, some of whom write “Mommy” blogs,  that [...]

What to Expect

The Mayo Clinic website offers a 10-question, true/false quiz about menopause. After you submit your answers, you’re provided with explanations for each response. With all the reading I’ve done on the topic and consultations with doctors, I still got one wrong.  There’s lots of good information here and worth a read.