What is Menopause? Menopause is when the ovaries naturally stop producing 2 hormones called estrogen and progesterone.  Your ovaries are similar to what a car does in that over years it wears down, well so does the mechanism that regulates your hormones which is the ovaries. You go 12 consecutive months without having a period with no reasons to be explained for its occurrence, both biological or physical with it never returning.   If both ovaries are removed surgically the menopause kicks in immediately.   Menopause has signs and symptoms (s/s) that kick in which have varying intensities (it depends on the individual). You may experience mild to severe s/s.   Those s/s can be : 1- Hot Flashes 2-Irregular Periods 3- Breast Pains 4- Night Sweats 5- Mood Swings 6- Loss of Labido 7- Vaginal Dryness 8-Brittle Nails 9-Bloating 10-Irritability 11-Depression 12- Weight Gain 13- Osteoporosis-one of the worst symptoms of menopause.

According to U.S. Census data from 2000, there are about 37.5 million women reaching or currently at menopause (ages 40 to 59).

As women near menopause, they may have symptoms too from the changes their body is making. Some women may not have any other symptoms at all. Symptoms that some women experience near menopause include symptoms close to the actual menopause symptoms are like the hot flashes (getting warm in the face, neck, or chest), night sweats or sleeping problems that led to feeling tired, stressed or tense, vaginal changes (the vagina may become dry and thin and sex may be painful) and thinning of bones, which may lead to loss of height and bone breaks. If a woman would like to treat her symptoms, she should talk to her health care provider to discuss treatment options.

Did you know over 60% of adult Americans are considered obese or overweight?

Weight gain happens when a person increases their body mass, whether it is a result of fat deposits, additional muscle tissue, or excess fluid. However, weight gain associated with menopause typically involves increased amounts of fat around the abdomen. One of the most accurate ways to see if you are obese is to measure your body mass index which is free online, check out the internet. I do every so often.

Go to Free BMI Calculator – AICR.org‎

www.aicr.org/bmi calculator‎.

On average, a women gains about 12 to 15 pounds between the ages of 45 and 55, this is usually when menopause typically occurs. This extra weight generally does not evenly distribute itself throughout a woman’s body. The weight tends to accumulate around the abdomen instead and women often notice the shape of their bodies slowly losing their hour-glass figure.

What can resolve this issue? As years progress the metabolism slows down; setting the physiological stage for weight gain. As a woman’s hormones fluctuate prior to menopause and preparing for a permanently reduced hormonal level, it is likely to experience weight gain. I’m over 40 y/o and in menopause. I have found a way effective for me to stay in my BMI therapeutically by increasing my metabolism and keeping it at a steady rate without any heavy workout at this time. If you too are experiencing this problem and would like guidance in how to fix this naturally with not being put on drugs than go to healthyusa.tsfl.com.   They will show you how to increase your metabolism with you making the choices of what foods you want in your body. You will be able to treat yourself to foods high in fats or carbohydrates or sugars occasionally when you reach your therapeutic ratio of your body mass index. Join Dr. Anderson with his book “Dr. A’s healthy habits” and health coaches assisting you in doing what you need to know in understanding how the body works with foods and what foods (out of the 4 food groups is good for the body on a regular daily basis). I hope you join many people like myself who did this where we were so happy with ourselves with the results, how it financially stayed within our budget or cheaper, and how it all paid off. You take a look for yourself and I think you may just like what you see. No contract, No fee, No donations, it’s just a look at the website healthyusa.tsfl.com. I have been a RN over a quarter of a century and have seen disease from cancer units to cardiac units to all types of med surg. & could go on with my experience. I have worked from sea to shining sea, NY to California. I saw what unhealthy habits have done to peoples bodies of all ages in the US and will try every attempt not to end up like that. I will try to be healthier in living my life with staying out of facilities. Come aboard in helping yourselves with others making a healthier USA we take that responsibility on as a citizen in America and to those around us (particularly the young).

Our country lives in such a poor bill of health where we don’t have to, besides we know better; so sad.  Society is the cause of our health status, choosing poor diet and a bad amount of exercise, if any!  If we don’t care for ourselves we are in store for a disaster of health in America; so sad.

If you have been trying to lose weight or just want to live healthier to decrease the chance of suffering certain diseases or illnesses that have happened already in America to some people through poor diet and unhealthy habits, than you have come to the right blog. Today’s article is on knowing what foods to avoid to prevent slowing your metabolism down.   For starters let’s discuss why foods in high sugar content are bad for you. Understand how the body works. If you buy and eat foods with the following, especially in large portions=starches, carbohydrates (CHOs), sugars, calories and even some fats depending on what is in the fat (THAT’S WHY YOU READ THE INGREDIENTS) you will cause through digestion a high peak in your blood glucose level. Even though we see on the label a section called sugars you must understand that starches, CHOs, fats, including calories and sugars breakdown to further simple and complex sugars in the body as a ending result. When we eat the food it gets into the stomach, the food than through digestive juices/acids cause break down the ingredients into complex or simple sugars which get transferred into the blood stream (fructose and glucose). Glucose is the prime fuel for the body. Fuel meaning giving energy to the body so we can function in doing our daily exercises (as simple as range of motion of extremities). Remember when digestion takes place it utilizes the glucose it needs at that time throughout the body. If you have a large meal or a small meal high in starch or carbohydrates or sugars or calories the body won’t need to utilize all the break down of these foods which is broken into simpler sugars which gets broken down in the stomach. So you’ll have extra sugar in the blood. If the human body was able to dispose of this extra sugar by getting it out of the body naturally we wouldn’t have any obesity. So when we have bagels with cream cheese, or a Mc muffin or some fast processed food for breakfast than start work followed with going out to eat for lunch at a restaurant nearby work than stop off at a pizzeria to pick up dinner for a pizza with chicken wings and blue cheese dressing followed with ice cream we are dealing with high percentages of sugars (as the ending product from digestion=fat storage=weight gain).   How this works is first the body utilizes the sugar that it needs than the extra sugar still in the bloodstream when it reaches the liver fills up that organ with glucose (active sugar) that is transferred into glycogen (inactive sugar) but remember the liver is like a gas tank where it can only fill up with so much sugar and when it reaches full the sugar left in the blood stream has to go somewhere. It goes to our fat tissue where it is absorbed=weight gain. We have to be more disciplined in our eating habits. Society needs to speak up or just not go to some of these fast food joints since ending line the food is not good for you. Burger King just came out with a burger topped with fries (what the heck is this going to do for someone’s health). America wake up to the restaurant industry and know to eat out 2 times or less a week or you will be at a high probability of putting weight on. When you eat 3 large meals a day these meals take 6 to 8 hours to digest. The trick is when you are in body mass index range for your height still eat 6 small meals a day with vegetables/fruits and healthy fiber with one of the 6 meals a day being highest in protein with vegetables/fruit (being 50% of the meal on a 9” plate, no larger and no second helpings). The 5 other meals are smaller and low in calories (80-100), carbohydrates (10-12 grams), sugar (4 or less grams) and the protein (about 6 grams). In between the meals if you feel hungry drink water or have a snack like celery or something similar to it. What you cause is your sugar intake with your metabolism of the body to stay more at a steady rate (including your sugar level 80-110) if you eat 6 healthy small meals a day. When you eat a donut, or processed cereal it will cause the sugar to spike up high and cause the metabolism to slow down (Ex. frosted flakes, grape nuts, and I could go on—again read what the ingredients are and what the products version of a serving is). You feel tired an hour or two after a large meal of unhealthy/processed food or even a healthy but large meal. Why do you have no problem in the AM with getting to work and getting started for the day? Well with drinking coffee in AM it takes care of the fatigue due to the caffeine, so you may not realize the impact of how low your metabolism is.   Trust me, I was there once too. I am still trying to lose but I am getting there. So what the body actually does is this: When glucose gets transferred into the bloodstream from the stomach, following the digestion process, and reaches the pancreas which senses the free floating glucose in the bloodstream it then releases insulin into the bloodstream. Doing this the insulin now allows glucose to transfer into tissues and cells that need it at that time (fuel for energy of the cells and tissues to do their function) and if not needed we end up with extra glucose in the bloodstream. When it reaches the liver and is sensed by the liver the liver stores it to the full maximal capacity that the organ can handle. Keep in mind the liver is only so big, so when a individual has a large excess of glucose in the bloodstream from their meal that they just ate it only can store so much. The liver actually converts the sugar from glucose (active sugar=active fuel) to glycogen (inactive sugar=non-active sugar). Now if you still have extra glucose in the bloodstream after the liver does its storing the glucose has to go somewhere. The extra sugar now gets stored into the human fat tissue=weight gain. Fat storage is simply putting weight gain on the person’s body. If your sugar blood level isn’t kept between 80-110 throughout the day than your metabolism isn’t kept at a steady rate. Eat 5 days or more a week with 6 small HEALTHY meals a day and treating yourself one or two days a week to treats (only one or two times each day of the one or two days your treating yourself). In treating yourself 1 to 2 days with not as healthy foods you can do this ONLY if your body mass index is within normal range. If not than you have to lose weight first. For if you still need to lose weight and you treat yourself to fattening foods or highier sugar content foods you will put your diet behind 3 days, which will prevent you from losing weight. This is due to the food high in sugar as the ending result of digestion and you cause high fat storage with decreasing your metabolism. The sacrifice for your body is worth it but during the weight loss period you will even shrink your stomach size naturally. There are 4 food groups with each group having lean, leaner and the leanest type of foods in that group of the 4. If you want to learn more about this than go to my website healthyusa.tsfl.com and peek at what we can offer you through Dr. Wayne Scott Anderson with his book “Dr A’s Habits of Health” and even foods to buy if you want them in the beginning of your diet loss which provides health bars to lunches and dinners to desserts of all kinds to all types of shakes/drinks and so much more foods (low in fat/calories/carbs). Learn how to become healthier for yourself, even spreading the news to family or friends who may become interested and being a great mentor for your children in helping the next generation to be more healthy which would help our health care system to helping our health economy that includes insurance payments for bills at hospitals/doctor’s offices lessened. Our society has become so unhealthy in diet causing so many increases in diseases/illnesses, including children, (Obesity, Diabetes II, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and more). Take a look at facebook or UTube with pictures of people in America shopping at Walmart. It may be funny to a slender individual but it is also outright scary with what’s happening to our country. Our country has increased drastically in poor health habits that killed our economy with let alone what our health care system with insurance costs are for society. We could, as a society, turn things around for the better regarding ourselves and others in our country for everyone’s health that would impact every American citizen of all ages in a positive way. I hope I have impacted someone in this country in wanting to learn more about knowing how to become healthier with making a good change for our country as a diversified whole. Society has a responsibility and impact on how things run in each of their respective countries but especially in America, since we live in a democracy. Its common sense if we get better regarding our health overall it will put an impact on our health economy if we don’t our health care system will just get WORSE. Do mom’s and dad’s want this for their children’s future or their children or even our own lives? Society has to take a stand, don’t leave it up to our government but leave it up to our citizens in America’s homes with our schools (proper health teaching to the cafeteria food), our restaurant industry (get off of living with such processed and fast foods in our states and lastly our government to an extent. What does any politician care? Does any politician really have as a top priority being health since their high incomes are to live life up? President Obama upon retirement will be the first President making 450,000 dollars a year. I know I would be a happy camper too and I could go on with other politicians salaries but I started with the top. So let’s make a move America and go for the healthier aspect of life.   Take a peek at no fee or charge, no prescription, no foods that you have to buy, meaning no obligation, and no hacking, as well. You make all the choices in what you want and when you want to stop. No rip off or that you have to stay on our time frame, it’s all based on yours. Again, you make all the choices and wouldn’t it be great if we could turn around going back the way our health was, not so bad, including insurance that you pay a high price that just keeps rising.   Today you have to go through so many hoops to see the type of doctor you want when onetime it was just a breeze. Join me, and go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and just take a peek;) Hope anyone who would like Dr. Anderson for guidance reaches their goal and thanks in helping to make America a healthier country. Please leave a comment; I would love to hear your opinion.

“In the US both sexes have a lower life expectancy than their peers in other rich countries, a gulf that has widened since the 1980s. Furthermore, as Americans live longer, they are living longer with illness and disease; due to our top US diseases followed by a high body mass index (a measure of obesity), & lack of exercise causing our health disaster in the USA.Transforming America’s health will take much more than Obama care. ”

Dr. Christopher Murray MD, researcher with The Washington University-his main paper

Journal of the American Medical Association

It’s not easy to diagnose because depending where the endometrial deposits are, the symptoms can be quite different. It’s an unrecognized problem among teenage girls, and it’s something that every young woman who has painful menstruation should be aware of … it’s a condition that is curable if it’s caught early. If not, if it’s allowed to run on, it can cause infertility, and it can really mess up your life.

[Author Hilary Mantel on being asked about being a writer with endometriosis, Nov 2012 NPR interview]”
― Hilary Mantel

The uterus is a female reproductive organ located between the bladder and the rectum, in the pelvic area. The uterus has three layers: the inner lining (endometrium); the middle muscular layer (myometrium); and the outer layer (perimetrium). The uterus is connected to the fallopian tubes, the cervix and (via the cervix) the vagina.

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects at least 6.3 million women and girls in the U.S., 1 million in Canada, and millions more worldwide. It occurs when tissue like that which lines the uterus (tissue called the endometrium) is found outside the uterus — usually in the abdomen on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and ligaments that support the uterus; the area between the vagina and rectum; the outer surface of the uterus; and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Other sites for these endometrial growths may include the bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix, vulva, and in abdominal surgical scars. Less commonly they are found in the lung, arm, thigh, and other locations.

This misplaced tissue develops into growths or lesions which respond to the menstrual cycle in the same way that the tissue of the uterine lining does: each month the tissue builds up, breaks down, and sheds. Menstrual blood flows from the uterus and out of the body through the vagina, but the blood and tissue shed from endometrial growths has no way of leaving the body. This results in internal bleeding, breakdown of the blood and tissue from the lesions, and inflammation — and can cause pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, adhesions, and bowel problems.

Pain before and during period: Pain with sex, Infertility, Fatigue, Painful urination during periods, Painful bowel movements during periods and Other Gastrointestinal upsets such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea.

In addition, many women with endometriosis suffer from:

• Allergies
• Chemical sensitivities
• Frequent yeast infections

Diagnosis is considered uncertain until proven by laparoscopy, a minor surgical procedure done under anesthesia. A laparoscopy usually shows the location, size, and extent of the growths. This helps the doctor and patient make better treatment choices.

 What Causes Endometriosis?

The cause of endometriosis is unknown. The retrograde menstruation theory (transtubal migration theory) suggests that during menstruation some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes, implants in the abdomen, and grows.  Some experts believe that all women experience some menstrual tissue backup and that an immune system problem or a hormonal problem allows this tissue to grow in the women who develop endometriosis.

Another theory suggests that endometrial tissue is distributed from the uterus to other parts of the body through the lymph system or through the blood system. A genetic theory suggests that it may be carried in the genes in certain families or that some families may have predisposing factors to endometriosis.

Surgical transplantation has also been cited in many cases where endometriosis is found in abdominal scars, although it has also been found in such scars when accidental implantation seems unlikely.

Another theory suggests that remnants of tissue from when the woman was an embryo may later develop into endometriosis, or that some adult tissues retain the ability they had in the embryo stage to transform reproductive tissue in certain circumstances.

Research by the Endometriosis Association revealed a startling link between dioxin (TCCD) exposure and the development of endometriosis. Dioxin is a toxic chemical byproduct of pesticide manufacturing, bleached pulp and paper products, and medical and municipal waste incineration. The EA discovered a colony of rhesus monkeys that had developed endometriosis after exposure to dioxin. 79% of the monkeys exposed to dioxin developed endometriosis, and, in addition, the more dioxin exposure, the more severe the endo.

“In short most of us think of sleep as a passive and relatively constant and unchanging process. In fact, sleep is a very active state. Our bodies move frequently, as we roll about during the night, and, more importantly to the psychologist, our brain activity is even more varied than it is during the normal waking state.”

• Dement, W.C. (1978). Some must watch while some must sleep. New York: W.W. Norton.
• Pinel, J.P.J. (1992). Biopsychology. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

When awake, most people exhibit the brain wave patterns that can be classified into two types of waves, beta and alpha. Beta waves are those associated with day to day wakefulness. These waves are the highest in frequency and lowest in amplitude, and also more desynchronous than other waves. That is, the waves are not very consistent in their pattern. This desynchrony makes sense given that day to day mental activity consists of many cognitive, sensory, and motor activities and experiences, and, thus, when awake, we are mentally desynchronous as well. During periods of relaxation, while still awake, our brain waves become slower, increase in amplitude and become more synchronous. These types of waves are called alpha waves. For example, such brain waves are often associated with states of relaxation and peacefulness during meditation and biofeedback.

The first stage of sleep is characterized by theta waves, which are even slower in frequency and greater in amplitude than alpha waves. The difference between relaxation and stage 1 sleep is gradual and subtle. As the sleeper moves to stage 2 sleep theta wave activity continues, interspersed with two unusual wave phenomena. These phenomena, which occur periodically every minute or so, and are defining characteristics of stage 2 sleep, are termed sleep spindles and K complexes. The former is a sudden increase in wave frequency, and the latter is a sudden increase in wave amplitude. Stages 1 and 2 are relatively “light” stages of sleep. In fact, if someone is awoken during one of these stages, he or she will often report no being asleep at all.

Stage 1 is light sleep where you drift in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily. In this stage, the eyes move slowly and muscle activity slows. During this stage, many people experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation of falling. The first stage of sleep is characterized by theta waves, which are even slower in frequency and greater in amplitude than alpha waves. The difference between relaxation and stage 1 sleep is gradual and subtle. As the sleeper moves to stage 2 sleep theta wave activity continues, interspersed with two unusual wave phenomena. These phenomena, which occur periodically every minute or so, and are defining characteristics of stage 2 sleep, are termed sleep spindles and K complexes. The former is a sudden increase in wave frequency, and the latter is a sudden increase in wave amplitude. Stages 1 and 2 are relatively “light” stages of sleep. In fact, if someone is awoken during one of these stages, he or she will often report not being asleep at all.

In stage 2, eye movement stops and brain waves become slower with only an occasional burst of rapid brain waves.

When a person enters stage 3, extremely slow brain waves called delta waves are interspersed with smaller, faster waves.

In stage 4, the brain produces delta waves almost exclusively.

Stages 3 and 4 are referred to as deep sleep or delta sleep, and it is very difficult to wake someone from them. In deep sleep, there is no eye movement or muscle activity. This is when some children experience bedwetting, sleepwalking or night terrors. In 2008 the sleep profession in the US eliminated the use of stage 4. Stages 3 and 4 are now considered stage 3 by them.

Slow wave sleep comes mostly in the first half of the night, REM in the second half.  Waking may occur after REM.  If the waking period is long enough, the person may remember it the next morning.  Short awakenings may disappear with amnesia.

In the REM period, breathing becomes more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes jerk rapidly and limb muscles are temporarily paralyzed. Brain waves during this stage increase to levels experienced when a person is awake. Also, heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, males develop erections and the body loses some of the ability to regulate its temperature. This is the time when most dreams occur, and, if awoken during REM sleep, a person can remember the dreams. Most people experience three to five intervals of REM sleep each night.

Infants spend almost 50% of their time in REM sleep. Adults spend nearly half of sleep time in stage 2, about 20% in REM and the other 30% is divided between the other three stages. Older adults spend progressively less time in REM sleep.

Turn in tomorrow to the topic covering light sleepers vs heavy sleepers.

“It may surprise you to learn that chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, significantly affects your health, performance, safety, and pocketbook.”

WEB MD

“Personally I have no bones to pick with a dead man”.

Samuel Beckett  (April 1906 – 22 December 1989) regarded as among the most influential writers of the 20th century.