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The Only "Monthly Arrival" You Can Count on in MidLife!

Dear Minnie Pauz Fans,

 March reminds us that the circle of the seasons continues and that there IS something between winter and spring. But, as we've seen all across the world with the wild fluctuation of weather and temperatures, sometimes it's peaceful and sometimes it's out of control. Sometimes we can manage it and sometimes we must just endure it for a period of time. If this somehow sounds familiar, then you must be experiencing YOUR March! (that sounds better than menopause, doesn't it?) And believe it or not, your Spring is on its way! (March 20) THAT is something to smile about! :)

Is anyone else confused about all the different "natural" supplements we are prodded to take as we try to eliminate taking drugs for every ailment under the sun? I started out by saying, "wow, I have to try that! and that....and that, etc." Then you start hearing that the supplements you bought "may not have all the benefits you had hoped for" due to many brands that don't use the part of the plant that has the helpful ingredients. Huh? Now we have to become detectives, scientists and naturopaths to just be as healthy as possible?

Even Dr. Oz's recommendations have become confusing. He gives SO many solutions for our health problems, that it's hard to keep track of what helps and what we need to avoid. My head is usually swimming by the end of his show! LOL! I do give him credit for bringing experts (ie: Dr. Mercola and Dr. Weil) with different viewpoints on to the show and having open discussions about controversial topics.

What are the most common natural supplements for menopause? According to WebMD they are the following (with a brief description of what to take them for and any cautions* you should observe: 
 

Black Cohosh Flaxseed Calcium Red Clover Vitamin D Wild Yam

Ginseng St. John's Wort DHEA Dong Quai Soy

******Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any supplements you take. Remember: All supplements have potential side effects.
Supplements and herbs may interact with some medicines you take. They could boost or negate a medicine's effect. Or the interaction could cause other problems. Some herbs can cause allergic reactions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Dee
The Original Rebel with the Pause!
Copyright © 2012 Dee Adams All Rights Reserved

Menopausal hormone therapy doesn't have to follow "the lowest dose for the shortest time" strategy for all women anymore, the North American Menopause Society said today.

The group endorsed a flexible approach to duration that takes into account the type and timing of therapy and individual patient characteristics in a statement in its journal, Menopause.

For women in their 50s, the absolute risks are low; younger women without a history of breast cancer can use replacement hormones at least until the normal menopause age around 51, and longer if needed for symptom management, according to the guidelines. Read full article

Eating oranges and grapefruit daily seem to help lower the risk of stroke among women, thanks to compounds called flavones they contain. This news comes from reviewing 14 years of follow-up data gathered from 70,000 women participating in the U.S. Nurses' Health Study, a landmark trial that has been on-going since 1976 and is still recruiting volunteers. The stroke findings were published online February 23 in the journal Stroke. Flavones are a subclass of flavonoids, antioxidant compounds found naturally in fruits, vegetables, red wine, dark chocolate, coffee and tea. The researchers, from England's Norwich Medical School, found that women whose diets included the most flavones had a 19 percent lower risk of stroke linked to blood clots than those whose diets were lowest in flavones. They reported that most of the flavones came from citrus fruits, and recommended that women choose whole fruits rather than juice to increase their flavones intake. A typical serving of citrus fruit contains 45 to 50 mg of flavones. The women with the highest intake consumed more than 470 mg per day. The researchers noted that the women whose diets included the most flavones also ate more fiber, took in less caffeine and alcohol, smoked less and exercised more than the women with the lowest flavones intake. Read more....

From HealthyWomen.org: "Colon Cancer Screening: Don't Delay It"

The worst part of the colonoscopy, many agree, is the prep. For years, that meant drinking a large quantity of a nasty tasting liquid (even though it came in several flavors), designed to "empty you out." Today, however, depending on the recommendation from your colonoscopist, you may only need to take a handful of pills. You’ll still spend a few hours in the bathroom, but at least you don’t have to choke down that awful liquid. More....

In the world of fantasy wish lists, wouldn't it be great if, instead of, prompting us to snack all the time, our bodies would just use up fat we have already stored? One major reason this doesn't happen has to do with our diets. When you consume starch and refined sugar, these foods enter the bloodstream quickly, causing a sugar spike. Your body then produces the hormone insulin to drive that sugar from your bloodstream into cells. But over time, excessive levels of insulin can make your muscle cells lose sensitivity to the hormone, leading to type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Your fat cells are another story: They always remain sensitive. Insulin spikes lock fat into them, so you can't use it for energy. Read more....

From Nutrition Breakthroughs:  "New Studies on Sleep Inducing Foods for Insomnia"

If we were to eavesdrop and listen in while the “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates spoke to his students in 400 B.C., we would hear him saying: "Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”  These words ring even more true today, when WorldHealth.net reports that each year prescription drugs injure 1.5 million people to the degree that they require hospitalization. Sleeping drugs, also known as “hypnotics”, come with their own set of side-effects.  For those who seek natural options, some recent research studies have uncovered additional food-based remedies for insomnia.

In a study from the University of California San Diego, researchers examined the effects of potassium supplementation on sleep quality. A placebo-controlled study compared one week of oral potassium chloride supplements to one week of identical placebo capsules.  Their results were published in the journal “Sleep”, and showed that potassium significantly increased sleep efficiency due to a reduction in “Waking After Sleep Onset”. This indicates an improvement in sleep consolidation (less interruption) with potassium supplementation.

One of the highest sources of potassium is the banana, which contains about 400 milligrams.  Eating a banana before bedtime or during the night may help reduce the frequency of nighttime awakenings.  Other sources of potassium include baked potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach, almonds and prunes.

In another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers measured the effect that different types of rice have as sleep remedies.  Mahatma rice (low carbohydrate rice) was compared to Jasmine rice (high in carbohydrates) for their effects on sleep quality.  The rice was eaten either four hours before bedtime or one hour before bedtime. The study concluded that a high carbohydrate-based meal resulted in a significant shortening of the time needed to fall asleep, when eating it four hours before bed time.

The seed oil of garden lettuce has been used in folk medicine since ancient times as a sleeping aid.  A study from the June 2011 issue of the International Journal of General Medicine examined the effectiveness of lettuce seed oil in people who had frequent insomnia.  At the end of the one-week study, eighteen out of the twenty-five patients who took the lettuce seed oil supplements rated their insomnia as “very much or much improved”, while only five of the people in the placebo group reported better sleep.

Eating a lettuce salad with some heart-healthy olive oil in the evening may assist the process of relaxation when it comes time for bed.  The darker the color of green the leaves are, the richer the lettuce is in vitamins and minerals.

According to William Sears, M.D., “The best bedtime snack is one that has both carbohydrates and protein, and perhaps some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods."

Sleep remedies containing highly absorbable, quick acting forms of calcium and magnesium, such as Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, can be helpful with both falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.  This natural sleep remedy contains six types of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb - all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium loss and increase bone density.

Sandy M. of La Verne, California says: “I have been using Sleep Minerals II for several months now and I see a marked improvement in my sleep. I have struggled with anxiety and sleeplessness for nearly 15 years -- increasingly so in the last 10 years. I've tried everything on the market including herbal teas, melatonin, GABA, Ambien, Lunesta, and more. Nothing has worked like Sleep Minerals II."

Hippocrates sums it all up by saying: “Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”  Many natural remedies have multiple benefits in the body, so seek out natural options to increase your life force and overall health.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II
 

From NaturalNews.com: "Broccoli delivers a one-two punch to prevent cancer development and progression"

Broccoli is a super star member of the cruciferous family, well known and documented as an immune boosting food that supports the healthy clearance of aberrant cancer cells before they multiply and develop into detectable tumors. Researchers reporting in the journal Clinical Epigenetics have found that the bioactive compound in broccoli, sulforaphane provides a multi-modal attack against cancer cell development and proliferation through the complex mechanism of epigenetics. Read full story.....

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Eating Low Carb? Try Shirataki Noodles! * made of naturally water soluble fiber with no fat, sugar, or starch. * contain zero net carbohydrates and zero calories, no gluten-made of a healthy natural fiber called Glucomannan. * wheat & gluten free and kosher. * Easily absorbs the flavors of any soup, dish, or sauce.   *are instant and come in a variety of styles. * have shown beneficial effects backed by medical studies for Type II Diabetes, Constipation, Obesity, and Cholesterol  From Dr. Andrew Weil: "I'm a great fan of shirataki noodles."

The Love/Avon Army of Women, an initiative of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, thanks to a generous grant from the Avon Foundation for Women offers a revolutionary new opportunity for YOU to partner with research scientists to move breast cancer beyond a cure. “Over and over I’ve heard scientists lament how difficult it is for them to find the volunteers they need for research studies. I’ve long believed that helping scientists overcome this obstacle would accelerate our understanding of what causes breast cancer and how to end it. By responding to this need, the Army of Women will change the face of breast cancer research.” Susan Love, MD, MBA.....President, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation