Celebrate the Journey!

You are here: Home / Archives for Barbara

Older Women and HIV

By

Womens-SymbolThis article may be graphic to some of our readers; however this topic demands full understanding.

HIV infections are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of Americans over 50 who are infected with HIV have grown over 5 times (16,300 people in 1995, to 90,600 in 2003).

While seniors represent about 14% of people with HIV, senior women represent 18%. The numbers of women with infections are even higher for American women of color, and come in at a staggering 47% when looking at world HIV infection rates. That means that just under half of all HIV infections are found in women worldwide.

Knowledge of Transmission found to be poor!

[Read more…]

What Does It Take To Have A Healthy Heart?

By

Did you know that the number one cause of death in women over 50 is heart disease?Did you also know that there a number of things you can do to protect yourself from heart disease?

Here is a list of simple strategies to help you keep a healthy and happy heart.

We all know that exercise is good for us, no surprise here. So, exercise 30 minutes daily.

Why? Because exercise is vital and it does everything good for you.

Not only will you feel better, but you will also have more energy and burn some calories along the way (and who wouldn’t like that).
Exercise gives your heart the activity she craves, improves your mood, and stabilizes your blood sugar and can prevent or improve osteoporosis.

Turns out, exercise truly is that magic bullet [Read more…]

Menopausal Weight Gain

By Leave a Comment

I’m frequently asked if it is it normal to start gaining weight during menopause. By weight I mean anywhere from 10 to 35 plus pounds in a matter of months, without changing eating habits significantly.

Many women notice weight gain (average of 1 pound per year), especially around the waist at midlife. Unfortunately we cannot put all the blame on our diminishing hormones.

While our metabolism does slow with age and decreasing muscle mass, the main culprits appear to be diminishing physical activity and eating more than our bodies require.

Does genetics play a role? Well, sort of. We can be predisposed to waistline weight gain, but basically it only means we have to work harder to keep it off.

Will hormones help? In a word, no.

The concern about weight gain is that it puts you at risk for high cholesterol levels, elevated blood pressure, and insulin resistance/diabetes. All of this increases your risk for heart disease, which is a serious issue for women.

What can you do to prevent or reverse the weight gain? The simple, yet difficult answer is to increase your exercise and reduce your calories.

Increasing your exercise has a multitude of benefits. Not only does it help you pump up your metabolism and burn fat, but that muscle mass also strengthens your bones (not to mention the cardiovascular benefits and the prevention/control of diabetes). Most of all, you just feel good.

A healthy diet is essential. With a lower metabolism rate, we don’t require loads of calories; however, no one says you should starve yourself either.

Eat smaller portions (measure them), lots of fruits and vegetables and eat only when hungry. If you need to lose weight, you will need to have a deficit of about 500 calories daily for one week to lose 1 pound.

Hair – in all the wrong places

By Leave a Comment

Facial hair growth in women is something that many of us find concerning. Assuming that you are not genetically inclined to facial air (Mediterranean, Jewish and Eastern European ancestry) or have a family history of facial hair growth in women, it could be a number of things.

One of the most common is hormonal imbalance. Women have both estrogens and androgens (male hormones). As we age, the levels of both hormones naturally decline. However, the ratio between the differences declines and it can look as if we suddenly have more of the male hormones, and therefore stray hairs.

In addition, there are some medications that can stimulate the growth of stray, darker, coarser hair and include phenytoin, cyclosporine, anabolic steroids, combination medications with testosterone such as estratest, and minoxidil (used for high blood pressure as well as baldness in men).

Sometimes though, excessive facial/body hair can be a result of physical and medical issues. For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity (adipose tissue can produce androgens). Occasionally it can be related to adrenal tumors. In these cases one will see more than just the occasional stray hair on the face. If this is happening to you, see your health care provider.

So what can do you about it? Women have been looking for ways to permanently remove facial hair for years. However, there doesn’t seem to be an easy, fool-proof and permanent way to deal with facial hair.

Common treatments include: Makeup, Radio frequency, Hormones (estrogen and progesterone), Shaving, Waxing, Laser, Electrolysis and Vaniqua – a prescription cream. According to many dermatologists, electrolysis seems to be the only method for permanent removal. Vaniqua, which is relatively new in the past few years, does not seem to work for all women. I’m unsure at this time of its long term effectiveness, if you would need to reapply and for how long.

As with most things, there does not seem to be a one-size-fits-all solution to the problem of stray facial hair. You will most likely need to try various treatments and see what works for you. However, keep in mind if your facial hair seems excessive or you have concerns, please speak with your health care provider for further evaluation.

Are You Afraid of Growing Older?

By Leave a Comment

Growing into Middle AgeNot long ago I received a note from a woman in her mid twenty’s expressing her fear of aging. She felt it was out of control and only keeping her from growing into the woman she is meant to be. She does not think poorly of older women, and in fact started her note with “I have seen many gracefully aged women and thought they are fantastic”.

However, she then continued listing some of the things that she is fearful of such as weight gain and the loss of identity, youthful looks, attractiveness, freedom, style and personality (especially around becoming a mother). There are also those unknown fears which she sums up as the “loss of God knows what”.

Sadly, this young woman’s fears are not unfounded. Many cultures in our world are youth oriented. We are bombarded daily with advertisements to look younger, thinner and more hip. TV, magazines, and music videos dictate our hair styles, fashions, and behaviors. Not only that, but if we happen to be old enough to have gray hair or any FINE lines around our eyes, we are directed to the appropriate product to erase any signs of aging.

Is it any wonder that many of us are fearful? The stereotypes around us are so misleading!

We see images of “little old ladies” that may walk hunched over, are poor, and at the mercy of dishonest people. While some images show men aging with distinction, we also see women who are just old, dry and helpless. Hogwash!

While it is true that our bodies and minds do change with age, I happen to believe that we really do get better as we mature. So, allow me to address some of the fears listed above.

  • Loss of Identity. I’ve only, in the past few years really begun to learn who I am. I’ve come into my own. I’m more self confident than ever before (and I still have a way to go!).
  •  Loss of Youthful looks. I’m going to be 49 in a few days. I do not wish to look like 25. Granted I don’t have lots of wrinkles (only a few very fine lines…they are staying, thank you!) and have only a bit of gray hair that I’ve been cultivating for many years.
  •  Weight gain. Yes it’s common, but it’s not the rule of thumb. You might notice a slight change in figure even without gaining weight. There is actually a health benefit to being a few pounds heavier, rather than be very thin as you age.
  • Loss of attractiveness. I’ve found that my own definition of beauty changes over time. I happen to think that women are actually more attractive. There is a depth and beauty that comes only with age.
  • Loss of freedom and personality. I’ve heard many women say aging gives them a freedom that is just not possible when we are younger. I think this is especially true for those of us that are mothers. When we become mothers, we take on a role that is 24/7. However as our children grow, we begin to carve out time and activities that are just for ourselves.
  • Loss of style. While I’m not sure I understand this fear, I do know that with age, I find freedom to create who I am without the dictates of the latest, greatest fashion. Since we are surer of ourselves, we have the freedom to experiment and play with who we are, and the image we want to put out there for the world to see. Personal Style at its best!

While some look at growing older as a time of loss, many women see this time of their lives differently. There is so much growth that happens as we age especially in the emotional, spiritual and yes, physical arenas. In order to make the most of getting older, it is vital that you live your life in a vibrant and healthy manner. Smile and laugh daily. Read. Eat well. Sleep well. And always engage in stimulating physical activity or at the very least exercise. Most of all, celebrate your journey through this life.

 

Categories