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Stress is a fact of life. No matter how hard you wish or even try to live a stress-free life, you can’t escape it, especially now. And midlife and menopause are prime time for stress. While the idea of stress-free living is an illusion, it’s worth the effort to rein in your stress levels. One of the best ways to do that is to learn to roll with the stress by becoming more resilient.

When you think about everything going on during this time of life, it’s not surprising that you’re stressed out. You might be worried about paying for college and saving for retirement or caring for kids and aging parents. Menopause symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, and sleepless nights add to your stress level and drain your resources to cope with it. You’re also more susceptible to some of life’s biggest stressors like the loss of loved ones, health issues, divorce, moving, or job loss during this stage of life.

How stress affects your body

Stress manifests itself throughout your body in multiple ways””tense muscles, headaches, stomach aches, sleep problems, even chest pain. But these are just the noticeable signs. Deep within your body, stress can damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, contribute to inflammation, and raise cholesterol and blood sugar levels, which over time can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, obesity, depression, and more. Stress can be so damaging that, in rare cases, a traumatic event like the death of a child has resulted in an immediate heart attack, a condition known as broken heart syndrome.

Stress””whether it’s a looming work deadline, traffic jam, family problems, or natural disaster””triggers your sympathetic nervous system, or fight or flight response, setting off a flood of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Your body is ready for action. Unfortunately, in most cases, there’s no action or resolution. Instead, your body continues to pump out higher levels of stress hormones, leading to its harmful effects on your body.

Being resilient can help you turn off this stress response and turn on your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest response. In contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic response calms you down and lowers stress hormones.

How to take control of stress

You may have heard the term resilience before, but it’s probably not what comes to mind when you’re juggling a work deadline and doctor appointments for your aging mother on top of a sleepless night due to hot flashes. But it can help. Resilience is a trait that is just starting to get talked about because research shows that it’s associated with feeling less depressed and more satisfied with your life. It may even help you to live longer.

You may think of resiliency when you hear stories about someone battling back from a near-fatal car accident or a young mother carrying on after the death of her spouse. Instead of letting the tragedy defeat them, they come out stronger. They’re resilient.

But being resilient isn’t just crucial for the big traumas in life. It can help you through the everyday lows and stress we all encounter, especially during menopause. And the more you use it, the stronger it will become””just like your muscles when you exercise them. Then when a life-altering tragedy hits, you’ll be even better able to handle it.

When you’re resilient, you don’t let stress suck you in. It’s still there, but instead of stewing in it, you acknowledge it, work through your feelings, seek support, and then problem solve and adapt. As a result, you feel more in control, and stress is less threatening to your body and mind.

Build resiliency to counteract stress and its adverse effects

While becoming more resilient can help you manage stress, managing stress can help you become more resilient. The two are intertwined, which is why some of the strategies to build resilience are similar to ones you might employ to reduce stress. Here are suggestions from Gingrich to help you manage stress and become more resilient.

Learn what stress feels like in your body. “This is an important part of understanding when stress is present and how to feel it coming on so you can build strategies to reduce it,” says Gingrich. Practicing a body scan can help you become more in touch with your body, noticing areas of tension and then working on releasing them.

Breathe deeply. Slow, rhythmic breathing can quiet your flight or fight response that stress triggers. Research has found that practicing deep breathing before bed improves sleep. Here are two breathing techniques to try. Even just a few deep breaths can be beneficial.

Practice good posture. Roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Lift your head so your chin is parallel to the floor and stand or sit tall. An upright posture can help you feel more confident and boost your mood compared to a slumped posture, according to a study published in the journal Health Psychology.

Get moving. Any exercise, even a 15-minute walk, releases mood-boosting chemicals and counteracts some of the harmful effects of stress like keeping blood vessels flexible, reducing inflammation, and lowering blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels. Vigorous exercise like a run or Spin class can be a great way to work off some stress hormones, bringing your body out of the fight or flight mode. Mind-body exercises like yoga and tai chi can also have effects. A single 90-minute yoga session has been shown to lower levels of cortisol and enhance the parasympathetic nervous system, which is involved in rest and relaxation.

Listen to your favorite tunes. Research has linked listening to music with improved immune function and lower cortisol levels.

Connect with others. Whether you join a book club, grab lunch with a friend, attend religious services, or volunteer, do something with others regularly. “Maintaining social connection is shown again and again to enhance quality of life, health, and stress resiliency,” says Gingrich. “Even small moments of connection””like in the checkout line at the grocery store””are important.” Building connections now can also make it easier to ask for help when you need it””a tough thing for many of us to do.

Increase self-compassion. You’re probably supportive if a friend or loved one has messed up or is going through a tough time. But when you’re in that position, how do you treat yourself with that same love and kindness. Being compassionate toward yourself and others can help diffuse emotional situations. To help build your capacity for compassion, a key component of resiliency, try this Loving Kindness meditation, which has been proven in scientific studies to work.

Turn off the news. Limit or eliminate negative influences such as the news, social media, or even people. The negativity adds to stress levels and can leave you feeling less hopeful. 

Build self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the belief in your ability to do something. For example, you might have high self-efficacy when it comes to your job but lower self-efficacy when parenting a teen. The higher your self-efficacy is, the more likely you are to succeed in that area. It’s also a key to being resilient. To build your self-efficacy, think about previous moments of resilience and strength. We know you have them. Reminding yourself of your abilities to weather a storm can help you view your current situation more positively.

Go out in nature. Communing with nature or “forest bathing,” as the Japanese call it, has been shown to reduce stress hormones and ease feelings of anxiety, fatigue, and depression, all of which can help build resistance. Even if you simply go out into your backyard or sit in a city park, step away from all your electronics and spend more time outside for a mental health boost.

Experiencing new symptoms and changes to your body that often accompany menopause can add to your stress level.  Meeting with a doctor who specializes in menopause will provide you support through the menopause journey, and will help you devise a personalized plan to start feeling better now.

 

The information on the Gennev site is never meant to replace the care of a qualified medical professional.  Hormonal shifts throughout menopause can prompt a lot of changes in your body, and simply assuming something is “just menopause” can leave you vulnerable to other possible causes. Always consult with your physician or schedule an appointment with one of Gennev’s telemedicine doctors before beginning any new treatment or therapy.

It’s barely an hour past lunch, and you’re hungry. Again. These days it feels like you could eat everything in your refrigerator at one go without even coming up for air.

What is going on? Why do you suddenly have the appetite of a high school track star?

First of all, there’s nothing wrong with eating. No one should feel ashamed or embarrassed about their appetite. 

But if you’re concerned your appetite, nutrition and hormones may be impacting your health, it may be useful to understand why appetite can ramp up in menopause as and how you can stay within healthy limits.

What hormones makes you hungry?

There are a few possibilities to consider, but note that the jury is still out on exactly how hormones, menopause, and appetite interact. So, as always, talk with your doc before making assumptions about your own situation.

  1. Increased ghrelin, decreased leptin. In perimenopause, levels of the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin increase, a reason why many women find themselves frequently hungry during this phase. Levels of the hormone leptin, which promotes a sense of fullness, reduce throughout peri- and postmenopause.”
  2. Increased cortisol. Persistent stress causes a lot of people to overeat as and often, to make some fairly poor choices of foods (high-fat, high-sugar “comfort” foods). So in perimenopause and menopause, when the cortisol-dampening effects of estrogen are diminished, stress-fueled appetite can increase.
  3. Decreased estrogen. Like leptin, estrogen serves to dampen appetite. One form of estrogen, estradiol, helps regulate metabolism and body weight. As estrogen declines in perimenopause and menopause, appetite ramps up.
  4. Poor sleep. During perimenopause and menopause, hormone weirdness can impact your sleep ( perimenopause night sweats, for example). Insufficient sleep can further elevate sensations of hunger.

So, since hormonal changes in midlife are inevitable as if they haven’t happened sooner as are we stuck struggling to manage our appetite and weight?

Not necessarily.

Before we get to the advice portion, there’s something we want to point out: Many of the articles we found dealing with menopause and appetite are about losing weight. We want to emphasize that we believe achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is the goal. So, we say to societal standards based on unrealistic (and frankly misogynistic) ideas about the female form, there’s the door.

Maintaining a healthy weight in menopause

When it comes to weight, it’s a jungle out there. Lots of folks want you to believe they have the answer, so be sure to do your research and talk to your doc before making radical changes or introducing new supplements or “diet aids” to your daily routine.

As our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rebecca, says, “Research into all of these hormones and neurotransmitters (some function as both) is still at the basic and translation science stage. We don’t know what it means clinically, so while it may be nice to understand to an extent how they may impact menopause and the experience of menopause, no practitioner can alter or ‘treat’ these things. If someone is selling you something to do that, they are selling snake oil as the science is, unfortunately, still years away. The only take away is to reduce your stress as best you can (which you didn’t need the science to tell you!)”

Whatever the role hormones have to play in appetite, one thing that’s quite common is the difficulty of losing weight once gained in menopause.

That may be because of our slowed metabolism, it may be due to menopausal fatigue, stress, the effects of night sweats and restless leg syndrome (RLS) on our ability to get a decent night’s sleep. 

All of which is to say: Be aware that maintaining a healthy weight in midlife may require different strategies and be patient with yourself.

Controlling menopause and food cravings

  1. Eat more fiber. Since women in midlife frequently experience constipation, this isn’t a bad idea anyway. And since fiber can make you feel fuller longer, it may help curb your appetite.
  2. Eat enough protein. Our protein needs may be less than in previous years, but it’s still important to get enough. Protein helps us feel satisfied, which obviously dampens our enthusiasm for snacking.
  3. Load up on veggies. Low-calorie, high-fiber, nutrient-dense veggies are ideal for those looking to maintain a healthy weight. They’ll fill you up for a lot fewer calories, and the fiber may benefit your gut biome, further helping with weight management.
  4. As Gloria A. Richard-Davis, MD, FACOG, NCMP wrote for the North American Menopause Society, “learn to cope without food.” A lot of us turn to the reliable pleasure and comfort of food under stress, but taking a break to walk the dog or indulge in some non-edible self-care may be a far better option.
  5. Move more. Exercise alone doesn’t do a lot for weight loss, if that’s your goal, but its benefits for heart, lungs, brain, and mood are inarguable. Keeping and building muscle after 40 is essential. Mix it up with cardio and strength training to get the biggest boost, and don’t ignore the benefits and feel-good qualities of really good stretching. Exercise can increase appetite, of course; just make sure you refuel with the right foods.
  6. Maximize your chances of getting a good night’s sleep by practicing good sleep hygiene. Some women take CBD or sleep better by eating a small snackor before bed.
  7. Drink water.  Althought being hydrated can make you pee more often, water is good for you, good for your brain, good for your body. And it can help you feel full. Humans often mistake thirst for hunger. Tired, lightheaded, unable to focus as sounds like you need food, right? Well, it’s also possible that a glass of water is what your body is actually asking for.
  8. Allow yourself the pleasure of food. Here’s what Dr. Anna Garrett says about “Vitamin P,” when we take the time to slow down and take pleasure in our food, we may be more in tune with the satiety signals that tell us it’s time to stop eating.

Clearly weight management is more complicated than “calories in, calories out.” Hormones, the stresses of life, and the unique challenges of midlife can all add layers of complication to the way we eat and the way we feel.

But it’s important to understand that weight gain isn’t personal failure. Your body is extraordinarily complex and amazing; it can also be frustratingly unpredictable. Give yourself room to experiment and learn, and don’t forget to include your doctor in major lifestyle changes.

What are your challenges in maintaining a healthy weight, and what’s worked (or hasn’t)? Please share with us by commenting here, or joining the conversation in our community forums. You can also reach out to us on Gennev’s public Facebook page or in our closed Facebook group.

 

Sleep is a precious commodity. Between menopause and our 24/7 world, getting a good night’s sleep can be tough, and the health consequences of poor sleep keep piling up. Everything from your body weight and mood to your memory and disease risk is influenced by sleep. Even your strong bones may not be immune to the dangers of poor sleep, according to the latest research. That’s why it’s essential to find out if your sleep habits are jeopardizing your sleep in menopause””and your health””and take steps to fix them.

If night sweats, anxiety, or dozens of other unknown factors are keeping you up at night, you probably want to scream every time you hear the recommendation to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night. So, we’re not going to focus on quantity here. Instead, let’s work on improving some sleep habits that may be affecting the quality of your sleep. As you improve those habits, you may naturally get more Zzzzs””bonus!

Here are 10 habits that can negatively impact your sleep and what to do about them.

1. I sleep in on weekends to catch up on sleep

You may feel better, but your body isn’t noticing a difference on a cellular level. Adverse effects of poor sleep like decreased insulin sensitivity, which contributes to diabetes, aren’t improved with a few extra hours of sleep here and there. The more erratic your sleep patterns are, the higher your risk of heart disease. And when you sleep in, it can disrupt your ability to fall asleep that night and reinforce an irregular sleep pattern.

The fix: Keep a consistent wake time. This is one of the most important steps to set yourself up for more and better sleep, according to Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Stanford University School of Medicine. Melatonin is your body’s sleep hormone. It shuts off when you wake up and turns on again at night to prepare you for sleep. A key factor that regulates melatonin’s production cycle is your wake-up time. Melatonin production ramps up 12 to 16 hours after you awaken. 

2. I go to bed after midnight, but I get seven to eight hours of sleep

Quantity isn’t the only factor when it comes to getting quality sleep, according to Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and sleep expert. Even if you’re getting the recommended number of hours, going to bed after midnight can rob you of precious deep sleep. Deep, restorative sleep happens during the first part of the night, while lighter REM sleep (both are important) happens more during the second part of the night. Turning in after midnight increases heart disease risk. In a five-year study, those burning the midnight oil had a 25 percent greater risk of heart disease than those who were lights out between 10 and 11 o’clock. The risk was 12 percent higher for those who hit the hay between 11 p.m. and midnight. And women seemed to be more susceptible to the dangers of staying up late, according to the research published in the European Heart Journal Digital Health.

The fix: Shift your bedtime before midnight to set yourself up for the best possible sleep. Having a consistent wake-up time (see #1) and getting an early dose of sunlight will help you to be able to fall asleep earlier.

3. I pop on my phone when I wake up in the middle of the night

Stop! New research from Northwestern University found that even a little light when you’re supposed to be snoozing raised heart rate and glucose levels, which can increase risk for heart disease and diabetes.

The fix: Resist the temptation to reach for your phone, even to check the time. The darker your room remains, the easier it will be to fall back to sleep and the better you’ll sleep. Invest in a low-light clock if you want to check the time. Red light doesn’t affect your body clock, waking you up, like blue or white light from your phone. If you struggle to fall back to sleep, check out the strategy in #4.

4. I frequently wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep

First, don’t reach for your phone (see #3). Second, don’t panic. The more you stress out about being awake and not getting enough sleep, the harder it will be to fall back to sleep. Instead relax. Even if you don’t fall back to sleep, it’s OK. Early research on non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) shows it can be rejuvenating. NSDR is a hyper-calm state induced through meditation or hypnosis.

The fix: When you panic or stress out because you’re wide awake at 3 a.m., you set off your body’s flight-or-fight reaction, which is not conducive to sleep. Instead, you want to remain or get back into your body’s relaxed, resting state. To help you chill out and improve your chances of falling back to sleep, try yoga nidra, a form of meditation to bring on deep rest. Even if you don’t fall back to sleep, you’ll still be getting some quality rest. You can practice yoga nidra to reduce stress and feel more refreshed any time of the day.

5. I’m a side/belly/back sleeper

Your sleeping position has been blamed for back, neck, and shoulder pain and snoring, but research to back this up is inconclusive.

The fix: Based on preliminary evidence, sleeping on your side with your legs stacked appears to be the safest position unless you have shoulder pain. Try sleeping on the opposite side if you wake up with shoulder pain. The one side position you should avoid is throwing your top leg over your body which twists your back and may contribute to both back and neck pain. Back sleepers may be more prone to snoring and waking up with a stiff, achy back. Sleeping on your belly may also aggravate back and neck pain.

6. I have a glass of wine to help me sleep

You may feel like it’s helping, but alcohol-induced sleep isn’t the best quality. While you may fall asleep faster, alcohol decreases deep sleep and causes you to wake up more throughout the night. It may also contribute to nightmares and snoring, which increases your risk for sleep apnea (see #10). 

The fix: Try a glass of tart cherry juice on the rocks or sip a cup of chamomile tea instead. Both have been found in studies to improve sleep. If you must imbibe, cut yourself off four hours before bedtime.

7. I soak in the hot tub before bed

While this may counteract your body’s natural decline in body temperature that occurs in the evening, some research shows that the dramatic post-soak dip in body temperature may enhance sleep. However, the studies didn’t specifically look at women in midlife, for whom hot water may trigger hot flashes and night sweats.

The fix: If a dip in the hot tub isn’t disrupting your sleep, enjoy! For the best impact on your sleep, time your soak for about 90 minutes before bedtime, so your body temperature has time to lower before you crawl under the covers. If hot water triggers hot flashes for you, try a warm foot bath instead. A 20-minute soak an hour before bedtime not only helped menopausal women sleep better, but it also reduced disruptive menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, according to research in the journal Research in Nursing & Health.

8. I get up at least two to three times a night to pee, but I fall back to sleep quickly

Frequent nighttime bathroom visits are a classic sign of an overactive bladder. While it’s great that you’re falling back to sleep, every trip to the bathroom disrupts restful sleep. The fewer bathroom breaks at night, the better

The fix: You can take steps to curb an overactive bladder and improve your sleep. Start by making sure that you’re well-hydrated during the day””yup, it sounds counterintuitive, but it prevents bladder irritation that can send you to the bathroom more frequently. And cut back on other bladder irritants such as caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, citrus, tomatoes and tomato-based foods, and spicy foods.

9. I hit the snooze button three to four times before getting up

This is a wake-up call that you need more sleep. And 15, even 30, minutes of fragmented sleep isn’t going to help. These short bouts of snoozing aren’t restorative and can make you feel more stressed in the morning.

The fix: Get a better night’s sleep by going to bed earlier or improving the quality of your slumber. Or, set your alarm later to enhance the quality of those extra minutes, and then get out of bed when it goes off.

10. I snore

Factors like alcohol, weight gain, sleeping position (see #5), or uncontrollable allergies can contribute to snoring. Declines in estrogen during perimenopause and menopause make women more prone to snoring.

The fix: If addressing these factors doesn’t help, talk to your doctor. Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes.

 

Now that you know how your habits might be affecting your sleep””and your health””take action! Even small changes can improve your sleep. The result: you’ll have more energy, be more productive, be better able to concentrate, react more quickly, manage your emotions better, and improve your overall health. You may even notice a decline in some menopausal symptoms, such as anxiety, mood swings, irritability, and forgetfulness. A win-win-win!

If you are experiencing changes in your sleep pattern associated with menopause symptoms (especially if body temperature instability is part of the problem), consider an appointment with a Gennev doctor to address the role that hormonal shifts can play in your sleepless nights. 

 

 

The information on the Gennev site is never meant to replace the care of a qualified medical professional.  Hormonal shifts throughout menopause can prompt a lot of changes in your body, and simply assuming something is “œjust menopause” can leave you vulnerable to other possible causes. Always consult with your physician or schedule an appointment with one of Gennev’s telemedicine doctors before beginning any new treatment or therapy.

 

How many women experience painful sex at some point in their lives? The number could go as high as 75 percent. And for many women, the condition is chronic. Painful sex can damage our relationships, keep us from enjoying all those health benefits of sex, and generally make our lives a little less rich and joyful.

That’s why Gennev hosted the Painful Sex in Midlife webinar on June 21.

How To Avoid Painful Sex In Midlife Webinar

Our panel of health care professionals, counselors, and innovators in the sexual health space answered questions, offered solutions, provided counsel, and helped attendees understand their options.

If you weren’t able to attend, no problem! We recorded the full, hour-long conversation. You can find links to the resources they discussed below.

Meet the experts who just might help you get your happy, healthy sex life back”¦.

Our Painful Sex webinar panel

Dr. Sheryl Kingsberg

2017/2018 President of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), Dr. Kingsberg’s expertise in sexual medicine, female sexual disorders, and menopause make her an invaluable resource for women, especially women in midlife. She is the Division Chief for OB/GYN Behavioral Medicine at UH Cleveland Medical Center, and Co-Director of the Sexual Medicine and Vulvovaginal Health Program at UH Cleveland Medical Center.

Dr. Rachel Gelman

Rachel Gelman is a clinician, writer, and educator with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University. She specializes in treating pelvic floor dysfunction in men and women at the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco where she serves as the Branch Director. She has advised journalists on such varied subjects as depressed vaginas, anal beads, and the squatty potty, and she even schooled Dan Savage on bladder control during intimacy.

Liz Klinger

CEO and co-founder of Lioness, Liz is bringing smart technology to the vibrator. Her unique device captures the strength and intensity of a woman’s orgasm, allowing the user to track her response and understand the factors that affect her sexual pleasure. The Lioness is great for women in midlife and in the menopause transition, as women can control the experience and gain insights into their response as their bodies change over time. Plus, you know, orgasms.

Emily Sauer

Founder and CEO of the recently developed Ohnut, Emily refers to herself as the “Director of Enthusiasm.” The Ohnut is a unique device that allows couples to control the depth of penetration, giving relief to women who experience pain during sex when their partner penetrates too deeply. One man describes it as “like a hug.” And who doesn’t like hugs? 

Jessa Zimmerman

With a Master’s in Psychology and national certification as a sex therapist, Jessa is the couples counselor you want on your team when navigating sexual health issues. She works extensively with individuals and couples and knows the toll sexual dysfunction can have on intimate relationships. If couples are avoiding sex because of physical or emotional pain or both, Jessa can help them communicate more openly, discover new options together, and find their way back to intimacy. 

Resources

Jessa Zimmerman mentioned the book When Sex Hurts. Check out her website for information on couples sex counseling; listen to her podcast, and get updates on her soon-to-be-released book, “Sex without stress; a couple’s guide to overcoming disappointment, avoidance and pressure.”

Rachel Gelman mentioned the book Pelvic Pain Explained, which you can find on her organization’s website. Click here if you’re looking for a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic pain or the pelvic floor. Stay tuned to Gennev for an upcoming blog on what to do if you don’t have a pelvic PT to turn to.

Interested in Vital V yam cream?

If deep, penetrative sex is painful, you can order an Ohnut at Ohnut.co.

Curious about your sexual response? Check out the Lioness smart vibrator.

To order lubricants and moisturizers that are proven effective for many women with vaginal dryness, visit Gennev.

What did you think of the webinar? Is there a topic you’d like us to discuss in a future webinar? Please send any feedback to info@gennev.com. We’ll be doing more of these, so please help us make them as valuable as we can.

What’s your experience with painful sex? Did you find a solution, are you still searching, did you feel you had to give up on sex? Please share in our Gennev Community forums!

 

So, last night you had popcorn and a Dr. Pepper for dinner.

Not exactly the most balanced meal, but you were hungry, it was too hot to fire up the oven, popcorn has”¦well, at least fiber, right? Could be worse.

Could also be better. But we get it: not every meal is going to be as nutritious as we might hope. And that’s OK. But chronically falling short of nutritional guidelines really isn’t great for your health, and many adults (particularly older women) don’t get enough of some pretty important nutrients.

So maybe you decide to take supplements, just to ensure you’re getting enough of everything you need.

 

 

During your weekly grocery shop, you venture into the “vitamins” aisle, take one look at the groaning shelves stocked to bursting with a million options, and back right out again, determined to eat more kale.

So let’s talk about how to buy supplements.

In this blog, we’re not going to discuss which nutrients you need (but you’re getting enough magnesium, right?). For now, we’re more concerned with how you choose supplements for menopause symptoms that are safe and effective.

Why is supplement safety a problem?

In the US, supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry. But because the government considers supplements to be more like food than like medicine, the regulation of supplements is far less rigorous than on drugs.  

Why does it matter? Because safety. Drugs must prove they are safe before they can go on the market as via trials under well-controlled conditions. Supplements are considered “safe” until someone proves the supplement has caused harm.

With so much potential profit and so little regulation, it’s a great opportunity for the unscrupulous to prey on consumers, offering “supplements” that may do nothing as or may cause more problems than they solve.

Potential risks include:

  1. Misleading labeling. A studies found that after many herbal supplements were tested, less than half contained the herb claimed on the label.
  2. Because the supplements aren’t checked by 3rd parties, unscrupulous providers may use fillers or allow contaminants into the supplements.
  3. “Extra ingredients.” In order for their “supplement” to meet the company’s claims, some have added medications such as steroids or other drugs. These are not generally listed and can cause dangerous interactions or carry health risks of their own.
  4. “New ingredients.” Untested ingredients have found their way into supplements, causing “” in the case of DMAA “” several deaths.
  5. Just because something is natural doesn’t make it safe. (Box jellyfish are “natural” too, but you wouldn’t give one to your kids as a pet.) Some herbs can interact with medications, either making them less effective or putting your health at risk. If an ingredient isn’t listed, or risks aren’t added to the label, you could unknowingly put yourself in danger.

How do we choose safe supplements?

To figure out how to find credible sources among the vast quantities of supplement providers, we turned to Dr. Wendy Ellis, Naturopathic Physician and educator.

Want safe supplements? First, says Dr. Wendy, check that the supplement’s manufacturer followed the cGMP “” Current Good Manufacturing Processes “” and that they’ve been certified via a third party audit. You should see an endorsement like this one on the supplement label.

The cGMP are set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are “a set of requirements that ensure the quality and safety, including the testing, manufacturing, preparation, storage, and other quality assurance procedures. This ensures that the dietary supplement is packaged and labeled as specified in the master manufacturing record.”

Next, Dr. Wendy says, be sure the company has and follows specifications for all raw material and finished products. Meaning, they know where their ingredients come from and how they’ve been handled. They should be able and willing to provide documentation of this on request.

Third, be sure the manufacturer tests regularly for potency and to ensure against contaminants. These include solvents used in manufacture, heavy metals or pesticides that can be picked up in when ingredients are being grown, and pesticides and molds, as herbs and other food products can be at high risk for these.

Finally, the manufacturer should be able to guarantee that the product will remain safely stable and potent throughout its shelf-life.

There are several reports that may help you determine some good supplement manufacturers.  

Here’s To Better Vitamin Safety

Obviously, it’s tough to get all this information on the label, so you may have to call the manufacturer or do some research on your own. But it’s worth it to be certain your supplements are safe and of good quality.

The health care world is still undecided about the effectiveness of supplements, but from our own experience and those of the women we work with, we know many supplements have had life changing (and menopause surviving) benefits. If you do decide to add to your diet with supplements, please do so safely, and check with your doctor to be sure supplements won’t interact with your medications.

Do you take supplements to complete your nutrition? How do you choose the ones you take? We’d love to learn more from you, so please comment below or join in the discussion on our community forums!

Thank you to Dr. Wendy Ellis, Naturopathic Physician and educator for her advice on choosing safe supplements.

 

If your Oooooooos are more Owwwws, you’re not alone. According to Emily Sauer, founder of the Ohnut, painful sex affects up to 75 percent of all women at some point in their lifetime.

Let’s say that again: Up to three-quarters of all women experience painful sex at some point in their lives. For some, the pain is temporary, the result of childbirth or vaginal dryness during certain times in their cycle as for others, it’s chronic. Many women’s pain can be solved with a good vaginal lubricant or intimate moisturizer; some may require a little more help.

Women who have pain or fear pain may start avoiding sex, which can be hard on intimate relationships, and they miss out on all the physical and emotional health benefits of a fulfilling sex life.

Sexual health is part of overall health and well-being, and pleasure during sex or intercourse shouldn’t be considered just a “nice to have.” So why does pain happen, and more importantly, what can we do about it?

 

What causes pain during sex?

According to pelvic physical therapist Rachel Gelman, “Pain with sex can be due to many factors, and a person usually has several factors at play. They can be anything from hormonal dysfunction to myofascial restrictions. As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I address the musculoskeletal piece that may contribute to pain with sex, but a patient may need other providers on board to address the other elements that may be driving their symptoms. Those providers may include a sex therapist, OBGYN, urologist, naturopath, or acupuncturist. The process can be frustrating but know that there are providers out there who can help!”

So be aware that you may need help both zeroing in on the cause and choosing the right solution.

  1. Vaginal dryness is very common among women who are perimenopausal or post-menopausal, breast-feeding, receiving cancer treatment, or taking oral birth control pills, all of which can affect hormone levels. When hormonal changes like estrogen declines, so does vaginal moisture and resiliency. The drier, thinner tissue may tear more easily in penetrative sex or play, causing pain and leaving the vagina more vulnerable to infection. Possible solutions include lubricants and moisturizers, topical estrogen creams or a low-dose vaginal estrogen ring. Or for women who can’t have or don’t want hormones, laser treatments such as the Mona Lisa Touch offer a possible alternative.
  2. Vaginal tightness can happen when a woman isn’t feeling relaxed and ready, if she’s nervous or fearful, or if she hasn’t had sex in a while. In many cases, extended foreplay and/or conversation may be all she needs. If the woman is suffering vaginismus, an involuntary tightening of the vaginal muscles, she may need to get outside help from a doctor, pelvic physical therapist, or sex specialist.
  3. Vaginal infection or irritation can certainly take the fun out of sex. Yeast infections can cause pain, even without the added friction of penetration, and irritation from contraceptives (foam, “flavored” condoms), lubricants that contain fragrances or “warming” qualities, harsh soaps or detergents, or douching can also make sex uncomfortable. In the case of infections, waiting until the infection is gone is best (and also reduces the risk of transmission); in the case of irritation, identifying and banishing the irritant should take care of the pain.
  4. Basic biology. A pain in the lower abdomen could mean your partner is actually bumping up against your cervix, the lower part of your uterus. Or if your uterus is tilted backwards, you can also have pain from too-deep penetration. You can change position to limit thrust; being on top gives the woman greater control. We’re also really excited about the launch of the Ohnut, a customizable wearable that allows you to control penetration depth in any position. Comfortable, interlocking rings placed on the penis determine how far in your fellow can go, so you can relax and enjoy the moment.
  5. Endometriosis causes a lot of women a lot of pain, including during sex. In endometriosis, the tissue that should stay inside and line the uterus grows outside as well and can involve the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and pelvic tissue. When it comes time for the tissue to slough off as it would during a normal menstrual cycle, there’s no exit, and this can cause considerable pain. Treatment for endometriosis may require surgery or pain medication, though some women find relief from hormones such as birth control pills.
  6. UTIs. Because urinary tract infections make the area sensitive and painful already, adding intercourse can increase the discomfort. Antibiotics are usually required to clear up a UTI; for recurrent issues, it might be time to consult a urologist or ob/gyn.

Don’t endure painful sex or give up intimacy entirely. Devices like the Ohnut can be part of the fun, if you keep minds and lines of communication open. And introducing a toy or vibrator like the smart Lioness Vibrator sex toy can extend foreplay, help you feel more ready (and thus more relaxed and possibly more lubricated), and bring the fun back to a potentially stressful time.

When should I talk to my doctor about painful sex?

Don’t wait. According to Rachel, “If a person is experiencing pain with sex, they should consult their healthcare provider. I know many people report their providers don’t ask about sexual function, and it can be intimidating or embarrassing to bring up, but no one should have to suffer in silence and there are many treatment options for someone experiencing pelvic pain.”

In short: If it hurts, start talking. If your doc doesn’t ask about your sex life, tell her. Because there are so many possible issues, getting properly diagnosed means identifying the right solution and getting your better sex life back that much faster.

If you need support in managing painful sex, a menopause-certified physician can be helpful. Book a visit with a Gennev doctor.

Have you experienced painful sex? What did you do or are you doing to deal with it? We’d love to hear from you, so please share in the comments below, on Gennev’s Facebook page, or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group. 

 

Unfortunately, given that menopause affects women and people in gender transition, it’s been largely ignored by mainstream medicine. That’s why we recommend you work with a menopause specialist. So doctors receive little to no training specific to the issues of menopause and post-menopause health. This is improving, but the effects of better training are only beginning to be felt and may not have trickled out to your area yet.

In fact, a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and they can provide prescription support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

Do I really need a menopause doctor specialist?

Yes. Just as you need a specialized doctor for pregnancy and childbirth, you really need a specialized doctor for menopause.

The body changes that come with this time in a person’s life are profound and systemic “” because we have estrogen receptors virtually everywhere in our bodies, when that estrogen dips, flows, and recedes, the impacts are felt everywhere.

So, it’s possible your doctor may not know a lot about menopause. According to the CT Mirror, “One recent survey of obstetrics/gynecology residents found that fewer than one in five polled reported receiving any formal training in the topic.” And those are OB/GYN residents! Now imagine how much training your GP has probably had.

This lack of expertise, coupled with the still-pervasive misinformation from the Women’s Health Initiative on the safety of Hormone Replacement Therapy for hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, means many women just aren’t getting the treatment they need and deserve. Doctors who specialize in menopause are still a bit like unicorns, so you may need to search a bit to find one.

What is a menopause specialist?

While the designation “menopause specialist” isn’t recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, there are ways to tell if your doctor has a good understanding of menopause care. We encourage anyone needing medical help with menopause symptoms to interview doctors; anyone can call themselves a “menopause doctor specialist” “” be sure yours really is one.

NAMS, or the North American Menopause Society, is the largest non-profit organization devoted specifically to the health of women in midlife and beyond. Their membership is made up of experts in the field, in medicine, nursing, sociology, psychology, nutrition, epidemiology, and so on.

NAMS offers a training and certification that is generally considered to be excellent and reliable, so if your doctor is an NCMP (NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner), you can rest assured they have had quality training. If your doctor is not an NCMP, that doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to deal with menopause issues; you may just want to conduct a bit of your own research.

Questions for your ob/gyn or physician:

  1. Are you certified by the North American Menopause Society?
  2. What percentage of your practice is with women in midlife and menopause?
  3. What is your position on hormone replacement and why?
  4. What lifestyle changes do you recommend, if any, and why?
  5. How do you treat those in menopause and perimenopause differently than premenopausal patients?
  6. What kinds of problems and outcomes have you seen for women dealing with menopause issues?
  7. On average, how much time do you spend with these patients during a visit?
  8. What society recommendations do you follow when providing menopause care? (The North American Menopause Society or NAMS is a good answer. ACOG or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is another.)
  9. Are you willing to earn an NCMP designation? Why or why not?

Finally, listen to your gut. When dealing with such personal, sensitive issues, you want a doctor you feel comfortable with. You may need to be very open about your sex life, your intimate areas, and things we’ve been culturally conditioned to be embarrassed about (periods, hot flashes, aging, libido). Docs, and particularly OB/GYNs, are ready to talk frankly “” you need to be too.

How do I find doctors who treat menopause near me?

If you are looking for doctors who treat menopause near you, sadly, there probably isn’t one physically close to you. The number of OB/GYNs in most industrial nations is declining. We’re already facing a shortage in the US, and we’re losing more to retirement than we’re gaining from medical schools.

And since menopause management doctors are already thin on the ground, those in need of menopause treatment are already finding it difficult to locate the care they need. Searching on “menopause specialist near me” isn’t likely to find you much.

Fortunately, there are resources.

Menopause care via telemedicine

If there isn’t a menopause-focused doctor in your area, you’re not out of luck. The rapid growth of telemedicine during COVID has made it possible for women to access great menopause care, anywhere their internet connection reaches. Gennev offers [telemedicine access ](https://gennev.com/plans)to menopause specialists. Our team of gynecologists serve patients in all 50 states, so you are assured to find a licensed, experience and often-times NAMs-certified practitioner at the click of a button. You can learn more about Gennev’s team of menopause specialists here .

Technology is filling the gap for many women.

For many of us, prior to COVID, the idea of seeing a doctor virtually was nearly unimaginable. How can they diagnose us via a camera?

It’s very possible, says our own Chief Medical Officer, NCMP and gynecologist Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su. In fact, she says, most menopause care is based around a conversation between patient and practitioner, and this may actually be better via telemedicine.

“When it’s a telemedicine appointment, I generally have lots of information before we even start talking. That means I have the basics and can jump right into the problem/solution part of the conversation,” says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su. “Often women don’t know what’s going on with them, so by asking questions, I can help them figure out where they are in their journey and what menopause treatment options they have. At Gennev, we’re open to any treatment that shows promise and is medically proven to be safe. All women are different and every menopause journey is unique, so we want to be sure women have access to every possible option.”

And because Gennev has a wide network of menopause focused doctors, if a patient needs to be seen in person, Gennev’s telemedicine doctors can make referrals and help women prepare for their appointments.

COVID revealed a need for more telemedicine access, and Gennev took advantage of modified requirements to bring more states on board and staff them with doctors who specialize in menopause. “Prior to COVID, each state had different requirements for a doctor to practice in their state via telemedcine,” says Gennev CEO Jill Angelo. “COVID proved that some states were lagging behind due to unnecessary barriers. Thanks to a reduction in barriers, we’re now able to provide a truly qualified menopause practitioner in every state in the US.”

Find a menopause specialist

A great way is using the “Find a Menopause Practitioner” feature on the NAMS website. All the doctors listed are NAMS members, and those certified by NAMS are designated as such.

Another tool? Each other. If you’re looking for a great doc, ask your friends; if you have one, share!

So, don’t wait until menopause symptoms make your life difficult. If you’re a woman, it’s never too soon or too late to get informed.

If you’re premenopausal, a doctor or menopause-trained health coach can help you understand how to take care of yourself now to feel great and avoid problems in the future. If you’re in perimenopause or if you’re post-menopausal, get the help you need to relieve symptoms and protect your bones, brain, heart, soul, and body for the many years of vibrant life yet to come.

 

Having the best ob/gyn is important, no matter what stage of life you’re in, but with all the changes and weirdness of midlife likeperimenopause rage and menopause hot flashes, a good gynecologist can be the difference between barely surviving and thriving.

And gynecologists of any kind are getting harder to find. “By 2020, there will be a shortage of OB-GYNs of up to 8,800, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. And by 2050, the shortage may grow to 22,000.”

That doesn’t mean you should settle for anything less than the right doctorfor you.

To help you decide if the doc you’ve got is the right OG/GYN for you, we asked the doc who’s perfect for us: Gennev Director of Health and ob/gyn Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su.

If you are looking for a great OB/GYN, a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and they can provide prescription support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

How do you know when you’ve found the best OG/GYN for you?

According to Dr. Rebecca, the key to finding a beneficial therapeutic relationship is finding the right balance of some key ingredients:

  1. Comfort and relatability as are you able to communicate well together?
  2. Their knowledge, experience, and credentials as do they have any special training or interest in menopause?
  3. Their ability to treat you appropriately as are they open to all the possibilities?

So, says Dr. Rebecca, since they’ll spend plenty of time assessing you, it’s worth your time to take a moment to assess them.

One: Have a “talking” appointment with the doctor

“Go for an appointment and talk with them about your concerns and issues. If you’re in the US, often they’ll only have 15 as 30 minutes to spend with you (thank you, American medical system), but that may be all you need to decide if you relate to them and them to you. Do their explanations make sense and feel genuine?”

Even if a doctor or specialist for menopause is terrific, he or she may not be right for you. If their style is to be abrupt and you prefer someone a bit more nurturing, then it may not be the best connection. You really want someone you can communicate openly with, about some of the most intimate topics in your life, so keep looking until you find a connection that encourages open and frank discussion.

On a side note, says Dr. Rebecca, “Don’t discount a physician just because they’re telling you something you don’t want to hear. Listen to what they’re saying. Sometimes they’ll have an important warning for you, and you need to hear it.”

Two: Check out their ob/gyn credentials

Are they Board Certified and have they maintained that certification? In the US, you can check that your physician is certified on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology website. Do they belong to national and local ob/gyn societies? “There are good medical school and residency programs all over the country,” Dr. Rebecca says, “but that not the only thing you should judge them on. You want a doctor who keeps up with current research and does her or his due diligence. You can also look for a practitioner who is a member of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) or who has taken their certified menopause practitioner exam.”

(Here’s a handy list of definitions of credentials, from NAMS.)

Do they have a practice focus on women in midlife and menopause? Ob/gyns tend to “age into” a more menopause-focused practice, Dr. Rebecca says. “As ob/gyns start in practice, they tend to do a lot of obstetrics, as that is how women often come into our care. As we age and our patients age with us, we do more and more midlife and menopause care.” That’s not to say that age (or lack of) is an indicator of ability (or lack of), of course.

Three: ask about menopause treatment options

Menopause has a whole range of symptoms and challenges, and a single therapy may not entirely resolve all the discomforts. You want a doc with both a broad range of information and also an open mind about options for menopause treatment.

“Ask them how they evaluate alternative and complementary therapies and how you should navigate them. Most MD practitioners will not prescribe them, but they should be familiar and able to talk about safe and unsafe options. They should definitely know about possible interactions. If you’re already taking any alternative therapies, never hide them, as they impact your traditional medical care. Even if you’re taking “˜natural’ and “˜harmless’ herbs, they can interact with medications.”

Plus, if you don’t feel you can openly discuss all your treatments with your doctor, that may be a red flag that this isn’t the doctor for you.

Ask the doc about his or her approach to hormone therapy (HRT) and the alternatives. There’s a lot of confusion among women as and some among docs as  about the efficacy and safety of hormones. Understand this doctor’s position and how they use hormone therapies, says Dr. Rebecca. “Do they use hormones in everyone? In no one? Do they customize treatment to each individual patient?”

Four: assess the doctor’s office

“How do they run their group?” Dr. Rebecca asks. “Will you be seen mostly by the same doctor? If you need a quick appointment, how easy is it to get in? What call system do they have for emergencies? Do they have mid-level providers like nurse practitioners, midwives, or Physician Assistants who help get urgent visits in, and if so, how are they supervised?” You want a clinic or office that is sufficiently staffed, organized, and clean, so don’t be afraid to extend a few questions to the nurses or other staff.

Finally, Dr. Rebecca says, “Approach your visit with an open mind. Just as you don’t feel happy if you’re not heard by your doctor or other practitioner, we also get frustrated when a patient comes in not able to hear what we have to say. In the end, if it’s not a good match, we won’t be hurt if you go elsewhere.”

“But,” Dr. Rebecca adds, “be introspective. Think about what these practitioners are telling you, even if they are telling you something you don’t want to hear. You can always find someone who will give you what you want without question, but please listen to those who question or warn you as they may be providing important, even life-saving information.”

Tell us about your awesome ob/gyn! How did you find him, how long have you been seeing her, what makes them so amazing? Please feel free to comment here, or start a thread in our community forums. You can also reach out to us on Gennev’s public Facebook page or in our closed Facebook group.

 

When we talk to women about what would have the greatest beneficial impact on their quality of life, there’s one answer that seems to stretch across the entire menopause experience:

Sleep.

It affects everything about our lives “” our mood, our energy levels, our productivity, our confidence, our weight, our physical and mental health in menopause “” for good or ill.

Not enough quality sleep can lead to serious medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Our immunity can be challenged when our sleep tanks, and that’s especially bad right now.

The occasional sleepless night is uncomfortable but not particularly harmful (unless you doze off while driving “” please don’t do that), but many women we talk to feel like they haven’t had a decent sleep in years. And that takes a real toll on body, mind, and joy.

There are lots of reasons women sleep poorly in this time: hot flashes/night sweats, anxiety, restless leg syndrome, urinary issues, pain”¦. Women in perimenopause and post-menopause have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and they wake up more tired than they were the night before.

Unfortunately, sleep disruption doesn’t usually disappear along with other menopause symptoms. Poor sleep can also be a result of simply getting older. But good news: we can help.

How To Get Better Sleep During Menopause

For many women, a truly effective solution is cannabidiol or CBD. One of many components of the hemp plant, CBD is being studied for a wide range of health benefits, including managing some seizure disorders in children, but also potentially heart disease, some cancers, even dementia.

And while the scientific community is still researching CBD to determine its efficacy, so many women asked us to create a safe, smart supplement, that we jumped into the research with both feet.

Here’s what we learned:

Reported benefits

For many, CBD can help reduce pain, depression, and anxiety and promote relaxation.

How? Well, our bodies already produce endocannabinoids, nuerotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors present in our nervous systems. It’s possible that CBD reduces pain by interacting in that process and reducing inflammation.

And here’s a hint: add a magnesium glycinate capsule to your pre-bed routine for even more natural pain-relief, sleep-promoting assistance.

When it comes to anxiety and depression, CBD may be acting on the brain’s serotonin receptors, imitating the “feel-good” properties of the neurotransmitter. By alleviating pain and worry and promoting relaxation, CBD may be making it a whole lot easier to fall asleep.

Adding melatonin

Our bodies naturally produce the hormone melatonin in the evenings as sunlight diminishes. It helps our bodies and minds relax and prepare for sleep.

However, melatonin production declines with age, making good sleep harder to come by. Adding back some of the lost melatonin may help you fall asleep sooner, stay asleep longer, and get better quality sleep, says the Mayo Clinic

Melatonin may be of particular help if you travel a lot and have to deal with jet lag and time zones, or if your work shift hours dictate sleeping in the day and working through the night.

According to Gennev Naturopathic Physician Dr. Wendy Ellis, 1 mg is typically the amount that provides restorative sleep without the next-day “hangover.”

“You want to mimic normal physiologic doses (the amount the body makes on its own) as much as you can, and most studies say that is 0.3 to 0.8 mg per day. Three milligrams or 5mg is typically too much,” she says.

 

Legality, side effects, concerns

If you’re concerned about taking CBD, the following information might help.

Cannabidiol (CBD) as which comes from the hemp plant, not from the marijuana plant “” does not have psychoactive properties and is legal in all 50 states in the US. It is considered generally safe. In fact, the World Health Organization says, “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential”¦. To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”

Side effects can include nausea, fatigue, and irritability, says Harvard Health; if you’ve been warned away from grapefruit because of its blood thinning effect, you should avoid CBD products as well.

The greatest concern around CBD for most medical professionals is that it’s unregulated, so it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re getting. Be sure you’re getting CBD from a reliable source.

And of course, we always recommend letting your doctor know you’re adding something new “” just in case there are any concerns the CBD and/or melatonin may interact with medicines you’re taking or health concerns you have.

This transition in your life can be very drying as menopause can cause dry eyes, hair, a dehydrated mouth, itchy skin, dry vagina. As estrogen diminishes, so does the amount of moisture available and our body’s ability to suck it up and retain it.

In none of these places is the dryness really welcome: dry eyes can fog our vision; dry skin itches and wrinkles, and a dry vagina can make penetrative sex unpleasant, even painful.

If you are thinking about a vaginal dilator for painful sex, consult with a specialist. A Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and they can provide prescription support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

Menopause Painful Intercourse

The vagina doesn’t just get drier in menopause; it can actually get narrower, shorter, and less flexible. All of these can contribute to pain during sex. And, as we already know, there is no shortage of causes for hurtful sex, especially painful sex after pregnancy or throughout menopause and perimenopause (even intercourse after menopause).

Fortunately, vaginal dilators are a good tool for managing these changes. To get the best results, you’ll need the right equipment, a little training, and some patience. With time, you may be able to increase the width and depth you’re able to tolerate (even enjoy!) and restore some elasticity.

Intimate-Moisture

We strongly recommend you start by consulting a pelvic physical therapist, if possible. A pelvic PT can tell you if something else is causing your pain (like pelvic organ prolapse) and advise you on how to proceed with dilators.

A couple of things to make clear: feeling ashamed or as if you’ve somehow failed is neither necessary nor accurate. These changes in the body are normal, though women and their partners don’t have to live with them. Many women don’t get help for vaginal dryness or atrophy because of embarrassment “” they’re even too ashamed to talk with their own doctors.

Women around the world are raving about Gennev’s Intimate Moisture. We designed a lubricant for sex so you can start enjoy yourself again.

You can go down the vaginal dilator path completely on your own, as they don’t require a prescription. But we recommend you talk about it with your ob/gyn or one of ours to eliminate other possible causes and get instructions on how to proceed. 

What are vaginal dilators?

Dilators are generally made of plastic, rubber, silicone, or glass, are tube shaped, and come in a set of 5 to 8 graduated sizes. Inserted in the vagina, they gently stretch the vaginal walls over time.

Dilators range in size from half an inch in circumference for the smallest to just over an inch and a half at the largest. They are smooth-surfaced, rounded at one end, and may come with an interchangeable handle for easier use.

Who are dilators good for?

Most women use dilators to enable them to enjoy vaginal sex again, though they may also be used to prevent or reverse atrophy due to lichen sclerosis flare ups or menopause. Women who have a fear of pain due to cystitis or other factors may also find dilators help them relax, as it puts them in control of the level, pace, and timing of penetration.

Additionally, women who have had cancer may find changes in the vagina beginning as a result of treatments or surgery; starting with dilators as soon as possible may help avoid vaginal atrophy from developing or worsening.

How To Use Vaginal Dilators For Atrophy

You want to ensure maximum relaxation, so be sure you have plenty of time and privacy. Using vaginal dilators for atrophy generally takes between 10 and 15 minutes. 

Our ob/gyn Director of Health, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, says women in perimenopause and menopause should always always use a lubricant when inserting anything into the vagina. As long as your dilator isn’t made of silicone, a silicone-based lubricant is best, as silicone stays slippery longer. If your dilator is made of silicone, stick to water-based lubes like our Personal Lubricant to avoid damaging the dilator’s surface.

Unless a pelvic PT tells you otherwise, it’s usually best to start with the smallest dilator in your set. Lube it up, then lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, and insert the dilator as you would a tampon. But go slowly, applying gentle pressure. If you feel any pain, stop. You should feel pressure only as never pain. If you don’t feel much of anything, you may need to try the next size up.

The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center suggests doing Kegels to help you insert the dilator, as these exercises can help relax your pelvic floor muscles. You can also do Kegels during the process, as it may allow you to go in a little farther.

Once inserted, you can push in and pull back on the dilator to gently stretch the length of your vagina. Soft circles can help with increasing width. Feel free to add more lubricant as needed to keep things comfortably moist. About 10 minutes is all you need at one time. Sloan Kettering advises using moisturizers in the intimate area every night before bedtime to keep things pliable.

Once you’ve finished, remove the dilator, wash with warm, soapy water, and store according to your dilator’s instructions.

Advice differs on how often to use the dilators, but at least 4 times a week seems like a good average. If there’s no pain or irritation, you can probably do more, though too many days in a row isn’t advised. Be patient. Use each size for several weeks until the next size up causes no discomfort. It may take several months to achieve the results you want. 

You may have some bleeding after using dilators; this is normal. An amount of blood easily handled by a panty liner is normal. Enough blood to soak a pad or bleeding that lasts longer than one day are flags. Please talk with a doctor immediately if you notice excessive blood or bleeding that lasts too long.

How do you choose them?

Like so many things, there are a dizzying array of options. We suggest you find a good site that offers not just products, but good information and advice. Dr. Rebecca really likes Seattle-based Babeland for its very no-nonsense, informed approach to healthy sexuality.

Dr. Rebecca also suggests sets that come with a vibrating wand that cam help with relaxation, even add pleasure. Babeland offers the Intimate Basics Dilator set, which is on Dr. Rebecca’s list of good options.

If you’ve used a dilator, we’d love to hear how it worked for you. Feel free to tell us about it in the comments below, find us on Facebook or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our Facebook group.

 

Grip strength: it’s not just about handshakes and pickle jars. The strength of your hands and forearms is actually a pretty decent predictor of future health.

Grip strength defined

According to Ruth Litchfield of Iowa State University, “Grip strength is a measure of muscular strength or the maximum force/tension generated by one’s forearm muscles.”

If you have your grip strength tested by your PT or doc, chances are they’ll hand you a device called a dynamometer. Squeeze the device three times, as hard as you can, and your result is the average of those three squeezes.

A good result for women over 40, according to a 2010 article in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, was at least 44 pounds of squeezing strength. (For comparison, human gecko free climber Alex Honnold squeezed over twice that at the Oscars).

Be aware that conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis can impact grip strength, so if you have either or both of those conditions, your numbers may well be lower.

Why do we care about grip strength and longevity?

Turns out, grip strength is cheap, quick, and pretty accurate predictor of future health.

A study done in the UK from 2007 to 2010 followed over half a million participants to see how well grip strength did as a measure of overall health and wellness. Participants ranged in age from 40 to 69 at the outset, were 54% female, and included a range of ethnicities, body mass indices, socioeconomic statuses, pre-existing conditions, and lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, physical activity, and diet.

Translation: it was a pretty good as though not perfect as sampling of the general population.

 

 

The aim of the study was to see if there was a correlation between grip strength and mortality and disease. Researchers wanted to determine if poor grip strength was associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, COPD, all cancers as and in particular breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers as and mortality overall.

Turns out, as a predictive measure, grip strength is pretty accurate. For both men and women, they found, a lower grip strength of 5 kg (11 pounds) “was associated with a higher hazard for all cause mortality and incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular disease, all respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, all cancer, and colorectal, lung, and breast cancer.”

The association between grip and wellness declines a bit with age, perhaps because other factors can weaken muscles as we age, not just illness.

Why does this measure work?

It’s probably not the strength of hands and forearms that determine longevity; instead, it’s that grip strength is a good stand-in for overall health and wellness. Retaining muscle strength overall often leads to better health outcomes.

As Darryl Leong of McMaster University told The Washington Post, “Muscle strength is an indicator of your ability to withstand diseases. When you are stronger and you become ill, you have reserves that you can draw on to help fight the disease. Without muscle strength, your odds are significantly poorer.”

I struggle with pickle jars. Am I doomed?

Of course not, unless you depend on pickles for survival.

There are lots of factors that can impact grip strength. It has a strong hereditary component, according to the authors of the UK study (about 52%), but grip strength may also be a reflection of lifestyle.

So if a go at the dynamometer shows you have sub-optimal grip strength, there are things you can do to improve your overall health. (Just an FYI, though; simply improving grip strength probably won’t change your risk of developing certain diseases.)

Get at least 10-15 minutes of physical activity a day. Cardiovascular workouts such as swimming, biking, running, and walking are great, but try to add in some weight and resistance training. Not only is exercise good for muscles mass, it’s good for your bones, weight, and mood, all of which can increase longevity.

Improve core strength and balance. Falls and injuries due to falls are one of the leading causes of death among older Americans.

Eat a healthy diet. Older adults may need to keep an eye on their protein intake to be sure they’re getting enough protein to maintain muscle mass.

Don’t smoke. In addition to all the other negative impacts, smoking also affects strength. Even if you exercise, you’ll retain less muscle or add muscle more slowly if you’re a smoker.

Sitting around squeezing a stress ball to increase hand strength probably won’t help you live longer if you’re not also eating well, sleeping sufficiently, and exercising. (Though if it actually relieves stress, keep it up!)

The truth is, crashing fatigue, busy lives, mood issues such as depression, or menopause symptoms can all lead us to give up on those truly healthy lifestyle choices, like getting out for a walk or cooking our own meals. If you need a little encouragement, testing hand strength might be a good incentive, since you can actually see progress over time.

The next time you see your doc or PT, ask if you can take a grip test. Write down your numbers, left and right hand. In 3 months, test it again: have all those good, healthy changes you’ve made shifted the needle?

If you’ve tested your grip, or if you want to take us up on the challenge, let us know how it’s going. Please join us in our public forums, leave us a note on the Gennev Facebook page, or join our community in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group. 

 

Healthy eating is an integral part of caring for yourself throughout the menopause journey.  And the same nutritional strategies that support your body through menopause, also support a healthier heart.  The key to eating for your health is to build your meals by balancing nutrients to feel full and satisfied, support blood sugar, as well as lower inflammation and cholesterol.

When you are stretched for time, convenience can interfere with your best intentions for eating well. But a healthy meal doesn’t have to be complicated.  A few key components can help you build a nutritious, balanced lunch that will keep you well-fueled.  Gennev Health Coach and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Jessica Gingrich, shared with us the four steps to building a heart healthy salad plate.

If you hit these four components, you will achieve a satisfying, delicious way to enjoy your lunch break.

Need some inspiration?  Gennev’s Health Coach team shared their personal take on three heart-healthy, menopause-supportive salad plates.

Coach Monika:

The Winter Happiness Salad (appropriately named) is a favorite go-to of mine to prepare a quick and easy lunch for the whole week. Unlike some green salads, this one will not get soggy. It is loaded with monounsaturated fat and fiber to support heart health and satiety too. Not only is it a great lunch option but a wonderful potluck dish or dinner side as well.

If you are tight on time, you can skip the steps to toast and grind fennel and coriander seed. The salad is still packed with flavor without these additions.

 

Coach Katie:

My go-to salad is a simple grain bowl, inspired by a local Seattle favorite from Evergreens Salad: the Super Bowl. This salad provides a great mix of nutritious carbs, fats, and proteins to keep you full and satisfied, and support your energy levels throughout the day.

 

Coach Jessica:

My go-to lunch salad is one of my favorites to duplicate for dinner on those late nights when I am not up for intensive cooking.   

 

Need solutions or support to optimize your health as well as manage menopause symptoms? Schedule a visit with a menopause specialist.  They can help you understand your symptoms and create a personalist treatment plan so you can thrive in midlife and beyond.