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Sleep may seem more elusive during midlife and menopause than any other time of life – even after having a new baby. Ninety-six percent of women in midlife say that poor sleep is one of their top three symptoms of menopause, according to a recent Gennev survey. To make matters worse, it seems like every day there’s another health problem attributed to a lack of sleep””weight gain, memory problems, decreased immunity, and increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even cancer. No wonder you can’t sleep!

“When sleep becomes a constant concern that a person is preoccupied by, that in itself can make it difficult to become a good sleeper,” says Sound Sleep Guru Meredith Broderick, M.D., who is board certified in sleep medicine and neurology.

So, the first step to better sleep is to stop worrying so much about your sleep. We know, easier said than done. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you to stop obsessing about your sleep and start enjoying a good night’s rest. You may be surprised to find out that some of the most effective strategies are pretty simple. And even if you’re sleep isn’t perfect, there are things you can do to mitigate the negative effects of poor sleep on your health.

Why is a good night’s sleep so important?

Sleep is your body’s rest and repair time. You may think you’re busy during the day, but a lot is going on inside your body at night. Cells are regenerating. Hormones are regulating. Memories are being stored. Your immune system is reinforcing itself. Muscles are getting stronger. Nerve cell connections are being made. All in an effort so you can perform at your best the next day.

To make all of this happen, your body cycles through two types of sleep throughout the night. If you use a sleep tracker like a Fitbit or Apple watch, you may be familiar with some of this. The first type is non-rapid eye movement sleep (non-REM), which includes light and deep sleep. The latter is a crucial time for growth and repair, and if you awaken during this stage, you’ll often feel groggy and disoriented for a while. The second type is rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep), which involves more brain activity than non-REM. This type of sleep is essential for the processing and storing of information, including memories, in your brain. Overnight you cycle through the various stages, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes and the REM stage getting longer the more you sleep.

How menopause interrupts sleep at night

There are lots of reasons women sleep poorly during midlife. Hot flashes. Worries. Night sweats. Restless leg syndrome. Pain. A never-ending to-do list. Urinary issues. Sleep apnea. Even if you don’t have trouble falling asleep, you may find yourself waking up more often throughout the night and having a harder time falling back to sleep. Unfortunately, sleep problems don’t usually disappear along with other menopause symptoms.

But a good night’s sleep doesn’t have to be a dream. Often, when you address underlying issues such as urinary problems or joint pain, you’ll sleep better. Treating menopause symptoms like night sweats and anxiety can also help. That’s why your first step should be to see a doctor with experience treating women in menopause. They will understand what you’re going through and have the most options for helping you. A serious sleep robber that needs immediate attention is sleep apnea. If your partner notices that you’re snoring or appear to stop breathing while you sleep, talk to your doctor about getting checked for sleep apnea. As estrogen levels decline, you’re more likely to snore and even experience sleep apnea, a serious condition that disrupts your breathing. Like other underlying conditions, treating sleep apnea will help you sleep better and wake up feeling rested.

What’s more important: quantity of sleep or quality?

As you’re trying to improve your sleep, you may get fixated on the number of hours you’re snoozing. If you wear a sleep tracker, you might obsess about how much deep versus REM sleep you’re getting. While both quantity and quality are important, Dr. Broderick says the most valuable endpoint is feeling rested throughout the day. “If you feel good, the numbers aren’t as important,” she says. “Feeling good and functioning well during the day are what I care about the most.”

And getting a good night’s sleep, so you wake up feeling rested, starts long before you turn in for the night. “What you do with the time you are awake and the quality of your waking hours has a dramatic impact on your sleep quality,” Dr. Broderick explains. “Being active, engaged, having a purpose, and connection are reasons why you get out of bed in the morning. They also keep you busy and help your body generate the need for deep, uninterrupted sleep.”

8 steps to getting a good night’s sleep

While you address any underlying causes that may be keeping you up at night, here are additional steps you can take to set your body up for a good night’s sleep. Some may even help with conditions like anxiety, joint pain, and hot flashes that can rob you of sleep.

  1. Be active. The latest research shows that exercise can protect against the adverse health effects of poor sleep. All activity levels provide some benefit, and the more you do, the more protection you get. Exercise has also been shown to improve sleep so it’s a win-win.
  2. Adopt a plant-based diet. A healthy diet is even more essential when you’re not sleeping well. A new Stanford University Medical School study found that when you incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet, the decrease in saturated fats and sugar minimized the side effects of sleep deprivation, such as brain fog, poor concentration, fatigue, and irritability. Other research suggests that high-carbohydrate diets may promote better sleep than high-fat diets, and foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, and milk products may also help.
  3. Get out in the sun. Sunlight is one of the most potent ways to reset your body’s internal clock, your circadian rhythms, that dictate your sleep-wake cycle. It tells your body to stop producing melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. That’s why it’s best to get a dose of sunlight early in the day. A morning walk is a great way to do this and get some exercise for a double-dose of sleep medicine.
  4. Wake up at the same time every day. It’s best if you have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, to train your body and brain to know when it’s sleep time. If you can’t be consistent with both, at least keep a consistent wake-up time, which may make it easier to fall asleep at night than if you sleep in the prior morning.
  5. Curb caffeine. You don’t have to cut it out entirely but cut off your caffeine consumption (coffee, tea, soda, chocolate) at least five hours before bedtime. The earlier, the better. Caffeine can stick around in your system for 12 hours or more. And even if you think it doesn’t affect your sleep, research shows that it can shorten valuable deep sleep time.
  6. Pick up some weights. Cardio like walking, running, cycling, or swimming tend to be the go-to types of exercise. But a new study suggests that strength training may have an edge in promoting sleep. Because strength training can be more taxing to muscles and requires more recovery than cardio, it may make your body crave sleep, so you sleep more soundly.
  7. Limit night lights. Bright artificial light and blue light from screens can disrupt your sleep hormones, making good quality sleep harder to get. Turn down overhead lights and limit screen time in the evening to signal to your body that bedtime is coming. Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before hitting the hay.
  8. Trade in your nightcap. A glass of wine or other alcoholic beverages may make you sleepy, but they can cause you to wake up more and get less deep sleep. Instead, sip golden milk or 100-percent tart cherry juice about 30 minutes before bed, recommends Gennev Health Coach Stasi Kasianchuk.

If you continue to have sleep issues, consider seeing a board-certified sleep specialist or a behavioral sleep specialist. They can provide cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been shown to be effective for chronic sleep problems.

When you notice a change in sleep pattern that may be associated with the menopause transition, 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 trouble sleeping.

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 3.30 AM, and you’re wide awake. Again. Maybe you’re drenched in sweat, or your heart is racing, or your head is spinning, or maybe you’re experiencing all of the above, but whatever sensations you’re feeling right now, “sleepy” isn’t one of them.

“I sleep like a baby,” one perimenopausal woman told us.
“I wake up every two hours and cry.”

We hear from women all the time that interrupted sleep is one of the most frustrating symptoms of menopause. Even women who generally sleep well find their rest interrupted with night sweats and the resulting pajama and bedding changes.

So what’s the big deal over some lost zzzzzzs?

Not enough sleep is really, REALLY bad for us. Poor-quality sleep can exacerbate other menopause symptoms like mood swings, anxiety, depression, weight gain, and digestive issues. As a woman in perimenopause or menopause, you may have a weakened immune system which is further compromised when you don’t get good sleep. Even worse, being in menopause raises a woman’s risk of hypertension, heart disease and stroke; sleep deprivation can increase that risk.

What’s a woman to do?

May is Better Sleep Month, and to help you have better nights, we’re sharing some information on how to boost your snooze time.*

Sleep issue #1: night sweats

First of all, what’s happening? Well, one theory is that the hypothalamus as the part of your brain that regulates body temperature as gets confused by fluctuating estrogen levels into thinking the body is overheating. It opens up the body’s blood vessels and promotes sweating in an attempt to release excess heat, and voila! Night sweats.

How to handle it? Definitely a cool bedroom, light bedding and pajamas (wicking sheets and cool clothing can help you stay dry), no spicy food, coffee or alcohol in the hours before bedtime. And don’t smoke. Smoking can increase the severity of menopause symptoms. Exercise daily, but earlier in the day to avoid raising your body temperature too close to bedtime.

Some women have good results with natural remedies such as black cohosh, evening primrose oil, acupuncture for menopause symptoms or meditation; others may find relief with supplements like Estroven or Macafem. However, before adding any supplement, be sure to talk with your doctor; even natural remedies can interfere with medications you may be taking or have side effects.

There are menopause prescription remedies as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), low-dose depression medications, even a blood pressure medication as that may help with night sweats, but as always, talk to your doctor about benefits and risks.

Sleep issue #2: depression and anxiety

What’s happening? Without estrogen’s calming influence on our cortisol, our stress response can get a little wonky, ramping up stress and anxiety. Depression can also be prompted or worsened by changes in hormone levels.

How to handle it? Lifestyle changes can go a long way to helping women reduce stress and sleep better. Eating a healthy diet with less sugar, caffeine, and alcohol can help. Many women report balancing their stress levels by taking a magnesium glycinate supplement at bedtime or taking up yoga or meditation. There are prescription treatments, but lifestyle changes are often less invasive and should be considered first.

Sleep issue #3: sleep apnea

What’s happening? If you’ve ever woken up feeling like you’re choking or gasping, you may be experiencing sleep apnea in menopause. Disordered breathing during sleep often worsens in women during and post-menopause. Estrogen and progesterone help maintain muscle tone, and, according to The National Institute of Health, that includes the muscles around our airways. When those hormone levels drop, airways can partially collapse during sleep, causing increased snoring and the interrupted breathing of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea may not even entirely awaken you, but the quality of your sleep can be reduced by these gaps and pauses in ordinary breathing.

How to handle it? Sleep apnea can be a real health risk, so if you’re experiencing apnea symptoms, or if your partner reports a notable increase in snoring, you should consult a doctor or sleep specialist. Apnea can be worsened by excess weight, so managing your weight can be a significant help. HRT has been shown to help some women with sleep issues, including apnea, or your doctor or specialist for menopause may recommend a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to help you breathe more regularly.

We all know that little can beat the restorative power of a really good night’s sleep. It regulates our mood, controls our appetite, gives us energy, helps us ward off disease, and is just so darn comfy and cozy. Protect your zzzzzs by making some healthy lifestyle changes and talking with your doctor about risks and options.

*The information contained in this blog is not intended to replace expert advice from a medical professional.

Are you getting decent sleep? If you’re getting all the zzzs you need, could you share how you’re doing it? Let us know in the comments, or join the Gennev community and tell us more.

 

If there’s one thing we can thank the Kardashians for, it’s bringing awkward topics into the light for conversation.

“Vaginal rejuvenation” is one of those awkward topics. Apparently, at least two of the sisters have undergone treatment to “tighten” their vaginas after childbirth.

While we’re not suggesting you play Keep Up with the Kardashians, some vaginal treatments can give women relief from menopausal symptoms, and that’s worth exploring.

If you are interested in vaginal rejuvenation for yourself, a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if treatment is right for you, and they can provide support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

Vaginal rejuvenation meaning…

Just like other parts of the body, the vagina ages over time thinning, drying, loosening, shrinking and it may change due to vaginal births. Vaginal rejuvenation therapies are intended to help women regain the moisture, tightness, and elasticity of their younger, pre-childbirth parts. Treatments generally fall into two categories: cosmetic and reparative.

Cosmetic surgeries include labiaplasty, which changes the appearance of a woman’s vagina by reducing the size of the labia as the interior and exterior “lips” of the vulva that protect the clitoris and vaginal opening.

Some cosmetic surgeries change a woman’s sensations during sex: vaginoplasty tightens the vaginal walls which can get stretched in childbirth; or there’s clitoral hood reduction, intended to expose more of the clitoris for greater sensation.

Other options include ” revirgination,” surgery intended to return the hymen to its “virginal” state, and ” G-spot amplification” wherein collagen is pumped behind the vaginal wall to make the G-spot thicker, more sensitive, and easier to “¦ uh “¦reach.

Reparative vaginal treatments are intended to do exactly that: repair. Surgical procedures can treat prolapse, for example, where pelvic organs such as the uterus “droop” into the vaginal canal, or they may be able to help with urinary incontinence.

Also, as vaginal walls thin and dry with age, intercourse can become painful; some treatments may make vaginal tissue healthier and more resilient and restore the body’s natural moisture.

Today’s discussion is about reparative vaginal treatments, but if you are considering any type of surgery on your lady parts, please be sure you’re familiar with the risks of vaginal surgery.*

An alternative to vagy rejuvenation surgery as the Mona Lisa Touch

When it comes to ways to combat vaginal dryness associated with menopause, there are also non-surgical options. For many women, lubricants such as genneve’s Personal Lubricant for menopause dryness or Intimate Moisture: Lubricant For Sex get the job done very nicely, thank you. But for those who also suffer incontinence or atrophic vaginitis, the Mona Lisa Touch (MLT) might be worth investigating.

Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su

A relatively new technology, the Mona Lisa Touch received FDA approval and has been available in the US since 2014. To better understand how (and if) it works, we talked with Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su MD, MSCE, FACOG, a Seattle-based doctor, medical researcher, and educator who offers MLT treatment to patients  in Seattle.

What is the Mona Lisa Touch and how does it work?

During and after perimenopause and menopause, lack of estrogen can make vaginal walls thin, dry, fragile, and easily damaged. Women can experience pain during intercourse (or exercise, or even just daily activity like walking and sitting) and an uptick in the number of urinary tract infections.

Uh “¦ no.

The Mona Lisa Touch, according to Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, is a “fractionated CO2 laser” that works by making pinhole-size “injuries” in the vaginal walls. While this may not sound any better than the dryness, these micro-injuries actually prompt the body to send in immune cells to repair the damage. Cells called fibroblasts awaken and pump up the volume of moisture, collagen returns, the pH returns to normal, and healthy vaginal bacteria come back as all Very Good Things.

“Biopsy studies show the Mona Lisa Touch can return the vagina to its pre-menopausal state,” says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su.

Even better, the MLT uses no hormones, making it an excellent option for women with a personal or family history of breast cancer.

“About 50% of my patients are breast cancer survivors,” says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, “but the Mona Lisa Touch is a great option for any woman who prefers a non-hormonal solution to menopausal symptoms.”

Should I try it?

Studies demonstrate high levels of success with the Mona Lisa Touch. In one Italian study of 20 women, 17 of those women who were not sexually active due to pain “regained a normal sexual life at the 12-week follow-up.” Dr. Dunsmoor-Su cites rates as high as 85-92% for improvement in dryness, burning, irritation and frequent infections, and 50-75% success rate for women with mild-to-moderate incontinence.

Drawbacks to laser treatment?

  1. Cost. Because insurance doesn’t cover the cost of treatments, which average around $2,400, many doctors will recommend that patients exhaust other, covered treatments first, such as HRT.
  2. Commitment. This is pretty minimal, but those considering MLT should be aware that laser treatments can take more than one visit. Dr. Dunsmoor-Su’s patients get three treatments done six weeks apart, and then an annual “touch-up.”

For such high success rates, the drawbacks and risks are extremely low.

So about those “extremely low risks” “¦

According to Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, the MLT is pretty much risk-free: there’s no hormone exposure, and the laser doesn’t penetrate deeply enough to cause real injury: “For my patients who have treatments on the external vulva, where most of the nerve endings are, they say they have 24 hours of feeling like they have a sunburn down there. We treat it with ice and numbing cream. That’s really it.”

The only other risk might be that the treatment simply doesn’t work. Some women are simply too far past menopause for the fibroblasts to be awakened, or if a woman has had radiation in the area, there may not be any cells remaining to recruit. It’s always worth trying, the doctor says, so she offers the first treatment at a reduced price for women in these categories. If there’s no improvement, they stop.

What is treatment like, and what should I expect?

The treatment is delivered via a thin probe inserted vaginally. The process takes about 3-5 minutes.

How soon do things start to improve?  Almost immediately, says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su. “There’s improvement after the first session,” she says, “with the peak benefits coming after the second. The third gives the treatment longevity so patients don’t have to return for the maintenance for at least a year.”

High success rates, low risk, long-term benefit: For women looking for relief from vaginal issues like incontinence and painful sex, the Mona Lisa Touch is definitely worth investigating. We’ll be talking more with Dr. Dunsmoor-Su in an upcoming podcast, so stay tuned for that. 

If you’ve received Mona Lisa Touch treatment (or any treatment, really), we’d love to know how it went for you! Let us know on Gennev’s Facebook page or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group. 

*As always, the information here is just that as information. It’s not intended to replace the expert advice of your doctor, so if you think you need professional help, please go get it. 

 

Like many women, Lauren Chiren had a rough transition to menopause. During a particularly bad 18-month stretch, her brain fog and short-term memory got so bad, she quit her high-powered senior role, concerned she was developing early onset dementia.

When she learned she was actually dealing with menopause and there were ways to manage her symptoms, she decided to commit herself to helping women so no one would go through what she did.

Now as Founder and Director of Women of a Certain Stage, Lauren coaches executive women, helping them make the lifestyle changes that allow them to continue to perform during perimenopause and menopause. And she educates organizations on how to best support this very valuable workforce of women.

 

What do you think a “menopause optimized” workplace should look like? Do you have one? If not, how can we start the conversation to make workplaces friendlier for women managing the menopause transition?  What is your workplace doing right or wrong, and do you feel comfortable and supported? Is it worth the risk for women to admit they’re in menopause and try to make some changes? (Yes, we know, it shouldn’t be a “risk” at all, but that’s the often-sexist and ageist world we live in, no?) 

We’d love to hear your ideas, so please share! Comment below, or find us on Facebook or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our Facebook group. You can also join us, anonymously, if you prefer, on our community forums.

 

 

November is for football rivalries. Friends become frenemies. Pranks among coworkers increase. Peaceful neighbors turn into the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Whether your team is undefeated or perpetual underdog, multi-year Super Bowl champs, or D-1 darlings, tailgating before the Big Game is a fall tradition for many American families and groups of friends.

But tailgating in midlife is a little different from your college days. Here’s how to survive a day of fun and football, hot flashes and all.

Eat right and hydrate

Pizza, wings, nachos, cheese dip, little football-shaped cookies: all are delicious tailgating foods. All are loaded with calories.

While tailgating can be a fun way to indulge (and we would never food shame you), it’s not ideal if you’re worried about weight gain in menopause. 

Tailgating doesn’t have to throw you off track: try some of these healthy game day alternatives to your favorite dishes. 

Spicy foods can trigger hot flashes, so be careful with chili, jalapeno poppers, or buffalo wings.

Drinking enough water becomes extra important in and after menopause because declining estrogen levels lead to decreases in overall body moisture. If you’re losing a lot of fluid through sweat during hot flashes, you need to be even more vigilant about your water intake. 

And yes, while you can get away with a soda or two at the game, two-thirds of the fluids you drink each day should be good ol’ H2O. [Learn more about staying hydrated in midlife.]

Grill smarter

Grilled, barbequed, or smoked beef, pork, lamb, or chicken may increase your risk of breast cancer (and other cancers) and impact survival after breast cancer, especially if you prefer your meat well-done. 

Those coveted char marks on your burger are filled with compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which form when muscle protein is cooked at high temperatures. The longer your meat cooks, the more HCAs you ingest.

Animal fat dripping onto the coals or grill turns into carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which coat everything you’re cooking along with the meat and get into your lungs when you inhale the smoke.

If it won’t be a tailgate party without firing up the barbie, you can at least grill a little smarter with these suggestions from Providence Health and Cedars Sinai Medical Center:

And always practice basic grill safety.

Alcohol

Beer and tailgating are almost synonymous but perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women have a few reasons to limit drinking alcoholic beverages. 

Alcohol can make hot flashes worse, and regular consumption may increase your risk of breast cancer: alcohol is another element listen in the group 1 carcinogens list.

If you do need a little something to get into the gameday spirit, stick to one serving of alcohol.

Just maybe not a glass of pinot noir: red wine has a chemical that’s been known to trigger hot flashes.

Bonus: you’ll actually remember that game-winning Hail Mary pass.

Bring folding chairs

Changes in menopause can lead to all sorts of aches and pains, including in your feet.

In college, you could squat on a 30-pack of beer all afternoon, but present-day… You deserve better than a Bud Light throne.

Bring enough folding chairs to sit in comfort when your dogs start barking. You might even find your favorite team’s colors in a home shop or online.

Hot flashes

Temperatures are dropping, but your body has other plans. 

Have a bathroom plan

30-40% of women experience midlife incontinence. Even if you aren’t currently experiencing urgency or leaks, when you gotta go, you gotta go: holding your urine stresses your bladder and can lead to future incontinence. Don’t wait to pee!

Put together a bathroom plan ahead of time so you know where your closest bathroom is located, both in the stadium and outside, even if it’s just a parking lot port-a-potty.

Wear sunscreen

Vitamin D from the sun keeps your bones (among other body parts) healthy in midlife, but you probably aren’t going to absorb much if you’re bundled up against the November chill.

You can, however, get a sunburn on any exposed parts, even if it’s a cloudy day. Wear sunscreen on your face and any other skin that isn’t covered. Choose a sunscreen that’s free of parabens and other potentially estrogen-disrupting chemicals.

Don’t forget your clear stadium bag!

This one isn’t specific to menopause: all NFL and many college stadiums have limitations on what you can bring in to the stadium. We just don’t want you to forget: where else are you going to keep your folding fan?

What have you learned about tailgating in midlife? Share your thoughts with the community on our Facebook page.

 

Inflammation of the joints, muscle aches, general creakiness as despite our best efforts to stay healthy and active, the aches and ouches of age and menopause can make physical activity harder. What if you had a natural remedy that not only dealt with your pain but also helped you sleep and relieved your anxiety (try anxiety games apps)?

It exists. And thanks to changes in laws and public sentiment, it’s finally getting the recognition and research it deserves. It’s CBD.

What is CBD? Isn’t that another name for pot?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis and hemp plants. Unlike another, more well-known cannabis compound called THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive, meaning it won’t get you high.

In fact, CBD has lots of healthy properties, many of which can provide real relief for women in perimenopause and menopause. Specifically, CBD has been noted to help with joint and muscle pain, sleep, and anxiety. Since those are pretty common complaints for women in midlife and menopause, we thought we’d learn more about our options. CBD for women’s health is definitely something to keep your eye on.

To get the real facts about CBD, we talked with Kerrigan Behrens of Sagely Naturals, a company committed to providing high-quality CBD products to support health and wellness.

How does CBD help with joint and muscle pain?

CBD is effective against joint and muscle pain because the pain you’re experiencing is due to inflammation. Fortunately, the areas that hurt also seem to have high levels of cannabinoid receptors, meaning they’re ready to take up CBD with all its wonderful inflammation-fighting properties.

For pain relief, Sagely offers its Relief & Recovery cream and capsules. (We’re runners here at Gennev and can attest to loving the Relief & Recovery Cream for quicker and less painful recovery!)

Does CBD promote better sleep?

Hallelujah, yes. According to Senior Directory, CBD can lengthen deep sleep phases and shorten lighter sleep phases. It’s certainly better for your health than potentially addictive sleeping pills. And because CBD reduces pain and calms anxiety, it promotes better rest indirectly as well.

Wait “¦ CBD lessens anxiety?!

We were pretty excited to hear this too. Nearly a third of adults experience anxiety in their lives, with women experiencing anxiety twice as often as men. Many women in the throes of the perimenopause-to-menopause transition experience anxiety, some having panic attacks for the first time as hormone levels fluctuate. Anxiety can be debilitating, and relief is often hard to find. For this reason, CBD for hormone imbalance and anxiety is one of its primary implementations.

Thanks to specialized receptors in the brain, cannabinoids can often reduce symptoms of a whole heap of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, and PTSD. Even better, there are few or no side effects and little fear of developing a dependency.

Magnesium glycinate has been effective against anxiety for many women in the Gennev community. Consider adding a supplement to your daily regimen!

Specifically, Kerrigan says, CBD may help activate mood-balancing receptors, bumping up the feel-good hormone serotonin. It may help grow the hippocampus, the part of the brain that regulates emotions. And it stops the body from breaking down anandamide as the “bliss molecule” normally present in our bodies that helps us feel relaxed and easy.

Sagely’s Tranquility collection was created with the intention of helping to alleviate stress and anxiety. The cream is particularly popular, Kerrigan says, providing a lovely, soothing end to busy days. Because it’s also moisturizing, it’s a great replacement for whatever lotion you’re using now. The Tranquility Capsules are easy to take and easy for the body to absorb.

What other benefits are there from CBD?

But wait, there’s more!

CBD is being studied for its promotion of better bone health (great for those at risk of osteoporosis), and it may help manage the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, combat glaucoma, and even improve heart health. And if you’re trying to quit smoking, CBD can help you reduce the cigarettes you smoke until you hit zero.

Many women in perimenopause and menopause deal with more frequent headaches; CBD products like Sagely’s Relief & Recovery Headache Roll-on can help you get free of the head pain.

What about side effects, interactions with medications, and quality control?

Kerrigan says the team at Sagely always recommend consulting with a physician if you are concerned about side effects or interactions with other prescriptions. “While we’d love to say conclusively that it doesn’t interact with other medications, there is still a lot of research that needs to be done on this particular question. Our first priority is the health and well-being of our customers, so we always suggest on erring on the side of caution and checking with an expert.” CBD can interfere with hormone levels, though subtly, and for that reason the interaction between cbd and estrogen should be monitored.

Sagely Hemp CBD cream

As regards quality, do be choosy when selecting a provider. Sagely prides itself on using only all-natural, sustainably sourced, organic, non-GMO hemp and other co-ingredients like turmeric, ashwagandha, and eucalyptus. Every batch is triple-tested in the lab and made in GMP Certified facilities, Kerrigan says, so you know they consistently meet a high and rigorous standard of quality. Ingredients are free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, artificial colors and dyes, and sulfates.

Is CBD legal even where marijuana is not?

Sagely products are completely free of THC, the psychotropic element of marijuana. For this reason, Sagely Naturals can safely and legally ship its products to all 50 states.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for information purposes only and is not intended to replace care by a qualified health care professional.

If you’ve found relief with CBD, or if you still have reservations about using it, we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to share with the community by leaving us a comment below, or talking to us on our Facebook page or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group.

 

Gennev’s team of menopause clinicians always get asked about varicose veings. Well, what are they? Varicose veins are generally harmless veins that rise to the surface of your skin. They’re often confused with spider veins (small blue and purple veins that are pronounced but are not stretched or twisted). 

If you suffer from varicose veins, you’re not alone. In fact, around 50 percent of women see these purple and blue veins protruding from their skin at some point in their lives. Find out if you’ve got them, if you’re going to get them and what you can do to prevent varicose veins.

What Are Varicose Veins?

Put simply, varicose veins are enlarged veins that become engorged. Any vein in the body could become enlarged, but varicose ones are most common in the legs. 

They sometimes look blue or purple. They can simply seem more pronounced than other veins in your body. Or, they can bulge out and appear as tiny cords, just underneath the surface of your skin.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins

The symptoms of these veins are easy to spot: if your veins look twisted or are protruding from your skin, you probably have them. 

The most common misdiagnosis happens when spider veins are confused for varicose veins. 

Varicose Veins Causes

There are several reasons you could start suffering from varicose veins. Women begin noticing these pronounced veins in their dermis at all ages “” though they can appear more pronounced in more mature skin.

When pressure is constantly placed on the legs, feet, arms and hands over time, these veins can emerge. 

The reason they are most common in the legs is that your legs sustain more pressure than other parts of your body; they essentially support the rest of your body.

Your Chances of Getting Varicose Veins are Higher If”¦

Your mom has them.

Genetics could possibly play a role in the likelihood of getting varicose veins. But while there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence, the National Center for Biology Information (NCBI) hasn’t found enough substantial information to back this idea up. 

Yet if close family members have varicose veins, you might want to keep an eye out for other known causes (such as standing or sitting for long periods of time).

You’re tall.

Yes, being tall makes your likelihood of seeing these veins later in life more possible. In a 2018 Stanford study, researchers found that taller women developed varicose veins more often than shorter women. The kicker? They also discovered there might be a close link between taller women and the genes that make them tall. This again makes us stress that you should keep a keen eye out for these veins if other close relatives suffer from them.

You are carrying excess weight.

Excess weight gain can also contribute to both varicose and spider veins. The additional fat cells in your body contribute to the pressure already placed on your veins. 

You’re inactive, standing, or sitting for long periods of time during the day.

When you stand for long periods of time, gravity pulls the blood in your body downward. The blood can pool in your legs, causing pressure in your veins.

Conversely, sitting for long periods of time can have the same effect. If your muscles aren’t activated, they can’t help circulate the blood throughout your legs. Again, the blood pools and creates pressure.

You’re pregnant.

Two things increase the chances of varicose veins when you’re pregnant: your hormones (specifically estrogen and progesterone) fluctuate, and your body begins shifting and stretching. Both can cause veins to stretch and contort as well.

The good news is that most women’s bodies return to their pre-pregnancy states after the birth of the baby.

You’re menopausal or perimenopausal.

Yes, just like pregnancy hormones, menopausal and premenopausal hormones can make these veins more likely to appear. This can also happen when you take hormones to ease other symptoms of menopause. 

At this point, you’re probably wondering if there isn’t a time when varicose veins might appear. 

We’ll talk more about prevention and treatment in a bit to help you rule out any other factors.

Why You’re More Likely to Get Varicose Veins During Menopause

During menopause, your hormones start fluctuating (just as they do during pregnancy). Increases and sometimes decreases of the hormones estrogen and progesterone can make your veins stretch.

All of these hormonal fluctuations mean that women are much more likely to get varicose veins than men. 

What’s Estrogen Got to Do With It?

Both estrogen and progesterone can affect your veins “” and that includes both the hormones your body makes and external hormones, such as hormonal treatments like estradiol, commonly taken during menopause.

But just because you’re not nearing menopause doesn’t mean that you’re out of the woods, either. Hormonal birth control can also be blamed for purple, twisted veins.

Do They Hurt?

Most varicose veins do not (and should not) hurt. If you feel pain in such veins, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. Some sufferers claim their veins itch or hurt; others feel pain when standing or sitting for long periods of time. Many doctors report that patients who ignore varicose veins often start to feel pain in the affected areas.

Treatment and Prevention of Varicose Veins

The good news is that you can take steps to prevent varicose veins. And if you’ve already got them? They’re usually treatable. If you’re seeing these veins pop up during pregnancy, they should return to normal. 

How to Prevent Varicose Veins

The best way to prevent varicose veins over the course of your life is to moderate your health and the blood flow in your legs. 

The weight gain that attributes to varicose veins is generally visceral fat “” the type that surrounds your organs and causes other health concerns. This type of fat isn’t related to how skinny you are, either. The term “˜skinny-fat’ refers to the weight that protrudes inside the body as opposed to outside. Though that doesn’t mean you can’t experience internal and external weight gain at the same time.

You can also monitor the circulation of blood in your legs. If you stand for long hours each day (as hairdressers, tollbooth operators, and factory workers often do), try to walk around on your breaks or elevate your feet in the evening to allow the blood flow to return to normal.

Learn more about how to exercise with varicose veins with this infographic from North Shore Vascular.

At-Home and Self Treatment

Once you have varicose veins or spider veins, there’s very little you can do at home to treat them. Though you can take preventative steps to ensure more veins aren’t affected. 

And if your veins are painful? You should seek treatment from your doctor.

Professional Varicose Vein Treatments

Luckily, there are a few treatments available for varicose veins, though you’ll need to see a doctor if you’re hoping to get them. Just some of the treatments include laser surgery; sclerotherapy, a saline injection; cyanoacrylate (glue) injections and radiofrequency therapy. Your doctor will recommend therapy, based on your veins and the severity of the swelling.

In some rare cases, varicose veins aren’t treatable. Doctors often recommend compression stockings (especially if you stand or sit for long periods of time) to stave off future varicose veins and help manage the ones you already have.

Have you dealt or are you dealing with varicose veins? What are you doing to manage or treat them? Let us know your story in the Gennev community forums!

 

Authored by Sports Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Gennev Health Coach, Stasi Kasianchuk

Gennev Menopause Coaches are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) who, in addition to their extensive nutrition training and experience, have been trained specifically in supporting women during menopause. Your Menopause Coach will provide support, recommendations, resources, and accountability to help you navigate and thrive during this time of your life. 

How long will calls with my Menopause Coach be?

Approximately 30 minutes.

What will we discuss?

The discussion completely revolves around your goals and concerns. Your Menopause Coach will use their expertise to best support you by providing recommendations, resources, and strategies to help you in optimizing your health and wellness during this time of your life.

How does a Menopause Coach differ from an OB/GYN?

As Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN), Menopause Coaches have a different scope of practice and skill set than a medically trained OB/GYN. OB/GYNs can diagnose and treat medical conditions and symptoms related to menopause as well as prescribe medications. Menopause Coaches act as lifestyle coaches by providing recommendations and support for you in implementing habits to better manage menopause symptoms. Menopause Coaches cannot prescribe medications or diagnose or treat symptoms, but at Gennev, Menopause Coaches and OB/GYNs work together to support you.

What kind of training have you had to qualify?

RDNs have been trained through course work and an internship to implement effective, nutrition-based interventions that are supported by scientific research. Additionally, our Menopause Coaches have training and experience in supporting women in lifestyle habits such as stress management, sleep, and exercise to really optimize your health. 

What will an appointment consist of?

The initial call is focused on your questions, concerns, goals, and you and your coach getting to know each other. At the end of your first call, your coach will provide you with a plan for you to move forward. From there the follow-up calls will discuss the strategies and recommendations made on the previous call(s) and continue to build on these to support you in feeling your best.

What should I do to prepare for the appointment?

Having your responses from your assessment handy as well as the date of your last menstrual cycle is recommended. In addition, having a list of questions and concerns prepared can be helpful in making sure you get the most out of your calls. 

How often do we talk?

At the end of the initial call, your Menopause Coach will make a recommendation for what they think is the best call cadence for you based on your goals, your concerns, and your availability. Call cadence can also increase or decrease throughout your time in the program based on what is best for you. 

What kinds of problems can you help me solve/what solutions can you offer?

Menopause Coaches can support women in menopause in SO many ways. Listed below are several ways they best provide support but note this is in no way an exhaustive list, and all recommendations will be personalized to the individual. 

Am I able to reach my Menopause Coach between calls?

Absolutely. You can communicate with your Menopause Coach via email between calls. This is great for accountability around implementing healthy habits, and it’s a really easy way to ask questions when they are on your mind.

How do you work with the OB/GYNs in Gennev telemed?

There are several ways that Menopause Coaches and Gennev OB/GYNs collaborate to support continuity of care. First, all visit documentation is kept in one place, so Menopause Coaches can view OB/GYN notes and vice versa. Additionally, if something comes up on a call that is out of the scope of practice of the Menopause Coach they can easily reach out to one of the OB/GYNs and follow-up with you regarding their recommendations. Working together, Menopause Coaches and OB/GYNs also learn from each other to provide the best care for Gennev HealthFix subscribers. 

What is “personalized wellness” as how do you personalize it to me?

As science and research in providing optimal health care continues to evolve, we are learning more and more that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. This is very much true during menopause as well. What works for your friend may not be what works for you. The recommendations that Gennev Menopause Coaches provide are based on YOU, YOUR goals, YOUR current health, and YOUR lifestyle.  

What do you mean by “lifestyle” changes?

Lifestyle changes and support refer to those habits that we do every day to live or that impact our quality of life. These include nutrition, activity, sleep, stress management, and appropriate supplementation to name a few. 

Can I get further information from you to continue working on my own?

Yes! Increasing your knowledge about menopause can be helpful in finding the best strategies to help you feel your best. The HealthFix program includes learning modules covering topics such as hot flashes, nutrition and fitness, and mental health. In addition, Gennev has an extensive library of blog posts covering a variety of menopause-related topics. All information posted is based on current scientific evidence, so you can be sure you are getting quality information.  

Why “personalize”? 

Personalized health recommendations are not only more likely to be effective, but behavior change science indicates that personalized approaches are more likely to provide sustainable healthy changes over time. 

Have you taken advantage of the Gennev Health Coaches? If so, we’d love for you to share your experience on our Community forums!

 

Yesterday I joined a group of entrepreneurs and business women for a visit to the Washington state legislature for a round table discussion about women and girls’ access to technology.

I love the benefits of tech almost as much as I love women’s health, and I was thrilled to be part of this important discussion.

My belief is that technology has a material role in improving access to women’s health services, but it needs to be responsible, safe and secure. In the world of Gennev, that’s means access to menopause experts and education that is personalized to what a woman needs in this time of her life.

Washington, like so many states in the U.S., has a growing number of female legislators. Several of them (and a few good men) joined us for the round table discussion.

They’re really bad-ass.

The breadth of work they’re tackling spans healthcare access, access to STEM education for girls and continuing education for women, improving support for veterans and native communities, transportation, appropriations and cybersecurity.

I’m not much of a policy wonk, but hearing the passion of these congresswomen as they talked about the policy reform they’re working on humbled me.

Afterwards, one of the congresswomen said she wanted to hear more about what we’re doing with Gennev. She was on her way back to the Senate chamber, so I scrambled along to share what we were doing to empower every woman to take control of her health in menopause.

She asked me how she could help.

I could have hugged her.

Gennev’s free online education can reach millions of women around the world. Same with our products for symptom relief. But if we truly want telemedicine services to be available for more women, we need insurance reform.

There presently are no codes in the insurance billing system for menopause. Rather, you must book an appointment for a pap exam or something else that your provider can code your appointment to for insurance billing.

Telehealth coverage isn’t much better.

After a breathless, fast-paced walk across the Capitol mall and up the granite stairs, she told me to send her an email with my requests along with examples of telemedicine coverage and women’s health coverage I’ve seen in states other than Washington.

I told her I would follow up, and that was it.

This is what change looks like. A 5-minute conversation. An offer to help. And one passionate legislator who knows how to get things done.

My request of you this week is: if you see smart healthcare reform  – specifically for women’s health coverage or telehealth coverage in your state, send it to me at jill@gennev.com.

This is where we’re all enabled to drive change in how women’s health is prioritized and supported.

genneve CEO Jill Angelo

 

Is your snoring keeping even the dog awake? Snoring, that unwelcome symphony of sleep, may not be just for our male partners any more. If you’ve ever awakened feeling like you were choking, or if your partner (or dog) reports that you’re snoring, you may be suffering from sleep apnea, or interrupted breathing during sleep. Menopause and sleeping too much are often synonymous, but if you experience these symptoms there is a realistic possibility that you may have sleep apnea.

If you are worried about the health risks of sleep apnea, a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, and determine what treatment is right for you. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

How menopause increases your risk of sleep apnea

As estrogen and progesterone levels drop, the muscle tone in the body’s airway decreases, allowing it to partially collapse in sleep, says Brandon Peters, MD. This is called “obstructive sleep apnea” (OSA), and it can cause pauses in breathing or shallow breathing, sometimes severe enough to wake you up. Even if you never entirely awaken, sleep apnea denies you the deep slumber that rejuvenates your body and mind.

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed in post-menopausal women because many of its symptoms look like typical menopause complaints””snoring and menopause are commonly associated. However, assuming these symptoms are “just menopause” is a particularly bad idea because untreated sleep apnea can be very dangerous to your health.

Shared symptoms, sleep apnea and menopause*

These may sound familiar “¦

Show of hands? Anyone? While very often these are due to menopause and not sleep apnea, if they’re accompanied with reports of snoring or breaks in breathing, or if you wake up gasping or choking or you often awaken with a headache, it’s time to talk with a doc or a sleep specialist.

What makes sleep apnea dangerous?*

While an increase in snoring might feel like sweet revenge for the chainsaw you’ve been (not) sleeping next to for years, you really need to get it checked out. Including the list of symptoms above, OSA has been connected to a long list of serious health concerns, including:

  1. higher risk of high blood pressure, abnormal heart beat, even heart attacks and stroke due to low blood oxygen caused by sleep apnea.
  2. higher risk of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
  3. higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other cognitive deficits.

Getting Diagnosed and Sleep Apnea Treatment

There’s no blood test for sleep apnea; it generally has to be witnessed to be diagnosed. Your doc may recommend a sleep test called a polysomnography. There are at-home versions, though many choose to spend a night at a sleep disorder center.

Once diagnosed, there are options for treatment, depending on the severity of the OSA: the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a very common treatment. A CPAP machine pumps air through a nose mask to keep your airway open. Oral appliances can open your throat or bring your jaw forward to relieve obstruction. In severe cases, tissue removal or jaw surgery may be called for.

If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor right away. Some medications can worsen this condition, so it’s really important to know if you’ve developed OSA when adding new treatments.

(apnea not the problem but still need better sleep? check out our post on why you need good sleep and how to get it)

If you have mild sleep apnea (and you don’t get to diagnose this yourself, btw), there are lifestyle changes that can minimize symptoms and help you sleep better.

  1. Maintain a healthy weight. Losing excess weight can reduce the constriction, sometimes even eliminating OSA entirely.
  2. Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills. While you might think of them as trusty menopause sleep aids, anything that relaxes the back of the throat can contribute to interrupted breathing in sleep.
  3. Talk to your doc about the medications you’re taking. Do any of your meds worsen sleep apnea? Find out about alternatives that don’t carry the additional risk.
  4. Use a saline nasal spray. These can help keep nasal passages open.
  5. Stop smoking. Yeah, here it is again. Smoking makes OSA (and pretty much everything else health-related) worse. “˜Nuff said.
  6. Sleep on your side. Gravity forces your tongue and soft palate backwards when you sleep on your back, and this obstructs your airway. Sewing a tennis ball into the back of your pajama top to encourage side sleeping.

If you’re snoring up a storm, you’re risking more than just an angry bed mate. Talk with a doctor or sleep specialist and see if you’re a candidate for a sleepover at a sleep disorders clinic. Menopause is challenging enough as eliminating the additional irritations of sleep apnea may make a whole lot of life easier.

(if your sleeplessness is anxiety based, try some herb remedies to help you get your zzzzzs)

*If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, please consult a health care professional. The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and should never be considered a replacement for expert advice.

Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea? How did you deal with it, and is it working for you? Go on, share with your community, so we can all benefit from your greater wisdom and experience. Give us all the deets in the comments or on Gennev’s Facebook page or Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group.

What if there were a way to protect your daughters against 80-85% of the viruses that cause cervical cancers? And, bonus, to protect all your kids against the risk of contracting genital warts?

Gennev is happy to announce, there is. Thanks to research by Dr. Mao and others, there’s a highly effective, low-risk vaccine that targets HPV””the cause of cervical cancer and genital warts, among other diseases. Allergic reactions are rare, and the most common side effects are sore arms and grumpy pre-teens.

Dr. Connie Mao: fighting cervical cancer with the HPV vaccine

Nearly 12,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013. We wanted to learn more about the vaccine that is already reducing that number and has the capacity to do even more for women’s health, so we went to the expert.

Dr. Connie is the director of Harborview Women’s Dysplasia Clinic in Seattle, Washington, where she focuses on HPV-related disease including cervical, vulvar, and vaginal dysplasia and genital warts. She’s an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington, and she has spent the last 19 years doing research related to HPV infections and prevention of cervical cancer.

Click the play button to hear our interview.  You can also read the transcript of our conversation about Dr. Connie’s work and the HPV vaccine.

Don’t have time to hear it all? Jump ahead for answers to your most pressing questions:

1:50 as Can you explain what exactly HPV is and what it stands for? What diseases does it cause?

2:21 as How is HPV transmitted?

2:54 as How does HPV work inside our bodies? Once contracted, is it always there?

3:36 as What are the specific health issues HPV can cause in extreme cases?

6:14 as Are there concerns people should have around the vaccine?

7:30 as Is there a prime age for the vaccine?

9:24 as Why do boys also need the vaccine?

12:11 as Are there any preventative things to HPV that a person can do to limit themselves to exposure beyond sexual activity?

14:52 as If a patient wants the HPV screen only, and to forego a Pap exam, what do you recommend?

18:29 as Are there any downsides to the vaccine? What are the rates of allergic reaction?

22:38 as What are the symptoms of an HPV infection?

23:24 as How often should we get screened?

25:25 as What excites you most about where we’re going in women’s health?

We’re very grateful to Dr. Connie for sharing her information and expertise, and for being such a passionate advocate for women’s health.

Learn more about Dr. Connie Mao by visiting the Obstetrics and Gynecology page for the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.

 

What do depression, diabetes, and osteoporosis all have in common?

More importantly, what are they all missing?

Insufficient vitamin D has been linked to all three of these conditions, among many others. While more research is necessary to fully understand how vitamin D works in our bodies, we know enough to know we should make sure we’re getting enough of it. So, can menopause cause vitamin deficiency? When it comes to vitamin D, many women do experience a shortage during menopause. Let’s discuss the impact of vitamin d and menopause.

What is vitamin D and why do I need it?

You’ve probably heard of it referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” and with good reason. There’s not a lot of vitamin D in the foods most of us eat, so we have to get the majority of the D we need either by absorbing sunlight or supplementing. Vitamin D is actually a hormone once it enters the body and is synthesized, and is one of the most important vitamins for menopause wellbeing.

Like other hormones, D participates in a whole lot of bodily processes including muscle movement; it’s involved in carrying messages from the brain to the body and back again, and it’s important for fighting off bacteria and viruses. D helps us maintain our bones by absorbing calcium in menopause, and it plays a role in reducing inflammation. Vitamin d supplements even help lower some women’s number of hot flashes.

What is the role of Vitamin D for menopause?

Vitamin D is important for everyone, but women over 40 should be especially sure they’re getting enough. Critically, for women in midlife, vitamin D may also play a role in moderating several perimenopause and menopause symptoms and concerns. Menopause and vitamins often go hand in hand, and vitamin D is no exception.

ONE: DEPRESSION

Menopause and depression is a common and serious complaint among women in the transition, and inadequate vitamin D may contribute to the problem. If you have fuzzy brain, poor memory, and concentration issues, vitamin D may also help you feel sharper and more focused.

It’s particularly important to get more D in the winter, when exposure to sunlight is less frequent and the sun is at the wrong angle to do us as much good.

TWO: OSTEOPOROSIS

The thinning and weakening of our bones is dangerous: as muscles weaken and our sense of balance is less reliable, we fall more often, and if bones are fragile or less dense from osteoporosis, that can result in a break.

According to Andrea Singer, MD, FACP, CCD, clinical director and trustee of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, ” One in two women over age 50 will have a fracture caused by osteoporosis in her remaining lifetime.” Obviously, we need to do what we can to strengthen bones and reduce that number.

We normally hear of calcium being critical for maintaining bone, but actually we can’t absorb calcium well if we don’t have enough vitamin D. It’s important to take both to ensure the calcium is actually doing your body good.

THREE: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART DISEASE

At about 10 years post-menopause, a woman’s risk of heart disease equals that of a man’s of the same age. Yet, because we still think of heart disease as a men’s problem, many women are developing preventable heart problems.

Dr. Erin Michos of The Johns Hopkins Hospital believes a deficiency of vitamin D may play a role in the development of congestive heart failure. More research needs to be done to determine if increasing vitamin D actually protects against heart disease, but it’s certainly worth taking some tablets to decrease the risk.

So: take vitamin D to possibly decrease your chances of developing hypertension.

FOUR: DIABETES

As hormone levels decline, the risk of diabetes increases. While the exact mechanism that causes this is unknown, women seem to become more insulin resistant after menopause, resulting in less control over blood glucose levels.

Research seems to indicate that having enough vitamin D can help your body utilize insulin more effectively.

FIVE: CANCER

Because populations in sunny climates tend to have lower rates of incidence of certain kinds of cancers, researchers are looking to see if vitamin D might be responsible for the gap. No cause and effect has yet been established, though in studies on mice, it does appear that vitamin D may slow or prohibit the growth of cancerous cells and tumors.

SIX: AND THE REST

Irritable bowel syndrome. Multiple sclerosis. Obesity. Chronic fatigue. Autoimmune disorders.

It’s possible low levels of vitamin D are at least partly to blame for these problems. Does that mean increasing vitamin D could prevent or reverse them?

The jury’s out on that, but our sunshine vitamin is being studied for its impacts on all of these and more. Considering it may be a factor in a whole host of discomforts, it might be wise to make sure you’re getting enough.

How much is enough vitamin D?

Dr. Michael Holick, an expert in vitamin D, wrote in a study for the New England Journal of Medicine that up to one billion people worldwide don’t get enough vitamin D. That’s a lot of people at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and bone fractures.

According to Holick, we need between 800 and 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D as preferably D3 as per day.

How do we get it?

Unfortunately, we don’t get enough from the foods we eat, and thanks to sunblock and our fascination with indoor entertainment, we rarely absorb enough from the sun.

Sunblock blocks up to 90 percent of the rays we need to get vitamin D. Glass filters out the beneficial UV rays, so sitting in the window while playing on your smartphone isn’t going to do it.

So, get out! Seriously, get outside, particularly if you live in a sunny climate and it’s summer, when the sun’s rays are at the right wavelength. For the fairer-skinned, 10 to 15 minutes in the midday sun is probably enough. Those with darker skin may need considerably longer as up to six times as long, depending on skin pigmentation.

If you can’t get outside more, or if it’s winter and there’s no sun out there anyway, there are some foods that provide vitamin D. Mostly fatty fish like salmon, herring, and sardines. Cod liver oil, if you can get it down, also has vitamin A and Omega 3s; tuna, oysters, shrimp, mushrooms and egg yolks.

Because D can be tough to get, many foods are fortified with it. Milk, milk substitutes like almond or soy milk, some cereals, some varieties of yogurt, and orange juice may contain vitamin D, but be sure to check the label.

Supplements are a good way to round out your D supply. Many experts believe D3 is more bioavailable (you absorb more of the nutrients) than D2 and therefore a better benefit for your buck.

How do I know if I need more?

Have you been outside today? Did you eat a mackerel? No? Then chances are you haven’t had enough D today. Most of us are chronically low.

Common signs of D-ficiency include”¦

  1. Getting sick often.
  2. Feeling fatigued.
  3. Pain, particularly in the back, legs, ribs, joints, and/or muscles.
  4. Depression
  5. Slow healing.
  6. Hair loss.

If you’re experiencing any of these, or even if you simply suspect you’re not getting enough vitamin D, ask your doctor to check your levels via a simple blood test.

If you’ve dealt with a vitamin D deficiency, what did you do about it? Did bumping up your level actually solve health problems, give you more energy, make you feel better?Please share in our Gennev Community forums!