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Health and Wellness

Today is World Menopause Day and, ladies, we have something to talk about

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menopause, perimenopause, World Menopause Day, The Change, women and hormones, women

If you were born biologically female and are between the ages of Generation X and Baby Boomers, there is a very good probability that you just are approaching, experiencing, or already past “The Shift,” also often called menopause. If it’s the previous, you are not alone; this yr, multiple million American women will enter menopause. If it is the latter, congratulations – I can not wait to join you on the opposite side.

For a long time (and possibly centuries), discussions about menopause have largely been within the realm of jokes – with tropes about hot flashes, anger, and dry undercarriage. (Who can forget Clair Huxtable half-jokingly sticks her head within the freezer?) However, each physically and mentally, the fact of perimenopause and the later stages of menopause is far more confusing than we realize, mainly because, like femininity itself, it is unique to each woman.

That’s why we need to talk openly about menopause – and what higher time than World Menopause Day?

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“After many years of neglect, we have finally seen popular media give long-standing, unprecedented attention to menopause, encouraging women to seek help for menopausal symptoms,” it states 2024 white paper published by the International Menopause Society. However, a lot of us have no idea what treatments can be found, helpful, secure and appropriate for us individually.

I’m 49 years old and each a newlywed and (bless my husband’s heart) perimenopausal conundrum. I feel cold after which hot at any moment. I’m stuffed with feelings and attractions, but I have problems with libido. All the “thickness” that after gave me the healthy shape of a coke bottle now wants to migrate inward (we fight it). My long, thick hair is now unquenchable and is falling out in a way that worries me and my hairdresser. I’m continually losing something – most frequently my phone – and I’m often forced to remember why I wandered from one room to the following. My sleep is as irregular as my menstrual cycle. After years of refraining from an unplanned pregnancy, I’m now conscious about my dwindling egg reserves, and yet, as I’m at an age where “oops” can occur when those already older eggs escape from my ovaries, I’m also on HRT as well as to HRT. contraception, because nobody has time for it when planning a honeymoon and a fiftieth birthday.

“Being in your 40s is crazy. Some friends are grandparents, and a few have newborns,” we read popular meme circulating on the Internet. This is just the tip of the reproductive iceberg at this stage of life.

In short, these are crazy and unpredictable times. Because October 18 is annually recognized as World Menopause Day (this yr’s theme is menopause-related hormone therapy), it’s price asking: why are so a lot of us still clueless about these inevitable changes to our bodies and minds? (Spoiler alert: Women’s health has rarely, if ever, been a universal priority beyond reproductive debates.) So I reached out on social media, asking women in my circle to share their experiences with perimenopause and menopause, each expected and unexpected. Within an hour, dozens of replies were received.

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“Every day is different,” a friend commented. “Understanding new metabolism is a challenge. It’s a challenge for my body to reject things that I could normally do before. Grace and patience are most important,” she added.

“I’m 48 and I wait every day for it to end lol,” said one other. “(There are) changes I wasn’t aware of: hair texture, weight gain, muscle aches and insomnia.”

“I feel lost, dazed and confused. Where are my keys, glasses, purse? “Oh, in my hand,” a friend joked. “I wish someone had told me how much my body rebelled against my memory of it.”

“Real talk: I didn’t expect my power to wane,” a author friend shared as we bemoaned our elusive libido. Others said their numbers had unexpectedly increased.

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“For me, the most significant change was in mentality. My tolerance and patience for bulls is close to zero,” chimed in one other. “My biggest challenge is sleep. I can’t get a full 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep no matter what I try.”

A school friend simply said, “I want to get off this roller coaster of misery.”

Can we only expect misfortune after menopause? Well, the excellent news is that it doesn’t, but the reality is that almost all of us enter this phase of life completely unprepared for the countless and varied ways it might probably hit us and the way long it might probably last. Perimenopause often appears in women of their mid to late 40s and lasts about seven years, even though it may last twice as long before the required yr, with no period marking the transition to menopause. And you do not have to be middle-aged to begin with; any variety of aspects, including uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), cancer treatment, or simply plain old biology, could cause perimenopause to begin in a lady in her 30s.

While symptoms could be anywhere, for a lot of the most important obstacles come when trying to find the appropriate diagnosis and get relief – which is why we as women must paved the way in keeping these conversations on the forefront. No one will take our health and well-being as seriously as we do – or provide us with the language we need to advocate for what we need, whether or not it’s an over-the-counter complement, cooling sheets, more advanced interventions like similar to hormone alternative therapy (HRT) or all the above.

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“I would honestly recommend talking to more people going through this so we can create a community instead of trying to solve the problems alone,” my friend said. “Everyone’s body is different. But the support was amazing.”

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If you’re in or close to “The Shift,” the primary and neatest thing you may do is arm yourself with the knowledge obligatory to navigate it. Apart from news podcasts ia a growing variety of books on the topicOn October 17, PBS debuted “Factor M: the destruction of silence during menopause” to help demystify the dialogue around this naturally occurring life event. Most importantly, don’t underestimate the power of community; family, friends and even transient acquaintances can be invaluable in providing advice, empathy, recommendations and referrals, especially when qualified specialist may turn out to be useful. And remember: while you most likely have no control over when or how menopause hits, it isn’t the top of the world; only a period (eventually).

“Embrace this powerful change. “Menopause is a time of empowerment,” my cousin advised as we shared our condolences. “Find a wonderful OB/GYN who takes you seriously and believes you. We should be our own best advocates; don’t leave all of it to the doctors,” she added, joking, “(and) gain fans in EVERY room in your home, or simply be comfortable that you just seem like James Brown during a lot of his appearances.”

Happy World Menopause Day! We will survive!

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Health and Wellness

Why the quality of gait is important as it ages

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Walking is one of the most important things that we do for our quality of life. In fact, Research shows It contributes greater than another physical activity in how well we live overnight. Already one in three People over the age of 60 report some difficulties in walking.

With age, gradual changes in our bodies and health can change the way I walk, often without realizing. But the way we go, known as our gait pattern, is more important than we might sound. Poor gait not only makes walking harder and more tiring; It can result in joint deformation, instability and greater risk of falls.

Think about your walk like a heart rhythm. Like electrocardiogram (EKG) shows whether your heart works properly, your walk also has a rhythm. When this rhythm is turned off, it will be one of the earliest signs that you’ll not age as well as you’ll be able to.

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Thanks New technologyWe can now easier and thoroughly measure the quality of gait. One promising tool is Heel2toe wearing sensor. This small device attaches to the shoe and follows the movement of the ankle while walking, grabbing the series of gait in real time.



A healthy step begins with a heavy heel impact. Your weight moves on the sole of the foot, ending with pushing out of your toes. When the foot rises, it changes cleanly – without dragging or drawing. This smooth sequence creates a rhythm in the movement of the ankle, which, when it is coherent, resembles the type of “walking ECG”.

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But with time, Many individuals are unknowingly accepting Less efficient movement patterns. These modified gaits could appear normal, but they are sometimes unstable, tiring or dangerous.

The older man fell to the floor while walking
A weak gait can increase the risk of falls.
https://www.shtterstock.com/image-photo/asian-senior-palling-on-grund-2147078055

Weak gait reduces confidenceIt increases the risk of falling and might discourage people from walking in any respect. The less we walk, the weaker our muscles turn out to be – deterioration of the problem. This is a flawed cycle.

Giving as much as walk well

The excellent news is that we are able to Losing our gait.

The Heel2toe sensor not only monitors your movements – that is also Encourages higher walking. When he detects a superb step (the one which starts with a heavy heel impact), provides audio guidance as positive feedback. Over time, the following pointers help discover a stronger, more stable walking pattern. Good gait becomes your latest norm. Tools such as Heel2toe help people tune in to their body signals and achieve sustainable progress.

The goal is not only to maneuver – it’s higher.

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Of course, being physically energetic is Only one aspect What does it mean to live well as you aged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjujlrx9GC

To get a more complete picture of healthy aging Researchers have developed A tool that measures how often older adults experience key facets of well -being. This tool – a tan measure (elderly people to energetic life) – goes beyond tracking what people do. He asks how they feel about their lives.

Opal may help people understand their very own well -being and offers decision -makers and communities a option to assess how their services support older residents – not only physically, but in addition socially and emotionally.

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For people, which means that even small improvements, such as higher gait, can result in significant changes in how you’re feeling: more confident, more mobile and more independent.

For the community, it is a reminder that promoting physical activity is important – but insufficient. We also need programs, spaces and services that support the combination, goal, creativity and joy.

What does “active life” really mean?

IN International study 2024Older adults in Canada, Great Britain, the USA and the Netherlands shared, which suggests “active life” for them – in 4 languages ​​and cultural contexts.

They identified 17 different “ways of being” that contribute to activity. Physical health was just one part. Others included the feeling: self -confidence, combined, creative, energized, encouraged, engaged, glad, mentally healthy, independent, interested, mentally, motivated, resistant and self -sufficient.

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In other words, energetic life is not only taking (or counting) steps, it’s about how you’re feeling while taking them.

Aging is inevitable. But is getting old well? This is something that we are able to shape – step-by-step.

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This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

The star Jones says “indignation” about the health of the heart will save your life

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The star Jones says

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Star Jones was pioneering in lots of industries, including in law, television and health, and is an energetic volunteer of the American Heart Association.

Considering that that is the national month of women’s health, he works with MedtronicAn organization coping with medical devices, in an effort to increase awareness of heart disease in women and throwing light to a brand new study of women aged 30-50, sponsored by an organization that shows that heart health is a smaller motivator of biological renewal for ladies than maintaining the physical appearance or body (10%), despite the primary of the women’s killer. The study sheds light on the gap in the field of awareness and open discussions on heart health, despite over 60 million women in the United States living with some form of heart disease.

Jones is deeply conversant in women’s heart disease, because she was diagnosed with heart disease in 2010 and she or he was told that she would want operations on an open heart. Although Jones said that she was obese for a few years and worked on accepting weight, she was surprised by the specific symptoms she experienced, even when the weight disappeared. “The types of symptoms I had were not symptoms that normally would make the woman think about heart disease at least at the time. I fought with symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and dizziness or a garden when I was moving from sitting to standing,” he says to the essay. “I lost 150 pounds. I ate correctly. I got a huge number of exercises. I did what I should, but the symptoms were so annoying that I couldn’t just ignore them.”

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Fortunately, Jones listened to her body and decided to go to her cardiologist, after which diagnosed in not heart disease. “My doctors conducted tests that were necessary, listening to my body, explaining my symptoms, and we found that I had an aortic valve failure, which caused my heart to work optimally, so I had to have an open heart surgery with the purpose of repairing aortic valve, so that we would not replace it or receive a heart transplant,” she shared. “So I literally saved my own life, knowing enough about myself and knowing that something is wrong.”

Although Jones got here from a family with a protracted history of heart disease, their health was not a subject. “I can rightly say that until I had an open heart surgery, she became the subject of conversation,” he says. Her experience and lack of open communication together with her family inspired her participation in a letter to my mother’s campaign, which inspires women to priority to heart health, starting with a conversation together with her mother or woman of their lives, about family history, risk aspects and symptoms of heart disease. The campaign, which is a component of Medtronic’s continuous involvement in conducting and developing clinical trials for ladies’s health, goals to scale back the gap in the awareness of heart and risk diseases, particularly heart valve failure and hypertension in women.

This month, Medtronic encourages women to commit to check with moms or women in life about the health of the heart and signs of heart disease they need to search for, equivalent to hypertension and irregular heartbeat.

The national coalition for ladies with heart disease, the leading voice of a nation for ladies living with heart disease or risking to risk, has discovered the following statistics:

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  • One -third of women (30%) didn’t check with the doctor about heart health.
  • While greater than half of women are afraid that their old mother will ignore the symptoms or will not tell them when something is improper (53%), additionally they inform (56%) that they never talk about the health of the heart with their mother or other women in the family.
  • Almost half of women (45%) would favor to debate politics, money or relationships with mother or grandmother before discussing the history of family health.
  • Women argued preventive health care, equivalent to demonstration and routine controls, as the most vital conversation with mother or mother, since it still ages (35%) in comparison with funds (12%), pensions (5%) or plans at the end of life (16%).
  • Of the women from the sandwich generation with the family history of heart disease, only a 3rd (35%) asked the doctor to evaluate the risk of heart and only 44% talked about it with the family.

Although it will possibly be annoying, Jones encourages women, especially black women, to talk and tell their health. “Earlier I talked to a friend from Medtronic about underestimated communities, colorful people and women who are nervous about these conversations, which they mean in their lives, how to approach them, and even have access to doctors, and treatment that would allow them to support themselves for themselves. As we know, heart disease is really a number of deadly all women. I thought that this is a disease of an old white guy.”

Jones continues: “The numbers tell us that more than half of the risk of heart disease is hereditary. Therefore, it is really important to understand the history of your family. So you want to start with when you speak behind. And that’s why the letter to my mother’s campaign is so important, because it is a way to combine to start asking family members about health history and so it will start with a potentially reviving life.”

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This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Al Roker shares his journey into prostate cancer and offers an encouragement to Joe Biden

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Al Roker makes sure Joseph Biden knows that he will not be alone amongst his recent diagnosis of prostate cancer.

On Friday, May 18, Biden’s personal office announced that the 82-year-old former president was diagnosed with prostate cancer with a rating of 9 Gleason on 9.

“Although this is a more aggressive form of the disease, cancer seems to be sensitive to hormones, which allows for effective management,” he read the statement. “The president and his family are looking at the treatment options for their doctors.”

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The next day Roker, 70, thought of his journey with the disease that began in 2020. TODAY show.

“When I was diagnosed, I had 8 on Gleason’s scale, but they said they caught it early, even though it was aggressive, so I had a fairly wide range of treatment options,” said Roker.

Television personality for the primary time announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2020. Later this month he underwent surgery within the New York Sloan Sloan Cancer Center to remove its prostate and some surrounding lymph and absorbent nodes.

According to Cleveland ClinicThe Gleason result’s a system of assessing prostate cancer, which ranges from 1, when cancer cells look essentially the most like normal cells, to 10, when cancer cells look very different from healthy cells. The lower the result, the slower the cells will probably grow.

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In May 2021 ROKER’s Six months control Nothing detected at the extent of a prostate -specific antigen (dog) was found, which suggests that it was in clarity. At that point he said People magazineHe was “grateful” to have the ability to see his first grandson.

“If there is a reason to make sure you are as healthy as possible, it is,” he said.

Roker, who fought all his life with constant health problems, also shared the words of encouragement to biden within the post on X.

“Mr. President. When I found out from my battle with prostate cancer, you are part of a group in which no one wants to be a part,” he wrote about Rak, which plague, On average, one in eight men. “But knowing you, you will face this latest challenge with courage, humor and grace.”

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Al Roker becomes a grandfather, he insists that the child's name is not related to his work

(Tagstranslate) al corer

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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