10 Ways to Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk

Most of the news we hear about breast cancer deals with addressing the disease after it's already been diagnosed. The best treatment for any disease, is through prevention. Here are 10 ways to lower your breast cancer risk.




Find your 10 tips here

Bioidentical HRT in Virginia

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is designed to treat individuals who suffer from PMS, menopause/andropause, loss of sex drive, chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, weight gain and more. All of these are associated with hormone imbalances and can be treated with FDA approved bioidentical hormones.

Get more information at http://www.longevitywellness.vpweb.com/HormoneOptimization.html

Dr. Patricia Petitt, DO, MPH, is an Anti-Aging and Preventive Medicine Physician, and is also the Medical Director of Longevity Wellness Centers. Dr. Petitt received her Medical Degree from South Eastern University of Health Sciences in North Miami Beach, Florida in 1994 graduating with Honors.

She is a board certified Preventive Medicine Physician and is board eligible for Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Petitt practiced Preventive Medicine for more than 11 years in Maryland and Virginia where she learned to focus on strategies to promote health and wellness as well as disease prevention. Dr. Petitt is also on the board of directors of The Northern Virginia Medical Society where she has the opportunity to network with thousands of physicians all over the Northern Virginia Metro Area. http://www.litetouchvirginia.com/

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY MAY HOLD KEY TO ELIMINATING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SYMPTOMS

There are widespread misconceptions about hormone replacement therapy, dropped by thousands of women following the frightening results of a the Women’s Health Initiative study, but one woman found that hormone replacement therapy held the key to relief for her Multiple Sclerosis.

Kathryn Simpson, author of THE MS SOLUTION: HOW I SOLVED THE PUZZLE OF MY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS found that through her own diligent research hormone therapy totally ended her painful and debilitating symptoms of MS, a disease that affects 1 out of 700 Americans.

Rejecting the often dangerous anti-inflammatory therapies offered by her neurologist and frightened by her father’s history of degenerative neurological disease, Simpson took charge of her own health. She had her body’s endocrine levels tested and discovered that she was deficient in almost all of her body’s hormones.

Using her background as a biotech industry executive, Simpson became a bio-researcher and discovered hormone therapies that restored her good health. She also discovered:

New information that has come to light regarding the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, which can make a huge difference for women with MS.

Under-active thyroid is three times more common in women with MS than the general population.

1 in 50 women and 1 in 1,000 men are diagnosed with an under-active thyroid in their lifetime. The most common form of thyroid medication is usually inadequate; many MS patients require a replacement that incorporates all four of the body’s thyroid hormones.
25% of men with MS have low testosterone, while levels of estrogen are four times higher in male MS patients than in the general population. Under-active thyroid is one of the culprits in excess estrogen in men.

The adrenal glands are usually overlooked. A cortisol replacement is often the last piece of the puzzle that reverses remaining symptoms for total relief.
Proper hormone replacement can control and even reverse some of the degenerative effects of MS.

Spurred by her discoveries, Simpson founded a clinic to help others seeking relief from MS and related disorders. Three years later, she remains symptom-free. I am looking forward to speaking with you soon regarding scheduling an interview with Kathryn Simpson.

Menopause Goddess is Great!

I had the pleasure or reviewing a book sent to my Lynette Sheppard entitled, The Big M (of course M stands for menopause!)

In short, I picked it up and didn't put it down until I was done ... and it was delightful. I felt like I'd entered an alternate universe full of the sisterhoof of traveling menopausers (ok maybe that isnt' a REAL word).

But Lynette has successfully brought together several friends in this book who meet yearly to talk about their lives as "Venuses" and how they keep changing. More importantly, they explore how they can help each other through this awkard and often infuriating transition called mid-life. Hence the sisterhood.

There's a great section on hot flashes and what worked for these women (this is probably the most common symptom we want to know most about). She also reviews the emotional aspects that can be so devastating to us (but less so when we talk about it). For example she remembers when Whoopi Goldberg's did a one-woman show about menopause and mentions going through the realization we all hit at some point, that we "will never again be the hottest thing in the room." A middle-aged Venus doesn't command the same atention she once did. And so a new journey begins.

And Lynette really covers these new options well, including all of the personal stories of her friends and how they are changing their lives for the better. There are some great exercises in here, like creating your "want list" which everyone will be benefit from. If nothing else, menopause is a signal that it's time for a life reflection and a new, bigger and better plan for the future.

If you're a man going through mid-life with a woman in menopause, there's much to be gained by over hearing these women's thoughts.

In any case you can't help falling in love with these women and their struggles, and if you decide to start your own group, Lynette shows you how in the back of this wonderful book called, "The Big M." Go to her site now and get it at http://www.menopausegoddessblog.org/

Can you reduce your risk of breast cancer?

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of cancer is certainly no exception.

We hear it all the time?lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults.

The researchers compared Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between premature death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male, 5'10" weighing 288 pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.Jamie McManus, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of "Your Personal Guide to Wellness" notes that while this study referenced extreme levels of obesity, there are still millions of overweight people in developed countries with a life expectancy rate that is three to five years less than their healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000 obesity related deaths each year in America.

Just how does obesity shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question is complex, yet there is a clear link between obesity and the development of cancer. An extensive study conducted by the American Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that obesity significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and gallbladder.

Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and surveillance research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason obesity may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing chances of a random genetic error while cells are replicating, which can lead to cancer. In addition, fat centered around the abdomen may increase insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood, which may increase cancer risk.

"Women who are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of breast cancer," notes Thun, "and obese men have a 40% higher relative risk of colon cancer?. Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are five times higher for obese individuals".There is evidence that cancer rates in developed countries are increasing at 5 to 15 times faster than developing countries. A major contributor to this alarming reality has proven to be diet. In populations where the diet consists mostly of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains ? in contrast to the typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and sugars ? the risk of cancer is much lower.

The interaction of diet and the development of cancer is an active field of research and Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of "What Color is Your Diet", says "It appears that diet has its most significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer". At the risk of oversimplifying a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.It is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

The best time to learn about cancer is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable cancer experience while it's still free.

1. Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine if weight has become health risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI (a ratio of height to weight) over 25. Of those, nearly half (27%) qualify as obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more. In 1980, just 15% of Americans were considered obese. You can check your BMI at the website below.

2. Match your diet to your body's requirements. If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

3. Color your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables. There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal. Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity. If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key ingredient. Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society (ACS), says adults should do something for 30 minutes each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk. Children should be active for an hour each day. We are more likely to develop habits around things we enjoy, so seek activities which you enjoy doing. It is also helpful to build physical activity into your daily routine: use the stairs instead of the escalator or lift at work, park your car in the parking bay furthest from the super marketing and don't use the remote control to change TV channels.

6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan and reach your goal weight. Whilst a small percentage of people possess the discipline to lose weight, many obese people have developed strong thoughts and habits concerning the food they eat. In order to establish new habits, most people respond well to some form of consistent encouragement and coaching.

A study, "Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes" shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn't. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results.

Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it's never to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about cancer.

Source: http://www.consumer-savings.net/

Skin Care in Menopause

Skin becomes rough, thin and wrinkled with age. This process accelerates after menopause. Using skin care practices that help to soften, smooth and hydrate skin will counter a lot of these changes. Even better is to also build collagen with your skin care regimen.

I am a 50 year old post menopausal dermatologist with a large medical practice. I have watched many of my female patients, and myself move through menopause. I see our skin change and it is a priority of mine to find effective skin care products to counter this. I’ve created skin care regimens that keep skin looking healthy and feeling smooth - with a youthful dewy luster. I give specific information on my new web site, http://www.otbskincare.com/. I explain what I recommend and why.

For skin from the neck down, I like a strong glycolic acid moisturizer and physical exfoliation to polish and hydrate skin, and to get rid of those rough age spots that I call barnacles. Picking effective glycolic acid products is tricky. They need to be strong and they need to be used correctly. They are also irritating and so you need to understand how to get the most out of the products without pushing harder than your skin can tolerate. I explain this in detail, and help trouble shoot problems.

Facial skin has many more options because it is so much better able to absorb wonderful ingredients that actually change the deeper skin layers. I love the effect of Retin-A. Retin-A builds collagen, smoothes skin and evens pigment. Retin-A is a prescription, however, and it also makes skin more sensitive to sun, wind and anything that is even slightly irritating. You can get some of the Retin-A benefits with glycolic acid. As with glycolic acid for the body, you have to pick an effective product and you have to know how to use it.

Glycolic acid products can irritate facial skin and so there are tricks to success. Antioxidants are the new big thing and some of them really do improve the look and health of the skin. Unfortunately, it is hard for a consumer to know if an antioxidant ingredient in a product is present in sufficient amount, and in a stable form, to create a change in their skin. Right now there are two great products with powerful and very active antioxidants. I have many patients using these products and I can see the results over time. One of these products contains high concentrations of green tea polyphenols and the other contains a high concentration of stable vitamin C in an airtight container.

Lastly, sunscreen is a critical step in any serious skin rejuvenation regimen. Not all sunscreens are really effective, in my opinion. I like 5% or more of micro sized zinc oxide in a sunscreen to block the sun rays that cause wrinkles and age spots.
Lastly, there are other skin problems that can worsen with age and menopause. These include acne, rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis. I discuss my recommendations for these as well on my web site.

I always like to ask someone who is giving me advice, what they do themselves. My personal skin care regimen is, and has been for years: 1) on my face, neck and chest I use my Antioxidant Facial Rejuvenation Kit during the day and Retin-A at night. I wash with Toleraine Cleanser and Noble Zinc Bar 2) to keep my body skin soft and dewy, I use my Body Rejuvenation kit every other day 3) I am very careful about sun protection, wearing hats, clothing and sunscreen whenever I am out in the sun.

Cynthia Bailey, MD Dermatologist http://www.otbskincare.com/

Homocysteine-Its Destructive Role in Cardiovascular, Cognitive and Bone Health

Homocysteine is one of the most destructive compounds found in the human body. Although oxidized LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) is commonly considered the arteries’ worst enemy, homocysteine has emerged as an equally powerful threat to heart health. In fact, research now shows that damage from homocysteine paves the way for LDL to have an even more destructive effect on the vascular system, indicating these two agents can work together to cause heart disease. Furthermore, as time goes on, more and more research is uncovering homocysteine’s role in other health conditions such as infertility, depression, cognitive decline and bone fractures.

Homocysteine is considered a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease including stroke and deep vein thrombosis.1 Elevated blood levels of homocysteine also are considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and thromboembolism (the obstruction of a blood vessel by a clot), and are correlated with a significant risk for coronary, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease, myocardial infarction (heart attacks), peripheral vascular occlusive disease, cerebral vascular occlusive disease, and retinal vascular disease.2 In fact, high homocysteine, even in the absence of other risks, such as smoking and obesity, is a serious but controllable risk factor for heart disease.Homocysteine is an amino acid commonly found in the blood as a result of protein metabolism. It is mainly derived from another amino acid known as methionine, which is found in a number of food sources primary among them being meat. Blood levels of homocysteine can also be affected by genetic and physiologic factors.

Homocysteine is thought to cause vascular disease because of its effect on blood vessel walls. Homocysteine binds to certain proteins in the body affecting their structure and function. The binding of homocysteine to proteins will degrade and inhibit repair and maintenance of three main vascular connective tissue structures—cartilage, elastin and proteolgycans—making them more susceptible to disease processes, including vascular disease.

Homocysteine can damage the cells lining the artery walls (known as the endothelium) in the vascular system. Homocysteine causes a reduction in nitric oxide activity, impairing blood vessels’ ability to dilate and leaving the endothelium more susceptible to oxidative damage.3 Damaged vascular walls will then allow more low density lipoprotein (LDL) to be absorbed, further harming the vessel. This damage then promotes the growth of new smooth muscle cells within the vessel, which then narrows it. Endothelial damage also allows for increased platelet adhesiveness and activation of the clotting cascade, increasing the risk of cardiac arrest (heart attack) or cerebrovascular accident (stroke).

In the Western world, homocysteine serum levels are most commonly found at 10-12 μmol/L. A level above 12 is generally considered elevated while levels below 6 are considered minimal. An increase of homocysteine levels by 5 μmol/L has been shown to increase the risk of cerebrovascular disease in the general population by 50 percent, and will increase the risk of coronary artery disease by 80 percent in women and 60 percent in men. In general, women have 10-15 percent less homocysteine than men during their reproductive years, which is thought in part to be the reason why women have fewer heart attacks than men, and why they tend to have them 10-15 years later than the time men commonly do.4

Genetic Causes of High HomocysteineDietary factors, while often cited as the chief cause for elevated homocysteine, are not the only factor. A rare hereditary disease known as homocystinuria results in several systemic disorders and is charachterized by the accumulation of homocysteine in the blood and an increased rate of excretion in the urine. Nearly 25 percent of people with this disorder die from cardiovascular complications before the age of thirty.

Ten percent of the population in general have another more common yet related condition where they are unable to effectively metabolize homocysteine and will be predisposed to the negative effects of elevated homocysteine levels, including blood clots and cardiovascular disease. This disorder is known as a methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism genetic trait. People that have this condition are unable to effectively metabolize homocysteine and will be predisposed to the negative effects of elevated homocysteine levels, including blood clots and cardiovascular disease.

Homocysteine’s Widespread Role

Elevated homocisteine, also known as hyperhomocysteinemia, may contribute to many other conditions. InfertilityWomen who have high levels of homocysteine have been shown to have a more difficult time getting pregnant and are two times as likely to have complications during pregnancy. Furthermore, women with high homocysteine levels are at risk of having miscarriages early in pregnancy.5-6 Researchers are not sure what role homocysteine has in infertility, but it has been theorized that high homocysteine contributes to subfertility, or difficulty achieving a pregnancy.

Mental Health

Elevated levels of homocysteine are also a risk factor for diseases affecting the brain. Epidemiologic studies show a dose-dependent relationship between homocysteine levels and risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression.7

Researchers continue to collect evidence that correlates several cardiovascular disease risk factors, homocysteine being one, with the incidence of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.8 High homocysteine by itself is considered a strong independent risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A study looking at data collected from the Framingham Study showed that a homocysteine level over 14 μmol/L increased the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 150 percent.9

Bone Fractures

Homocysteine is considered an independent risk factor for osteoporosis fractures in the elderly.10 It is thought that homocysteine leads to fractures in the same way in which it contributes to heart disease in that homocysteine affects certain connective tissue proteins and prevents them from functioning correctly.

In the case of fractures, homocysteine interferes with the cross-linking ability of collagen (a major connective tissue protein) with the tissues it supports such as the skeletal system. Because homocysteine affects the structural proteins of which bone is comprised, it does not actually affect bone density. Therefore, traditional measures used to build bones (weight bearing exercise, adequate calcium and vitamin D, etc.) will not necessarily correct the damage from homocysteine on the bones.

Controlling Elevated Homocysteine

Currently, there is no standard recommendation that all people have their homocysteine levels checked. Despite this, the American Heart Association does encourage testing for homocysteine in people with a personal or family history of heart disease. In order to address all possible aspects of heart disease (and other conditions), testing homocysteine levels is a good idea.

Controlling homocysteine can be achieved by supplementing with 4 common nutrients: vitamins B6, B12, folic acid and betaine. Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid blood levels are found to be inversely related to plasma homocysteine concentration. Combination therapy with the aforementioned vitamins provides an effective way to reduce homocysteine levels,11 and side effects of this therapy are relatively unknown.12 Another supplement that has demonstrated usefulness in lowering homocysteine levels is betaine, also known as trimethylglycine.
High dietary consumption of methionine, which can be found in meats and dairy products, can result in the overproduction of homocysteine. Once homocysteine is produced it is metabolized in the body through one of two possible pathways—remethylation or transsulfuration.

Remethylation is a process that utilizes folate, vitamin B12 or betaine (trimethylglycine) to convert homocysteine back to methionine. Alternately, transsulfuration utilizes vitamin B6 (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) to break down excess homocysteine into a number of metabolites for eventual excretion from the body.13,3 B6 has been shown to be effective in reducing homocysteine levels following the ingestion of significant amounts of methionine.14
Vitamin B12 in the form of methylcobalamin is needed for the conversion (remethylation) of homocysteine back to methionine.15 This remethylation reaction also requires folic acid. B12 is thought to provide an additive effect to the lowering of homocysteine when supplied in conjunction with folic acid.16

Folic acid is needed for the metabolism of homocysteine; low levels of folate in the blood are associated with higher levels of homocysteine. Folic acid is involved in one of the two pathways (remethylation) by which homocysteine is metabolized; this pathway also requires vitamin B12. Enzymes involved in remethylation of homocysteine are dependent upon folate and vitamin B12.17-18 Supplementation with folic acid will increase the activity of the remethylation pathway and thereby reduce homocysteine levels.19

Betaine is derived from choline and occurs naturally in the body. It can also be found in foods like cereal, seafood, spinach and beets, to name a few. Betaine acts as a methyl donor and contributes in the remethylation pathway when converting homocysteine back to methionine,20 thereby reducing homocysteine levels. Betaine has been shown to lower homocysteine levels in the majority of patients unresponsive to vitamin B6 therapy. In one study, daily doses of 250 mg of vitamin B6, 5 mg of folic acid, and 6 gm of betaine by themselves or in combination normalized the majority of high homocysteine levels in patients administered high doses of methionine.21
Homocysteine-lowering strategies also include a diet low in methionine since homocysteine is an intermediate product of methionine metabolism in the body. Foods rich in methionine include cheddar cheese, eggs, chicken, and beef.

Conclusion

Homocysteine is considered a primary, independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is thought to contribute to a host of other conditions such as miscarriages and difficult pregnancy, bone fractures, strokes, blood clots, depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Due to this amino acid’s role in a host of diseases, individuals at risk for high homocysteine levels should consider a supplement regimen that includes vitamins B12 and B6, folic acid, and betaine.

The physicians at Griffin Medical Group can prescribe a treatment protocol to help lower homocysteine levels. Patients can receive B12 injections at the office or the patient can be instructed on self administration of B12 injections. Patients can be prescribed Advanced Methyl Caps that will lower your homocysteine levels as well.

Data provided by http://www.griffinmedical.com/

Scott Keppel: How to Avoid Weight Gain Post Menopause

Whether you want it to happen or not, menopause is going to happen. I’m sure you have all heard horror stories from women that have gone through it and several of them stating how their body never went back to the way it used to be. How they gained weight and could not lose it. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I’m here to inform you on how you can at least slow down the weight gain post menopause if not avoid it completely.

You will see that there are several changes that do occur do to menopause that you can not control, but you will also see there are a number of which you can control. Sadly, many women do not get the ones they can change under control and the weight comes on. I suggest you become proactive rather than reactive and knowing you’re going to experience it prepare yourself so when it does occur you are as ready as you can be.

Menopause, which most women experience in their 40’s-50’s (the average age for women in the Western region of the world is 51) is “The time in a woman’s life when menstrual periods permanently stop”. During this time a number of women will put on unwanted pounds and unnecessary fat. There are several reasons this occurs, but do not get discouraged. You can control some of these factors which in turn will slow down or help you avoid all together gaining the unwanted fat and weight. The following are the changes that a woman can expect to go through and the necessary steps she should take to stay on track with her fitness goals.

*Hormone levels change while there is nothing you can do about this change, not every woman is affected the same. The hormones that change are Progesterone, Estrogen, Androgen, and Testosterone.

• Progesterone leads to water retention and bloating. Thus causing weight gain and the uncomfortable feeling of feeling thicker in the midsection.

• Estrogen declines rapidly and your body looks for other way s to produce estrogen since your ovaries will produce less. Because of this your body will turn to fat cells leading your body to try and create more fat cells. Obviously the increase of fat cells leads to an increase in body fat percentage and possible an increase in weight. Another important note about fats cell is that they burn only 8 calories a day, while muscle can burn 20-100 calories a day.• Androgen which is a male dominant hormone is responsible for sending a majority of the weight post menopause to a woman’s midsection.

• Testosterone which is another male dominant hormone that promotes muscle growth lowers thus causing the body to build less muscle thereby slowing down one’s metabolism.

*Stress is another factor to take into consideration during menopause. Stress is something we all need to deal with on a daily basis and it can lead to weight gain, specifically in the abdomen area. Studies show that chronic stress can convert any macronutrient into a sugar to use as fuel, thus spiking one’s insulin levels and forcing the body to store more fat. Stress can also cause the body to retain water thereby making one feel bloated and heavier.

*Eating more often post menopause is another contributing factor to weight gain. If you take in more calories then you burn, you will gain weight. For many post menopause women, they will turn to food for comfort and keep their activity level the same and/or decrease it. This means activity level stays equal or less while calories (normally not healthy foods) increase causing the body to gain weight. This is something you can control! Keep a food log and track your eating to see if you are indeed taking in too many calories.

Try and eat every 3-4 hours and think of what you’re going to do three hours after you eat. If you’re going to bed, try not to eat too many carbohydrates. If you’re going to workout or you’ll be active after a particular meal you can eat a little more. Try and get a lean source of protein and or fat in each meal. The protein will help to maintain muscle mass and both will slow down the Glycemic load of the carbohydrates.

*Less activity which goes hand and hand with the eating more is another reason for the unwanted gains. If you eat the same amount or most likely more as stated above while reducing your activity (caloric burn) you’ll have a surplus of calories and you will gain weight. Don’t be afraid to hit the weights and do resistance training. Not only will it help build more lean muscle (which burns more calories) it can also help with Osteoporosis.

Try to work each body part at least once a week and get 3-5 cardio sessions in a week (30-60 minutes in duration). If you feel the previously mentioned is too much activity for you, then just do something. I recommend getting a doctor’s ok first then having a professional trainer assesses your strengths and weaknesses.

*Genetics is another change that we can not prevent. Some women are predisposedTo carry more fat (in general) and in certain areas than others. While we can not prevent this, knowing your genetic predisposition to weight gain, you can slow down the process with proper diet and exercise. Keep in mind you can not spot reduce. Meaning, if you do not like your hips and butt and just want them to lose fat while maintain the rest, that will not happen. You can shape what you have with weights, but your body burns fat from within so the areas that have the most will be the last to go.

New Data Can Predict Menopause Within a Year

Women who are sensitive to the ticking of their biological clock, especially those who choose to have children later in life, may soon be able to learn when menopause is likely to occur.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered new information about hormonal biomarkers that can address the beginning of the menopause transition."In the end, this information can change the way we do business," said MaryFran Sowers, professor in the University of Michigan School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology. "The information provides a roadmap as to how fast women are progressing through the different elements of their reproductive life."Ms. Sowers led a research team that examined the naturally occurring changes in three different biomarkers over the reproductive life of more than 600 women: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B.

Read more here