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The MidLife Health Guide for Women

iUniverse, Inc.

Contents

List of Illustrations....................................................................xvPreface..................................................................................xviiAcknowledgments..........................................................................xxiI. Introducing Our Middle Aged Gals, Here are Maggies 1, 2 and 3........................1II. Why and How Do We Age?...............................................................12III. Diet Basics: You Are What and How Much You Eat!.....................................35IV. Weight Loss: This Time, You Will Lose Weight.........................................78V. Exercise: Use it or lose it!..........................................................115VI. Supplements: Helpful, or Are You Just Urinating Your Money Away?.....................139VII. Fluids and Toxins: Detoxing Your Way Back to Health.................................176VIII. Andropause and Testosterone. Not Just for Men, Anymore!............................193IX. Pregnenolone and DHEA: The Testosterone Precursors...................................207X. Menopause.............................................................................218XI. Stress and Sleep: Cortisol and Melatonin's Role......................................251XII. Human Growth Hormone: The Fountain of Youth?........................................275XIII. Thyroid: The Gas Pedal of the Body.................................................295XIV. Special Concerns....................................................................303XV. Summary Maggies' Success Stories....................................................334Index-Glossary...........................................................................343Appendix.................................................................................357Resources................................................................................393

Chapter One

Middle age does make up the majority of a woman's life. Undoubtedly, there are many changes and different concerns that will arise. With those, come many questions. This book is set up in the following way: Since women are more in tune with conversation, relationships and stories, I present three women named Maggies—all in different stages of middle age. In essence, you're sitting down with them and relating to their medical concerns and health goals. It's more like sharing all your life's stories over a cup of coffee. Each chapter has a topic and offers core, factual information that is then subdivided into historical points, pros and cons of various options, and so forth. The intent is for you to identify with our Maggies and follow along their path of discovering ways to feel more alive and youthful. For your convenience, resources and references are given within the text so you can personalize your reading experience. At the end of every topic, each Maggie with her unique set of problems relates how she's progressed along with any other concerns or comments. We then agree on their best individual approach to obtain optimal health. As you follow their stories throughout the book, you'll get pumped up and start your own path. All of you will benefit.

"Welcome Maggies and thank you for volunteering. I'm grateful you came to openly discuss your health concerns and goals in order to help our readers. I asked you three here because you represent the spectrum of mid-life our readers can identify with—early, middle and late middle age. After a brief introduction, we'll identify the common, underlying causes for your concerns and discuss how they are connected. Armed with this knowledge, we'll review the scientific data and your options. After weighing the pros and cons, we'll mutually design a comprehensive plan that's unique for you and your situation. After all, no two women are alike.

"Maggies, I'm grateful to you for disclosing your personal health concerns. You three represent the gambit of midlife and its challenges:

Maggie 1 is not menopausal, only early middle aged in her thirties, but has valid health issues, IBS, and feels tired.

Maggie 2 is perimenopausal in her early forties, yet has health problems as cholesterol, hypertension, and is confused about her options. She has metabolic syndrome including diabetes, osteopenia, asthma, weight gain, anxiety, and she smokes and drinks alcohol too much.

Maggie 3 is post-menopausal, proactive, yet feels like she's losing her earlier gains. Off HRT three years, she doesn't want to go back on hormones because of all the negative press. Feeling achy, she has signs of metabolic disorders as well.

Let's have you three Maggies tell us your stories in your own words. A brief assessment follows and then we'll start our journey. Each subsequent chapter in the book addresses a certain aspect of women's health—diet, exercise, hormones and so on. At each chapter's end, we will review your progress and mutually design a tailored approach to a healthier you. Midlife is the time get your health in top gear! Are you ready, ladies?!"

A. Maggie 1

"Hi, I'm 32 years old, married and have two young children. I feel blessed for that; but, working part-time from home, I find it very hard to balance all my daily duties. I hardly have any time for myself and I know I'm always putting myself last. Despite being quite physically active and eating right when in high school and college, I realize I've been putting my health last for the past few years and am now beginning to feel the effects. Please help me.

I listed my concerns so I wouldn't forget:

Maggie 1

1. Feeling tired during the day with lack of energy and drive. Overall, I'm just not feeling as great as I once did.

2. Being anxious, yet feeling down much more often than before. I'm yelling more at my husband and children. Afterwards, I feel worse. Some of my friends say this is just a phase of getting older and the stress of staying home. Others say I'm in a rut and should seek help. Even my regular doctor tried prescribing me a few antidepressants, but these only made me feel worse or weird.

3. Craving for junk food and eating more fast food. I know I shouldn't; this makes me feel even guiltier. I hide this from my husband; he's a health nut. I want to set a good example for my kids, too.

4. Gaining weight, especially in the hips and thighs. Losing the definition I had before, I now have flabby arms, a thinner face, and thinner calves. One of my biggest fear is coming true—in many not-so-good ways, I am starting to become like my older sister!

5. Feeling less intimate with my husband, I could care less about sex. I'm not sure if that's a reflection of how I feel about me or him ... or us, or just life in general. Regardless, I'm quite fearful about this. We used to have a very wild, crazy sex life and it was a big part of our relationship. The way he used to grin when I'd strut into the bedroom wearing my latest lingerie ... that look said more than any words and it made me feel so special. He used to brag all the time to his jealous buddies. Now, I'm too tired to even think about sex.

6. Not sleeping well. I have a hard time getting to sleep with all of my worries and wake up often during the night. Tossing...