Oops! Medical Study On New Natural Way To Take Back Bladder Control

Eliminate the "oops" and take back bladder control with free, non-drug, non-surgical treatment via a brand new clinical trial! Here's what you need to know.

By Colette Bouchez

• Do you avoid watching romantic comedies because you leak every time you laugh - or sneeze, or cough?

• Are you tired of starting a jog and then running all the way back home because you've "stained' those new sweat pants - again.
• And are you using the word "oops" in a sentence more times then you ever dreamed you would?

If so, then you may be one of 20 million women - YES, 20 MILLION - who suffer from serious bladder control issues, with estimates that another 20 million are dealing with the daily "oops" of light bladder leakage.

Now if you catch yourself saying "Well, yeah, but the oops are just a part of gettin' old", hold on! It's important to know that "leaking" is not a natural part of the aging process. While that drop in estrogen associated with "the change" can make leaks, drips and dribbles occur more easily, the mid-life path is definitely not automatically strewn with sprinkles!

What's more, you don't even have to be in your "middle years" to experience leakage issues. Indeed, experts say that many women in their 30's and early 40's are affected as well, particularly if you have given birth to several children.

While there are a number of medications - and even some surgeries - that can help you regain bladder control, I'm happy to tell you about a brand new nationwide National Institutes of Health clinical trial for a drug-free and surgery -free way of taking the "oops" out of your vocabulary! And it's a way for you to get help - for free!

Drug-Free Bladder Control : The Latest News

The new clinical trial centers around a device known as the Athena Pelvic Muscle Trainer. A small, tampon-shaped wireless device, (think lipstick-tube size) the Athena is gently inserted inside the body, where it gives off a mild electrical pulse designed to mimic the muscle activity of a Kegel exercise. This is the "squeezing" motion that contracts the muscles which control the bladder. Over time it is believed the Kegel exercise makes bladder muscles stronger - and thus better able to control those leaks and drips.

Unfortunately. however, many women don't do the exercise right - or vigorously enough - to get the desire result. And here's where Athena might make a difference. Once inserted in the body you use a tiny remote control device to start the unit, which then uses a perfectly timed pulsating action to give you up to 15 minutes of the "tightening -releasing" muscle contractions that constitute the "perfect Kegel". At the end of each session you remove the device, wash it, and put it away for the next use.

Equipped with various adjustable settings the Athena unit is designed to treat stress incontinence ( when stress on the bladder from sneeze or cough causes an "oops" ) as well as urge incontinence ( where you just can't stop feeling like you have to pee! ), or a combination of both.

Clinical Trial - Free Treatment!

Although the Athena Muscle Pelvic Stimulator is only available via prescription from your doctor, if you're interested in giving it a try for free the company, in conjunction with The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Health, is conducting a nationwide clinical trial. Sanctioned by the National Institutes of Health, it is being conducted at leading medical facilities around the country - and the enrollment is still open. You'll get a free diagnosis of your problem, top of the line care, and a chance to try this amazing little device for free - all while saying "bah bye" to leaks, dribbles, drips and a mountain of pads!

For more information on where to find a clinical trial site in your area, see the box on the top left - or click here.

Remember ...one in three women share your problem, so don't be shy!

For the latest health, beauty and style advice for women over 40 subscribe to RedDressDiary - It's Free! And be sure to check out CheapChicDiary.com for money saving beauty and style tips!

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2010 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Study: Natural Menopause Treatment May Ease Depression & Anxiety

If your peri-menopause and menopause symptoms include depression and anxiety, there’s good news! A new medical study on red clover shows relief may be closer than you think!

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re one of millions of women doing daily battle with hot flashes , night sweats, and other symptoms of menopause, you may be already turning to one or more herbal remedies to make life easier.

Now a new study shows that one of those remedies – a natural compound known as red clover – may also help boost your mood, alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety by as much as 80 percent.

That’s the conclusion of new research conducted at the General Teaching Hospital in Korneuberg, Austria, where women taking red clover supplements for just 90 days saw dramatic symptom relief.

“Although clinical data regarding phytoestrogens [ a type of weak natural estrogen that comes from plants] and mood disorders is still scarce, the present series determined that red clover derived isoflavones were effective in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms among post menopausal women,” write the study authors in the paper recently published in the journal “Maturitas.”

Isoflavones are an “umbrella” term covering a number of compounds known as “plant estrogens” or “phytoestrogens”. Among the most potent are believed to be daidzen and genistein, both of which are also found in soy – one reason it has been frequently touted as a way to reduce menopause symptoms.

But as I explain in greater detail in my books “ The Hot Flash Solution “ and “Your Perfectly Pampered Menopause”, these same compounds are found in much greater amounts in red clover. Moreover, while some research has suggested that soy based products may increase the risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers in some women ( particularly breast cancer), the same is not true for red clover. Indeed, studies show it does not carry the same risks as some suggest are linked to soy.

More specifically a number of studies have shown that while red clover acts like an estrogen in terms of mediating menopausal symptoms, it does so without increasing breast tissue density or increasing the thickness of the uterine lining - both of which can occur with traditional hormone therapy.

Red Clover, Menopause And Depression

Although the “classic” signs of menopause – the ones we always hear about – are common problems like hot flashes and night sweats, for many women equally as troubling are the mood swings, anger, anxiety and depression that can slowly seep into our daily lives in the years following “ the change.”

Certainly, there has been some research suggesting that it is, in fact, the preponderance of physical symptoms, including not only hot flashes and night sweats, but also sleep disturbances that are the real culprits behind the mood changes. And as any woman who is sleep deprived can tell you, a lack of shut eye makes everything seem worse.

That said, other research has strongly suggested that the mood changes of menopause occur independent of the physical symptoms - and certainly this latest study on red clover helps bolster that point of view.

In the new study 109 post menopausal women over age 40 underwent mental status testing and were scored using The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a system used to measure and quantify depression and anxiety symptoms. The group was then randomly assigned to receive either 80 mg of red clover isoflavones twice daily , or a placebo, for a total of 90 days. Afterwards, the women were again tested and scored for anxiety and depressive symptoms.

The study result: The women taking the red clover experienced a whopping 76 percent reduction in anxiety and a 78 percent reduction in depressive symptoms, compared to only a 21 percent reduction in these symptoms among women taking the placebo.

Not All Red Clover Alike

Now if you’re grabbing for your car keys and heading right to health food store to pick up some red clover ... not so fast. What’s important to note is that not all red clover is created equal!

Like soy, it is a legume - but unfortunately it’s not quite as easy to consume in its natural food state. While it is available as a tea, an infusion, and in various forms of "dried leaf products", not all are created equal. That’s because a variety of factors can greatly influence the level of key compounds found in red clover - including the conditions under which the plants are grown, when in their life cycle they are harvested, and the portion of the plant used in making the food product.

For these reasons the most reliable form of red clover may be found in supplements. And here again, you have to be a bit mindful of which one you choose. Key thing to look for : That supplement is “standardized” to contain at least 40mg of four key isoflavones including genistein, daidzein, formononetin and biochanin A.

Also important – that the compounds come directly from the red clover plant with no chemical synthesization.

If you have trouble choosing a brand, it may help to know that the one form of Red Clover used in most of the clinical trials – including research on over 1,000 women worldwide – is Promensil. My independent research has shown it is also the brand most often recommended by physicians who suggest isoflavone supplement use. However, there are other supplements on the market that may be equal in terms of what they can provide. For more independent information on how to choose a red clover supplement, click here.

For more health and beauty information be sure to stop by www.RedDressDiary.com – your source for fabulous women over 40. Or visit www.yourMenopause.com for some specific new information on menopause symptoms and relief.

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2010 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

CAUTION: Don't Do THIS To Your Cup of Tea!

If you’re currently drinking tea for it’s health giving benefits – including high levels of heart-healthy antioxidants – there’s something that should not go in the cup! Here’s what you need to know!

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re drinking tea for it’s health-giving antioxidant properties, hold onto your cozies: If you’re adding even a little bit of milk to your cup you could be cutting the benefits by as much as 25%! ,

That’s the news according to new findings just published in Nutrition Research. Indeed, researchers found that adding any kind of milk to tea dramatically reduces it’s antioxidant potential – with some types of milk clearly worse than others.

“We accept the hypothesis that different volumes of bovine milk and milk of varying fat content affect the total antioxidant capacity of tea,” wrote lead authors Lisa Ryan and Sébastien Petit from the Functional Food Center at Oxford Brookes University where the research was conducted.

“The degree to which the addition of milk reduces the antioxidant capacity of black tea depends on the amount added and the fat content of the milk,” they added.

Now if you’re thinking it’s probably the high fat milk that caused the most problems, guess again! In a surprising health twist the study found it’s actually skimmed milk that appeared to exert the greatest reduction of antioxidant properties when compared to fat-free milk or whole milk.

This is key since it is believed that health-giving powers of both black and green tea are linked to it’s antioxidant levels. These are natural compounds ( also found in many fruits and vegetables) that help battle free radicals – unhealthy cells that help initiate the destruction of healthy cells and in the process also may play a role in initiating some diseases.

Indeed, a number of major studies have found that the antioxidant compounds found in all tea, but most prominently in green tea, can battle free radical damage in the process help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as certain cancers, and my help improve overall cardiovascular health.

Tea Without Milk Will Optimize Benefits

In creating and executing the new study, researchers analyzed the antioxidant capacity of 5 different brands of black tea, and tested each tea with varying volumes of whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, and skimmed milk.

Using a system known as the FRAPP assay ( a way of measuring the antioxidant potential of a food or beverage) the researchers found that the addition of milk in quantities of 10, 15, and 20 mL of whole, semi skimmed, and skimmed cow’s milk appeared to work directly on two specific compounds known as theaflavins and thearubigins. By reducing their levels substantially, the milk reduced the overall antioxidant levels of the tea.

However, the researchers also found that the addition of milk did not appear to reduce concentrations of two other key antioxidant compounds known as catechins and quercetin .
That said, a study published in 2007 in the European Heart Journal. Here doctors found that milk blocked health effects of catechins, particularly in blood vessels, in blood vessels, where it’s believed to be helpful in reducing clot formation by increasing blood flow. So in this respect, adding milk to tea may be even more worrisome, than this new study reveals.

At the same time, adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to your tea may be just what the doctor ordered! As one of the fruits highest in both vitamin C and antioxidant protection, research suggests that adding lemon to tea may actually boost the health benefits of every sip!

Non Dairy Creamer Bad For Coffee?

If tea is not, well, your cup of tea, then the good news is that coffee also contains it’s fair share of antioxidant protection. It’s key health-giving compounds include the antioxidants caffeic acid, ferulic acid and isoferulic acid – and the good news here is that studies conducted by Nestle found that adding milk to instant coffee had no negative impact on the antioxidant potential.

Unfortunately, however, the same may not be true for non-dairy creamers – at least according to one small study. Indeed, in research published in The Journal of Nutrition, levels of both caffeic acid and ferulic acid were reduced with the addition of non-dairy creamers and sugar. To date, however, the results have not been duplicated and there are no large scale studies suggesting that non-dairy creamers can reduce coffees health-giving benefits.

For round the clock health, beauty and style advice for women over 40 visit RedDressDiary.com.
Or check out CheapChicDiary.com for money saving beauty and style tips!

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.