Don't Have A GYN Surgery Without This Fruit Juice!

New research shows a common fruit juice could help you avoid one of the most serious post-surgical complications.  Read on to discover how to protect yourself!

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re facing any kind of surgery –even a minor operation – then you probably already know the risk of acquiring a hospital-based infection can be high.  Among the most dangerous is MRSA  (S. aureus) – the "staph"  infection that is often resistant to medication and can have life threatening consequences, particularly following gynecological surgeries such as a hysterectomy.

Now, a new study says you may be able to protect yourself  via the simple addition of a  fruit juice drink to your diet. And that drink is cranberry juice!

In studies conducted at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), researchers reported that a cranberry juice cocktail was able to block a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in a way that  prevented an infection from forming.

"Most of our work with cranberry juice has been with E. coli and urinary tract infections, but we included Staphylococcus aureus in this study because it is a very serious health threat,"  said lead researcher Professor Terri Camesano.

The results, she says, were surprising – and important.

Indeed, in  the past studies have shown that  cranberry juice  may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) by interfering with the ability of bacteria to cling to the walls of the urinary tract. This in turn prevented the creation of a “bio film” that would otherwise act as a kind of incubator encouraging the bacteria to grow.  With no biofilm, no infection could develop.

While the protective mechanisms of cranberries  was believed to be limited to E.coli – the bacteria most responsible for UTIs -  today’s research shows that various forms of staph infection may also respond to cranberries protective effects.  This , say researchers, is key since staph not only can cause a UTI but a range of infections from minor skin rashes to the potentially deadly toxic shock syndrome.   Between 1999 and 2005 the number of deaths from the antibiotic resistant strain of staph known as MRSA ( S. Aureus) more than doubled.

While MRSA can affect both men and women and develop after any surgery,  there is some evidence that women may be more susceptible, particularly if their surgery involves open an incision in the pelvic region, such as that used during an abdominal  hysterectomy. Indeed, the US Centers for Disease Control reports  that  the rate of post operative infection following abdominal hysterectomy runs a close third, just behind open heart surgery and a colon surgery. 

A recent study conducted by the University of Nottingham in England found that in particular women undergoing gynecological surgeries were at greater risk for post operative infections.

How Cranberry Juice Might Help You

The new study was conducted on urine samples taken from patients who recently consumed cranberry juice.  When the samples were incubated  in a laboratory dish with strains of either E.coli or S. Aureus (staph) bacteria,  cells were unable to form the biofilm necessary to promote proliferation of the bacteria.  The end result: The dangerous infections could not develop.

"What was surprising is that Staphylococcus aureus showed the most significant results in this study,” said Camesano.

"We saw essentially no biofilm in the staph samples, which is very surprising because Staph aureus is usually very good at forming biofilms. That's what makes it such a health problem,” she added.

Indeed, not only can staph infections quickly and easily form the biofilms necessary for bacteria to grow,  once formed they can difficult to break down - so the infections continue to proliferate and thrive.  Currently there are numerous strains of drug-resistant staph infections  threatening to become completely unresponsive to any drug therapy.

While this new study on the protective effects of cranberries  is far from conclusive, when presented recently at the national meeting for the American Chemical Society in Boston, it appeared to attract significant interest from other researchers. So, don't be surprised to see more on this  in the coming months.

In the meantime, if you are facing a surgery anytime soon - but particularly a hysterectomy,  or any type of bladder reconstruction - do  check with your doctor about whether or not adding cranberry juice, whole, fresh cranberries, or a cranberry supplement to your diet prior to and just after surgery might help reduce your risk of infection. While there is no proof at this point, if your diet permits it,  remember that cranberries are generally healthy,  brimming with vitamin C and other antioxidants which can boost your overall health and could make recovering from any surgery faster and easier.

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 ElleMedia Network 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.  The owners of this blog may or may not  indirectly or directly benefit from product mentions featured in the text or visual portions of this site.

Boniva's Big Oops: Osteoporosis Advice Not Sound

In a recent TV commercial for the osteoporosis drug Boniva, actress Sally Field tells us to boost bone health by eating more calcium-rich spinach.  But experts say that may be some very wrong advice. Here's what you  need to know.

By Colette Bouchez

You can hardly miss the commercials featuring award winning actress Sally Field. The product is Boniva, the once-monthly  bone enhancing  prescription drug for osteoporosis, a bone thinning disorder that affects mostly women over age 50.

But what many of you may miss – or worse still pay attention to – is the big “oops” in the commercial.

And that "oops"  is Ms. Field telling us we can also  boost our bone health by eating high calcium foods such as “cheese and spinach”.   So where’s the goof?  It’s in the spinach.
While spinach does indeed contain substantial calcium - which is good for your bones - it also contains a potent natural chemical known as "oxalic acid" .  And that interferes with calcium absorption big time!

According to the Harvard Health Letter,   “ A cup of frozen spinach contains almost as much calcium as a cup of milk, but only a tenth as much is absorbed because of the oxalic acid.”

And a number of studies seem to prove this out.  In data published in the journal Nutrition Research  as far back as 1987,  researchers  showed that when comparing calcium absorption from women eating cheese vs women eating spinach, those who ate the spinach absorbed far less of this important nutrient.

In fact, according to what is considered the gold standard of medical  nutritional information - The 50th Anniversary Edition of the text book Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease (Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins),  the authors write that “ The most potent inhibitor of calcium absorption is oxalic acid, found in high concentration in spinach, rhubarb, and to a lesser extent sweet potatoes and dried beans.”

The authors go on to write that calcium absorption from spinach is only 5% compared to compared to 27% from milk .

The other calcium inhibitor is phytic acid, which can be found in things like wheat bran cereal or dried beans.

So what does this all mean?  It means that if you are relying on foods like spinach to get your calcium you're going to come up dangerously short.

Spinach Is Good – But Not For Your Bones

Spinach is, in fact, a wonderful vegetable, loaded to the brim with folic acid, one of the single most important nutrients for women.  It also contains other B vitamins and  vitamin C and it’s a great source of fiber.  So certainly, it’s important to include spinach in your diet. And personally I love it!

But that  said, if you’re eating it for bone health – as Boniva suggests – you’re not only going to come up dangerously short, you’re probably going to need a lot more of their bone enhancing drug in order to compensate for the calcium you're not getting by eating spinach!  

Now of course  I’m not saying that Boniva intentionally wants you to be low on calcium in order to sell you more of their bone enhancing medicine.   And I certainly am savvy enough to know that the commercial in question which pushes spinach as a good source of calcium  was likely written by an advertising copy writer  and not a physician or even a staffer at Genentech,  the makers of Boniva .  

But, while  the Boniva  website does  list spinach as a “ minor”  nutritional source of calcium ...  it also places it in the same rank with broccoli and kale,  both of which are way higher in calcium and don’t contain oxalic acid.  What’s that about?

Perhaps of even greater concern is that if the powers that be at a major pharmaceutical company can’t even take the time to watch their own commercial – and spot the misinformation – it just begs the question, what else are they overlooking, in their research, in their test results, in the production of their medications?

It could be they are spending so much time and energy on giving us the perfect drug that they have no time to watch daytime TV.   I hope that's the case.  But I don't know. 

What I do know is that Sally Fields is an awesome actress with a powerful voice. But right now, thanks to Boniva,  she’s giving us women some wrong and some potentially harmful health  information .  And that’s not good for us – or good for Sally.

They say you can’t believe everything you read about your health on the  Internet.  Apparently the same is true about you hear on TV.  Maybe we should  just spend a little more time reading books. Or how about  listening to our doctors...what you think? 

For the latest health, beauty and style commentary  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 ElleMedia Network 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.  The publishers and producers of this blog may or may not directly or indirectly benefit from any products or services that appear in or on this blog.

Eat, Pray, Love ....SHOP ???

For women over 40 the mantra of Eat, Pray, Love might represent the guts to shed your inhibitions and start life again.  Or not ....

By Colette Bouchez

DESPITE Oprah Winfrey’s endorsements, despite the fact that a zillion women bought into the premise, despite author Elizabeth Gilbert telling us ad nauseum that  Eat,Pray, Love was just a simple little story chronicling the inner struggles we all share … for me, almost from page one,  it seemed  nothing more than a well written temper tantrum of a  spoiled, selfish, over indulged, immature little whiner,  with a self absorbed axe to grind and a publishing deal on which to grind it.
  
I’m sorry I know I am probably in the minority with this feeling.   But I can’t help it.

And part of  the reason I can’t help it is that  the whole time  Ms. Gilbert was referring to herself as this sort of mixed up, confused, soul-searching not to mention BROKE soul,   I kept thinking to myself well yeah …but where I come from,  BROKE means you don’t have bus fare to  visit your sister in Altoona , let alone snag plane fare and hotel bills for a trip half way round the world.  And once you get there have the money to do pretty much anything you want. 

And Okay, I Get It – financial destitution IS all relative. I mean there’s Park Avenue and then there’s Park Row.

Still,  by anyone’s definition, being jobless, homeless and fundless and still somehow find the funds to  to  fly to Italy, stuff your face with  every delicacy on the menu and generally party your little butt off, and  when you’re done take off for India and then Bali to do pretty much  the same thing for months on end -   all the while wearing  a ton of new clothes which somehow you were able to snap out of your confused brain fog long enough to have purchased …well  I don’t know about you, but in my book that doesn’t exactly  spell BROKE , CONFUSED   or exemplify the need for soul searching.

What it does do, however, is bring to mind another poor, lost confused soul that took us all on a similar joy ride to inner peace . His name was James Frey and the book was A Million Little Pieces. Need I say more?


So that was my first impression of Eat, Pray, Love:  I wasn’t buying it.  In fact  I so wasn’t buying it I was pretty sure that anyone who decided to dig deep enough might even find that a book contract was actually place BEFORE this so-called soul-searching journey began – or at the very least a few emails confirming publishing interest.  And  I’m  not saying there was mind you, but seeing how she was, after all a travel writer with lots of publishing industry contacts,  I ‘m just saying I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there was one. That is how contrived this whole story seemed to me.

But let us now fast forward a couple years to August 2010 – and Eat, Pray, Love THE MOVIE  is here. And before I say another word let me say that I adore Julia Roberts.  I would watch Julia Roberts  read the Yellow Pages because she is that good. And if anyone could make me believe that the  mantra of Eat, Pray, Love was real and meaningful,  it would be Julia Roberts. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen for me. Not only did the movie NOT change my mind about the concept of Eat, Pray, Love,  it confirmed my original feelings in a way even  I did not expect :    Somehow seeing it all up there in breathtaking cinematic glory, the spoiled, the indulgence, the ME ME ME and the  premeditation of it all seemed even bigger AND MORE PREMEDITATED and more ME ME ME  than before.

Now don’t get me wrong here ….Julia Roberts was fantastic in this movie. Warm, engaging and funny and fun to watch too. And the movie was great in terms of the cinematography, the directing, the scenery …. you WILL fall in love with Bali and Italy , and the trip to India – though short as it was -  never looked more enticing. And you will want to go there.

But after the travelogue is done,   the truth remains:  No matter how Sony Pictures dresses it up,  Eat Pray Love it is still nothing more than a trite,  contrived tale   of a  spoiled, over indulged prima donna with a flair  for the dramatic and clearly enough cunning to not only find her “inner peace”,  but  in the process use her newly minted soul searching skills to  ferret out  a top drawer book contract, a movie deal and now, a tchotchke  contract with the Home Shopping Network.

Yes,  wrapping up my original conviction about the true meaning  of EPL,  last week the Home Shopping Network  began  “Eating,  Praying and Loving”  via a collection of Elizabeth Gilbert-endorsed   movie-promoting paraphernalia: Rings, bracelets, and other spiritual  tchotchke with the words  “Eat, Pray, Love” inscribed.    As if we needed one more public relations reminder to do so.

And it was selling up a storm.

Who knew finding inner peace could be so lucrative?

See the movie if you like … Julia Roberts is delightful and beautiful and fun to watch.  Just don’t expect it to change your life in any kind of meaningful way.  In the end, Eat, Pray, Love is an entertaining fantasy designed to sell books, movies, junque jewelry and fabulous spa trips  to Bali which hopefully you can one day afford to take.    But really, that’s about it.

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 ElleMedia Network 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.

New Benefits to HRT - And Some New Cautions

Research shows a new benefit to using HRT - but it's still not right for every woman. Here's what you need to know ...

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re  still on the fence about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or considering it now for hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, there is some interesting news to consider.

New research suggests that HRT  as well as the use of oral contraceptives -  may help protect against the formation and rupture of brain aneurysms in women. 

In a first-of-its-kind study by experts from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Michael Chen and colleagues determined that the use of hormonal contraceptives, as well as the use of HRT appeared to have a neuroprotective effect that ultimately reduced the risk of brain aneurysms in  post menopausal women – a group that, in general, are at increased risk for this problem.

"By understanding the potential link between low levels of estrogen and aneurysms, we can focus our areas of study with the hope of providing women who are at risk for brain aneurysms with preventative therapies," said Chen, who also is assistant professor of neurology, neurosurgery and radiology at Rush University.

Brain Aneurysms and Women 

A brain aneurysm occurs when an artery inside the head bulges outward, forming a kind of “bubble” that pushes up through the surface of the vessel.  The bubble in and of itself is not dangerous but the risk of rupture is high. When this occurs bleeding into the brain results dramatically increasing the risk of s hemorrhagic stroke, and ultimately brain damage and even death. 

Experts say 1 in 15 people in the US will develop a brain aneurysm , with women affected far more often than men.  And in fact, the observation that post menopausal women seemed at greater risk was part of the impetus for the new study. 

 Indeed, while looking at results from the two largest brain aneurysm trials to date, Chen and colleagues noted that  brain aneurysms appeared to occur most frequently in post menopausal women. In fact, the research showed that 70 percent of these aneurysms occurred in post menopausal women around age 52 – and that the neurologic events appeared to coincide with a severe drop in estrogen  occurring at roughly the same time.

To help further elucidate a connection between aneurysms and estrogen, Rush researchers studied a group of 60 women aged 31 to 80  between the years 2008 and 2010 .  Sixty five percent of the women in the study  had unruptured aneurysms while 35% had been previously treated for ruptured aneurysms. 

During this observational study the doctors compared a variety of factors between their two groups of women and a control group of 4,682 women. These factors included gynecologic history, used of oral contraceptives and use of HRT.   Other variables included their BMI or body mass index, their  age of first menstrual period, a woman’s age at the birth of her first child, and the age during which they began to experience  menopause symptoms. 

In comparing the groups – women with aneurysms to women without – doctors noted that most of the variables seemed evenly distributed.  The only significant difference to pop from the study results was the use of oral contraceptives and/or HRT.

How HRT Reduces Aneurysm Risk

More specifically the study reported that the rate of oral contraceptive use in the control group was 77.6 percent, compared to just 60 percent in the study group.   The use of HRT was just 23.7 percent in the group with aneurysms compared to 44.8 percent in the control group.

Moreover, the length of time these medications were used also seemed  to differ. While women in the control group used hormone treatments for around 5 years, those in the study group who used them did so for less than half that time – roughly 2.6 years. 

"These differences in the usage of estrogen modifying agents qualify as statistically significant and indicate that women with brain aneurysms use oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy less frequently than the general population," said Chen.

Chen adds that it’s reasonable to conclude that the drops in estrogen occurring each month during the menstrual period, and more significantly, the lasting drop that occurs at menopause may be one reason why women in general, but particularly post-menopausal women are at greater risk for brain aneurysms. 

The study authors further conclude that stabilizing estrogen levels with HRT may play a protective role in women who are at risk for aneurysms, says Chen.  Study results were recently presented at the 7^th Annual Meeting of the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery. 

HRT And Your Health: What You Should Know 

As impressive and important as this new research is, it’s important to point out that the use of traditional HRT has been shown to increase the risk of a number of other significant health issues. According to the massive WHI – Women’s Health Initiative Study – HRT caused a 26% increase in invasive breast cancer,  a 20% increase in heart attacks, a 41% increase in the risk of stroke and 100% increase in the risk of blood clots in the lungs.   Other studies have shown that women who used HRT had roughly twice the risk of developing dementia. 

So, what’s the answer?    Individual care.  Indeed,  as I have detailed in my book Your Perfectly Pampered Menopause,  as new studies continue to emerge revealing  both the pros and cons of hormone use there is  only one “voice of reason” that  should  prevail.  And that voice is saying “ When it comes to HRT there is  no “One Size Fits All.”  Indeed, much like the one-size-fits-all panty hose which, quite frankly never fit anybody right,  one-size-fits-all hormone use is not the way to go. 

Certainly for some women – particularly those at risk for aneurysm ( if there is a family history, for example, or one or more aneurysms have already been detected) the benefits of hormone therapy may certainly outweigh the risks.    But for those at greater risk for a heart attack or breast cancer, for example, the neuroprotective benefits of HRT may be less than stellar. 

The key: Finding a doctor who is willing to treat you  as an individual – and what’s more willing to treat the “whole woman”  and not just your body parts.  

Only when you can take this comprehensive, whole-body approach to post menopausal health care can you really begin to determine the treatments – including the hormone treatments – that are right for you.

For more information on individual treatments for menopause check out YourMenopause.com .For the latest beauty and style advice for women over 40 subscribe to RedDressDiary.com  - IT'S FREE! And be sure to check out CheapChicDiary.com for money-saving beauty and style tips!

Copyright by ElleMedia Network 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. The authors and/or owners of this blog may benefit either directly or indirectly from products mentioned in these posts and in the advertising on these pages. 

Food Fight: Don't Rely on Will Power To Lose Weight!

For decades we blamed a lack of will power for our diet failures. Now some experts say your will has little to do with whittling your waistline.

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re always blaming that mystical “ lack of will power” for failing off your weight loss wagon, there's something you should know: The very newest weight loss theories say will power has nothing to do with it!

Indeed, while it was long believed that having a “weak will” was the number one reason that folks just couldn’t say “ no” to that plate of cupcakes or bowl of chips, today a growing number of experts believe that the mystical concept of will power is just that - a mystical concept that doesn't really exist. At least not in regard to food temptations.

“People like to think of will power as some magical force over which they have no control – but in reality there is no such thing,“ says Gerard Musante, PhD, founder and director of Structure House, an in-patient weight loss program in Durham, North Carolina.

Moreover, Musante says crediting some mystical “force ” with the ability to control your life only serves to make you less, and not more in control of your appetite. And more likely to fail at your weight loss plan.

Psychologist and weight control expert Dr. Warren Huberman agrees.

“Once you buy into the idea that something else is controlling you, then on some level you also acknowledge that what you eat is not within in your control – and that line of thinking puts you on the fast track to weight loss failure,” says Huberman, who frequently counsels patients at the NYU –Langone Medical Program for Surgical Weight Loss.

So if it’s not a weak will, then what exactly is behind that uncontrollable urge to eat the entire gallon of ice cream - when we really should be satisfied with just a Dixie cup?

Many believe “temptation” can take a somewhat surreptitious route.

Indeed, experts say the first path is paved with learned behaviors, coupled with conscious choices. In short, those of us who are able to resist that plate of Sarah Lee brownies – or harder still, eat just one and walk away – have acquired the skills to do so, and are making the choice to act on those skills.

What about the rest of us, who simply can’t walk away? Well, it seems we’re acting on a learned behavior as well, and some decision-making is also involved. The only difference is, most of us don’t see it quite that way. Instead, we blame our inability to say "no" to food on a lack of will power.

“What’s key here is to recognize that within each of us lies the power to make these correct food choices –it’s not about will power, nothing is controlling us, it is about choice,” says Huberman.

And what about those moments when we just reach for that extra slice of pizza without even thinking? Sometimes, says Huberman, it’s just a plain old bad habit calling the shots.

“It can actually be a conditioned response to reach for that last slice of pizza, even when you really don’t want it – old food habits die hard,” he says.

The Biology of Temptation

Psycho-social dramas aside, there is yet another force tempting and teasing our appetite – and it has nothing what so ever to do with what we think or feel about food.

Quite simply it is our biology at work – and the primitive but never ending evolutionary urge to keep our bellies full.

Indeed, studies show that like the need for sleep, the need to eat is hardwired into our brains and cued up by the sensation of hunger. And while we can put off the signals – and the need to eat - temporarily, sooner or later biology always wins.

If the only thing around when it does is a plate of Dove chocolates, then Dove chocolates are goin’ down the hatch. And while that may make you feel weak-willed, the truth is, you’re just plain hungry - and unprepared to deal with it.

“Part of controlling what you eat is making conscious decisions about how you’re going to handle hunger when it hits – that’s what’s going to keep you on your healthy eating path, not your will power,” says Huberman.

The Devil Made Me Eat It !

While not every weight loss expert agrees on what’s driving our food temptations, most say the power to choose what we eat is very much within our control.

That said, just in case you’re still hearing the distant voices of the chocolate fairies calling your name, here’s a few tips from the experts on how to handle the temptation.

1. Try to eat at regular intervals, and eat the same time every day. This will keep your appetite from raging out of control when nothing is sight but a box of donuts.

2. Never go to a "food event" - like a wedding or party - hungry. If you do, your biology will most assuredly lead you down the wrong path. ( It's the one with all the cake.)

3. If you’re going to be around decadent, high cal foods – whether it be the local PTA cake sale or your mother’s house for dinner – decide ahead of time how many items you will sample, then stick to it. For example, allow yourself 4 “tastes” or “ 3” full portions – and don’t go over.

4. Eat “mindfully”. If you think about every piece of food you put in your mouth you’ll naturally put in less.

5.In the immortal words of weight loss guru and Our Lady of Weight loss author Janice Taylor, if you have gorged yourself on a forbidden food, don’t beat yourself up for a lack of will power. Instead, forgive yourself and simply “ Move On.”

You might also enjoy reading:

New Study: Weight Gain Shocker

Hungry Again? It's In Your Genes!
The Hot Flash Solution: A Breakthrough Program for Controlling Hot Flashes & Night Sweats

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 ElleMedia Network 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. The owners and contributors to this blog may or may not benefit from the products featured on these pages.

A Baby At Last : Common Sense Wisdom for Getting Pregnant after 40!

A Baby At Last for singer Celine Dion , age 42 - after a reported six IVF failures at a New York fertility center. But experts say regardless of your age, the secret to fertility success is to stay focused, recognize your feelings, and make sure you communicate those feelings to your partner and your doctor! Here's how to do it all!

By Colette Bouchez

" A BABY AT LAST! " These are the words that warm our hearts - particularly when they come from a woman over 40! Why? Because everyone knows that having a baby is one of life's greatest joys - and when you've gone through a long struggle just to get pregnant - and finally do so after age 40 - the joy of being able to say " A baby at last" is something you will never forget!

At the same time, the weeks, months and sometimes years leading up to that moment can strain a couple to the brink - not only financially, but emotionally. And for some it is a time when they turn away from each other, instead of towards each other. Why does it happen?

According to relationship experts Poula and Hans Jorn Filges, one reason is that couples undergoing fertility treatments simply don't talk enough to each other or relay how they really feel.

"It's important that couples talk to each other, not at each other - that they share their frustrations instead of taking their frustrations out on each other. This is true of any situation, but it is especially true when something as fragile as your fertility is involved," says Poula Filges, who, with her husband Hans Jorn Filges co-authored the Danish best selling book " Let's Talk."

Being able to speak the words " A Baby at Last" is wonderful, says Poula Filges, but, she says, "it's also important to speak a lot of other words so that you can finally get to that point - it's all about communication, and it makes a huge difference in how you will get through this experience," she says.

According to New York fertility expert Dr. Niels Lauersen, talking is an extremely important part of not only partner communication, but also doctor-patient relations - and it can even influence the success of your treatments.

"Too many times couples feel intimidated to share their emotional feelings about their infertility, not only with each other, but even with their fertility doctor ; they try to put up a brave front and pretend they are coping fine, when in fact, they are not ," says Lauersen, author of the international best selling infertility book " Getting Pregnant: What You Need To Know Now" ( Simon & Schuster/Fireside Books, NY).

What they almost never realize, he says, is that the stress and the anxiety that builds up when you don't share how you are feeling , can actually have an impact on the success of whatever fertility treatments you are trying.

"If you are stressed , if your relationship with your partner is under stress, your body thinks 'Hmm this is not a good time for her to get pregnant' - and it can actually work to keep you from conceiving," says Lauersen. If all you think about are when you are going to be able to speak the words " A baby at last" , the stress can really get out of hand, he says.

At the same time, sharing your feelings and your fears with your doctor can not only help you to better cope, it can help him or her to tailor your treatments to be even more successful.

"When a couple opens up and tells their doctor how they are feeling, the doctor can sometimes make important adjustments in medication or even prescribe nutritional or other natural ways to help them combat the stress so that their fertility treatments can actually work better," says Lauersen, the medical director of GettingPregnantNow.org .

Poula Filges agrees: " A couple must talk to each other, but they must also share how they are feeling with their doctor - and doctors must also become more adept at listening and helping their patients to talk to them, to make themselves more accessible and let the patient know they are interested in what they think and feel emotionally."

A Baby At Last: It Can Happen For You!

Today, getting pregnant is easier and more likely to happen than ever before. The technologies that have come forward in just the last decade alone are astounding in the number of problems they can solve.

Still, experts say that for some the most difficult part of getting pregnant is grappling with the frustration, the anxiety and the fear of never being able to say the words "A Baby At Last" . And if that's how you feel, experts say talking can do wonders !

"If you find you cannot talk to your doctor, talk to a trusted friend, your mother, your sister - and especially talk to your partner and encourage him to talk to you as well. When you do everything in life - including getting pregnant - becomes a lot easier," says Lauersen.

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 ElleMedia Network 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.

Don't "B" Blue: New Study Shows Vitamins Help Depression

A new study shows two vitamins can help keep boomers out of the dumps! Here’s what you need to know...

By Colette Bouchez

Feeling a little down in the dumps? Not so happy about that big 50 (or 60, or 70 ) birthday looming on the horizon?

Before you reach for an anti-depressant pill, try increasing your intake of vitamins B6 and B12 – two nutrients that studies now show can help prevent depression from taking hold in your life.

The new study of some 3,500 Chicago residents just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that for every 10 mg increase in B6 and every 10 mcg increase in B12 the risk of developing symptoms of depression decreases by 2 percent a year.

Now while that might not seem like a lot, over time those percentages can add up quicker than those extra pounds on your hips - and that can help keep you might entering your senior years feeling a lot worse than you should.

This study supports previous evidence showing that in general B Vitamins help reduce the risk of depression.

To set the stage for the study researchers obtained dietary and vitamin intake information from some 3,500 men and women from the Chicago area, all 65 years of age or older. Using a clinical depression scale questionnaire they also obtained data on the participants state of mind, including depression symptoms.

The researchers then followed this group of people for over 7 years to see how their dietary and supplement habits may have affected their state of mind.

What they found: Those participants who had increased intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 were much less likely to experience depression. Although the B vitamins came from both food and supplements researchers say it was the supplements alone that appeared to have the most impact on reducing risks.

“Our results support the hypotheses that high total intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 are protective of depressive symptoms over time in community-residing older adults,” concluded the researchers.

How B Vitamins Protect Against Depression

While the study did not uncover any specific reasons why the vitamins supplements were helpful, other research has shown a link between B vitamins and depressive symptoms. In several studies researchers reported that B 12 appears to be necessary to process certain brain chemicals that directly impact neurotransmitters – the chemical impulses that allow brain cells to communicate and play a role in mood disorders.

Vitamin B12 is also believed to prevent the build up of certain amino acids, particularly homocystine, which is linked to an increased risk of depression. Increased levels of homocysteine have also been linked to an an increased risk of heart disease , stroke and diabetes, and most recently infertility in women with Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome.

Interestingly, as we age, our digestive tract is less efficient at pulling B12 from the foods we eat – one reason that older adults are frequently deficient in this nutrient. So that’s another important reason to supplement with this vitamin.

Also important to note: Another member of the B vitamin family – a nutrient known as “inositol” - has been found effective against both depression and panic attacks. It is also believed to work by increasing brain cell communication and enhancing neurotransmitter activity.

What To Do Right Now

Regardless of your age, taking a good multi vitamin is a great way to begin ensuring that you meet all your vitamin and mineral requirements. Adding an extra B vitamin supplement may also be helpful. But don't let that dissuade from also eating a healthy diet - and stocking up on some B-healthy foods.

To get your daily supply of B6, a fortified whole grain breakfast cereal is your best bet. But you can also try white meat chicken, bananas, potatoes, and garbanzo beans which are also high in this nutrient.

If you’re deficient in vitamin B12, one serving of liver gives you a whopping 800 times the daily requirement, while a serving of clams offers nearly 600 times the daily dose. Other foods high in B12 include Rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, beef sirloin or a cheeseburger.

But remember, some of these foods are also high in calories and fat, so don’t overload your plate!

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Copyright by ElleMedia Network 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.

A Kinder, Gentler AntiBacterial - Plus A New Warning You Can't Miss!

It was recently announced that the FDA and the EPA will be taking a closer look at health dangers linked to chemicals commonly found in hand sanitizers, anti bacterial soaps and more! RedDressDiary offers up the latest findings – plus gives you a look at some powerful all natural anti-bacterials that protect without health concerns.

By Colette Bouchez

To be perfectly honest I was never a big fan of anti-bacterial products. I mean really, who needs all those chemicals when good old fashioned hot water and soap seemed just fine.

But that philosophy recently changed when a family member contracted a highly contagious bacterial eye infection – and the doctor advised taking additional steps to protect against transmission, including using hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps.

Of course my first choice was to just go to a hotel - I mean who needs anti bacterial soap when you can have room service, right? :)

But budgetary concerns (and the need for a new washing machine) taking precedent, I went directly to Plan B – which was to locate the least offensive antibacterial line of products I could find. And what an eye-opening experience that turned out to be. Why?

First, I discovered that nearly every anti-bacterial product on the market contained just one basic chemical ingredient: triclosan. Secondly – I was astounded by the number of health concerns linked to this one ingredient!

What kind of concerns? According to the Environmental Working Group’s database of hazardous chemicals, studies on triclosan found links to cancer, allergies, immuno- toxicities, irritation of the skin, eyes and lungs, as well as having a host of developmental and reproductive toxicity issues. Also know as a “hormone disruptor” there is some concern that triclosan may, in fact, be especially bad for anyone dealing with breast or endometrial cancer - both of which have hormonal components - or to any couple trying to conceive.

In fact, researching just a little deeper I also discovered that triclosan is actually a pesticide closely related to dioxin – a known chemical health threat, endocrine disruptor, and carcinogen. According to the FDA, triclosan “could be” and is “suspected to be “ contaminated with dioxins!

What’s more, I also discovered the European Union classifies triclosan as dangerous to the environment while both the Canadian and Japanese governments have banned its use in cosmetics.

WAIT A MINUTE ….it’s in cosmetics? I thought we were talking soaps and hand sanitizers?

Indeed, yet one more eye-opener: Not only does triclosan dominate the antibacterial product market, it’s also in a ton-o-products that don’t even whisper it’s name on the label.

You can, in fact, find triclosan in not only many cosmetics, but also in soaps, dishwashing detergents, toothpastes, shampoos, skin creams and moisturizers, shaving gels, kids toys, workout clothes, and socks, to name a few! ( See full product list here). And because of this, it’s also found its way into our environment.

According to Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who has been pushing federal regulators to take stronger action to restrict the use of triclosan and other chemicals, “ It’s in our drinking water, it's in our rivers and as a result, it's in our bodies. . . . I don't think a lot of additional data has to be collected in order to make the simple decisions about children's toys and soaps that people use. It clearly is something that creates a danger,” he recently told The Washington Post.

Indeed, the exposure to triclosan is now so great that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that residues are showing up in the urine of 75% of Americans.

That said, Brian Sansoni of the Soap and Detergent Association,which represents the 30 billion US cleaning products industry recently said in an interview that concerns about triclosan are unfounded.

In a quote to the Washington Post he added " These products and ingredients have been reviewed, regulated and researched for decades," and he added that " science strongly supports the safety and efficacy of these products." He also said that the time was not only right for these products, but that they were necessary to protect us in a time of increased threats from disease.

Kinder, Gentler, Anti Bacterial Protection: It's Here Now!

Currently, both the FDA and The Environmental Protection Agency have agreed to take a second, much harder look at triclosan, including whether or not it could be causing us harm. But as anyone who has ever waited for a government report can tell you, answers are not likely to affect what’s on supermarket shelves any time soon.

So what’s a girl to do in the meantime ? First, remember that studies also show that vigorous hand washing for 20 seconds or more with regular old soap and hot water will go a long way in wiping out most germs destined to do us in.

But if you’re looking for an extra edge of protection, I’m happy to report there are kinder, safer natural antibacterial products available! In fact, one of the single most powerful anti bacterial ingredients available today is an all natural oil known as thyme that alone, or most often in combination with a series of other essential oils can provide the same (or better) protection as triclosan, without the inherent dangers.

Moreover, these same oils have been shown in independent laboratory studies to kill the “ bad” bacteria ( including MRSA, salmonella and E-coli) without destroying the “good” bacteria on skin that is designed to keep us healthy.

According to Dr. Larry Weiss, the medical director of CleanWell, one such company to use a combination of thyme and other natural oils, (and no triclosan) in all their antibacterial products, “ The good bacteria on our hands and skin helps us stay healthy by protecting against bad germs we’re exposed to through contact; that’s why it’s important to choose soaps and hand sanitizers that help your body maintain a healthy balance of bacteria.”

But are these natural, “balanced” products as good as the chemical guns in killing off those bad germs? The answer is yes.

• In the case of Cleanwell, the natural oils have been tested in independent laboratories using methods approved by the EPA and FDA.

• In the all- natural anti-bacterial soap “DEFENSE”, a combination of tea tree oil and oil of Eucalyptus, claims clinical effectiveness against bacteria associated with MRSA, ringworm, staph, impetigo, herpes, jock itch and athletes foot, and provides data on the ability to kill E-coli bacteria on contact.

• California Baby also offers up a natural antibacterial wash for both children and adults. It relies on lemon, tea tree oil and ravensara for natural antibacterial properties along with a recommendation to “vigorously “ wash your hands for 20 seconds or more for the best protection.

And that's just the beginning of what you will find - if you take the time to look! The best place to start are stores featuring natural or organic products. Most companies also make their products available online so a little Googling can help as well!

Ultimately, I chose the Cleanwell line of products.First because I was able to purchase them at a local drug store for under $5.00. But also because I believe they had the most impressive clinical testing record and evidence of effectiveness - and because they were also food safe. Which meant I could use them on my kitchen counters and even to wash dishes during critical times, as well as safely use the sprays and hand sanitizers when dining out and around kids and pets. I also found the scents to be the most pleasant, particularly the Spearmint Lime and the Ginger Begamot. And while I can't say for sure if the Cleanwell products helped cut down transmission during our eye infection trauma, I can say that no one else in my family caught it - so that was a relief!

In the end we may not be able to do much to avoid triclosan and other chemicals we don’t know are in the products we use. But at least we can feel pretty good about being able to intelligently choose the products we do use - and give ourselves and our families some protection from harm.

To learn more about the hidden sources and products containing Triclosan , click here . To find out more about all natural anti bacterial products click here.

To learn more about health, beauty and style for women over 40 visit RedDressDiary.com - your source for fabulous over 40! Or visit CheapChicDiary.com for money saving tips and advice on beauty and fashion for women of all ages!

Copyright by ElleMedia Network 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. Any products mentioned in RedDressDiary or CheapChicDiary may or may not have provided samples for review and testing. Clicking on any link in this blog may benefit the author.