StrongWomen Newsletter
Issue 121, October 2008
I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it – but please credit strongwomen.com for the information and don’t change the content.
By Miriam E. Nelson, PhD
Author of
Strong Women Stay Young
Strong Women Stay Slim
Strong Women, Strong Bones
Strong Women Eat Well
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
The Strong Women’s Journal
Strong Women, Strong Hearts
Strong Women, Strong Backs
Founder of www.StrongWomen.com
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
- Finances and Health
- Upcoming Strong Women Workshops
- Reader Questions and Answers
- What can I do about my hot flashes?
- Does strength training increase the number of muscle fibers?
- Success Stories
- Recipe - Baked Acorn Squash with Apple
FINANCES AND HEALTH
This is a time of great financial uncertainty for many people. I was interested to read a recent study addressing the financial and physical health of women commissioned by Northwestern Mutual in partnership with LLuminari. Findings showed women who take control of their finances are healthier and happier. It also indicated those who are proactive in managing their finances were significantly more likely to report they were in excellent to very good health, happy, hopeful, confident, and upbeat. The study also reported several smart financial habits practiced by these happy and healthy people, including getting guidance from professionals, having a plan, creating short- and long-term goals, making a commitment to action, and staying grounded in reality.
Stress is one of the leading contributors to an unhealthy life and emerged as a key concern among those surveyed, with money matters cited as a primary cause. It makes sense for women (and men) to adhere to sound financial practices and in turn, become more secure and less stressed.
We also know staying active, eating well, and maintaining healthy sleep habits will help reduce stress. Healthy financial and lifestyle habits can make a difference-whether you have feelings of despair, or health and happiness, even during times of economic downturn.
Lifting women to better health,
Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D.
For more information on the study, check out the website at www.sevenfinancialhabits.com
UPCOMING STRONGWOMEN WORKSHOPS
Several upcoming StrongWomen Program workshops are scheduled for the next few months. In order to be eligible for StrongWomen training, you must be actively strength training right now, and you must have a firm commitment to starting a program in your community. This training teaches you how to "lead" a StrongWomen Program, and should not be attended simply for informational/personal purposes.
Date: October 14, 2008
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Contact: Robin Gammon, University of Missouri Extension
Phone: 573-884-0971
Email: gammonr@missouri.edu
Registration Deadline: September 15, 2008
Date: October 21, 2008
Location: Billings, Montana
Contact: Lynn Paul
Phone: 406-994-5702
Email: lpaul@montana.edu
Registration Deadline: October 3, 2008
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I am having so many hot flashes these days and they are keeping me from getting any sleep. I haven't officially gone into menopause, so I don't really know my options. I am also worried about taking hormones. Do you have any advice?
A: Most importantly, you need to talk to your gynecologist about your symptoms. If possible, you should have a menopause work-up by a knowledgeable doctor who understands all the options for managing hot flashes and the other symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. You should not be suffering. Most physicians will put their perimenopausal patients on a low dose of hormones for a short period of time if hot flashes are debilitating. The hormones help the hot flashes and the short period of time minimizes risks associated with hormone therapy. Since there still are some risks associated with taking hormones for some women, you need to make sure your doctor knows your medical history well. Other suggestions for helping with hot flashes include keeping a fan near your bed and wearing layers of clothes so you can remove them when you need to "cool down". If you can keep your body cool it may help to minimize triggers for hot flashes.
Q: I have read that the cause of sarcopenia is due to the loss of skeletal muscle fiber cells as you age; likewise, it is very difficult to grow new muscle fiber cells during the aging process. The implication is if you begin fitness workouts and particularly strength training for the first time in middle age, you are stuck with the muscle fiber cells you have―you can't make more. Is there any evidence that, like bone remineralization through strength training, we can grow new muscle fiber cells at, say, age 50? If so, how do you do it?
A: The causes of sarcopenia, or muscle loss with age, are varied. Numerous studies have shown lack of strength training exercise in midlife and older contributes to a loss of muscle mass. When midlife and older people participate in progressive strength training exercises they gain strength and muscle mass regardless of their age. There is very scant evidence that strength training creates new muscle fibers. This is a very hot research topic right now for scientists around the world. For all practical purposes, we do know that anyone, at any age, even into your late 90's, can gain strength and muscle mass by progressive strength training. This gain in strength helps with physical function and the reduction of symptoms of numerous chronic diseases.
FROM THE MAILBOX: SUCCESS STORIES FROM INSPIRING WOMEN
Nelson's book Strong Women Stay Young is very accessible. The weight lifting routines are easy to follow and work. They have helped me become much trimmer and stronger, and I can really feel it when I'm walking or bike riding. The chapters on bone density and osteoporosis are informative and will definitely motivate a person to start the program. I've read a lot of exercise and diet books over the years, and this is definitely the most useful and reliable.
-- Hoosier Mom
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
| Baked Acorn Squash with Apple |
Click Here for a Printable Version of the Recipe
It is apple and squash season in my part of the world and I can't help but put them both together at dinnertime. This baked squash goes perfectly with nearly any main course. It is simple to prepare, and even the folks who don't usually eat squash are likely to enjoy this sumptuous baked vegetable. Serves 4
For other deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to http://strongwomen.com/recipes/
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