The following is a guest post from Annette of http://www.annetteshealthaction.com

A thought to share…..

” I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection–the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend time” helps us to create more serotonin–a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their feelings?–rarely. Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters, and evidently that is very good for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There’s a tendency to think that when we are “exercising” we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged–not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking! So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very very lucky. Sooooo let’s toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it’s very good for our health.”

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot

A veritable who’s-who of authors, speakers and teachers continue to publicly acknowledge and praise the immense value of the wisdom that is pouring forth through Esther Hicks in the form of ‘Abraham.’

Referring to Abraham…

Louise Hay calls them “some of the best teachers on the planet today.”

Dr. Wayne Dyer says they are… “the great Masters of the Universe!”

To explain ‘Abraham’ is way too much for me in a short blog but if you want to know more go to http://www.abraham-hicks.com

Meanwhile, here’s what they have to say about menopause – be prepared for a very spiritual, metaphysical perspective!

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot

When I first realized the sweating at night wasn’t a problem with my air-conditioner, the only word that kept flashing across my mind was MENOPAUSE and it scared me to death. Granted I had no reason to be scared or embarrassed (another emotion I experienced) but there I was. I didn’t even know precisely what menopause meant but I did knew I didn’t want it

From that day until I actually went through menopause lasted around seven years. Perimenopause is simply a word for the transition into menopause. Menopause is official once you have gone one full year without a period. The perimenopause symptoms can be mild or severe and there is help.

During perimenopause your hormones are definitely in flux which means you can have (seemingly) unexplained emotions – some women feel like they are going crazy because they don’t recognize their behavior. One of the things that I find disturbing is how psychiatrist will prescribe anti-depressants and other medications when all that is needed is finding a way to balance hormones!! In my life coaching practice I’ve become very tuned in to these emotional symptoms and I’m able to point out that maybe my client’s husband or boyfriend isn’t actually the devil – maybe it’s just time to get your hormone levels checked out.

Many traditional doctors don’t understand the nuances of this period in a woman’s life so if you begin having irregular periods, hot flashes, unexplained behavior or any of the 34 Menopause Symptoms – regardless of your age – (at any age because perimenopause can begin very early in some women) seek out a center or doctor that specializes hormones.

And lastly, remember this is nothing more than a physical transition – a transition that is as NATURAL as when you began your period!

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot

Guess who the first very positive person is that you should be with – YOURSELF! It all starts with you. Cranky, crabby people are not happy and that’s all there is to it. And believe it or not, it’s a choice to be happy.

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” ~Abraham Lincoln

I’ve been coaching for over twenty years and I know for a fact that looking for the good in any situation will bring you more joy, happiness, and success – including looking for the good in menopause!!

Optimism and good attitudes are powerful forces in how you feel emotionally, how you look, and how well you navigate menopause on a physical and biochemical level.

One of the reasons I created www.MenopauseIsHot.com was to have a place for women to go where they can surround themselves with women who have decided to approach menopause with joy and positivity.

Who you surround yourself with consistently is who you become!

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot

So this is definitely the time to review your look. Are you stuck in a time warp with your hair and makeup? If your look is still the one you wore 10, 20, or 30 years ago, it’s time to re-think it. Nothing will make you look older than dated hair and makeup. Sometimes, it’s a bit of a challenge to be impartial. If that’s the case, ask a friend whose style you admire to give you some honest opinions; or go to a professional for some advice.

Here are a few more tips:

HAIR:

• As we get a little older, it’s common for our skin to lighten. If so, you want your hair to compliment it. Think about going a little lighter or getting some highlights around your face (or both).
• Just please make sure your style is current! Updating your hair with a style that both flatters your face and fits your lifestyle can help enormously.
• When you change your hair style or color, you need to re-think your makeup. For instance, if you lighten your hair you probably want to soften your makeup.

EYEBROWS:

• A well shaped eyebrow can make a big difference in how you look. Now may be the time to consider having your eyebrows shaped professionally. One thing that isn’t usually considered is that waxing pulls on the skin and we want to avoid that. Another way to go is eyebrow threading or tweezing for removing facial hair.
• If your eyebrows are getting sparser and the color is fading, you may want to give them extra definition with a powder, pencil or gel that is close to your natural hair color. But very important, apply the color with a light touch.

FOUNDATION:

• Keep your foundation light. You can even try mixing it with a little liquid moisturizer.
• Light reflecting foundations can be very nice.
• Or you can even try a tinted moisturizer.

POWDER:

• Make sure you use powder with a light touch. Also, try to find one that is fine, moisturizing, and goes on smoothly.

BLUSH:

• Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks.
• Try using a cream blush instead of a powder for a dewier appearance.

EYES:

• Curl your lashes. It’s easy and quick and it really helps open up your eyes!
• Avoid shimmery shadows as they can accentuate crepey eyelids. Pick shadows whose texture neither looks too dry on your lids nor has too much shimmer.
• Most of the time, neutral shades are more flattering than bold ones.
• Define your eyes with a soft eyeliner. Try bringing the liner slightly upward at the outer corner of the eye.
• Definitely use mascara as an easy way to give the eye definition.

LIPS:

• Use lip balm prior to starting your makeup application so that it has time to “set.”
• Use foundation & powder close to the lip line or an anti-feathering lip primer to help avoid feathering.
• Use a lip liner to help define lips but use one whose color is very close to the natural shade of your lips.

Did you know that the average American consumes one hundred and fifty-six pounds each year on a per capita basis, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Imagine it: 31 five-pound bags for each of us.

That’s not to say that we get most of the sugar in our diets directly from the sugar bowl. Only about 29 pounds of it comes as traditional sugar, or sucrose, according to The Sugar Association, a trade group of sugar manufacturers. The rest comes from foods.

We all know that sugar thickens our mid-section – especially during menopause – but did you know that piece of cake also gives you wrinkles? During menopause the things we do to our body, that maybe our body could have bounced back from a little easier before, have a much more profound effect now.

In his book, 10 Minutes/10 Years: Your Definitive Guide To A Beautiful And Youthful Appearance, dermatologist Dr. Fredric Brandt explains why sugar is enemy Number One. “In a nutshell, sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, both key skin proteins. In other words, it actively ages you,” says Dr Brandt, who counts Madonna, Rupert Everett, Cher and Ellen Barkin among his clients.

So what happens when you eat that cake, cookie, etc. – well it immediately hits your bloodstream and triggers something called glycation. The glycation process causes damage to the collagen and elastin in your skin. When this happens your skin can’t snap back the way it should so those frown or smile lines just stay there!

Without sugar in the diet skin will look younger!

Dr. Brandt highly recommends a full-out 30-day sugar cleanse. I could list all the things not to eat during this cleanse but maybe the easiest is to say what you can eat – all types of protein, such as chicken, fish and shellfish; non-roasted nuts and seeds; non-gluten grains such as millet and spelt; nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli; and gluten-free bread and cereals. Really, you just have to cut out any food or drinks that contain sugar, including hidden ones, such as those in alcohol.

So instead of rewarding yourself with sweets, try rewarding yourself with younger looking skin and a longer, healthier life!

Will our beauty needs change as move into these new stages of our lives? The answer is of course – just like they change from childhood to adult.

This is a great time to take time to review your look. That’s not to say that you have to follow some outdated “rules” how and what you should do at a certain age but it is important to keep looking current while still looking your best at whatever age. There are simply no absolutes. It’s all the matter of an individual’s skin tone, hair and features.

Here are a few beauty tips and I’ll add more each day for the next few days…

• Drinking plenty of water will help the skin dryness that can begin occurring during menopause.

• Update your moisturizer to accommodate where your skin is now (not what it used to be).
• Avoid using heavy makeup and powders. Keep the makeup application light and clean. Tinted moisturizers are a good option to consider.
• Just as the pigment in our hair changes, the melanin in our skin changes also – some says this is Mother Nature’s way to make sure our skin compliments our new grey hair So make sure your foundation or tinted moisturizer still matches your current skin color as closely as possible.
• Invest in makeup brushes – you can afford it now Good brushes will make your application quicker, easier, and more professional looking.
• Get some help from someone ‘in the know.’ Find a local makeup artist who knows how to accent the best in women your age and who will really spend the time to teach you!

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot

• 

Most people think of what kinds of houses we live in and what car we drive when we think of lifestyle but it goes way beyond that.

Your lifestyle is really how you LIVE your life! How you manage your work, your personal time, how you take care of yourself – how you balance your life.

This time of your life offers you the opportunity to finally take charge of these things. This is probably one of the biggest things I work on with my coaching clients. Why not create your lifestyle the way you want it – you can now! All the overdoing and stresses most of us put ourselves through in our younger years when we thought we ‘had to’ is not only passed but it can be especially harmful now.

Working in a career you love, how many hours you work, exercising, spending quality time with friends and family, how much sleep you get, what you eat – these and more are all lifestyle issues. And guess what – they are truly within YOUR control. It’s just that you may have built some habits that make you feel they aren’t.

What areas of your life do you want to adjust or change to create a lifestyle that you thoroughly enjoy? It’s up to you!!

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs; jolted by every pebble in the road.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

Menopause can be a pebble for some and a big ass rock for others but having a sense of humor will greatly help you over either!

To laughter!

Yesterday, in the United States, we celebrated the 4th of July – a celebration of freedom.

My wish is for you to be free inside yourself and forgiveness is one of the keys to creating freedom – forgiveness of others – forgiveness of yourself. During menopause when we are becoming ‘free’ from menstruation we have a true opportunity to create emotional freedom as well.

This is the time to let go of any and all hurts and angers you’ve been holding on to! Maybe one or more of these quotes on forgiveness will touch you.

• Forgiving is not a gift to someone else – Forgiving is your gift to yourself – a great gift – the gift of happiness. ~Jonathan Lockwood Huie
• Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. ~Paul Boese
• Forgiveness is the key to happiness. ~A Course In Miracles
• The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mohandas Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi)
• ‘I can forgive, but I cannot forget’, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note – torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. ~Henry Ward Beecher
• Without forgiveness, there is no future. ~Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” ~Norman Cousins
• Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” ~The Buddha
• There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love. ~Bryant H. McGill

Affirmation: I forgive everyone, especially myself, for all actions and all inactions throughout my entire life. – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Follow us on Twitter and you’ll know when there’s a new post: www.twitter.com/MenopauseIsHot