Healthy Recipe for menopausal women

Oatmeal

2 cups old fashioned oats 1 ripe banana, pureed or chopped 4 cups skim milk, soy milk, and/or water 1 handful raisins

Mix oats and raisins with 2 cups cold liquid to prevent lumping. Add rest of liquid and bring to a boil. Add banana and raisins and stir frequently until you get a low boil. Cook 5 minutes and serve, or turn off heat as soon as cereal boils and let the grains sit to absorb the water. Store unused cereal in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For breakfast, add a little water to the amount you want and heat on stove or in microwave. Eat plain or with a little maple syrup or brown sugar.

Menopause Recipe

Potato Soup
1 pound thick sliced bacon, cut up2 stalks celery, sliced3 cloves garlic, minced1 large onion, coarsely chopped8 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cubedchicken stock1 teaspoon dried tarragon1 teaspoon dried cilantrosalt and pepper to taste1 cup heavy cream1/4 cup all-purpose flour3 tablespoons butter or margarine

In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon.Remove bacon from pan and set aside.Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease. In the bacon grease saute the celery and onion until onion begins to turn clear.Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes.Add the cubed potatoes and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes.Return the bacon to the potatoes.Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.In a separate pan, melt the butter or margarine and cook the flour for 1 to 2 minutes.Add the heavy cream, tarragon and cilantro.Bring the cream mixture to a boil to thicken, stirring constantly.Add the cream mixture to the potato mixture, heating through.Puree about 1/2 the soup and return to the pan.Season to taste and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings Recipe From: www.obgyn.net

Menopause Recipe

Autumn Harvest Crock Pot Stew.
2 cups chopped, peeled sweet potatoes (about 2).1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped parsnips (about 2).1 3/4 cups sliced organic apples (2 small).1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium).1 cup tvp chunks or 1 pound boneless pork shoulder roast trimmed and cut into 1" cubes.3/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme.1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary.1/2 teaspoon sea salt.1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.1 cup organic chicken broth.1 cup organic apple juice.

Place chopped vegetables in the bottom of a crock pot, add meat, sprinkle with the seasonings, and pour broth and juice over. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which is thought to neutralize free radicals, which could otherwise damage cells. The parsnip is a root vegetable that is a source of folate, fiber, and potassium.

Butter!

Do you miss that wonderful taste of real butter on your morning toast? Does that low-carb bread really lack something that butter would jazz up? Are you concerned about the detrimental health effects of margarine?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, this easy to make recipe for perimenopause and menopause health is for you. And, the best part is that it more than doubles that pound of butter while maintaining that great butter taste.
Ingredients:1 lb. butter (organic is best). 1 cup cold pressed mild tasting oil like canola or grapeseed.
Allow the butter to soften at room temperature. Once soft, but not runny, beat until light and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whip. Spoon into containers and refrigerate.

Hormone Regimens

Regimen
Days per month
Bleeding*

Continuous estrogen with cyclic progestogen
Estrogen every day; progestogen on days 1–12 or 1–14
Regular, monthly bleeding in 85% or more of women, often lighter than a period

Continuous estrogen with continuous progestogen
Both estrogen and progestogen every day
Often irregular bleeding for the first 6–9 months (more erratic the closer a woman is to menopause)

Cyclic unopposed estrogen
Estrogen on days 1–25
Unpredictable spotty bleeding for first 6–12 months

Continuous unopposed estrogen
Estrogen every day
Occasional spotty bleeding for 6–12 months

Continuous estrogen with long-cycle progestogen
Estrogen every day; progestogen on days 1–14 of every third month
Generally fairly heavy periods

Low-dose regimens
Can be administered in all of the above patterns
Generally less bleeding than with standard dose

*Postmenopausal bleeding outside these parameters is not uncommon, but may be a sign of uterine problems.

What is induced menopause?

Induced menopause, which can occur at any age between the first and last periods, is when menstrual periods stop due to a medical intervention, surgical removal of both ovaries, or sometimes cancer treatments.

Sweet Bread

Ingredients
1/4 cup(s) juice, cherry
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup(s) fresh fruit
1 slice(s) bread

Preparation
1. Combine sugar and cornstarch. In a small saucepan, warm juice over medium heat.
2. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture to juice, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Cool slightly.
3. Place the bread on a small plate and top with fruit. Pour sauce over top and let stand for 1 minute.

Quick Info:
1 Servings
Contains Wheat/Gluten
Vegetarian
Diabetes-Friendly

Nutritional Info (Per serving):
Calories: 176, Saturated Fat: 0g, Sodium: 140mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Total Fat: 1g, Carbs: 40g, Sugars: 24g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 3g
Exchanges: Starch: 2.5
Carb Choices: 2.5

Healthy Recipe

Brisket in Ale

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 12 h
Total Time: 12 h 25 mins

Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds beef, brisket
2 medium onion(s)
1 bay leaf
12 ounce(s) beer
1/4 cup(s) chili sauce
2 tablespoon sugar substitute, heat-stable
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, black
1 clove(s) garlic, minced
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
Recipe Tip: Cook 10 to 12 hours (low), or 5 to 6 hours (high); plus 10 minutes (high).
Preparation
1. Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut brisket to fit into a 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker. Place the onions, bay leaf, and brisket in the cooker. In a medium bowl combine beer, chili sauce, sugar substitute, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic; pour over meat.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer brisket and onions to a serving platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Discard bay leaf.
4. For gravy, pour juices into a large measuring cup;skim fat. Measure 2 1/2 cups liquid; discard remaining liquid. In a medium saucepan stir together cornstarch and water; stir in the cooking liquid. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Pass gravy with meat.

Black Cohash- shocking news!

The popular herbal supplement black cohosh is no better than a placebo at relieving hot flashes and night sweats in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
That finding from a major study may come as bad news to American women who have been looking for ways to ease menopausal symptoms ever since 2002 research linked hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to a higher risk for breast cancer.
"We were hopeful that black cohosh would prove to be effective for menopause symptoms because options are fairly limited," said the study's lead authoe, Katherine M. Newton of the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Wash. "Finding a safe and effective alternative to hormone therapy would have been a tremendous benefit to women," she added.
According to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), black cohosh is made from the roots and stems of a flowering plant also known as black snakeroot or bugbane.
The latest findings, published in the Dec. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, came from the Herbal Alternatives (HALT) for Menopause Study, a 12-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which 351 women ages 45-55 were randomly assigned to one of five interventions: black cohosh; a multi-botanical supplement containing black cohosh and several other herbs; a multi-botanical supplement plus dietary counseling to increase soy consumption; HRT consisting of estrogen with or without progesterone, or a placebo.
Of the five interventions, only hormone replacement therapy effectively reduced menopausal symptoms -- by an average of four symptoms per day -- compared to placebo, the team reported. The other interventions only reduced symptoms by an average of about half a symptom per day.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging and NCCAM.

Healthy Recipe

Cherry Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients
cooking spray
2 cup(s) bread, whole-grain
3 tablespoon cherries, dried
1 tablespoon wheat germ, toasted
2/3 cup(s) milk, fat-free
1/4 cup(s) chocolate, semisweet pieces
1/3 cup(s) refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1 teaspoon orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
cocoa powder, unsweetened

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat four 6-ounce individual soufflé dishes or custard cups with nonstick cooking spray. Divide bread cubes, cherries, and wheat germ among the dishes.2. In a small saucepan, combine milk and chocolate. Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate melts; remove from heat. If necessary, beat smooth with a wire whisk.3. In a small bowl, gradually stir chocolate mixture into egg product. Stir in orange peel and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread cubes in the dishes. Press lightly with back of spoon to moisten bread.4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops appear firm and a knife inserted near the centers comes out clean.5. Serve warm. If desired, serve with whipped topping and sprinkle with cocoa powder.

bone scans not that useful...

Doing a follow-up bone mineral density (BMD) scan up to eight years after an initial scan doesn't improve doctors' ability to predict fractures in healthy older postmenopausal women, a U.S. study finds.
Currently, guidelines recommend the use of BMD measurements to screen for osteoporosis in women when they reach age 65. There's little evidence to support the use of repeat BMD testing in order to assess a woman's fracture risk, but repeat BMD scans are commonly performed in clinical practice, according to background information in the study.
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Northwest/Hawaii, Portland, Ore., measured total hip BMD in 4,124 women (average age 72) in 1989 and 1990, and once again an average of eight years later. Between the first and second test the women lost an average of 0.59 percent of their bone mass per year.
After the repeat BMD test, the women were followed for an average of five years in order to record fractures. During that follow-up period, 877 women had a non-traumatic non-spine fracture (including 275 hip fractures) and 340 women suffered a spine fracture.
The study authors wrote that they "did not find any improvement in the overall predictive value in a second measure of BMD, obtained a mean (average) of eight years later, in prediction of hip, spine or overall non-spine fracture risk. In other words, the initial BMD was highly, and similarly, predictive of fracture risk in our (study) population."
Repeat BMD measurement may prove useful in some women, such as those with health conditions that contribute to rapid bone loss, or younger women in early menopause, the researchers noted.
"However, our results do suggest that, for the average healthy older woman 65 years or older, a repeat BMD measurement has little or no value in classifying risk for future fracture -- even for the average woman who has osteoporosis by initial BMD measure or high BMD loss," they concluded.
The findings were published in the Jan. 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

What is Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the term used to describe the time just before your body begins menopause and your menstrual cycle ends. This is the time when your ovaries begin to run out of ova (eggs), and hormones begin to fluctuate due to oncoming menopause.
Here is a description of what happens during perimenopause, courtesy of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada:
Estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate during perimenopause, but begin to regulate near the end of this transitional period. Hormone decreases begin to occur more frequently and for longer periods of time.
Lower levels of hormone production eventually becomes permanent.
The menstrual cycle stops, and menopause begins.

Air Pollution Poses Heart Risk to Postmenopausal Women

This is some scary news, women!
Postmenopausal women who live in areas with higher air pollution levels have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and of dying from it.
That's the conclusion of new research that found the risk of heart disease is higher than previously thought, and there can be substantial variations within individual cities.
"The risk of having a cardiovascular event, that is, a heart attack, stroke or needing bypass surgery, or of dying of a cardiovascular cause, was increased," said study senior author Dr. Joel Kaufman, professor of environmental and occupational medicine and epidemiology at the University of Washington.
The study is the first to look at new cases of cardiovascular disease, not just death. It was also the first to look at air pollution levels within cities. The results are published in the Feb. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"It's an important study," said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "They showed that very small particulate matter can penetrate into the lungs and cause damage over time."

Another heart-healthy recipe

Baked Salmon Dijon
Ingredients
1 cup(s) sour cream, light or fat-free
2 teaspoon dill weed, dried
3 tablespoon scallion(s) (green onions)
2 tablespoon mustard, dijon-style
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds fish, salmon fillet
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper, black
Preparation
1. Whisk sour cream, dill, onion, mustard, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Place salmon, skin-side down, on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, then spread with the sauce.
4. Bake salmon until just opaque in the center, about 20 minutes.

Winter Crisp recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup(s) sugar
3 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
5 cup(s) apple(s)
1 cup(s) cranberries
2/3 cup(s) oats
1/3 cup(s) sugar, brown (packed)
1/4 cup(s) flour, whole-wheat
2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 tablespoon margarine

Preparation
1. Prepare filling by combining sugar, flour, and lemon peel in medium bowl. Mix well. Add lemon juice, apples, and cranberries. Stir to mix. Spoon into 6-cup baking dish.
2. Prepare topping by combining oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in small bowl. Add melted margarine. Stir to mix.
3. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake in 375 degrees F oven for approximately 40 to 50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and top is brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ratatouille

Ingredients
2 tablespoon oil, olive
1 onion(s)
2 clove(s) garlic
1 eggplant
2 zucchini
3/4 cup(s) pepper(s), green, bell
2 tomato(es)
2 tablespoon basil, fresh
1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground
1 tablespoon capers

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion and garlic; stir-fry over medium-high heat about 2 minutes.
2. Add the eggplant and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini, green pepper, and tomatoes; stir-fry 3 minutes more.
3. Add the basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 minutes over low heat.
4. Uncover, stir gently, and simmer 10 minutes more. Add the drained capers. Serve hot or chilled.

Healthy Recipe

I found out that eating healthy plays a great role on how we feel during menopause, so I decided that ocassionally I will post some health recipes up

For example,

Vegetable lasagna -One of my favorite dishes ever-

Ingredients
1 cup(s) carrot(s)
1 cup(s) zucchini
1/2 cup(s) pepper(s), red, bell
1 cup(s) spinach
1 cup(s) cottage cheese, low-fat
1/2 cup(s) cheese, ricotta, low-fat
2 egg substitute
1 teaspoon basil, fresh
1 teaspoon oregano, fresh
1 pepper, black ground
2 cup(s) marinara sauce
9 pasta, lasagna noodles

Preparation
1. To prepare the vegetables, steam the carrots over boiling water for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and steam 2 more minutes. Add the red pepper and steam 2 more minutes. Add the spinach and steam 1 more minute. Remove the vegetables from the heat. Combine all remaining ingredients except the marinara sauce and lasagna noodles.
2. To assemble the lasagna, place a little sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce. add a layer of vegetables and cover with a layer of the cheese mixture. add some sauce. Repeat. Add the last layer of noodles and top with some sauce. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes prior to serving. Cut into squares and serve. (If you prefer to bake the lasagna immediately, cook the pasta before layering it.)

minimizing side effects

Side effect
Coping strategy

Fluid retention, including swollen feet, ankles, hands, or abdomen
Cut back on salt, drink plenty of water, consider taking a mild diuretic (herbal or prescription).
Abdominal bloating or gas
Try lowering the dose of either hormone; switch to another estrogen/progestogen; try a skin patch instead of a pill.
Headaches
Cut down on salt, caffeine, and alcohol; drink plenty of water; lower estrogen, progestogen, or both; avoid MPA; switch to a continuous schedule or a patch to minimize hormone fluctuations.
Breast tenderness
Cut down on salt, caffeine, and chocolate; lower the estrogen and or progestogen dose or try a different one.
Mood changes
Cut down on salt, caffeine, and chocolate; drink plenty of water; switch to progestogen or try a different one; switch to a continuous regimen or a patch to avoid hormonal fluctuations; exercise regularly.
Nausea
Take pills with meals or in the evening before bedtime; switch to a lower estrogen or progestogen dose; try a different oral estrogen; switch to a patch.
Skin irritation under the patch
Keep skin under patch very clean; switch to a patch with a different adhesive; apply patch to a different area; switch to oral estrogen.

to stay healthy during menopause.

To stay healthy during this time, the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging recommends you:
Eat a healthy diet, with lots of fruits and vegetables.
Don't smoke.
Make sure you get enough calcium and Vitamin D.
Learn what your healthy weight is, and try to stay there.
Do weight-bearing exercises

Though the research is still thin, many health experts say even moderate exercise can help relieve the problems of menopause in some women, including anxiety, insomnia and night sweats.

Menopause, which typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, is when a woman stops menstruating. Symptoms can range from mood swings, to hot flashes, headaches and trouble focusing.

The National Institutes of Health is conducting a wide-ranging study of several issues related to menopause, including depression, cognitive and sexual function. NIH-backed research so far only suggests a link between physical activity and decreased symptoms of menopause -- no proof

For example, women who exercise may report fewer hot flashes simply because they are less preoccupied with such symptoms, said Sheryl Sherman, a doctor with the National Institute on Aging, an arm of NIH.

While experiences vary from woman to woman, some say even a little boost in physical activity goes a long way.