Volunteers Wanted for Dark Chocolate Health Trial

As reported in NutraIngredients.com, you might be eligible to participate in this great study. Why so great? Because it is testing the benefits of CHOCOLATE! The stuff has already been found to be beneficial in other health areas, why not test heart health?

from July 23, 2009 NutraIngredients.com

A study with dark chocolate is recruiting 40 post-menopausal women with type-2 diabetes to test the heart health potential of a super-strength specially formulated chocolate.

The study, described as “pioneering”, is being run by the University of East Anglia and diabetes specialists at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and is exploring the potential of the chocolate’s flavonoid compounds to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Diabetes UK is funding the study, which is looking for new volunteers under the age of 76 and with type-2 diabetes. As part of the study, participants will be required to eat a small amount of chocolate everyday (two 13.5g pieces) for one year and have their risk of heart disease tested on five occasions to see whether changes occurs.

Potential volunteers may email FLAVO@uea.ac.uk

Free Webinar on Bioidenticals

That's right. A free, yes free Buzz on Bioidenticals webinar will be held Tuesday, August 4 at 9pm ET/8pm CT/7pm MT/6pm PT. All are invited - women and healthcare professionals alike. Developed by The Female Patient, the Red Hot Mamas, and Elizabeth Lee Vliet, MD, the webinar will focus on common misunderstandings about menopause hormone therapy. Click here for more details.

NY Times: Seeking Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes

Nice little write up today in the New York Times - in the fashion section no less! - about natural remedies for weight gain, hot flashes, and all those other horrid symptoms of menopause. Also, great visual overview of common botanical ingredients.

Give it a read and let us know what you think.

Janice Dickinson Goes All Menopausal... and Who Can Blame Her?

Menopause has hit the big time! In one of the more bizarre moments in the history of 'the change,' Janice Dickinson blamed her erratic behavior on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! on menopause. As anyone that has gone through it knows, the hormonal fluxes can drive you to do just about anything ... and not really give a darn about the consequences. So who can blame Janice for a little outburst or two (or three, or three thousand...)?

Media Begins to Mention Menopause

When it comes to how best to address menopause symptoms, there is more than a little controversy. All I know is, I'm thrilled that the darn thing is finally getting some attention. Most want to hide under a rug when 'the change' is mentioned, and topping the list is the media.

But its changing. The recent Newsweek featuring Oprah and now this interesting post on Huffington Post means that mainstream media is examining the latest menopause treatment crazes. And while you may disagree with the slant of a certain article or blog post, at least with more information available you'll be able to make more informed choices about your medical options.

So I say, keep up the controversy, please. Its about time women of a 'certain age' got a little somethin' somethin' from the media.

Hot Flash Humor

So, I was speaking with a friend of mine about how annoying these hot flashes were. She turned to me and said, "I prefer to call them 'power surges'".

It really is all in the attitude, isn't it?

Brain Wind-Down Temporary, Find Researchers

Women in menopause know that their brains are a little less.... quick on the pick up. But luckily, researchers have found that such cognitive slow down is temporary. In a new study published in Neurology, women ages 42-52 were tested on their ability to process information quickly. In addition to finding that menopause did indeed slow down cognitive processing, researchers found this mental slow motion to be but a temporary side effect of the hormonal changes associated with menopause. More magazine did a great article on brain health and menopause if you need additional information, but its certainly helpful to know that these symptoms will pass!