Dear Red Hot Mamas

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: April 15, 2011

When you get sick, you typically take a course of action so you can recover and return back to good health. This behavior should not be limited to illness, but at menopause as well. It’s up to you to establish good health habits so you can bounce back easier from illness and the same goes for carrying on through menopause. I hear from many women that they fear menopause. They believe menopause is all about dreadful symptoms that they won’t be able to deal with. Some are in the throes of disrupting symptoms, while others seem to learn to deal with them, establishing an “I can handle this” attitude.

For the doubtful, I ask, why not view menopause as a gift? It can be a powerful stimulus to change your health. Many women opt to start yoga classes, make improvements in their diets, have regular massages, and this helps to somewhat eradicate the stresses that fall upon them at menopause.

It’s my belief that you can do much more than any clinician to maintain your health at menopause and beyond. However, you must have good health habits to not only help you at menopause, but also reduce the amount of illnesses that you may face later in life. As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Good health habits have their own immediate rewards, whether in reducing hot flashes, preventing bone loss and avoiding cardiovascular disease.

Some key things you can do include exercise, making changes to your present diet, continually paying attention to weight control and if necessary lose weight, not smoking, having complete physical checkups, periodic health screenings and making sure you don’t become lax about your immunizations. These behaviors will have a positive influence in determining how healthy you are at menopause.

Menopause is a wake- up call for many of us. Let’s use it as a gift, make it a benefit and adhere to the motto, a pound of prevention. Spring is the perfect time to embark on a course of action to establish a plan for better health. As the crocus begin to bloom and as the air starts to lighten and brighten, embark upon a positive journey for your health.

Springtime is all about cleaning up and starting fresh. We are very excited about blossoming and growing our new, official Red Hot Mamas Facebook Page! If you’re not already a social networking friend, please join us on Facebook. We love keeping in touch with all of you and sharing the latest updates on local RHM programs, special events and important health alerts. In addition, it’s a great way to share your experiences and get in touch with other Red Hot Mamas. Simply go to the Red Hot Mamas Facebook page and then click on the “LIKE” box at the top.

We are also pleased to feature another medical advisor in our Ask the Expert column. We hope Dr. Goodman, along with Dr. Mache Seibel and I can help answer all of your pressing, pertinent menopause questions. Dr. Goodman also contributed an article for this month’s newsletter. Please visit his website that recently received a fresh, new look at www.michaelgoodman.com.

And, we always like hearing from you, so please don’t forget to:

  1. Tell us if you would like a Red Hot Mamas program in your area
  2. Log onto our Bulletin Board – chat with others experiencing menopause
  3. Ask the experts – get answers to your health related questions
  4. Shop in our Boutique – for hip and cool products

I hope you all are enjoying Spring; if not in the weather, then at least in your hearts!

Good Health to You,

Karen Giblin
Founder and President
Red Hot Mamas