Items Tagged With Womens Health

People seem to want and need to be close to others. As we grow older, many of us also want to continue an active, satisfying sex life. But the aging process may cause some changes.

What Are Normal Changes?

Normal aging brings physical changes in both men and women. These changes sometimes affect one's ability to have and enjoy sex with another person. Some women enjoy sex more as they grow older. After menopause or a hysterectomy, they may no longer fear an unwanted pregnancy. They may feel freer to enjoy sex.

Some women do not think things like gray hair and wrinkles make them less attractive to their sexual partner. But if a woman believes that looking young or being able to give birth makes her more feminine, she may begin to worry about how desirable she is no matter what her age is. That might make sex less enjoyable for her.

A woman may notice changes in her vagina. As she ages, her vagina shortens and narrows. The walls become thinner and also a little stiffer. These changes do not mean she can't enjoy having sex. However, most women will also have less vaginal lubrication. This could affect sexual pleasure.

As men get older, impotence becomes more common. Impotence is the loss of ability to have and keep an erection hard enough for sexual intercourse. By age 65, about 15 to 25% of men have this problem at least one out of every four times they are having sex. This may happen in men with heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes-either because of the disease or the medicines used to treat it.

A man may find it takes longer to get an erection. His erection may not be as firm or as large as it used to be. The amount of ejaculate may be smaller. The loss of erection after orgasm may happen more quickly, or it may take longer before an erection is again possible. Some men may find they need more foreplay.

What Causes Sexual Problems?

Illness, disability, or the drugs you take to treat a health problem can affect your ability to have and enjoy sex. But, even the most serious health problems usually don't have to stop you from having a satisfying sex life.

Arthritis. Joint pain due to arthritis can make sexual contact uncomfortable. Joint replacement surgery and drugs may relieve this pain. Exercise, rest, warm baths, and changing the position or timing of sexual activity can be helpful.

Chronic pain. In addition to arthritis, pain that continues for more than a month or comes back on and off over time can be caused by other bone and muscle conditions, shingles, poor blood circulation, or blood vessel problems. This discomfort can, in turn, lead to sleep problems, depression, isolation, and difficulty moving around. These can interfere with intimacy between older people. Chronic pain does not have to be part of growing older and can often be treated.

Menopause is a stage in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone and she stops having her monthly menstrual cycle (her period). It is a normal part of aging and marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. Menopause typically occurs in a woman's late 40's to early 50's. It can also lead to sleep problems.

When the ovaries no longer produce adequate amounts of estrogen and progesterone (as in menopause), the loss of these hormones can bring about various symptoms including hot flashes (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the body) and sweating (which is related to hot flashes).

Approximately 75-85% of menopausal women experience hot flashes, which can last for five years. Hot flashes and sweating can make it difficult to sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, approximately 61% of menopausal women have sleep problems. Sleeping difficulties can lead to other problems, such as daytime drowsiness.

How Can I Treat Sleep Problems Related to Menopause?

The traditional treatment for the symptoms related to menopause has been hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT consists of estrogen given as a pill, patch, or vaginal cream, either alone or combined with progesterone (for women who still have their uterus). However, results from a large study, the Women's Health Initiative, showed that long term use of estrogen-progesterone combination therapy caused an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and stroke. Estrogen alone did not increase breast cancer or heart disease, but the study also found that therapy with estrogen alone increases the risk of blood clots and stroke.

The latest recommendation for use of HRT for severe menopause symptoms is to use the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time, with regular follow-up with your doctor.

If you are not a candidate for HRT, if your symptoms are not severe, or if you simply decide not to use HRT, the following tips might keep you cooler at night and help you sleep better without the use of hormones.

• Wear loose clothing to bed.
• Keep your bedroom cool and well-ventilated.
• Avoid certain foods that may cause sweating (such as spicy foods), especially right before bed.

Other practices that may ease sleep problems include:

• Maintain a regular bedtime schedule, including going to bed at the same time every night
• Exercise regularly but not right before sleep
• Avoid excessive caffeine
• Avoid naps during the day, which can prevent you from sleeping well at night
• Talk to your doctor about prescription medications that can help you sleep

What Alternative Treatments Are Available to Treat Hot Flashes?

Alternative treatments for treating hot flashes have included soy products such as tofu and soybeans. Soy products contain a plant hormone called phytoestrogen that acts as a weak estrogen. Studies in general do not show significant hot flash reduction with soy products.

Black cohosh, a perennial plant that is a member of the buttercup family, has also been used to treat hot flashes. In several studies, menopausal women who took black cohosh experienced relief from hot flashes and sweating, although most of these studies have been short-term, and used varying amounts of black cohosh from different sources. More studies are underway to determine if black cohosh reduces the frequency of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.

Keep in mind that alternative treatment products are not regulated or controlled by the Food and Drug Administration, and the long-term benefits and risks of these therapies are unknown. Talk to your doctor before you take any of these products.

Reviewed by a doctor in The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Cleveland Clinic.

VitaDocs Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

'Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2005

Menopause  Sleep and Menopause  Womens Health 

The time of a woman's life following menopause is called postmenopause. During this time, many of the symptoms of menopause ease for most women. But as a result of several factors including a lower level of estrogen, postmenopausal women are at increased risk for a number of health conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

How Will I Know When I am Postmenopausal?

A woman is considered to be postmenopausal when she has not had her period for an entire year. Having your doctor measure your follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level is another way to determine if you are postmenopausal. FSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland (located at the base of the brain). Your FSH levels will dramatically rise as your ovaries begin to shut down; these levels are easily checked through one blood test.

What Changes Can I Expect During Postmenopause?

Once you hit the postmenopausal stage, you may regain your energy and feel emotionally normal once again, but you may also be at higher risk for certain conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

Medication and/or healthy lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of some of the conditions associated with menopause. Since every woman's risk is different, talk to your doctor to learn what steps you can take to reduce your individual risk.

Can I Get Pregnant Now That I am Postmenopausal?

The possibility of pregnancy usually disappears once you have been without your period for an entire year. But, continue using contraception until your doctor determines that you truly are postmenopausal, unless, of course, you are trying to get pregnant.

How Often Do I Need to See My Doctor?

Even if you are postmenopausal, getting regular check-ups and preventive screening tests such as pelvic exams, Pap smears and mammograms are among the most important things you can do for yourself. How often you need a check-up depends on your health history. Talk to your doctor to determine how often you should be seen.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Women's Health Center (2006).

VitaDocs Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic

Can I Get Pregnant Now That I am Postmenopausal?  How Will I Know When I am Postmenopausal?  Menopause  What Changes Can I Expect During Postmenopause?  Womens Health  Your Health After Menopause 

Body Image and Your Kids

"On a diet, you can't eat." This is what one five year-old girl had to say in a study on girls' ideas about dieting. This and other research has shown that daughters are more likely to have ideas about dieting when their mothers diet. Children pick up on comments about dieting concepts that may seem harmless, such as limiting high-fat foods or eating less. Yet, as girls enter their teen years, having ideas about dieting can lead to problems. Many things can spark weight concerns for girls and impact their eating habits in potentially unhealthy ways:

• having mothers concerned about their own weight
• having mothers who are overly concerned about their daughters' weight and looks
• natural weight gain and other body changes during puberty
• peer pressure to look a certain way
• struggles with self-esteem
• media images showing the ideal female body as thin

Many teenage girls of average weight think they are overweight and are not satisfied with their bodies. Having extreme weight concerns — and acting on those concerns — can harm girls' social, physical and emotional growth. Actions such as skipping meals or taking diet pills can lead to poor nutrition and difficulty learning. For some, extreme efforts to lose weight can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. For others, the pressure to be thin can actually lead to binge eating disorder: overeating that is followed by extreme guilt. What's more, girls are more likely to further risk their health by trying to lose weight in unhealthy ways, such as smoking.

While not as common, boys are also at risk of developing unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders. Body image becomes an important issue for teenage boys as they struggle with body changes and pay more attention to media images of the "ideal" muscular male.

What you can do

Your children pay attention to what you say and do — even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes. If you are always complaining about your weight or feel pressure to change your body shape, your children may learn that these are important concerns. If you are attracted to new "miracle" diets, they may learn that restrictive dieting is better than making healthy lifestyle choices. If you tell your daughter that she would be prettier if she lost weight, she will learn that the goals of weight loss are to be attractive and accepted by others.

Parents are role models and should try to follow the healthy eating and physical activity patterns that you would like your children to follow — for your health and theirs. Extreme weight concerns and eating disorders, as well as obesity, are hard to treat. Yet, you can play an important role in preventing these problems for your children.

Follow these steps to help your child develop a positive body image and relate to food in a healthy way:

• Make sure your child understands that weight gain is a normal part of development, especially during puberty.
• Avoid negative statements about food, weight, and body size and shape.
• Allow your child to make decisions about food, while making sure that plenty of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks are available.
• Compliment your child on her or his efforts, talents, accomplishments, and personal values.
• Restrict television viewing, and watch television with your child and discuss the media images you see.
• Encourage your school to enact policies against size and sexual discrimination, harassment, teasing, and name-calling; support the elimination of public weigh-ins and fat measurements.
• Keep the communication lines with your child open.

Get happy -- and healthy -- with the world's easiest exercise

By Barbara Russi Sarnataro

Arkansan Jim Wilson had 300 pounds on his 5-foot-7-inch frame when he decided he wanted to walk a half marathon. He knew it would be a long journey: he couldn't walk a mile without getting winded.

Still, his goal spurred him on. He started training in March 2001, and in September of that year he walked a scenic 13-mile loop in Red Rock Canyon, outside Las Vegas.

Along the way, he started feeling stronger and sleeping better. His self-esteem shot up, and he ate more healthfully. By the time he walked his five-hour half-marathon, he was down 50 pounds.

"The whole process [gave me] a major feeling of accomplishment," says Wilson, a 53-year-old financial adviser.

You don't have to walk 13 miles to reap the benefits of walking. In fact, it's one of the best ways for a sedentary person to start an exercise program, says California health educator, fitness expert, and author Shirley Archer.

"There's very low risk of injury with walking," she says. "It's comfortable, easy, and low-cost. All you need is a good pair of shoes."

Besides that, she says, it can actually be enjoyable, which is half the battle when it comes to sticking to a fitness regime.

"Too many people think of exercise like medicine," says Archer, the mind-body spokeswoman for IDEA Health and Fitness Association. "It's not. It can be fun and the body will start to love it."

A Step Toward Health and Happiness

Medically, the benefits of walking are undisputed, says Little Rock, Ark., orthopaedic surgeon John Yocum, MD. Cardiovascular exercise such as walking can reduce the risk of heart disease and improve heart function and muscle tone, as well as lower blood pressure, cholesterol, risk of stroke, and risk of injury, says Yocum.

In addition, he says, "improving strength around the joints can help with degenerative joint disease."

But that's not all. "The benefits are multiple," he says, "not the least of which is the improved sense of well-being or happiness with the increased endorphin levels."

Archer, who coaches many beginning exercisers, says they have a kind of "awakening" when they begin to work out. They begin to feel better, so they sleep better, manage stress better, and get more energy in the process, says Archer. As a result, their self-esteem improves.

Former Olympic marathon runner Julie Isphording, a walking/running coach, author, columnist and host of two health and fitness radio shows for National Public Radio in Cincinnati, says she sees it often in the walkers she trains.

"People start to change their attitude," she says. "It really isn't about the walk. It's about something so much bigger; so much better. You can breathe deeper. You last longer in the day. You're running up steps."

When walkers enlist a partner, it's even better, Isphording says.