Menopause Hot Flashes

* Melatonin: A good night’s sleep is a necessity for all women, but night sweats can seriously interfere with that. Inadequate sleep also interferes with your ability to get your natural nightly dose of melatonin—the hormone your pineal gland secretes when you’re in a deep sleep during the darkest part of the night. Taking supplemental melatonin can help you sleep better, even if your sleep disturbance is due to night sweats. Dr. Lark recommends taking 3 mcg–3 mg of melatonin every night, about 30 minutes before you go to bed. Start with the lower dosage and increase, if needed, until you get the desired effect.

Dr. Lark has dedicated herself to providing women with natural, safer alternatives for menopause symptoms. You can find many more of her solutions on her blog and web site.

To learn more about the recent study, click here.

Twice a year, I hold week-long SkyLab boot camps with Jackie Warner, star of Bravo TV’s Workout. The most recent boot camp we held was in early June this year.

At the boot camp, Jackie was raving about a new sweetener called Truvia. Because I have seen the ads on TV and in magazines, I was immediately suspicious. Usually, when a “natural” sweetener takes up this type of ad space, it is not very natural. Think Splenda.

As it turns out, my concerns were unnecessary. Truvia is made from rebiana, erythritol, and natural flavors. While I’d like to know a bit more about these “natural flavors,” the other ingredients are fine.

Rebiana comes from the stevia plant, and as you know from my June 26, 2009 posting, I am a huge fan of stevia. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is nearly calorie-free. Like other sugar alcohols, erythritol doesn’t spike glucose or insulin levels; however, unlike most sugar alcohols, it doesn’t cause the “laxative” response that come people get with xylitol or maltitol.

All of this makes Truvia a great, sweet option for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as night sweats or hot flashes, as Truvia won’t alter hormone levels. More specifically, it won’t increase estrogen levels, which is a huge plus for women with estrogen dominance.

And, if weight loss is a priority for you this summer, Truvia may be your new best friend. Make it a part of your natural weight loss plan by adding it to oatmeal, green tea, or anything that you want to make just a little bit sweeter.

Hmmm…maybe I can add it to my husband!

When I think of addiction, I go right to alcohol or drugs. But one of the most common (and most dangerous) addictions is sugar addiction.

Like most narcotics, eating a diet high in sugar gives you a “high,” and can help to mask negative feelings like loneliness, depression, resentment, or fear. In fact, sugar has opioid or narcotic properties, meaning it acts like an endorphin in your body. But, like any drug, this lift is short-lived, and soon you need more and more sugar to achieve the same effect.

There is also physical withdrawal from sugar. During the SkyLab bootcamps that I run, we break sugar addictions from the onset. And within four to five days, many of the participants experience sugar withdrawal. This can take the form of shaking, anxiety, low energy, and extreme cravings as they come off sugar. And research has shown this detox to be very real.

In a study published in the June 2002 issue of Obesity Research, scientists deprived rats of food for 12 hours, then fed them a glucose solution for the next 12 hours. Withdrawal was then induced using either 24 hours of food deprivation or the withdrawal drug naloxone. In both cases, the rats showed signs of withdrawal, including teeth chattering, shaking, and tremors. Researchers concluded that withdrawal from repeated, excessive sugar intake created symptoms that were similar to those of withdrawal from morphine and nicotine.

Sugar Wreaks Havoc on Female Hormones

Sugar depletes your body of important nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This leaching actually leads to cravings and binges as your body desperately seeks to replenish the nutrients that have been taken away.

It also increases estrogen levels, which can exacerbate estrogen dominance and worsen menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause problems.

Sugar Sabotages Weight Loss

If you have a few extra pounds you have been fighting to lose, then sugar may be the culprit. Sugar is a born enemy of natural weight loss. Sugar contributes to false fat, increases inflammation, and can worsen digestive problems. It also provides empty calories, meaning you tend to overeat sugary, starchy foods without ever really feeling full and satisfied.

So, if you are looking to lose weight, reduce the appearance of cellulite, and regain appetite control, cut the sugar…today!

Sugar Damages Your Skin

Sugary foods overstimulate your sebaceous glands and can trigger excess oil production. They can also contribute to blood sugar imbalances, which can worsen symptoms of anxiety and stress, both of which can lead to breakouts. Who needs acne at our age!

Sugar also has a vasoconstrictive effect, which translates to decreased circulation to the skin. This can lead to wrinkles and sallow-looking skin. So wrinkle-free skin is your goal, then losing the sugar is the best natural skin care program you can find.

Overcoming Sugar Addiction

Beating any addiction can be difficult, and sugar is no different. I have found that the best way to break your sugar addiction is to go cold-turkey. This means no candy, bakery items, sugary coffee drinks, etc. Nada. Nothing.

This will take about five days to completely break. In that time, lean on fruits when you need a sweet treat, and drink lots and lots of water and herbal tea to help flush the sugar out of your system.

You can also try using to of the nutrients Dr. Lark recommends for controlling your appetite and reducing cravings. These include 5-HTP and chromium.

5-HTP is the precursor to serotonin, a critical neurotransmitter in your brain that influences mood and diminishes hunger. Take 50 mg of 5-HTP twice per day. Take it with half of an apple and 50–100 mg of vitamin B6 to facilitate uptake into the brain.  

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that is necessary for controlling blood sugar and helping to reduce food cravings. Aim for 100–200 mcg of chromium picolinate once or twice per day.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are health-promoting nutrients that your body needs to perform a whole range of functions. Premenopause women or those in early menopause will find that proper amounts of EFAs will help to reduce the inflammation and pain seen in conditions such as endometriosis and menstrual cramps. 


Women who are in menopause need EFAs to prevent a wide range of health concerns, including heart disease and breast cancer. These incredible healthy fats also provide moisture to tissues of the skin, vagina, and bladder, as well as the hair.

 In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that women who consumed foods rich in EFAs enjoyed greater vaginal lubrication and tissue thickness. Over a six-week period, researchers took smears from the vaginal wall every two weeks to see if the addition of these types of foods would cause a beneficial hormonal effect on the vagina. Typically, the vaginal mucosa thins out and becomes more prone to trauma and infections as the estrogen level drops with menopause. Interestingly, the vaginal mucosa responded significantly to the additional ingestion of flaxseed oil and soy flour, but returned to previous levels eight weeks after these foods were discontinued and the women went back to their usual diet.

If you are in early menopause or premenopause or suffer from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, you should definitely up your intake of EFAs.

There are several different types of EFAs, but the two main categories include omega-3 fatty acids—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—and omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid).

Omega-3 EFAs consist primarily of EPA and DHA. EPAs are your heart-healthy fats. They also promote beautiful, healthy skin, hormonal balance, and immune function. EPA also makes serotonin, the “happy” neurotransmitter. DHA, on the other hand, is a natural brain booster. Your brain needs DHA to create healthy nerve cell membranes. Your brain uses nerve cells for mood, attention, and memory. 

Two of the best sources of omega-3 EFAs are flaxseed and fish. (Other good sources include soybean, hemp powder, walnuts, canola oil, eggs, organ meats, and some forms of algae.) In the case of flaxseed, both the oil and the ground meal are rich in EFAs.

When it comes to fish, I recommend cold-water choices such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. The colder the water a fish lives in, the more omega-3 its body requires and possesses, simply to keep it warm enough.

With omega-6 fatty acids, there are three main types: linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA), and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). You only need to supplement with GLA, because you likely get enough of the other omega-6 fatty acids through your regular diet. However, the stress of daily life (as well as poor nutrition, alcohol, chemical carcinogens, cholesterol, saturated fats and low levels of some vitamins), may prevent your body from turning linoleic acid into GLA.

The reason GLA is particularly important for women is that it is converted into inflammation-fighting prostaglandins that help ease menopause symptoms such as depression and breast tenderness. They also help balance blood sugar and may also play a role in preventing certain cancers.

The best food sources of omega-6 fatty acids are whole grains, seeds, and vegetable oils. Other oils such as evening primrose, borage, and black currant are especially rich stores of GLA. If you would prefer to take a supplement, try 3,000–4,000 mg of evening primrose oil per day.

Ideally, you want to aim for a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, somewhere in the 4:1 and a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. To achieve this, up your intake of fish, nuts, and seeds (especially flaxseed), and decrease your consumption of red meat and dairy products, which are high in linoleic and arachidonic acids.

As the temperature starts to rise, I am often inundated with requests for my ice cream and sorbet recipes. And this year is no different.

One of my favorite recipes is a blueberry-pomegranate sorbet that is not only packed with amazing antioxidants, but also helps cool hot flashes, tames night sweats, and eases other menopause symptoms. Enjoy!

Blueberry Pomegranate Sorbet

Serves 6 

¾ cup xylitol

½ cup filtered water

2 cups pure pomegranate juice

1 cup fresh, puréed blueberries

Extra blueberries and mint leaves (optional)

1. Combine xylitol and water in saucepan and stir over medium heat until xylitol dissolves.
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
3. Cool completely.
4. Whisk in pomegranate juice and puréed blueberries.
5. Place in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, place in freezer-safe container, and freeze.
6. Serve with extra blueberries and mint leaves.
   

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 196, Total fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 18 mg, Carbs 67 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g

As I’m sure you’ve heard, the FDA issued a consumer advisory regarding several Hydroxycut products on May 1, 2009. (Hydroxycut products are supplements geared at promoting weight loss, fat burning, increased energy and metabolism, and decreased appetite.)

According to the FDA, they have received 23 reports over the course of seven years that people taking Hydroxycut products experienced serious liver-related problems. The FDA advisory goes on to state, “Although the liver damage appears to be relatively rare, FDA believes consumers should not be exposed to unnecessary risks.” As a result of the FDA advisory, Iovate Health Sciences (the manufacturer of Hydroxycut products) issued a voluntary recall of the products in question.

This recall shows, yet again, that the idea of “weight loss in a bottle” is a myth. As Dr. Lark has written about time and again and I have preached in seminar and retreats several times over, the “secret” to effective weight loss is (drum roll please!)…exercise and proper nutrition.

That being said, there are a few tricks laying right in your refrigerator or kitchen cabinet that can make your weight loss efforts, well, effortless, such as green tea and flaxseed. Then there are the things that should NOT be in your frig or cupboard…things like wheat and dairy. Let me explain.

Both wheat and dairy are common food allergens. For some, this can translate to very serious conditions such as celiac disease (wheat and gluten allergy) or lactose intolerance (dairy allergy). However, thousands of women have developed an intolerance to these foods. The result is often “false fat” due to inflammation of the digestive system.

When you think of inflammation, you most likely think of swelling around a knee or bruise. But the reality is that no matter where an injury occurs, the physical manifestations are the same—pain, stiffness, and swelling. Therefore, when certain foods irritate or “injure” your intestinal tract, the abdomen and midriff can swell, resulting in bloating and fluid retention in the abdomen—this is false fat. Simply avoiding foods that contain wheat and dairy can result in a flatter tummy for many women.

And if you are looking for delicious way to boost your metabolism and burn calories, skip the hype and just brew up a cup of green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols, which appear to block the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a brain chemical that regulates your metabolism. The higher your levels of norepinephrine, the faster your metabolism, which in turn allows you to burn calories even more efficiently. To reap the full benefits of green tea for weight loss, aim for drinking three 8-ounce cups of green tea a day. This is enough to provide roughly 240 to 320 mg of polyphenols.

And if you are looking for an easy, healthy way to decrease your appetite, try flaxseed. Flaxseed is living proof that great things do come in small packages. Flax is a great source of fiber, which has been shown to enhance weight loss, help in weight management, and decrease feelings of hunger. It does this by increasing bulk and helping to reduce appetite, thereby producing feelings of satiety.

Plus, flax contains essential fatty acids (great for skin, hair, energy levels, and heart protection), as well as phytoestrogens, weakly estrogenic plant nutrients that bind with your body’s estrogen receptors, mimicking the effects of estrogen. This is good news for anyone suffering from menopause symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, or other signs of menopause. Aim for 4–6 tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day. Simply sprinkle on dairy-free yogurt or oatmeal in the morning, over a salad at lunch or dinner, or add to your favorite smoothie as a snack.
 

With all the discussion surrounding conventional hormone replacement therapy and bioidentical hormones, it’s no wonder that women are at a loss for ANY solution, natural or otherwise, to their menopause symptoms. If you are looking for a quick, easy, effective, and delicious option to ease the discomfort of night sweats, hot flashes, and other signs of menopause, then soy is for you.

Soy contains phytoestrogens, weak, estrogen-like plant compounds. The specific phytoestrogens found in soy are genistein and diadzein. They are also often referred to as isoflavones. These soy isoflavones have been shown ease menopausal symptoms in thousands of women.

Plus, eating soy-based foods has other long-term health benefits. For example, soy does not appear to have a carcinogenic effect on uterine cells or breast tissue. Plus, the EFAs in soy are good for heart health and supple skin.

To ensure you are getting adequate amounts of soy in your diet, Dr. Lark suggests aiming for 50–100 mg of soy isoflavones per day. This translates to two cups of soy milk (35–40 mg in one glass), ½ cup of edamame (150 mg in ½ cup), or one cup of tofu (35 mg in ½ cup). Just be sure to always, always choose organic soy products, as soy is one of the two most common genetically modified crops in the United States.

Here are a few easy and delectable ways to ensure you are getting enough soy in your diet:

• Make a smoothie for breakfast. Mix one cup soy milk with one banana, a handful of strawberries, one tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and a few cubes of ice. Blend well and enjoy your 70 to 80 mg of soy isoflavones.
• Enjoy a hormone-healthy salad for lunch. Mix 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce with one tomato (diced), ½ a cucumber (diced), ½ cup edamame (whole soybeans), and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds. Toss with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy.
• Whip up an easy dessert. Place four ounces soft tofu, one cup mango, one cup papaya, and 1 teaspoon honey in a blender. Mix well and share with a friend. You’ll each get about 15 to 20 mg of soy isoflavones.
   

Ever since the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported on the dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the July 17, 2002 issue of the journal, women have been scrambling to find a safer, yet still effective treatment for menopause symptoms.

In case you are not familiar with the study, JAMA reported on the findings from one part of the Women’s Health Initiative, an 8.5 year project funded by the National Institutes of Health. According to the findings, menopausal women taking estrogen/progestin for five years or more had an increased risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease, strokes, and breast cancer. In fact, researchers felt so strongly about the negative implications of long-term combined HRT, especially the unacceptably high risk for breast cancer, that they ended the study three years early! Participants were contacted and instructed to stop taking the drug—immediately.

As you can imagine, the pharmaceutical companies have been in a panic ever since, as hundreds of thousands of women have stopped taking their medication and look to natural medicine for answers…answers that many have found in bioidentical hormones.

Dr. Lark has written about and prescribed bioidentical hormones for more than 20 years. In fact, in our book Hormone Revolution, we have devoted several pages to the topic. And when it comes to using bioidentical hormones to treat menopause symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, and other signs of menopause, the most commonly prescribed hormone is estriol.

Given the sudden drought in conventional HRT usage (and therefore loss of money to pharmaceutical companies), as well as the increased interest and media attention surrounding the usage and efficacy of bioidentical hormones—namely estriol—it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the FDA is now cracking down on these natural options.

According to the FDA’s Web site, the “use of ‘bio-identical’ as a marketing term implying a benefit for the drug, for which there is no medical or scientific basis.” They even go so far as to state that estriol “is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use.”

This is simply ridiculous and just plain outrageous. Estriol is the weakest, and therefore safest, of your three main types of estrogen. It has been studied in various animal and human studies and has been shown to be less likely to promote excessive tissue growth, and even helps prevent breast and endometrial cancers.

To me, that seems to contradict the “not been proven safe” part of the FDA’s statement. And, as for the “not been proven effective for any use,” I cannot help but wonder if the FDA is familiar with the JAMA study that found that estriol was particularly effective in treating vaginal atrophy, mood swings, and hot flashes. Or, how about study from Alternative Medicine Review, which found that estriol provided the protection of conventional hormone replacement therapy without the risks. Plus, estriol was found to ease menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, and urinary tract infections.

Don’t be fooled by the FDA’s “concerns.” Sadly, in this arena, their main concern seems to be with the pharmaceutical company’s checkbooks, not your health. Keep yourself informed by reading blogs, newsletters, and informative emails from trusted sources and doing research for yourself. And fight for your right to natural alternatives to all your health concerns.

So many of my friends and patients who are in menopause mention to me how much they would love to have the boundless energy that they witness in their grandchildren, and even adult kids. Along with night sweats, menopause hot flashes, and weight gain, it’s perfectly normal to experience fatigue and a lack of energy during premenopause and menopause.

To feel like a kid again (at least energy-wise):

Eating the right way gives you the raw material you need to produce lots of energy, and eating the wrong way can cause fatigue. If you are fatigued and just dragging yourself through the days, you can turn this situation around, even if you're 100 years old. It’s best to eat for your body type. For the best diet recommendation, see my previous entries on eating for your body type (Diet for the Estrogen Deficient-Fast Processor and Diet for the Estrogen Deficient-Slow Processor). Most menopausal women fall into one of these two categories. Once you figure out where you fall, follow those diet recommendations.
Avoid caffeine. While it's true that caffeine will give you an immediate boost, ultimately it lets you down, and hard. Used in excess, caffeine increases anxiety, and depletes energy and physical reserves by stressing your nervous system and exhausting the adrenal glands.

Yesterday on Oprah, Robin McGraw (Dr. Phil’s wife) and Dr. Christiane Northrup discussed menopause and the effect it had on a woman’s life. In the course of the conversation, they talked about the pluses and minuses of bioidentical hormone therapy.

I was not able to watch the show, but I pulled video and some text off Oprah’s Web site to see if I could get the gist of the story. Two particular conversations were especially poignant to me. The first was Robin McGraw’s statement that her mother never discussed her experiences with menopause with her.

It is amazing to me that, as women, we can discuss everything from our favorite books and recipes to the best hair salon or ob/gyn. But when it comes to really discussing how we feel, both physically and emotionally, we tend to hold back. Why is that? What’s wrong with saying that you have unbearable hot flashes, bed-soaking night sweats, or excruciating menstrual cramps? Even more difficult is admitting that we are sad, disappointed, irritable, or, God forbid, angry.

What are we afraid of? That someone will judge us as less than? Ladies, we need to be gentler with ourselves and our gender in general. These are tough times we are all living through and no one has the magic answer in how to cope with them. The best we can do is to be compassionate, share our feelings and experiences, and be there for each other.

The second thing that struck me was when Robin discussed changes in her overall attitude, sharing that she was normally a happy person and always smiling and that she felt as if she was losing that. Wow did that hit home personally!

It seems like, lately, I have been completely out of sorts. It wasn’t until I read Robin’s quote that it occurred to me that I might need to adjust my hormone protocol. I had a really solid program that has been incredibly beneficial for me for the past five to six years. But in the last six months, I have undergone IVF treatments (two). Of course it makes sense that my hormones may have been affected for longer than simply the weeks I was taking the hormone medications.

As Dr. Northrup indicated on the show, an imbalance in any other the key sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone) can lead to a whole host of physical and emotional side effects. For me, irritability was the one that was the most notable (to others beside myself, I’m sure!). And, sure enough, too little progesterone can lead to irritability.

You’d think I’d know better! After all, in Hormone Revolution, Dr. Lark and I talk at length about the signs and symptoms of hormone imbalance. Looks like a classic case of the shoemaker’s kids going without shoes!

And while both Dr. Lark and Dr. Northrup are big advocates of bioidentical hormone therapy (and for good reason!), I think I’ll just readjust a few of my supplements and try a progesterone cream for now. Hopefully my hormones—and my mood—will come back into balance soon.

According to a study published in the latest edition of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, long-term use of hormone replacement therapy may cut the risk of colorectal cancer. The greatest reduction in risk was seen in women who used a combination of estrogen plus progestin for two to five years. Current users had the greatest risk reduction, but past users who had stopped at least five years ago also benefited.

So, based on this study, would I recommend using conventional hormone replacement therapy now that it has been found to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer? My answer is unequivocally no! It has been well established that conventional hormone replacement therapy has been associated with a significant increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and Alzheimer’s disease. So, while HRT is helpful in reducing menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats—and now colorectal cancer—it is at the expense of your breast, heart, and brain health!

There are much safer and more effective ways to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer—even if you are at high risk due to family history:

1. Eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wild-caught fish, nuts, whole grains, free-range poultry, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and almond butter; avoid red meat, dairy products, fried and processed foods, and refined sugar and flour. 

2. Add 4 to 6 Tbsp. ground flaxseed to your diet. It’s a great source of fiber, as well as mucilage and lubricants, which provide bulk and soften your stool, helping to promote its elimination through the intestines. 

3. Don’t smoke. Smokers are 30 to 40 percent more likely than nonsmokers to die of colorectal cancer.

4. Exercise. Inactive people have a higher risk of developing not only colorectal cancer, but many other types of cancer, including breast cancer.

5. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.

6. Take these supplements:

Selenium is an antioxidant that has been found to inhibit cancer in animal studies. Additional research indicates that selenium shows promise in colorectal cancer prevention in humans. I recommend 50–200 mcg a day.

Calcium helps reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps. I recommend at least 700 mg a day, along with 800 IU of vitamin D.

Resveratrol, a naturally-occurring compound found in grapes, may help protect against the growth and proliferation of colon cancer cells. In fact, a study published in Cancer Letters found that resveratrol reduced the growth rate of colon cancer cells by 70 percent! I recommend 200 mg, standardized to at least 8 percent total resveratrol, mixed with flavonoids for better bioavailability.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is the largest maker of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs, including Prempro—which was found to be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative studies. However, that didn’t stop Wyeth from developing a new HRT formulation named Aprela for the relief of menopause symptoms such as menopause hot flashes and sleep disturbances, reportedly without increasing a woman’s risk of estrogen-related cancers.

 According to Wyeth, Aprela combines estrogen (Premarin) with a SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator) called bazedoxifene. SERMs block the action of estrogen in certain tissues, including the breast, by occupying estrogen receptors so that estrogen cannot attach to the receptor sites. At the same time, SERMs reportedly stimulate estrogen receptors in other tissues, such as the liver, bone, and uterus (which increases your risk of uterine cancer!). But Wyeth’s studies suggest that bazedoxifene doesn’t have that uterine-stimulating effect, thereby making it a better SERM for a safer HRT drug. In clinical trials, women have been taking Aprela daily for two years while being monitored for breast cancer. However, the study is less than three years old, and it can take 10 years for breast cancer to develop!

If you need to take hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopause symptoms, I much prefer that you consider taking bioidentical hormones, which can provide menopause relief without increasing your risk of life-threatening cancer. Talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormones, a much safer and more effective option.
 

As I wrote in my blog back in early November, there are several spices that are particularly beneficial for women in early menopause or premenopause. These spices—namely ginger and cinnamon—can help to ease perimenopause symptoms. Not to mention, they taste fabulous!

The best way I know to stay in delicious hormonal balance is to incorporate these spices into your life. And what could be a tastier way to enjoy these spices than gingerbread!

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" to me quite like the smell of gingerbread baking. So, my gift to you this season, is a healthy version of my mother’s amazing gingerbread.

You can find this recipe and others like it (including several for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats) in Hormone Revolution.

Gingerbread
Serves 9

½ cup canola oil
½ cup erythritol
1 egg
½ cup light molasses
1 ½ cups Pamela’s wheat-free baking mix
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cream oil and erythritol for 30-45 seconds.
3. Add egg and molasses and beat thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together baking mix, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon.
5. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, alternating with boil water, until well blended.
6. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick, comes out clean.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Growing up, my mother used to constantly remind me that “birds of a feather flock together.” Considering my group of friends, this was a good thing. I had (and still have) great friends in grade school, high school, college, and beyond…people I was proud to be associated with.

As it turns out, there is something to this “birds of a feather” theory. A study published last week in the British Medical Journal found that the people you surround yourself with can have a direct and profound effect on your happiness. According to researchers James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis, “People’s happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected.”

After mapping the social interactions of nearly 5,000 people aged 21 to 70, discovered that when someone expresses happiness, their friend experiences a 25 percent increased chance of catching the happiness bug. And that friend’s friend has a 9.8 percent chance of becoming happy. And even the friend of that second friend as a 5.6 percent chance of getting the happiness virus.

Pretty cool, right? But what, you may be asking, does this have to do with hormone health? I mean, how on earth can giggling help hot flashes or night sweats? The answer is that it actually can.

As Dr. Lark and I wrote in Hormone Revolution, there is a very large and very real connection between hormone health and positive emotions. Thousands of studies have shown that what you do with your mind and emotions has a powerful effect on your health. One study in particular has always resonated with me.

Researchers looked at the longevity of a group of Catholic nuns from Milwaukee. The sisters ate, lived, slept together for years. They had the same daily routine, taught in the same school, had the same financial situation, received the same medical care, etc. Given this unique set of circumstances, researchers decided to evaluate the connection between happiness and longevity.

They looked at writings the sisters did prior to taking their vows. They divided the writings and their respective authors into different classifications based on the levels of joy and satisfaction expressed in the letters. They found that 90 percent of those sisters whose writings fell into the “most happy” category were still alive at age 85 or older. Conversely, just 34 percent of those sisters who writings fell into the “least happy” category lived to be 85.

In the past, Dr. Lark has written about positive thinking and emotions helping women deal with menopause symptoms and ease the discomfort of many perimenopause symptoms, including fibroids and endometriosis. I can tell you firsthand that nothing eases cramps and PMS symptoms like my favorite comedy and a good laugh. And I have many, many friends that have brushed off concerns of early menopause with a self-deprecating joke or two. Come to think of it, there isn’t much that good friends and a good laugh can’t make better.

Clearly there is something to this happiness thing. Not only does happiness translate to a longer life span, but it seems to be viral, infecting those around you and those around them. It’s like an emotional flu!

Now that’s one virus I’d be glad to catch…and pass on.

I can’t believe it is December already! It seems like we went from the fourth of July directly to Thanksgiving and no pause in between.

Once Thanksgiving hits, I tend to be a rollercoaster of work, family, and event obligations…all of which lead to stress, late hours, and, often, no thought to what I’m eating, let alone eating for my hormone type.

So, this year, I decided to make it easy on myself. I came up with three easy breakfasts that I could grab-and-go. I also made a standing grocery list so I could be sure I always had easy, yet healthy, foods on hand.

And to make it easier for you too this holiday season, I’ve listed the breakfasts that work for me, and anyone else that is estrogen dominant, in early menopause or premenopause, or those suffering from perimenopause symptoms. I’ve also included three simple breakfast options for those of you who are estrogen deficient and may be suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats.

Easy Breakfast Options (Estrogen Dominant/Premenopause)

• Plain soy or coconut milk yogurt with fresh berries and two tablespoons flaxsee
• A hard-boiled, organic egg with a cup of pineapple
• A high-protein, high-fiber snack bar (Ruth’s Maca bar or Zoe’s Peanut Butter bar)

Easy Breakfast Options (Estrogen Deficient/Menopause)

• Whole-grain oatmeal with mango and two tablespoons of flaxseed
• Wheat-free flaxseed bread (Glutino brand) with almond butter and a cup of papaya
• Wheat-free granola with soy milk and banana

Must-Have Grocery List

To make the holidays even easier, print out the following grocery list and take it to the store with you. Keeping these staples on hand make meals (and your hormone health) a breeze…no matter what your hormone type!

I thought I had seen it all until I opened one of my monthly health magazines and there it was…an ad touting the “safety” of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In a health magazine! Then, about three weeks later, I started seeing ads on TV also claiming that HFCS as “as safe as sugar.”

Are you kidding me? I’ve seen lobbies do and say some pretty remarkable things, but this takes the proverbial, HFCS-laden cake. And, to top it off, the Corn Refiners Association has launched a Web site called www.hfcsfacts.com. (Facts is their word, not mine.) Considering the fact that HFCS constitutes about 55 percent of the sweetener market, the Corn Refiners have a financial interest in keeping their product on the market. Even if doing so is dangerous to your health.

On their site, they claim that HFCS is nutritionally the same as honey. To say this is false is a gross understatement. Honey has many immune-boosting properties. HFCS, on the other hand, depresses immune response. The same site also claims that HFCS is equal in sweetness to table sugar. Also not true. HFCS is ranges from 120–160 on the relative sweetness scale. Table sugar (sucrose) measures in at 100. Even the name itself—HIGH fructose corn syrup tips you off that it will be sweeter than even fructose (which measures in at 140), let alone table sugar.

But this is just the beginning. Studies have shown that HFCS isn’t even metabolized like regular, naturally occurring sugars. HFCS is metabolized in the liver. From there, it is converted into triglycerides, those nasty fats that circulate through the blood. And elevated triglycerides are connected to a whole host of diseases, including heart disease and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol.

Plus, chronic consumption of HFCS (and other sugars, including table sugar and fructose) kicks off a chain of hormonal imbalances, leading to weight gain and increased risk for diabetes. There is also research to indicate that HFCS may be a root cause of metabolic syndrome, leading a group of Canadian researchers to issue an “urgent need” for more stringent efforts to curb the addition of HCFS to foods and beverages.

On the hormone side, HFCS (and all refined sugars) plays absolute havoc with your system. With chronic use, it can overtax your adrenals, thereby either shutting down hormone production or causing your hormones to go haywire. Plus, a whole host of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, are worsened by excess sugar.

Even premenopause, early menopause, and perimenopause symptoms are severely affected by HFCS and other refined sugar. It worsens these estrogen-dominance conditions and their resultant issues like fibroids, endometriosis, and ovarian cysts. It also worsens PCOS and has been shown to be linked to fertility issues.

The long and short of it is this: Ignore the lobbyists' spin. Avoid HFCS like the plague. This means reading labels on all pre-packaged foods. One safe bet is choosing organic package foods (including ketchup!), as I have never seen HFCS in an organic product.

If you are craving something sweet to drink, try one of Sweet Leaf’s flavored liquid stevias. They have delicious flavors like root beer, orange, apricot, and vanilla cream. I just add a dropperful to a glass of natural mineral water and presto, natural soda! Best of all, I know that I am keeping my taste buds happy while keeping my body healthy.