Month: September 2010

This Is Your Brain On Menopause

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There it is! I knew I left it some place!

Seriously, sometimes I do wonder if I have one! I love to whistle that tune, “If I Only Had a Brain” from the Wizard of Oz.

Menopause does come with some cognitive problems. Some of these are related to having less estrogen; some of them are from not getting enough sleep, or lack of restful sleep.

What’s a woman to do? Well, there is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. This may be risky and should only be decided after talking to your physician. Some supplements may help that contain plant estrogen. Another supplement is the herb Black Cohosh, which may help night sweats. Additionally, Valerian Root may help as a sleep aid, and your doctor may be able to prescribe prescription medications for you.

I have gone to bed with an ice pack under my neck. This does cool me down so I can go to sleep. I used to have a Chillo, but it wore out–it’s about the same as a reusable ice pack.

Regular exercise may help to lessen menopausal symptoms. Just don’t exercise two hours before bed, as you will energize your body, and get hot!

Also, watch out for spicy foods as they may keep you awake at night–think HOT! Alcohol is another issue, as you will wake up in the night after sleeping for a while. And guess what? You will be hot! Soy foods and other sources of food that contain plant estrogens, like flax, should help your symptoms.

Remember, you are still hot, only now it comes in flashes!

Think cool!

Joan

GOOD VS BAD PROCRASTINATION?

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My Friend Marion Pretending to Procrastinate!

It is amazing to me how quickly technology can squash you. I am rewriting this blog post due to the beastie below. He quite literally ate my text!

Here I was waxing profusely about writing an article about procrastination that was keeping me from working (i.e. procrastinating ) on my query letter. Suddenly, BAM! that little sucker took the text with him when I tried to move him!

I guess there is some justice in that happening. But, seriously, there are 3 types of procrastination, a) doing nothing, b) doing something less important (like errands, domestic engineering–that’s cleaning!, and c) doing something more important (like the query letter).

Obviously, I am Queen of “b”, with a small amount of “a” thrown in there. I have real trouble with “c”. Generally that has to do with not having much confidence in getting said work published or accepted, as it is poetry. All you poets know that aside from poetry chapbooks and contests, how difficult it is to publish a poetry book–it’s “just not main steam enough”, blah, blah, blah.

In short, I am discouraged from sticking my poetic neck out again, if not plain scared to do it. But, fear not, I will make progress, even is it seems like a snail is working on this book at times.

So take that beastie! May the pen be mightier than the sword! Don’t you dare eat my blog this time!

Rotten procrastination beastie!–>

Don’t let him get you! Ciao! Joan