Lois Trader's Blog
Posted by Lois Trader
Identifying the unique complications that contribute to sleep problems in women is an important step in achieving better sleep.
Women’s Sleep Habits
- Almost three out of four women do not get eight or more hours of sleep per night during the workweek.1 On average, women sleep approximately 6.5 hours per night during the workweek.1
- While many women experience difficulty sleeping,1 only 4% of adults currently see a physician regarding their sleep problems.2
Hormones Affect Sleep
- Sleep is disturbed 2.5 days on average during the menstrual cycle.1 More women complain of sleep problems during menstruation (71%), when hormone levels are at their lowest, than during the premenstrual week (43%).1
- A majority (79%) of women report an increase in sleep problems during pregnancy.1
- Forty percent of menopausal women suffer from sleep problems, which are usually related to hot flashes.3 A majority of menopausal/postmenopausal women report frequent insomnia.1
Medical Conditions
- Depression and anxiety, conditions associated with sleep loss, are twice as common in women as they are in men.4
- More women than men suffer from nighttime pain,5 including pain due to arthritis,4 which may make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.5
Maternal Responsibilities
- Most moms develop a high sensitivity to the sounds of their children and awaken more easily than women without children.6 This heightened sensitivity may continue long after their children sleep through the night.6
Consequences of Sleep Loss
- Middle-aged women who sleep an average of five hours or less nightly may be more likely to have heart disease than women who sleep eight hours nightly.7
- Sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body’s metabolism, which may make it more difficult to maintain or lose weight.8-10
- A majority of women surveyed say that sleep problems hinder their ability to perform daily activities at least a few days per month.1
- Of those women who report that their sleep problems hinder their daily activities, forty-six percent report that sleep problems interfere with household duties, and nearly two thirds say sleep problems interfere with their relationship with either their spouse or their children.1
How Women Can Achieve Better Sleep
- Avoid alcohol as well as foods or beverages high in caffeine (eg, coffee, colas, tea, chocolate), sugar (including honey), and salt.5
- Exercise regularly, but do so at least three hours before bedtime.4
- Try warming up your feet if you’re having trouble sleeping. Inadequate vasodilation (opening of blood vessels to increase blood flow) may cause sleep problems.4
- If you can’t fall asleep, participate in a quiet, relaxing activity in a dimly lit room.4
If you experience sleep problems for more than a few weeks, consult your doctor.
Posted by Lois Trader
The techniques above are similar to Reiki. Healing touch, developed by Janet Mentgen, RN is used extensively by nurses (68,000 participants in the U.S.) at all levels of health care, but it based on little supportive controlled data. Universal energy is believed to be channeled to work with human "energy fields" to restore harmony and balance.
If this information is even slightly true, it can't hurt and hug someone today. Make sure they want a hug, but if they do, there are healing benefits in the human touch.
Posted by Lois Trader
May, possibly, could, should are all words that should be used to explain studies that are not completely conclusive by the FDA. Therefore consumption of omega-3 fatty acids MAY reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary supplemnts containing the omega-3 long chainployunsaturated fayy acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). FDA encourages manufacturers to limit the proucts that bear the qualified claim to a daily intake of 1 gram of emega-3 fatty acids or below.
However, the FDA has approved a drug called OMACOR. So be proactive and research omega-3 fatty acids today.
Posted by Lois Trader
Depressed post-menopausal women have a 50% greater risk of developing or dying from heart disease than those who are not depressed, raising the possibility that treating the mind could help the body fight cardiovascular ills. This finding came from a four-year government study of 100,000 women across the United States. What is most striking is that depression was found to be an independent risk factor for subsequent cardiovascular death.
Obviously, volatile emotions such as anger and hostility are bad for your heart’s health. But studies have also shown that some of the quieter emotions can be just as toxic and damaging. Dr. Dean Ornish said, “Study after study has shown that people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are many times more likely to get sick and die prematurely, not only of heart disease but from virtually all causes, than those who have a sense of connection, love, and community.”
In cases of depression, women outnumber men 2-1. Women seem to adopt the “tend and befriend” attitude; they internalize their anger and disappointment instead of expressing these emotions, and they become nicer and more nurturing. Quiet people who hold everything in can experience a great increase in stress reactions. Women commonly put themselves last on the list and feel too pressed for time to exercise or give themselves down time. (Research in this area was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and cited in the New England Journal of Medicine.)
Posted by Lois Trader
Research shows that for every hour of regular exercise, you can increase your life expectancy by two hours. That's a great return on investment. Encouragement here: walk more, eat well and live longer. Start walking today and get more out of life tomorrow. With all those extra hours, think what you could do! What are you waiting for? Start! living a healthier, longer life today.
These days adults are spending more time at work than ever before, with little time spent being active. Start! Walking At Work day was created to remind you to take a time-out from your daily schedule and find just a little time for your heart. Taking just 10 minutes three times a day to walk will help you live longer. In fact, studies show that just one hour of vigorous exercise will increase your life expectancy by two hours. It makes sense to Walk More and Eat Well to Live Longer.
Posted by Lois Trader
Here's is the best advise I can give you.
MOVE MORE
EAT LESS
I hate it too, but that's the trick.
Lois Trader
Posted by Lois Trader
Ever woke up feeling terrible?
Me too.
Think this is an add for ZOLOFT, PROZAC or PAXIL?
Guess again.
If you're depressed and you are supposed to take a little pill to help you out, wouldn't it make more sense to give the little pill to the person who is depressing you? Okay, give them a big pill. A big pill. Why do I have to take the damn pill? If they would just... whoops, lost track of where I was. It takes a few weeks for the effects of the little pill to kick in.
Posted by Lois Trader
Let’s think this out loud together
What you don’t know can’t hurt you. Yes, for the simple time being while you think your son is doing his homework nightly at the neighbor's home, when in fact your son is smoking pot at your neighbor's house - it can’t hurt you. For the brief interlude of time that you believe your husband's job has required him to work extra long hours because of some new exciting project, - when in reality that project is a co-worker and an empty office - it can’t hurt you.
But, what you don’t know, you will soon find out, so what you don’t know you should know, because you’ll find out sooner or later and it will hurt you. A lot.
Posted by Lois Trader
One hour of walking equals two more hours of life. Isn't that the most exciting thing you have ever heard? But what part of our life, now, when I'm 80? Either way, I know how important exercise is to any human being. Research shows that for every hour of regular exercise, you can increase your life expectancy by two hours. That's a great return on investment. We need to walk more, eat well and then we will live longer. With all those extra hours, think what you could do. Get your tennis shoes on and take a walk. Oh wait, I should get my tennis shoes on, leave my computer and take a walk. Bye.
Posted by Lois Trader
Just when you think you’re grown up and know what to do concerning your teeth health. Who hasn’t been told to brush two to three times per day, but know we are reading it is important to floss every 12 to 24 hours so bacteria can't build up in your mouth. While most people may feel a twinge of guilt when they skip their daily flossing regimen, few realize that unhealthy gums could mean more than bad breath. "There seems to be a possible association between gum inflammation and untreated gum disease, and higher incidence of heart disease," says Washington, D.C.-based periodontist Dr. Sally Cram. "Many studies have shown a direct link between chronic gum inflammation and developing diabetes. And on the flip side, people who are uncontrolled diabetics have a much higher risk of developing gum disease." I have always felt a twinge of guilt when skipping my daily flossing regimen, but never did I realize that unhealthy gums could mean more than bad breath.
Posted by Lois Trader
Americans eat what might be called an all-consuming diet. Each day we're fed over 1 billion pounds—and one trillion calories—of food. Our agricultural system consumes enormous quantities of fuel, fertilizers, and pesticides to produce the grains, meat and poultry, and fruits and vegetables that feed a country of nearly 300 million people. It consumes enormous tracts of land and quantities of water—not just for growing food for people, but for producing food for livestock. And ultimately, a diet so high in animal products and relatively low in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, ultimately consumes the consumer: Diet-related diseases account for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year.
All I can think to do is try and eat healthy and find great whole food supplements that help you get your vegetables and fruits in. It’s recommended 12-17 servings a day. Gosh, how much more can I pile on my sandwich?
Posted by Lois Trader
Stress/Depression Link. There is a link between heart disease and depression. Depressed post-menopausal women have a 50% greater risk of developing or dying from heart disease than those who are not depressed, raising the possibility that treating the mind could help the body fight cardiovascular ills. This finding came from a four-year government study of 100,000 women across the United States. What is most striking is that depression was found to be an independent risk factor for subsequent cardiovascular death.
Obviously, volatile emotions such as anger and hostility are bad for your heart’s health. But studies have also shown that some of the quieter emotions can be just as toxic and damaging. Dr. Dean Ornish said, “Study after study has shown that people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are many times more likely to get sick and die prematurely, not only of heart disease but from virtually all causes, than those who have a sense of connection, love, and community.”
In cases of depression, women outnumber men 2-1. Women seem to adopt the “tend and befriend” attitude; they internalize their anger and disappointment instead of expressing these emotions, and they become nicer and more nurturing. Quiet people who hold everything in can experience a great increase in stress reactions. Women commonly put themselves last on the list and feel too pressed for time to exercise or give themselves down time. (Research in this area was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and cited in the New England Journal of Medicine.)
Posted by Lois Trader
Can't Sleep? Warm Your Feet
Warm feet -- a sign of healthy blood flow -- may help induce restful sleep. So warming up cold feet, such as with an old-fashioned hot water bottle, could help those who have trouble falling asleep.
Thermoregulation -- the body's heat distribution system -- is strongly linked to sleep cycles. Even lying down increases sleepiness by redistributing heat in the body from the core to the periphery.
Blood flow is a prime method of distributing heat evenly throughout the body. Poor blood flow can cause a reduction in the temperature of the extremities, and the researchers theorized that cold hands and feet might therefore be associated with sleeplessness as well. They authors found that increases in blood flow of in the hands and feet, rather than diet, light or melatonin administration, was the best predictor of the body's readiness for sleep.
Based on these findings, the authors speculate that any act that increases temperature in the extremities -- such as placing a hot water bottle at the feet, or covering the feet with socks, could help induce sleep more quickly.
Posted by Lois Trader
It is ridiculous to believe you can seperate from God's love. We are all in God's army and you can’t be discharged from God's army. You belong to Him and no man can take you out of His hand.
This is not an enjoyable subject to think about, and that is why this blog is about feeling secure in yourself. I have seen people's lives ruined by sin. The truth is sin is awful. Sin is horrible. I hate sin with a passion. Sin is the worst possible thing that we can do or have happen to us. I know someone whose stepfather's inability to deal with life caused the death of an eight year old's mother, and then that eight year old grew up to be addicted to drugs. Many of us grow up without both parents, sometimes with no one. Sin destroys our relationship with each other, with our families, and with husbands and wives. Most of all, I hate what sin does to our relationship with God.
My encouragement is simple: Treat others as you would want them to treat you. Love everyone, no matter of race, religion, nationality or where they were born. Life is short, there isn't time for sin, hate, or unforgiveness.
Posted by Lois Trader
I refused to accept the fact that water was good for me. I hated water, the taste, the thought of having to drink it… period. Then in 1995 I became so ill that if I had to large of an ice chip I’d throw it up. Again, the thought of water sounded awful, anything sounded, smelled, felt awful.
After lying in bed for several weeks, I finally could not get the thought out of my head. Water is life. Water is life. It was the loudest voice my intuition had ever conjured up.
I decided to drink water. I drank water. I got better. I got well.
Once well, I forgot about the water. Turning 50 has brought a lot of new challenges. Weight gain, especially in my stomach, (and oh how I had prided myself on not having that problem till 50), but it’s true weight gain around the midsection. Burn on me. Burn – water.
Like so many Americans we are chronically dehydrated. Our fast food market makes it so easy to get anything but water. I learned that sometimes our bodies think we are hungry, when in fact it’s telling us we’re thirsty. We need water.
Then I learned that my metabolism was slowed down even with slight dehydration. Okay, that was it. I’m drinking more water. My metabolism slowed down 50% turning 50.
Soon, I actually realized that if I drink one full glass of water, (actually I prefer to drink a bottle – makes me feel a sense of accomplishment when it’s empty) will shut down my hunger pangs almost 100%.
I tried the idea with wine and it didn’t work sadly. It made me hungrier and I cared less about my diet!
Drinking more water made me peppier in the day. I wasn’t as tired around 3pm. My skin and bones felt better. I looked it up, I read that drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79% and bladder cancer by 50%. Now, I’m not quoting the site, because it was representing a water company. But, even if that is partly true, we win.
So here’s the plan for general good health. We feel better when we shower. We shower in water. It makes sense to shower our insides with water as well. I’m a perfect example of a person that tried her best to do the opposite and there was no benefits in that.
Got to go… I have to drink some water.
Posted by Lois Trader
When our children will be heading back to school, our vacations are over, and routines will become the norm. It is important to remember to get back to the basics too.
Sleep- Adults should average 8 hours a night and children should average 10 hours a night. Did you know fatigue is the number one cause of accidents?
Diet- Eating a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean meat should be your goal. Try to decrease you sugars, sweets, sodas, chips and other high fat foods, as they leave you feeling sluggish and unproductive.
Exercise- Exercise doesn’t have to be just at the gym. You should exercise throughout your day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, instead of driving around for 10 minutes looking for a parking spot, you know who you are, pick one in the back of the lot and walk to the entrance, take a walk at lunchtime, ride your bike in the evening with a friend or with your family. Whatever you do, move more!
Stress- Make time for yourself, after all you only get one chance with the life you were given here on earth. Remember you can’t do it all, you certainly can’t do it right all the time, so allow some room for error in your day. We are all human and the stress of trying to be perfect is what drives us to eat on the run, drink to unwind, and medicate to sleep at night.
These are the basics that we lose touch with so often in our busy lives. So this September take a look at them and make some time in your routine for them. You will be glad you did. Not only will you feel better, you will look better and you might even find you enjoy yourself and those around a little more! Welcome back to school, back to work and back to the basics!
Visit my website and learn more about wholefood Lois Trader
Posted by Lois Trader
Who knew? And yet women die from heart disease six times more than from breast cancer. Twice as many women die from heart disease as from all cancers put together! More women than men die of heart disease each year. But women receive only:
• 33% of the angioplasties, stents, and bypass surgeries that are performed;
• 28% of implantable defibrillators; and
• 36% of open-heart surgeries.
And women comprise only 25% of participants in all heart-related research studies (Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 266, 1991, p. 559).
In reality, I don’t feel like a survivor of heart disease. Why not? Because heart disease doesn’t go away. I survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake. When I was pregnant in the summer of 1978, I survived climbing the Desert Fortress Masada, overlooking the Dead Sea in Israel. The term “survivor” represents what I’ve lived through or persisted through, like plants survive the frost. Yes, I did survive what I experienced in June 2003. I am surviving—and actually learning to thrive with heart disease. I’m thankful to wake up every morning, and every day I try to make right choices.
I am a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, and a sister. I have successfully climbed the corporate ladder and have had the same ladder pulled out from under me. I am writing this book for:
—all the women I speak to, 90% of whom do not know or have not accepted that heart disease is our number-one killer.
—the women who believe that ignorance is bliss.
—the women who haven’t heard the news that it does matter if your father, uncle, or grandmother had heart disease.
—the women who believe that women—especially young women—are not supposed to have heart disease.
—the women who have given up listening to their bodies because every time they go to the doctor it’s dismissed as neurosis.
—the women who simply don’t want to be bothered, who are determined not to travel down the road I want to take them.
This article puts a face to women’s heart disease: mine. I am your neighbor, your sister, your co-worker, the woman next to you panting on the treadmill—and yes, that’s me you see Saturday morning at the grocery store. I am not a doctor, and this article isn’t a medical guide, nor is it another article filled only with facts, figures, and data. It’s an honest account by someone who has lived through the trials of life and matters of the heart. Women relate to women, especially a woman who shares what’s happening deep within her chest. Once you see my heart, your own heart will become clearer. You will find the power to stand eye-to-eye with your doctor and represent yourself truly.
I mean to empower and encourage you to take better care of yourself, to be your own advocate and trust your God-given intuition. Trust yourself. Love yourself. This is the heart of my message to you.
Even before I was diagnosed with heart disease, I was well aware (thanks to my family history) of how heart disease affects one’s life and one’s family. I even bought a book called The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Happy, Healthy Heart. Did I read it? No, I was an idiot and waited until I had heart disease to pull it off my bookshelf.
Since being diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), I’ve learned so much about sudden cardiac arrest—the hard way. The most common underlying reason for sudden death from cardiac arrest is fatty buildups in the arteries that block blood supply to the heart muscle. About 335,000 people a year die of coronary heart disease without being hospitalized or admitted to an emergency room—more than 930 deaths every day. That’s about half of all deaths from heart disease. And the victims may not even know that they have heart problems!
Please try to imagine yourself in my place. As mothers, we have so very many things that we can reflect on and feel good about. But there’s a dark side of motherhood also: the nurturer’s fears for those little beings whom she has ushered into this world. Mothers never, ever cease feeling responsible; they never outgrow the urge to protect. And now, suddenly, my ongoing ability to protect my daughters had been placed at terrible risk. I am one woman speaking on behalf of the six million women who live with heart disease. I have a voice to speak, arms to hug my family, eyes to see my surroundings, and a mind to see my future. A half million women each year do not have these same opportunities.
Stop smoking/ know your cholesterol numbers and what they mean/ know your own blood pressure/ are you diabetic – take it to heart, it’s a big risk factor for heart disease. Exercise 30 minutes a day. Try and lose some extra weight if you need too. Learn how to deal with stress, try and remove the stress, seek professional help if you can’t deal with the stress. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Wine is okay to drink in moderation, but I get all my anti-oxidants from an whole food orchard blend.
Contact me at loistrader@msn.com for more information on how to stay heart healthy. http://loistrader.com
Posted by Lois Trader
I have missed a lot since then.
· My oldest daughter and her husband had a baby boy, two years later they had a baby girl. I had always planned on being a cool grandma.
· My other two daughters graduated college. One got married.
· My brother committed suicide when his daughter was a baby, and we lost touch with her mother. My mom was reunited with my oldest brother’s daughter, after thirty years. A miracle I had dreamed of most of my life.
· Threading is more popular than waxing or plucking your eyebrows. I never enjoyed having my eyebrows waxed.
· I missed my anniversary – 26 years of marriage.
· Three reminder cards came in the mail to have a mammogram. The Women’s Breast Cancer center wasn’t notified.
· Oprah ran a special on women’s heart disease in 2005. I liked Oprah, I would have missed it, I worked full time.
Real version. Barely conscious I was taken to the emergency room the next day.
I needed surgery; I have been given another chance at life.
I wrote a book:
Lady in the Red Dress: A personal story of a woman with heart disease
I am your sister, your mother, your neighbor, the lady you see panting on the treadmill, and yes that is me you see grocery shopping on Saturday morning.
I am Lois Trader, a woman living with heart disease. I care that I was hours away from being one of the 500,000. I have a story to tell. My story will help you learn to stand up for yourself. Give you confidence to believe there are more than hormones messing with women’s health. I’m funny, relatable, and realize it's a lot more than clogged arteries killing us, but best of all I am alive.
My mission is to help you stay alive!
Posted by Lois Trader
Pets help us feel better and generally that helps whatever ailment we have.
I believe even fish can help us feel better. I have a screensaver of an aquarium.
Pets provide unconditional love and companionship for people of all ages—a fact that any pet owner can confirm. But scientific research also suggests pets help people control blood pressure and manage stress. Researchers have taken an interest in pets because controlling stress and blood pressure are vital keys to reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. A 2000 study, for instance, found that dogs help relieve cardiovascular stress in people who have had difficulty controlling their stress.
The study was just one of a series that demonstrated the positive health benefits of pet ownership. Dr. Karen Allen has led a team of researchers from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in a series of pet-related studies that began more than a decade ago. Their results have repeatedly demonstrated that people show a reduced stress response (i.e., less of a rise in blood pressure or heart rate) if their pet happens to be nearby. Pets comfort us when we face life’s many challenges.
Posted by Lois Trader
Let me help you understand my eagerness to shout to the world my awareness of the dangers of different diseases, medicines, etc. Before my heart attack, my top-priority concern had been breast cancer (as is true of so many women). So when I went to the gym I would wear my New Balance sneakers with the pink ribbon embroidered on the tongue. Underneath my sweat suit would be my Wacoal bra (The Awareness Bra) with yet another embroidered pink ribbon. This bra actually comes with a tiny brochure that tells you how to self-examine your breasts. While reading Self magazine on the treadmill, I was reminded (over 15 times) through articles and advertisements that I needed to be aware of breast cancer. When I got home, I'd grab a container of Yoplait yogurt, knowing that by merely popping open the lid, I was supporting breast cancer research. After walking on the treadmill, my feet would be tired from so I'd slip on my Karen Neuburger comfy socks, again with the cute pink ribbon. Then I'd relax with a cup of coffee using my $25 limited-edition pink-ribbon coffee mug purchased from "The View"'s website. Finally, in my bathroom you'd find nothing but Quilted Northern toilet paper, a proud sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure Series.
Whew. But no ribbon for heart disease? Why I'm sharing this personal story, is simple. YOU HAVE ONE TOO! Write me with your questions about general medicine, believe me the answer is out there. I'd should know.