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Did You Know Your Wrinkles Can Indicate Low Bone Density?
You know I never did enjoy having a furrowed brow and now I am reading that it can indicate that I may be having problems with my bone density!
Studies at Yale's School of Medicine have shown that the more wrinkles a woman has in early menopause years the more likely she is to have low bone density. This is particularly true if the wrinkles are between the brows.
Women over 50 have the greatest probability for bone fractures from osteoporosis. Characteristics of osteoporosis are thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time.
"Women need to be aware that our skin is giving us a glimpse of what's happening inside to our skeleton," said Lubna Pal, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist at Yale's School of Medicine.
"Different areas of the face wrinkle at different rates and after adjusting for all the parameters, the strongest impact was with the forehead wrinkles between the brows," she said.
Both skin and bone are made of proteins called collagens. The changes in collagen as women get older cause both the sagging of skin and also bone quality and quantity.
What gives me more hope is that the study is really only showing an association between the bone density and early wrinkling. It is not showing an exact cause. The value of this study is that it gives doctors a low-cost approach to finding out which postmenopausal women would be at most risk for bone fracture.
This Yale study is part of a larger, multicenter investigation into menopausal hormone therapy. The scientists involved in this study are recommending a longer, four-year study to farther investigate the relationship between wrinkles and the risk of bone fracture.
Miraval Resort Frozen Mint Lemonade – BEST Ever!
You may have read some of my earlier posts about my Miraval experiences. I talked about letting go with my "Swing and a Prayer" experience.
I shared my learnings about certainty from the "Miraval Equine Experience" and my discovery of the power of my energy with being in the ring with Bailey at the Purple Sage Ranch.
Another amazing experience was having one of their Frozen Mint Lemonades while enjoying one of their pools. Miraval Resort shared this recipe in their recent newsletter. I felt compelled to share it with YOU!
Miraval's Frozen Mint Lemonade
YIELD: Makes 1 serving
Download a PDF of this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Lemonade:
- ¾ C. organic cane sugar.
- 1 C. water
- 1 C. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 C. cold water, 2 C. Ice (to dilute)
Frozen Mint Lemonade:
- ½ C. ice
- ½ C. lemonade
- 4 fresh mint leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Lemonade:
Heat Sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved completely, about 5 mins.
Juice 4-6 lemons enough for 1 cup of juice. Strain out the seeds. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add cold water and ice, more or less depending how strong you like your lemonade. Refrigerate until completely cooled, 30-40 mins.
If lemonade is too sweet for your taste add more lemon juice.
Frozen Mint Lemonade:
Take ½ cup of the lemonade you just made. Combine with ice and mint leaves in a blender and blend.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per serving:
- Calories: 50
- Total Fat: 0g
How Being Ostracized Affects the Brain
Another word for being ostracized is being bullied.
“Being excluded or ostracized is an invisible form of bullying that doesn’t leave bruises, and therefore we often underestimate its impact,” said Kipling D. Williams, a professor of psychological sciences. “Being excluded by high school friends, office colleagues, or even spouses or family members can be excruciating.”
“When a person is ostracized, the brain’s dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, which registers physical pain, also feels this social injury,” Williams said.
Williams divides the process of ostracism into three stages:
- Being ignored or excluded
- Coping with this exclusion
- Resignation to being excluded
Being excluded is extremely painful because it threatens our fundamental human need for the feeling of belonging, the core of our self esteem.
“Again and again research has found that strong, harmful reactions are possible even when ostracized by a stranger or for a short amount of time,” said Williams.
Journal Reference:
K. D. Williams, S. A. Nida. Ostracism: Consequences and Coping. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2011; 20 (2): 71 DOI: 10.1177/0963721411402480
Purdue University (2011, June 6). Pain of ostracism can be deep, long-lasting. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2011/05/110510151216.htm
Early Alzheimer’s or Senior Moment?
Reading about Dr. Kirk Daffner’s work gave me some clarification about whether forgetfulness could be early Alzheimer’s or whether it was just a senior moment.
Dr. Daffner, a Harvard brain specialist, offers some tips to help us know when to seek medical help.
“If someone has reduced or slowed ability to retrieve names of friends and acquaintances – especially those they’ve recently met – that’s probably very benign,” Daffner says. “But if they consistently can’t recall the names of close friends or family, that’s a red flag.”
It’s understandable not recognizing someone when you see them in a totally different environment – or “with their clothes on” as we often say when seeing someone from a workout class when they are dressed professionally. But if you suddenly do not recognize someone you do know, that could be a danger sign.
If you sometimes can not think of a word, that is probably not a concern. If you are having difficulty on a regular basis of recalling events, even when others offer helpful information, you probably need to get it checked out.
Do you get lost often in familiar places? That is a warning sign more so than if you occasionally turn the wrong direction.
If you or your family are feeling that your memory problems are causing you difficulty in your life, advocate for getting a formal evaluation even if your doctor dismisses your questions as just part of getting old.
Early detection of memory difficulties and getting support for you can make a huge difference in your quality of life.
Staying Calm When Your Roof Is Being Replaced…
After weathering a massive hail storm in Phoenix, my roof needed to be replaced. After procrastinating for months, this is the day!
With little rain in Phoenix, it’s hard to know just how much is wrong with a roof until a big storm.
I couldn’t find my little ShihTzu anywhere and finally found him under my bed…first time he’s hidden there.
Don’t know if he thought the house was coming down or what???
I found it was helpful for me to do some running around in the house, pulling out shoes for Goodwill.
I have to keep this all is perspective. It’s not like Joplin, Missouri where so many homes were destroyed.
Tornadoes are significant in the history of our family. I lost relative including my namesake, great grandmother Susannah.
My older sister was an infant during that tornado in Greenock, Pennsylvania. My mother grabbed her from her crib and rushed behind one of those big old radios for safety.
