By Arielle Denise Dance, M. A. in Women’s Health

In life we, as women, take many journeys: the journey through education, career decisions, through relationships and family transitions. Throughout all these journeys there has been someone (or more than one person) who has supported us, encouraged us and held our hand through the process. Some of these journeys presented obstacles and hurdles we did not expArielle Danceect and made us grateful for people within our support systems.

 

For millions of women living with endometriosis, the incurable and painful disease that occurs when tissue from the uterus is found in other places of the body, a new journey is required of them and their support system. This journey is unexpected for most and can cause a shift in many of their relationships, and friendships.

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In contrast to the many Toxic Shock Syndrome stories on You ARE Loved‘s site, mine is not one of illness, loss or pain. I am a lucky one!

Toxic Shock Syndrome AwarenessGetting Started with Tampons
I started my menstrual journey at 15 the way most girls do: using pads.  I never got along with them, and hated the “diapery” feeling and the odor.

My mom solely used tampons, so I was naturally curious about them. After only a few cycles of using pads I snuck some of my mom’s tampons (and never looked back.) After “borrowing” a large quantity from her, I feared she would begin to notice.

Somehow I worked up the courage (for some reason I thought she might not approve) to approach her and let her know I wanted start using tampons. She understood my dislike of pads and was ok with me making the switch. A lot like the menstruation/puberty talks we had, this talk was also very brief. I only recall her mentioning a quick caution to not leave them in too long because of something rare called TSS that could make me sick. That conversation did not concern me enough to read the warning on the box (or leaflet inside).

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By Jessica Drummond, MPT, CCN, CHC

Owning Your Beautiful Body (at Menopause) for the Sake of Your Daughter (at Puberty)Isn’t it funny that God designed moms to hit menopause just as their daughters are hitting puberty.  (Well, actually, I guess we’ve designed it that way, since now many of us are having our children well into our perimenopausal years.  But, wait… My grandmother had her last child at 40.  So, I don’t know who to blame!)

Think about that for a moment.

Just when you’re feeling even worse about your body, the perimenopausal belly fat, the sagging well-past-breastfeeding breasts, the bits of gray hair, the middle aged acne, all combined with the fatigue that comes from raising tweens and burning the candle at both ends for the last 3 decades, it’s your job to combat 6000 negative media messages everyday about the unattainable perfect female body!  Ugh. READ MORE… »

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By Tara B. – Faith Confessions

The day started out great we all woke up got ready and went to breakfast. Our cabin was known for not putting in too much effort when getting ready. While the other girl’s rooms were filled with fumes of hair spray and their mirrors were prime real estate our routine consisted of rolling out of bed, throwing our hair in a ponytail, and heading out. Sweats were ok, but not because I didn’t care but because the Seniors and Juniors wore them. Don’t get me wrong while I wanted the bow in my hair and wished I had a different lip gloss for every day of the week that just was not the style and habit of my bunk mates.

I was so thrilled to be in the same cabin as Ashley, Sarah and Erica. They were older and so comfortable in their skin. The did not seem to need anyone’s approval and made sure the younger girls knew it too. It was my second visit to camp with them and I was in aww that it was “cool” to be Christian and sing and be loud and proud about it. The girls did their best to make the underclass man feel welcome and accepted. Continually they told us about the shaving cream fight and how wonderful and fun it was. The day was epic at camp and we tried to stay together and have each other’s backs. Being it was held outside and we were in the mountains safety was key and our counselors made it clear we needed to keep an eye out for each other and make sure that everyone stayed safe and no one got hurt.

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The similarities between puberty and menopause are vast. Think about it. Teens who are reaching puberty deal with acne, fluctuating hormones, body shape changes, irregular menses, growing pains and fatigue. Similarly, women going through peri-menopause or menopause are sometimes afflicted with mood swings, joint aches, the inability to concentrate, skin eruptions and mind-numbing exhaustion.

hormonal-household-puberty and menopauseAs women wait longer to have children, their menopause is more often coinciding with the onset of puberty in their children. The question, then becomes who just slammed the door and began sobbing? was it mother or daughter?

Coinciding hormonal transitions can result in tiresome bickering and cause extra strain on the entire family. While it’s difficult to achieve complete serenity in a house where hormones are colliding, there are measures that can be taken by both mother and daughter to ease tension. The following are a good place to start:

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By Samantha Gluck

tamponsThe term toxic shock syndrome (TSS) refers to a rare complication from a bacterial infection often resulting in life-threatening consequences. Frequently, TSS occurs from toxins released by the Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria, but the Streptococcus pyogenes (strep) bacteria can also cause the condition. These toxins circulate throughout the bloodstream, causing high fever, rash, multiple organ system failures, and hypotension.

TSS History and Risk Factors
Physicians first saw the often-fatal condition in children in 1978, but it later became associated with super-absorbent tampons and contraceptive sponges. An epidemic of the condition sprung up in 1981; authorities linked it to women using a certain type of super-absorbent tampons. Healthcare providers see the most common types of TSS in menstruating women; tampon use encourages the proliferation of bacteria that grows naturally in the vagina. Even so, men and postmenopausal women can also become infected. Risk factors, in addition to super-absorbent tampon use, include open skin wounds, nasal packing, childbirth and surgery.

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Let’s talk about it, and take it seriously

Too young for menopause?Usually when a day is designated to a specific cause or event it is meant to be celebrated, but if you ask a woman going through menopause what she thinks of Menopause Day she’ll tell you there is nothing celebratory about hot flashes, migraines, fluctuating body weight and low libido. So instead of celebrating it, this commemoratory event should be an opportunity for us to educate the world about this “special time of our lives” and to address the issues and concerns that many women (and their men) have that aren’t always openly discussed at the dinner table.

Am I too young for Menopause?

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By Ellen Dolgen

Thursday, October 18th, 2012 is World Menopause Day. This is like a worldwide birthday party for the big M! This year, the sponsoring organization, the International Menopause Society (IMS), is launching a campaign to focus on the health implications of weight gain during menopause. (Coincidentally, I blogged about weight gain a few weeks ago.) How can you celebrate?  Open up the channels of communication and break the taboo that somehow still lingers around the topic of perimenopause and menopause. It’s silly, and it’s time we’re done with it. Raise a toast to you, your Mom, your sisters, Aunts, and to women worldwide who share this passage of womanhood.

World Menopause Day

What are some ways you can honor and celebrate yourself or other women you know who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause? How about throwing a Menopause Party? Quick! When you think of the word “party,” what comes to mind? The legendary toga party in Animal House? Jake Ryan’s house party in Sixteen Candles? The seniority in Dazed and Confused? Though all of these parties had different features—from ivy to paddles—they have one thing in common: the reason for celebration—each other. Parties exist for fun! Menopause parties are no different. As the taboo surrounding perimenopause and menopause  is peeled away layer by layer like your clothes during a hot flash, more women are looking to parties for support, the latest information, resources and sisterhood. READ MORE… »

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PeriodTalk

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEATTLE— www.bepreparedperiod.com has launched what may be the only online community for women of all ages, developing girls and their parents, a safe place for questions and answers about menstruation, feminine hygiene, the female body and more.

 

PeriodTalk is free and open to anyone to ask and answer questions anonymously. www.bepreparedperiod.com founder Tara Bruley, a Seattle-area mom, said PeriodTalk is an accepting place for questions that women, parents, girls, “tweens” and teens may be uncomfortable asking about menstruation and physical development elsewhere. Other members of the community can offer their own insight, and PeriodTalk experts may also chime in with guidance and knowledge. READ MORE… »

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by Nicole Jardim I used to be that girl who dreaded my period AND the week before my period. It would begin with the ridiculous sugar cravings (yes the kind where eating a whole chocolate cake would be just fine), then the bloating would start (probably because of the whole chocolate cake), and it would culminate in the worst cramps ever (think the kind of cramps that make you throw up and want to pass out). And then I’d get my period! That was my life for many years and I felt like I had no control over my body or what was happening to it every month. Approximately 75% of women struggle with similar issues every single month so I’m sure you can relate. Eventually I figured out that I do have control – I have control over the food that I eat and how I live my life. Who knew!? I have learned over the years that every bite you take counts when it comes to how your body functions and how you want to feel physically and emotionally.  I have also learned that the main cause of PMS is an underlying hormonal imbalance in which your estrogen levels increase while your progesterone levels decrease. This is known as estrogen dominance. READ MORE… »

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