I recently spent time in the friendly skies, thanks to Southwest Airlines.

It was the first time in a long while that I’ve flown anywhere. My travels have all been by car. I am an easy traveler and don’t mind flying.

Having not flown much, however, I found it fun to observe people in route and at the airports. A few minutes ago the flight crew gave their “not so typical” Southwest Air version of the in flight safety instructions. I had forgotten how creative they can be.

It reminded me that even during the most stressful and tedious situations which test our patience and tolerance, there is room for laughter and lightness.

I found myself taking a deep breath and relaxing after the flight attendant spoke and received her round of applause.

My favorite joke she told?

“There is a $2000 fine for smoking in the bathrooms and if you could afford that you’d be flying Delta, so just don’t smoke!”

Even though what each of us find humorous is different, and the timing and use of humor is an art, it pays to practice seeing the lighter side of life.

PARTICULARLY during menopause!

This week when things get out of hand and you feel yourself spinning out of control and not on your “A game”, see if you can remember this blog post and add some humor and laughter to the situation.

Or just pretend you’re a Southwest Airlines employee.

How could you spin what you’re going through to get you to relax and put a smile on your face?

From the funny skies, until next time
shelli

I found the term Glad Season while reading Maya Angelou’s poetry.

She was not referring to menopause, but nevertheless I was struck by the notion of how many women are not “glad” about entering menopause and started wondering how they can turn this feeling around.

What do you think of when you think of the word season?

When I think of a season I see a beginning, middle, and end.

I see change along with the passage of time……a journey.

I see a metaphor for menopause.

So I asked myself, “If menopause is going to be a ‘glad season,’ what am I glad about?”

I came up with some very empowering answers I’d like to share with you.

I am glad that I have always enjoyed being active and spending time
outdoors.

From skiing to throwing a frisbee around at the beach,from competitive sports to a leisurely bike ride, I enjoy it all.

Years of physical activity has contributed to my glad season being
a FUN and FIT season.

I am glad that over the years I have paid attention to EATING WELL.
During the times when I got off track I always persisted and got
back ON track.

Now I feel I am reaping the rewards of making good choices. I am energetic and healthy and know that food has its proper place in my life. This contributes immensely to my “glad” season.

I am glad that I have work that I love and enjoy and hobbies and
interests that I am passionate about.

I am glad that I have nurtured relationships so that I have friends
and family who are supportive and loving.

Menopause will come to pass in every woman’s life in one form or
another.

These four “glads” in particular remind me that when menopause presents its challenges, I can still see it as a Glad Season because I DO have much to be glad about.

During the week ahead, think about what YOU have to be glad about.

~Write about it.

~Talk about it.

Share your “glads” with others and see if you can perhaps shift some of your thinking that’s not serving you.

Bring about your own sense of GLADNESS about this menopause season!

Yours in gladness,
shelli

Sometimes I look at the big picture to enjoying a healthy menopause.

Today I’m feeling rather practical, so here are

10 healthful foods for you to focus on:

Canned pumpkin is filled with vitamin C and A, has fiber and has anti-inflammatory properties. For those of you with a local Trader Joes, I’ve been buying their canned pumpkin for years and it’s very delicious and can be used in a variety of ways.

Beets. Just last night I added beets to homemade coleslaw. Not a typical item found in coleslaw but it gave it a nice taste. Beets have vitamins A and C, fiber and minerals.

Beans and other legumes are high in protein and fiber.

Yogurt is a great source of calcium and has probiotics in it which help improve your gut health.

Canned tuna or salmon is filled with protein, is relatively inexpensive and has good omega-3 fat.

Oranges are very high in vitamin C and potassium. Eat the fruit rather than the juice and eat the pith because that’s where a lot of the vitamins are.

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A and C and also a good fiber source. When you boil them you lose a lot of the vitamins, so bake them and be sure to eat the skin.

Frozen berries are full of antioxidants.

Kiwi has vitamins E and K and is also high in vitamin C.

Spinach is a powerhouse so just make sure to eat it!

In looking at this list I’m already brainstorming how I can use ALL of them in one meal!!???

How about you?

Send me any great ideas/recipes you have using these 10 foods and I’ll try them out.

Got to run, I’m hungry!

shelli

Last week I was talking with Judy. She’s almost 70 and is a long time family friend. She’s known me since I was born!

I was showing her the many menopause projects I’m working on and she really enjoyed them and wished when she was going through menopause these were available for her.

She told me that when she was younger and asked her elders, particularly her grandmother, about menopause this is how the conversation went.

Judy: “Grandma, I’m getting hot flashes. What should I do?”

Grandma: “HOT FLASHES—Stick your head out the window!!!”

We had a good laugh when Judy shared this with me.

If you have any stories like these send them along so we can all have a good laugh!

Until next time, remember, no step is too small as long as it’s a step in the right direction!

shelli

# 1 When you believe in an abundant universe, your world feels more plentiful.

It’s so true that WHAT we focus on seems to multiply itself.

When I catch myself focusing on what I DON’T want I stop and ask myself, “What is it that I DO want?”

I find that I feel better when I move TOWARD something then when I’m running away from something.

#2 A healthy diet is about how you prepare, not just choose, your food.

Many years ago a friend of mine said that he would rather eat food cooked with LOVE that maybe wasn’t the best food choice in terms of health, then “healthy” food cooked in anger.

He felt the energy food was cooked with got transfered into the food. I agree with him. Have you ever noticed this difference?

#3 Walk, run, dance, and jump, a little every day.

You choose the ones that work for you!

Find your JOY in movement and you’ll be rewarded tenfold, at least!

#4 Explore your inner adventurer. Try things that excite you.

This reminds me of the saying, “It’s never too late to teach an old dog a new trick.”

I am NOT calling any of us old dogs, so how about we change that to,

“It’s never too late to teach a menopausal woman a new trick!”

#5 Sustainable living goes beyond a single action; it requires a shift in philosophy.

Though this can be taken to mean our relationship with our planet, I like to also think of it as our relationship to ourselves.

What do we need during our menopausal years to sustain us?

Stop right now and without thinking or judging, take a piece of paper and write down the first 5 things that come to mind. This list can be a start to creating a self-sustaining menopausal tool kit!

#6 Your limitations aren’t flaws. They’re opportunities to cultivate self kindness.

Practicing self kindness, particularly if it’s not been something you’ve practiced throughout your life, is perhaps the most challenging, yet rewarding skill you can develop. Start today!

#7 Motivating thoughts and actions spring from gratitude.

Gratitude is indeed an attitude.

When I feel grateful I want to give something back.

I want to get out there and contribute and enjoy life.

It creates a sense of fun and wonder and keeps me engaged in living.

#8 A resolution isn’t what you “should” do; it’s a chance to move your life forward.

You’ve likely heard someone say, “You’ve got to stop ’shoulding’ all over yourself!”

Forget the SHOULD and go for the COULD and WANT TO.

Your persistence and courage will skyrocket when you’re motivated by WHY am I doing this versus I SHOULD be doing this.

If you have any of your own inspirational wellness thoughts I’d love to hear from you. Let’s fill this list with 108 thoughts!

shelli

I have been focusing my own personal efforts on cultivating and building a strong, positive state of mind in the face of what often seems like an overwhelmingly negative barrage of news (and an challenging barrage of menopause symptoms).

Are you watching, listening and reading way too much negative news? This isn’t hard to do. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find a whole lot of positivity out there with respect to the world and the economy.

That’s why I am dedicating myself to what I’m calling my “positivity offensive.”

I started this offensive in the past few weeks, and I consider it a much-needed antidote to all of the doom and gloom that comes my way.

It is also important, I feel, because handling STRESS is one of the three BIGGIES during menopause that helps us feel and look our best and continue to optimize our health.

In my opinion, wallowing in pain and suffering is not a solution.

Stress is a form of pain and suffering, and if you are taking in too much media information and feel yourself affected by it, taking in MORE of it will not help.

In fact, it’s exactly the wrong solution.

Have you ever noticed that cures cannot be found by continuing the behavior that created the pain in the first place?

Think about any addictive behavior and what people are told when they go to support groups: become aware, change the behavior and practice these new behaviors every day.

What’s the solution?

The right solution, then, is to focus on the positive, and to cultivate the kind of positive mentality that works for you so that you feel less stressed.

I’m not talking about pretending or ignoring what’s going on. That’s also a VERY stressful approach.

I’m talking about realizing what’s within your realm of control or influence, taking positive actions with those, and letting the rest go!

Here’s what I am doing right now to make my life the best it can be.

1. I am focusing on both my short- and long-term life goals.
2. I am making an effort to always focus on the positives.
3. I am spending time with positive people, and I am avoiding negative people. This is so important to do. Can’t find positive people? Be one, and I guarantee you others will flock to you.
4. I have stopped focusing on negative news.
5. I am reading more, and reading material that enriches my life.

By taking these steps, I have created a stress barrier between myself and an often negative world intent on bringing down even the strongest-willed among us.

Whatever you do, please don’t let the negativity out there get to you.

Get positive, get focused — and get out there and make a positive difference in the world.

I’m sure you all have your own wisdom about how you’re handling stress in your life. If you have a favorite quote or any comments and suggestions, send them to me and I’ll be glad to share them!

So this week CREATE your own positivity offensive. Customize it and make it fun.

Being overly serious about stress is STRESSFUL, so a positivity offensive with a flare that is uniquely your own is calling to you!

Answer the call and have a great week!

shelli

Staying healthy before, during, and after menopause is not as hard as you probably think it is.

While genetics do play a role, too many women blame “poor genetics” for everything. Let’s not blame, let’s take action!

Step #1

1. Stay as active as possible! Again, this is not as hard or as complicated as you may think.

Simple things like choosing the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking your dog an extra block or two can do wonders.

Feeling fit? Take those stairs two at a time. I do all the time and sometimes I’ll even jump from stair to stair.

A study I just read published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that three brisk 10 minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.

Remember too, that if you sit all day at work take frequent breaks to get up, stretch and go for a little walk.

Step#2

2. Take a Saturday afternoon nap! Taking naps every now and then is great for stress reduction.

It’ll recharge your batteries and you’ll feel more productive when you’re awake.

Lack of enough good quality sleep has serious long-term health repercussions.

In some cases a simple 30 minute nap can make all the difference in the world. If you are not already a napper, try taking a few naps and see how it feels.

Step#3

3. Write down everything you do for a week! EVERYTHING!

I did this a few months ago and it sure was eye opening.

It’s truly amazing how much time we all waste and what we give our time and attention to.

Once you do this and look at it with an open mind, make some changes. Even small changes in time management will add YEARS to your life.

Think of it like this: cutting 20 minutes of wasted time every day gives you 10 extra hours of productive time every month. Interesting math lesson, don’t you think?

When you write EVERYTHING down you will be embarrassed by how much time you waste every day, and that’ll help motivate you to make the time management changes.

And you’ll likely find that 30 minutes you thought you didn’t have for your nap!!!

I always enjoy hearing from you so send along your 3 favorite anti-stress tips and I’ll pass them along!

To your health,

shelli

You’ve likely heard the expression, “Think outside the box.”

Well, today I’d like you to think, “Outside the BREADbox.”

During menopause it’s essential to optimize nutrition. Most of you would feel better if you stopped eating so much bread. Eating too much bread is simply not smart, so let’s take a look at some options.

Step #1

First of all, notice how much bread you DO eat.

Do you have toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and bread with dinner? That much bread helps you gain weight, prevents you from losing unwanted fat and increases the likelihood of diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease.

Step#2

Work on lowering your own bread intake.

There is more to breakfast than bread-based products. Eat eggs, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, a smoothie……you get the idea.

If you have trouble resisting bread at lunch or when you’re around the office, make sure you have plenty of healthy snack foods to choose from.

Enjoy nut butters, fruit, or vegetables as snacks and lunch meals that aren’t sandwiches. In other words, make healthier carbohydrate choices.

Try salads, vegetables, rice, millet, quinoa or any of the other healthy grains. One of my favorites is soba noodles.

What about whole wheat?

One question I’m asked when I start talking about limiting bread intake is, “What about whole wheat?”

Whole wheat is still bread and it is still refined flour though it hasn’t been bleached.

Many women also have wheat allergies. Bread is still bread and it’s best eaten sparingly.

Now I must admit that I have never been much of a bread eater. I don’t really know why. I don’t even keep bread in the house. Seems strange, I know.

So for me thinking outside the breadbox isn’t too hard.

If eating too much bread is something you grapple with, start by cutting back, maybe only one portion of bread a day. Do that for a week and then think about going one day without bread. Start from there and see how you feel.

It just might be easier than you think, and I guarantee it’ll help you optimize your health.

Let me know other ideas and strategies you’ve used to think outside the breadbox and I’ll pass them along!

Until next time…….

shelli

A professor from Stanford (Fred Luskin) who did his research in really difficult group situations (war torn Ireland for example), wrote a book called Forgive for Good.

His main thesis (which makes a ton of sense to me and has become my lens these past few years) is that we all have what he calls Unenforceable Rules, and when these rules are not met we get upset, disappointed, angry, hurt (call it what you want).

He suggests, and I agree, that the route to clearing the emotional air when it gets polluted is to recognize some unenforceable rule we have about how others “should” behave and go on from there. Often we don’t stop to think about or recognize what are own rules might be.

Examining our rules, because we all have so many of them, is a worthwhile lesson.

Wondering how to identify these rules?

When I get upset about anything the first question I ask myself is what unenforceable rule is being broken?

I make the rules so I can change them!  

I can create them so that I’m happier and healthier and not in angst so much. It’s really quite profound and puts us in a state of empowerment (which of course is  different than control).

Throughout your day each time you feel upset about something stop and ask yourself “What unenforceable rule of mine is being broken?”

Do not judge yourself, simply ask the question and see what information comes your way. 

What will this do?

1. It will keep you in the present.
2. It will give you many insights and your level of self awareness will skyrocket.
3. It will make you laugh. Don’t take yourself too seriously because I can guarantee you that some of your rules are really quite funny.
4. It will help you feel better and help you make sense of so many of your emotions. It’s the key to emotional and spiritual health.

It’s also a VERY useful lens and tool to use in all your relationships, not just the one you have with yourself.

Let me know how YOUR Rule Research goes.

All the best of health to you!

shelli