Baby Boomers ARE Enjoying Sex!

I’ve been saying it all along and now a national survey of sexual attitudes, behaviors and problems among older adults in the United States confirms it. Data from the University of Chicago's National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), presented in the August 23, 2007, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that many men and women remain sexually active—participating in vaginal intercourse, oral sex and masturbation—well into their 70s and 80s.

Now this is the kind of survey I can appreciate. Surely I didn’t think my baby boomer husband and his menopausal wife were in the very small minority of couples who are enjoying a healthy and active sex life.

Today’s report also concluded that sexual activity was closely tied to overall health, which makes perfect sense. Older adults who actively exercise and eat healthy have more energy to spare for things like foreplay and sex.

My thanks goes out to the University of Chicago's National Social Life, Health and Aging Project for conducting such a survey and reminding baby boomers like myself that sometimes all you need is some candlelight, a Luther Vandross CD, a Vitamin E capsule and the right attitude for a “Let’s Get it On” kind of night.

To read the entire report: cut and paste this URL in your browser:

http://www.newswise.com:80/articles/view/532575/?sc=dwhn

Menopause Can Make You Fat...Duh!

Just yesterday I read an article indicating women were having less sex due to menopause. It’s a theory I dispute based on my own personal experience but, nonetheless, it was an interesting article. Today, another article has come out indicating that menopause can make you FAT. “The declining estrogen levels associated with the change can interfere with metabolic processes leading to weight gain,” US researchers said on Monday, confirming what many women already knew.

Yes, I am in the category of women who already knew this information. My wonderful gynecologist gave me the 4-1-1 on perimenopause and menopause a few years back just as I was beginning to experience some of the symptoms. She is one of the main reasons I have become knowledgeable on the subject. She is also one of the inspirations behind my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age, in which I discuss my whole menopause experience and non-medical ways to deal with those annoying symptoms.

What the article doesn’t address are factors like stress and eating habits that also play a significant role in weight gain and menopause. The article also doesn’t talk about what needs to be done to give your metabolism a much needed jump start. We, as women, are led to believe that a 30-minute walk three times a week will help us maintain our weight but what needs to be done to DROP the fat? That’s what I talk about in my book. Are there really that many uninformed menopausal women out here who don’t have a clue about what’s going on with their bodies? Or is it possible there are too many doctors failing to provide the necessary treatment and information to their patients?

Next question, how much did these researchers get paid to supply this information? Could it be I’m in the wrong business?

Here’s the link to read the entire article:http://www.ebiologynews.com/2696.html

Less Sex in Menopause? Whatever!

A new poll released recently indicates more than half of menopausal women are settling for less sex. Apparently, about a thousand women were surveyed for the study. I don’t know how many women are currently in some phase of menopause but I would guess it’s at least a million. If that’s the case, 1000 women is a very small fraction of the female menopausal population. I might be inclined to believe the survey if the number of women surveyed were significantly higher.

One thing I didn’t see addressed in the survey is what the women had to say about their relationships with their mates. That is a key piece of information because if there isn’t a lot of happiness and support on the homefront, there definitely won’t be anything to sing about in the bedroom. Another thing, what are their stress levels or other midlife drama issues that may be affecting their low sex drive?

I wish someone had asked for my opinion. I would’ve been more than happy to tell them. Personally, I'm not having any problems. My husband makes me hotter than a hot flash! Yes, I do experience vaginal dryness from time to time but I know there are remedies for that. I’ve also learned over the years is sex and intimacy begin in the mind so if you convince yourself that you're not interested, over time you won't be.