Marriage and Anger - Should You Fight Back?

We've all been there.  Everyone on the planet who is in a relationship has times when they get angry, frustrated and fed up. A new study has found that husbands and wives who don't vent their anger when being verbally attacked have a higher risk of early death compared to those who yell scream and let it out.  We all have our own ways of dealing and some are a lot better for our health than others.

The study is to be published in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Family Communication and was conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan. The research team enlisted 192 couples and followed them over 17 years. The spouses were aged between 35 and 69 years when the study began in 1971.

Kegel Exercises - Win Win For You

Why are these women smiling?  It's because they Kegel. They've discovered a simple exercise they can do that provides fantastic double benefits.

Doing your kegels develops stronger pelvic floor muscles which heighten your sexual pleasure and also helps with stress incontinence. The physician who invented these pelvic floor muscle exercises, Arnold Kegel, MD, first recommended them to his women patients who had just given birth and were leaking urine.

Many women, regardless of age are experiencing stress incontinence.  This causes urine to leak when you laugh, cough, sneeze, or are engaged in physical activities such as jogging or sex.  It's embarrassing and it inhibits your ability to enjoy whatever you are doing.  Here's what you can do to help alleviate that problem.

In Treatment - HBO's View Of Life On The Couch

Starting tomorrow January 28th, HBO will launch its new series In Treatment.   Gabriel Byrne will portray a psychotherapist who is in therapy himself (aren't they all?). The show will air half-hour episodes five times a week for nine weeks.   

Each night of the week will focus on a different patient for the duration of the series. One patient's story will always air on Mondays, another on Tuesdays, and so on. There's an adolescent, a woman, a man and a couple. Then Byrne's character takes the couch with his own therapist (Dianne Wiest). The other stars include Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Charles, and Embeth Davidtz.

This series could be an adventure into our psyche. It could help you decide whether or not therapy is for you.  In Treatment is written by Mark Wahlberg who wrote and produced Big Love and Six Feet Under. With all the networks showing so many reruns HBO's timing is perfect.

Madonna and Michelle Real Cougars Indeed

49 and still going strong.  Yeah, I know they have a team helping them look fabulous, but nevertheless they have other qualities that make them real cougars..  Both Madonna and Michelle are strong, independent women doing what they love to do.  And just to take it a step further both are married, and both are mothers.  This just proves my point.  Real Cougars can be married or they can be single - it's not about the ring on their finger - it's their attitude about love, life and happiness.

Aging Doesn't Have To Suck - Or Does It?

Okay I have a confession to make.  If you're a reader of this blog you know I'm a staunch advocate who strongly believes that aging is inevitable - how we can is always our choice. I'm always saying to age gracefully, beautifully and healthfully you must take care of your body, mind and spirit every day. But every once in a while I get discouraged.  This is one of those times. Today I'm saying "aging real does suck".

I just got back from Toronto where I spent a week with my Mom.  Mom is 98.5 years old.  She doesn't have a wrinkle on her face and she's lucky because she still has all her marbles.  But, unfortunately aging is having it's way with her as it will with most of us.  She has lost her her passion for eating, her legs refuse to support her any longer, and aches and pains have become the norm.  I think it's now a struggle between body and spirit.  Part of her wants to let go but the other part desperately wants to hold on to what's familiar.  If you could look at this process without emotion it's really quite fascinating, but of course you can't. 

Dr. Christiane Northrop Says "The Smile" Renews Sexual Desire

Dr. Christiane Northrop was back on Oprah yesterday.  You remember the last time she appeared talking about Oprah's thyroid condition it caused quite a stir.  This time it was all about answering questions from the audience.  The show got up close and personal regarding female health issues. Every topic from vaginal odor to urinary incontinence was covered in detail. 

One of the women who was part of an assembled female forum asked Dr. Northrop how to get back her sex drive after having undergone a hysterectomy.  Her surgery was a couple of years ago but she hasn't been able to regain her sexual desire.  That's not unusual.  After you lose your ovaries you lose your ability to produce estrogen and testosterone which are the hormones of desire. Dr. Northrop says "you can use your mind and your breath to energize.  Send a big ball of energy down there.  Because you know what?  They didn't take away your clitoris."

   

Probiotics: Can They Change Our Metabolism?

Here's the latest scoop on how we can jump start our metabolism.  Don't know if you've heard but there seems to be some major buzz around the term "probiotics."

Many of the manufacturers of yogurt products and supplements are really putting a big spin around probiotics. Sustenex with the probiotic bacteria GanedenBC³⁰ is the one Dr. Mehmet Oz recommends. The question is do they deliver the health benefits that will build your inner ecosystem?

Probiotic means "for life" and they do indeed have some important life giving qualities. Probiotics are the healthy microflora (beneficial bacteria and yeast) that keep you healthy and strong.  And, according to the results of a new study they do have a tangible effect on the metabolism.

Fibromyalgia: Now It's A Real Condition!

For years women have been trying to convince doctors that Fibromyalgia is a real disease.  But now Pfizer has stepped in and confirmed that it is. A new television campaign has made Fibromyalgia a legitimate disease. Girls all we had to do was make our pain a profit center and surprise, surprise big business is now on our side.

Pfizer has come out with a new drug, the first medicine approved to treat the pain of Fibromyalgia. The drug is is called Lyrica. Many doctors are still skeptical and think that Lyrica will be taken by millions of people who don't really need it.  But, that's not stopping other drugs companies from working hard to develop newer and better versions.   

Real Cougar Club - For Women Only

The Real Cougar Club will host it's first teleconference on Tuesday, January 22nd.   This is will be an opportunity for the special women who are part of this community to meet each other and talk about what's on their minds.

This club, which is only for women, has been up and running for about a month now.  Already we have 75 members with new women signing up every day.  We even have men who are interested in being a part of our special group, but sorry fellas no men allowed - at least not yet.

I am delighted that women everywhere are getting the message that a Real Cougar is something to be proud of not something to hide.  I've been beating the drum to rally all women to be part of this newest trend. Once and for all it's time to change how women, especially women over 45, are perceived.

Remember a Real Cougar is a woman who is confident, sexy, independent and knows how to get what she wants.   She can be married or she can be single.  It's not about the ring on her finger - it's about her attitude. 

I invite you to become part of this nurturing network of women who are shaking things up. Just click here to register.

Marriage: Now it's a Business

It appears that Karen Darling of ABC's "Dirty, Sexy Money" isn't the only one that thinks marriage is nothing more than another business deal.  You have to read this article by Robert Frank that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.  It's called "Marrying for the Love of Money".  Click here.

Remember the song, Love and Marriage?  Well maybe it should be Love and Marriage and Money.  Too many men and women are hooking up just to grab what they can and move on.  What has happened to heart?

Last night I saw the Bucket List, the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It's about two men in their late 60's who are dying of cancer, so they decide to fulfill the dreams of a lifetime before they move on. The movie was great because of these two phenomenal actors. The message it portrays loud and clear is - open your heart - because without feeling love the rest doesn't matter.

So, Tina Turner "What's Love Got To Do With It?  EVERYTHING!