If you think you look younger after a glass of red wine, you may be right as scientists also believe it may extend your lifespan by directly influencing mortality genes known as SIRT.

However, it is important to point out that while resveratrol is able to counteract the malignant progression of breast cancer cells by inhibiting the growth and spread of hormone resistant cancerous cells it does not have the same effect on non-malignant cells. This means it is more important for women who have breast cancer than as part of a preventive regime. For prevention, supplementation with bio-identical natural progesterone is a key factor in minimizing the effect that excess estrogen can have on the body.

If you’re not keen on red wine or grape juice then supplementing with resveratrol will bring the same health benefits. Nutrition experts recommend between 50 and 250 mg per day for optimal health benefits, preferably from a purified, organically derived source.

A quick phone call to immediate family members like mothers and grandmothers might have saved some time as night sweats certainly do nothing to induce a restful sleep.  However, if you want the scientific explanation as to why you can’t sleep at menopause, here it is – and I quote:

‘The study found that altered levels of both sex hormones and gonadotropins may contribute to sleep disturbance in older postmenopausal women and confirm the results of previous studies indicating that higher body temperature is associated with poorer sleep quality.  According to the results, lower estradiol (E2) and higher luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were significantly correlated with indices of poor sleep quality, with relationships between LH and quality of sleep being stronger than those for E2. In addition, significant increases from basal LH levels occurred more frequently after sleep onset than prior to sleep onset, and 30 of 32 of these LH pulses occurred prior to long awakenings from sleep. Further, higher body temperature prior to and during sleep was significantly correlated with poorer sleep efficiency and higher LH levels.”

Bet you feel better for knowing that: “perimenopausal and postmenopausal women share many of the same features of sleep disturbance, such as awakening in the early morning hours and an inability to return to sleep. Furthermore, several studies have shown that hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms that influence sleep continue years beyond menopause in up to 40 percent of postmenopausal women. Thus, the sleep difficulties that emerge at menopause often do not abate and may become compounded by age-associated disruption of circadian and homeostatic processes that regulate sleep.”

We already know that the hormonal and physical changes that occur during and after menopause can affect a woman’s sleep.  If you are lucky it is a passing phase that responds well to progesterone, acupuncture, herbs, and any combination of those plus whatever works for you.  Valerian is a herb used traditionally for insomnia and anxiety and a new study from Tehran University in Iran has shown it improved sleep in 30 percent of women who received it during a trial. The women reported better quality of sleep – they were able to fall asleep faster and woke up less often than they had previously.

Also, remember to to keep as cool as you can, so no heating in the bedroom, and just the minimum of bedding to be comfortable.  Try to keep stress and anxiety levels to a minimum as worrying about not sleeping is a sure fire way to keep yourself awake. Valerian may help with that too, as will Rescue Remedy.

A recent double-blind study of 102 US women showed that eight weeks of daily consumption of a fermented soy product containing natural equol (made by the fermentation of whole soy germ) reduced the frequency of moderate to severe hot flushes, and muscle discomfort. It was also shown to be superior in its effects to the consumption of a soya isoflavone supplement.

In addition, it was found, via a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, to inhibit bone breakdown and prevent bone mineral density loss in Japanese women. No serious adverse events were reported in any of the studies. The results of these studies were presented at the North American Menopause Society Annual meeting.

Androgen is not exclusively a male hormone as it is also involved in the normal development of secondary sexual characteristics in women. The study was published in the journal Cancer Cell in July 2011 and provides scientists with several new areas for research. Specifically the cell proteins that snap into action in response to androgen, so research into future therapies could investigate potential drugs that could block those proteins in order to slow or stifle tumor growth.

This is particularly applicable, according to researchers, to many breast cancer patients who are not helped by standard hormone-blocking agents such as tamoxifen. About 70-75 percent of breast tumours are fueled by estrogen and when estrogen becomes lodged in an estrogen receptor, it sets off a chain of events that prompts the cell to grow and proliferate. Drugs such as tamoxifen block estrogen from entering the receptor, thereby thwarting the growth process.

The remaining 25-30 percent of breast cancers, dubbed ER-negative tumors, lack estrogen receptors, and thus do not respond to tamoxifen and similar agents. It is known that the majority of breast tumours – even those with estrogen receptors – also have receptors for androgen, but the reasons for these receptors’ presence, and how they might influence tumor growth, have been unknown.

Good news for women with androgen positive tumours, but am I alone in wishing that scientists would spend as much time investigating the positive role of natural progesterone in preventing breast cancer? For valuable information on breast cancer see the excellent book ‘What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You About Breast Cancer’ by Dr John Lee, David Zava and Virginia Hopkins.

There are two main types of ovarian cancer. The most common (9 out of 10) is epithelial which affects the lining of the ovaries. There are several different types of epithelial ovarian cancer including the two most common – serous and endometrioid. Non-epithelial ovarian cancer is much less common. These include germ cell cancers that form from the cells in the ovary that make the eggs. These usually affect younger women.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

One of the major problems in diagnosing ovarian cancer is that there are very few, if any, symptoms in the early stages which is why it is known as the ’silent killer’. Late detection is one reason why ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to treat and the American Cancer Society estimates that 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with HGSOC each year, and 14,000 die of it. Worldwide, the incidence approaches 200,000 women with 115,000 deaths each year.

If there are symptoms, they can include stomach pain or a bloated feeling that can be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Ovarian cysts and non-cancerous growths also cause the same symptoms as ovarian cancer.

Other symptoms include:

• loss of appetite
• unexplained weight gain
• swelling of your abdomen (tummy)
• pain during sex
• changes in bowel or bladder habits
• rarely, abnormal vaginal bleeding

Causes of ovarian cancer

Doctors don’t know precisely what causes ovarian cancer, but there are some things that seem to make it more likely. It’s more common in women who live in developed countries and for those who have gone through the menopause. Other factors that have an impact include being on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – particularly for longer than five years, endometriosis, being overweight (in pre-menopausal women) and starting your periods early and having the menopause late.

Impact of the new research

Dana-Farber scientists have developed a laboratory model that mimics the process by which fallopian tube cells may turn into cancer cells that appear to have come from the ovaries. Their demonstration that this process can happen in the lab is powerful evidence that it does happen in patients, throwing new weight behind the theory that HGSOC begins, in fact, in the fallopian tubes and not in the ovaries as was previously believed.

This previous belief was founded on examinations of fallopian tubes surgically removed from women with a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer. Areas of the tubes adjacent to the ovary often had patches of cells that were predecessors of serous cancers. But to convincingly show that these cells are the source of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, the scientists needed to trace each step of the disease’s development and they now believe that their model provides that kind of demonstration.

The origins of HGSOC have been so difficult to track down because of the insidious nature of the disease. Ovarian tumors often establish themselves without producing any warning symptoms and so by the time the disease is discovered, the ovaries can be so overrun with cancer that adjacent sections of the fallopian tube are obscured, making them difficult to examine under a microscope. Dana-Farber researchers created a laboratory model for studying the lining of the fallopian tubes by using tissue from women who had had their fallopian tubes removed for reasons unrelated to cancer. Thus they were able to establish a model that mirrors the structure and function of normal fallopian tube tissue in the body.

Studies such as these will help us identify different types of high-grade serious ovarian cancer, as well as possibly discovering biomarkers – proteins in the blood – that signal the presence of the disease. Ultimately, the model will enable researchers to test potential therapies to determine which work best for each type of the disease.

Dr. Chwan-Li (Leslie) Shen, an associate professor and a researcher at the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, carried out a study that suggests that the mechanism behind this correlation may have to do with lowering chronic levels of inflammation. Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Shen has now spent over 2 decades studying how and why some Eastern habits, such as drinking green tea, might be beneficial for Westerners as well. Dr. Shen and her team have been studying the effects of green tea consumption on protection against breakdown of the bone’s microarchitecture, which can lead to osteoporosis.

In Shen’s most recent research, she focused on postmenopausal women and investigated the potential for green tea to work synergistically with Tai Chi – a traditional Chinese form of moderately intense aerobic fitness activity grounded in mind-body philosophy – in enhancing bone strength. Carried out as a double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention trial, this experiment involved 171 postmenopausal women who had weak bones but not full-fledged osteoporosis. The study lasted for 6 months, during which time blood and urine samples were collected and muscle strength assessed.

The results show that consumption of 4-6 cups of steeped green tea daily and participation in Tai Chi independently enhanced markers of bone health by 3 and 6 months, respectively. A similar effect was found for muscle strength at the 6-month time point. Participants taking Tai Chi classes also reported significant beneficial effects on quality of life in terms of improving their emotional and mental health.

Perhaps most remarkable, however, was the substantial effect that both tea and Tai Chi had on biological markers of oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress is a main precursor to inflammation, this finding suggests that green tea and Tai Chi may help reduce the underlying cause of not only osteoporosis, but other inflammatory diseases as well.

So the best combination? A nice cup of green tea before you attend a Tai Chi class, or put on an instructional DVD, followed by another nice cup of green tea!

The new clear and consistent advice for women and healthcare professionals is expressed in easy to follow guidelines that replace previous conflicting advice.  They mean that women who have missed taking their pills should now receive the same advice wherever they seek information from, whether that is their doctor or a clinic.

New Guidelines:

For one missed pill:

* Take the last pill you missed now

* Continue taking the rest of the pack as usual

* No additional or emergency contraception necessary.

For two or more missed pills:

* Take the last pill you missed now

* Continue taking the rest of the pack as usual

* Leave any earlier missed pills

* Use an additional method of contraception for the next seven days

* If you have had unprotected sex in the previous seven days, you may need emergency contraception. Seek advice.

* If you there are seven or more pills left in the pack, finish the pack and have the usual seven day break. If there are less than seven pills left, finish the pack and begin a new one next day.

These recommendations apply to all combined oral contraceptive pills except Qlaira. Women taking this pill should seek advice from a health professional.  The FPA guidelines on missed pills are included in the leaflet ‘Your guide to the combined pill’ and for more information visit their website at www.fpa.org.uk

Progesterone is an essential hormone released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy, and provides optimum conditions in the body that are necessary for the furtherance of the pregnancy and the development of healthy babies.

For the study, Dr. Sonia S. Hassan and her team from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) assigned 458 pregnant women to either receive a once-daily dose of vaginal progesterone, or a once-daily dose of a placebo gel, during their second and third trimesters. While 16 percent of those in the placebo group gave birth before the 33rd week of pregnancy, only 8.9 percent in the progesterone group gave birth early.

Besides reducing the overall rate of preterm births, the progesterone also demonstrably reduced the rate of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a breathing disorder linked to early births. Not only did the women themselves experience less cases of RDS as a result of taking progesterone, but so did their children. Infants whose mothers did not receive progesterone during their pregnancies were nearly three times more likely to develop RDS than children from mothers who took the hormone.

Dr. Roberto Romero, chief of the Perinatology Research Branch of NIH, said “The study … offers hope to women, families and children. Worldwide, more than 12 million premature babies – 500,000 of them in this country – are born each year, and the results are often tragic. Our clinical study clearly shows that it is possible to identify women at risk and reduce the rate of preterm delivery by nearly half, simply by treating women who have a short cervix with a natural hormone – progesterone.”

Although this study was done using progesterone gel, progesterone cream is a highly effective and rapid delivery method, as well as being cost effective, and I would like to see another study done using it.

Progesterone is already effectively used to help women suffering from post partum depression (the Baby Blues) and it is good to see it also endorsed to support the beginning of the birth cycle as well.

If you ask around amongst your female friends, the range at which their periods began can be quite wide; from as young as 9 to the late teens. Now it seems that genetic makeup explains more than half of the variation between UK women’s ages at first period, according to a study of almost 26,000 women. The age at which girls’ periods begin is known to run in families but the balance of genetic and environmental influences on this has been unclear.

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) analysed data from women participating in the Breakthrough Generations Study – a major UK-wide investigation into the causes of breast cancer – who had at least one other female relative also taking part. What they found was that a woman’s age when beginning menstruation was significantly correlated with that of her relatives. For each 12 month delay in the age at which an older sister, mother or paternal aunt began their periods, there was a delay of around three months on average for the younger relative. When the relative was a maternal grandmother or maternal aunt the delay in the younger relative was about 1.5 months and, not surprisingly, the age at which period began is also strongly correlated between twins, particularly identical twins.

Why does it matter?

The age at which menstruation begins is important because it has been linked to the risk of a number of chronic diseases including breast cancer. This risk gradually increases with progressively younger age at menstruation and older age at menopause, possibly because women are exposed to female sex hormones for a longer period of time. Each two year delay in menstruation is associated with an estimated 10 per cent reduction in the relative risk of breast cancer. This is important for the following reasons:

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK – nearly 46,000 women and around 300 men are diagnosed every year

• Breast cancer accounts for nearly one in three of all female cancers

• More than 1,000 women die of breast cancer every month in the UK

If you know that these risk factors apply to you then it is important that you take all possible precautions to ensure your risk is lowered as much as it can be. The good news is that more women than ever in the UK are surviving breast cancer thanks to better awareness, better treatments and better screening. This includes having a sensible anti-estrogenic diet and minimising exposure by avoiding where possible sources such as the contraceptive pill and HRT.

Women suffering with PMS may have a metabolic block that interferes with the body’s ability to make GLA, a natural chemical required for hormonal balance. This can be effectively corrected by supplementing with EPO which is rich in this natural ingredient.

The benefit of EPO in this area is not a new discovery by any means.

Another recent clinical trial from the University of Minnesota showed the effectiveness of EPO supplementation over six months in decreasing the severity of cyclical mastalgia (breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle). These results confirm other open trial results where Efamol Pure Evening Primrose Oil achieved improvements in breast tenderness, irritability, anxiety, depression, headache, fluid retention and tiredness. Efamol Pure Evening Primrose Oil is made from a unique variety of seed called Rigel that produces oil containing up to 33% more GLA than other evening primrose oils.

Stress reduction, a supporting diet and exercise are all factors in helping deal with severe PMS, but this natural supplement has certainly shown that it can be highly effective in helping to deal with these distressing monthly symptoms.