Less stress and more joy for the season
The last few weeks of the year always seem to rush by. In a haze of holiday events (many of which we haven’t done for the past few years), gift shopping, traveling, and visiting family and friends, remember to take time out for yourself and get some rest.
We’ve got one more 2022 edition and then will take a break ourselves the last week of the year.
The journey continues.
- Maggie Ruvoldt & Stephanie Majercik
The Tasting Menu
Handling Mental Health Triggers During the Holidays
Weight Management and Menopause
2022 Reflections
Photo by Alex Padurariu on Unsplash
Handling Mental Health Triggers During the Holidays
Tis the season of gift giving, holiday parties, family time, cookies, candy, and holiday feasts. We can only speak for ourselves, but trying to take on all of that sounds stressful. Couple that with the fact that we’re all coming out of a pandemic and the stress of holiday planning the last few years and the holidays can be a really difficult time for some.
Stress and anxiety run prevalent, but the holidays can also be triggering for many - especially those suffering from mental health disorders. In fact, 38% of people report increased stress during the holidays, and 64% of people with mental conditions report feeling worse.
Those recovering from eating disorders may be triggered by the enormous amount of food.
Recovering alcohol users surrounded by alcohol at party after party may struggle.
Loss of a loved one. Depression. Anxiety. Difficult family relationships. Financial troubles. All of these factors can make the holidays difficult and lay a huge load on our mental health.
So how can you cope? Those suffering from specific disorders, we’ve got resources for you below. Some recommendations anyone can use if they’re feeling overwhelmed include:
Set boundaries
Whether it's a budget for holiday gifts or declining an invite to a holiday party - know your limits when it comes to holiday activities. It can be so easy to overextend ourselves, but at the end of the day, you’re the most important person to take care of.
Practice self-care
This will look different for everyone, but finding the time for activities that will help you relax and de-stress is key. Maybe it's a commitment to stick to your workout routine, going on walks, or finding time to listen to your favorite podcasts. Find those moments to escape and it’ll help you keep your sanity.
If you struggle during the holidays, we get it. Know that you have no obligations to anyone but yourself. We wish you all a happy holiday season!
Resources
ANAD Surviving the Holidays During Eating Disorder Recovery
Weight Management and Menopause
Weight is a complex topic. For societal reasons. For personal and emotional reasons. The list goes on. Shockingly, employment discrimination based on weight is legal in most states.
This is one of those topics we can’t cover fully in a newsletter or blog. We can, however, break down some information for weight gain in menopause specifically.
Hormonal changes are a contributing factor (but not the whole story) to weight gain in the belly and hips particularly. In fact, loss of estrogen has a surprising impact on our brains related to how we eat.
In fact, the North American Menopause Society reports a lack of scientific evidence of the connection between menopause and weight gain. Although it may play a role in the distribution of fat in the body.
With aging comes a slower metabolism, another contributing factor to weight gain.
One tip for women 40+: remember to include muscle building as part of your physical and exercise routine.
There is a connection between insomnia and weight gain and sleep disruption is one of the most common symptoms in perimenopause and menopause.
If you take one thing away from this piece, it is this: Blame has no place in the weight conversation. Looking at all the factors contributing to weight gain or difficulty in weight management is important to understand what your body is going through.
If you want to know more about weight management, we suggest you check out the Intellihealth Podcast. We are big fans of Dr. Louis Arrone and Dr. Katherine Saunders and their work. You’ll be reading more about them in the future.
Our 2022 Reflections
As we head into the last weeks of 2022, we’ve been reflecting on our first six months. We started to answer a specific question: Where is the sex ed 2.0 class for women?
Emboldened by all the great work being done right now in women’s health.
Annoyed by the women’s health gap after years of underfunding and lack of research.
Troubled and angered by the attack on reproductive rights.
We launched Eve Was Framed and you joined us on the journey. Here are some fascinating facts we’ve learned so far…
Heart attack symptoms differ in women and can include nausea, sweating, and unusual fatigue
It takes longer for women to get a correct diagnosis than men in illnesses such as cancer
Women hear with both sides of our brains - the one associated with speech and the one associated with creativity. Our bodies are awesome!
A breastfeeding parent spends 1,800 hours a year (conservatively) of their time feeding.
45 is the new age recommendation for your first colonoscopy if you have an average risk (down from 50)
There are 34 symptoms of perimenopause and menopause including brittle nails, brain fog, and joint pain
We’ll be sharing more facts on social media as well as companies we’ve discovered and new folks we’re following on social media to put more women’s health into our lives.
We’d love to hear from you on what was most impactful from Eve Was Framed this year. Feel free to share through this week’s survey (link at the bottom of the email) or on social.
Medical Term(s) of the Week
We’ve got a pair of terms for you this week.
30% of women have bacterial vaginosis (BV). It’s the most common vaginal infection and occurs when the bacteria in the genital tract are out of balance.
The group of bacteria that are found in the genital tract is known as the vaginal microbiome, which is a community of microbes residing together in places around our body.
If you want to learn more about research on the vaginal microbiome, it’s our first article in The Latest.