Use the One to Three Word Practice As Your Guide to Live Well in the New Year

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” — Carl Jung

Since 2011, I have identified three to four words to guide me throughout the year every year. The “my three words” practice was inspired by best-selling author Chris Brogan, President of Chris Brogan Media. These three words are my compass for how I want to live that year. My three words evolve year after year depending on what I want to accomplish, what I feel is holding me back from reaching my goals, and how I want to feel during the year. 

When I reflect on my words over the years, one word has remained consistent - connect.  Usually, one word (such as leap, adventure, or dare) on my list has reflected my personal goal to take more risks throughout the year and not let fear hold me back. Frequently, another word (e.g., aligned, present, or centered) has reflected my desire to be more mindful and intentional about how I live my life. 

Karyn and I have never discussed setting words as intentions for the upcoming year until discussing this blog post. She has a similar practice of choosing one word or a short phrase as her intention for the year. This provides clarity and narrows her intention to a specific topic of focus.

In 2019, a nonprofit organization I worked for took all the employees through an exercise and identified one word —reimagine— as the word for the year.  As we spoke about projects throughout the year, we always returned to our word - reimagine -  for how to design, deliver, or measure results. It was a great word to push creativity and change throughout the organization that year.

The word(s) practice helps you be intentional about the upcoming year. It can also help you break the cycle — picking a behavior to change, going all in, vowing to be successful by the end of the year, and slipping up after a week or two — of unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, over 80 percent of us fail to achieve our annual resolutions.  By setting words, you become more intentional about how you want to live your life, which in turn, helps you be more successful in reaching your goals. 

My 2020 words were— listen, connect, inspire, and leap. When I reflect on my accomplishments this year, I see my words reflected. I leaped and left my full-time job of eight years to go back into consulting and start Rumblings. The foundation of the work I do every day is about listening to people, looking for ways to connect deeply with them, and inspiring them to live well. My words also guide me in how I want to parent. I want to be present, listen to each of my children, understand their individual needs, connect deeply with each of them, guide them, and inspire them to live to their full potential. 

Whether you pick one word or three, here are a few tips that we’ve found helpful:

1. Your words do not have to mean anything to anyone else — they’re your words! 

2. Keep the same word(s) all year.

3. Put your word(s) somewhere —  on a calendar, in a journal, as a screensaver, or on a Post-It note attached to your mirror — where you can see it/them every day. 

4. The more you review and reflect on your word(s), the better.

5. Use your word(s) as your mantra. 

How do you choose your word(s):

1. Reflect on the past year. 

2. Visualize how you want to feel, what you want to accomplish, and how you want to live. Creating a small vision board may give you ideas if this is a struggle.

3. Make a list of every word you can think of that reflects what you visualized. 

4. Review the list and narrow it down to your top one or three words. 

5. Give yourself a few days, continue to reflect on your words, and refine your list until you feel confident you’ve nailed them! 

Another reflective activity to prepare for the new year is to renew your vision. Walk through these steps to envision your future.

Go Inward: Find Calm in Chaos

The benefits of meditation manifest through practice.

We have all heard about the benefits of meditation. Quieting your mind and going inward can improve stress, anxiety, sleep, attention, self awareness, age-related memory loss, mood, and compassion. However, for many women sitting still with themselves isn’t easy.  We are too busy or cannot quiet our minds. 

We invited Sydney Holly, owner of Kula Yoga in Minneapolis, to share tips and techniques for going inward during a Rumblings community virtual event. She didn’t disappoint. During the session, we learned the value of daily practice for cultivating self acceptance and calmness as we moved through meditation together. 

If you weren’t able to attend in person, or did attend and want to be reminded of her wisdom, we summarized and condensed Sydney’s advice for finding calm in the midst of chaos into the key takeaways below. 

There is value in coming together in community. 

For those of you who don't know, the word Kula actually means community. When Sydney first had the opportunity to take over yoga space from a previous owner, she hesitated because she wasn’t a business person and owning a studio didn’t appeal to her. However, what did appeal to her was the idea of community. She wanted to maintain the existing community and to teach so she eventually said yes to the offer, but decided the studio name had to be different. Because she felt like she was in this together with her students, the name became Kula.  

“I feel like that's exactly what Karyn and Rebecca are putting together (with Rumblings)— ways for people to find community.” 

Sydney Holly, owner Kula Yoga

Community has been important since human beings have been in existence. We create our own sisterhood and that sisterhood gives us much needed buoyancy. 

The benefits of meditation manifest through practice.

For Sydney, there is no separation between the meditative and physical practices of yoga.  As we move, we work through some of the more esoteric kinds of yoga philosophies so that we can really be in ourselves. When you watch babies and children play they don't stop to contemplate or think, right? They don't wait for everything to slow down. Instead, they're finding joy being in their routine and in their movement.

If you don't have a yoga mat, that's fine. If you don’t have yoga clothes, it doesn’t matter. Take the pressure off yourself. Often, something that comes along with meditation is the pressure to be “good at it”. There is a similar pressure with yoga. The truth is, there's no such thing as being good at meditating or good at yoga. Just being is the important part.

Remember that the meditation benefits aren’t just a theory. The benefits manifest in practice. Invite the healing prana, that healing breath, into every cell of your being while you practice. Your mantra is the sound of the breath going in and out through the nose.

“Do your practice and all is coming.”

Sri K. Pattabi Jois, Founder of Ashtanga Yoga

As women we question ourselves, right? And, we spend time really wondering and wondering and wondering. The more time you spend on your mat— in yoga, in Asana, in meditation—the more the answers are revealed because you already have them all inside of you. 

As human beings, we tend to get stuck in our heads. Yogis call this the Vritti or the chatter of the mind. As human beings, we want to live in our soul. Our Ātman is our inner self, spirit, or soul. The idea is to get to our inner essence and to tap into the subtle form of radiance, health, immunity, and longevity within ourselves. 

Wholehearted living means total, complete, and radical self compassion and self love. 

With each yoga practice, it is important to set an intention. We call it Sankalpa, which translates to seed of intent or a positive thought that we want to manifest in the world, a promise we make to ourselves. That sounds really nice, doesn't it? You plant a seed. You have an intention. You water it every day. You give it some sunshine. You love it. Then it flourishes and you're living the life of your dreams. 

If it were only that easy. Along with our Sankalpa—our seed of intent— is all of the work it takes to nurse that state of intent. The tricky part is that in conjunction with the light there's the darkness—Vikalpa, the shadow side of your intention. In yoga we're not working with good, or bad, but instead yin and yang. The union of opposites yields wholeness. 

“Wholehearted living is about engaging with our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think, ‘No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.’ It’s going to bed at night thinking, ‘Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.”  

Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

Wholeheartedness means total, complete, and radical self compassion and self love. You can't just say to yourself you are ok if you are at 90% right now in your self compassion and self love. It must be 100% - accepting that the Vikalpa goes along with the Sankalpa in the way that we actually get to manifest more intentional living. The Vikalpa might show up as a distraction, dreaming, an excuse, negative self talk, or as really punishing behavior —as in who do I think I am that I know how to meditate or how selfish I am  to practice. Total complete radical 100% self acceptance and self love is what invites us to then say to ourselves, that this is just part of the process. This is the way it goes. 

“We deserve our birthright, which is the middle way, an open state of mind that can relax with paradox and ambiguity.” 

Pema Chödrön

Pema Chödrön is a wonderful Buddhist monk. She talks a lot about the middle way. The middle way is the yoga path. The yogi practices the middle way because extremes - the highs and lows or the likes and dislikes - only feed your ego. Then your ego starts to become a limiting factor for your freedom. 

Your freedom is where the joy happens—that's where the manifestation of the life you really want happens, because you're able to not only remember who you are, but you're able to remember that your journey is what makes you who you are. The journey is part of your whole hearted existence -  it is100% radical, complete self love and self acceptance. 

“Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to change? It's probably because you're missing one key ingredient—self compassion. Usually we try to make change in our lives by pushing ourselves, judging ourselves, and then beating ourselves up when we don't succeed. But science shows that shame shuts down the learning centers of the brain. What this means is that every time we judge ourselves, we are robbing ourselves of the very resources we need to change and live a happier life. The surprising solution is self compassion. When you treat yourself with kindness, you turn on the learning centers of the brain and give yourself the resources you need to change. This is what leads us to greater calm, clarity and joy.” 

Shauna Shapiro, PhD

Yoga is a tool that can lead us on a different path. 

That's why even a really brief, gentle breathing, and movement can shift you. It can bring up feelings of frustration and maybe a little uncertainty. But, it definitely pulled you into the moment. 

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness.” 

Viktor Frankl 

Think about your yoga or meditation practice as a pause. Our world is beyond uncertain right now. Our trust levels are super low. The middle way is to be able to say I know who I am authentically. The gritty chatter of my mind does not define me. 

Make a commitment to start practicing.

Just start. Choose something that fits into the routine you already have. Everyone wakes up and goes to bed. Take two minutes before you get out of bed, pull your knees to your chest, take three deep breaths, and say good morning. I am here. I am grateful. I am worthy. I am evolving. I am compassionate. 

If you don't feel like meditation is for you or you feel inauthentic doing it, keep practicing. It's ok not to feel connected with the practice right away. It doesn't mean you'll continue to feel that way. The more you practice. The more important your yoga becomes in your life and yet the less seriously you take it. Just show up. 

On December 6, a group of women showed up and let our practice work its magic on us. We practiced radical, complete, and whole hearted self love and self acceptance. As we did that, we affirmed who we are, where we are, and what's important to us.  

Our practice isn’t done, the more you begin to be still with yourself and move, you will intuitively begin to trust yourself. 

How to Care for Your Heart After 50

This is part two of a two part series of a conversation with Courtney Jordan Baechler MD, MS, a preventive cardiologist and a Medical Director at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. Part one can be found here. Edited and condensed for readability. 

Disclaimer: Nothing in this post is intended to diagnose or be a substitute for medical treatment. Always consult with your healthcare provider before taking any supplements, particularly if you have any medical conditions or take prescription medications. 

As part of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s (MHIF) women’s health event called Hope, Health and Humor: At-Home Edition, we had Courtney Jordan Baechler MD, MS join us for a small outdoor gathering of women and a conversation about women’s heart health. This conversation is critical for women over 50 because many women think that heart and vascular disease only impact men at this age. However, once women reach menopause the level of risk, number of events, severity of heart disease, and even death rates are the same. Yet, our symptoms may be different, are often not taken seriously, and we’re not researched as much as men. 

Karyn: Social connection is one of the foundational principles at Rumblings, and there is more and more research showing social isolation, loneliness and the impacts on health being as great as smoking, obesity and other health risks. Are you starting to see this impact in your practice as well?

The Inner Heart Trial was a study across 52 countries and 6 continents. It looked at causes of blockages in the arteries and also if there was anything else that we did not yet know. It found that one-third of all blockages in coronary arteries result from poor mental health: from social isolation, anger, depression, anxiety, and anything in the mental wellbeing category. As strong as abdominal obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure. It’s a really big deal. There are many non-pharmaceutical or non-medicine based things you can do. At Minneapolis Heart Institute, we talk about Tai Chi, social connection, sleep, nutrition, music therapy, and acupuncture for example. It’s fascinating that across all generations we have a world that is quite lonely. Even if you’re on social media all the time, people don’t feel connected in an intimate sense with their friends. We have a tremendous interest in ways to be well other than just seeing a doctor and getting drugs. 

Karyn: Are there certain lab tests, heart tests or calcium scores that we should be asking for as we get older?

It really depends on what you will do once you have the information. The analogy that I use are genetic tests you may get when you are pregnant, especially if you are considered at ‘advanced maternal age’. Are the results of the test going to change your behavior or will they just worry you? I have pretty strong beliefs about doing the tests that we do for the right reasons. For example, a calcium score is determined by what is basically an x-ray of your heart to look at calcium production. A calcium score is not usually covered by insurance. It is the first sign of build-up in the arteries, and it will compare you against women of the same age. A calcium score of 0 - meaning no buildup in your arteries - is rare. Everything else in our mind is considered heart disease, even if it’s the beginning of heart disease with a buildup of 10 percent. Then the recommendation of the guidelines is to prescribe a statin drug. From a cardiologist perspective, once that happens, we do not pass go without being on a statin medication. The recommendation is to repeat the calcium test in 5 years to see if it has changed. There is not a lot of data to suggest whether or not a repeat test should be done or if the score changes for many people. 

I have some patients that tell me their calcium score is single-handedly the most impactful things that caused them to change their behaviors on what they eat, when they exercise, how they sleep and moderate their stress. If that is going to happen and it will drive you to do the things that we need to do for health, then it’s super helpful. But, 85% of coronary artery disease or blockage in the arteries are lifestyle based and preventable. Even if you get lucky and get that ‘0’ [score], it doesn’t change the need to do those things. It’s definitely very trendy right now, but it depends how your brain works and what kind of information is helpful to you. 

There are other things we do that are more commonly covered by insurance. A high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a blood marker for inflammation. There has been an association between higher CRP levels and heart disease. When I am risk-stratifying someone and they have a very low high-sensitivity CRP level, it indicates that their body’s sensation of inflammation is low. My prediction is that in 20 years, heart disease will be much more about inflammation. Inflammation in the body leads to high blood sugar, which leads to more diabetes. Inflammation leads to high cholesterol, which  itself is an inflammatory marker. Inflammation also leads to high blood pressure and the list goes on. This is one of the few ways to test for inflammation and most preventive cardiologists will do that as this blood marker can be lowered with statins. 

Some other markers I usually get are Lipoprotein A (Lipo A) and Apolipoprotein B (Apo B), which are ways to look at the cholesterol breakdown to look at size and stickiness of the cholesterol. These things are a little more genetic in nature. We do not have any drugs as of yet, that can change those numbers. It can be helpful to reassure someone who has a strong family history or is nervous about their levels. 

There are more advanced [tests] to gather even more information about the cholesterol breakdown, many of them are not super helpful beyond the 3 that I get on most of my patients. 

Most of the studies that we have are on [the effect of] drugs, not lifestyle. We are hoping to change that. Today, the way that we use statins in our society is that everyone should be on them, and most physician’s intent is that you should be on them until you die. I try to tell patients they get to choose what they want to take, as nothing we put in our bodies is perfect. If a patient tells me they want to do everything possible to decrease their risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and they want to do everything by the book; for most people that will mean a statin, and they’re doing ok. 

Other patients may say they want to do everything else but that, and there is a lot that can be done on the behavioral side. I have many patients that have a pristine diet, they move a lot, they really moderate stress and how they manage it. They sleep well, social connection is a huge part of their life - they have a purpose. They choose not to be on statins and they’re doing ok. It’s about tradeoffs and thinking through what will work best for you long-term. I have people who do both and they’re doing pretty well. 

Karyn: What about supplements? Are there supplements that we should be taking?

I am definitely a fan of supplements for a specific reason and not just taking them because your friend does and they work for her. CoQ10 and Vitamin D are two that I use routinely.

For instance, if I have someone on statins, I always put people on 100mg of CoQ10 twice per day. In Europe, this is standard of care. Statins deplete mitochondria, which are the energy producers of our cells and CoQ10 helps to replete them. For some patients, I have found they are much less likely to get muscle and joint aches. There have been trials that have found it doesn’t matter, but for some it seems to help. Trials have shown that CoQ10 lowers blood pressure. I have people looking for natural ways to lower blood pressure to try it first, and it’s great for energy. 

It is important to ask your primary care provider about checking your Vitamin D levels.  Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble, so you can get too much, but 85% of Minnesotans are low. In the Winter, 5000 IU per day is recommended. The sweet spot for Vitamin D levels is in the 50-70 ng/mL range. I will see people come in as low as 10 ng/mL. We call Vitamin D the ‘happy vitamin’ because people feel off without it if they are low, but too much can be toxic. 

For [high] triglycerides I use fish oil. There are studies on lowering triglycerides with 1000mg, 3 times per day. It’s a big dose, and it has to be the right type of fish oil - Nordic Naturals is a good one. Fish oil is also good for mental health. I use red yeast rice for lowering cholesterol. I have found that most people’s cholesterol will go down with a 2400 mg supplement, but there are no studies to show if it reduces risk for heart attacks or strokes.

I have many supplements that I may recommend for individuals with anxiety, stress, or problems sleeping. For palpitations, stress, or help falling asleep I use L-theanine. I will use melatonin to help people stay asleep.  Depending on the time and reason for a patient visit, I will sometimes recommend Ashwagandha during menopause as women’s bodies adjust to the new normal. 

Everything is connected in our bodies. Sometimes our heart feels off because our gut flora is off. I may put people on probiotics for a month to see if we can refresh their natural flora. I always try to introduce them one at a time so that you don’t have too many different things at once to try to figure out if it is working. 
Karyn: I’m pleasantly surprised to hear you say that there are supplements you recommend. I’ve always been hesitant to tell my healthcare providers about the supplements I take, but now I definitely will. I have always felt that supplements have helped me to feel my best. 

Karyn: Let’s talk about how the gap in women’s cardiovascular health research impacts recommendations for women. What can we do to advocate for getting more research on women’s heart health?

We’re 35 years behind in research on cardiovascular disease compared to men. Women weren’t even allowed to participate in studies due to regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a long time*. There is less research funding for women in all areas—whether it’s how women respond to valve surgery, bypass surgery, stent placements, if we’re more or less likely to have a procedure after a heart attack, or are we more likely to die. I firmly believe that closing this gap will be a woman-led solution. Currently, 12% of cardiologists are women. As that number grows, we’ll have more women physicians and researchers leading the efforts. Women being engaged participants in designing where and how they want to receive care, what that care looks like, and what the wellness efforts and how they want to be treated will also be critical components too. 

Not only are we not small men, but the way that care was designed was predominantly for well insured white men with a wife to take care of them. Men tend to enroll in studies immediately, while women are more likely to take time to consider participating. Boston Scientific has done great research on how to get women to participate in more research studies by designing brochures to resonate with women and taking an extra step to continue to reach out to them. Once women have a chance to ask questions and speak with their trusted network of friends, they are more likely to participate. This approach is considered ‘soft’ academics, and is not how it’s often done, but it will be a big part of the solution to get more participants. 

Women’s heart disease rates started to go up in the 1950s, correlating with women entering the workforce, and slowly their rates began to equal that of men. We don’t want women working to change, but the idea that we [as women] can do everything all the time for everyone with the idea that we’ll take care of ourselves last is a cultural value that has to change before we can actually thrive. We have a lot of work to do on that. 

Karyn: We do have a lot of work to do. But, I think we can do it. I believe marketers are realizing women in our age group have tremendous buying power and by hiring millennials that focus on marketing to other millennials, they’re missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. I also hope with more women who are reaching midlife and increasing numbers in professions that were traditionally male dominated, we’ll see rapid change. 

I graduated from medical school in 2004 and ours was the first class with 51% women. These changes are recent. 

Karyn: Is there a difference between a standard cardiologist and a preventive cardiologist and how do you get to see a preventive cardiologist? 

Preventive cardiologists usually do extra training and it takes more years [in school]. They would usually have extra training on lipid and cholesterol profiles and in areas of nutrition, exercise, stress. A focus on the different types of lifestyle contributors to give a more holistic view of health. At the Minneapolis Heart Institute, we are planning to start a prevention fellowship within our cardiology fellowship. As of now, it is mostly a certificate, but what you can expect is someone who is focusing on prevention. It doesn’t have to be primary prevention, it can be about preventing a second event after someone has had a heart attack or stroke. 

*In 1977, the FDA issued a guideline banning most women of ‘childbearing potential’ from participating in clinical research studies. In 1993, the FDA issued a new guideline and formally rescinded the 1977 policy that banned most women from participating in studies. The Congress made this policy law in 1993. Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Women’s Health.

5 Actions to Improve Women’s Heart Disease Risk After 50

This is part one of a two part series of a conversation with Courtney Jordan Baechler MD, MS, a preventive cardiologist and a Medical Director at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

Women know that preventing breast cancer is a big health issue. While that is very important, and much has been done to shed a light on the value of early detection and treatment, it remains true that heart disease is still the leading cause of death in women. We don’t talk enough about how research on women’s heart health is decades behind that of men, how our symptoms are often not taken seriously, what we can do to prevent heart disease and cardiovascular events, and how we should treat it. We want to help change the narrative around women and heart disease. It all starts with having more conversations about this topic.  

As part of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s (MHIF) women’s health event called Hope, Health, and Humor: At-Home Edition, we had Courtney Jordan Baechler MD, MS join us for a small outdoor gathering of women and a conversation about women’s heart health. This conversation is critical for women over 50 because many women think that heart and vascular disease only impact men at this age. However, once women reach menopause the level of risk, number of events, the severity of heart disease, and even death rates are the same. Yet, our symptoms may be different, are often not taken seriously, and we’re not researched as much as men. 

This gathering took place a few days after Rebecca’s husband had a stroke. Because of how healthy and young he was, it drove home that we need to start having conversations about heart health, cardiovascular events, and doing everything we can to take care of ourselves as we age.

Karyn: Dr. Baechler, tell us about yourself.

I’m a preventive cardiologist. I did the National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientist track, and added extra time onto my fellowship in cardiology to study the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease. I hit a wall during my intern year and thought the [healthcare] system was totally broken. How was I going to practice for the rest of my life in a sick-based system? There was no focus on nutrition, stress, exercise, ability to fill your prescriptions - nothing. It led me to pursue my interest in preventive medicine. I obtained a Master’s degree in Epidemiology and Public Policy to learn more about population health. I spent years running the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing. I’m a huge believer in the mind, body, spirit approach of Eastern medicine meets Western medicine. I currently run the Women’s Science Center at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and I see patients part-time through the Minneapolis Heart Institute. 

Karyn: What are the age-related changes that women go through that begin to increase our risk for heart disease?

Until menopause, women have a much lower risk of developing heart disease. After menopause, our risk increases to be the equivalent to the risk men experience for having a heart attack or stroke. 

I’m sure many women have heard of the Women’s Health Initiative and the research on hormone replacement therapy. There was an idea that if we put women on hormones so that menopause wouldn’t happen, that would fix things. It turns out the risk of having a heart attack and the risk of having a stroke was higher. It was back in 2004 when we first started getting this information. 

Here are some of the reasons our risk increases after menopause:

When we age, our blood vessels start to stiffen and we can develop high blood pressure. Our metabolism starts to slow and we tend to develop more central obesity and fat in our bellies. These things happen as we age, and there are things that we can do to counteract them. From a perspective of our metabolism slowing down, we can also be at higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes because of the way our body responds to insulin and sugar in general. 

Our sleep changes. Sleep is the cornerstone of everything, and it helps to clear our brains. There is lots of data on the importance of sleep and our overall immune system and helping us to be well.

Most of these things appear to be true for men too, there just is a protective effect for women prior to menopause. We’re 35 years behind in doing research on women. We don’t know why that is, but can speculate that society has cared about keeping women healthy while we’re reproducing and then we have less perceived ‘value’ after we’re done with being able to reproduce. 

Karyn: You know, it’s really interesting that even Rebecca and I have found that there is so much information out there for women who are in childbearing years and for fertility. When you look for resources on health for women who are over 50 there is nothing. Everything that you Google is almost entirely about how to dress, how to be more attractive, or is about anti-aging. It’s fascinating, and not in a good way. We have work to do to change that!

Karyn: What symptoms should women be aware of, and when should they seek immediate care? What symptoms are different for women than for men?

Women are much more likely to have atypical symptoms. They are more likely to get jaw pain, arm numbness, nausea, vomiting, and also depression. They do get shortness of breath, and chest pain is still the most common symptom in women. However, women are much more likely to have all of the symptoms compared to men. I always tell women that you know your body best. Hands down, patient-wise, women are more in tune with their bodies. If you are experiencing something that is different and is not going away, you should get it checked out. Physicians should be grateful that you are proactive and focused on prevention. If everything turns out fine, then that is great!

Karyn: When we see our doctors, our primary care providers, what kinds of things should we ask them about to make certain we’re paying close attention to our heart health as we get older? 

One of the things that is critical for women to be aware of when seeing your physician is that you should have information about anything being done. As a patient, you should be told what your blood pressure is. You should be told what your heart rate is. And, you should understand what your medical providers are doing. Are they listening to your respiratory rate? Are they taking your temperature? All of those things are critical pieces of information that you want to be personally tracking. 

Blood pressure and heart rate are things that change over time. For example, if you’ve always had a heart rate in the 60s and now your rate is consistently in the 80s or 90s, you need to know about it. And, they should tell you that it’s better to be a little bit lower consistently. 

Body Mass Index (BMI), which is one way to look at weight, is another indicator that doesn’t get talked about much with your physician. Is your weight or BMI contributing to your level of risk and what is a healthy BMI? How do you compare to your peers? Physicians will usually tell you if there is something wrong, but they should also tell what they are looking for and why.

You should definitely get your cholesterol checked. There are advanced cholesterol profiles that we can do to tell whether the cholesterol is ‘sticky’ which can increase your risk. A cardiologist would also look at inflammation and other things. Most importantly, have a conversation with your primary care doctor about your family history and your lifestyle. Ask them about your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. 

These are basic things that let you know where you fall in terms of risk and then based on these measures, does your doctor recommend that you see a cardiologist to do further testing and why or why not? Ask them what other specific things you could be doing to optimize your health. These are the conversations you want to have with the person taking care of you. 

Karyn: It is so important to have a relationship with a care provider that knows you and is willing to be a partner in your care. 

It is unfortunate but very common to be put on medication without ever being evaluated for all of these other things. It is important in those situations to ask why you are being prescribed something so you can be informed. 

Part two of the conversation with Courtney Baechler MD, MS discusses how to take care of your heart.

The What and How to Eat After Menopause for Feeling Great, Reducing Risk, and Aging Well

The reality is that to flourish after 50 healthful eating matters. In this post, we review the book, The Menopause Diet Plan written by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Hillary Wright and Elizabeth Ward, which outlines a pattern of eating to help you manage your weight, feel better, and reduce disease risk as you age.

Let’s face it, sometimes aging is hard to accept. I have to admit that I was initially in denial when my waistbands slowly started getting tighter and the numbers on the scale crept up ever so slightly year over year until one day when I looked in the mirror and I saw my mom.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom, but it frightened me to see her physique staring back at me.  Now, ladies, I am not going to lie and say I just reset my mindset and it’s been an easy journey since that day. It hasn’t. 

It’s taken time to realize what and how I ate had to change as I aged to ensure I stayed well. Although I’ve always valued healthful eating and physical activity, what I was doing wasn’t enough to ensure my ongoing health and well-being. I had to adjust, and I am not alone.

When women think about aging and menopause, they describe their biggest fears as being body appearance changes, weight gain, and loss of mental acuity. Unfortunately, women in our society don’t talk openly about menopause, and as a result, we often suffer in silence wondering if what we are feeling and experiencing is “normal”.

Karyn and I started Rumblings out of a deep desire to stop the suffering in silence and start having conversations openly with other women our age. Our goal is to provide you with science-based resources to help you flourish after 50. Along the way, we also want to share stories of what’s worked for us and other women our age. The one thing we know for sure is that aging requires action to ensure we continue to thrive into the future.

One of our foundational principles (or Rocks) at Rumblings is to “live inside out”. And, what we eat is a key component of this Rock. Our food philosophy at Rumblings is based on science and what nourishes our souls. We focus on:

•  Looking inside to understand what and how much to eat

•  Feeding ourselves well with whole foods, mostly plants

•  Honoring tradition

•  Celebrating culture

•  Loving every damn morsel of food, we consume 

We’re done with diets, guilt, and restriction!  We prefer to focus on patterns of eating, intuitive eating, and enjoyment. Certainly, individual nutrition needs vary from person to person, but science tells us that this eating pattern promotes health and longevity. 

A new book, The Menopause Diet Plan written by two Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, Hillary Wright and Elizabeth Ward, was released in September. The book excellently outlines the science behind how food choices impact aging well and tackles health concerns that result from the transition to menopause, including the following: weight gain, hot flashes, sleep difficulties, mood swings, fatigue, changes in digestion, muscle loss, memory changes, osteoporosis, and disease risk.

If you’re struggling with eating healthfully, physical changes, or chronic symptoms, this new book could be a nice reference for you as you age.  

 Weight Gain and Belly Fat Changes

Unfortunately, there is science to suggest that on average women gain about 1.5 pounds per year in their 40s and 50s — roughly 30 pounds. And, for many women who do not see the weight gain, they may experience a thickening around the belly. Declining estrogen levels and muscle mass are likely contributors, as well as, low levels of physical activity, unhealthful eating behaviors, lack of sleep, stress, and genetics.

The reality is that to flourish after 50 healthful eating matters. The Menopause Diet Plan outlines a pattern of eating that can help you manage your weight, feel better, and reduce disease risk as you age. Although the authors refer to this as a “diet” in the book title, they don’t promote dieting throughout the book, but rather focus on developing healthier habits for the rest of your life.

An Eating Pattern for Aging Well

The authors emphasize (and we agree!) that there is no one size fits all when it comes to food. However, there are eating patterns that are starting to emerge as healthful for most people. What we’re learning is that individual foods don’t make or break a healthful eating pattern and healthful eating doesn’t require perfection, instead it requires consistency.

However, women are different from men and during the transition from perimenopause to menopause our bodies change, and these changes are real and often very frustrating.  Thankfully, there are now studies looking into these differences and exploring women-specific recommendations for confronting these challenges.

Eating healthfully as you age is about modifying your pattern of eating (habits) —not dieting. Making small but different choices regarding what you eat and how much you eat will help you to feel great and age well. Feeling great and living well are the goals more than just making temporary unsustainable changes in order to lose a few pounds. 

The authors outline many specific details for patterns of healthful eating in the book, but two important ones to highlight for aging women include:

• Eat fewer calories. To maintain weight, you likely need to eat less due to loss of muscle mass and possibly due to getting less physical activity than you did when you were younger. This obviously is disappointing but calls attention to the importance of being more mindful of how much you regularly eat. We’re going to highlight the importance of physical activity in a later blog post, but we want to call attention to the fact that physical activity, in any amount, helps counter the effects of aging and of course the need to reduce calorie intake as much. 

• When you eat matters. Don’t over restrict food during the day, as that typically results in eating more later in the day and evening. Research also suggests that metabolism functions differently based on the time of day — women better metabolize and store nutrients more optimally during daylight. Eat earlier in the day with a goal of winding down as early in the evening as possible and don’t skip meals.

We encourage you to read The Menopause Diet Plan, as the authors also do an excellent job walking through the science behind how specific foods influence your risk for heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, cancer, and osteoporosis as you age. Those chapters will also provide the rationale for the summary of food for aging recommendations outlined below:

• Eat plants. Load half your plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal and choose a variety to ensure good health. Fruits and vegetables are also lower in calories and higher in fiber which will help you stay full longer after a meal. 

• Watch your protein intake. Aim for approximately 20 grams of protein at each meal and protein-rich snacks to keep you feeling fuller for longer while nourishing your muscles and bones. Midlife and menopausal women need more protein than recommended amounts.

• Be mindful of carbohydrates. Choose three servings of whole grains each day. The Menopause Diet Plan limits carbohydrates to less than 50% of calories. This may be less than you’re currently consuming and something that you may want to explore.

• Choose healthful fats.  Use olive oil or canola oil. Other healthy fats with no trans fat and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon are also suggested.

• Limit sugar and alcohol. They supply extra and unnecessary calories, so indulge on occasion and enjoy them when you do.

What about supplements? Perimenopause, menopause, and aging influence your vitamin and mineral needs. In The Menopause Diet Plan, the authors outline micronutrient needs and common challenges in getting recommendations. In reality, it’s hard to give a blanket statement for recommendations without fully understanding your current diet, risk factors, symptoms, and nutrition goals. Working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is your best bet for customizing personal recommendations to supplement your current eating pattern.

If you’re looking for more prescriptive food recommendations, The Menopause Diet Plan offers three approaches to healthful eating —overall healthful eating advice (good if you’re looking for tips you can adopt to improve what and how you eat), a balanced plate approach (good if you prefer a more visual plate tool to guide your choices at meal times), and a calorie-oriented approach (great for those who like more structure).

At Rumblings, we promote eating nutrient-rich whole-foods, mostly plants (animal products as a treat or garnish), enjoying your food, eating when you’re hungry, and stopping when you’re full to ensure you thrive as you age. A healthful eating pattern nourishes your body and soul. The Menopause Diet Plan recommendations align with our food philosophy while providing you with more details about the why and how of healthful eating during the prime of your life.

As you experiment with these suggestions, let us know what is working for you. Gone are the days when we suffer alone. We need to share our struggles and successes so that we can learn from one another and flourish together!

Live inside out through healthful eating.

Together we Rumble!