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The New Hot Flash Going through the changes of menopause can be an opportunity for women to focus on the self and change life for the better 
Your grandmother probably thought menopause was something to be silently endured. Not much was said about “the change of life.” But if you’re between the ages of 40 and 58 and experiencing hot flashes, night sweats or an altered libido, you’re probably talking to your friends, searching the Web and making an appointment with a physician to find ways to ease the discomforts. This isn’t your grandmother’s or even your mother’s menopause. “There used to be a sense that it was all over after menopause,” says Barbara Kantrowitz, a Newsweek senior editor who writes about health and women’s issues. That’s changed for the better. Now, menopausal women don’t feel as if they’re on the verge of senior life. Instead, they view menopause as a time to take charge of their health, says Kantrowitz, who with co-author Pat Wingert, wrote the new book, “Is it Hot in Here? Or is it Me?” (Workman Publishing, 2006). “Menopause should give women permission to focus on themselves,” says Pat Wingert, who is a Newsweek correspondent working in Washington D.C. That’s important, say the authors, because you do have an opportunity to improve your health if you act immediately. “Research says taking care now may lead to more vigorous senior years. It’s not too late but you don’t have time to wait,” says Kantrowitz, who works in New York City. For example, lose weight if you should. “You’ll just have to accept the fact that it’s harder [to lose weight during menopause], and if you just hold your weight steady, it’s OK. When you get into your 60s it’s easier to lose weight,” says Kantrowitz. Increasing your level of exercise to 300 minutes per week can help say the authors. Take better care of your skin. If you soaked in the sun when you were in your 20s, you’re paying the price with wrinkles and age spots. A dermatologist can suggest ways to reduce wrinkles and age spots, but you have to protect your skin as well. And if you’re like the women that Wingert spoke with for her research, you want to continue to have a vital sex life. Keeping a positive outlook is just as important to your health as taking care of your body. “At age 50 women often have more freedom and are out of the house. Life is where they want it to be and they’re ready to take advantage of that. “Being excited makes you feel young,” Wingert says.
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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
