My birthday is looming. I’ve never been concerned about my age, but I’ve never been this old before. I still picture myself as a 27-year-old woman and yet, I am so far removed from that age group it is depressing.
I was driving home from my friend Linda’s house (by the way, she is older than me) in this 90-degree heat with my air on 70 (because I don’t like to freeze, especially in summer), when I felt my seat warmer come on. What was so strange about it is that my seat only warms from the seat area, not the …read more

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to be the standard treatment to alleviate symptoms of menopause. However, studies have shown that extensive use of HRT is associated with significant adverse effects, including an increased risk of contracting cancer. New studies indicate, however, that polyphenols found in food may have some beneficial effects similar to HRT but without the appreciable adverse effects. In the ongoing Sex and Gender in Cardiovascular-Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology conference, physiologist J. Michael Wyss, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham discusses results from his studies indicating that grapes, soy, and kudzu blunt hypertension, insulin resistance and …read more