"“GEM Keep it cool™ will help reduce your hot flashes, night sweats, and irritability. We guarantee it!”" - The Women of GEM
“GEM Keep it cool™ is amazing! One drink once a day. How simple can that be?” - Marie Osmond
Women's Health
The Choice is yours: EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT
The choice is yours:
EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT
By the time we reach menopause, we find that our thoughts on eating have come full circle.
• We started our lives eating to live.
• We then ate what we were forced to eat by our parents (because “it’s good for you!”).
• We defied the rules by eating what we were told not to eat (because it tasted soooo good).
• Some of us then tried not to eat much at all (hunger pains changed that).
• Many of us eventually found ourselves eating for two.
• Then we had to eat just to keep up with our kids and crazy schedules.
Before we knew it, menopause began heating up our lives and our thoughts on eating shifted once again.
• We started experiencing new things; hot flashes, night sweats, and weight gain. But we weren’t eating that differently, were we?!
• Our doctors told us to stop living to eat and start eating healthier (because “it’s good for you!”).
• Guilt invaded our world for defying the rules by eating what we were told not to eat (but it tastes soooo good).
• To frantically get rid of the weight gain, we would try not to eat much at all, but on the other hand, the extra weight helped diminish the lines on our face.
• We would make life changes to try to keep the menopause symptoms at bay and get back to eating to live. Because, before we know it, it’s time to keep up with the grandkids.
If only we understood from a young age that our diet has far reaching effects on our health over our lifetime. How do we get back to the thought process of eating to live again rather than living to eat?
A healthy diet – free from the extremes of severe dieting and binge eating – can increase the opportunity for an ideal menopause. Diets rich in whole fruits, veggies, grain and legumes can provide the wide range of phytoestrogens that make the transition smoother.1
Reduce your calories intake. Pay attention to the foods you’re eating and slightly reduce the amount of calories you consume each day. By choosing a varied diet composed mainly of fruits and vegetables, you can safely cut back on calories and loose weight. Be careful not to cut back too drastically on calorie intake, or your body will respond by conserving energy, making extra pounds harder to shed. 2
Get enough calcium. Osteoporosis: (brittle bones) is a major concern for menopausal women. In addition to regular weight-bearing exercise, an adequate intake of calcium can help lower the risk of Osteoporosis. Experts recommend 1200mg of calcium per day. 3 Eating and drinking two to four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day will help ensure that you are getting enough calcium in your daily diet. Calcium is found in dairy products, fish with bones such as sardines and canned salmon, broccoli, and legumes. An adequate intake of calcium for women aged 51 and older is 1,200 milligrams per day.4 Along with calcium, you will also need Vitamin D (400 IU to 800 IU and sunlight) which helps your body to absorb calcium. 3
Pump up your iron intake. Eating at least three servings of iron-rich foods a day will help ensure that you are getting enough iron in your daily diet. Iron is found in lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and enriched grain products. The recommended dietary allowance for iron in older women is 8 milligrams a day.4
Get enough fiber. Fiber is found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole-grain and is essential for maintain a healthy digestive system. It can help you feel fuller faster, keep blood sugar levels even, and can maintain a healthy colon.6 Most adult women should get about 20 grams of fiber a day.4
Eat fruits and vegetables. Low in calories and are packed with vitamins, minerals, protective plant compounds and fiber. The antioxidants in and other nutrients in these foods help protect against certain cancers and diseases.6 Include at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in your daily diet.4
Read labels. Use the package label information to help you to make the best selections for a healthy lifestyle.4
Drink plenty of water. This will help you stay hydrated. It’s impossible to determine how much water we all need, because this depends on many factors such as how much you eat, the climate you live in, and how active you are. As a general rule, drinking eight glasses of water every day fulfills most everyone’s daily requirement.4
Maintain a healthy weight. Lose weight if you are overweight by cutting down on portion sizes and reducing foods high in fat, not by skipping meals. A registered dietitian or your doctor can help you determine your ideal body weight.4
Reduce foods high in fat. Fat should provide 30% or less of your total daily calories. Also, limit saturated fat to less than 10% of your total daily calories. Saturated fat raises cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in fatty meats, whole milk, ice cream, and cheese. Limit cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams (mg) or less per day. Also try to limit your intake of trans fats, found in vegetable oils, many baked goods, and some margarines. Trans fat also raises cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease.4
Use sugar and salt in moderation. Too much sodium in the diet is linked to high blood pressure. Also, go easy on smoked, salt-cured, and charbroiled foods — these foods contain high levels of nitrates, which have been linked to cancer. 4
Limit alcohol intake. Women should limit their consumption of alcohol to one or fewer drinks a day.4
Take time to chew your food. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite.4
Avoid stress while eating. When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn.4
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Try drinking water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.4
Eat early, eat often. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also eating small, healthy meals throughout the day can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks. 4
Take fast foods out of your menopause diet except for the occasional treat. In fact, if you change your way of eating, you’ll probably find junk food loses a lot of its allure, and you won’t even want to eat it. 5
Add GEM Keep it cool to your daily regimen to help minimize the symptoms of menopause and the damaging effects of stress in your life.
The women of GEM want to remind all women to remember that we are the queen of our castle and we are in control of our own health!
1. Your Menopause Type.com by Dr. Joseph Collins. http://www.yourmenopausetype.com Premenopause and Perimenopausal Choices. Viewed on November 5, 2009.
2. MayoClinic.com by Mayo Clinic Staff. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause-weitht-gain/HQ01076 Weight gain after menopause. Viewed on November 11, 2009.
3. The Latest on Nutrition and Menopause – UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. http://www.upmc.com/healthatoz/pages/HealthLibrary.aspx Viewed on January 26, 2010.
4. WebMD – Food and Menopause. http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/staying-healthy-through-good-nutrition Menopause and Good Nutrition. Viewed on December 14, 2009.
5. Menopause Diet – How to Eat Healthy in Midlife. http://www.healthy-eating-made-easy.com Healthy Menopause Diet. Viewed November 9, 2009.
6. Helpguide.org. http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm Healthy Eating, Tips for a Healthy Diet and Better Nutrition.
Viewed on December 14, 2009
Journal of Medicine Review
Review of Black Cohosh, Adaptogens, and Genestein for the Treatment of Menopause Symptoms
Abstract
The increase in complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies to manage menopausal symptoms in the wake of publicity about hormone replacement therapy risks has caused several ingredients, notably black cohosh, genistein (a non-soy isoflavone), and adaptogens, to be considered in the medical literature as possible remedies. Despite the growing body of CAMoriented clinical trials in the literature, evaluating CAM studies can be challenging owing to the heterogeneity of the studies. Nevertheless, there is growing evidence that black cohosh, genistein, and adaptogens are safe and may be effective at managing vasomotor symptoms (including hot flashes), psychological stress associated with menopause, insomnia and fatigue, and bone health without conferring cardiovascular risks. Given the excellent safety profiles of these agents and the lack of effective conventional alternatives, clinicians should consider them to address menopausal symptoms.
Click here for the full report: Journal of Medicine
-Women of GEM
Shannon Reagan-Henry & Dr. Bob on ONLINE WITH ANDREA
Listen to our very own Shannon Reagan-Henry & Dr. Bob discuss symptoms and solutions for women dealing with menopause and many of the everyday life stressors.
Click here to listen: Online With Andrea
Tis the season to be tempted
Tis the season to be tempted!This is the time of year that we tend to celebrate most often with food, food you can’t resist, food that melts, and foods that are gooey, crunchy, rich, and fluffy. The food that instantly puts a smile on your face and even though your tummy says STOP, your taste buds are in overdrive saying MORE, MORE!
It’s hard enough to watch our diet when food tends to be a big part of every celebration. For those of us in menopause, we have to deal with the physical and emotional changes as well.
The women of GEM looking good would like to give you a few of our own suggestions that for the most part, have worked to help us take control and maintain our weight during the holidays.
Regular exercise is an obvious suggestion for coping with stress and regulating weight, however, exercising the same day of a party seems to add that refreshed, glowing look while experiencing that little boost of energy and mental sharpness.
Have a mental game plan that you practice over and over again. Picture yourself making good food and beverage choices while at the party. In other words, conduct a dress rehearsal in your mind ahead of time, and make sure the live performance follows the plan.
Many of us tend to rely on the food at the party to replace a meal. We suggest eating a healthy, well balanced meal and drink plenty of water before leaving for the event. This should satisfy your hunger pains so that you can give full attention to your will power.
If you choose to have an alcoholic beverage, limit the number, add more mixers, and drink a glass of water between drinks. You might even choose to avoid the calories all together by drinking a non alcoholic beverage.
Try sharing with your significant other, family or friend your goals for the event and ask that they support your efforts to stay on task.
Once you get your sample plate of delicacies to satisfy your taste buds, remove yourself to another area of the room. Be sure not to hover over the food table or in the kitchen to avoid the temptations.
Try taking just a bite of each item on your plate, chew it slowly and savor the flavor. You don’t have to eat it all!
We suggest using a smaller plate not only during a celebration but on a daily basis for every meal. Just by reducing the quantity that you consume can help you maintain if not loose some of those unwanted pounds brought on during menopause and the holidays.
Last but not least, believe in yourself!
We understand the temptations everyone faces this time of year. Make a plan, stick to it and when it’s all said and done, pat yourself on the back for each successful change, no matter how big or small.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
Weight gain and menopause is an ongoing subject around the office. Several of us are in the throws of menopause except for the young, slender, beautiful office manager who loves to fill bowls full of irresistible candy. It’s hard enough to manage our weight, especially during this time of our life without having to fight temptations. This leads me to my next topic.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
About 90% of all menopausal women gain weight between the ages of 35 and 55.4 It seems like no matter what we do, maintaining a healthy weight becomes more difficult and loosing the extra middle-aged spread can seem almost impossible. The fluctuations of hormones along with other factors such as aging and lifestyle have a substantial impact on our overall weight and health.
Our body’s hormones have a direct impact on our appetite, metabolism, and fat storage.4 Estrogen, testosterone, and androgen are the key hormones that have an affect on overall weight gain.4
• Estrogen: During menopause, a woman’s ovaries produce less estrogen and her body attempts to find the hormone in places other than the ovaries. Fat cells can produce estrogen, so her body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels. Unfortunately, fat cells don’t burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes weight gain. 1
• Testosterone: Helps your body to create lean muscle mass out of the calories that you take in. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells do, increasing your metabolism. In natural menopause, levels of testosterone drop resulting in the loss of this muscle. Unfortunately, this means a lower metabolism. The lower your metabolism is, the slower your body burns calories.4
• Androgen: The amount of this hormone increases at the onset of menopause. It’s responsible for sending new weight to the mid-section instead of the hips. This contributes to the dreaded “spare tire” or the “middle-aged spread”. 1
The onset of Menopause is the perfect time for you to take charge of your health. By changing your food choices, caloric intake, and activity level, you can prevent unwanted weight gain.
• Increase your physical activity: Aerobic exercise boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat. Strength training exercises increase muscle mass, boost your metabolism and strengthen your bones. 3
• Reduce calories: Portion control is the key to reducing calories. Go for smaller helpings of protein and fats, balanced by larger servings of vegetables, grains, whole foods and fruit. Cut the junk, focus on the fresh.6
Women across the world are battling weight gain as result of the onset of menopause. The women of GEM™ believe that it’s never too late to make healthy changes. Menopause is a new beginning, and the perfect time to weave more activity into your life.2 GEM™ Keep it cool provides all-natural menopause relief and helps restore you bodies natural balance. Get your quality of life back with GEM™.
P.S.
We also suggest removing the candy bowls around the office!
1 Weight Gain During Menopause. http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/weight-gain.htm viewed on November 11, 2009.
2 Menopause Health Center slide show. www.webMD.com/menopause
Viewed on November 12, 2009
3 Weight gain after menopause by Mayo Clinic Staff. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause- weight-gain/HQ01076/METHOD=print. Viewed on November 11, 2009
4 Menopause and Weight Gain. http://www.epigee.org/menopause/weight_gain.html viewed on November 12, 2009.
5 The Latest on Nutrition and Menopause by Amy Scholten, MPH. http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token Viewed on November 5, 2009
6 Healthy Menopause Diet. http://www.healthy-eating-made-easy.com/menopause-diet.html Viewed on November 9, 2009.
Caffeine and menopausal women
Though many women experience a wonderful sense of warmth and pleasure over a hot cup of coffee or tea, high consumption of caffeine can have a negative effect on women, especially women who are going through menopause. It can aggravate the many symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, sleep deprivation, vaginal dryness and anxiety.
The consumption of caffeine has a direct effect on the overall health of a woman. Caffeine containing beverages can cause cortisol, an important hormone in the body, to increase causing the same type of symptoms as stress.2 It can increase the heart rate, metabolic rate and blood flow and has an effect on the absorption and excretion of minerals such as magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.1,2
• Magnesium is vital for the normal functioning of the body such as metabolism of energy, healthy functioning of the heart, glucose utilization, and proper hormone balance.3
• Iron is the key nutrient for the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells deliver oxygen from our lungs to our brain, muscles and other tissues giving your body energy and your skin a healthy color.4 Iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired, weak and pale.
• Calcium is needed to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.1 It is important for maintaining healthy functions of the nervous system and the heart.3
• Potassium helps protect you against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It helps keep muscles strong, bowels regular and works to eliminate irritability, confusion and stress.5
A Caffeinated beverage often time adds a physical and psychological comfort to ones day. Unfortunately the consumption of too much caffeine can lead to the heightened negative symptoms of menopause.2 Reducing caffeine or removing it from ones diet may have a noticeable impact on whether or not there are extreme menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleepless nights, and anxiety along with the risks of bone loss and heart issues.
1 Bella Online the Voice of Women. Menopause and Caffeine by Sharon Bejin. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art53346.asp. Viewed on October 29, 2009.
2 Menopause A to Z. Menopause and Caffeine by Dawn M. Olsen. http://www.menopauseatoz.com/menopause-and-caffeine.shtml Viewed on October 29, 2009.
3 Now Public Crowd Powered Media. http://www.nowpublic.com/health/5-ways-caffeine-makes-menopause-worse.com 5 Ways Caffeine Makes Menopause Worse. Viewed on October 29, 2009.
4 Iron needs before and after menopause. Friend Indeed, A, Sep/Oct 2004 by Susan Osher. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa470/is200409/ai_n9435853/ Viewed on November 5, 2009
5 Inspirations Personal Training. P. Potassium and Fitness Go Hand in Hand! By Cindy Brotheraton CFF. http://www.busywomensfitness.com/potassium.html Viewed on November 5, 2009.
No more Silence
27 October, 2009.
I wanted to give you an update on the spectacular success of GEM “Keep it Cool” .
In just under 3 months, over 13 thousand women have tried GEM “Keep it Cool”.
The success stories continue to roll in. I have been touched by the honesty of your emails, and I am impressed by your candor.
Too many of you have been “suffering in silence”. Some of you have told me that you were afraid to discuss the debilitating symptoms of menopause with your doctors, fearing that you’d be told that you had to either go on hormone replacement therapy, or just “deal with it”.
In my 28 years of private GYN practice, I have never been so excited by a product such as this. It is safe, natural and pleasant tasting.
Most importantly, it works.
Many of my own patients have reclaimed their lives, and are feeling so much better since starting GEM “Keep it Cool”, some for the first time in years.
They tell me this at their visits to the office. Frankly, I love to hear it.
I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised by the success of this product. After all, it combines three of the ingredients that gynecologists have recommended for years as an alternative to hormones. The makers of GEM “Keep it Cool” searched the world for the safest, most natural forms of these components. Then they did something that had not been done before- they combined those ingredients, and even better yet- they made it a pleasant tasting, refreshing drink.
When we were developing GEM “Keep it Cool” , we spoke a lot among ourselves about “synergy”. That terms refers to the unique relationship where individual ingredients work better when combined together.
We are seeing this synergy with GEM “Keep it Cool” , and I believe that it is the key to the success of this breakthrough product. It is so heart warming to here from you describing your experiences with our product. Please keep your stories coming in.
Dr. Bob
Robert James Gallo, M.D., FACOG
Medical Advisor, GEM “Keep it Cool”
Transitioning Yourself to Gem™ "Keep it Cool"™ from other menopause treatments
SEPTEMBER 24, 2009
If you are currently using another treatment for hot flashes, night sweats and irritability, and it is not working, or if you have concerns about its safety, it might be wise to consider trying Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™.
If you are presently taking hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone, or estrogen alone, here is my suggestion. With my own patients, when I switch them from hormone replacement therapies to non-hormonal therapies, I always suggest that they gradually “taper” their previous therapy over about 2-3 months. During this time, I start the newer therapies while I gradually reduce the old therapy.
If you notice an improvement in your symptoms and feel better during this “transition”, then you can safely assume using Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™ is a great alternative. The ingredients in GEM “Keep It Cool” are safe, proven modalities for relief of menopausal symptoms. If you don’t feel better during this transition, then I would assume that the Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™ product might not be appropriate for your individual needs.
It is always advisable to seek the advise of your own healthcare provider whenever you consider changing any medication.
Dr. Bob
Robert James Gallo, M.D., FACOG
Medical Advisor, Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™
Welcome to Dr. Bob's Corner
Who am I?
My name is Robert James Gallo, M.D., and it is OK to call me “Dr. Bob”. I have been a Board-Certified OB-Gyn for 28 years and I am the immediate past president of the OB-Gyn Society of New Jersey.
I have delivered over 4,000 babies in my career and care for hundreds of patients each month. I truly love my job, and after this many years I have mastered the ability to wake up in the middle of the night to deliver a baby, or to care for a sick patient. My entire career has been focused on caring for women.
How did I become associated with Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™ ?
When Beveragette Ventures, LLC contacted me about becoming involved with Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™ , I was impressed with their decision to create this product. The women of Beveragette were determined to provide effective supplements to improve the health of women around the world. They told me their first product would be created to help women finally get relief from the misery of menopause; hot flashes, night sweats, irritabilty and the many other symptoms associated with the four stages of menopause. This is an overwhelming issue for my patients, and I offered to be available to answer any questions, and to share the results of my own research.
Together, we also shared a common concern, a healthy distrust of long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT). At the time, I had been trying non-hormone alternatives, namely Black Cohosh, and increasing the intake of soy in my symptomatic patients. I also mentioned that I have been particularly concerned about adequate multiple vitamin intake in all of my patients, especially those undergoing stress.
The women of Beveragette and I constantly exchanged research and ideas until one day, the question was posed: “What if we combine the benefits of Black Cohosh, soy products, multiple vitamins and natural stress relief ingredients, and package them together in a single, ready to drink product?” I smiled and responded, “And I suppose you’d like it to taste great too?” The simple, one word response was, “exactly.” As an Obstetrician, if there was ever a moment when GEM™ “Keep it Cool”™ was “conceived,” it was then.
Over the next several months, the team at Beveragette refined the concept. They kept true to the basic requirements for this product. They wanted a product that was unique, exquisitely safe and remarkably effective. They wanted a product with natural and nature identical ingredients, free of the risks associated with hormones. I truly believe they have succeeded brilliantly. Their “new baby” Gem™ “Keep it Cool”™ was born.
So, what’s in the bottle?
GEM™ Keep it Cool™ is a special blend of three key ingredients. The Women of Beveragette have researched the data, and searched the world for the best sources of their ingredients.
The first is a naturally grown herb, Black Cohosh. Gynecologists have been using Black Cohosh for hundreds of years to treat hot flashes and menopausal symptoms. However, the Black Cohosh in GEM™ “Keep it Cool”™ is grown in the United States, then refined in France to a water soluble form which makes it significantly more bio-available than traditional pills or powders.
The second ingredient, is a soy-free isoflavone called geniVida™. This ingredient works in a nature-identical manner as soy itself, but it avoids the allergic reactions that many patients have with soy. It is clinically proven to reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes in peri- and postmenopausal women and is also 10 times more potent in binding to bone’s estrogen receptors than other soy product making it tremendously beneficial to bone health, an extremely critical women’s health issue. It is also effectively equivalent to the amount of soy that women in Japan ingest every day. Why are we focusing on Japanese women? Simple, they suffer much less from hot flashes than American women.
The third ingredient is actually a proprietary blend of very special herbs known as “adaptogens” specifically formulated to combat stress. There are only 30 known adaptogens in the world. This proprietary blend in GEM™ “Keep it Cool”™ contains 10 which were specifically chosen for their effectiveness. Adaptogens are found throughout the world and adapt to extremely harsh environments. These specialized ingredients in GEM™ “Keep it Cool”™ have each been studied for safety and efficacy and produce an interesting synergy, or strengthening when they are combined in the same bottle.
Oh yes, I almost forgot. I suppose that you might think that it would taste awful. Guess again. The product has a tropical fruit flavor that is refreshing and tastes delightful.
What do you need to do?
If you are suffering from the symptoms of menopause, I would say that you owe it to yourself to try GEM™ “Keep it Cool.”™ Drink 8 ounces (only one-half bottle) each day and see how you feel. (You could drink more if you’d like but you honestly don’t need to since GEM™ “Keep it Cool” has been formulated for efficiency with an 8 ounce serving once each day). I have been absolutely floored by the response that my patients have to this product. I always expected that it would work, but I honestly had absolutely no idea that it would work this well. I’ve gotten hugs from my patients. I’ve gotten smiles from their husbands and families. I believe in this product, and I know GEM will make a believer out of you, too.
More to Come
I’ll be adding to this blog as we go along, and will keep you posted about how other women are doing with GEM™ “Keep it Cool.”™ I’ll also be available to answer your medical questions. Come back soon!
Robert James Gallo, M.D., FACOG
Obstetrician-Gynecologist
Immediate Past President, New Jersey Obstetrical and Gynecological Society
Medical Advisor – GEM “Keep it Cool”