Turning 40: Hormonal Changes
Ovaries, Adrenal Glands pH & More
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I believe that it’s important to have as much “natural” in our lives as possible because, these days and especially for women, our projected life expectancy is well into our 80s and also possibly 90s. So that means we spend more than half of our lives in peri-menopause and menopause! The fewer toxins we have especially in our 40s and 50s, will help contribute to a better old age.
“Real” natural vs. “fake” natural; putting aloe into a product along with a lot of other chemicals is “fake” natural.
There are so many products that have a “fake” natural labelling. They call themselves natural, however, they simply add chemicals in ADDITION to the natural ingredients.
Check out the main culprits for our health and body HERE.
TIP: The Top Chemicals To Avoid Are
- Phthalates – these disrupt hormones and are “parabens”
- Bisphenol-A (or BPA) – also hormone disruptors, they are found in plastics and lining of food tins
- Formaldehyde – a known carcinogen, it can be in nail polish and even vinyl flooring
Our ovaries start to decline in terms of hormone production and our adrenal glands take over.
Once our ovaries stop functioning – the process begins in peri-menopause – our adrenal glands start to take over a lot of our body’s hormone production (up to 50%). So resting becomes extremely important in addition to avoiding chemicals.
I believe that 100% natural is a “must” rather than a “nice-to-have” as we age. Especially for mucous membranes and our gut.
TIP: Be wary of whether a personal care product is actually “natural.” And also don’t have the same expectations for natural products. Products without sulphates as foaming ingredients won’t foam as much. Check ingredients carefully.
As we are celebrating a National WOMEN’s Health Week May 14-20, I decided to invite one of the prominent product formulators and a woman-entrepreneur Chia Chia Sun (pronounced chah-chah-sun).
Damiva CEO Chia Chia Sun with Her Family Hiking
For the past few years, Chia Chia has dedicated her time and efforts to formulate personal care, intimate care line of products that allow each woman to feel comfortable and healthy inside her body, as she crosses that 40’s line. Some amazing insights and research Chia Chia has dug out from her own personal journey.
Chia Chia will be available to us all to ask questions during this week of our AM Coffee. Get ready to ask and learn from her!
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This week in celebration of National Women’s Health Week, our friends at Damiva want to tell you all about what to expect and how to live happier and healthier lives after age 40. We’re going to explore many women’s health topics every day from Monday to Friday during our morning coffee chat. Chia Chia Sun, CEO of Damiva, wants to give you the real-life letter that you wish your mother had given you; along with the healthy dose of love that we expect from Mom.
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"Real" vs "Fake" Natural And Living Vibrant Life After 40 #AMCoffee. Chia Sun @ByDamiva #HeartThis #FridayFeeling https://t.co/c1tuXQSh2y pic.twitter.com/b7L32qjKNF
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PLEASE Leave your Today’s questions about Peri-Menopause and Menopause for Chia Chia Sun, the CEO of DAMIVA and product formulator, HERE, under this discussion!
We will be fleshing out some interesting and very much needed tips and information for us to learn and be informed about.
Having a huge community of women who are in their 30s, 40s, 50s has lead me to seek information that is minimally discussed and shared. All due to the sensitivity of the subject.
Yet we all are empowered when we know more and learn from the sources and people who have been stydying the topic thoroughly and lived through it.
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good morning
Good Morning #AMCoffee
Morning all #AMCoffee!!
Good morning. #AmCoffee
Good morning all and a special thanks to Chia Chia Sun for sharing her personal experiences along with professional knowledge with us.
You’re welcome and thanks for sharing too!
I am 13 years past the age I should have stopped using fake products. I use barely any products but I will definitely check out Chia Chia Sun products.
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Stressed Adrenal Glands
During peri-menopause and menopause, our adrenal glands become stressed and we become sensitive to chemicals and perfumes.
Have you noticed as you’re aging that you can’t wear the perfumes you used to? This is certainly the case for me. I stopped wearing perfume because it was bothering my partner, who is 8 years older than me. However, now I can’t tolerate perfume myself. The reason that perfumes in particular bother us is that they contain multiple artificial scents, as well as undeclared ingredients.
Approximately 90% of perfumes contain parabens. A recent study of 17 designer fragrances on the market showed that each perfume had, on average, 14 undeclared chemicals including one that .
Out of the total 91 chemicals in the 17 fragrances, only 19 had been reviewed by the agency (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) that reviews ingredients for the cosmetics industry.
TIPS: Try using organic essential oils (and pure scents) instead of perfumes. While they don’t last as long, they are less allergenic.
wow how do they get away with that very interesting but at this point smells have intensified but perfumes are still the same to me so not there yet!
I cannot bare any strong perfumes, especially any florals and sweet ones.
I am sticking to my favorites. Every now and then, I go to the perfume store to check out what’s new out there, but rarely find anything suitable.
I tend to check out my favorite brands though.
But I do know they have chemicals in them, no matter how much I love them.
i cant were many perfumes and deodorant i get migraines i can only use the baby powder ones and some of the when i go out to places i can not go to many places with all the perfumes smells are so strong i end up sick and coughing gasping to breath
It’s actually the “parabens” that are in the perfumes that are bothering us so much. Parabens are everywhere; a study of women’s urine found that the majority of women (over 90%) have excess parabens. We breathe them in our homes, when we go out, pretty much everywhere.
I have just a few perfumes I really love. Knowing that they do have chemicals, I try to limit their wear at home. This is a luxary – the smell – I allow myself. Sigh…
When I first sold my products to a drugstore chain, the very first buyer who bought them stopped me after 5 minutes and said, “Chia Chia. I get it. Yours is the only product good for women on the market.” Fortunately, he had just hired an external strategy firm to review the feminine hygiene aisle in his chain and their conclusion was that all the products are bad for women.
How crazy is that? That the industry knows that these products aren’t good for us. It’s why I’m so dedicated to making our personal care products. There’s a big gap in terms of what’s available and what we need / should be using.
WOW, I love perfume products. But I have been told by doctor to stop using perfumes female products.They smell good but are not really doing the job , like cleaning.
That makes sense; they are not removing bacteria and are adding parabens.
Unfortunately, there actually isn’t a chemical-free and natural vaginal wash out there. We are working on one in our research labs.
Chia Chia,
That would be an excellent test for our AM Coffee crowd!
When you are ready with the testers, we could create a testing group and produce testimonials based on what the product does. Would be very interesting and productive to do it.
That would be awesome! Our next product that we are testing is a “melatonin” sleep cream that is designed to be better for us than oral melatonin and help keep us asleep. Orally ingested melatonin doesn’t work for a lot of women because we process melatonin through our livers very quickly (within an hour) and we need more melatonin throughout the night.
This sounds very interesting and I would indeed try the cream.
This is actually shocking information about the fragrances not all being tested. I know I used to love buying any candles I loved the scent of but know I make them myself. Essential oils are something I am using more and more.
Pamper Yourself With Easy Recipes for Personal Care
You can create your own SPA at home. You know your body. You know what you are allergic to. You know what scents work for you.
Using simple ingredients that are pure and clean, you can create some of the unforgettable moments of relaxation and well-being for your mind and body and psychological pampering.
Check Out this EASY-peasy BERRY PEPPERMINT Foot Scrub I make frequently for myself!
blackberries are like in my top 3 favorite fruits had no idea they would be good to rub on your skin!! WOW!
oh wow i like this i must try it
Wendi,
I am a rubbing any fresh fruit into my face and neck areas when I have them super fresh!
I am walking around the house with my face smothered in strawberries or blueberries or cucumbers!
My boys laugh and joke with me because of that. I love it!
I will create a series of FACIAL MASKS that you and all of our AM Coffee Galz could make and use at home.
Let’s make our HOMES a SPA Space for us to relax and enjoy the benefits of super powerful and natural ingredients!
oh yes the strawberry and cucumber i remember the #am coffee ones we did a while back and Laura you look beautiful
I am going to do this tonight!
Karen,
I’ll dig it out and will revive it!
I love this! Antioxidants such as blueberries can really help with mood too.
I love that berries and antioxidants add to the positivity of our MOOD!
There are SO MANY THINGS these berries do!
Eat berries – smother them on your face, neck, hands!
When I read this the first thing that came to mind is, I am going to smell like fruit and go outside the bees are gonna attack me. LOL
Barbara,
Your bees know you! They just will take a taste off your skin! ha ha
I am going to have to make this foot scrub. It is an excellent way to pamper yourself. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I would never have thought of using this as a foot scrub. I love my feet being pampered not only will they feel softer but smell gorgeous too!
Chemicals can change the pH and metabolism of our mucous membranes (mouth, gut and vagina)
Our mucous membranes and skin are generally acidic, i.e. have a pH level of less than 7. Have you gotten onto the apple cider vinegar trend? There’s a scientific rationale of maintaining the right pH levels in our gut.
Our mucous membrane tract goes from our mouth to gut to vagina – so it makes sense that we maintain acidity in that entire tract. That’s why products need to be formulated to the right pH.
When we’re born, our baby skin has a pH of 7 or 8. We develop a protective acidic mantle of about 5.5 on our skin. Then as we age, we lose that mantle and become more prone to bacteria and other infections.
TIP: Check the pH of your skin products, particularly facial products. We want products that are a little acidic. It’s the reason why we spend so much time on pH in our R&D laboratories for our sexual health products.
Check Where Chemicals Are Hiding In Your Home HERE
OMG that is just horrible i had to share that i do use cast iron as much as possible but in the can foods and shampoo ect will have to watch for that good information thanks for sharing that
my gut needs a talking too… or my laziness one of the two LOL
Wendi,
Both!
Yes, we gotta take care of our GUT flora. Little do we realize that our HEALTH lives in our GUT!
Good gut flora is the KEY to a strong IMMUNE SYSTEM and our Health overall.
I have had women contact me about using coconut oil, Crisco, canola oil, even organic lard – in their vaginas.
What I always say is that you can use anything 🙂 but if it’s not the right pH, then it’s the wrong ingredient to use often. Although as I am aging, I am finding that even a slight pH disturbance is not good.
Also, food ingredients are fine for our mouths but not necessarily for our vaginas as foods are often processed with a lot of unknown chemicals and typically have a higher bacterial count.
Chia Chia,
What people are missing is the KEY ingredient, a piece of information that makes ALL the difference in the world.
In our case, it is pH of the product that we put inside our bodies.
PS: I am laughing at the “Crisco and organic lard” comment! I guess, it’s a desperation effort talking loudly that makes us do what we do.
Actually, it was an expert who recommended the Crisco :(. And a lot recommend coconut oil – which has a very high pH of 7 and is quite bad for our vaginas.
A lot of women have nowhere to go to and experiment themselves because of the taboo nature of the topic of vaginal dryness. But – it will change! And especially through forums such as this one!
WOW, Just wants me to go build a cabin in the woods and live off the land, LOL I have read about the benefits of coconut, now coconut is bad for the vagina.
Barbara,
It’s not that coconut oil is bad – it’s just not the right use of it!
Not all Naturals are created Equal!
Need to know where to use them! ha ha
I love coconut anything but we tested many different types of coconut and could never find one that’s the right pH.
This is something I know about with the change in Ph balance but never thought to think of checking the products for it. Thanks for sharing the information.
DAMIVA Products for Women Have Just the Right ACIDITY
DAMIVA has formulated two key products for women with the right acidity and nutrients to feed our skin cells. Their products – CLEO and MAE – are offered to women who are going through cancer treatments, pregnancy, peri-menopause and menopause.
Check Out More Details and INGREDIENTS IN CLEO HERE
Check Out More Details and INGREDIENTS IN MAE HERE
that sounds like a great product we need more like this in the world
Thank you Karen! This is what I’ve dedicated the rest of my life to – making “real” natural products for women.
Karen,
It’s not just the quality of the ingredients that makes the difference.
The key in this product is its pH! No right pH – NO EFFECTIVENESS for our bodies!
That’s it!
That’s absolutely right! pH is a chemical term and we don’t think of biochemistry when we are using products. But it’s absolutely key for all personal care products I believe; whether vaginal, skin. And also as you point out – our gut needs pH tuning all the time so that the right bacterial flora are growing.
It’s a lot of work and maintenance but I do believe it keeps us healthy and vibrant for decades.
I would love to try these products, The info sounds very interesting.
Depending on what you need most, Barbara, I really LOVE CLEO!
The smell and texture is great, and it actually stays on very well, too!
<3
These are products more women should use. They both sounds like amazing products.
Thank you! Please do share the info as we get our products out into the world!! Made by women for women is what we believe in.
Thanks Chia Chia Sun for all your help this week and sharing your incite with us all
Healthy eating and living are accounting for our increase in life expectancy
The gains in life expectancy are primarily due to the reduction of diseases such as heart disease, respiratory disease (due to smoking) and infectious disease. Globally, people are living longer with healthier lifestyles related to better eating (fewer heart attacks) and less smoking.
While obesity (leading to increased heart disease) can wipe out some of these gains, new BMI data from Denmark shows that our optimal BMI is not as low as we think.
TIP: Especially as we age, we shouldn’t be as concerned about a BMI under 25.
Soon, we will be launching the UnDiet Project for the women in our amazingly vibrant and closely-knit community. Sign up to take your journey into the years that count. We will step into our Bodies through our Mind and Soul – UnDiet Project To Support You As A Woman You Are.
Add Your eMail TO LEARN MORE WHEN UnDiet Project Launches
quit smoking cold turkey almost 8 years ago for my dads birthday so this year on OCT 10th it will be 8 years!! Greatest gift he ever received he said!! And you cant cant back a gift like that!! Keeps the will power in tact not to smoke and too smell someone that smokes upsets me that i used to stink like that LOL
i signed up
thanks i signed up
I signed up,
The UnDiet way of life is something everyone should look at. We all need to take care of yourself mind, body, and soul.
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i will come back later thanks for all this interesting good information
This is all great information on the natural and fake natural things in products. I know nothing about the Formaldehyde which I find very interesting. Thanks for sharing all the amazing information all week and a special thanks to Chia Chia Sun for all she has done to help this week.
Happy to do so! And thank you for contributing and helping women through your own experiences.
I love this post! Companies have gotten on to the fact that people wan’t natural. And now in true company fashion, they’re figuring out how to make “natural” in the cheapest, worst way possible.
Stacie,
Great point – To make a product in the cheapest way possible.
Where is the integrity and pride for their own creation? In fact, where’s a true sense of making it right for their customers?
That’s what makes sense only in “cents and dollars.” The rest is pure fabrication.
So true Stacie. 😀
As soon as I comment on this post, I’m going to go check the ingredients in my products. I didn’t realize formaldehyde was in some nail polish.
Such a great informative article! I agree about being as natural as possible! Since turning 30 ( I am almost 48 now ) I have used as many natural products as possible – switching from what I used when younger. My advice is to start natural even younger for the best health, and beauty!
I only have two more years until I hit 40 so this was a great article for me. I do try to live pretty natural but hadn’t thought about what might be hiding in some of my products. Thanks for the head’s up!
Great information for those that are dealing with this. I’m hoping that my life will continue to be vibrant as I age. 🙂
I am always looking for products that are as natural as I can get. I will have to check out Chia Chia Sun.
It’s so important to age gracefully and still stay vibrant and healthy. I am trying to lead a healthy lifestyle to be youthful.
That’s a shocking information about perfumes. I love coming here and learning so much. I am in my late forties and I can pretty well relate to all these.
I’m almost there at 45. Going to check all my products today as I have not been paying attention.
It is really important to try and use only natural ingredients and shy away from harmful chemicals if at all possible! I am way past my 40’s and I fear that all the chemicals that went in body over the years (no one knew better back when) has probably caused some of the problems I now am encountering. Yes, now I am very careful what goein in and/or on my body.
I am not looking forward to menopause. I’m nearing 40 and already get “hot” and “sweaty” when I do things around the house. I complain that it is hot and my husband says its not hot.
This is a very informative article and something I hadn’t thought of before. I need to do my research before my time comes!
Formaldehyde can be in nail polish? I’ve heard before that it can be in vinyl flooring, but this is the first time that I’ve heard the fact that it can be in nail polish too. That’s scary!
I bellevue in 100 % natural too and yet it’s so hard to come by these days… there’s so many chemicals in everything it seems! thanks for the info : )
As I get older, I have tried to use more natural products for my body. This was such a great discussion!
I would always go for 100% all natural products instead of anything that’s filled with chemicals. For me, it’s the best way to go especially since it won’t harm your body.
I had no idea that there could be formaldehyde in nail polish! That’s super scary!