Many women inching closer to their 40th birthday mistakenly believe that beginning a fitness regimen now is impossible. The good news, says Marla Ahlgrimm, is that there is never a bad time to prioritize physical fitness. Here, Ahlgrimm answers a few questions about how to get started as you prepare for menopause.

Q: What types of exercises can women start at 40?

Marla Ahlgrimm: The idea that exercises only for twentysomethings is something I strongly suggest letting go of. Exercise has numerous physical benefits, regardless of age. However, those who have never been one to hit the gym may wish to start with something like walking or jogging. Even aerobics classes, tennis, and martial arts can have a big impact on your health, no matter how many birthdays you’ve seen.

Q: What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercises?

Marla Ahlgrimm: The exercises we’ve mentioned previously are typically considered aerobic. This means they involve steady durations of activity that get the heart rate up. Anaerobic exercises, by contrast, are short bursts of movement. An example would be weight training or lunges. Aerobic exercises require deeper breathing and cause the heart rate to skyrocket, intensifying blood flow through the lungs and muscles. Anaerobic exercises require less oxygen and breakdown glucose in the body.

Q: How can exercise benefit a woman entering menopause?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Having a healthy body is one of the best ways to reduce the effects of menopause, which might include irritability, weight gain, and fatigue. Taking control of your weight through diet and exercise can also help you feel better about yourself in a time when many women begin to experience confidence and self-esteem issues.

Marla Ahlgrimm suggests that women consult with their doctors before beginning any new physical fitness routine. She notes that not all forms of exercises are ideal for everyone, and some women may wish to start with things like swimming or yoga, which are low-impact and improve strength and flexibility.

Women have three primary sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. What happens to these during menopause? And what do they do anyway? Marla Ahlgrimm answers a handful of common questions in today’s brief blog.

Q: What are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone?

Marla Ahlgrimm: These are sex hormones that determine, among many things, when a woman is ready to bear children. They are present throughout a woman’s lifetime, but undergo major changes both at puberty and at menopause. Estrogen is the hormone primarily responsible for the physical changes that signal womanhood, including the growth of breast tissue.

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You’ve almost no doubt heard someone say, “Just wait. Your metabolism will tank in your 30s!” But, what does this mean? And what is metabolism anyway? Marla Ahlgrimm offers up answers below. 

Q: What is metabolism?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Metabolism is the natural process your body uses to convert food into energy. The more efficient your metabolism, the faster your food is converted. This also means that you can eat more calories and do less physical activity without gaining a significant amount of weight.

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Many of us get caught up in the idea that we have to follow a strict diet in order to lose weight and be healthy. The truth is that structured eating plans are rarely effective as they are difficult to maintain and may not provide the body with all the nutrients they need, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Here, the women’s healthcare expert, author, and entrepreneur opens up about how to eat right for better health.

Q: Is it true that all diets lack something?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Typically, the trendy diets that you see online and television (think low-carb or paleo) tend to leave out important food groups. Further, strict calorie-reduction diets may mean that you eat too little. The best diet is to simply eat well and enjoy your indulgences in moderation.

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Women have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and women in healthcare even harder. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that female physicians, nurses, and pharmacists are some of the most affected individuals in the nation.

Historically, women have always borne the burden of taking care of family in times of need. This continues to hold true during the 2020 pandemic, says Marla Ahlgrimm. And, since our current crisis is of a medical nature, women in the healthcare industry may be struggling to maintain balance. According to the retired healthcare entrepreneur, female caregivers are busy taking care of patients while trying to figure out how to keep their own families safe from contamination.

Between perfecting decontamination routines, quarantining from family when exposed to the virus, and trying to manage children who are home from school, women in healthcare have a lot on their proverbial plates. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that all of these things combined have equaled another sub-crisis: women’s mental health.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, at nearly 10 months into a pandemic, many women, especially those that provide medical care, are at their mental health breaking point. She notes, however, that there are ways to regain control. These include:

• Do something nice for yourself. Marla Ahlgrimm says that something as simple as a warm bath in the evening or 20 minutes for a nice cup of coffee in the morning before everyone else wakes up can go a long way toward boosting your spirits.

• Let go. We are all used to juggling, but add in the extra balls of a pandemic, and your hands will be moving so fast you won’t be able to think. Let a few balls drop to prioritize those that are most important.

• Ask for help. Marla Ahlgrimm says this is perhaps the most difficult thing for women to do. We do not want to be perceived as weak, and we are often used to simply doing it ourselves. But, now is not the time for pride, and there is no shame in asking for help from your friends, family, or community when you need a helping hand.

Most medical conditions are easily explained. But, as Marla Ahlgrimm points out in the post below, not all fall into a recognizable category. Here, the women’s health expert, popular self-help author, and retired hormone specialist offers up information on some of the most unusual medical conditions known to science. 

Body Integrity Identity Disorder

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, body integrity identity disorder is extremely rare, and thankfully so. People who suffer with this bizarre condition believe that one of their body parts does not belong. They might, for example, feel as though their left arm or right foot is an alien part of the body. They may be repulsed at the sight of this unwelcome appendage. Fortunately, scientists have discovered a cause. People with body integrity identity disorder are missing crucial information regarding the body part in question on their body image map, a network of neurons in the brain responsible for recognizing your own physical features.

Congenital Insensitivity To Pain

Marla Ahlgrimm says that many people wish they did not feel pain or discomfort. While this may sound like a dream come true, particularly during childbirth, this disease is a nightmare for those that suffer from it. As the name suggests, it is congenital, meaning that you are born with it. Babies with this condition may bite their tongues off as they begin to teethe, break bones without crying, or experience significant damage to their eyes when they fail to instinctively remove foreign objects that may scratch the cornea.

Mass Hysteria

Typically thought of as a female-only issue, mass hysteria is most often associated with teenage girls, and it can be traced back to the days when witchcraft was an arrestable offense. It happens when a group of people experience hysterical symptoms, like fainting, laughing, convulsions, or seizures.

Parasitic Twin

A parasitic twin happens when an embryo, which would otherwise become twins, doesn’t fully separate. One twin may develop in entirety while the other only partially, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Parasitic twins were popular in 19th-century “freak show” acts, with many of the most famous being showcased at the PT Barnum Circus. Usually, these twins are absorbed by the healthy fetus, and most people today with a parasitic twin do not even know it.