Do you find yourself filled with regret for the many times you have said “yes” when what you really felt was “no”…”not now, not ever, and not in my wildest dreams”?

Real Women on Health! invites bloggers who focus on health and wellness to join us on our online radio show on July 27th at 8 pm EST to talk about “Why Women Can’t Say No.”

This important and thought-provoking show will include discussion of initial results of a brief survey on the topic, which explores why women say “yes” to requests even when they know it’s ultimately not a wise decision.

We’ll also feature guest Audrey Nelson, a gender communication specialist and blogger for “He Speaks, SheSpeaks” at Psychology Today.  This will be an open forum for women’s health, relationship, and lifestyle bloggers like you to  share your experience and thoughts around this issue and will be available as an on-demand podcast for you to offer to your audience.

Feel free to take this survey yourself, and post it to your blog to engage your own readers and visitors for some fun.  This is a four part series that will result in an e-book and video with credits to you, and all participants.

We hope you find this topic as compelling as we do!  We’d be thrilled and honored to have you join us in the conversation.

Please let us/me know by Monday, July 26th if you can join us!  Email us at cassie@realwomenonhealth.com or kelley@realwomenonhealth.com to find out more details.

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“I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. What do you want? An adorable pancreas?” — Jean Kerr, American author and playwright.

For me, beauty starts with my skin and..from the outside in, works its magic.  Beauty IS art, its ever-changing..and for me, while  its definitely in the eyes of the beholder, it all starts with ME.

When people say “You look good!”..I believe its because my skin looks glowing…at least on my face!  (although I’ve never asked..gee, why do you say that?  Just take the complement and run with it!)

But skin is the largest organ in our bodies by far…and the one that faces the world every day – imperfections, scales, dark circles and freckles and more…

And, now that I’m approaching menopause,  I can’t seem to drink enough water – 8 glasses a day is a real challenge.  So, I have a hard time believing  I’m hydrating my skin enough.

My big question is:  with skin being our largest organ,  do we reap the benefits of drinking water to reduce dryness on the outer layer?

There is alot of controversy on this point.  Many experts refute that drinking water will hydrate the outer layer, or epidermis of skin.   Basically the moisture level of skin is not determined by internal factors. Instead, it is external factors such as skin cleansing, the environment, the number of oil glands, and the functioning of these oil-producing glands that determines how dry the skin is or will become.

Since the water moves through the body system rather quickly, the best solution is to treat the skin from the outside with a suitable and dry skin moisturizer or dry skin lotion. This forms an effective barrier to water loss from the skin.

When choosing your moisturizer, it may take some trial and error to find the right one.   And, if you’re not getting the results you want, try a new one the next time:

1. Note the first five ingredients. Look for common active ingredients, such as lanolin, glycerin, or petrolatum.  Glycerin is less likely than lanolin to cause an allergic reaction, she says. Also, pick a moisturizer that’s made by a reputable company.

2. Go for added sunscreen. Protecting your skin from harmful sun damage is one of the best things you can do to keep your skin looking young, so buy a moisturizer with a sun protection factor of at least 30. You’ll have to do some searching, but more companies are offering face and body moisturizers with sunscreen

3. Make it skin-type appropriate. The skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive, so it’s a good idea to use a different moisturizer on your face than you do on your body. Of course, choose one that’s right for your skin type. If you know you have sensitive skin, it’s always a good idea to look for a moisturizer labeled hypoallergenic. If you have oily skin, go with a light, oil-free moisturizer. If you have dry skin, get something richer. And if you have combination skin, go with a lighter moisturizer for your whole face and dot drier areas with a heavier cream.

Keep in mind that you may need a lighter lotion in the summer, and a cream or ointment in the winter.

Consider using a moisturizer with retinol before bed. Retinol is vitamin A for your skin and it works by increasing the speed at which your skin cells turn over – similar to a lufra.  You can find it over the counter or by prescription, but use it carefully as it may cause a skin irritation, red skin, or dry skin.

To find out more, you’re invited to join our conversation with our skin health expert, Dr. Deborah Sarnoff, renowned dermatologist  and member of the Eucerin SkinFirst Council, about how to keep your skin healthy.   She’ll tell you why and how what you eat and drink, as well as exercise and stress all can have an impact.  You’re invited to join Kelley and Cassie on July 12th at 11:30 am here.

Join us and make your pledge to keep your skin looking great! Proceeds from your click here will benefit HealthyWomen.org.

Filed under: Kelley Connors, Wellbeing, Wellness, anti-aging, beauty, health, healthcare marketing, healthcare public relations, marketing health to women, real women on health, water, women's health education, women's wellness | No Comments »

Padded cycling shorts, foldable tire tubes, CO2, custom fit road bike, sunscreen, headband…and more. If you like buying “gear” and “gadgets” you’ll love road biking!  Not only that, but the health benefits of cycling on a regular basis include greater cardiovascular strength and strong leg muscles.

Always ready to try a new sport, especially that I’m now “of a certain age”, you must know my bike riding track record is no more than what it was when I was six years old…down to the penny candy store and back.  Yet,  once I found out that not all people with leukemia are as fortunate as my newly-diagnosed dad,  I figured…the worse that can happen is that I am humiliated on my first hill and have to jump in the sag wagon, a version of a van taxi on a mountain.

The “give it a try” was instigated also by my sister, Kara.  Her reasoning was that we can’t cure dad’s chronic myelogenous leukemia,  but we can help find a cure or at least advance medical research.  Because thankfully, he was one of the lucky ones.  CML can be treated these days with a drug called Gleevec but that’s only been made possible because of fundraising championed and organized by patient advocacy and fundraising organizations like the  Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

So, we decided to do a Century together around Lake Tahoe…”America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride”.

We trained for over 14 weeks to strengthen our legs, lungs and heart for this “century” ride.   The bottom line is that I learned so much from the coaches support, knowledge and experience with endurance training – as well as from their unrelenting attitude that we bikers were the engine behind the research – and the thousands of other novice, intermediate and advanced bikers who decide they can make a difference by fundraising money for this ride.

With the $4,500 I raised by reaching out to receptive and generous friends and donors,  LLS paid for my roundtrip airline ticket to Lake Tahoe, as well as two nights hotel.  The real gift is this: they also provided me with top rate bike coaching for the 14 weeks that we trained for this event.  Since I live in Connecticut,  our training rides consisted of  riding 25-65 mile routes on early Saturday mornings from March through May.

It’s really true what the coaches say “if you can bike the routes we plan for you…you’ll be prepared for Tahoe!”.

Together, my husband, Julien,  my sister, Kara, and I rode the hilling, windy, hot and oxygen-light terrain with 2,000 other LLS bikers on June 6th starting from near the Embassy Suites Hotel.   In total, just the three of us raised 13,000.00 for LLS – a mere drop in the bucket for research purposes, but, the collective LLS riders  in Tahoe raised over $6 million!  More than 75% of money raised goes to drug research and patient care for the many types of blood cancers for which there is STILL no cure.

Does this interest you at all?

I would recommend charity bike riding to mid-life women and am looking to establish a group women nationally – with the LLS as our coaches and supporters. Their superb organizational and coaching skills are unsurpassed and their dedication to finding a cure is contagious!

The benefits?

The benefits included getting stronger legs and a stronger cardiovascular system.  The biggest benefit for me was knowing with every ride that I was giving hope to a cure for the millions of patients and future-patients with blood cancers.  I get a knot in my throat when I think about the stories of patients.  And, I am grateful that bikers, years ago,  were able to fundraise so – today, my dad can just pop a pill to manage his condition.

I also have a myriad of new friends who shared an adventure with a common and elusive goal.

Kelley’s well care tip:

“how not to feel old..on a bike!“

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This week’s radio show features two fascinating women, Barbara Grufferman who has “cracked the code” on how to be your best after 50, and Sharon Terry, President and CEO of Genetic Alliance and a recent recipient of a Ashoka Fellow Award, the equivalent of a “MacArthur’s Genius Award” among leading social entrepreneurs and the world’s change-makers.

Sharon, our first featured guest, will talk about her journey from devastated parent to, dare we say, “genius?” A former college chaplain who took the life-altering news of her children’s rare genetic condition and created a movement to improve health outcomes for people suffering from genetic diseases, she is a stunning example of how one Real Woman can make a difference.

Sharon’s joined by fellow guest Barbara Grufferman, author of the acclaimed The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts’ Guide to Style, Sex, Health. Money and More. Recently featured on “The Today Show” and in Huffington Post, The Best of Everything…. is the essential handbook to being a healthy and strong woman “of a certain age.”  It combines practical girlfriend-to-girlfriend advice from Barbara, a self-described “very inquisitive woman over 50,” and professional expertise from leading authorities in women’s health, nutrition, exercise, makeup, hair, fashion, finance, organization and sex.

Seriously, this book is one-stop shopping for those of us looking to feel and be our best!

In addition to featured guests, Real Women on Health! continues to bring listeners “Inside the Beltway” news from Robin Strongin, a Washington DC public affairs leader and creator of Disruptive Women on Health, an online platform for provocative ideas, thoughts, and solutions in the health arena.

RWoH! wants to hear your answer to the question: what are your tips for being a fabulous woman over 50?  Tune in Wednesday night and tell us what you think by calling 203-845-3044, or email us at  talktous@realwomenonhealth.com.  This is your big chance – we’ll be giving away a copy of Barbara’s book to a random caller.

Real Women on Health! is broadcast live on 1350 WSTC/1400 WNLK Fairfield County’s News Talk station from 8 pm to 9 pm EST and available via streaming at http://wstcwnlk.com/.  It can also be uploaded as a podcast on-demand after our live show.

Filed under: Reinvention, anti-aging, beauty, health, healthcare marketing, healthcare public relations, real women on health, sleep, women's healthcare, women's wellness | 2 Comments »

Spark the dialogue!

From Healthcare 2.0, to summer sun and skin cancer prevention, to sleep and sex, to a 6-time Olympic winning Guinness World Record holder….Real Women on Health! May 19^th radio show runs the gamut of guests and conversations.

The health consequences of sleep deprivation are already known, how cheating your body of the R&R it needs can make you more prone to illness, stress, traffic accidents and even weight gain.   Arianna Huffington believes getting enough shut-eye is the next feminist issue.  After all, women have already broken glass ceilings in politics, sports, business and the media – just imagine what we can do when we’re fully awake.

Can’t get to sleep?

You’ve heard wrong.  Sex is exercise and a way to get yourself to sleep.  Too tired to do much of anything?  Listen in for some solutions that can help you in this area.

Lastly, you’ll get a taste of the inspirational this week with Anne Abernathy, a Guinness World Record holder who’s the oldest woman ever to compete in the Winter Olympics Games.  Tune in to Real Women on Health! blogtalkradio at 12:30pm EST on Friday, May 21st to learn more about how she took up lugeing at the age of 33 (“the ski slopes were crowded”) and overcame multiple health issues to now become a women’s health advocate especially around bladder control.

Please join Kelley and Cassie hosts of  Real Women on Health! and their guests this Wednesday, May 92th at 8 pm – 9 pm EST streaming live on your computer. Or, if you’re near Fairfield County, Connecticut,  its 1350 or 1400 on the AM dial!

Filed under: Wellbeing, Wellness, anti-aging, beauty, breast cancer, caregiving, health, healthcare marketing, healthcare public relations, nutrition, real women, real women on health, sleep, women's health, women's wellness | 2 Comments »

OK. It’s almost summer, and barreling down a luge looks icey… but inspiration is season-less:))

You’re invited! Tune in and ask questions as Kelley and Cassie talk with Anne Abernathy, aka Grandma Luge, here on our radio show Friday, May 21st at 12:30 p.m.

Not exactly sure who Anne is? Anne is a six-time Olympic luger who has broken boundaries, records, and stereotypes throughout her career. Anne began competing in the Olympics at age 33, an age when most other luge athletes retired. Her career spanned 26 years. She is the first woman to qualify for six Winter Olympics and, despite battling through major life threatening injuries, cancer, and numerous knee surgeries, she has made multiple comebacks and become a fixture in the sport.

Before her first Olympic appearance in 1988, Anne was diagnosed and treated for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Although the cancer returned several times during her sports career, Anne tried to keep it hidden from the public through three Olympic appearances until it was revealed in a front-page article of the Washington Post prior to the 1998 Nagano Olympics. These were the days before Lance Armstrong broke the stigma of cancer making athletes ‘less than.’

During her career as a luger, she also suffered a serious accident resulting in a brain injury that caused significant medical problems. Within a year of therapy and rehabilitation, she was able to return and qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Anne is in the Guinness World Records book as the oldest woman ever to compete in the Winter Olympics Games. She broke the record first in the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics and again in Torino in 2006.

In 2010, Anne joined TENA, maker of bladder protection products, to let women know about the  “Be Tenacious” campaign and is inspiring women to face this common condition head on and to speak out and seek solutions. As an older athlete in her sport, when Anne experienced bladder control issues she faced a challenge of which her teenage peers were unaware and one that many of her contemporaries were reluctant to discuss.

She now hopes to be a resource for other women and to bring the condition to the forefront of women’s conversations. For more information on bladder control issues, as well as a wide range of other health topics,  go to HealthyWomen.org

Filed under: Wellbeing, Wellness, anti-aging, health, real women on health, sexual health, women's health, women's healthcare, women's wellness | 2 Comments »

How do women find the time to “do good” these days and have fun?

Enter Mary Jo Wallo.

Mary Jo Wallis is your basic renaissance woman.  In addition to surfing, snowboarding and running her own investment company in San Diego she has taken on the mantle as a national leader to Fight Frump (and Give Back!), or do “Altruism with Attitude!”  How, you ask?  Yes the sports play a role but there’s also her vision as co-creator of The Blue Thong Society, a national social and philanthropic women’s organization that’s grown since its inception in 2006 to 300 chapters and 5000 members.

Mary Jo joins Real Women on Health! as our featured guest this week, where she’s going to talk about The Blue Thong Society, give tips on what women can do to “Fight Frump!” by finding like-minded women and giving back, and tell us how BTS  was born.  A hint: it all started at her 50^th birthday when a friend noted that it could be time for the gift of a red hat.  Mary Jo laughed and said a blue thong was more her style…..and the rest, as they say, is history!

We’ll also hear from clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine and private practitioner in New Haven, Connecticut.  Dr. Mary Jane Minken, widely known in the field of gynecology and as a leader in women’s health education both inside and outside the medical community, is giving a couple of minutes of her time to talk to us about powering your pelvic core….

Join Kelley Connors, host, Real Women on Health! with Cassie, Mary Jo and Dr. Mary Jane Minkin,  this Wednesday, May 12th at 8 pm – 9 pm EST streaming live on your computer or, if you live near Fairfield County, Connecticut  listen “on the AM dial” at 1350/1400.

Our show is sponsored by Zestra, essential arousal oils, a patented blend of botannicals that is clinically proven to improve desire, arousal and satisfaction for 70% of women.  Check this out and use promo code ZPASS5 at check out!

Filed under: Kelley Connors, Uncategorized, Wellbeing, anti-aging, health, healthcare communications, marketing health to women, proage, real women, sexual health, women's health, women's wellness | 3 Comments »

Life has a way of taking its twists and turns and ups and downs….and soon enough we’re over 40 and wondering when, if ever, we’ll “hit our stride”.

Self-acceptance and self-esteem are closely related…and arises as you learn that you are perfect with all your  accomplishments, victories, and … vices.  Self-acceptance is as essential to one’s well-being as water is to a blooming flower.   Have you ever re-framed your “inadequacies”  and lack of self-acceptance into a humor and candor….where laughter has a place in healing and well-being?

Move over Candace Bushnell… and meet Amy Cohen, a New York Times Best-selling author of “The Late Bloomer Revolution”.   Amy says it well here, “I like to think of myself as a late bloomer, one who will, however, late come into bloom.   Although when, and if, I bloom remain a mystery.   I wish I knew how to speak a foreign language fluently.  I wish I knew how to cook a simple roast chicken, or that I had read the Idiot whose main character sounds like someone I can relate to.

By 35, Amy learned to ride the bike of her life.    Click here to take the Late Bloomer’s Quiz and join “The Late Bloomer’s Revolution”.    And, try your guess on our last question of the Late Bloomer’s Quiz here to talk with us.

Speaking of living life on our terms…learn what’s going on “inside the beltway” and take control of your healthcare with our radio show’s Washington, DC correspondant, Robin Strongin.   A true woman’s advocate with the connections to make it happen, she reveals the knowledge that will empower us women to become our own best health and wellness advocates.

Robin is the founder of Disruptive Women in Healthcare, a thriving blogging community of high powered women who are driving innovation in healthcare with thought-provoking ideas and commentary on the nation’s challenges.   This week,  she’s disrupting the status quo with a grasp on why you can’t take clinical trial information at face value…what you need to ask your doctor to stay in control of your health and well-being.

Join Kelley, Cassie, Robin and Amy on Real Women on Health! live talk radio this Wednesday, May 5th at 8 pm – 9 pm EST on your computer at www.wstcwnlk.com streaming live or, if you live near Fairfield County, Connecticut  listen “on the AM dial” at 1350/1400.

Our show is sponsored by Zestra, essential arousal oils, a patented blend of botannicals that is clinically proven to improve desire, arousal and satisfaction for 70% of women.  Check this out and use promo code ZPASS5 at check out!

Filed under: Inspiration, Kelley Connors, Reinvention, Wellness, anti-aging, healthcare marketing, healthcare public relations, marketing, marketing health to women, marketing to women, real women on health, women's health public relations, women's healthcare, women's wellness | 1 Comment »

We’re a culture that mixes sexy and boobs.  So, can a woman feel sexy without breasts?

For breast cancer, and other, survivors, the question sounds just as practical as  provoking.  Breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer affecting women, except non-melanoma skin cancer.  It’s commonness increases with age  and with more targeted treatments available today, women are living longer with cancer.

But the effects of treatment remain.  In some cases, women choose to have their breast removed as prevention… while others have no choice and must have surgery and chemotherapy. Regardless of the path a woman chooses,  cancer wreaks havoc on her “sensual self”.   From the toxic effects of chemotherapy on hair and skin to the disfigurement of breast removal, how do women regain a sense of sensuality?

And, what about sex?  Does sex have a place in living with cancer?

Sensuality and sexuality and what happens after cancer are vital questions for women coping with cancer today.

Because the loss of sexual desire after cancer has more than one reason behind it, restoring libido or “desire” often requires more than one solution.   It’s not at all just about boobs for many women.  And, sometimes the desire for sex remains strong, however, the physiological effects of cancer treatment itself interferes with performance or pleasure.

The topic is one plagued by the medicalization of women’s health, the lack of communication between the healthcare professional and patient, societal taboos around sex and women’s bodies, poor communication between intimate partners and lack of understanding of the impact of cancer treatment.  In fact, in the beginning, women may feel guilty that they are thinking about anything other than “surviving” so the question of  “What’s going to happen to my sex life” is left outside of any medical setting.

Since women don’t talk about it with healthcare professionals, Real Women on Health! will open up the dialogue with Lisa Martinez, former Executive Director of the Women’s Sexual Health Foundation, on Wednesday evening 8 pm EST on local radio WSTC 1350/WNLK 1400 or live streaming on the web at www.wstcwnlk.com.

Lisa Martinez is a consultant and educator on women’s health issues and was the Founder of The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation. As a registered nurse and an attorney, she is a leader in the area of women’s health.  She has appeared on CBS News LA and ABC, and has been interviewed on various NPR programs. She has served as a source for multiple media concerns including CBS, The Wall Street Journal, Self, More Magazine, and Discovery Health.

Our radio show is sponsored by Zestra, essentail arousal oils, a patented blend of botannicals  clinically proven to improve arousal, desire and satisfaction in 70% of women.   Please click here to learn more about Zestra and use this code:  ZPASS5

Filed under: Inspiration, Uncategorized, Wellbeing, Wellness, breast cancer, healthcare marketing, marketing, real women on health, women's healthcare, women's wellness | 2 Comments »

Our last radio show with Allegra Huston, June Kinoshita and Kath Hollinsworth was one of our best because we fueled the expression of what women do best – support, friendship, understanding and empathy.

While June and Kath revealed their own amazing and authentic creative process behind their book “On the Meaning of Adam Lambert”, this time, Wednesday evening at 8 pm EST, we’re going  to be talking to Allegra Huston about her creative workshop “Imaginative Storm” as well as her newly launched book “Love Child” and her new short film called “Good Luck, Mr. Gorski”.

So, tune in or listen in on your radio dial to our new talk radio show found at 1350 WSTC/1400 WNLK (if you’re in metropolitan New York City).  You can also call us with your comments or email us at talktous@realwomenonhealth.com

Here are some reader reviews of Allegra Huston’s book, “Love Child”, which you can buy here.

“An exceptional telling of an extraordinary life. I loved it.” – Salman Rushdie

• “I was so moved by Love Child. It reminded me of Faulkner, specifically The Sound and the Fury. It offers a remembrance that propelled me back to being a blank slate faced with a terribly specific world. So much that appears attractive, and yet so little you can actually have. Allegra Huston walked away from an empty dream, and found the treasure her mother gave her.” – John Patrick Shanley, author of Doubt

• “This extraordinary book reveals the all but unendurable sorrow of loss, and the difficulties of those unwilling to live in a world without love. Because Huston’s concerns are with what she has seen and learned, rather than with alienation and the affixing of blame, her memoir glimmers with triumphant wisdom” – Susanna Moore, author of The Big Girls and In the Cut

• “A touching glimpse of the pain and longing felt by a child who doesn’t quite belong to anyone, this unsentimental journey through the star-studded vacuum of her various families is unexpectedly tender and fgorgiving. She writes with an artist’s eye for detail, with the clear gaze of a small outsider, searching forever for love” – Joanna Lumley

Talk to you Wednesday evening!

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