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!“

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!

]]> http://realwomenonhealth.com/2010/05/16/better-sleep-the-next-feminist-issue/feed/ 2 http://realwomenonhealth.com/2010/05/15/looking-for-inspiration-look-no-further-than-anne-abernathy/ http://realwomenonhealth.com/2010/05/15/looking-for-inspiration-look-no-further-than-anne-abernathy/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 20:33:03 +0000 admin http://realwomenonhealth.com/?p=1070 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

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!

Have you ever wondered why anybody these days would need a muse?  They don’t pay the bills, they don’t find you a job, and they don’t take care of your awfully well-behaved teenagers.  They’re well…just pure inspiration.

Boy, do I have a muse to share with you…actually, I have more than one!

It all started last year on the wowOwow web site when our friends June and Kath answered a blog post created by their now “uber-muse” Allegra Huston called “What is It About Adam Lambert?”.  That blog, which has prompted 20,000+ responses (and counting!) included two prolific writers, June Kinoshita and Kath Hollinsworth. The process of their self-discovery – as they blogged through the summer – created a serendipity that transformed their lives and resulted in the publishing of their just-released book, “On the Meaning of Adam Lambert”,  which is analytical, entertaining and downright funny (but don’t take our word for it….see reader reviews on Amazon and Juneau and Xena’s blog).

As June said, “Life has a way of stuffing you into boxes. I was happy and fulfilled with the roles I was playing, but this Adam experience made me break out of my mold and tap into a creativity and passion I’d kept on tap for years.”   Clearly, their inner-Adam has been lit through writing about him and connecting other women who have also experienced a shift in their lives and relationships through the “glambertinas” and On the Meaning of Adam Lambert.

This week, we’re thrilled to be the catalyst to bring together Allegra with June and Kath in an online  dynamic and empathetic conversation that will help you find  your own muse…and tap into your passions, in unexpected ways….in our upcoming one hour Real Women on Health! radio show on “Finding Your Muse,” April 7th at 8:30 pm EST.

What will we talk about?

Ideas for “how to” release the energy that helps you find your muse, your spark.  How to ID the passions that have lain dormant and are ready for the light of day.  Stories from June and Kath’s  book… you won’t believe it but Scrabble will never be the same!  And you can call in and share your tips and stories of how you climbed out of your box.

Just so you know… If the name Huston sounds familiar you’re right on.  Allegra has no interest in name-dropping so all you have to do is pick up her acclaimed memoir “Love Child”. soon available in paperback, to find out more.  And check out her upcoming movie, “Good Luck, Mr. Gorski”

Don’t miss this one!   Join us on April 7th at 8:30 pm EST.

Are you hooked on diet sodas, thinking you can shed a few extra pounds by avoiding sugar? I’m sure your relationship can be quite addictive and I’d love to share this with you ….just saying:))

Here’s what Marcelle Pick, NP, Co-Founder of the Women-to-Women Clinic in Yarmouth, Maine has to say about diet sodas and how they affect women. “Companies have spent billions of dollars convincing all of us that diet soda is the healthier, lighter choice — that all we have to lose is the calories, ergo the weight. And since so many of us are struggling with weight gain, who can blame us if diet soda seems like a dream come true?

And while I admit that diet soda may have its uses in the short term — particularly if you are dealing with a sugar addiction — I encourage you to resist it as your default beverage, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Different studies have been flying around on this subject, but a majority show that diet soda may actually set you up to gain even more weight.”

Now a consumer advocacy group is questioning whether Coca-Cola should be allowed to sponsor a national heart health campaign. Granted Coca-Cola has 3.38 grams of sugar per ounce and Diet Coke has zero, but much controversy and scientific evidence swirls around the health risks of Diet Coke.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has issued a letter to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute asking the agency to end its partnership with Coca-Cola in a program that raises awareness of heart disease among women. Diet Coke is the most prominent sponsor of the Heart Truth campaign, which includes heart graphics on Diet Coke cans and appearances by the model Heidi Klum as the “Diet Coke heart health ambassador.”

In a statement, the center’s executive director, Michael Jacobson, compared Coke’s corporate sponsorship with allowing a cigarette maker to fund a government anti-smoking campaign. The fact that the campaign is sponsored by Diet Coke, rather than a sugar-laden soda brand, is irrelevant, he said.

“Coca-Cola promotes heart disease by marketing drinks that contribute to obesity,” Mr. Jacobson wrote. “Coke has long sought to affiliate with or co-opt health groups and associate its brand with athletes and models. I fervently hope that N.H.L.B.I. officials understand that letting Coke bask in their agency’s good reputation does American hearts far more harm than good.”

Coca-Cola defended its participation in the Heart Truth program, saying in a statement:

We’ve used our communications and marketing expertise to reach millions of people with this important heart health message. We’ve made free heart health screenings available to thousands of people across the country. As a result of The Heart Truth campaign, awareness that heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among women has risen to nearly 70 percent compared to 34 percent in 2000 when the campaign was first introduced. And since Diet Coke has been involved, awareness of The Heart Truth and our support of it has nearly doubled. We are extraordinarily proud of the work we’ve done in partnership with N.H.L.B.I. and Heidi Klum to have a positive impact on the lives of our consumers.

Since other food marketer, like the snack food company Snyder’s of Hanover and the Sara Lee Corporation, are co-sponsors of the campaign, we know corporate money is an essential partner in public health…but how do you balance it out with the fact that processed food is cheaper than whole food?

And, this is where the problem lies. Inside processed foods lie a cornucopia of ingredients best left outside the human body.

Have you heard about Jenny Sanford’s new book “Staying True”?

Just recently, Jenny Sanford talks to the women on “The View”. Open communication can create opportunities for healing and understanding – even in the most difficult of situations. Jenny Sanford’s release of her new book highlights her journey in coming to terms with her husband’s affair with his mistress from Argentina. And, her ability not to be a “victim” turns out to be inspiring for many women.

Yet, many women have opinions about how Jenny Sanford got married in the first place as Mark wanted to get rid of the word “fidelity” in their vows.

What’s your opinion on this? Should she have married him despite his inability to say that he would be faithful in his marriage. As Jenny says, everyone has doubts about getting married:))

Better yet, what would you have done?

I asked one of our Real Women on Health! experts, Janis Spring, PhD, that same question as she is the author of the best-selling “After the Affair”. Janis said, “I haven’t read Jenny Sanford’s new book, but on the question, should you marry someone who wants to delete the idea of fidelity from your vows?”, I’d start with wanting to know the meaning of that partner’s objection. It may mean tons; it may mean little. After all, most people enter marriage swearing fidelity, but, often, end up having affairs. Other people question whether they can promise fidelity but stay true to their partner. I’d say, verbal promises and commitments provide no guarantee of fidelity but, while the wedding bells are still ringing, if one partner has serious doubts about the likelihood he’d/she’d stay faithful, I’d say the other partner who values fidelity should have as much discomfort with their willingness to tie the knot.”

Dr. Spring is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology, a recipient of the Connecticut Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Practice of Psychology, and has served as a clinical supervisor in the Department of Psychology at Yale University. She received her B.A. from Brandeis University, magna cum laude, her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut, and her post-graduate training from Aaron Beck, M.D., at the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. In private practice for more than three decades, Dr. Spring is known for the richness and originality of her clinical skills and trains hundreds of therapists each year. She is a popular media guest on programs such as NPR, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper 360, and the CBS Early Show, and she presents regularly at such public venues as The Smithsonian Institute, Harvard’s Continuing Education Conferences, Smith College School of Social Work, and Kripalu Institute. She and her husband live in Westport, Connecticut, and have four sons.

“Reinvention…Restoration…Relaxation..or Get Real!

Upcoming on-line radio show this Wednesday, February 3rd at 8:30 pm EST

The women-to-women on-line radio show will be dynamic conversation to help women de-code the meaning of Reinvention for their own personal and professional lives. The outcome of the show will be greater insights into how women can access and embrace their true self in attaining personal wellbeing.

We realize that women have many different ways of thinking about Reinvention…and we’re going to explore them all!

Join us live and online for our next RealWomen on Health! online health salon and radio show with Suzanne Douglas Harris, MBA, Personal and Professional Life Coach and Susan James, Co-Founder, Self-Discovery Group, LLC in a dynamic conversation with Kelley Connors, MPH, Women’s Wellness Coach and Cassie Holm, Women’s Advocate and Communications Strategist.

Suzanne brings a distinctive blend of expertise, solid experience and personal empathy, especially around career and life changes.  Susan brings a mastery of cutting edge techniques that put her at the forefront in the field of human consciousness evolution and “true self” facilitator of leaders around the world.   They’ll be the catalyst for you to explore “reinvention” in your own life.

Just dial in on Wednesday, February 3rd at 8:30 pm EST to www.blogtalkradio.com/realwomenonhealth. If you have not registered yet, please do so and you’ll receive a link that will allow you to listen through your computer. If you would rather use a phone to listen, just dial (646) 929-2625 and you’ll be connected to our conversation. You can choose to listen or talk!

Welcome to our on-line radio show and women’s health and wellness community where we give women the platform to share their voice, experience and professional expertise with women “like us”.

Our host and founder, Kelley Connors, is a women’s wellness coach and women’s health advocate who brings real women together with experts on health to create new conversations that are educational, inspirational and fun.   Cassie, the show’s co-host,  is a communications strategist who’s worked on the front lines of women’s health, diabetes, sexual health, breast cancer and more.  She adds commentary from the latest published women’s health research to help fuel the conversation, supporting women’s desires for credible information.

Together, they aim to transform the women’s health conversation to one that inspires not just “talk” but “action”.   We’re all about women becoming more proactive – no matter their health challenges.

OUR TOPICS: Our topics range from prevention to treatment, wellness to reinvention and re-vitalization.  There’s no topic that’s taboo and no topic we won’t consider important from a women’s perspective.  We’re here to bridge the gap between your life and your health and to encourage and support women in being their own best health and wellness advocates.  While the topics are health-oriented, Kelley, Cassie and their real women guests bring charisma, personality and pizzaz to create a fun, light atmosphere so women feel comfortable to share their stories.

HOW WE DO IT: Real Women on Health! is in tune with who the experts and advocates in areas of women’s health that women tell us are important to them, like sexuality and intimacy, cancer survivorship, environmental health, skin care, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions that affect women in ways that are not easy to discuss in a healthcare setting.

HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT: Most important to women is privacy.  We know where women prefer to remain anonymous in describing their issues and we respect their privacy.  That’s why we use both the telephone and the computer to create our live conversations – and women can, indeed remain completely “nameless” on our calls.  Also, we have content partnerships with the nation’s leading health organization, HealthyWomen, which grants us access to leading healthcare professionals and researchers who are on the front lines of women’s health issues – both treating women as patients and leading research trials that impact women’s health and healthcare.

So, we bring in healthcare experts that are world re-known and locally re-known to add credibility to our “candid conversations” among women.

Finally, we wrap up our conversations with a re-cap of action steps and post a call to action with resources on our blog.  So, if you miss a show, you can find out more on our blog on a page called Well-Care Tips.

Interested in joining us?

Here’s how you can participate in the community:

1.  Find out about our on-line radio shows first!   SIMPLY LISTEN RIGHT NOW THROUGH YOUR COMPUTER!

2.  Share Your Story: e-mail me kelley@kc-health.com and tell me about yourself and your health and wellness experience. Let’s discuss how you want to share your story with other women.

3. Receive Our Updates on Events and Stories:  email me at kelley@kc-health.com to receive our monthly Real Women on Health! updates, radio shows and events.

4.  Be an Expert or Advocate:  email me if you’re a women’s health advocacy group leader who would like to express your point of view on our show.   Or if you’re a researcher or healthcare professional,  you’re invited to share your expertise with others to spark dialogue and inspire action!

If you’re a woman in her 40’s and 50’s it’s a pivotal time. Your body is changing in dramatic ways that will remind you of…er..hormonal swings much like what you experienced in puberty.  Your memory will become slightly porous, and you may be at risk for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.  There’s alot at stake.  Especially as women retire later with conditions like osteoporosis.  But, as you head into midlife, there’s also a lot you can do to be the strongest, nimblest, and healthiest version of yourself possible.

Share Your Experience and Expertise in Our On-line Radio Show called “What You Can Do Now to Feel Great In Ten Years

Join Ivy Alexander, PhD, Associate  Professor of Nursing at Yale Unversity School of Nursing and Mid-life Women’s Health Consultant at Yale University

Prevention and treatment of bone loss is a key issue for women in their 40’s and 50’s.  And, new research from HealthyWomen indicates that older working women’s ability to work may be undermined by their suboptimal management of osteoporosis.

Join Dr.  Alexander in a conversation about diet, exercise, complementary therapies, and those medications which can treat bone loss after it has occurred.

We’ll be joined by other members of the Real Women on Health! community like Lisa Sheehan, skin care aesthetician.  Lisa will share her perspective on bringing a woman’s inner beauty to skin care, where her outer beauty can  truly shine.

Date: Thursday evening, January 14,  2009

Time:  8:30 pm EST

Place:  www.blogtalkradio.com/realwomenonhealth

Sponsored by

Here’s how you can join us:

Just for Audio via Telephone: : (646) 929-2625 or You can just listen through your computer and Live Chat, Real-Time, And Network with Others

1. First, and before the show starts, you must register yourself with www.blogtalkradio.com
2. To go to the show live, type in http://www.blogtalkradio/realwomenonhealth and you will hear the discussion.
3. If you want to use the chat feature, you will be able to do so and ask your question that way. Or just post a comment on what you think!

This on-line radio show was sponsored by