Night Sweats, and Hot Flashes Story Contest

Here is the scenario; you have just finished working out at the gym in a spin class, aerobic, or yoga class or have been on the machines and now you are cooling down. You feel good and wiped the sweat off and are walking to get your stuff to leave. Who should stop you but (fill in the blanks here) the handsomest man, former co-worker, old boyfriend, or old flame, to chat. You notice during the chitchat that you are again sweating profusely. What is going on you ask??? Welcome to the world of hot flashes. Now take the same sweating you had going while working out but you are sleeping, or trying to, and welcome to the world of night sweats.

The reasons that cause night sweats and hot flashes are varied. Here are several reasons or causes: menopause, medications, various diseases, stress, diet, humid weather, too hot a bedroom, too many blankets, or just a high internal thermostat. So with all these reasons or causes affecting so many women, I can only imagine the hilarious stories around night sweats and hot flashes that need to be shared. A shared laugh with a sense of humor is the only way I know to get through this sweaty condition. So if you want to share your story, you may win a Haralee.Com item of your choice. Send us your story to Haralee@haralee.com.
Entry must be submitted by March 1, 2010. Winner will be announced by March 22, 2010.
The winner agrees to have their story published on our blog with your first name, or initials only.
Pictures are welcome.

Here is one of my stories: I just got out of a business meeting and met my sister for lunch. She told me I needed to freshen up in the restroom. Yes, one eyebrow was heading south down my check and my lipstick from my lower lip was creasing my chin. Not a pretty site and of course I wondered how long I looked like this while I was giving a presentation? All my sister and I could do was laugh.
Have some fun and share a laugh!

Shopping is a Good Thing Again

According to author Lee Eisenberg and his new book Shoptism, shopping is good again. Did you see his story in Parade Magazine? Just in time for the Holiday season, I am thrilled with Lee because he indorses the cost per wear formula and the ‘transform’ ourselves theory.

How many times have we all moaned about an expensive outfit we bought for a special occasion and only wore it once or twice and it is sitting in our closet going out of fashion by the hour? How many times have we looked at pictures of ourselves in said outfit and become bewildered that the transformation we were striving for was missed?

Let’s examine another example. How many days to you go to sleep? Usually that is everyday. So the sleepwear, nightgown or pajamas you wear, you wear everyday. How many times do you wear the same nightgown or pajamas because it is soft, comfortable, and makes you feel good? Would that be every night too?

How often have you put the buying of gifts for family members ahead of yourselves? How many times have you told family and friends that you don’t need anything for the holidays this year knowing they are still going to buy you something? Why not make this year different. Why not use Lee Eisenberg’s recommendations and buy and ask for what you want and need, a good night rest! Moisture wicking sleepwear can help.

Haralee.Com sleepwear offers soft, comfortable, beautiful, sexy, attractive and affordable sleepwear for all women. You deserve a good night sleep. Yes this is a bit self promoting but you also learned about an interesting author his latest book and a cost per wear formula! Shop today for a cooler tomorrow.

Girlfriends’ Guide to Menopause

How many times have friends complained about some symptoms and when you mention that it could be menopause you are told, “But I am TOO YOUNG!”???
If you are a good friend you reassure them that it is “Just” menopause. If you are a bad friend you go along with them and stay of the banks of the river Da Nile. Sometimes being a good friend is not well received and it is easier to just be a bad friend, but don’t go to that dark side, stay true to your friends and lead them down the road of menopause.

Here are the top 10 signs that you are in menopause:

1. Night sweats. Clammy, sticky, hot then cold waking night sweats
2. Sleeplessness. You fall asleep but then at 2 AM you are awake, or you don’t fall asleep until 2 AM.
3. IBB. Itty Bitty Bladder. You can not sleep through the night with-out visiting the bathroom around 2 AM. See number 2.
4. Hot Flashes or Hot Surges or Hot Flushes during the day, not just under stress. You haven’t worn a turtle neck in over a year.
5. Irritability. No one can do anything fast enough, slow enough, good enough, or just enough.
6. Mood Swings. Lifetime channel makes you cry and then mad then angry then happy.
7. Trying to Help Everyone. Note that Wonder Woman was young, not in her late 40’s or early to mid 50’s.
8. Menopooch. This is not a dog. This is you tummy that no matter how many kick boxing, Pilates classes you take there is a tiny meno bump.
9. Thinning Hair. Your hair dresser is lying when he/she says everyone looses clumps of hair in the shower, and on their hair brush everyday.
10. Memory Loss. This is a reassuring list. It’s not just you. Too bad you won’t remember to tell your friends, so forward it now before you forget!

Voting Hot Flashes

A friend of mine in another state told me she votes by mail because while in the voting booth, she gets a wee bit anxious and her anxiety triggers hot flashes.

Here in the state of Oregon, all voting is done by mail. Don’t want to mail your ballot, drop off boxes are located at libraries. In tallying up the ballots, many of the workers wear gloves because some of the ballots are covered with food. Some of the ballots are hard to read because of coffee stains. The ballots come out 2 weeks before the election and people are at their leisure casting their vote. This is code for they may be eating at the same time.

My friend thinks Oregon is on to some thing great with their vote by mail. I personally miss the excitement of voting in person. I would suffer a day full of hot flashes to go to a voting booth. I always wanted to be one of those ladies outside the voting booth who takes your ballot. They always looked like they were having fun, eating cookies and coffee and talking with each other. They would scornfully look up the precinct when people didn’t know where to vote. I was asked once with perfect scorn “you don’t know what precinct you are in?” Oh how I wanted that job!

Unless I move to another State or Oregon goes back to voting in person, my life career goal is gone, obsolete. The best I can do is stand in front of a drop off box sipping coffee eating cookies and hope someone will ask me the location of the box so I can make some scornful reply!

Fabulous Fabric Claims That Really Work

Speedo, the swim suit maker giant, has the LZR Racer. Swimmers wearing this suit have broken 38 world records since February! The LZR is made of fabric that claims to reduce drag in the water. I use the word ‘Claim’ because skeptics are many, even after 38 World Records are smashed! Even Nike, is allowing their 7 sponsored swimmers to wear the Speedo LZR Racer for the Olympic trials. Call me gullible but I am convinced.

Fabric technology has gone from hi-tech, to Wow Technology. Women experiencing night sweats, as well as athletes, wear clothes made from moisture wicking fabrics. When I started my company 4 years ago, I had many questions about this fabric such as, “Does It Work?” Now fabrics with moisture management properties are a part of our culture. Babies to Grannies are wearing clothes made from these fabrics. These fabrics can help us stay dry, and warm while being light weight, and comfortable.

The Olympics start 08/08/08. Dazzle your friends, co-workers and family members when the swimming events take place and you mention the advantages of the LZR Race!

Menopause Moments for Today

Physiological parallels between female gorillas and women at mid life is an on going study at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Dr. Susan Margulis of the zoo says they don’t have a way to measure hot flashes in gorillas but are using thermal guns which measure heat.
Animals living in captive are living longer than their counterparts in the wild. With the increase in age comes age related conditions like menopause. Beta, a 47 year old gorilla at the zoo recently had a hysterectomy.

I am fascinated with the aging female gorillas at this zoo. These girls can not take off layers, or put their hair up or cut it short to cool off. I wonder if they are sleeping well, and what about night sweats?I feel a connection with these menopausal gorillas and wish Dr. Sue and her research team and subjects the best of luck.

We are having a drawing the end of March from those of you who comment to our blog. Winner will get a Haralee.Com Log Baseball hat. Be sure to give your email address to be eligible.