who exercised versus those did not. Men got the best results 4 times or more a week. While women reaped a similiar benefit exercising just 1-4 times a week.

"Getting your daily dose of cardio seems like a no brainer to me," says women's exercise program expert Mirabai Holland.

Here's a link to an NIH article on the study

"NIH-funded study suggests that moving more may lower stroke risk."

A study from the Mayo Clinic has revealed that menopause and weight gain are linked because proteins that store fat do it better when estrogen is lost after menopause.  They also cause fat to be burned by the body more slowly so weight gain after menopause is hard to fight. Something else happens too.  A study in the Journal of Obesity points out that post menopausal women gain about 12 pounds following menopause. And even women that don’t see weight gain after menopause experience a shift in body shape that expands their waistline.

That’s because lower estrogen levels cause fat to shift from hips and thighs to the belly. Belly fat has been linked to higher incidence of heart disease. So menopause and weight gain is a serious health issue, not just a cosmetic one.

So what does one do about menopause and weight gain?

The only way to get rid of that belly fat is to lose weight everywhere and sculpt your body with exercise. Let’s talk calories. 1lb of weight equals 3500 calories. So to lose 1lb a week exercise 200 calories off with about a half hour of moderate cardio a day and eat 300 calories less every day. That 500 hundred multiple by 7 days will get you on the track to lose one pound per week. What can make this process easier is combine cardio with strength exercises. Try this anti menopause and weight gain routine.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday do 30-60 minutes of moderate cardio exercises like

Brisk walking, swimming, biking jogging, or dance exercise videos.

Menopause pre and post is on the mind of many women. I’d like to share this exercise study that showed that regular exercise did not reduce the intensity or amount of hot flashes in post menopausal women. However, those women that exercised on a regular basis slept better and were less depressed. Guess what? Many of my clients (myself included) who were avid exercisers also said their hot flashes did not diminish. But they experienced less mood swings and had more energy than others who exercised less or not at all.

The best exercises for cancer patients is a combination of the three major components of fitness: Cardio, Strength and Flexibility. These types of exercise can have a positive impact on cancer patients and survivors. Easy aerobic exercise for cancer patients, has been shown to increase hemoglobin levels, reduce inflammation, lessen fatigue, keep muscles in shape for better every day activities, increase self confidence, reduce depression and aid in recovery of surgery.

Other research has shown strength and flexibility exercises to be good exercises for cancer patients helping them return to a normal activity level sooner.

Exercise and social support seem to increase the life expectancy of breast cancer survivors, preventing recurrence.

At the beginning, gently move a few minutes at a time, and build up at your own pace. Try walking, light aerobics or swimming. As you get stronger, add a couple of days a week of light resistance training. On days you feel more tired, try doing a few stretches.

For more info on exercise and cancer check out this link from the American Cancer Society

Personal Note: It has been my privilege and joy to use my skill as a Health and Fitness Specialist to help many women manage their cancer with the healing properties of movement and exercise. It is from my own experience, that exercising on a regular basis, eating healthy food and reducing your stress can help prevent and/or manage cancer and many other life threatening diseases.

Seriously, daily conscious relaxation exercises can make real difference in the way your body responds to stress. Dr Herbert Benson coined the phrase "relaxation response" in his book by the same name in 1975.

Since then he and others have conducted numerous studies, including a recent one at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine, that have detailed the body's intricate positive response to conscious relaxation exercises. In a nutshell, the relaxation response has the opposite effect of fight-or-flight. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the effects of stress. You experience a feeling of deep relaxation and well being. And if you practice relaxation regularly you'll feel better and help yourself avoid those stress related health issues. That's how we get rid of chronic stress.

Here is a Mini Relaxation Video

The group that exercised more, up to 6 times a week did not achieve better results, and reported less energy for daily activities.

So more is not always better!