Alternative Health Blog

This is not exactly the type of news a vibrant woman wants to read. But here goes: A new University of Pittsburgh study reveals that a healthy woman who gains weight in the transition from premenopausal to postmenopausal years does risk losing one thing: Nerve cells or what researchers call “gray matter” in the brain.

Ouch. The study, published in the June issue of the journal, Psychosomatic Medicine, considered brain images from 48 healthy women tracked over 20 years. The data is part of the Pittsburgh Healthy Women Study.

The Pittsburgh scientists deemed the findings particularly notable because none of the females in the study had a history of cardiovascular disease or obesity during mid-life. Their weight gain seemed to be as natural as their progression to menopause.

Lead researcher Dr. Isabella Soreca said there is one positive here (easier said than done maybe): Gaining pounds is a “highly modifiable” risk factor, she said, making the case for prevention by the proper diet and exercise habits.

"Women may be particularly motivated to maintain a healthy weight in the postmenopausal years, should it be confirmed that weight gain causes alteration in brain function that is important to quality of life," Soreca and her peers wrote.

No particular diet or exercise protocol is recommended. Nonetheless, the Alternative Health Blog suggested a Mediterranean diet plan (include those healthy fats and skip processed foods when possible) and find an exercise activity (power walking, running, swimming, the cardio bike) that affords added intensity into your weekly regimen. Exercise researchers are finding that short bursts of 90-percent several times during one to two workouts per week can help kickstart fat-burning in the body for up to 24 hours after exercise.

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.