The F Bomb: A Formula for Feeling Fabulous in Your 40s, 50s, and Following

By April C. Sanchez MD

The F Bomb reveals a realistic food plan so you can be healthy, which means you don't have to give up foods you love. It presents strategies so you can remain mobile as you age, which means you can live independently longer. The F Bomb shares multiple components of wellness so you can embark on your own personal health journey, which means you will feel fabulous is you stay on the path.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667886220

Book preview

Text Description automatically generated

© 2022 April C. Sanchez MD

ISBN: 978-1-66-788622-0

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

BOOK BIO

April Sanchez MD is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her Doctorate of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, LA. She then completed Ob/Gyn. training at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA, where she earned the Lewis Post Award for Surgical Excellence and the Resident’s Research Award. Dr. April served as a Clinical Instructor at Tulane before entering private practice in Mandeville, LA, for the next twelve years. After relocating with her husband to Memphis, TN, Dr. April shifted to an administrative professional position so that she could concentrate more on her family role as a mother. She became the Chief Clinical Officer of the largest school health company in Tennessee. There, she developed reproductive health programs for adolescent girls and worked with community organizations to combat the high fetal and infant mortality rate in Memphis. She currently works with federal and private health payors to promote quality care and improved clinical outcomes for the elderly and disabled members of our communities. Dr. April’s interest in women’s healthcare has evolved into a passion to facilitate women’s transformations into healthier versions of themselves with long-term well-being as the central goal.

Disclaimer: The information presented in these pages does not constitute medical advice. The content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Seek advice from your personal healthcare provider for your medical concerns before implementing the strategies described herein.

FOREWORD

When I was fifty-five years old, I submitted an application for a new life insurance policy. As I went for the lab evaluation, I wasn’t worried at all. I am a physician and have always considered my health to be excellent with vital signs and labs consistently within normal ranges. Therefore, I was shocked and dismayed when my triglyceride levels were above the normal range.

I knew I had to take action before this trend got out of control. Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. As a physician, I reviewed the research on which foods might effectively lower triglyceride levels. I found three main dietary strategies that have been proven to be effective:

Eat fatty fish at least twice weekly.

Increase fiber intake daily.

Eliminate alcohol.

I decided I would implement two of the three strategies. I enjoy a glass of wine with my dinner several times per week and wanted to see if I could make progress without giving that up. I had heard quite a bit about intermittent fasting, so I decided to try that as well as the fish and fiber recommendations. I figured I’d adhere to this new way of eating for five days each week and leave my weekends open to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it (in moderate quantities, of course).

Fast forward to one year later. Although my focus was not weight loss, I did lose about ten pounds over the course of the year. And my triglycerides had decreased from 182 mg/dl to a new low of 51 mg/dl. Unbelievable!

I reflected on my plan and realized that it was an f plan: Fish, Fiber, and Fasting for Five days each week. I started considering what contributes to my overall well-being, and the importance of so many other Fs. The F Bomb is a formula for women to navigate our middle-age years in the best way possible to have the greatest quality of life in our twilight years.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: WOMEN, MENOPAUSE, AND HEART DISEASE

CHAPTER 2: FIVE-DAY FOOD PLAN

CHAPTER 3: FITNESS

CHAPTER 4: FAMILY

CHAPTER 5: FRIENDS

CHAPTER 6: FELLOWSHIP

CHAPTER 7: FAITH

CHAPTER 8: FOCUS

CHAPTER 9: FUN

CHAPTER 10: FRESH AIR

CHAPTER 11: FLEXIBILITY

CHAPTER 12: FORESIGHT

CHAPTER 13: FEARLESSNESS

CHAPTER 14: FORGIVENESS

CHAPTER 15: FINANCIAL

CHAPTER 16: FINAL THOUGHTS

NOTES

APPENDIX

CHAPTER 1: WOMEN, MENOPAUSE, AND HEART DISEASE

The problem with heart disease is the first symptom is often fatal.—Michael Phelps

The term cardiovascular refers to the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) can take many forms but generally means disorders of the cardiovascular system. CVD is often referred to simply as heart disease and is the leading cause of death both worldwide and in the United States.1

Heart disease by the numbers

The World Health Organization estimates that throughout the world, almost 18 million people die of CVD each year.

Most (85%) of CVD deaths are caused by heart attacks and strokes.

In the United States, approximately 659,000 people die of heart disease annually.

In the United States, on average, one person dies of heart disease every 36 seconds.

Heart disease costs over 360 billion dollars each year in the United States.

Approximately one of every five heart attacks has no symptoms and the person is not aware he/she has even had such an event.2

Heart disease in women

Most women don’t know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and in the world. Heart disease is seven times deadlier than breast cancer in women and deadlier than all cancers combined.

One thing that makes cardiovascular disease particularly concerning for women is that the symptoms can be misleading or there may be no symptoms at all. When we think of heart disease and heart attacks, we imagine the typical scenario of someone clutching their chest and falling to the floor. Angina (chest pain) is the most common symptom of heart disease and heart attack; however, women are more likely to have symptoms that are not so typical.3 Some of these symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, racing heart, dizziness, or a cold clammy sweat. As you can see, these are very non-specific symptoms that can have many other causes such as viruses, anxiety, and just feeling generally run down due to the hectic pace of life. I had a personal acquaintance, the mother of my son’s friend, who decided to go to the emergency room one day because she had been feeling generally unwell for a few days. She was forty-four years old, so I’m sure she was thinking she must have had a virus. She drove herself to the ER, walked in, and just died of a heart attack on the spot. It was a tragic event for the family she left behind.

Menopause

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) defines menopause as the final menstrual period, which can be confirmed after 12 consecutive months without a period.  This time marks the permanent end of menstruation and fertility…. 4. Perimenopause, also known as the menopause transition, is marked by irregular menstrual periods before they finally stop permanently.  The average age of menopause is 50 years.  Many symptoms are associated with menopause; hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and depression are some of the most common.  More importantly, the risk of cardiovascular disease in women increases significantly after menopause.  The available data is not clear on exactly how the symptoms of menopause impact the risk of heart disease.5

There is some evidence that hormone replacement therapy can have an impact on a menopausal woman’s risk of heart disease.  Women who are over 60 years of age and have been menopausal for more than 10 years may be at an increased risk of a heart attack if they start hormone therapy at that point.  Younger women who begin taking hormones within 10 years of menopause show no increased risk and may actually have a lower risk of heart disease.6

The decision of whether or not to take menopausal hormones is neither clear-cut nor easy for most women.  Hormone therapy is indicated as a treatment for menopausal symptoms that are impacting the quality of life of an individual.  Like any medical or surgical treatment, there are risks, benefits, and alternatives to this type of treatment.  No singular solution is right for everyone.  My recommendation is that you find a NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner in your geographic area.  These providers have additional training beyond general Ob/Gyn care and are knowledgeable in the most current information and research.  You can visit the NAMS website, menopause.org, where you can search for providers by zip code.

Basic anatomy

The cardio part of cardiovascular is the heart. Most