At the end of a hot flash, a shot of cortisol is released in the the blood, leading to more fat deposits in the omentum (that apron of fat over the belly), proving something I intuited already: Menopause is Nature’s way of killing us.

Just kidding. Partly.

My metabolism, which had always been quite hearty, has slowed. More vegetables & exercise are no longer optional; they’re imperative. I’m nearly 6′ tall. Charts always said 2K cal/day were ok. Now I must ignore them & eat 1600. So unfair.